Problems With Prayer Circles (Part 2)

Saying "I agree with these prayers" is not an excuse to pray the exact same thing as your predecessor. Still waiting for someone to say, "I agree with these prayers....AMEN!"

Problems With Prayer Circles

Nothing like holding hands with a stranger during a prayer circle and he/she has extremely sweaty hands....unless you are the one with the extremely sweats hands.

Perhaps prayer gloves would be a good idea...

Humble Pie

Sometimes you preach and it goes well. Other times, a student comes up to you and says "What did that Bible verse have to do with anything you said tonight?"

Well, back to the drawing board...

Shameless Selling Out?

Pastor are supposed to be strong, moral individuals. Our integrity is to be unquestionable. And under no circumstances should a pastor ever "sell-out!"

Furthermore, the Bald Wisdom Blog is a blog for the people by the people. It is meant to bring forth radical new ideas and shake the masses. While I am all about self-promotion, this blog was never intended to be a commercial or advertisement for others. In other words, I can promote myself, but God-forbid I promote someone else.

Unfortunately, I have faced a conundrum. Upon booking a trip for the high school seniors and college students, I received an email and I was immediately challenged with this excerpt:

" 1. If a new church brings kids because of your referral, Rock-N-Water will discount your next trip by 5% of that referred trip’s gross cost, or one of your kids goes free 

(whichever is greater up to $1,000).
2. If you add a link to: http://www.rocknwater.com on your school, church, or blog web site before you arrive, we will give you a FREE T-shirt."

So I'm not totally sure what to do. I don't want Bald Wisdom to sell out. After all, I write because it fills me with joy, but a FREE T-Shirt? How could I pass up? Certainly I'm conflicted. Do I add their link or not? This goes against everything I stand for. Sure, I could also talk about how Rock N Water is the best Christian Camp I have ever been to! I could talk about their great guides and truly delicious food. Their facilities are phenomenal, proving a safe and comfortable way to enjoy the outdoors. And there is no doubt that their program and activities are unparalleled! But at the same time, Bald Wisdom is not the place to promote someone else....even if they are offering me a FREE T-Shirt.

So I stand here conflicted. Yes, Rock N Water is one of the greatest places on earth, but perhaps it is not my place to promote them. Definitely not at the cost of blowing my integrity and selling out. The cause of this blog is too important!

So I suppose I'll say nothing for now. Better just keep praying about it.

Contribute to Bald Wisdom!

Bald Wisdom is looking for guest contributors. If you would like to contribute to the Bald Wisdom blog, please send me something you have written. If I like it, I will post it and credit you. Or, if you just have an idea but don't want to do the writing, let me know what your idea is and I will be happy to take a stab at it.

Also, I have an arbitrary goal to get to 50 followers! Help me make it happen! maybe I'll throw a party if I make it to 50! Share your favorite posts with friends and what not!

One Measly Dollar (Part 2)

As mentioned yesterday, it can be quite awkward to be at the cash register of a store and be asked if you would like to donate $1 to some charity. While many choose the polite, but firm "no," it is surely an unsatisfactory answer. Consider these scenarios that get the job done and provide some moral justification to your penny-pinching.

1. " Oh sorry, I already donate at 3 other grocery stores and 2 department stores."

2. ¿Que? (And pray they don't speak Spanish!)

3. "I'll do it if you do it." 

4. "My spouse and I must first discuss all financial transactions."

5.  "I'm a crook and I just wouldn't feel right giving 'dirty money' to a charity."

Hope this helps. 

By the way, would any of you be willing to donate $1 to our Flushstrong campaign?

One Measly Dollar

If students are hanging out at the church for whatever reason and I have to run some shopping errands, I always enjoy taking 2 or 3 of them with me. It's a good time to chat and hangout which helps me connect with my students better. We cruise through the store, successfully picking up everything we need. Things tend to turn sour when we arrive to the register though. At least 84% of the time, the clerk asks if I would like to donate $1 to starving children with disabilities that come from abusive families. I politely decline, grab my receipt and walk to the car. The students that have accompanied me look at me with a cold stare. While they say nothing, I know they think I am a monster.

I felt pretty bad until I talked with my friend who is a special education teacher. He said he too declines when asked to donate $1 to students with special needs.

He's seriously messed up....

The Zombie Apocalypse

  Couldn't help but laugh at this one. And you adults are just as bad!

Modified Worship Songs for the Avid Smart Phone User

When in an sanctuary of 4,000 people, you notice some interesting things while people worship around you (the only reason I was looking around and not worshiping was so that I could see how I could pray for people when I go home). For example, the lady in front of me went from texting on her phone, to hands up, jumping and singing, to texting again, all in the span of 3.9 seconds. It got me wondering how anyone could worship without feeling any degree of conviction. I mean, how do you sing that God is your everything while you are going for the high score on Bejeweled or cranking out emails? Sure we could ask that she put her phone away and actually try to put in practice what she is singing, but I have a better idea.

Let's just change the lyrics of our worship songs to accommodate our cellular phone addictions! Without further ado, I present to you Modified Worship Songs for the Avid Smart Phone User.

I will demonstrate how this works with the song "Everything" by Tim Hughes

God in my living, there in my breathing 

Except when I'm texting, or checking my Facebook

God in my resting, God in my working

Posting a tweet now, #worshiprocks  #godissogood  #icanfeelthespirit

 
Be my everything, be my everything 

(30 seconds of silence to get caught up on text messages)  

Be my everything, be my everything

There you go my friends. Just another way Bald Wisdom is making Christianity easier!