Every now and then I get an opportunity to see how the rest of the world views Christians and it can be fairly unsettling. Since we moved to Columbia in July, Brooke and I have been in the midst of searching for a church home (I refuse to use the word "shopping") and last week finally settled on one. Just before we made our choice, another of the churches we had visited stopped by our apartment on a visitation night (about two months or so after we visited, mind you). Brooke wasn't home and I really didn't want to invite a bunch of strangers into our home (I'm anti-social like that) so we set something up for the next week.

Before our appointment, Brooke and I settled on this other church so I emailed the pastor of the visiting church to tell them we were going elsewhere but appreciated their interest in us. Of course communication wasn't ideal and a set of three new volunteers showed up the following day. Since Brooke was home and is much nicer than me (and because it was pouring rain), we invited them in anyway. They asked questions to ascertain whether Brooke was going to hell or not (they asked me the same questions the week before) and satisified that she was good to go (after I feel making her really explain herself and almost have to prove her answers), they stayed for at least 15-20 min. afterward. I would have been cool if they'd stuck around and just talked, asked us how we liked Columbia, etc. but one of the men decided they still needed to go through with their entire presentation, I guess to just show us what it was like though it seemed like overkill. Part of me, though I can't prove this, felt like they still wanted to make sure we were really ok. I was thinking, we've both said what we believe, we've said we went to SBU, we have crosses up in our living room and tons of Christian books on our bookshelves, what more do we have to do?

Episodes like this make me increasingly more convinced that old-school, cold call methods of visitation and evangelism are just really off-putting and awkward. Were I not a Christian I would be (or think I would be, hard to say) really turned off by that approach. I know that we can justify relational/friendship evangelism sometimes in the name of our own timidity (I've done it) but when done properly and thoughtfully, I really think that might be the best road. I think random conversations with strangers can be effective but not as effective as many people seem to think.

I don't know that I'm right on this, though...any thoughts?

The final part of my series is Five Songs Which Make Me Think of Someone Else...in this case, the someone else will be my lovely wife Brooke. For those of you who choose to respond, the someone else could be a spouse, significant other, grandma, Nolan Ryan, Bono...just as long as the tracks bring that person to mind.

Here goes:

1. "Trolley Wood"-Eisley from Room Noises (2005): any song off this record makes me think of Brooke because she really likes the album. She especially digs this one...if you don't know Eisley, you should know Eisley...great band.

2. "Jesus, Etc."-Wilco from Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (2002): Another song Brooke really likes. It took her forever to learn the words but it was cute/hilarious to hear her try to sing along up until that point.

3. "I Will Follow You Into the Dark"-Death Cab for Cutie from Plans (2005): One of the most tragic and beautiful love songs I've ever heard. I have had conversations with a few people, especially Ryan B., about what it would be like to lose a spouse and how I feel like I would go soon after Brooke if she died first. While I'm sure there would be much to live for after she was gone, unless you are married, I don't think you can fully comprehend the feeling of being so connected to one person. This song wraps it up perfectly for me: "If heaven and hell decide they both are satisfied and illuminate the No's on their vacancy signs / If there's no one beside you when your soul embarks / Then I'll follow you into the dark."

4. "Bubble Toes"-Jack Johnson from Brushfire Fairytales (2001): You'd probably have to ask Brooke yourself to understand why I listed this song but let's just say it involves an inside joke between us that always prompts laughter and smiles.

5. "In Your Eyes"-Peter Gabriel from So (1986): Anyone who knows me very well (or has read this blog for long) knows this is my very favorite song in the world and much of the lyrics/feeling behind it sums up my feelings for my wife. In her eyes, I do see the doorway to a thousand churches and while yes, I do get tired sometimes, I look to the time with her to keep me awake and alive. Perfect.

the kid

After a bit of delay for inconsequential things like...oh, I don't know, writing articles, reading volumes on media trends and training at my new coffeeshop job, here's the next part o' the series. This installation is entitled Five Songs Which Make Me Want to Be a Revolutionary (or Five Songs Which Make Me Want to be Socially Active).

Off the top of my head, here are my five:

1. "Torches Together"-mewithoutyou from Catch for us the Foxes (2004): a visceral anthem of solidarity which relates the idea of changing the world in a united fashion. Aaron Weiss in his dramatic sing-speak provides a poetic call to arms: "Why pluck one string--what good is just one note? / ...why pluck one string when you can strum the guitar? Strum the guitar!... / Take down a guitar and strum the guitar, strum the guitar and if you're afraid / And I'm afraid and everyone's afraid and everyone knows it / But we don't have to be afraid anymore."

2. "Futures"-Jimmy Eat World from Futures (2004): The band's lament at the loss of John Kerry in the 2004 election is not solely sad, it carries a hopeful tone: "Hey now, the past is told by those who win / My darling, what matters is what hasn't been / Hey now, we're wide awake and we're thinking / My darling, believe your voice can mean something."

3. "Pride (In the Name of Love)"-U2 from The Unforgettable Fire (1984): One of the ultimate rock and roll rallying cries...I would advise anyone not stirred by the band's remembrances of MLK, Jr. to check and see if your heart's still beating. Even better and more amazing live...

4. "Shed a Little Light"-James Taylor from New Moon Shine (1991): Speaking of Dr. King, I listen to the following words sung in resonant, gorgeous harmony every year in celebration of his birthday: "Let us turn our thoughts today to Martin Luther King / And recognize that there are ties between us / All men and women living on the earth / Ties of hope and love, sister and brotherhood / That we are bound together / In our desire to see the world become a place in which our children can grow free and strong / We are bound together by the task that stands before us / And the road that lies ahead / We are bound and we are bound."

5. "This is Your Life"-Switchfoot from The Beautiful Letdown (2003): Not an overt call to any kind of activism, but a song that makes me ask questions. And when I ask the question as to whether I'm who I want to be and when I realize that I've got but one life, it makes me want to move, to be, to act, to stand up.

Share 'em if you've got 'em!

the kid