Driscollisms

My last full semester at ECSU, I took a course on writing poetry, which COMPLETELY changed my perspective on it. I now think poetry is pretty cool. One of my most memorable poems is one called "Driscollisms," which is a tribute to Pastor Mark Driscoll of Mars Hill Church in Seattle (www.marshillchurch.org). He has probably been one of the most influential people in my life. His views on anxiety, family, Jesus being everything, manliness and marriage have been transformational to me. Is Mark Driscoll Jesus? No, definitely not. However he loves Jesus and Jesus has used his messages and example in a lot of ways in my life.

This poem is a "postmodern cento" (chen-toe), which is a bit of an abstract form of poetry. Basically the poet takes lines from a source like a movie, a book, fortune cookies, or whatever in no particular order and makes a poem out of them. So for this, I took lines from various sermons that Mark Driscoll preached. The students in my class took it pretty well and thought it was pretty hilarious, especially because they usually thought Christians were "very religious, and very serious. And I think that's funny!" (Driscoll). So anyways, here is the poem. Enjoy!

Driscollisms
Various lines from various sermons by Pastor Mark Driscoll

Howdy Mars Hill,
I’m sweating like Mike Tyson in a spelling bee
Just trying to put the “fun” back in fundamentalism
Have a little fun with yourself because you are a joke.
I believe the joy of the Lord is our strength, and it’s cheaper than meds.

What do you call a musician without a girlfriend? Answer: homeless.
You change now, little boy.
You shut up, you put your pants on, you get a job,
you grow up and maybe one day you can love a woman.
Does he do this all the time? Yes, that’s why they have security.

I’m just the big brother giving them a wedgie for Jesus. That’s my job!
Gentlemen, your goal is not to stand before God
and tell him what level you got to on World of Warcraft.
She’s hot! So is Hell! Run forest run!
Go and grill your Garden Burger…or repent and eat some ribs.

I’m gonna get some water because I feel like I’m gonna start yelling again…
Jesus can’t kick anybody in the nuts! That’s a sin!
That’s funny, unless you’re that guy.
Write that down in our handy dandy notebook, we just figured out Blue’s Clues.

Jesus watches you download porn, which is theologically correct and actually true.
DJ Jazzy Jesus: two turntables and a microphone.
He’s a little kid, but He looks like an itty bitty man.
Every kid cries. They can’t talk. They’re like, “There’s something warm in the back! AAAH!!!”
So yes, Jesus did number one and number two…perfectly apparently.

Religious folks didn’t like Jesus because they never got invited to any parties.
What do you do with religious types? Make fun of them. Jesus did! That’s Biblical!
Jesus killed 2,000 pigs…hope he turned them into bacon.
David did it, I can do it. It’s a sandwich.

Post-Jesus? That’s Pre-Hell!
I will go to Hell, and there will be beer, and it will be fun.
He’s faking it? He’s a faker?
Yes, but you have not seen the big red “S” on my chest: SAVED!
You’re a terrible person!
You are worse than you ever feared and you are more loved than you ever dreamed.
I love you, that’s why I yell at you.

Counting Blessings (a Thanksgiving post)

This post is dedicated to all my partners in ministry. You know who you are! Thanks for your support!

Early in the summer before I headed off with EDGE Corps, I did a journaling template by Mark Driscoll on having time of Silence and Solitude with Jesus. (to view the template and blog post, click here) The first part of the template was interesting: "Recent Evidencesof God's Grace," which is where you list times in your life when you have seen God be gracious and to thank Him for it. Mark confessed that he is oftentimes a pessimist, so doing this helps him get off on the right track.

I definitely know what that is like. Oftentimes in my prayer life and thought patterns I can be like that, saying, "God, please do this, I'm stressed about that, this person worries me..." I can be such a pessimist, which is why I'm thankful for those friends of mine who tell me to "lighten up and quit worrying so much."

This past weekend I took a bunch of college students to a preview weekend for EDGE Corps, the program I've been involved in. The weekend was great fun and I felt like I encouraged a lot of students, especially those who were nervous about the fundraising aspect of the job. Surprisingly, in sharing with them I found myself encouraging one person: ME!

So here is a list of recent blessings for me in raising support these past few months:

- Financially speaking, I have raised 97% of my part-time salary in monthly pledges.

- I have housing closer to the ECSU campus, which has been graciously provided by one of my partners at a discounted rate (SEE PHOTO!)

- I have a part-time job to make ends meet for me financially, which one of my partners helped me get.

- I have had some great meetings with people: getting to know them, their families, their ministries, their burdens, etc.

- I got chances to catch up with old friends when I called them/met up with them.

- I have gotten to know friends a lot better through support meetings and continual communication with them.

-I have gotten much closer to some of my family members.

- Members of both my immediate and extended family have been blessed, encouraged and are getting drawn closer to Jesus since I started raising support.

-I have loving parents who are incredibly supportive of my ministry and help me out so much I actually have to sometimes decline their hospitality!

-Hundreds of partners are praying and interceding for me. There is one partner in particular who taped my picture to the right bottom corner of his computer screen so every time he sits down to use it, he takes a moment to pray for me!

So to my partners. My FRIENDS. THANK YOU! I thank God for you and your eagerness to support, to pray and to sacrifice for the good of the Kingdom. I rejoice over the fact that I am partners with you. I cannot do it alone. Of course I need Jesus' power in my life, but part of Jesus' empowerment in this ministry comes through great people like you!

Thank you all! God bless you!

-Steve

Good Quote

“To the gals in clear heels, to the guys in clear heels, to the drunks, the addicts, the perverts, the victims, the porn stars, the prostitutes, the adulterers, the thieves, the obese gluttons who think that a waist is a terrible thing to mind, the Twilight fans, the murderers, the mama’s boys, the losers, the freaks, the geeks, people who think wrestling is real, red necks, guys who own action figures, chain smokers, everyone who does not use a turn signal while texting and talking on the phone in their car, men who live with their mother, women who get paid in $1 bills, dudes in dresses—” seen it at Mars Hill, “Democrats, Republicans, the guys at the gym who walk around the locker room naked singing Bon Jovi’s 'Living on a Prayer', Mormons and anyone else who wears sacred underbritches, whoever is responsible for the creation and ongoing sale of men’s Lycra biking shorts, guild leaders, yoga instructors, witches, pot heads, meat heads, crack heads, deadheads and meth heads, Trekkies, people who don’t recycle, the rainbow-loving, tree-hugging, Prius-driving leftists, and religious people who do not know what I am talking about because these subjects were not on Little House on the Prairie or covered in their home school co-op, I have good news for you: You’re welcome at Mars Hill. Jesus loves you. You’ll fit right in and because he died for all your sins, you get to repent."

A closing remark from a sermon called "Jesus Loves Sinners" by Pastor Mark Driscoll of Mars Hill Church. Go here if you want to listen to the entire sermon.

God bless,

Steve