Confessions of a Recovering Pharisee

[Houston Chronicle]

The Sugar Creek Baptist Church in Sugar Land is opening a new Starbucks with a unique twist.

The coffee shop, part of the church’s new Family Center, will be located inside — next to the worship area and adjacent to a large, two-story play center. Patrons can sip lattes and surf the web with free Wi-Fi while their children shoot down slides and tumble through the padded obstacle course. A bookstore will provide Christian reading materials, gifts, apparel, movies and music.

With a grand opening scheduled for Sept. 7, this may be Fort Bend County’s first not-for-profit Starbucks. I guess when the Lord sees fit to close one Starbucks another is opened.

Bobby Chandler, director of communications, said the idea for the center came in 2006 when the church saw it would need to expand the child center.

“We wanted a family center not just for children but for adults and gatherings as well,” he said.

Read more here.

[From me]

Interesting concept.  Man, some of the comments on the Chronicle article weren’t very approving.  It doesn’t sound like they are trying to make a profit, just to reach people for Christ.  But people will find anything to complain about.

What do you think?

[TBO]

Back in the day, looking for talent to book for Universal Orlando’s Rock the Universe was easy for Jim Timon.

“It used to be just a small pond of people,” said Timon, senior vice president of entertainment.

Now it has turned into a virtual Great Lake. Christian rock is hot, hot, hot. More solo artists and groups are proclaiming their faith in edgy, hip music that rivals their secular counterparts in every way. It comes in all styles: hip-hop, punk, hard rock, ska, alternative, pop, soft and contemporary.

The challenge Timon faces these days is picking the best of the bunch. And he’s got competition: Rock the Universe, scheduled for Friday and Sept. 6, goes head-to-head with Walt Disney World’s Night of Joy on the same two days.

Why two mega Christian rock festivals on the same days, just down the street from each other?

“It’s something to do with how youth pastors schedule their weekends,” Timon said. “It’s a friendly competition. We may have the edge on keeping it purely rock, and we bring in speakers as well.”

Read more here.

[From me]

Why in the world would you have 2 Christian festivals on the same days in the same city?  Seems to me if they did them separate weekends it would benefit both parks.  

What do you think?

Some misguided person hacked our church website.  Why in the world someone would like to pull a stunt like that is beyond me.  Does anyone know what I can do?  I know this is a crime but that leaves me little solace.  I can’t even get on the administration page.  I spent months working on this and now I’m afraid all the work has gone down the drain.

Any suggestions?

[UPDATE}

Thankfully Bluehost backed up our site from a week ago so I only lost the changes I made this week! Whew!

Off to watch Bama!

[Twin Cities.com]

Green Bay’s new Catholic bishop livened his installation ceremony by breaking into song during his sermon with parts of a couple country songs—including one called “Drop Kick Me, Jesus.” Bishop David Ricken, former bishop of Cheyenne, Wyo., first told the assembled church leaders, family members and others from the Green Bay and Cheyenne dioceses about traveling to his Cheyenne assignment after being ordained a bishop.

Read more here.

[From me]

As long as he doesn’t break out in a Terry Bradshaw song or The Super Bowl Shuffle.

[KLTV]

The stories come from all over the world - people who see the face of Jesus on everything from furniture to snack foods. Now, some east Texans say they’ve spotted Jesus on a moth. 

Read more here.

[From me]

This can’t be Jesus because He said:

Matthew 16:19-20

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.