Gungor-God is not a White Man

[Pastor Keith]

A few Pastor Friends and I attended West Coast Catalyst this week. I got to hear Gungor. A nice Folksy Spiritual Band.

Here is one of the songs that they did.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WybvhRu9KU

[Socialite]

Great band!

How was Catwest? Highlights?

[Apprehended]

His song makes him an authority on what God is?

Until the love of God is shed abroad in his heart by the Holy Ghost, he cannot have the least concept of what God's love is all about.

But, what on earth would we do without a funny band reminding us that God is not a man...no, not even a Republican man. The wisdom of the words of the song leaves me...well...breathless, I guess.

[jfrog]

Originally Posted by Apprehended

His song makes him an authority on what God is?

Until the love of God is shed abroad in his heart by the Holy Ghost, he cannot have the least concept of what God's love is all about.

But, what on earth would we do without a funny band reminding us that God is not a man...no, not even a Republican man. The wisdom of the words of the song leaves me...well...breathless, I guess.

There was alot of wisdom in the words wasn't there!

[Apprehended]

Originally Posted by jfrog

There was alot of wisdom in the words wasn't there!

Hahaha....

Well, God is LOVE. I guess that's wisdom enough, if that is truly understood.

[Socialite]

Appy, what did you find disagreeable about the song?

I think he points to the fact that we make God in our own image far too often, especially us ethnocentric Americans. We fashion God in a way that fits our cause, our agenda... we all pull for God to be on our side, and against the other. Little Jesus Dolls.

[Apprehended]

Originally Posted by Socialite

Appy, what did you find disagreeable about the song?

I think he points to the fact that we make God in our own image far too often, especially us ethnocentric Americans. We fashion God in a way that fits our cause, our agenda... we all pull for God to be on our side, and against the other. Little Jesus Dolls.

I suppose that the core words of the song were not especially objectionable. It would have been better to enlarge upon who God is if not a white man or a Republican other than just saying he is LOVE. Divine love, without having truly experienced it will mean many different things to as many people. Love to one man might be 76 virgins. Another man it might mean self indulgence. Love to another man might mean his own reputation. Love to yet another might mean a communal society. On and on.

People get started on a downward trek without knowing God to which end is only disappointment. God truly is love. But, catch a vision of the cross of Jesus and his earthly life-style if we will. Here we see the love in action. This is why Jesus could say, "He that hath seen ME, hath seen (God is Love) the Father. He showed the love and lived it for all to see that he was God (love) manifested in the flesh.

[Sam]

Originally Posted by Socialite

Appy, what did you find disagreeable about the song?

I think he points to the fact that we make God in our own image far too often, especially us ethnocentric Americans. We fashion God in a way that fits our cause, our agenda... we all pull for God to be on our side, and against the other. Little Jesus Dolls.

Let us make God in our image and after our likeness
and let Him have dominion over just whatever we want to give Him
but we'll control everything else.
Modern paraphrase of Genesis 1:26

[Pastor Keith]

Originally Posted by Socialite

Great band!

How was Catwest? Highlights?

Andy Stanley was very good.

Catalyst about about exposing the next Generation of Leaders to other, sometimes eclectic speakers.

Thus we heard from Dave Ramsey
Soledad O'brian
Run of Run/DMC fame
Jack Dorsey of Twitter etc.

It was good mix. They then through in a bunch of entertainment between sessions. Such as Asian Drummers, a Chinese Acrobat, Trampoline, and other interesting distractions.

The facilities were outstanding.

I was moved deeply by a portion of the meditation chapel. It was a reflective place, with various stations set up to draw one close to the Lord.

In the past I have never cared for this type of prayer experience. But I went into check it out. There was a setup where people could confess their weaknesses onto a white canvas where it was lit up with a bright light.

Again, keep in mind my skepticism and attitude of not expecting anything.

As soon as I walked into that portion of the experience, I almost hand a melt down of deep felt Grace. I could hear the voices of the people and God being moved with their honest pleas of confession and sin.

I had to leave or I would have collapsed under the experience. A day later I have no idea why I experienced that, other than I do have a sensitivity to the voice of God in prophetic gifts and maybe that is the reason. Needless to say it was HOLY and very moving.

Connecting to friends was very a refreshing, I went with 3 lifelong friends and we had some good male bonding around the important things in our lives, Jesus being predominate.

I got some benefit from Nancy Ortberg on the value of Confrontation in Leadership.

Christine Caine was passionate and funny.

Needless to say, I would like to go every year.

We also ate some great food on the roadtrip at Harris Ranch and at a Mexican Place called Taco Rosa.

Oh, I almost forgot Eugene Peterson was good too, he is towards the end of his life and his call to embrace the Pastoral call was well needed in my life.

[Socialite]

Originally Posted by Pastor Keith

Andy Stanley was very good.

Catalyst about about exposing the next Generation of Leaders to other, sometimes eclectic speakers.

Thus we heard from Dave Ramsey
Soledad O'brian
Run of Run/DMC fame
Jack Dorsey of Twitter etc.

It was good mix. They then through in a bunch of entertainment between sessions. Such as Asian Drummers, a Chinese Acrobat, Trampoline, and other interesting distractions.

The facilities were outstanding.

I was moved deeply by a portion of the meditation chapel. It was a reflective place, with various stations set up to draw one close to the Lord.

In the past I have never cared for this type of prayer experience. But I went into check it out. There was a setup where people could confess their weaknesses onto a white canvas where it was lit up with a bright light.

Again, keep in mind my skepticism and attitude of not expecting anything.

As soon as I walked into that portion of the experience, I almost hand a melt down of deep felt Grace. I could hear the voices of the people and God being moved with their honest pleas of confession and sin.

I had to leave or I would have collapsed under the experience. A day later I have no idea why I experienced that, other than I do have a sensitivity to the voice of God in prophetic gifts and maybe that is the reason. Needless to say it was HOLY and very moving.

Connecting to friends was very moving, I went with 3 lifelong friends and we had some good male bonding around the important things in our lives, Jesus being predominate.

I got some benefit from Nancy Ortberg on the value of Confrontation in Leadership.

Christine Caine was passionate and funny.

Needless to say, I would like to go every year.

We also ate some great food at Harris Ranch and at a Mexican Place called Taco Rosa.

Oh, I almost forgot Eugene Peterson was good too, he is towards the end of his life and his call to embrace the Pastoral call was well needed in my life.

I always that CatWest was more "youth ministry/student ministry" focused, and connected to Hipster Christianity movement, etc... Your description of all the entertainment didn't sway me away from that

Have you ever been to Radicalis?

The reflection stations sound wonderful!

You met Eugene Peterson? How exciting. I hear his book The Contemplative Pastor is phenomenal.