randalevan's blog

Chris Farley, why did you die so young?

My daughter Hannah bought a dvd this week of two Chris Farley films - Tommy Boy and Blacksheep. We watched Tommy Boy last night. I had never seen either of them...I'm not even sure I had heard of Farley before. Anyway, as I watched the film I thought, "Man, this guy is like Belushi." I had also heard he had died at a very young age of a drug overdose. Farley was funny, athletic (*just think how agile he would have been if he had lost 100 pounds and wasn't abusing drugs and alcohol!), and if he was really singing in that one scene (his father's wedding) he also had an excellent voice. Belushi was his hero, and they both died at the tender age of 33. It didn't have to happen like that...and that makes me both angry and sad.

It makes me sad that someone as funny as Farley was also so screwed-up. Why did this guy abuse his body with drugs, alcohol and over-eating? Why did he spend a lot of time with hookers? It makes me doubly sad that he was apparently a strong Catholic, going to mass twice a week, and yet apparently had no clue about how to tap-in to a life-giving relationship with Jesus Christ and find a church that could help him be both a great comedian, and, live a happy, healthy, LONG life. The guy OD'd with a rosary in his hands. (*BTW, I am not slamming Catholics...people who go to churches in my movement [read "denomination"...we're just afraid of saying it] are just as capable of going to church and yet not letting their faith impact each area of their lives.)

Oh God, show us how to live, and, how to invite others into the life You created us for!

(*Here's a Time Magazine article on Farley: http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/books/05/07/chris.farley/index.html)

looking for an old-fashioned church?

We got a postcard stuck in our door this past Saturday. It read as follows, "I am interested in being part of an old-fashioned Baptist church in my city!" Below the proclamation were a bunch of lines for us to provide all our contact information.
Hmmm, maybe I am wrong, but I don't think there are a lot of people in Silicon Valley looking for an old-fashioned church of any color or stripe. Am I wrong? What does "old-fashioned" mean any way?

Katie is a Rock Star

She would probably hate me for saying this, and she may even kill me (*or at least tell me to shut-up!), but Katie Fantin did a great job teaching this morning at the Peninsula Vineyard. (*Check it out, www.vcfp.org, and click-on Latest Sermons. Then choose the teaching from June 1st, 2008.)

Was that really helpful?

A local pastor placed a full-page ad in the San Jose Mercury News yesterday (May 28th) expressing his concern about the recent decision in California's courts to make gay marriage legal. While I don't have any problem with a pastor, or anyone else for that matter, giving their opinion, I did think some of what he said was not very helpful. Let me explain.

My First Sunday

Jacquie and I celebrated our first Sunday morning celebration with the Peninsula Vineyard on May 4th. It was wonderful to join this great church! Although our building is unimpressive (*we rent an auditorium and classrooms at the Cubberley Community Center in Palo Alto on Sunday mornings), we are a community of people who are learning to love God and one another...and that is a beautiful thing to experience.

The law of Christ

The Apostle Paul says something strange in his letter to the churches in Galatia.  “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”  (Galatians chapter 6, verse 2.)  Now, the reason that sounds so strange is because Paul has spent the last 5 chapters of his letter to the Galatians telling them that they are justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law.  So have Christians been freed from one set of laws only to be burdened by a whole new set of laws?

Ever tried to be good?

I used to try to be good.  Some people still try.  Others don’t even care.  And, unfortunately, there are some people who actually believe they already are good.  How ‘bout you?  Let me share a sort of silly exercise we are going to do this Sunday at the church I pastor in Framingham, MA.  (*If you would like to listen to my teaching, you'll have to wait until after Sunday morning!  Sometime Sunday or Monday it will be posted on our web site.  Click on http://www.vineyardmetrowest.org/messages.shtml and then select the teaching from 02102008 entitled God Resists the Proud, but Gives Grace to the Humble.)  OK, here goes my silly, little exercise…

A few last quotes from Pascal and Kreeft

I just finished Kreeft's book and wanted to write-up a few quotes that I thought were good.  Here goes:

"Here is a test whether you really love God.  Have you done or avoided or given up a single thing today solely because you believed that God wanted you to?" (Page 234.)

Three Choices

I have been reading Peter Kreeft's book Christianity for Modern Pagans for some time now and I'm really enjoying it.  It's basically Kreeft's take on Pascal's Pensées.  Let me quote Pascal's pensée #154: "Choices.  Our life in the world must vary according to these different assumptions:

1. (if it is certain that we shall always be here)....

2. (if it is certain whether we shall always be here or not).

3. (if it is certain that we shall not always be here, but if we are sure of being here for a long time)....

4. if it is certain that we shall not be here for long, and uncertain whether we shall be here even one hour.

This last assumption is ours."

Jesus is coming...

“Lo, in the silent night

A child to God is born

And all is brought again

That ere was lost or lorn.

Could but thy soul, O man

Become a silent night!

God would be born in thee

And set all things aright.”

15^th Century

Each year, I set time aside to prepare to celebrate Jesus Christ's coming.  One of the ways that I do that is by reading a daily devotional.  This year, I will read Watch for the Light again.  I have also added a new book by the music group Jars of Clay entitled Peace Is Here.  I recommend both, especially the first book.