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Denton/Ike/Kelsey/church/Church/A.J.

So, I'm back in Denton. I can honestly say i love this town. The moment i drove into town i couldn't help but smile. School has started back and i actually enjoy attending classes. Especially my class on short story. Although it meets at 9:30 am(my earliest class) our Professor make this class very enjoyable. Professor Tanner is a poet of a man with a beard so unique that it kinda makes him look like a puppet. I feel like everything he says should be written down and told to all of my friends. All my other classes are moderately enjoyable, and my goal is to make it to class and to impress the parents with good grades. (which I've failed to do thus far). 

So supposedly there was some kind of big storm that swept through Galveston and Houston. At our new house we decided not to have a TV. We felt it would bring us together as roommates and minimize distractions in the home. Well that's all well and good but the one thing we all miss is the news! I didn't even know there was another Hurricane until i overheard some talk on campus and then my Dad called me to say they may have to evacuate. I felt pretty out of the loop. But in the end my family is safe and at home with power. (as of yesterday). It was shocking to see the photos from Ike's aftermath. Seeing beach fronts we used to rent houses on and enjoy cold thanksgivings together on that were now bits of driftwood and murky sand. God has it on planned out. Good will come. It always does.

So my little/older brother Cary has officially tricked some girl into spending the rest of their lives together. Cary's amazing girlfriend Kelsey has officially been promoted to Fiance. The coolest thing about it is that Kelsey is one of the most awesome girls on the planet, and i can't wait till she's my official sister so we can hang out more and share holidays together. They are pretty much perfect for each other. He who has found a wife has found a good thing. At least that's what I hear. 

So my church project is slowly getting off the ground. I'm really excited to see where this goes. I've had a few people send stories and art and soon and very soon I'll have some video interviews with some of my friends sharing what God has been doing and is doing in their lives and through certain ministries. Keep an eye out for some new stuff on the church blog. Right now we have a new blog up by Nicole Rogers. A friend from church back home who is now attending OU. So read up and then write your story down.

I'm officially a member at the Village Church now. It's kind of a crazy thing to be a part of a church on my own. For over 18 years i was a member wherever my parents attended and were members. But don't get wrong i love the churches we went to. If we hadn't gone to Forest Cove and the experienced a church-fight and then became second baptist, we'd all be missing out. I grew so much in the ministries of that church and if it weren't for guys like Eric Larson, Pat Camaratta, Jeff Hiett, and especially one of my best friends Jonathan Gray i wouldn't be the man i am today. I owe a lot to those men. All that to say since the move to college and Denton i have found a church to be a part of and a community to grow in. I Love it up here. Soon I'll be starting to lead for the middle schoolers in their Sunday morning worship services. I'm really excited to finally be plugged in and doing ministry inside the church. 

I recorded a new song on a compilation album of a group I'm a part of now called Counter Collective. It's one about a man that used to live close by when i was younger. Also it's about my Grandpa, his son, and his son's son. Hopefully i can put it up on here soon.

That's it. Love you guys.

(photos by Chris Newby)

wonderful day for a bananafish

i stumbled upon an article today online concerning the "cussing pastor" Mark Driscoll from Mars Hill in Seattle. It was dumb to say the least. It talked about how people left the service after Mark failed to cuss in one of his sermons. As if to say that the only reason a crowd was congregating was not to hear the gospel but instead to hear some vulgarities. Which is a good observation, I'll give this guy that. But he ends his blog-rant by saying that he hopes his group of readers would continue to pray against the ministry of Driscoll and his church of cussing wannabes. (dumb). Click here for article.

I just don't know that we can arrive as Christians and tell people to pray against a fellow brother and that his ministry would fail. 

Honestly i know very little about Driscoll and his ministry at Mars Hill, but I'm pretty sure that he is teaching the Gospel of Christ Jesus. Whether he cusses or has weird theology if he is teaching the Gospel let nothing hold that back. right? 

Yet in response we have Christians picketing against other Christians. Its no longer all efforts being focused towards battling the flesh and corruption and injustice and poverty and oppression, but its brothers against brothers fighting over doctrines and misquoted sermons. Liberal theology versus conservative theology. So we have a schism in the church. 

I've been talking to my good friend Max lately about a book called Velvet Elvis written by Rob Bell. He keeps telling about some of his friends and their views on this new book. They keep claiming his theology is flawed and that he doesn't believe in the virgin birth and all this stuff. The fact is they have never read Bell's new book at all and have only heard rumors of the content of the text. In fact Bell believes in the virgin birth and admits that in Velvet Elvis. Bell asks:

 

But what if as you study the origin of the word virgin, you discover that the word virgin in the gospel of Matthew actually comes from the book of Isaiah, and then you find out that in the Hebrew language at that time, the word virgin could mean several things. And what if you discover that in the first century being "born of a virgin" also referred to a child whose mother became pregnant the first time she had intercourse? What if that spring was seriously questioned? Could a person keep jumping? Could a person still love God? Could you still be a Christian? Is the way of Jesus still the best possible way to live? Or does the whole thing fall apart? I affirm the historic Christian faith, which includes the virgin birth and the Trinity and the inspiration of the Bible and much more.

All Bell is saying is that if we were to find out that the scriptures actually point to something different than what was taught to us in Baptist Sunday school would our faith come out null and void. The answer is no! By no means! So i think people just like to deem an idea heresy or foolish just because it is somewhat different than what they were taught. When what we should do is read into the idea and think about it. and wrestle with it. Then throw it out.

So all this to say that we should stop jumping on everyone and back talking our brothers, but rather listen to what they are saying and consider it. And if its nonsense toss it out.  Not saying everything Rob Bell says is absolute. It's not. He is not God. He is a man with an idea. Like all of us. A mere whisper.

I guess I've just seen a lot of this lately and heard so much that it gets at me. 

I honestly don't know where i stand on my theology. Old world? New world? Free will? Elected and Damned? I don't know! But i do know that i have sinned against the God of the universe and he came and died that i might live in a peaceful community with Him. 

churchbook/forever21/taylors

so the 'church' blog is up and running. we have our first story up by Nicole Sutton. (a life-long friend of mine). Check it out.

Also I've discovered in the recent past that forever 21 is not only a girl store. No no. It has fashion for the whole family...kinda. But yeah I've been shopping there and its pretty great.cheap and stylish. Just like me.

Let me just say one thing about the Taylor family. AWESOME. I've had the pleasure of living with them this summer and it has been awesome. They are so hospitable and treat me as if I'm a Taylor. 

Larry&Delinda- these guys are such great parents to their four boys. Larry is the headmaster at the christian academy at Prestonwood. He has such a heart for educating young believers and influencing them that they may influence. Delinda is a great wife to Larry. She is a stay at home mom but also tutors on the side.(Spanish i believe). Tomorrow is 23 years of marriage for them.

Bryce- One of the most brilliant minds of our time. Bryce will be a sophomore at Yale this fall. Bryce and i have had some fun conversations over J.D. Salinger, Last Comic Standing, and many other things. I think he reads like a book a day or something. I can see him being a prominent part in the leadership of our generation. (sounds corny, but its true)

Luke- He's the quiet one. One of the schools leading receivers for the football team, and also number one in his class for academics. Luke just finished a summer semester at Yale and is considering going to King's College in New York. He's the man!

Zeke- He is way too creative. Him and his posse love to make short films mostly inspired by M. Night Shamalan and action movies. He's a smart kid and also a hard hitter for the PCA lions. I hope one day to go to the theatres to see a movie directed by Zeke.

Chas-the energy of the entire Taylor family resides in the bones of this boy. Chas always has something to say. He has tons of wit and is usually the one that starts the brotherly fights. A fun fact about Chas is that one of his favorite shows is "Jon and Kate Plus 8". That and all of the sports channels.

So needless to say this family is great and in a few weeks I'll have to leave them. That will be a sad day.

mapel.

Mom

Hey i want to ask prayer from whoever reads this for my sweet Mom, Joyce Apel. She has suffered from hearing loss for the majority of her adult life. Its getting worse now and its affecting her work-ability and normal social life. The deal is that she gets dizzy spells that pretty prevents her from doing anything but laying down. She also hears this roaring sound throughout her head all through the day. I think its almost like a ringing white-noise sound.(just imagine it all day long).
I want to ask you to pray for her. She may get a surgery soon that would remove some excess fluid from her right and the doctors say that her left ear, which is fully deaf, may follow suit and start removing fluid of its own. Kinda healing itself. Pray for her and pray that if this surgery happens that the Doctors are right about all of the stuff i just mentioned.
I have this feeling that one day my mom is going to be able to hear a pin drop in northern Alaska because our God is big and listens to the cries of His people. He moves mountains and calms seas. He creates colossal solar systems and planets. I know her can heal a couple of ears on my mamma's head.
Thanks. I'll keep you updated as i hear more form her and pops.

Mark 11:23-25
"I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins."

I think my mom is just hearing the roar of a lion thats coming soon to save us...

Babushka/WakeBoarding/EmergentChurch?

Yesterday was one of those days that you'll always go back to. I got the go to the lake with the Corwins and friends on Friday and boy was it awesome. We went down to Cedar Creek lake in Tool Texas. (For you Apels this should bring back great memories of fishing with Grandpa and Ashley eating worm poop) We all took turns by threes on the WaterHog(i believe that was the name) as Captain Warren guided us through the wakey lake. I tried wake boarding. Yep tried it. I wasn't as skilled as some of the veteran's out there although i did get up a few times only to suddenly face plant with much talent and grace.

Mama Mona and I talked on the way there about a lot of things. About how to not let technology ruin a perfectly good day from the Lord. Also about the emergent church and whether or not we should be a part of that. I think we both came to the conclusion that these emergent writers(miller/bell) have a lot of good ideas and new perspectives on the church and Christ, but that nothing is new under the sun.

It was just one of those days where you find yourself riding into the country with a dog on your lap with people you don't know that well but you really love for some reason.
I dunno it was a good yesterday...