Wayward Son

Musician. Composer. Recovering perfectionist. Minister-in-transition. Lover of puns. Hijacker of rock song references. Questioner of the status quo. I'm not really a rebel. Just a sincere Christ-follower with a thirst for significance that gets me into trouble. My quest has taken me over the fence of institutional Christianity. Here are some of my random thoughts along the way. Read along, join in the conversation. Just be nice.

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What We Leave Behind, and What We Don’t

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Categories: food for thought, You need to read this

My post a couple of days ago, The View from Here, generated some of the most interesting comments I’ve received since starting this blog. I found in those comments a very similar (and strong) dissatisfaction with the status quo–and a kindred spirit among them. I also noted that people are dealing with that dissatisfaction in differing ways. Some are trying to stay in the institutions hoping to be a catalyst for change (or perhaps reluctant to break the only form of fellowship they know); and some are feeling like they need to leave.

This is a preview of What We Leave Behind, and What We Don’t. Read the full post (938 words, 1 image, estimated 3:45 mins reading time)

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More Thoughts on Music and Worship…

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Categories: Meanderings (look it up), music

So I’ve continued to ponder some of the things discussed on this blog last week, particularly about music and worship. I shared how I’m bored with Christian music in general, and how even “secular” music has been speaking to me…and I use the word “secular” loosely since I’m really getting rid of the whole sacred/secular hangup, and I only use the word now so you’ll know what I mean. Knowhutimean?

This is a preview of More Thoughts on Music and Worship…. Read the full post (803 words, 1 image, estimated 3:13 mins reading time)

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The View From Here

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Categories: Meanderings (look it up), My Story

I spend a lot of time here in the ongoing process of “de-constructing”–in other words, processing my thoughts and discussing the issues about the institutional forms of Christianity that are now in my rear-view mirror. That de-construction is necessary, and a lot of fellow bloggers are documenting their own similar journeys.

However, I think it’s important to note that this journey is about far more than what is in the rear-view mirror. There is a lot of stuff ahead of me, a whole horizon to explore. Stuff I never knew existed. So I thought I’d talk a little about that today.

This is a preview of The View From Here. Read the full post (819 words, 2 images, estimated 3:17 mins reading time)

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The Search for a Better Way

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Categories: food for thought, Rantings

I’m reading a book right now that, quite honestly, is ticking me off.

I’ll withhold the title of it until I’m finished with it, then I’ll write you a nice scathing review. But it’s one that’s been going around and talked about, and one that a number of bloggers have already reviewed, about some things that traditional church does that have nothing to do with the Bible. Knowing what this blog is about, you’d think I’d be all over this one–and it does contain some useful information–but the overall tone of the book is just ruining the experience for me. It’s preachy and dogmatic, and even angry…and the authors’ solutions for what the church should really look like are, in my opinion, just as legalistic as the traditions I’m trying to get away from. Something inside me keeps saying, “Yes, we need to re-think this stuff…but nah, THIS isn’t the way to go about it.” What good is it to trade off one form of legalism for another?

This is a preview of The Search for a Better Way. Read the full post (884 words, 1 image, estimated 3:32 mins reading time)

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A Conversation I Had Today with My Godson (a.k.a. "JoJo") While The Wild One (a.k.a. "MiMi") Was Resting in the Other Room

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Categories: fun

JoJo: PawPaw? PawPaw? PawPaw? (spoken rapid-fire like a machine gun)

Me: (looking over the couch) Yes, JoJo?

(JoJo is sitting on the window ledge, which is low enough for him to sit on.)

JoJo: Minshof adhl minew sit onna ledge! (TRANSLATION: Look at me, I’m sitting on the ledge!)

Me: You’re sitting on the ledge, huh?

JoJo: PawPaw sit? (TRANSLATION: PawPaw sit?)

(I observe that the ledge is just narrow enough to hold about 25 percent of my behind.)

Me: No, PawPaw’s too big to sit on the ledge.

This is a preview of A Conversation I Had Today with My Godson (a.k.a. "JoJo") While The Wild One (a.k.a. "MiMi") Was Resting in the Other Room. Read the full post (151 words, 2 images, estimated 36 secs reading time)

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Jesus In the Everyday

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Categories: changing mindsets, food for thought

So I’ve been thinking about the continuing dialogue going on in this blog about music and movies that have spoken to us. People are still commenting on entries I wrote days ago, and a lot of “secular” songs and movies have been mentioned in the lists. (That doesn’t really surprise me too much, because I started it.) But it’s got me thinking a little more deeply about this, because in reality it’s not so much about the movies and songs themselves, but about how we are interacting with the world, and how God is interacting with us in the midst of that experience.

This is a preview of Jesus In the Everyday. Read the full post (712 words, 1 image, estimated 2:51 mins reading time)

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Weekend Ramblings, and Some Links You Might Click On…

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Categories: Meanderings (look it up)

This week, I have truly enjoyed and appreciated the comments readers have left, sharing what music and movies have spoken to them. For some of the movies and songs you listed, I went, “YES!!!! I wish I’d put that down, too!” For some of them, I went, “HUH?” 🙂 But I definitely appreciated the diversity of responses, knowing that God has His own ways of reaching each one of us.

This is a preview of Weekend Ramblings, and Some Links You Might Click On…. Read the full post (387 words, 1 image, estimated 1:33 mins reading time)

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Why I’m Not Really Celebrating Easter This Weekend…and How I’m Not a Heretic Because of It

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Categories: What the heck was THAT?

Umm…I am seeing so many fellow bloggers posting about this Good Friday/Easter weekend, and here I am posting about music and movies. I feel a bit carnal. Actually, I am barely aware that it is Good Friday today, and it took the bloggers to remind me. So I thought it might be good to explain why.

There’s no protest going on here; no doctrinal disputes, no heresy, no “Easter-has-pagan-roots” thing going on. This year it’s simply a matter of what will carry the most meaning for us.

This is a preview of Why I’m Not Really Celebrating Easter This Weekend…and How I’m Not a Heretic Because of It. Read the full post (400 words, 1 image, estimated 1:36 mins reading time)

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Da Movies…and Spiritual Truth

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Categories: fun, movies

As you no doubt have read below, my son The Director turned 18 this week. He is passionate about his dream to be a filmmaker, and it’s more than a proud father’s boast to say he really has an eye for it. He’s a natural. Seriously. No, seriously.

Anyway, suffice it to say we are movie buffs around here. And here’s something else interesting: God speaks to us through the movies. No, seriously.

This is a preview of Da Movies…and Spiritual Truth. Read the full post (433 words, 2 images, estimated 1:44 mins reading time)
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