Monday, November 27, 2006

I've got your "dry spell" right here!

No, seriously, I am writing a new blog now Keith. It's right here.

Tonight I want to write about a lot of different things, but I will not. I am going to write about a men's retreat that the Lord told me I should organize and that you should go to if you have the necessary equipment. It will be a John Eldridge Retreat about becoming more masculine and how to get your wife to do what you want her to... HaHa. Just kidding. It will be on modern day apolegetics and how we can defend our faith from the secular humnanists that attack us every chance they get. Just kidding again. Those would both suck although if I combined the two could make a lot of money from good Christian men who are trying to do what they think is right. And maybe they are.

But this retreat will be a dialogue- buzz word for emergent- Christs' words. I got the idea from a few things I've been reading as well as my friend Keith who is always trying to read the Bible in order to live a better life. (seems pointless I know, but he did go to a Baptist Seminary). I think this will be a good retreat because it will allow for the men on the retreat to spend some time laughing and in silence and in contemplation about what Christ actually said (or at least the account we have of what he said). I've never looked at the scriptures like this and I'm excited to do so. I hope to implement a few experiential activities to help the men think through some issues that come to light to enhance discussion and understanding.

The interesting thing about this retreat is that I am not really an expert on any of this stuff and hope that my friends will come out of obligation so I can spend time with them. Two years ago I led a similar retreat except that most of the time was spent making home-brew and playing poker. This retreat will not incorporate any beer making, only beer drinking and poker later on Saturday night. It should be enlightening and if nothing else, fun and a respite from "normal life". I will hope to contact a few of you to help in the learning process in areas where you are gifted. Wayne, you have a special gift when it comes to understanding and communicating church history. I hope you can come and teach us a bit on the authority of Scripture and how the cannon was formed. Keith, I think you'll be the only pastor. When i have people whimpering from my emotional talks on important discussions, you may need to pray with them and give them good council on what to do now. Also, I don't know how versed you are in lection divina, but maybe you could help lead that too. Chad, you have a very important part too. (I don't think you even read my blog though). You need to bring the poker chips. Juanito, I want you to go because you are so smart and funny. I will even give you $5 off if you promise to be your ussual cheerful and funny self. The date of the retreat is January 4-7. Hope to hear soem feedback from you folks.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Christian,
Hey this sounds very interesting and I definitely want to hear more. I don't know how much I will be able to be involved. My J-term at calvin starts on January 3. So I will have class the 4 and 5 and possibly a lot of home work over the weekend. It is and accelerated class that meets four hours a day. The class is called: "Learning to Pray Like Jesus." The prof teaching the class, David Crump, just released a new book called: "Knocking on Heavens Door: A New Testament Theology of Petitionary Prayer."

I signed up for this class instead of a claas on Eastern Orthodoxy, which I had been waiting for and excited about. But when they announced this class I could not resist because I often feel I don't know how to pray or "hear" from God. Sounds like the class might actually overlap with your retreat. If I get a chance I would love to make it for the weekend portion, but there is no way of telling as of now if that will work out for sure.

Peace,
Wayne

Jodi said...

sounds like a bunch of hooey. I know you have fun on these little testosterone excersions, but hey, do you really have to pretend this is going to be all "spiritual" when really there's just going to be a lot of beer, poker, and uncomfortable moments? C'mon.

CMort said...

it would be nice if i could do more than bring the poker chips...can i bring the toilet paper to wipe up all the crap your will be spewing?

CMort said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
La said...

Karla said...
Was the comment before mine THAT bad? You had to erase it? who is ripping on what crap you might be spewing THAT much!? And why does it just have to be a guy's thing? What if we women have some cool stuff to say? or what if we want to play poker and drink beer? Or, oh wait, we probably have to stay home and take care of the kids and prepare dinner for your arrival home and be all showered up so we can obey your every masculine command, which i know will involve something horizontal?
Geez, Christian, I wanted to hang out, but i'm getting a clearer and clearer picture of what you are REALLY about! :)

journey of the discontent said...

i don't know what comment was erased there. that is weird? am I the author that deleted it? or can I go on somebodies blog and delete one of my own comments?

oh, you're right about most of the retreat stuff. The reason it's a men's retreat is because we have told you ladies what to think on these important issues already. Therefore, your conversation and imput would be redundent. By the way, we are asking each of the ladies to prepare a meal for their husbands to bring on the retreat. A nice casserole would be nice or maybe a roast for sunday.

I am totally kidding by the way. I have actually talked about making it a couples or family retreat and I could easily be swayed any way. What do you think? Would it be fun to have a couples or family retreat? Would you guys want to go along? We could easily do that. Let me know.

Keith and I made an enchilada dish tonight while at work. he had an apron on and his hair tied up like a girlie-mon.

La said...

hey...he's turning into a natural woman! he made dinner tonight for our company too! wow, Keith, enchiladas and chicken in one night! that means you aren't going to cook for another year or so, right?!

Jodi said...

I really like Karla, I think we think a lot alike:) YOU GO GIRL!

White Rabbit said...

Maybe it would be good as a couples retreat. i'm not sure about the weekend yet though, since we work opposite weekends. i've got to take time off in feb and March and if i can get it off in Jan too, then i will do so. i'll talk to you more about it. And hey, i was part of that whole "name change" thing for the seminary, so you aren't allowed to call it a "baptist" seminary anymore.

Oh, and Karla, i wanted to talk more about that horizontal thing. What did you mean?

journey of the discontent said...

i'd do a couples retreat. maybe it would be more of a get-together. we will need to bring plenty of booze so that our wives will be into the horizontal thing your wife was speaking of.