Burning Vapor

noreply@blogger.com (Patrick McConnell) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 03:10:00 +0000

Ok, I agree with most of his resolutions...

38. Resolved, never to speak anything that is ridiculous, sportive, or matter of laughter on the Lord’s day. Sabbath evening, Dec. 23, 1722. ~ Jonathan Edwards

John Piper: Bloodlines Documentary

noreply@blogger.com (Patrick McConnell) — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 02:08:00 +0000

John Piper: Bloodlines Trailer

noreply@blogger.com (Patrick McConnell) — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 02:04:00 +0000

The Road Not Taken

noreply@blogger.com (Patrick McConnell) — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 06:03:00 +0000

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

- Robert Frost

New City Church downtown - Streaming Live

noreply@blogger.com (Patrick McConnell) — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 09:40:00 +0000

Join us this morning as we join New City Church downtown streaming live.

Live Videos by Ustream

Who Is Jesus? - Choosing Kingdoms

noreply@blogger.com (Patrick McConnell) — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 06:21:00 +0000

Who Is Jesus? Is a study through the Gospel of Mark. In our culture we are plagued with several images of Jesus that we make in our own image or liking. These man made Jesus' are incapable of saving and transforming us. Who Is Jesus is a study to examine how the Bible defines who the real Jesus is! This Jesus, the Jesus of the Bible, is able to save sinners and transform us. This Jesus is worthy of our worship and affections. We need to know the real Jesus...not the images we make in our image.

She's Adopted, And Make No Mistake About it - That's Cool

noreply@blogger.com (Patrick McConnell) — Sat, 05 Feb 2011 19:57:00 +0000

I started going to Rosa Taylor Elementary School last week to have lunch with my children - one at a time of course. It has been a great time with the kids - they absolutely beam when they see me walking down the hall. Of course, when it is their day and I can't show up there are usually tears.

After lunch one day Bri and I were going to turn in our trays and pick up an ice cream cone. We walked by a table where her class was sitting when a classmate called out, "Hey Bri".

Bri: Yeah?
Classmate: Is that your Dad?
Bri: Yep (absolutely beaming at me), that's him.
Classmate: Why is he white?
Bri: I'm adopted and that's really cool. Ready for ice cream Dad.
Dad: Yep.

We walked out, holding hands and ice cream cones while her class watched, dumbfounded. Nothing else was said about the young man's comment, nothing needed to be.

3 Minutes with Caleb, Part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Patrick McConnell) — Sat, 05 Feb 2011 09:58:00 +0000

Caleb: Dad, can you explain to me the differences between Democracy, Communism and a Dictatorship and how one country can hold some parts of all 3?
Dad: Uhhhhh, no.
Caleb: Why?
Dad: Because I am not that smart and I have no idea what to tell you.
Caleb: Oh, I thought you just didn't want to tell me. Can you tell me 5 countries that have a Democracy?
Dad: Uhhh, why do you want to know all of this?
Caleb: Because politics interest me. I don't want to be in politics, but I do want to know all about it.
Dad: Bud, I'm probably not the best person to talk to about governments, I really don't know that much about them.
Caleb: I thought Ethiopia was a democracy, but they don't let people leave the country unless they say so. But I think they do vote some and they have lawyers and attorneys, so they must have some form of democracy, but they control a lot of the commerce so they must be a communist too?
Dad: Uhhhh, I would look it up on Wikipedia?

We then played 20 questions with countries.

Caleb: China, communist or democracy?
Dad: I would guess communist?
Caleb: Austrailia, communist or democracy?
Dad: I would guess democracy. You do know there are other types of government don't you?
Caleb: Really?? Tell me about them!!!!
Dad: Realizing I had opened a can of worms at 12:15 at night I told him to go to bed.

Does anyone else have a child sponge that pumps you for information every single time you are around them? I catch myself avoiding him sometimes just because I know he is going to start squeezing me again. Child prodigy's do have their downside ;)

(Footnote: I am not complaining at all. I am super grateful for Caleb and just like to poke fun at him - it makes me feel better about myself.)

3 Minutes with Caleb

noreply@blogger.com (Patrick McConnell) — Sat, 05 Feb 2011 09:44:00 +0000

While cleaning up the breakfast dishes, Caleb had a conversation...with Caleb.

Caleb: Almond milk is really healthy for you. Josiah is starting to drink it now too.
Dad: Uh-huh.
Caleb: Dad, I don't get the Vietnam War. We went over there to help one part of the country fight the other part. Didn't America understand that we would be going to war with the ones that we weren't helping? And if we were going to war why didn't we just do it and get it over with? Biggest mistake the American government ever made.
Dad: Uh-huh
Caleb: I can't believe the Cleveland Cavs. Ever since they lost [fill in some famous basketball players name here] they have lost 26 straight games. It's amazing how a game like basketball, which is supposed to be about being on a team will suck so bad if just one guy leaves. I don't get it. Everyone just fed off of him. That's crazy to me.
Dad: Yep, pretty crazy.
Caleb: The center is ridiculous. He got hurt before the biggest game of his career and now he's not getting in there.
Dad: I'm sorry, are we talking about Cleveland, almond milk or the Vietnam war?
Caleb: No Dad, the Steeler's!! C'mon, keep up.
Dad: What about the center again?
Caleb: This is the biggest game of his career. He has a sprained ankle and the same ankle is broken, but I would just tape it up and go in there for one play. You know, be a man, so that when you are a grandfather you can sit back and say, 'Hey, I played the Super Bowl with a broken ankle.'

Dad: You are starting to hurt my little brain. We need to get you into a gifted program so you and your other genius's can talk each other to death.

We both started laughing.

Yes, this happened in 3 minutes. Yes his mind works that quickly. Yes, I do have a headache.

Paddy and His Ladies

noreply@blogger.com (Patrick McConnell) — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 21:14:00 +0000

It's Contagious!

noreply@blogger.com (Patrick McConnell) — Sun, 28 Nov 2010 22:16:00 +0000

Our good friends the Twiets have put this video out to help us understand about a contagion going around now. Watch it and spread - they are depending on us.

Unanswered Questions

noreply@blogger.com (Patrick McConnell) — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 21:32:00 +0000

Danny Brewer from Besides Daniel continues to be my favorite singer/songwriter. Yes, I said favorite.

Check out this video and watch it twice. The video rolls along to the song as if they were made for each other. Brewer does an incredible job playing on every one of your senses from the 'smell of gardenias' to the 'scars on your fingers', you feel like you are living the song right along with him.

His simple strumming on this song invites you to take the journey with him as he flips pages in a photo album of his past. Enjoy, I know I am.

Mission: World

noreply@blogger.com (Patrick McConnell) — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 09:44:00 +0000

To see the Gospel transform everything within our reach – ourselves, our church, our city, and the world.

We understand that our church is more than a building, an organization, a man, or a service. We are a group of missionaries, a family of believers, a population of diverse individuals united by, striving for, and growing in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Better said, we are “a worshipping community of missional theologians.”
(Dan Kimball, Vintage Faith Church)

God is passionate for His glory. God is passionate for the Gospel to be made known throughout the earth and He plans on using you to accomplish it.

Welcome to New City Church downtown.

They Notice

noreply@blogger.com (Patrick McConnell) — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 12:28:00 +0000

He Leaped, They Noticed

And leaping up he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. ~ Acts 3:8

I have been spending time in Acts this week tracing the birth, growth, and development of the early church. As I was rereading some sections this morning, this passage stopped me.

Here was a man that encountered Jesus. Now I could say much about this story - the missional awareness of Peter and John, the unexpected gift, miracles, homelessness, the murder of Jesus, the resulting 5000 saved men and the list goes on - but none of those topics captured my attention initially. It was the reaction, not only his, but the people who knew him as well.

There was an obvious difference in this man’s life; a man who had been defined by his handicap stood up. But he did much more than stand - he walked, he jumped and ran around like a kid at Christmas. What I found curious was that those around him noticed 1) that he could walk and 2) that he was praising God for healing him.

This man’s response to Jesus and those around him who noticed have encouraged me in my pursuit of Jesus today. I pray that he may encourage you as well.

Has Jesus ‘made a difference’ in your life?*
Is that difference obvious to those around you?*
How is God using you TODAY for His glory?*

*Please share your responses as a comment on the blog as an encouragement to others.

Today, He Smiled

noreply@blogger.com (Patrick McConnell) — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 22:32:00 +0000

For those of you who have followed our family and this blog for any amount of time you know of the difficulties that we have gone through with our middle son, Noah. I haven't written anything about Noah for several months and for good reason. I have started and stopped this post many, many times and the words would never come out just right; sometimes they were angry, sometimes hurt and sometimes just questioning. People have begun to ask questions, so I thought it was time to just say something.

After two and a half years together, Noah left our home 6 months ago. He currently lives with a family down the street. I'm not going into a lot of details, but for our family's safety and for Noah's some steps had to be taken to provide protection. I have heard that he is doing well in school and in sports and seems to have adjusted very quickly to his new situation.

Our family dynamic has greatly changed. Simply said, peace has returned. We have had many, many conversations with the kids to try and explain why. Many, many tears have been shed and prayers gone before the Lord. It is what it is.

I can't even begin to describe the emotions and pain that we have gone through. We have lost a son, for the moment. It's funny how it hurts just like losing a biological child - the pain, at times, was breathtaking…crippling. We know that God is sovereign and this did not surprise Him…but it sure surprised us and we are still dealing with it.

We have had little to no contact with him although he lives two doors down. He has completely ignored or scowled at us. It has been 6 months.

But, today, he smiled and waved. I am not an optimist and I do realize how much he has to work through, but I can't help myself, I still love him deeply.

We pray that God would one day redeem this relationship and that He would be honored by it. We are still great proponents for adoption and realize that we were transformation agents in his life. But I'm still his father and I pray that one day our prodigal comes home.

Today, he smiled.

Learn How To Fight

noreply@blogger.com (Patrick McConnell) — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 16:48:00 +0000

Powerfully emotional. You can buy more of their songs from iTunes. This is one of those bands that is always in my playlist.

(taken from their myspace page)

Besides Daniel is an independent folk band from Atlanta, Georgia. Embarking in 2001 as the solo project of Danny Brewer, the effort briefly became a duo of two lovers. In the winter of 2009 the group outgrew the iconic pair as the romance of the duo dissolved. Today Besides Daniel endures as a full band. Crafting unique folk songs about friendship, faith, daydreams, romance, and pain, Besides Daniel hopes to inspire love, beauty, creativity, and thoughtfulness.

The current line up includes Aaron Schorch (drums), Ryan Robertson (bass) and Danny Brewer (guitar/vocals) though a live show could, and most often does include their friends who give of their time and talent playing an eclectic array of various instruments such as; sax, cello, violin, melodica, tambourine, banjo, accordion, keys, organ, and whatever else is close at hand. At home in the hot, humid summers, chilly winters, and otherwise perfect southern metropolis of Atlanta, you'll hear a bit of the south ring through in their repertoire. While blending many influences, the group remains in rhythm with the sounds that have always come from the south-being that the members grew up about the center of Georgia.

Brewer's influences are songwriters like Bob Dylan, A.A. Bondy, Ray LaMontagne, Sufjan Stevens, Nick Drake, Justin Vernon (Bon Iver), Elliott Smith, Conor Oberst, and Samuel Beam (Iron & Wine), as well as bands like Sigur Ros, Radiohead, MeWithoutYou, and Arcade Fire.

"Besides Daniel is a shining anomaly... From the first pleasant chimes of opening track “The Field” on the band's EP, one gains a warm feeling of benevolence, like a child wrapped in a blanket of comfort. Truly, the vocals have a cathartic power. [Leaves] one touched yet yearning for more. Rare moments like these are the true mark of accomplished work." -Matt Amato, Metromix Atlanta Discography

2001 - Silent Side Projects

2004 - Split Album with The Oracle

2007 - I am the Fall, You are the Spring

2009 - The Clay, The Seed, The Stone

Audience of One

noreply@blogger.com (Patrick McConnell) — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 19:38:00 +0000

This clip is always freeing and it reminds me who I belong to. Thankful to God for redemption, His calling, and fellow sojourners.

Dad's, Build Memories

noreply@blogger.com (Patrick McConnell) — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 21:50:00 +0000

You are busy. Your kids are busy. Everybody is busy and it's probably not going to change. So let's go ahead and acknowledge that, because you and I cannot use that as an excuse. So don't bring it up, don't think it, don't use it as your OUT.

Tonight we took the kids to a concert down at the 567 Center for Renewal. The 567 is a local venue here in Downtown Macon that does a variety of things to invest and impact the culture, and one of those things is hosting concerts. Tonight there was a 'screamo' band and then a really freaky cool musical act called The White Collar SideShow - for future reference, they were wicked cool. The kids loved both bands and we were thankful to Kevin and Michelle Welsh for the invite.

I tell you all of this for a reason. Dad's build memories with your kids. Let me give you 5 reasons why this is important for you to do.

1. It's fun

Makayla told me just the other day, "Dad you like things that kids like, you are strange". To which I replied, "Sweety, never let anyone fool you. Adults are just older kids." Our children need to see a well rounded view of their parents because they are going to imitate you as they become parents. Your desire to have fun with your kids develops bonds, shows love, and establishes those moments that you can fall back on later in life. These moments can often be 'inconvenient' - get over yourself.

2. Gives you opportunities to develop their worldview

Let's face it, unless you are a homeschooling father or you work from home, part time, you just do not get much time with your children. So you have to create those moments and it's important to always be looking for moments to point them back to Jesus. We see this biblical mandate in Deut. 11. No matter where we are or what we are doing, we need to be teaching our children how to think through life through the filter of the Gospel. Building memorable moments are a perfect time to weave in biblical truth. Don't be lazy, don't waste them.

3. Gives you opportunities to teach them to live missionally

In my Christian context we talk a lot about living missionally, and maybe you do in yours as well. That's all well and good, but it doesn't mean jack unless you are actually living it out. If we really believe that we are missionaries/ambassadors for Christ in this world, then it needs to be a normal part of our family's lives. Your children need to see that what you believe is real and it's not just a load of BS that you pull out when you are trying to fit within your Christian community. Most children are concrete thinkers - they need to see it, so SHOW THEM.

4. They learn to interact with others that may not be like you

I believe that we shelter our kids way too much. We have bought into the American dream of safety, security and comfort and quite frankly it sickens me when I realize I'm valuing those things more than Jesus. I love taking our kids downtown so they can interact with all types of people and they love it! It makes for great conversations. I am always blown away by how observant they are. If we always stayed at home and watched Disney movies then they would live pathetic, sheltered, suffocated lives and they would never have a real need for faith - because they were already 'safe'. We love people who are just like us, so get them out around others and let them experience the fullness of God's creativity.

5. They will be memories that they share with their kids

My parents built memories with us, great memories. I tell my kids stories of my childhood all of the time and they absolutely love them. They beg me to tell stories of my youth. I wouldn't have those stories if my parents did not build memories with us. Your kids will value what you do with them today, but the memories will carry on far into the future and will impact future generations. My stories always have some truth that I learned and that is the nugget that the kids will take with them. One day, they will pass my stories onto their children and they will share some of their own.

Dad's, build memories with your family! Make the small investments over time that will pay off today and long after you have left this world.

Community: Why It Works

noreply@blogger.com (Patrick McConnell) — Sun, 24 Oct 2010 15:38:00 +0000

Today was a beautiful day; the sun was shining, the breeze was light, the temperature was moderate. More than all of that, I was able to participate in community.

Half way through our time together I stepped back and captured a couple of photographs and just watched. My 15 year old son was throwing football with 2 40 something single men, my 11 year old son was playing ball with a toddler, a twenty something married guy was grilling hotdogs and talking with a twenty something single guy. Over to my right three of my daughters (11, 10, & 5) were drawing on the sidwalk with chalk. My 6 year old daughter was playing the guitar for another 40 something single man. There were others around doing different things - some getting food together, others happily chatting. All of this was captured in just a moment. Community, it's a beautiful thing.

Our community is multi-cultured, multi-ethnic, and widely varied. We have singles and marrieds, we have children and we have people nearing 50, we have black, white and multi-ethnicity, we have middle class and we have poverty, we have people who work multiple jobs and we have unemployed, we have adopted and biological children, we have people who are addicted and who are fighting addiction - we just about have it all - and it's beautiful.

I was once asked, "Is your Missional Community basically a Bible Study?" I laughed and answered, "No, far from it". We are a community of people who have chosen to live life together. You can find us eating together, praying together, studying together, facing sin together, supporting one another, budgeting together, serving others together and this list goes on - and yeah, sometimes we study the Bible together ;)

Today we talked about the sermon from New City. Pastor Keith Watson just launched us into a sermon series to discuss our mission and vision - today we focused on ourselves within God's call. I asked a few penetrating questions to get us started. We have some who like to talk and some who would like to, but are too nervous. Here is the beautiful thing - my 15 year old son was one of the first to answer the first question and then the second and then the third. I asked penetrating questions and he jumped right out there and shared the thing that he struggles with the most, and what Jesus is teaching him about being Jesus, and the good work that Jesus has already done in his life. Others participated as well opening up about idols that they are fighting against and celebrating over victories that Jesus has won in their lives.

A Missional Community works because at the center of our community stands Jesus - welcoming us to Himself. No judgment, no condemnation - just an extended blood stained hand calling each of us by name into loving community with Him.

That's why Community works.

My Financial Advisors

noreply@blogger.com (Patrick McConnell) — Sun, 03 Oct 2010 19:28:00 +0000

I was having a nostalgic moment while visiting my Dad over the weekend. While driving through town I was pointing out a few places that I used to frequent to the girls.

There's the Yamaha plant where I sanded speedboats my senior year in high school.

That shopping mall once held a comic book store that me and Uncle Shane and Uncle Larry used to spend a lot of time and money in. We loved that store!

Ana: So let me get this straight. You made a lot of money while in high school and then spent it on things that didn't earn you any money?? Doesn't sound very smart to me...
Makayla: I thought your new job was helping people invest their money wisely?
Bri: I'm not giving him any of my money...

Dad: Wait a second, comic books were cool when I was a kid.

At this point everyone is laughing. So, if anyone would like to hire my children to advise you on your finances I must forewarn you that they have no problem crushing your childhood memories in order to earn a buck.

All Art is Quite Useless

noreply@blogger.com (Patrick McConnell) — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 08:17:00 +0000

"...and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. "
Romans 3:24 TNIV

OSCAR WILDE ONCE WROTE, "All art is quite useless." In using the term "useless," Wilde was bestowing his highest praise, for Wilde was a leading proponent of the movement known as aestheticism, a school of thought advocating "art for art's sake." This philosophy, which exalts beauty above all else, developed as a reaction against another movement of the nineteenth century: utilitarianism.

So began a devotional I was reading through the other day. It struck me that we often focus on people or God or communities by what we can get out of them - their 'usefulness'. I think it is rare that we enjoy God, or people, or communities simply for enjoyment's sake. Let's think about it.

When we approach God, it is usually because we are expecting to get something out of Him - a new job, a bill paid, a prayer request answered, and the list goes on. Now I am not saying that we 'should not' approach God with our requests, indeed He tells us to. But I think that we often approach God as a genie in the lamp of 'usefulness'. Is there a way to enjoy God simply by enjoying Him? Or does our relationship revolve, exist, and develop simply because God is useful to us?

The same can be said of people. I have a couple of good friends that I enjoy sitting with on my front porch, enjoying a drink and a cigar. We enjoy one anther's company for the sake of enjoyment's sake. I do not enjoy one because he is useful to me in making home repairs, or another because he is useful to me in selling things to me at a discount - although they both do those respective things. Our relationship is not built around their 'usefulness' to me - it is built around friendship. It is built around a common center and that is Jesus. But don't we often 'invest' in relationships based on their 'usefulness' to us?

Involvement in communities can be abused in the same way. We join a community because we want something out of it - that could be service, companionship, networking, support, etc. Again, those are not necessarily wrong reasons, but if we are joining simply for the sake of that community's 'usefulness' to us then we may be missing the other half of the equation. I am involved in a 'Missional Community' with my church. They are a great group of people who I enjoy very much. The danger is that I could look at each individual in that community and think about what I could get from that person. Or I could look at the community as a whole and participate in direct correlation to that community's usefulness to me. If I need to move soon, then I may show up to an extra activity in order to leverage the relationship. If I need to ask for a little bit of help in an area, then I may volunteer at one of the community's activities in order to leverage the relationship. That type of thinking affects when I return their phone call, how often I will have dinner with them, what types of requests I will answer for them, and so on. I think this happens all too often in our lives. Should we enjoy community for the sake of that which draws us together - no strings attached?

There is definitely a 'usefulness' component involved in relationships, but we must never forget the 'beauty' of enjoying those relationships. There is a balance that must be walked or we lose the genuineness that should be inherent in those developing relationships.

Remember, Jesus says that the two highest laws are to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind and to love your neighbor as yourself. Jesus did not say love your God and love your neighbor as long as they are useful to you.

What is Christianity Really All About??

noreply@blogger.com (Patrick McConnell) — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 19:04:00 +0000

Thank you Christian Radio for thoroughly confusing me today. I am now terribly unclear on what, not who, Christianity is all about. I heard all of the following statements said definitively and isolated throughout today during soundbites.

Christianity is all about........positive and encouraging music
Christianity is all about........community
Christianity is all about........family
Christianity is all about........sharing the Gospel
Christianity is all about........giving

What would you say Christianity is all about in a soundbite?

Esther 4:15-17

noreply@blogger.com (Patrick McConnell) — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 10:04:00 +0000

Just Do Something

noreply@blogger.com (Patrick McConnell) — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 08:39:00 +0000

I was reminded of this quote today. Good word to chew on:

Passivity is a plague among Christians. It's not just that we don't do anything; it's that we feel spiritual for not doing anything. We imagine that our inactivity is patience and sensitivity to God's leading. At times it may be; but it's also quite possible we are just lazy. When we hype-spiritualize our decisions, we can veer off into impulsive and foolish decisions. But more likely as Christians we fall into endless patterns of vacillation, indecision, and regret. No doubt, selfish ambition is a danger for Christians, but so is complacency, listless wandering, and passivity that pawns itself off as spirituality. Perhaps our inactivity is not so much waiting on God as it is an expression of the fear of man, the love of the praise of man, and disbelief in God's providence. - From Kevin DeYoung, Just Do Something, pp. 50-51

Ana's New Invention

noreply@blogger.com (Patrick McConnell) — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 21:01:00 +0000

Our dinner was winding down last night and everyone was chattering away, so I took the opportunity to observe everyone. Watching my family makes me smile. When I got to the end of the table I noticed that Ana was wrapping her fork with her napkin. She would then take a bite and in the same swipe, wipe her mouth with the napkin wrapped handle. Brilliant! She reluctantly agreed to show us how it worked and wasn't real excited that it was going to be up on FaceBook. She's a doll!