Are we not imitators?

Well, the outcome of the Casey Anthony trial is "not guilty."

So there it is. Like it or not, that's what it is. I'll be honest, I've followed this trial for a grand total of about 15 minutes. I didn't even know about it before I moved down to Oxford last month. And from what everyone tells me, she practically admitted to the crime that she is charged with.

But her jury of peers found her not guilty.

I don't know about yours, but my Facebook has absolutely exploded since the verdict was announced. And the vast majority of people are angry--very angry! I've seen everything from "...she should've gotten the chair..." to "...very sad for her daughter who will never have justice..."  And I suppose they are all in their right to be upset. I imagine if I had followed the trial a little closer, I would be more upset myself.

All that said, I have to say that I'm surprised at the amount of vitriol I have seen from my fellow Christian believers. I have even seen some go so far as to say that if Ms. Anthony walked into our church on Sunday, that she would receive a bitter welcome, if not an outright demand to leave the premesis. And, again, if I had been closer to this trial, I imagine my objective attitude would be skewed. But I am blown away by the amount of judgement I have seen by those claiming to be Christ-like.

While thinking about this, I was reminded that, around 10 years ago, while Youth Pastoring in another part of Florida, I had a church board member outright tell me that if a homosexual walked in the door, he would get in his face and make him leave the church. Even then, barely out of school myself, I was upset at the attitudes of my fellow Christians.

May I just remind my brothers and sisters in Christ that He died for everyone--not just the innocent. It would be easy to quote the "Judge not lest ye be judged" or "Vengence is mine says the Lord" Bible verses, but even those are damning to the person those Scriptures were written for. How about we remember that Christ died so that "whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life." THAT'S NOT JUST YOU AND ME, PEOPLE! THAT'S EVERYONE!! There is no exception. Salvation by Grace through Faith is for everyone--especially the guilty!

So, to all the believers out there: calm yourselves. It's all in God's hands anyway. Perhaps the judicial system failed in this instance, or perhaps it didn't. No one escapes God's judgement. But, don't forget about grace. Every sinner is welcomed at Christ's table after repentance, regardless of sin.

And to those that go to my church, let me tell you this: you had better not let me catch you giving the third degree to a sinner walking in the doors of our sanctuary.

Of Transparency, part 2

So, I decided that too much transparency while looking for a ministry position would probably do more harm than good. But then, I didn't end up blogging about any of it!

So, I'm back now, and hopefully to write more often (I think I've said that before...).  Amanda and I are now Youth Pastors at Oxford Assembly of God in Oxford, FL. We have been blessed in many ways in coming here, and have now signed the paperwork to rent a house in the middle of a beautiful pasture.

I can't wait to see what God has in store for Oxford A/G and LIFE Youth Group!

Of Transparency and the Search For a New Job

I enjoy transparency.  I like it when people are open and honest about stuff.  Specifically, I think it's great when people are open and honest about things that make them more human. Like the CEO of a large company tweeting or blogging about his issues getting customer service from another company that is not a competitor (because we all go through customer service issues), or a Pastor preaching about his struggle with worry (again, because we all do), or a neighbor opening up with the rest of his neighborhood his desire to improve the quality of the neighborhood. In other words, I don't like it when people try to be something they're not, like they don't face the same issues in life that I do or something like that. And when they're open and honest about these kinds of things, it makes me more attentive when they speak.

That said, many of you know that Amanda and I are currently looking for a new place where we can minister as Youth Pastors.  I would like to blog more about the process: who I've spoken to, things I've discovered, the full-on emotional roller-coaster, etc. The problem with being too open about this stuff, is that, not only can it affect my chances of being hired, but also it can affect the people and the church that I am leaving.  So, I have to be careful.

So, I am going to try to strike a balance. I want to share my feelings and experiences during this time, without divulging too much information that could make people uncomfortable or affect my future ministry.

Wish me luck.

Caution: hot!

So, I burned my fingers last night. In my brilliance, I decided to pick up a dish that I had just taken out of the oven, with my bare hands, using ALL TEN FINGERS!! That's right, I burned the tips of all 10 of my fingers.

So this is just a Public Service Announcement: dishes that just came out of the oven are hot. Use a pot holder if you're going to pick it up.

Fortunately, it was only for a split second, so besides some general discomfort and tenderness, no harm done... this time.

And if you're wondering what that has to do with the Al Gore image, don't strain yourself. I just thought it was funny. So there you go.

Update on Wednesday, January 26, 2011 at 10:25AM by Daniel Hahn

My fingers are fine.  They were a little tender a week later while trying to play the guitar, but other than that, they are fine.

Follow-Up

Well, today's the day of follow-up.

As you may or may not know, Amanda and I are looking for a new place where we can minister to middle and high school students.  We sent out a couple of resumes a week or two ago.  Normally, we would've already followed-up on these, but since the holidays were mixed in as well as a New Year, I've put it off.  But I think today is the day to get back into gear.

I'm nervous. I shouldn't be, because I believe God is in control of this.

But I'm still nervous.  I don't do this kind of thing well.

So here we go...