The Hampsher Family

Fiona's Prayer

2009-07-01T09:01:00.003-04:00

The picture here isn't the best, but here is Fiona saying her prayer before bed.

Fiona and Her Pudding

2009-06-05T12:57:00.003-04:00

Fiona is joyfully eating her pudding for dessert after lunch.

Fiona in the Pool!

2009-03-06T17:40:00.003-05:00

This is Fiona in the swimming pool at Sevierville, TN. Her first swim was rather sucessful and I am sure that she peed in the pool.

Fiona Says "Hello"

2009-01-18T16:37:00.003-05:00

Hello to all. Fiona and her baby says 'hi' to all friends and family.

Fiona's Haircut!

2009-01-08T18:11:00.003-05:00

Fiona gets her first haircut! She now looks like a little girl (sniff).

Fiona's Christmas

2008-12-25T14:15:00.003-05:00

Here is Fiona after opening her presents on Christmas afternoon.

Hampsher Holidays

2008-12-13T14:24:00.005-05:00

Fiona decided she wanted to help decorate for Christmas - she became enthralled with the lights for the tree. Grandma and Grandpa and Fiona enjoyed their time together. Get a glimpse of Fiona walking; the video is a bit old. She walks well now.

Fiona Attempting to Walk

2008-10-03T10:45:00.005-04:00

Here we have Dad walking with Fiona, Mom giving directions, and the dogs helping. Sorry, the lighting is not too good.

Fiona Standing

2008-07-01T20:16:00.002-04:00

New Indiana Jones Movie

2008-05-24T21:02:00.003-04:00

I went to see the late showing of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull on opening night. First of all, I am a huge Indiana Jones fan. I grew up on Raiders of the Lost Ark. I was eagerly anticipating this new movie unlike any other. So, with a heavy heart, I am sad to say this movie SUCKED. I tried so hard to like it, but alas, I could not. The visuals were poor, the dialogue trite, the characters underdeveloped, and, worst of all, the story was so totally unbelievable I was ashamed to be an Indiana Jones fan. I waited twenty years for this piece of junk? Hence I am working hard to banish the memory of this movie from my mind. Bleccch!

Bounc'n Fiona!

2008-05-15T16:14:00.002-04:00

Fiona's New Video

2008-04-27T16:53:00.002-04:00

Here she is! Enjoy.

New Pictures

2008-04-21T21:45:00.003-04:00

Here are some new pictures of Fiona. Everybody loves Fiona! The top picture is of Fiona and her babysitter, Barbara. They always have such a good time together. The bottom picture is of Fiona in her stocking hat (or toboggan down South) at Easter. The middle picture is when Fiona heard that the new Indiana Jones movie is coming out next month. Rock on!

2008-03-10T20:29:00.005-04:00

Fiona is sitting nicely on her couch (beautiful slip cover I might add). Sunshine is sitting on the other end of the couch. The video is of Fiona licking a Ritz imitation cracker (we are too cheap to buy Ritz). Fiona thinks they taste the same anyway, so what's the difference? The sound in the background is the dogs dancing around; apparently they wanted a cracker too.

Fun with Cereal!

2008-02-18T10:36:00.002-05:00

This is Fiona's first meal with cereal. Last week, the doctor told us that she could start on cereal if we thought she was ready. We went home and I asked BreAne, "Should we start her on Cheerios or Fruit Loops?" BreAne laughed at me in response. I have since learned that 'cereal' means a soft, mushy-like oatmeal, and not Cheerios or Fruit Loops. My mistake. Happy Birthday Grandma!

Fiona and Further Musings

2008-01-21T21:16:00.000-05:00

This latest video is of Fiona playing with her inflatable ball. It is amusing; at least it was for her.

I have not included any meaningless rantings lately, so the time is upon us. I was assigned to read the book, Shaped By the Word: The Power of Scripture in Spiritual Formation, by M. Robert Mulholland, Jr., for an upcoming class. First of all, I seem to have a bias against books that are "spiritual formation" books. They tend to leave a bad taste in my mouth. I need to state this up front lest you think I am a mere objective observer. Anyway, needless to say, I found the book odd. The author's thesis is that one needs to read Scripture 'formationally' instead of 'informationally' and allow God to shape our understanding of the text. You must "allow the [Scripture] passage to open to you its deepest dimensions, its multiple layers of meaning (p. 56)."

Firstly, I am not sure one can distinguish information from formation. I understand Mulholland's point that we can read Scripture simply for information without allowing ourselves to be transformed. But, this dicotomy cannot be pressed too far. In fact, when one encounters Scripture, one must begin with information (as Mulholland puts it). The importance of authorial intent is paramount; what did the original author intend to communicate? Unfortunately, Mulholland only dedicates less than two pages to this point. One cannot proceed to transformation (which I agree that this must be reached) until one establishes what God intended to say to the original audience. If we jump directly to 'formational' reading, we inevitably become lost in a sea of ambiguity and potentially land in a reader-response approach to Scripture. I hear enough of "what this passage means to me" already. Personally, I am far too warped a person to trust myself to "what this passage means to me." But perhaps this is a too conservative approach...

Lastly, I am beginning to appreciate the communal aspect of sanctification. I think often this gets missed by spiritual formationists. The typical approach is that spiritual formation is something that God does in me and then I turn and make the world better. Oh yeah, and it takes place in the church. But study your Bible at home. By yourself. In a closet. Pray there. It's personal. I am overstating my case, to be sure, but Scripture never portrays spiritual formation as something accomplished by myself. It is inherently communal and done in the midst of brothers and sisters in Christ, as is the act of reading and interpreting Scripture. Ha! How's that for a pastoral plug! I have ranted and raved far too long. Good bye!

Playtime

2008-01-17T19:45:00.000-05:00

Here are the latest pictures and video of Fiona. The top picture is of Fiona taking her bath. She has now graduated from her newborn 'hammock' bath to her infant bath. I am sure she is proud of her accomplishment. The second picture is of Fiona reading with her father. She is quite the intent little reader. If you notice, she is holding the edge of the book. And lastly, Fiona is enjoying her pacifier and taking a good look at it from various angles. What a gal!

Fiona and Her Pacifier

2008-01-15T19:40:00.000-05:00

Christmas Pictures

2007-12-25T20:55:00.000-05:00

Here we have our Christmas pictures. The top picture is of Fiona on Sunday. The second and third are Fiona and BreAne on Christmas Day. Doesn't Fiona look pleased as her presents tower over her?

Another Conversation with Fiona

2007-12-23T21:49:00.000-05:00

Fiona Cooing

2007-12-15T14:33:00.000-05:00

'Tis the Season

2007-12-08T18:34:00.000-05:00

The top picture is Fiona's first airplane ride; she did rather well. The second picture is of Laci (Fiona's cousin) holding Fiona. Lastly, Fiona is relaxing next to her new Cabbage Patch doll. You may not be able to see it, but they have matching antlers. Take care!

Halloween Pictures

2007-11-03T10:26:00.000-04:00

The above two pictures are of Fiona in her Halloween costumes. We dressed her in the peapod outfit but it was too warm for her, so we went to the fall-back costume, the pumpkin. Fiona, BreAne, Glenda, and I all went downtown to the shops for Halloween. Fiona stole the show.

Cute Pictures

2007-10-18T22:14:00.000-04:00

Here are a few cute pictures of Fiona. She looks so small in her car seat and her cap makes her little ears stick out. Mom is doing well and continues to get better each day (the sleep helps!).

Hello From Fiona

2007-10-16T19:35:00.000-04:00

Again, here is Fiona with a case of the hiccups.

Fiona's First Video

2007-10-14T15:30:00.001-04:00

Check out Fiona hanging out in her new crib.

Fiona Joule Is Here!

2007-10-13T14:09:00.001-04:00

We are proud to announce the arrival of our daughter, Fiona Joule (pronounced 'jewel'). She was 9.2 lbs., 21.5 inches and born at 8:06 pm on Oct. 11, 2007. The delivery went well (from my perspective) and we are now at home. I am sure there will be more pictures to come!

BreAne - Overdue

2007-10-11T09:56:00.001-04:00

Well, this is BreAne this morning, Oct. 11, 2007. She was due Oct. 8. She is cute as ever with her little plump belly!

Our New Cradle

2007-10-11T09:48:00.000-04:00

We are excited to show everyone our new cradle that was given to us by our friends at church, Joe and Elizabeth! The cradle is hand-made by Joe and Elizabeth made the quilt as well. Excellent!

Pregnant BreAne

2007-09-15T19:35:00.001-04:00

The nurses at work painted BreAne's belly on Friday. For the remainder of the day people were staring at her belly because they could see the pumpkin through her shirt. She had a lot of explaining to do. The people that knew us didn't think anything of it; they already knew we are strange. Willie's obedience training is going very well. She now knows how to sit, stay, and lay down. She is nearly up to par with me.

Willie and Peanut Butter

2007-08-19T22:20:00.001-04:00

New Nickname!

2007-06-02T09:23:00.001-04:00

I was watching "The Blues Brothers" last week and decided I need to be called "Mr. Fabulous." BreAne doesn't agree, but I think it is a great nickname.

Sincerely,

Mr. Fabulous

Our Trip to Chicago

2007-05-22T19:47:00.001-04:00

Here are two pictures from our trip to Chicago. One is of my sister, Bekah, and her two kids, Laci (left) and Kenna (right). The curls are all natural! The other picture is at graduation with Drs. Tienou and Downs.

SNL- MacGruber (5/12/07)

2007-05-22T18:41:00.003-04:00

SNL - MacGruber 1

2007-05-22T18:41:00.001-04:00

One-Eyed Willie

2007-04-13T14:40:00.000-04:00

Here are two pictures of Willie, our new dog. She was a stray that was hanging around our house. She is our 'outside dog.' Needless to say, Sunshine and Midnight do not like her.

Our First Baby Picture

2007-02-13T18:16:00.000-05:00

For those of you who do not know yet, BreAne is with child. Above is the first ultrasound. Not much to see here, but we were able to see the heart beating. Very exciting!

It's Sink-tacular!

2007-02-06T10:54:00.000-05:00

This past Saturday, I spent the day installing our new sink and vanity. The old sink was rather ugly (it was puke-green colored). No leaks; miracles do happen! Not too shabby, eh? Perhaps I can now add "Master Plumber" to my résumé .

Snow Dachsunds

2007-02-01T16:50:00.000-05:00

Here is another video for Laci.

Things I Love about the South

2007-01-29T10:29:00.000-05:00

Being a Midwestern boy, I have found several things about the South, particularly western North Carolina, rather appealing. Here are a few of them:

Bojangles' biscuits - KFC has nothing on these biscuits.

Weather - just enough snow to scratch the itch, but it only lasts until noon!

Mountains - there is just something comforting about being surrounded by mountains.

Bluegrass and Mountain music - while some find the banjo appalling, I rather like it.

Time - early morning is 9:00 am. Can't beat that.

Love for the past - they are still stewing over the Civil War.

Waving - when driving, you wave at people whether you know them or not.
Sweet tea - need I say more?

Dachshunds!

2007-01-26T17:11:00.001-05:00

This video is for Laci. If you listen closely you can hear the dogs crunching on their treats. Enjoy! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVFlimAuJsk

The Church, Legalism, and Hauerwas

2007-01-26T15:09:00.001-05:00

As compared to my most recent posts, this one is quite serious. The following thoughts are in regard to Keith Drury's "Legalism Scale," and the various responses to it. It can be found at this address http://www.drurywriting.com/keith/recent.pretty.good.writing.htm, under the heading "I dare you to take this Test: Legalism Scale." Be sure to read the "Responses." Bascially, the conversation comes down to this: does a commitment to holiness make one a legalist? Let me make clear that I am not interested in any discussion on whether or not certain denominations are legalistic or have been in the past, but should a church that promotes holiness deal with personal conduct (for my Wesleyan tradition compadres)? Can a church, or should a church, address issues such as homosexual and adulterous relationships, pornographic material usage, divorce, materialism, etc. among its members? To summarize the responses to Dr. Drury's 'Scale,' quite a few people said "no," personal conduct issues are simply between the individual and God. Thus many of the respondents reported a 'level-zero' on the scale: "We just love people - it isn't about rules it's about relationship." Now for my humble thoughts, and I must say up front that I probably rank somewhere between level one and level two on the Scale.

First, I agree with Dr. Drury that a church has an obligation to set certain standards of conduct for its members, based upon biblical foundations and presupposing conversion. I have yet to see any biblical argument against this and Saint Paul seems to argue strongly for it. Related to this, a church has an obligation to take stands on conduct that are not explicitly mentioned in Scripture as well. Dr. Drury's example of slavery works well, and we could include abortion, cloning, use of illegal drugs, etc. In my opinion, it is not legalism by asking people to refrain from particular behaviors, whether explictly or implicity biblical, but I am certainly open to your thoughts and corrections on the matter. Obviously certain issues exist that are not matters of salvation, but still concern some denominations (e.g. alcohol and tobacco). I also think a denomination can address non-salvific issues as well and still refrain from legalism.

Secondly, my theology has been shaped, to a great extent, by the writings of John Howard Yoder and particularly Stanley Hauerwas. I find that Mennonite theology (although Hauerwas is Methodist, but was under the tutelage of Yoder) challenges me spiritually in a way most Protestant theology does not. I think the Mennonites have a better grasp on the church, community, and culture, than do Protestants, generally. What certain segments of the 'emerging church' are talking about now, the Mennonites (or at least Yoder) had figured out sixty years ago. By the way, I am not emerging, but do find some of their stances valid. So, where is this second point going? It is going to the point Hauerwas and Yoder make (primarily in The Peaceable Kingdom and The Politics of Jesus), that being a Christian cannot be separated from the being the Church and that the Church, by definition, is public and counter-cultural. The Church itself is a "social ethic," a "servant community," and all Christians are called, unconditionally, to follow the teachings of Christ as a public witness (yes, even in the commitment to nonviolence). Hence the only way the Christian life can be lived out is through community (no 'what if a person was trapped on a desert island' stuff); the Christian life and Scripture is more complex than simply 'relationship,' as is currently popular. Any person (i.e. Jesus Christ) that is not concerned with what I do (as opposed to simply 'heart matters') is not worth following. The quip, "a right heart leads to right action" is partially correct, but it grossly underestimates the sinfulness of humanity. Personally, I don't trust myself enough to leave my religious convictions or Jesus' teachings to my conscience. My conscience deludes me far too often; I need the Church. So, my answer is no, a commitment to holiness does not make one a legalist. It is this very commitment to Christ and the Church that define us. Hopefully this will start some conversation. Let the tomatoes fly! Yee-haw!

Po-ta-to or Po-tot-o?

2007-01-24T21:18:00.000-05:00

Since moving to the South, I have noticed several pronunciation differences in various words, as well as usage differences. Here are a few:

Rastlin' (rass-lin) - a variant form of 'wrestle'
Shurf (shũrf) - a person who wears a badge; also known as 'sheriff'
Chile (chīl) - a small baby; with the 'd' left off; also called 'child'
Toboggan (te-bog´en or toe-bog΄en) - typically understood as a type of sled elsewhere in the United States, but here, apparently, a stocking cap
Vul - as in Asheville or Louisville; in the North, preferrably pronounced 'ville,' not 'vul'

More to come...

Men and Their Bodies

2007-01-23T16:14:00.000-05:00

What is it with men who do not know the names of their own body parts? I am sure there are many misidentified body parts, but the one that drives me nuts is the 'prostate,' or 'prostrate,' as it is more often called. When a man tells me he is having 'prostrate problems,' I want to ask, "Oh? Are you having trouble lying in the prone position? Try sitting in a chair instead." I mean, come on! If you are having problems with a body part, at least get the name right. I had a former pastor who referred to the prostate as the prostrate from the pulpit! This doesn't exactly instill confidence in the pastor's abilities. Yikes!

Micaiah and Jesus

2007-01-22T21:57:00.000-05:00

We were studying 1 Kings this week in our Sunday evening service and we spent a bit of time on the story of Ahab, Jehoshaphat, and Micaiah, in 1 Kings 22. I love the part where Jehoshaphat asks Ahab if there are any prophets of which they can inquire. Ahab reponds: "There is one man...Micaiah...but I hate him, for he never prophesies good concerning me, but evil." I find this statement rather humerous, but also profound, and this is why.
In speaking with other Christians, I find we do the same thing with the teachings of Jesus that Ahab did with Micaiah. When dealing with any given issue, the answer I often get, typically disguised in some other wording, is, "Why would I consult the Bible and Jesus' teachings? Jesus never tells me what I want to hear! Tell me something else (I don't want to pray for my enemies, turn the other cheek, honor God with my finances)." How easily can pastoral advice dissolve into ear-itching.

The Rise of the Chicago Bears

2007-01-22T18:14:00.000-05:00

As I wipe a tear from my eye, I am proud to announce that the Chicago Bears are finally returning to the Super Bowl. It has been this thought that has nursed me through these past twenty-one lowly years of Bear mediocrity. To have both the Chicago Bears and the St. Louis Cardinals at the top of their games in the same year is almost too much for words.

Greed for the Apostles' Creed

2007-01-18T13:05:00.001-05:00

I began a new Wednesday night devotional study this week. I hesitantly decided to walk through the Apostles' Creed with our group, quite certain that I would receive baleful glances and bored yawns. We started by discussing why the Apostles' Creed is important and why we should learn it. We then delvelved into the first words of the Creed, "I believe." We discussed the question, "What does it mean to believe?" I was flabbergasted with the intensity and interest shown by the group for the Apostles' Creed. This was the most interactive and exciting group I had seen in quite some time. Needless to say, I was the one left with my mouth open, not with a yawn, but with astonishment. Who would have thought the Apostles' Creed would be so interesting?

Christian Book Stores?

2007-01-16T11:24:00.000-05:00

I was perusing through a Christian book store the other day and it was fairly obvious that the store was no longer a 'book store.' It should be called a 'Christian knick-knack store.' Percentage-wise, only 5% of the items in the store were books, maybe less. The remaining 95% was total junk: cheesy t-shirts, necklaces, ornaments, stuffed animals, and the like. Half of the junk for sale I daresay Goodwill wouldn't take. Furthermore, the books in the book store were nearly worthless as well. No theology, history, leadership, or spiritual disciplines books are to be found. Instead, one can find Christian romance, Christian fiction, fluffy devotionals, and a few biographies (of G.W. Bush, Condolezza Rice, and Billy Graham). That is all.

Of course, maybe I shouldn't be so hard. Perhaps Amazon has run book stores out of the business. On the other hand, getting people to read is nearly like pulling teeth. Or maybe these 'book stores' are simply supplying what the Christian consumer wants, which is really scary. But let's not call them 'book stores,' but 'knick-knack stores,' or perhaps 'Christian junk stores.' That felt good to get off my chest.

Theme Songs

2007-01-08T19:56:00.000-05:00

Here is a list of my favorite film scores, in no particular order (as you can see, I am partial to John Williams):

Raiders of the Lost Ark (Indiana Jones)
Jaws
The Pink Panther
Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Star Wars: A New Hope
Superman
The Magnificent Seven
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
Dr. No (James Bond)
M*A*S*H

Church Architecture

2007-01-04T16:46:00.000-05:00

The other day, I was listening to a sermon by William Willimon, former Dean of chapel at Duke. The sermon was delivered on the anniversary of the completion of the Duke chapel. The sermon got me thinking about church architecture and the message it sends to our people and the community. First of all, does it convey a message? If not, this is a moot point. But, I think in most cases the answer is yes, our architecture does convey a message or messages. Willimon makes the argument that the church stands up and out against the surrounding culture, and therefore our architecture should do so as well. Going beyond this thought, what does our architecture indicate about our theology of God? Who is the God we worship and what is he like? It is certainly in error to say that we can come to him in any manner we please (our church had a good discussion about this during our Sunday night study of Leviticus), but this is digressing. I think our architecture says quite a bit about our theology and how we view God. Is God, as Joan Osborne puts it, "one of us?" or is he other? Furthermore, what does our architecture say about how we worship God? Unfortunately, I think we pass over many of these issues without ever thinking about them. Of course, then again, maybe I have too much time on my hands... Any thoughts?

Home Projects

2007-01-01T21:51:00.000-05:00

Over the New Year break, BreAne and I did some small projects. The top picture is of the dining room set (given to us by our senior pastor's son) that we reupholstered. The second picture is of the wardrobe closet courtesy of IKEA (Burly will be happy); we spent Saturday in Atlanta and on the road picking up the closet. The bottom picture is a 'before' photo of our bathroom (with the previous cabinets removed) and the middle photo is the 'after,' the cabinet also courtesy of IKEA.

My Leisure Reading

2006-12-29T16:59:00.000-05:00

Over the holiday, I reread Into Thin Air, by Jon Krakauer. It is a non-fiction tale of a tragic 1996 Everest expedition that ended in the deaths of several climbers. It is recommended reading. I picked up the book again after following the Mt. Hood incident several weeks ago; I suppose I needed to remind myself why I do not mountain climb. Tennis seems to be a better bet, although be careful playing doubles.

A Christmas Unveiling

2006-12-25T20:52:00.000-05:00

This is the big unveiling! As you can see, I am donning my antler hat and my bow tie, although not at the same time. Both make a fashion statement. As far as the bow tie, nerdy or eccentric?

A Very Doggie Christmas

2006-12-25T20:49:00.000-05:00

We didn't take any photos of ourselves, but we took photos of our dogs with their presents.

Quote of the Day

2006-12-21T11:25:00.000-05:00

"To live out of control means that we do not assume that our task as Christians is to make history come out right." - Stanley Hauerwas

Theological Clarification

2006-12-19T10:12:00.000-05:00

Because it is nearing Christmas and all, a discussion ensued at church Sunday about the Incarnation. It was evident that several people were confused over theological terminology. Being rather anal about these issues, I thought I should clarify some terminology. The term 'Incarnation' refers to God becoming man, that is, Jesus Christ. The term 'Annunciation' refers to Gabriel's announcement to Mary that she would give birth to the Christ. The 'Virgin Birth' refers to the scriptural testimony of Mary's conception of the Christ (by the Holy Spirit) even though she was a virgin. The term 'Immaculate Conception' does not refer to the Virgin Birth. It is a Catholic theological term that refers to Mary's sinlessness from her own conception (she is without original sin). Obviously Protestants reject this. Just a bit of nit-picky clarification.

Christmas Cantata

2006-12-17T20:52:00.000-05:00

Here is a picture of Cornerstone's choir as they practice for their cantata. The cantata went well and BreAne had a fine solo. This photo was taken during her solo (she is on the right). The wonderful cantata was followed by a trip to the emergency room; BreAne had a gallbladder issue. She seems to be fine right now. Other than that, our Sunday went just fine!

Taking a Rest

2006-12-16T21:31:00.000-05:00

While we were doing some housework and listening to Christmas music, Midnight was resting her weary bones. Sunshine is in the bundle below her.

What Are Men to Be, Part II

2006-12-15T08:56:00.000-05:00

Although I thought Murrow's book, Why Men Hate Going to Church was off base theologically, Murrow raises a good point: what type of Christianity are many of our churches selling? I fear Murrow is correct when he states that many churches are selling a feel-good, comfortable, self-help, fix-your-marriage, make-your-life-better Christianity. I agree with Murrow on this point, although I disagree with his solutions. A better solution: our American churches must regain the radical Christianity that is portrayed throughout the New Testament and early church history. True Christianity, as Jesus tells us, is a call to a persecuted life, a life of an alien in a foriegn, a life of a sojourner. A radical Christian is counter-cultural, speaks the Word, and stands up against injustices, yet bears the punishment (willingly) for standing out from the crowd. Bascially, true Christianity is not comfortable and will not make your life easier. It is only for the tough. To follow Christ is to face death (Luke 9:23).

I think this is how our churches can regain some of the lost men. Portray Chrisitianity as it should be, as it is shown in Scripture and throughout history. This is how men will come back to the church: when the Word is preached faithfully and true.

What Are Men To Be?

2006-12-11T15:47:00.000-05:00

I read this book, which is primarily about what men are supposed to be. While Murrow has some good evaluations of some churches, his theology and history stink. Murrow describes Moses, David, Peter, Daniel and Paul as “lions, not lambs – take charge men who risked everything in service to God. They fought valiantly and spilled blood. They spoke their minds and stepped on the toes of religious leaders…All of these men had two things in common: they had an intense commitment to God, and they weren’t what you’d call saintly.” Interestingly, in Scripture Jesus is always referred to as the Lamb, except for one passage in Revelation.[1] While looking at the lives of biblical men is helpful, our model should be supremely Jesus. Our ideal of masculinity must come from Jesus, not from what our culture tells us masculinity should be (Murrow reads the masculinity of biblical men through the lens of contemporary culture).

Murrow makes the argument that manhood is best understood through the lens of what he thinks a man should be, not what Scripture says a righteous man should be. The most glaring omission of this book is the lack of biblical exegesis for understanding manhood. Furthermore, when exegesis does occur (rarely) it is done in a superficial and haphazard manner.

For example, Murrow writes, “God made men for adventure, achievement, and challenge, and if they can’t find those things in church, they’re going to find them somewhere else.” Murrow supplies no biblical basis for this statement. According to Scripture, this is not what man was made for, or intended to pursue. Man was created for relationship with God and with others (Gen 1:26-25). As Christians, men are called to suffer and to serve, to imitate and to follow the path of the Suffering Servant and Slain Lamb (Eph 6:5-9; Phil 3:10-11; 2 Cor 1:5, 4:10; 1 Cor 10:33-34; Col 1:24). This is a true ‘manly’ calling, not for the weak of heart, but for the most resilient people on earth, followers of Jesus Christ. This, not “adventure, achievement, and challenge,” is risky, dreaming big, and pushing the envelope. This is why Christ and the apostles and the early church were put to death; this is why Christians all over the world continue to be martyred. This is how the Christians of the early church viewed their Christian witness, not by adopting the Greco-Roman cultural view of “risk taking, power, aggression, and heroic sacrifice.” It is because the early church was and we are counter-cultural, aliens; the world knows we are different and that we refuse to accommodate their culture.

The biblical mandates for men are the Beatitudes, Christ’s life, grace and peace, service, and suffering. Personally, I don’t care if some men don’t like the word ‘gentle’ or ‘meek,’ because Christ calls us to be both and live both. Unfortunately, Murrow seems to see the issue as either/or. Either you are culturally ‘manly’ or you are a Christian wimp. Christ was neither.

Murrow is scathing when it comes to contemporary Christian leadership: “Most paid leaders in America’s churches are either teachers or musicians who may have never been trained in leadership, nor do they possess a vision for leading a congregation.” Again, this is personal anecdote by Murrow. Scriptural leadership is a far cry from the leadership that Murrow, or the rest of the world, seeks. First, while ‘vision’ is helpful for church leadership, it is not primary. Scripture says nothing about having ‘vision’ for the church; this is again the influence of the CEO mentality upon the church. Note Murrow’s remark: “[Churches should] Look for leaders in corporate America, not necessarily in seminary…Laymen may respect such leaders all the more because they possess real-world experience.” I would argue that it is this very CEO mindset that is leading to the downfall of many churches. What Scripture requires for leadership is a calling by God and a godly character. The goal of Scriptural leadership is spiritual transformation, not vision, or church growth, or anything else that Murrow claims. Painfully telling, Murrow mentions nothing about prayer or the leading of the Holy Spirit when it comes to leadership. Furthermore, leaders throughout the Bible are by no means uniform. For instance, Moses didn’t want his job (notice how Moses reacted when accused by Miriam and Aaron), Gideon was rather indecisive and weak, Timothy struggled to keep order, and Paul didn’t get along with John Mark.

In summary, the last thing we should want men to do is to embrace what comes naturally to them. Everything that Christ wants us to be is not natural; it is against our fallen nature. Our understanding of manhood should come from what Jesus portrayed and what a redeemed and sanctified man looks like, not what men look like in the world or before conversion. This book could have been better if Murrow had stuck to his original question of why men hate going to church instead of straying into his own theology of manhood. P.S. Don't read this book or John Elridge's Wild at Heart, because they are nearly identical in theology.

[1] Revelation 5:5. Even in this passage, Christ is heard as the Lion of the tribe of Judah, but actually seen as the Lamb. For more on this, see R. Bauckham, Theology of Revelation.

Holiday Video

2006-12-08T15:43:00.001-05:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00FyuYj2UHM

Lookin' Out My Backdoor

2006-12-07T15:30:00.000-05:00

It snowed today, for the first time this season. For those of you who have never been to our house, this is a picture from our front porch as the snow fell very lightly.

Quote of the Day

2006-12-05T12:56:00.000-05:00

"Prayer is never the first word, it is always the second word. God has the first word. Prayer is answering speech; it is not primarily 'address' but 'response.' Essential to the practice of prayer is to fully realize this secondary quality." - Eugene Peterson

Christ and the Movies

2006-12-05T11:01:00.000-05:00

All the new "Christian" movies that have come out recently make a pastor stop and think (Passion of the Christ [not new], One Night with the King, The Nativity Story, Facing the Giants, etc.). Why do Christians make these usually bad movies? Are we attempting to reach out to unbelievers? Are we attempting to tell a story that has already been masterfully and divinely told? The argument could be made that these movies are reaching people that Christians would not normally reach. Possibly, but unlikely; the people who are attending these movies are Christians already. Furthermore, I have found that these type of movies stunt conversations with non-Christians, not aid them. Even if we are reaching unbelievers, what are we reaching them with? Are these movies acurate portrayals of true Christianity? Some might be; most are not. If we simply want to make people think, there are better movies available (Lord of War, Thank You for Smoking, Dr. Strangelove, etc.). Are we declining into mere entertainment? Who knows, maybe it is okay to make movies like this as entertainment.

Pondering Christ

2006-11-29T11:50:00.000-05:00

As I was reading The Imitation of Christ (Thomas Kempis) this morning, it was impressed upon me the seriousness of discipleship in likeness of Christ. Kempis writes, "Whoever wishes to understand fully the words of Christ must try to pattern his whole life on that of Christ." The writing of Kempis, while familiar, struck me because I am also rereading The Politics of Jesus (John Howard Yoder). Yoder makes the same claim, although more forcefully (I think). As a Christian, do I really consider both Jesus' life and his teachings to be the norm for my life? According to Yoder, truly following Jesus will lead us into a life of suffering, servanthood, and possibly death: "To follow after Christ is not simply to learn from him, but also to share his destiny," and "Servanthood replaces dominion, forgiveness absorbs hostility. Thus - and only thus - are we bound by New Testament thought 'to be like Jesus.'" So, am I following Jesus and his example of faith, discipleship, servanthood, and suffering, or am I blending what I think discipleship should be with what feels comfortable and what is acceptable by most?

A Landmark Event

2006-11-27T17:11:00.000-05:00

Today, as I wiped a tear from my eye, I mailed the final copy of my thesis to Trinity. What am I going to do with all my free time? I was thinking of taking up the art of Lucha Libre (see Nacho Libre for further information). I need a good name, though. Any ideas? I have selected my mask, which is pictured above.

Quote of the Day

2006-11-27T17:02:00.000-05:00

"The humanity of Jesus is a revelation of the purpose of God for a man who wills to do His will." - John Howard Yoder

Thankgiving Videos

2006-11-23T19:00:00.000-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving to Laci! See them here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6ICVn91sjU and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9diZV8zQUk

Cornerstone Wesleyan

2006-11-21T13:25:00.000-05:00

For those of you who have never seen our church, here it is (I took this photo for our phone directory). Not bad, huh?

Quote of the Day

2006-11-20T14:49:00.000-05:00

"What matters is the quality of the life to which the disciple is called. The answer is that to be a disciple is to share in that style of life of which the cross is the culmination." - John Howard Yoder

Liquored-Up Dogs?

2006-11-17T18:01:00.000-05:00

Sunshine and Midnight could barely contain themselves as we passed by the liquor store.

Stupid Church Signs

2006-11-17T17:50:00.000-05:00

Two more signs to add to the collection.

Quote(s) of the Day

2006-11-17T09:07:00.000-05:00

"It has yet to be demonstrated that history can be moved in the direction in which one claims the duty to cause it to go." - John Howard Yoder

"Whoever said that laughter is the best medicine never had gonorrhea." - Christian Slater on My Name is Earl

Stupid Church Signs

2006-11-16T19:58:00.000-05:00

I am fascinated with stupid church signs. I will be posting various church signs that I run across that I deem 'stupid.' Unfortunately this is probably the first of many such postings. Feel free to contribute pictures of any stupid signs that you run across.

Blogging Commencement

2006-11-16T19:42:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the inaugural posting of the Hampsher Family blog! This is indeed an exciting event (if you don't have anything better to do). As you see, included is a picture of us (with Sunshine and Midnight) at a dog park in Chicago at the beginning of the month.