Amy and I were on the Harding campus today and were interviewed about our church planting efforts for a video that will be shown in chapel.

Afterward, we ate lunch in the student center. The sandwich shop’s fare was quite good. As we got ready to leave, though, we noticed that there was no place to recycle our glass and plastic beverage bottles. Not in the student center, not in the Heritage Center, not in the caf lobby. Nowhere outside, either.

We drove past the freshman girls’ dorm (Sears Hall) and saw a huge dumpster outside to hold all the move-in trash such as cardboard boxes from new microwaves. A huge amount of this material is recyclable - probably over 50 percent of move-in trash, which is mostly packaging.

I don’t know the economics of recycling vs. garbage in Searcy, but generally it’s cheaper to get rid of recycling than garbage - not to mention the environmental impact of all that unnecessary landfill-bound material.

It’s the 21st century. Is recycling really all that much to ask, even in a very red part of a very red state? We did it when we lived off-campus in Searcy our junior and senior years. Recycling is not exactly left-wing or fringe any more.

What would be a good way to get HU to recycle?

Mac was talking the other day about how evangelical sermons tend to include practical advice or good-citizen messages along with theological teaching, so you end up with a “Jesus and …” message. For example:

• Jesus and a happy marriage
• Jesus and good money management
• Jesus and patriotism
• Jesus and responsible parenting

The Gospel has implications for marriage, money, relationship to the state, and parenting, but is not simply the sum of the good advice we hear from the pulpit. Sometimes we confuse the application with the core message, and sometimes the applications actually contradict the original message of the gospel, if we forget how we came up with the applications.

Stewardship is one implication/application that sometimes leads us to conclusions that contradict the way of Christ. Sometimes we’re so preoccupied with being responsible that we forget the lavish, irresponsible, self-giving love that we read about in the Gospels.

Communion is the one time in Christian worship where we focus exclusively on Christ. I think this is what Mac likes about Catholic mass - there’s not much else to distract you. The symbol, the liturgy, the words - all are about Christ, without the tangents of self-help advice.

Of course, there is one thing that gets added to communion. If you’re from the C of C, you already know what I mean. “Separate and apart from the Lord’s Supper…”

It’s not really separate. It should be, but it’s not. The disclaimer and ten-second interlude do not dissociate the collection (or offering) from the Eucharist. In most churches, it goes like this:

• Body of Christ
• Blood of Christ
• Blood from a turnip

I think that’s it for today. Sorry, I know it’s kind of disjointed and random. It’ll take some time to work my way back up to real theo-blogging. Peace.

Man, this Harding admissions video brings back memories:

Among those making an appearance:

• Greg Kendall-Ball
• Ken Neller
• Jimmie Douglass (pictured in the screenshot above)
• Jason Ashlock
• Monte Cox
• Daisha Stockstill
• Lots of people whom I recognize, but whose names I do not remember

“The best friend you’ll find at Harding is Jesus Christ.”

Who do you see?

Via Mark Elrod

Simply amazing. Make sure you watch the video.

Ten points to the first person who can name the title of the song being led in the picture above from memory. No cheating!

Via Matt.

Now that people have started to list their favorite hymns, what are your least favorite hymns?

What are your favorite hymns? Nothing written after 1960. Leave as many titles as you’d like in the comments.

Scott Freeman is now blogging on his own domain. And he may get famous for his comments on the Evangelical Climate Initiative.

If you had a link to Scott’s TypePad site, you’ll want to change it soon. Also, his new RSS feed is here.

Part of my morning ritual is to scan several national and local newsites before starting work. USA Today has a link to their blog post about the Church of Christ preacher (Matt Winkler) who was murdered by his wife last week. The post is newsy and boring, but the comments tell a lot about many kinds of people - COCers, ex-COCers, secularists, athiests, friends of the family, and people just looking for a venue to preach, condemn, forgive, hate, mend, or anything else. Take a minute and peruse the comments for a glimpse into how America sees the COC (and church in general) and how we see ourselves.

Here is a sample:

- I used to teach at a university with a group of professors that did research into cults … including the Branch Davidians. The Church of Christ is one of the groups they studied, as well.

- I knew Matt all through college. He was a wonderful and kind person. For that matter so was Mary. I never saw a bit of problem between them. Matt was a very enthusiastic and outgoing guy, while Mary was quiet but a sweet and precious girl. They were a perfect match. I can’t believe that anyone would try to say that he was abusive or a molester when they do not know him, her, or their families. If you all knew them and their families you might think differently! I know that each individual on this earth lives thier own private life inside themselves, but in this case I truly do not feel that any thing was going on but that Mary has suffered terribly with depression (particularly postpartum depression). Having the stesses of children, being a ministers wife just over took her mind. She chose not to get any help with it. Unfortunately she chose the wrong way to deal with it. I am praying for her and the girls, and especially their families strength, to be able to deal with this tragedy. I love Mary, and I will continue to love her as I was comanded to love everyone on this earth, no matter what they do!

- God is either asleep, doesn’t exist or is totally removed from his creation. I think God exists as a creative energy but I really do not think he cares about individual persons. If he does it is not evidenced by all the violence in the world. Organized religion is just so much make believe. I grew up in a Lutheran church and spent many years with the Christian doctrine. I do not buy any of it any more! I generally find Christians to be judgemental and pompous!

- Now I dont know what her reason was for killing her husband, either way, I can find little if any justification for her actions of murder. But consider this, If she was a man, and wanted to still preach from the pulpit, A former and forgiven murderer is afforded the position of being a pastor, BUT a DIVORCED person is not forgiven by the church - Go figure that one out.

- We are ALL sinners. Even the wife of the pastor and the pator himself. She committed a heinous “sin.” If she is truly “born-again” she must confess this sin and with all her heart and sould “repent.” It really doesn’t seem like she has ever been “saved” in the first place. How pitiful….Jesus said in the bible: that many will come to me in that day (future) standing before God ALmighty and he will say depart from me into everlasting fire…That is the truth and All of you who are now reading this, most of you will hear those SAME words and you will REMEMBER this posting that you are reading right NOW and my words for ever and ever and ever and ever in HELL…I didn’t say this, but “GOD” himself did…