Don and Patty

I know I am like five years too late, but I have never been trendy and always a late adopter; but I just started Donald Miller's Blue Like Jazz, the evangelical pop spirituality du juor. So far, it has not disappointed. I suspect everyone who might happen across the blog has read it, so I'll spare the review. I am about half way through. Although I have read better writers, I enjoy Miller's content as he describes his coming to terms with his faith and eschewing Christianity for Christian spirituality.

He convicted me as he talked about the churches he dislikes. While he outlined the features of the churches that literally have made him sick, he noted that God loves them too and not to be a smarmy, judgmental church snob ... as I have tended to be.

For example, yesterday the family tried a new church. Lo and behold, it was most of the other churches in the neighborhood we had tried: Thirty minute pop concert, thirty minute non-biblical, practical sermon all in a dark, dank concert hall. This church was slightly different in the personable nature of the pastor and the staff. The pastor greeted everyone as they walked in and seemed genuine. His kind nature made it easier to forgive him for turning the Shema into a parenting guide ... no wonder we make our Jewish brothers nervous. We deconstruct possibly the most holiest of Hebrew Scriptures and turn it into three steps for raising an child to have an A+ Life.

But like Don says, I am not going to be a jerk but just respect the fact that other churches are different. Speaking of, I did not realize from Patty to pipes how many guys from seminary were Donald Miller starter kits. I laughed out loud as he talked about listening to Patty and smoking a pipe on his porch talking about things ... I smiled thinking of some of my buddies from seminary. I wondered why Patty and pipes are popular among the theological crowd - I am a little sad to see the man behind the curtain.

Speaking of Part II ... got to see my first Patty show last night. She seems like such a fun, sweet person. The show was great despite a very short set list that featured few old standards. She is just so darn pleasant you want to hang out with her. Maybe more on that later.


a strange bit of coincidence