I may not appease too many with this article, including some friends. All I ask is that no matter where you are on the political spectrum that you read with the hope of finding common ground where there are divergent cultural and religious views. Christians should be thinking people, as is our history from sciences to art. When it comes to politics we run to the right or left. I suggest we do not always have to make that choice. As the photo presents, our President made a very polarizing and political statement. I am attempting to actually have a discussion that is a bit less rhetorical and more practical and from my perspective as an evangelical Christian.

Civil rights are already given to gays who want to marry in most states. I am not sure it is fair to exclude those rights in a free society such as ours. What does anyone have to gain by that? Domestic partnership with all the legal rights of marriage exist and perhaps is a worthy middle ground. Non-traditional views of family and marriage are en vogue, and yet some insist expanding the use of a word that really is reserved for faith-birthed traditional views of family. The state should preserve rights and protect all of us from intrusive or prejudicial treatment under the law. For the most part, we have accomplished this for race and gender, even though attitudes cannot be legislated. At least the law says that your race or gender or religious affiliation are invisible and protected.

As a person of faith, my belief as a Christian is that marriage is between one man and one woman. This comes from historical teaching out of the Bible that reaches further back than our great nation. The importance of rearing children and having an institution is practical and in the interest of the general welfare of all. People who are non-traditional and non-religious usually agree on this point. Time has changed the family experience in recent history. Some choose to raise children on their own. My family of origin was single parented for a period of time. Whether this style of family was by choice or not, we legally protect that family. From the message of my faith, orphans and widows are especially protected and valued. Vulnerable people need such protection.

For this reason, I believe that even though a gay couple should not marry in my religious view I am for the state and society in general protecting the children that may be part of that or any other family. Orphans should never be created. It is a worthy compromise to simply find a way to legally establish civil unions. However, why do some insist on using the traditional word “marriage” for such legal protection on the liberal left? And, why do my friends on the right insist on state-legislating the word marriage while saying their faith is the issue? Both are missing the boat in my opinion. It is easier to polarize people than synthesize solutions.

Here are some bullets-for-thought:

• The state does not (nor should not in our nation) determine my religious belief about marriage. So, why would it matter what they say? It matters if it oppresses. It matters if it excludes. It matters if it interferes.
• Liberals want to change what is traditional rather than define something “new” which in a pluralistic society is wrong on this issue. Come up with a new term or embrace the attempts of this with “civil unions” or “domestic partnerships”.
• Conservatives in some circles want a theocracy legislated about marriage. As a person of faith, I do not want the state to interfere with my beliefs. Period.
• Liberals would do well to appreciate the religious, historical, and practical existence of family. It is not just about choosing who to love, but being sure children and the vulnerable are protected under law. Selfishness is never a good selling point.
• Conservatives would do well to accept that the very small minority of people who might ask for these rights do less harm than the divorce rate of traditional families. Hypocrisy is true of us all. So, be more humble.
• Granting or protecting civil rights should be more important than a word. Emotions want us to define marriage a certain way. Emotions are warranted but not the whole picture for either side. It is not truly “progressive” to destroy an idea that in our society should still be allowed to thrive. It is not “conservative” to marginalize people when religious liberty is the fight.

I am wondering if anyone else out there is in the middle on this. This means you are neither for redefining the word marriage or denying rights to same sex couples.

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.

Romans 8:26 (NIV)

No, this post is not really about the TV show where those judges in chairs turn around after hearing  a blind audition. Will the singer look like his or her voice? The hook of this show is the idea that just on an individual’s voice they will judged. A baker, a mechanic, and nursing student compete. Some have families and are even middle aged. The voice of each contestant has the opportunity to win the prize of fame.

The voice of the shepherd calls his sheep to safety. Training ourselves to listen to the right voice is a life skill. A child will run to the voice of her mother. But, what we do not realize is that we have a voice. A mother knows the cry of her baby anywhere. When our voice cries, there is someone’s ear who is already tuned for us, like a mother to her baby. 

Even more than the Shepherd’s voice calling us is the idea that there is a spiritual language being prayed from within us by the Holy Spirit. This voice cries out to God to help our us in our weaknesses. When we do not know what to pray, prayer is already happening! Because of our new birthright in Christ, there is the support of our Helper who intercedes on our behalf, even when our voice is silent. The Spirit lends us His voice. And, apparently we are not always aware of this constant prayer.

The Voice that speaks and sings for us is one we may not even understand. Think about that, these “wordless groans” do not sound like a voice that prompts judges to turn their chairs. Like an instrumental melody the voice of the Spirit helps us in this way. To us, this “wordless groan” might be like jazz scatting. To heaven it is a detailed, custom fit, and loving prayer for our deepest weaknesses–our wounds, habits, and faults.

We love to quote Romans 8:28 about God working all things together for good. But, do we realize that the working of good is partly this helpful intercession? Do we embrace the fact that we really do not know what to pray at times and that God has that covered for us? The good working together here is that the grace of God not only is my hope in justifying me before a righteous judge. It is also hope that my daily life has supernatural help where I need it most.

My pride wants my voice to be what get’s me holier, healthier, and simply better. But, reality shows my ineptitude in prayer. This is hope! And, hope in things we see is not hope. I cannot fathom or define The Voice in me that prays for my weaknesses. It is part of the hope of being a child of God. To think that The Voice of his Spirit is there to help us in the daily grind, whether we choose to acknowledge it or not is simply amazing.

I am excited about teaching a 4-week community class at Rancho Community Church in Temecula, CA. It starts this Wednesday and runs from 6:30 to 8:00 PM (April 11, 18, 25 and May 2). The class is FREE. REGISTER

How to navigate the maze of social networking, video gaming, and online entertainment.

Bring your iPad, Laptop or Smart Phone to interact with the class live!

Consider the following situations:

A local school has police investigating a fake Facebook account where a teen threatens to hurt himself.  A college student jumps off a bridge, then his roommate faces jail time for webcasting his illicit encounter. An employer looks at a social networking site, then chooses to not hire a candidate based on pictures posted.

Social networking, video gaming, and our real lives all intersect with the smart phone in our pocket, our living room cable boxes, and our laptops.  Families need to be equipped to protect themselves and their children from the real threats of the “online” world in which we now live.

Key topics covered:

• Intro: A primer to online life in 2012.
• Online manners: what are they and how to have them!
• How to…
  • Protect your family from online threats.
  • Write an online “code of ethics” and live by them.
  • Use basic online tools to streamline your online time.
  • Leverage online activity for good — making a difference.
  • Keep Video Gaming, Cable, and Satellite TV in balance.
  • Help your family to make better choices online.
• What should I really be afraid about? (This might surprise you!).

Trayvon Martin, Kony, and almost anything you see on the 5-o-clock news and cable news outlets, blogs, and twitter prove to me you must think critically. Well, if you want to react to the drama of skewed narrative like Pavlov’s Dog, just eat the buffet of fast-food news. Media requires us to be skeptical. But, that is not always fun. In fact, it actually is not politically correct and may cost you. Of course, Jon Stewart is amazing in his facility. Are we keen to learn, as well?

The tragedy of the killing of teenager Trayvon Martin has captivated us. Hoodies are being worn, even in Congress. However, it seems like some critical thinking might caution us to consider there is more to the story. This may be in conflict with the soundbite-laden story sold to us. Every frame of film is being analyzed by “media specialists” and, “news contributors” are available to pontificate on all potentialities. A tragedy occurred. Yet, we know little of the final results of the investigation. However, we are asked to cry foul as if the case is solved!

In looking at this critically, we need to understand that getting on a bandwagon might be popular, but is it honest? Being empathetic for the family involved surely is appropriate. Who would want this to happen again, anywhere? However, there is something we are missing. We have passed over in our media coverage the actual context of the alleged crime. The self-defense claim by the alleged criminal set off a sequence of events.

The Florida law that allowed the alleged perpetrator to not be held and officially arrested is the real problem here. The view of handguns and the ethics of when we are free to use them are also a real problem here. But, we wear hoodies and call for unlawful retrieval of the guy who pulled the trigger rather than look at the soil that grew this inevitable tragedy. Critical thinking would ask deeper questions and end up saying, “CHANGE THE LAW!” Bashing law enforcement for attempting to deal justly with a flawed legality is naive, and shows how we and our media today love to create a scapegoat. To the Left, Zimmerman’s 2005 arrest photo is the image of the child killer. To the Right, articles about Trayvon’s school work and suspensions become fodder. Shame to all y’all!

Race is not the actual issue here, is it? The young man who committed the act is apparently Hispanic. The neighborhood on closer examination is not truly a “white” neighborhood is it? Even Lionel Richie on CNN attempted to bring sanity to that incendiary narrative. But, we are always looking in our media to reduce things for us. It is like the strainer that takes a whole chicken through a sieve, creating a chicken mush that becomes nuggets of chicken at our favorite fast food joint. We cannot stop the addiction however gross it is. Or, can we?

Christians need to model critical thinking, instead we end up criticizing just like a political opponent does during a re-election bid. The Evangelical minds have not spoken out against many clear injustices, because we limit what things are injustices. Abortion is clearly one of those. But, why do we cower from the death penalty? Human trafficking is an injustice. But, why do we still stumble to foster the rights of the oppressed immigrant child? Remember the Bible’s word to us about how to treat foreigners?

Sometimes, the law is the issue of injustice. Had Florida valued human life enough to not keep a law as it is on the books a young man might be doing his homework this afternoon. But, we would rather demonize another young man who was foolish to act as he did and excuse millions of people in the state of Florida for their view of guns and low value of life. So, you see why the news outlets would rather myopically look at this. The real issue calls too many of us people out. And, we would never want that, would we?

From the Circuit Riders to old-fashioned tent meetings the Great Frontier has shaped American Christianity. Homesteading brought a certain kind of independent people to the west where rules were being re-written. Pioneering meant faith would also be newly independent from European governance. So, today we have hundreds of Baptist denominations, with many independent churches of all stripes. In fact, the term “Baptist” was simply to differentiate those that immersed adults exclusively from everyone else in early America.

Our attitudes of revolution allowed us to run from European-birthed hierarchy and embrace new territory. Even in modern times, churches like the Anglicans here in America are severing ties to Europe and aligning to African leadership. Yes, theological as well as cultural differences caused some of these rifts. In fact, many left Europe as spiritual refugees, escaping persecution. This is part of our American story.

With all of this change in recent times, does our lack of connection to our church history and spiritual descendants make us free or does it potentially impoverish us? Or, does it do both? This is especially important for those of us who are from the 50-60 year-old Evangelical brand. We need to be self-aware of our Christian roots in order to see where it will lead us next, no matter how old or new our roots or branches are.

It is a formidable task to create one lasting institutions to fill the gap of all Christian history. One question is this: could it be that God’s intention is not for one group that the Spirit breathed through during one period of time become the standard for all of time? The Spirit is like the wind so the wind moves on while we create an edifice of sentimentality that keeps us in the past sometimes rather than in the present. Even worse, we are not even prepared for a future.

What is the value of knowing our spiritual roots? Does this free us or inhibit us?

Is religion really a bad word? I wrote about that in an article last year. (Why saying “I’m Not Religious” is a Cop Out!)  This video poem, “Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus” is powerful, creative and resonates deeply. I applaud the artistry. But, I think there is just something about semantics asking for more thought and discussion, which any good art should allow. I wrote this in June last year:

Religion is not cutting or whipping one’s self, living silently in a monastery, singing emotionally in a worship service. It is not the Inquisition, the wars of the Crusades, the failings of a Pope or local church pastor. It is not complicated and requiring of academic prowess or hours of serving in a church ministry program. In fact, it is not something a seminary owns rights or that one particular church can claim as their original thought.

What is it, then?

Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.
James 1:27 New Living Translation (NLT)

Being for Jesus does not mean I have to be against true religion. What does “religion” really mean? I think semantics are important. Hypocrisy gives religion a bad name. It feels great to rally when something emotionally feels right, but if we actually spend time to think beyond emotions perhaps a deeper truth is there. Critics are needed, and so are questions.

Here is my question in relation to this video: Can’t we be FOR something, and not AGAINST something?

I thought of writing a book review but ended up with a song inspired by a book. “Grace found me” is a phrase quoted from the book All Is Grace: A Ragamuffin Memoir which is the memoir of beloved author and speaker Brennan Manning. We think we can earn God’s love, God’s favor. We can’t. Even at our best, most religious selves we fall short. We all do. And, at our worst, God’s hand reaches out for us. All we have to do is reach for it. His hand will find our hand. 

As some of you know, I am working on a worship recording called Drink The Divine. This worship project is about grace–the cross section of our belief in it and our experience of it. This is why I believe in giving away the proceeds to help a very worthy cause, Doma International. There are many who need an arm reached out to them. As we in our well-equipped and tuned church facilities cry out in song and prayer, our hand should be held out to the least of these. We are all ragamuffins, anyway.

Fundamentally, I believe that drinking the divine of Jesus includes how we in our human, earthy and real selves live out love to others. It is not an “either or”…it is a “both and” way of loving. Love God, and love people. Follow Jesus. Express your worship to Jesus. These we should not separate.

If you believe in this as I do and desire to support, please do so. There are only a few days left and your contribution will get you a small perk, sure. But, it will give a lot more. However, only you can help make that happen.

God bless and peace in the New Year to you and yours!

Here are the song lyrics to “Grace Found Me”.

Verse 1:
In the dark of doubt
I’m closer to good news
For it takes a broken heart
To finally hear the truth
A prodigal I am
Reaching for the Father’s hand

Chorus:
Grace, grace, you found me
From my shame I am set free
Grace, grace, you saved me
From blindness now my eyes see
Grace

Verse 2:
God’s favor is not earned
My efforts fall in vain
Yes, I have a broken heart
And I’m the one to blame
A prodigal I am
Reaching for the Father’s hand

Grace…

© 2011 Rich Kirkpatrick/Tehilla Music

Those who know me do realize I absolutely love good coffee. Even on vacation the goal is to find the shops with the locally roasted beans and well-trained baristas. This series is a how-to for those who want to save money but love good coffee.

Now, I love to serve espresso straight, occasionally adding a bit of honey or raw sugar. I also like a good latte or mocha latte or espresso macchiato. This means frothing and steaming milk. Here is a short how-to on frothing milk.

• With a pump machine, you are better off because the water reservoir can be refilled where the inexpensive steam machines need you to wait, twist off the top, then refill. If there are more than one of you who you make drinks for that becomes somewhat annoying.
• A stainless steel pitcher really makes a difference. You will also need a thermometer to gauge the temperature. If you steam too hot you might ruin the milk. Also, you want to do the steaming before you pull your espresso shot.
• Start with cold milk, the pitcher being cold may aid in frothing as well. Choose the milk you enjoy, although quality of milk and amount of fat effects results. Trial and error is your friend.
•  The milk will rise as you place the pitcher under the steam wand with the wand in the milk. This is called “stretching” the milk. Lower the pitcher to keep the tip of the wand just below the milk surface.
• When you reach the right temperature, usually 150-155 degrees F you should turn the steam off, remove the pitcher of milk, then use an auxiliary cup to release a few bursts of steam to keep the wand clean. You should stop before desired temp as the thermometer lags its reading.
• Large bubbles are no good. Bang the pitcher on the counter and swish a bit to minimize that. Again, trial and error will teach you a lot based on the milk, pitcher and machine you use.
• Now you can pull your shots. Pour shots into your mug. (I add sugar or syrup or chocolate at this point.) Then pour the milk onto the espresso.

As a parting note, I have tried frothing devices. They just do not work as well as real steam. Next article I will tell how to use your frothed milk. Really, you can figure that out, but I need to show off more photos.

 Tell me how this works for you! Also, any tips from some baristas out there?

Those who know me do realize I absolutely love good coffee. Even on vacation the goal is to find the shops with the locally roasted beans and well-trained baristas. This series is a how-to for those who want to save money but love good coffee.

Now I have had some friends who were and currently are professional baristas.  Their skill amazes me, from coffee art to their knowledgable experience in brewing and pulling shots. I needed  a budget cut at home. And, when my favorite locally run coffee places disappeared, I was left with Starbucks. Sigh. I did not want to be like other friends who spend a fortune each day or week at the drive-through Starbucks on over-roasted, overpriced coffee. You and I are not likely to make coffee as good as the best barista, but I think you can easily surpass the stuff you get at Starbucks from your very own home and save your bank account.

The ingredients for good espresso coffee are the quality of the beans and its roasting, its proper grind and the machine’s ability to provide enough pressure to produce a good head of crema. You need the best beans roasted with skill and ground with a quality burr grinder. Your machine needs to have at least 15 bars of pressure and correct temperature to pull the right stuff out in each espresso shot. Like most of you, I would love to have a fancy $1200 automated machine, or even better yet a decent $600 machine that would do it almost as good as a professional machine. Add another $200 for a decent grinder. We have not added in the cost of beans yet and are nearing at least $1000.

But, go cheap like I did. I use a $99 pump machine with a $5 can of pre-ground espresso coffee beans and it may not be like that gourmet shop in town, but it actually taste far better than your local Starbucks. If you buy two drinks a week at $5 you are spending over $500 a year! So, if you do it my way, you can spend less than half of that and have a gourmet drink everyday. On top of that, you can be green by saving plastic and paper cups from landfills. Here is what you need.

Espresso Machine: Here are a couple options under $100.

•  $99.95 Delongh DGI EC155  (Pump is better than steam pressure). I have used this machine more than twice a day for over two years and it still works. Like all machines, decalcifying is important.
• $21.00 Bialetti Moka Express Stovetop Espresso Maker  (Makes larger amount of espresso, but cannot froth milk. You can take camping!) I bought my mom one of these when we visited her and the coffee tasted fine. Great if you need a larger amount.

Ground Coffee: Here are two options I use under $5 a can/brick that I think are good.

• Cafe Bustelo as low as 3.86 a can of 10 oz.! (Found in corner market and local groceries around Southern CA for about $4-$5)
• Cafe La Llave as low as $4.39 a brick of 10 oz.  (I like this one better, I also have found in the corner market or groceries in Southern CA for about $4-$5)

Accessories: A list of tools you will need.

•  Tamper $5 or so online or at Target, etc. (to press the grinds into the portafilter)
• Measuring: $5 A simple 1 oz. and 2 oz. measuring cup for the shots to be moved to your drink.
• Cups: $5 reusable coffee mugs that can be taken in the car and save the environment.

Any tips you can share? What machines and process do you use? Any questions?

Funny to read in the the virtual newspaper that stocks have soared this morning due to a record turnout for Black Friday. Even without cable or satellite TV, my family received the deluge of intel on it. The marketing force this year executed with military precision this campaign rendering Thanksgiving as a footnote. Some publicity was free. From pepper-spraying-Xbox-buying moms at Walmart to Occupy Bestbuy, our nation engaged in battle with a bad economy. On twitter I read “what recession” while personally knowing many who may never fully recover their losses. Now, Cyber Monday hits!

Our culture loves the idea of this techie stuff. As a cyborg I am attached to my iPhone like it is an appendage. As I type this, I am viewing a young couple walking about in the Starbucks looking at their iPhone screens instead of each other at a 2-1 ratio. There is a church staff meeting going on next to me where they are planning their Christmas show and the cover art I got to peek at as I eavesdrop is a picture of an iPhone. As I am enjoying my Orange Blossom Green Tea, because Starbucks coffee is just over-roasted and beneath me, I type on a MacBook Pro. It is a Cyber Monday, indeed. Steve Jobs, too bad you can’t take it all with you!

The juxtaposition of a beret wearing Occupy-Wall-Street-hipster with a waxed handlebar mustache in his 20s reading an actual book while everyone else looks on a Kindle, iPad or some other device tells the tale. Yes, a crumpled sports page actually makes this a real place. The idea is we feel more authentic, I think, when somehow we have actual paper and wooden chairs to go along with the over-hyped coffee. Those of us online here in the coffee shop feel more real-life because of the hipster reading a 3,000 page book or the barista with tattooed sleeves. I already feel less cyborg-like writing that.

Then the virtual noise deafens with pings to my phone, email, and SMSs. Groupon.com taunts while you are assaulted with “like” requests for the page of a vendor, church or eatery. Yes, you unlock coupons on Foursquare.com as you collect badges akin to video game level ups. Then, you tweet on Twitter.com how special you are for finding the sale first among your friends. My apologies for those of you lost in this banter in the first paragraph. You live either under a rock, or you remain firmly, staunchly a “digital immigrant” in a land of natives who were birthed with a Droid in one hand and a bottle in the other. You reject existing entirely a cyborg while you surf the football games holding one of ten remotes. We cannot help ourselves.

In the constant digital cacophony, Cyber Monday gives us another programmed chance to worship the god of stuff. But, this idol invisibly evades. How? Some of the things we purchase in cyberspace actually remain in the cyberspace. The MP3s stay ones-and-zeros from the ones-and-zeros of our bank accounts. But, nothing about human nature changed with the medium of this technology other than now we easily broadcast a picture of our bagel at breakfast. And, we spend our money with less thought and effort than ever. It is a Cyber Monday every Monday, already. Isn’t it?