Some folks mentioned that they couldn't view the "beard-volution" video because of some settings, so I changed them. Here it is, in case you missed it the first time:

• What do you think about the iPad? It looks like a neat tool to me, and will fit in very well with a certain type of user. It won't replace a regular laptop for me, mostly because a) it won't support multitasking, which I use all the time for sermon prep, worship planning, writing, etc.; b) it won't have (at least for a good while) a number of the applications that I use all the time, especially Accordance, DevonThink, and OmniOutliner (though the Omni Group has promised a iPad version of OmniOutliner); and c) I can't hook up a second monitor to it, or my ScanSnap scanner. But It looks like a great tool, and I'd love to get one for a multitude of reasons. Maybe eventually...
• I'm getting close to switching to Camino as my default browser. I like Safari for many reasons, and the new version (4.x) brings some neat new features-- but I haven't put most of those to use, and there are several problems with it that I have difficulty abiding (especially the general difficulty with posting comments on blogs, which just won't work for me in Safari!). Don't know Camino? Think of the underlying basis for FireFox, with a cleaner and Mac-native and Mac-like interface. It's not quite as extensible as FireFox, but that's fine for me-- I don't tend to prefer using my browser for every task and trick I can.
• AT&T is just about to drive me nuts-- NOT for mobile service, but for the landline service at the church! (As a matter of fact, I'm completely satisfied with AT&T as a mobile provider.) The landline frequently (at least once a week) drops my phone calls, and the internet service will drop out several times a day. One of my administrative volunteers (a true servant-- thanks Stacey!) persisted on the phone with them several times and succeeded in getting a service technician to come out, but his first trip didn't fix it. Neither did the second or third trip. He came yesterday for the fourth time(!) and we'll see if the latest trip did the trick.
• I've never posted anything to my Twitter account of any substance; in fact, my ONE "tweet" was for a bundle that I bought, the tweeting of which got me a free license for another program. Yet I have 27 followers, most of whom I don't know, and at least another 25 or so have followed me at some point (probably until they realized that I didn't have anything to say)! It's a peculiar culture that I haven't quite figured out, and I'm fairly sure I don't feel the need to bother with it at this point. I'm sure there's a context for it, but mine isn't it.
• I'm over the hump with Facebook. What I mean is, I still love the connection aspect of it, and appreciate the capacity it has for connecting and re-connecting me with so many folks. It is an incredibly efficient way to learn what is going on with friends, see up-to-date photos, and contact someone. It's a great way to be reminded of people's birthdays and send them well-wishes. But I find the daily (hourly?) stream of notices about online games, people they think I should know, and other "news" tedious, and I'm simply using it less and less as the "always on" tool that I enjoyed of it at one point.

Today is Marcie's birthday. I'm grateful that it is also my day off, so I get to spend it all with her!

Happy birthday, Marcie. I love you very much.

[note: I wrote and posted this in advance-- NOT on her birthday!]

These days many people think of the word "liturgy" and (if they know the word at all) immediately think of a "high church" or very formally-organized worship service. You will sometimes hear people refer to a church's worship style as "liturgical" which means (to them) that an order of worship was followed closely, probably that there was a fair amount of responsive portions from the congregation, maybe that the minister wore a robe, etc.

I understand that this is what many people think of when they encounter the idea of liturgy or of something being "liturgical"-- and to a certain extent, there's nothing wrong with using the term this way. But, like so many words and concepts, our world isn't using the word correctly, and that misuse keeps us from having a real understanding of what we are setting out to discuss.

"Liturgy" is not a complicated term. It simply means "public service."

When we have a liturgy in the church, it is a public service of worship. In other words, whatever you do as a part of the worship service* you participate in, that is the liturgy. If your church uses lots of responsive readings, unison prayers, and other highly-participative elements, that's the liturgy. If your church's worship is essentially just songs and teaching, then that is the liturgy.

Which is to say, unless your church's "worship" is nothing more than a concert that you sit and passively listen to, maybe with a teaching time inserted in the middle, then your church has a liturgy! (And those churches who DO present the concert with teaching inserted as worship, I would argue, are not engaging in biblical corporate worship. That's just entertainment.)

Therefore, it's not accurate (or even possible) to speak of a "liturgical" vs. a "non-liturgical" worship style. One worship style might be "more liturgical" than another, but even there I would challenge this assumption-- it implies that a more heavily-responsive liturgy is more actively engaging than a less heavily-responsive one, which may not actually be the case (though it if is, perhaps the worshiper should seek out the more engaging style if he is earnestly seeking to worship God).

"Liturgy" isn't anything mystical, legalistic, or archaic. There are churches that employ more highly-structured liturgies that are all of those; likewise, there are churches that employ a much more "freestyle" liturgy that are all of those, as well. We should learn to use the term "liturgy" for what it means, and recognize the benefit that our various liturgies are to our congregation's worship.

I'll get into how liturgy benefits us in a future post.


_________________________
*I realize that I've inadvertently stumbled into using another term that is misused or misunderstood today: the idea of a worship service. Many churches don't use this term now, preferring "worship event" or some such; but that is another rant altogether. For now, please accept my premise that I use the phrase "worship service" because it is the term the Bible uses to describe our public act of worship.

We haven't even started February sermons, but already a change in schedule! (Due to cancellation last weekend...)

February 7 Genesis 2:1-3 -- The blessing of holiness
February 14 Genesis 2:4-17 -- Into Eden
February 21 Genesis 2:18-25 -- A suitable helper (Lent 1)
February 28 Genesis 3:1-7 -- Into temptation...

These are the books I read in January:

• The Liturgical Year by Joan Chittister. I reviewed this book already. (3)
• Guilt by Brent Curtis. This little booklet, designed to be a small group resource, is a very good examination of guilt (both false and true) and shame, and a look at how the Bible teaches us to face and deal with guilt. A good resource, but unfortunately out-of-print. (8+)
• Let's Study Ephesians by Sinclair Ferguson. We used this book for a Sunday School class, and the Elder who taught the class and I read through the book together. It's excellent, like all of the Let's Study... series from Banner of Truth; great for a group or individual study, a class, or just as a guide to Ephesians. (9)

(Thanks to Dave Walker)

Super Bowl 44, on February 7, will feature the band The Who as the halftime show. I love The Who-- don't get me wrong. I'm sure it will be a great show, even though the original members of the band are old enough to be grandparents to many of the NFL players.

My issue isn't with The Who; it's not really an issue, but more simply pointing out something I find interesting.

American football (which is what folks everywhere outside of the U.S. call our game)-- and especially the Super Bowl-- are among the most "American" things around. Yet, the trend over the recent years has been to have a British artist or band perform for halftime. Take a look at this list from the last decade (British artists in bold):

2010: The Who
2009: Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band
2008: Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
2007: Prince (the artist formerly known as "Love Symbol #2")
2006: The Rolling Stones
2005: Paul McCartney
2004: Janet Jackson, Justin Timberlake, Nelly, P. Diddy, Kid Rock
2003: Shania Twain, No Doubt, Sting
2002: U2
2001: Aerosmith, 'N Sync, Britney Spears, Mary J. Blige, Nelly

So, about half of the years we've had British bands or artists. (In fact, it looks almost like they picked up on the "trend" after 2006 and intentionally went the other way for a few years before coming back to The Who.)

What gives? Are American band just not that good?

Another note: after the 2004 "wardrobe malfunction" debacle, it looks like they've very intentionally moved away from acts that aren't old folks who either a) aren't recording any longer, or b) haven't recorded anything that has had a lot of success in years.

In other words, there seems to be a "no one under 45, and British if possible" policy in place. Anyone else notice this?

• Digital Mom Report-- here's a fascinating report on how moms use computers and online technology. Check Chuck Warnock's summary of it for a taste before downloading the whole document. (HT: Chuck)
• Fourth Turning predictions-- I've been avidly interested in Strauss and Howe's The Fourth Turning and its implications for several years. This is a list of five predictions for the coming year(s), based on the theories in that book. Very interesting. (They predicted 9/11 in that book, by the way, in not so many words.)
• Was Pat Robertson Hateful (this time)?-- this piece by David Sessions at Patrol offers the best summary of the background from Pat Robertson's recent, er, comment. It also has thoughtful remarks about Pat and his tendency to comment.
• "Has the Internet Changed Our Thinking?"-- this is the 2010 question from the Edge World Question Center, an informally-organized group committed to intellectual inquiry. So far this question has generated hundreds of answers in essay form, with great content like this opening sentence from David Dalrymple: "Filtering, not remembering, is the most important skill for those who use the Internet." (HT: NY Times)
• U.S. Military "Jesus" guns-- Bible references added to Pentagon-purchased gun sights. This one gets the award for the biggest waste of time and money so far in 2010-- from time in investigating the "story" to time reporting it to my time reading it and now posting about it. And yes, I'm wasting your time with it, too; but only because it's a classic example of how ridiculous so-called news reporting has become in our culture. (Bonus link: see this thoughtful piece about the whole thing at Patrol.)

Updated schedule on 1/26...
January 3 John 4:19-26 -- Worship in Spirit & Truth, part 2
January 10 Romans 8:28-30 (Guest Preacher Doug Barcroft)
January 17 Genesis 1:1-2 -- From chaos to creation
January 24 Genesis 1:3-31 -- By His word...
January 31 Genesis 2:1-3 -- The blessing of holiness