Chad French

Has Me Think's

noreply@blogger.com (Chad French) — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 20:00:00 +0000

The good people of The Resurgence shared a three part series on worship. Read them and tell me what you think.

1. Is A Worship Service More Like A Concert Hall or a Banquet Hall

2. What Kind of People Are Forming With Our Worship"

3. Liturgy Music and Space

This is A Test

noreply@blogger.com (Chad French) — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 13:09:00 +0000

I'm trying a new feed to my facebook account.

Something New

noreply@blogger.com (Chad French) — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 16:11:00 +0000

Early this week I purchased a used Gibson SG (electric guitar) from a downtown shop in Lafayette. I plan to use it often during Connexion’s worship gatherings. Me being in school and not working, this type of purchase would have been most unwise. However, I recently received a modest inheritance from my grandfather, money that would have gone to my mother had she been alive. Before I spent this money on boring stuff like a new lawn-mower (which we need), a new furnace (which we need), and a down payment for a new vehicle (which my wife will soon need), I thought a guitar would serve as a great reminder of Grandpa and Mom. Both loved music and the Church. Thanks Grandpa.

Check This Out

noreply@blogger.com (Chad French) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 01:49:00 +0000

Something Beautiful

noreply@blogger.com (Chad French) — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 22:34:00 +0000

A few months ago I was studying at the IYV Tech campus library. On the second floor, north side I noticed a hand written poem on the windowsill. It was/is titled “Window Watching.”

Window watching makes you realize
That this world is big
That things move around you
And you have to choose
To either stay behind
Or move with everyone else
The world is moving quickly
You hurry to keep up
You wish there was time to sit
To relax, look back
But there is rarely enough time
You have to keep up or be left
Behind

The poem was dated April 4, 2009. I guess the custodial staff liked the poem well enough not to have cleaned it for the past four months. And I find that beautiful.

A Thought

noreply@blogger.com (Chad French) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 22:11:00 +0000

It is amazing how God dispenses Truth. I was reading for classs a chapter titled “Deal With Your Irrational Mind.” It states that there are two impulses behind human irrationally. They are…

1. Human Egocentrism – the natural tendency “to view everything within the world in relationship to oneself, to be self-centered.” (Webster’s New World Dictionary)

2. Human Sociocentrism – Simply think of group egocentrism. The natural tendency to view everything within the world in relationship to one’s group – to be group-centered.

Then I read a paragraph that made me sit down to blog it word for word…

In short, people are either born into or join groups. They then egocentrically indentify with those groups. They rarely dissent. They rarely think for themselves. They rarely notice their own conformity and irrationally. Humans seek what is in their selfish interests and see the world from the perspectives of the groups to which they belong. Both egocentric and sociocentric though represent enormous barriers to the development of rational thought. This is true, in part, because these two tendencies in the mind appear to the mind as perfectly rational. Unless we fully understand these tendencies and fight to combat them, we can never full develop a rational, autonomous, fair-minded thinker.

“Father in Heaven...May your Church be perfectly united in it’s mission but never become so selfabsorbed that it becomes sociocentric...Amen."

8 Elements of Thought

noreply@blogger.com (Chad French) — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 23:27:00 +0000

(p 14, Paul & Elder)
1. Whenever we think, we think for a purpose…
2. …within a point of view…
3. …based on assumptions…
4. …leading to implications and consequences.
5. We use data, facts, and experiences…
6. …to make inferences and judgment…
7. …based on concepts and theories…
8. …to answer a question or solve a problem.

Connexion Christian Ministries

noreply@blogger.com (Chad French) — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 00:34:00 +0000

I hate the phrase “church shopping” because it sounds so consumeristic. Like it or not, corporate America and North American Christianity have more in common than I care for but that’s not the purpose of this blog. Since June of ’08, church shopping is exactly what my family and I have been doing.

I started close-to-home by hitting most worship services in Francesville. I went to at least one church in the towns north, south, east, and west of us. Every church was extremely friendly and hospitable; however, we simply sensed our search needed to extend beyond Francesville and surrounding towns. We ventured to Monticello, a 25 mile drive, where I visited two churches on more than one occasion. Both places showed promise but the family vibe told me to keep looking. Besides, the thing I liked most about attending a church in Monticello was making our weekly trip to Wal-Mart on our way home from church. (No one is at Wal-Mart around 10:30 a.m. on a Sunday morning.) Not a very good reason to attend church there.

Now from time to time I jump on Johnson Bible College’s web site to see the job postings for area churches. I first hit the youth ministry positions, then the associates, then the preaching (not that I am all that interested in such a position) and finally the music ministries. There I saw a brand new church plant in Lafayette looking for a part time worship leader. I went on their website where I found enough information to know this place could be a place I would to like to be (either on a volunteer basis or part-time staff.) Lafayette, however, is 40 miles away from my home. That’s 80 miles round trip just to attend church! I really didn’t like that idea but I drive that twice a week to attend school…why not make one more trip to attend church. So I sent a resume and a few emails.

Nothing really happened until I showed up to a worship service. That Sunday happened to be their Grand Opening into their newly remodeled downtown rental space which was once an Italian eatery. Two weeks later I was asked to play along with the worship band. Two weeks after that I was asked if I would like to officially start a partnership with the church as their worship leader. I gladly agreed.

The church is called Connexion Christian Ministries. Go HERE if you would like to learn more. I’ll be writing more about this unique church in upcoming entries.

Graphic Image CINS 2530

noreply@blogger.com (Chad French) — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 00:55:00 +0000

This post is for my fellow students in my Graphic Image class who want to find the tutorial and brushes for my class presentation. Click HERE if interested.

ATTN: Computer Nerds

noreply@blogger.com (Chad French) — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 16:40:00 +0000

The Blue Parakeet

noreply@blogger.com (Chad French) — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 19:37:00 +0000

The book is nether liberal nor conservative put provides the third option that so many hungry young Christians crave. Scot McKnight, in his book The Blue Parakeet, holds great insights on how Christians selectively interpret the Bible. And by saying selectively, I mean: there are parts of the Bible we choose to obey and there are other parts we choose to ignore…we select which part of the Bible we want to follow.

Some examples of selective interpretations would be:

• “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy” (Exodus 20:11) I have never known a single Christian to take this commandment literally. How did we come to firm understanding that the Sabbath (as described in the Bible not by modern man) is no longer needed?

• “If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them has done what is detestable. They must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.” (Lev. 20:13). It is safe to say that modern Christians that fall in the conservative an traditional camps would say that homosexual intercourse is “detestable” yet none would attempt to kill someone for doing so. So why would they believe in just of half of the verse and disregard the rest.

• Jesus said, “…any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:33) There are many wealthy Christians but no one is suggesting they give everything up. No house. No bank accounts. Nothing. We have taken a direct teaching from Jesus and come to the conclusion we do not need to follow this teaching. How did we come to this conclusion?

The Blue Parakeet forces you to rethink how you read, thus teach, thus live out your Bible. I frenquely talk about change in the church. I think this book holds great insight on how we need to change the way we talk about about our Bibles. Also, once again the great Protestant phrase Sola scriptur, Scriputur Sola (Latin for only Scripture and Scripture only) is in fact impossible to live out.

I think the first half of the book would be great for a Sunday School class or small group to read together. The last half however, though I found it to be excellent, will be too controversial for conservative and traditional leaders to place in the hands of the “flock.” McKnight uses the issue of woman in ministry as a detailed example to support the front half of his book. By the way, he makes some great points (using the Bible mind you) why gifted woman should be able to hold positions in ministry.

Satan Sex Ed

noreply@blogger.com (Chad French) — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 20:49:00 +0000

Driscoll

noreply@blogger.com (Chad French) — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 15:09:00 +0000

Theology In the Church

noreply@blogger.com (Chad French) — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 14:19:00 +0000

Conservative's Lack of Humility

noreply@blogger.com (Chad French) — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 01:15:00 +0000

After watching Matt Lauer’s interview with Ann Coulter, I am reminded once again of the fundamental flaw of those that like their politics conservative…a lack of humility.

I consider myself conservative when it comes to politics. I like my government small and pay fewer taxes. I voted for McCain in ‘08, not that he is conservative, but because he is more conservative than Barack Obama. I listen to Rush Limbaugh on the AM dial as often as I can. I think he has many great things to say. I think he is by-in-large right about the political atmosphere in the U.S. I think Ann Coulter is right on many issues. However, simply because one is right does not provide one the license to be a rude and arrogant. How can you not watch this video and think, “What a b*&!#h?”

Obama may have won the election on the platform of “change” but I think he won because of humility. Young people are drawn to humility. I am drawn to humility. Thus, the lack of Conservative humility pushed many to vote the other way. Conservatives lost because they appear to be angry, judgmental, arrogant people.

Until the Convective voice learns to humble itself, it will be a long time until they regain any political power.

A Little Sad

noreply@blogger.com (Chad French) — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 13:40:00 +0000

An important piece of Indiana history went down.

What is Missional?

noreply@blogger.com (Chad French) — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 14:01:00 +0000

This is one of the better definitions of the "missional church."

(ht Out of Ur)

Study Break

noreply@blogger.com (Chad French) — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 01:57:00 +0000

I'm working on an application paper for my business class, which I am getting really tired of (both the paper and the class), and I stop to take a quick "blog reading" break. I found this...

That's great! What a chump.

(ht-ysMarko)

Like, You Know?

noreply@blogger.com (Chad French) — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 18:05:00 +0000

(ht ysmarko)

I Miss Youth Ministry

noreply@blogger.com (Chad French) — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 20:44:00 +0000

(ht ysMarko)

From the Naked Pastor

noreply@blogger.com (Chad French) — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 20:27:00 +0000

Good Stuff

noreply@blogger.com (Chad French) — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 20:13:00 +0000

College Pics

noreply@blogger.com (Chad French) — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 15:25:00 +0000

My college roomate David Karel (aka Polish Dave) post some pictures on facebook. He enjoyed caving and I was lucky enough to go with him on a few trips.

I looked at that pic and though "I need to loss weight."

Thanks Dave.

Contemporary Worship at Its Best (Part II)

noreply@blogger.com (Chad French) — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 14:45:00 +0000

A few hours after my last post, I watched David Crowder perform the same song.

That's funny.

(ht Marko)

Contemporary Worship at It's Best

noreply@blogger.com (Chad French) — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 13:07:00 +0000

The best line "He will zap you any way He can...zap!" (ht The Anonymous Human