Measuring Spiritual Growth

We measure growth all sorts of ways. We track our children's growth and development by comparing video footage and pictures from the years gone by. We make pencil marks in the doorways of our laundry rooms to gauge the inches they acquire over the passing months. We even measure our own growing girth by stepping on the scale.

Growth is easy to measure...isn't it?

One may know how to track the growing inches of a child, but how does one measure the spiritual development of a human being? An above average height may make someone a "giant", but what makes someone a spiritual saint?

If physical growth can be measured by yardsticks and scales, can spiritual growth be measured by Scripture memory and devotional length? Can spiritual growth be measured at all?

Voodoo Doughnuts

I love a good doughnut. I must admit that it is a vice of mine. My favorite doughnut is a Strawberry Frosted from Dunkin Donuts. Sadly, Dunkin has gone the way of the dinosaur here in Western Michigan, so I don't have much opportunity to indulge in my favorite pastry. On a recent trip to Portland, Misty and I stopped at a local favorite: Voodoo Donuts.

Located downtown on 3rd street, Voodoo is known for their tasty and unusual donuts. Taking me back to my childhood breakfasts I had a Coco Puff (chocolate cake with chocolate frosting and Coco Puffs) and a Loop (vanilla frosted with Fruit Loops). Misty was a bit more adventurous, she had the Mexican Hot Chocolate (chocolate cake doughnut rolled in cinnamon and cayenne pepper). Although tempting, I did not try the Syrup 'n Bacon (maple frosted long-jon with 2 strips of bacon...don't you love it when your bacon gets all syrupy from your pancakes?).

While Voodoo did not invent the doughnut, they certainly have helped "refresh" it in ways that make this treat "new" all over again. At Voodoo their creativity takes them to new places. It is their freedom to create along with their willingness to experiment that makes Voodoo Doughnuts a place for originality.

Check out the video, and if that makes you want more, then the next time you are in Portland be sure you swing in.

Do you have a favorite doughnut or pastry? Where's the best place to go?

The People We Hurt

Green Day LIVE

A decade and a half ago, during one of our band practices in my friend's basement, my buddy Dan played the song "Longview" off of the album "Dookie". I was instantly hooked on the drive of the guitar and the thumping beat of the bass/drums, and lyrics that spoke of teenage angst with humor and silliness...I have been hooked on the punk rock trio from Oakland ever since.


This past Monday night Misty and I saw Green Day at the United Center on their 21st Century Breakdown Tour (this was the 3rd time I've seen them live: '94-Dookie Tour; '01-Warning Tour).

From the first chord of their opening tune to the closing lyrics of their final song, Green Day relentlessly let the energy and enthusiasm fly for 2 and half hours (see pics of the show in Chicago). Through video, pyro, and utilizing every square inch of the stage (and even jumping into the crowd), Green Day put on one of the best shows I've ever seen (sorry Huey Lewis).

Green Day didn't perform as an "act" on stage in which an audience could watch, but played as if they were going on a ride and invited all who wanted, to come along. The line between stage and seat was dismantled as people were invited up on stage to sing lead, play Billie Joe's guitar on "Jesus of Suburbia", and stage dive (read the review of the show from the Chicago Tribune).

As Green Day has progressed over the years their songs have pulled together with continuity around a common message: the fear that controls us (instilled in us through poor gov't policies, religiosity, and constant media bombardment in culture) and that each one of us has a roll to play in a movement towards hope (regardless of cultural distinctions and classifications). This is the gospel of Green Day.

After singing along with every lyric and playing air guitar with each riff Misty and I left the United Center with a t-shirt, wrist bands for the kids, and the thought that punk rock might just change the world.

The Value of Usefulness ("Man's Search For Meaning" pt. 5)

How do we measure one's value? The systems of our society teach that value comes with success. Success, a word seeming always illusive as one strives for a better career, a bigger house, and more income. We then de-value that which cannot lead to success, causing us to look at those who cannot "produce" (the poor, children, the elderly, etc) as having less value.

In "Man's Search For Meaning" Frankl writes: "...usefulness is usually defined in terms of functioning for the benefit of society. But today's society is characterized by achievement orientation, and consequently it adores people who are successful and happy and, in particular, it adores the young. It virtually ignores the value of all those who are otherwise, and in so doing blurs the decisive difference between being valuable in the sense of dignity and being valuable in the sense of usefulness."

We need to operate in such a way that preserves the dignity of all people, recognizing that regardless of age, social-economic status, or "success" level, they are intrinsically valuable. It is in the place of mutual respect and understanding for ones inherent value that we can spur one another on to a life of meaning.

I'll Do What I Want

Our Western Culture has taught us to do "what we want when we want". We look to associate with those who give in to us ("yes men"), so we can pursue whatever we deem important (or our impulses) without giving them a second thought.

In The Imitation of Christ, German monk Thomas 'a Kempis writes: "Everyone, it is true, wishes to do as he pleases and is attracted to those who agree with him. But if God be among us, we must give up our opinions for the blessings of peace."

The failing in always giving way to what we want is that we never allow ourselves to be challenged and changed by others or by God. It is only through a continual yielding of our self (our desires, our ambitions, our need to "be right") that we can be made more and more in the likeness of Christ.

What "opinions" do you need to yield to in order to allow God to challenge and change you?

Hearing The Music

The church has spent so much time inculcating in us the fear of making mistakes that she has made us like ill-taught piano students; we play our songs but we never really hear them because our main concern is not to make music, but to avoid some flub that will get us in dutch. - Philip Yancey

For many this has been their experience with church. A place of fear and condemnation. A place where we walk on egg shells, afraid to say the wrong things, do the wrong things, and think the wrong things. In this environment the rhythm and life of the gospel becomes tragically snuffed out. And sadly, the way of Jesus ends up becoming stale, mechanical, and forced.

Jesus lived a life and spoke in such a way that we might be freed from this kind of tyranny. That we might stop stressing over getting each "note" of religion perfect, and instead learn to feel the music of walking in a relationship with God.

Have you had experiences with church that felt more like grinding piano lessons? How can we foster creativity and movement so that people might feel the "rhythm" of the gospel?