Author: Wick

A great background on holiness by Jon Huntzinger, professor of Biblical studies at The King’s College and Seminary.

Although I’m not sure why he needed to use the word “ubiquitous” in the beginning. Did they really not want this book to be read by the church world-wide? I hope this doesn’t end up being a book where really intelligent people try and prove how intelligent they are.

Thankfully, his need to prove his intellect is not ubiquitous in his chapter. Although it is still full of great references/thoughts on holiness “in the beginning”. That creation is “good”, and is representative of God’s nature. That God created a garden (gan) where man (created in God’s good image, to reveal God’s holy nature) could live, worship, and enjoy his divine provision…a priest of a worker and keeper of the Garden.

The rest of the Old Testament tells of the journey of God’s people as they move away from that Holiness, and “of the holy God who is active in bringing humanity back to an original place of worship of him.”

He brings out the OT definition of holiness variously as “separation, wholeness, and otherness.” Seeing it through the lens of divine goodness, he states:

“In 2005, four of the top ten selling albums were (rap) projects (50 Cent, Kanye West, Black Eyed Peas, The Game). Just a year later, only two rap albums appeared in Billboard’s 40 highest selling albums of 2006. In 2007, hip-hop album sales dropped by 33% again, even though heavy hitters like Jay-Z, Nas, Didddy, Ludacris, and Snoop Dog all released albums.”

“While individual hip-hop songs and ringtones may sell well with the tween demographic, it’s pretty clear that twentysomethings in particular have lost interest in the genre.”

“But it’s worth noting that hip hop, alongside jazz, is a completely original American creation. As an agent of change, it’s probably opened the eyes of more white kids to the struggles of the urban poor than any single book, magazine article, or classroom lecture could ever hope to achieve. If you were born any time after 1980, then hip-hop has been a part of your culture, of your life experience, even if you’ve never considered yourself a “fan.” “

It doesn’t take much more than looking around to realize that “glam rap” artists have taken a potentially powerful art form and degraded it to being about partying, women, booze, and other substances. Completely mindless and devoid of anything that contributes to humanity.

For most Sunday mornings lately, given appropriate (dry) weather, I’ve been wearing my flip flops. I think I’ve finally been at this church long enough where they know a few things:

God’s wants worshipers who will worship Him in Spirit and in Truth. The the truth is…flip flops help me relax, and let go of tension. They let me “breathe” well. And I believe worship is a LOT about breathing well. That’s why, whether I’m going with the “khaki and untucked shirt” look, or “suit and tie”….I’ll usually wear flops. (although brown with one, black with the other…of course)

But I just saw an article that makes me wonder…how far would I take my own thoughts on this?

Shorts with a suit jacket??? Very tempting.

Now the guy on the right is clearly doing something wrong…it doesn’t work for him. The other two can almost pull it off, but they’re lacking the correct foot apparel. But it still makes me wonder if I could make this work…or if I’d even try it? Clearly, I’d have to sneak out of the house before my wife caught me and fixed the fashion faux pas. I think, on a REALLY hot muggy summer day…if I was wearing a suit jacket…I might give it a shot.

But let’s let the Europeans try it out first.

(I do realize the irony of posting this only a day after saying we worry too much about what we look like in church sometimes. Eat the irony up.)