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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More About Music and Worship…

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Categories: Meanderings (look it up), music

In yesterday’s post, I lamented that even as a worship leader and songwriter, I have become bored with most of the music that is labeled “Christian music” or “worship music.” I’m bored mostly because I’m hungry for something more.

The comments I got were interesting and varied (and thank you for all of them). Some expressed that they could definitely relate to what I was saying; some offered advice on how to improve my songwriting and/or music that speaks to them. It was a significant enough response that I thought it would be good to just continue the discussion here for a bit.

This is a preview of More About Music and Worship…. Read the full post (721 words, 1 image, estimated 2:53 mins reading time)

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Can I Just Say This?

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Categories: music, Rantings

I am bored to tears with “Christian” music–especially worship music.

(And the rebels shouted AMEN!)

Actually, to many people nowadays, that might not seem like a very provocative statement. But if you know me at all, you’ll know it’s kind of a strong thing to say. Why?

I am a worship leader.

This is a preview of Can I Just Say This?. Read the full post (736 words, 1 image, estimated 2:57 mins reading time)

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The Point–and How We Have Become Experts at Missing It

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Categories: changing mindsets, food for thought, Rantings

I hope this post makes sense when I get through with it. Seasons of de-construction and re-thinking (like the one I am in) can sometimes be exciting and illuminating, sometimes scary. Sometimes I feel like I’m dwelling in utter chaos inside, with no point of reference, wondering which direction “up” is. Add a little sleep deprivation to the mix, and…let’s just say I hope this doesn’t end up sounding like I’ve been spending too much time in the poppy fields.

But as I take a different look at what I grew up in, and compare it to a fresh look at Scripture, one thing that seems to be showing up in my mind over and over is how much we (by “we” I mean the church) are missing the point. A lot of that point-missing, I’m convinced, is largely due to the institutions we (again, the church) have been encased in. And because I’ve been part of that system for so long, I have to include myself in “we” and admit that I’ve spent a great many years “missing the point.”

This is a preview of The Point–and How We Have Become Experts at Missing It. Read the full post (802 words, 2 images, estimated 3:12 mins reading time)

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A Funny Thing Happened the Other Day When We Were Leaving the House to Go Buy My Guitar

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Categories: Things that are too good to keep, What the heck was THAT?

(The McQuilkin family is in the car, backing out of the driveway. The garage door has just closed.)
The Wild One (searching her purse): “Where are my sunglasses?”

The Director and Me: ……

The Wild One (to The Director): “Josh, here’s my keys. I left my sunglasses inside. They are on the desk just inside. Go get them, okay?”

The Director: “Okay.”

(The Director exits the car and goes into the house through the front door.)

(We wait………a cell phone rings.)

This is a preview of A Funny Thing Happened the Other Day When We Were Leaving the House to Go Buy My Guitar. Read the full post (176 words, 2 images, estimated 42 secs reading time)

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Embracing the Mystery

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Categories: changing mindsets, food for thought

There are a lot of reasons, I think, why I have entered on this journey of deconstruction and re-thinking. Some of it, I firmly believe, has been by the hand of God, because it seems He often leads and teaches me by experience. Some of it has been because of the experiences themselves, including extended times of trial, and the wake-up call. Some of it is because I have gradually realized I can no longer be in denial about what I’ve seen in my years within institutional Christianity.

But some of it is because I got bored.

This is a preview of Embracing the Mystery. Read the full post (814 words, 2 images, estimated 3:15 mins reading time)

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Guitar

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Categories: music, What the heck was THAT?

I did it…I bought a guitar.

I started on guitar when I was four. (Remember that I wanted to be Johnny Cash when I was about that age.) But when we moved to a small town, we couldn’t really find a good teacher there. And when my mom bought me a piano at age nine, I pretty much forgot about the guitar.

But I am remembering….bwahahahahaha.

In anticipation of the many questions you will no doubt be asking, I have created a FAQ for you below.

This is a preview of Guitar. Read the full post (292 words, 2 images, estimated 1:10 mins reading time)

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Questions I Have Been Asked as a Pastor

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Categories: food for thought, fun, What the heck was THAT?

  1. “____ [insert child’s name] has a temperature. What should I do?”

  2. “I was thinking of going to the theater to see ________, which opens today. Is there any bad stuff in it?”

  3. “Which pizza place is offering the $5 medium pizzas?”

  4. “Can you watch ______ [insert child’s name] for a few hours?”

  5. “Would you rather lose your thumb, or would you rather lose a foot?” (asked by an 11-year old boy)

  6. “Is it supposed to rain today?”

  7. “What would happen if I dropped this on the floor?” (asked by the same 11-year-old boy)
This is a preview of Questions I Have Been Asked as a Pastor. Read the full post (434 words, 2 images, estimated 1:44 mins reading time)

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Deconstructing "Quiet Time"

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Categories: changing mindsets, Meanderings (look it up), My Story

I want to give a bit of a disclaimer about this next bit I’m about to write….

It is part of my story, my journey. It doesn’t necessarily have to be part of yours. In other words, by sharing what I’ve been going through and the conclusions I’m coming to, I’m not suggesting that this is how it ought to be for everyone. Just sharing, that’s all.

This is a preview of Deconstructing "Quiet Time". Read the full post (1085 words, 2 images, estimated 4:20 mins reading time)
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