Being religious is like saying you are warm...

Gallup released a new set of data this morning that you can find here. It shows the state of the US and each of the individual states in regard to their religious affiliation and emphasis. It is pretty brand new data, but there are some real interesting things to take from the study though.

• 4 of the 5 least religious states are New England States.
• My state, Massachusetts is tied for the 3rd least religious state. (One would have think that if some Catholics were pushed about their "practice" of faith, whether this number would fall or not. However, if Baptists in Oklahoma and Texas were pushed about their faith as well, those numbers might also fall.)
• When looking at the religious "pockets" in the US, New England is by far the least religious and largest pocket.

So what does all this mean? Well, I initially would like to say that I am really encouraged and have a different spin on what I see. One could look at this and say what a tragedy that New England is not religious. However, I think being described as religious is a lot like being described as being warm. If you are warm because you are snuggled on the couch in your favorite blanket, great. If you are warm because you have been set on fire, not so great.

Just like we have to find out what it means to be warm, we must find out what it means to be religious. Does it mean that people go to church more often? Does it mean that people pray and meet the needs of their neighbors? Does it mean they voted for the clean cut worship leader on American Idol and not the Glam rock gay guy?

What does it mean? Will this info simply continue to create a gap between these parts of America that Fox News and CNN love to widen? Will the religious look in judgment at the crazy liberals and pray like the Pharisee in Luke 18 in thanks that we are not like them?

I hope not. I hope it means that there is genuine faith in Jesus and lives lived for the gospel in these most religious parts. I also hope that the honesty of New England is seen as a confession of where we are and a realization of what God can do here. In fact, I have so much hope that God is working in this, I have wagered my life on it.

I totally stole this...

Baptist get them saved
Presbyterians get them educated
Methodist get them organized
Episcopalians introduce them to High Society
and Baptist get them saved.

Dr. John Hannah,
Church History Conference,
Omaha, Nebraska

An oldy... I'll let you decide if it's a goody.

I first started a blog on my old MySpace account (remember MySpace?) and I had a few that were worth bringing forward to this blog, so here goes. This is from March 26, 2006. Enjoy, or not.

Protective Cups

I was cleaning out my office the other day when my wife walked into the room with a bothered look on her face. This usually means that one of the children has lodged a something in an orifice that they cannot dislodge or that we are out of Miracle Whip. (Dear God, please don't let it be the Miracle Whip.!) On this day however she proceeded to tell me that our neighbor boy was in our back yard adjusting a protective cup in front of our girls. My initial reaction, as it often is, was to think of ways to adjust him so he would no longer need the protective cup because he was doing that in front of my girls; however after careful consideration of facts such as our neighbor boy is young and not meaning anything harmful by his actions and that it is not nearly worth the effort to run the boy down, I decided to let this infraction slide by. The next day, when I was talking to our neighbor, the mother of the boy, she told me about the situation and the discussion they had to have with their son about adjusting the protection plan in front of the girls. She also told me that apparently the local little league has just begun to issue protective cups to all the boys who play summer baseball. Apparently the protection was handed out at the first practice and the first "drill" was to have the boys put them on, run around and get used to wearing them.

The sights and sounds of that practice had to be something like this:

(Coach calls the boys around him over by the home team on deck circle.)

Coach: OK boys, settle down. I have something that I need to hand out to all of you. Now everyone gets one, so don't knock each other over trying to get to these like you did with the ice cream sandwiches. I still have a blood stain from Kevin's nose on my favorite "Git R Done" t-shirt. My wife has washed it 3 times and it will never be same, so let's try to be a little more civil with this one. Before I pass them out, I need to explain a little about this piece.., (Coach snickers).., er, piece of equipment. You see boys this is a very special thing that will protect some very special things. Well boys there's no use beating around the .., uh.., I'll get right to the point. The county little league commission felt that everyone who plays Little League this year has to wear one of these. (Pulls out protective cup like he is David Blaine).

(Kids gasp at the sight until a little boy in the middle of the ball-capped mass raises his hand)

Coach: Yes Kevin.

Kevin: Why do we have to wear a plastic turtle shell when we play? I thought we were the Devil Rays this year.

Coach: Kevin, we are the Devil Rays and it's not a plastic turtle shell. It's a protective cup.

(Kevin raises his hand again.)

Coach (with resigned frustration): Yes, Kevin.

Kevin: Coach, why do we need that special kind of cup when we have the ones that say "Shoney's on them? Besides, that one had holes in it. Won't the Gatorade run out?

Coach: Kevin, it's not that kind of cup. It is for protection, not drinking. This goes down your pants and fits in the front part of your underwear. (Pause as boys giggle) Do you see. It protects.., you. It will keep you from getting too hurt if a ball pops up and hit's you between the legs.

(Giggling subsides as boys and men alike cringe in imaginary pain)

(Hands automatically raise everywhere)

Coach: OK boys. One at a time, yes Tim. (Passes box around for boys to get cup)

Tim: So your saying that when we put these on we won't be able to feel when we get hit in the wee-wee?

Coach: That's right you won't feel it regardless of whether you get hit in the wee-wee or the paw-paws. You should be OK. That's the point.

(Kids begin squirming and standing, soon yelling ensues)

Various kids screaming:

(As one kicks the other in the crotch) Hey it is true! I hardly felt that! Let me try! (Kicks the other kid) Wow! I'm never taking this off! I can go into my big sister's room anytime I want now!

(As one kid chases Kevin with a bat) Come on Kevin stay still. You heard them say it's not gonna hurt. Let me hit you in the crotch with the bat. Quite running you big sissy.

(Coach stand waving his arms and yelling.)Coach: Boys! Boys! Sit down! Calm down! Boys quite throwing baseballs at your crotches. Here, give me all the baseballs. OH!! (Coach doubles over in pain) (In high pitched voice) Boys, they don't make the coaches wear them, so please don't throw things at Coaches' crotch. (Coach clears throat and stands up. Looks over the still squirming boys and motions to the one bowlegged boy still standing up.)

Coach: Hey Dale, can you help Jimmy get that cup turned around. I think he has it on upside down.

Jimmy: Coach how do you know it is on upside down?

Coach: Well Jimmy, you look like you just got off Secretariat. That's how.

I'm guessing the first "drill" went something like that. Listen, I played baseball and I was a boy. I guess I missed the Johns Hopkins study on baseball injuries to the "pawpaw" region. It's not that I had a problem with this, but I felt I had to pretend that I didn't even know where my "pawpaw" region was until my honeymoon night. I cannot imagine as a Little Leaguer having to deal with such pressure. I mean isn't it enough to carry your father's hopes of success, fame and fortune on your 8 year old shoulders. Now to put on top of that the pressure to measure, manipulate and execute the use of the protective cup properly? It is almost too much to handle. Oh well, at least we're not women. Can you imagine a coach trying to explain those issues? I know. It makes my head hurt as well.

Charismatics & bored people

I grew up in a really conservative church, oh who am I kidding; Jerry Falwell was too liberal for the church I grew up in. Even though the were ultra conservative, they enjoyed being scared by a good demon story. Especially if the result of that good demon story was that those being told the story would tithe more, go on "visitation" or wash the buses used in the bus ministry. One particular demon tale was actually "captured" on tape by the infamous radio show host, Bob Larson. Being bored with being told we were going to hell, my buddies & I from church decided to listen to the tape and scare ourselves. (Think of it as a horror movie for the fundamental Christian kids.)

So I grew up and Christ opened my eyes to His grace, mercy & love as free gifts of life, not golden eggs for good little kids who look for them. He loved me first and my heart responded.

However, because spiritual warfare was addressed in my past life, I had not given much thought to it or it's affects. Maybe the fact that I never thought about it or simply pigeon holed it as past times for "charismatics" & "bored people", was in fact a weapon in spiritual warfare. I really am not sure.

But, since moving to MA, I have seen and experienced genuine spiritual warfare. It is all around us. People all over our church and on our staff are finding themselves in the harshest circumstances & in some of the most devastating anguish of their lives. False accusations from outside, false accusations from inside, misunderstandings, depression, crisis of belief, attacks on marriages, unexplained drops of support, blatant sin & inconsistent submission have been the norm for MERCYhouse since October. I don't think this blog would afford me the space to tell each of these stories. Needless to say, however, they all are real and there is very little explanation than an attack of the enemy.

I have been asking "Why this? Why now?" The only thing I can sense is that the closer you get to the front lines, the more fire you take on. Last year, as I prayed that prayer and asked God what he created me for, I sensed Him showing me that church planting and specifically in an area like New England. So we began to pursue that. Sense we have arrived it has been very evident that we were created for such a time and place as this.

A wonderful man of God, Rich Malone, once told me years ago, "There will be a time and place where you will be able to spread the wings God has given you and fly high for His glory." That meant a lot then and I feel like I have found that time. However, I am also seeing that we are flying high near the front lines and the enemy is not happy. Peoples lives are changing and God is using our lives to model what His love and grace looks like and the joy in life that He gives.

John 10 shows us that the enemy has come to steal, kill & destroy. I believe that is what the enemy is trying to do now.

No, I have not turned charismatic and I am far from bored right now. My ears are just wringing from the enemy mortar fire right now and I am aware of our need for prayer cover .
Please pray for MERCYhouse.

Pray for our staff and especially our Pastor Robert Krumrey and his family.

Please pray for the pastor of our new church plant, MERCYhouse Nights, Nate Cartel, his family and Kristen Brumbaugh, who is coordinating many MH Nights details.


Pray for our staff member, Lois Grandmaison, who is ministering on the Smith College campus as well as to many, many women of MERCYhouse.

















Please pray for our Worship & Arts director, Cindy Pollsen, who leads us in worship, both on Sunday Morning and in our Tuesday Night House Church.



Finally, please pray for us. Pray for our girls, Maddie, Mackenzie & Mikiah. Pray for their hearts to be guarded and drawn to Christ daily.

















Pray for Christie & I. Pray that we would love Jesus, love one another & love others.

Thank you all!

Is he serious?... April 1, 2009

Thoughts, insights & musings from the great mind of rmack32... If the Oklahoma Basketball team had played the game it played against Syracuse, against North Carolina and the game it played against North Carolina, against Syracuse, OU would be in the Final Four... I think we are pregnant with child number 4... Theology is a much needed thing, but something that distracts as well... Just kidding about the child # 4 thing... So far, I'm really impressed with Barack Obama... I watched a movie last Friday called "The Boy in the Stripped Pajamas". It is English and very serious. When it was over, I wanted to rip the flesh from arms and coat them in anti-bacterial gel to help me take my mind off of this torture that was that movie... No really, we are having child #4... Just kidding about the Barack Obama thing... Any movie that talks about a boy in pajamas, by general rule, should be left alone probably... I texted the greatest quote ever in the history of texting last night. It said, "The Spaghetti Monster is fun to think about, just not worship as god."... Now that is theology I can get... We really are having child #4, yes, Christie is pregnant... Is there a medication people take to be able to actually sit through American Idol and it's evil twin Dancing with the Stars? That would be the only explanation possible for being able to do so... George Bush's first 100 days were much more productive than Barack Obama's; however, neither of them can hold a candle to Millard Fillmore... Just kidding about the pregnancy thing... My attention to baseball, angry irish rock bands & all things organic has increased since moving to New England... My attention to the Civil War, race relations & Sonic has decreased since moving from Richmond... Wireless internet has ruined my TV viewing habits. I only watch what I want, when I want it now... Seriously, Christie and I are going to be parents again, due sometime in January... Just kidding about the Millard Fillmore thing... That was a fun sentence. I guarantee you that I have never uttered that sentence before today. Welcome to history... I'm beginning to question the value of wishing someone "Happy Birthday" on Facebook. Are we sending the wrong message in a drive by "Happy Birthday"?... OK, Christie and I are not really pregnant and it hurt my head trying to count 9 months forward from last month... I was told there would be no math... Is this a wast of blog space? Time? Effort?... Yes, Possibly, No... We really are pregnant... Are Yoda & Kermit the Frog related?... My oldest daughter has turned into a super model overnight... We're not pregnant... Happy April 1 day...

Happy St. Patrick's Day

I live in the Northeast now and things like St. Patrick's Day & Columbus Day are now really important holidays. It is a cultural shift from living in Oklahoma, where "Cow Tipping" Day, and Virginia, where "Nicorette Day" were really big holidays. Now, in the Northeast, we celebrate holidays that actually have meaning. However, looking at how St. Patrick's Day should be celebrated now, it makes past celebrations look paltry in comparison. On Sunday, there will be a huge parade that will mosey down the streets of nearby Holyoke, MA. As one of the members of our House Church told me, "The parade is not that big a deal. It is basically a dog in the back of a hay truck. The real party happens on the side of the street, where everyone begins drinking beer at 8 AM & stays drunk all day. That's the Irish way."

Who knew? All these years, I have wasted my time with green cardboard leprechaun hats & shamrocks pinned to my nose. I mourn my ignorance.

Oh well, it's not that bad. At least I haven't celebrated like they do in Alabama by smoking crack and being interviewed by the local news.




Now that looks like fun. Happy St. Paddy's Day everyone!

Yes.

Yes.



Now how do I do this?