WORSHIP & A leadership exercise comparing worship in different eras (Yikes! The 80s are Back ;-)

Commentary by Dr. Whitesel: This is an exercise about understanding how different cultures worship. My students enjoy it, so I thought I would post it here. Here is how the leadership exercise works:

Watch this video:

It is a humorous video that actually teaches an important cultural lesson too. It is by the Christian band called Glad. They were known for great vocals (and probably also for 80s haircuts 😉

(the video seems to have disappeared, but here is the audio version.)

But aside from their fashion statement, the group makes a good cultural point in this video. Write down a paragraph regarding the point of their video in your mind.

This is an exercise to allow you to dig deeper into cultural patterns and why they differ. So what is the lesson from this video about culture, when we recognize culture is comprised of behaviors, ideas and products (Hiebert, 1997)?

Here is a more recent version of the video to will enjoy also:

And, for a final bit of humor here is a puppet ministry visualizing the song.)

HUMOR & Super Bowl Commercials That Have Captured The Spirit Of The Culture

1984 The Rise of Customer-friendly Technology

2006 Incompetency at Work

2012 A Hunger for Nostalgia

2012 Living in a Dangerous World

2014 Living in a Mosiac World

2015 Men Can Care Too

Read more at … http://www.forbes.com/sites/marymeehan/2017/01/16/watch-past-super-bowl-commercials-that-have-captured-the-spirit-of-the-culture/#6110a8782302

BIAS & Why It is Hard to Grasp, When You Haven’t Historically Experienced It

Saturday Night Live, SNL, 11/12/16.

EXEGETE CONTEXT & Why You Must Do It: 2 Humorous Examples from State Farm®

Commentary by Dr. Whitesel: In communication theory, context must be exegeted carefully to ascertain the original speaker/writer’s environment and intent. Here are two 30-second videos that serve as a great example, courtesy of State Farm® Insurance.

HUMOR & 3 Envelopes for the displaced pastor

by David Briggs, Huffington Post, 6/1/16.

There is a popular joke about displaced pastors preparing three envelopes for their successor to be opened each time the new person runs into trouble.

The first time it happens, the new pastor opens the envelope marked No. 1 and it reads, “Blame your predecessor.”

The second time, the pastor finds a note instructing him to, “Blame denominational policy.”

It is not long before the pastor once again finds himself on the wrong side of the congregation. This time, the note inside reads, “Draw up three envelopes. …”

Read more at … http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-briggs/saving-grace-the-leadersh_b_10209548.html?utm_hp_ref=religion&ir=Religion

HUMOR & What the Church Greeter is Really Thinking

(Discovered and shared by colleague Dr. Colleen Derr.)

#Renovate15

HUMOR & Costume Ideas for the Church Halloween Festival #MatthewPierce

by Matthew Pierce, October 25, 2015 retrieved from http://matthewepierce.com/costume-ideas-for-the-halloween-festival/

Probably the most important part of Christianity is going to Halloween Festivals at church that don’t use the word “Halloween.”  … And listen, nothing is more embarrassing than hitting the Harvest Festival in a bedsheet shepherd costume.  Freshen it up, girl.  God didn’t give us grace so that we could be embarrassed by the pagans and their fancy costumes.  Here are some ideas so that you can turn some heads when you roll up to the Trunk-or-Treat at First Methodist.

Democrats

What could be more terrifying to your affluent, conservative WASP-nest of a Bible Belt church than if you and your spouse showed up to the Fall Festival as a couple of free trade coffee-swilling, Bernie Sanders-quoting progressive believers? IMPORTANT: you must wear either the “Look How Smart I Am Glasses” or the “I Might Be Homeless Headwear,” but not both.  Furthermore, to complete the ensemble, work the following buzzwords into your conversations:

• problematic
• safe space
• biblical socialism
• love wins
• empowerment
• patriarchy
• mutual submission
• bagels [progressives love bagels; no one knows why]

The Calvinist

Terrify your friends by showing up at your church’s Fall Festival as this scowling, grumbling theological warrior.  Furrow those brows, let the corners of your mouth sink down into your jowls, and wave your ESV MacArthur Study Bible at lesser believers.  Tootsie Rolls? Nope, not biblical. Candy corn? Abomination… Rice cakes and Nutella are good enough for Al Mohler and by golly they’re good enough for me.

The Southern Baptist

Keep those shades on you at all times, baby.  If you don’t have flip up lenses then get you a frat boy strap and wear the shades around your neck.  Throw a couple of twenties into the offering plate.  Feels good, don’t it?  Take the harmony on “Joy Unspeakable” and really belt it out.  Make them hear you up in the choir row.

The Youth Pastor

Add some accessories.  AND THEN ADD SOME MORE.  Grow some sweet facial hair and then break out the bleach.  Roll up your sleeves.  Are belts keeping you from relating to today’s generation? LEAVE YOUR BELT AT HOME AND UNTUCK YOUR SHIRT.

More great humor at … http://matthewepierce.com/costume-ideas-for-the-halloween-festival/

And … This Year’s Most Popular Constume?

My colleague and friend Ed Stetzer may be this year’s most unexpected (and underrated) Halloween Festival Costume.

#Renovate15