What else?

Taken from  The Journey I think the Spirit of God is putting all this in the heart of people all around, when I read others having the same yearning toward something different of what we are living my heart says: YES!! Oh Lord please let me know what should I do, what should I say, where should I start, please tell me what can I do?….what do you think about it?

“What is a Christian? (since everyone claims to be one) Someone who goes to church and is never supposed to miss Sunday morning services, Sunday School, Sunday evening service, or Wednesday Night “Prayer” Meeting (Bible study). Someone who never swears, drinks alcohol or appears to drink alcohol. Someone who refuses to go to restaurants that serve alcohol or allow smoking. Someone who doesn’t bet. Someone who reads their Bible and prays before every meal in public. Someone who is a Republican and criticizes the Democratic party. Someone wears a coat and a tie on Sunday. Someone who is confident that they are going to heaven when they die. Someone who is supposed to witness to the unsaved. Someone who is supposed to give 10% of his income to the church. (is this enough?)

Is this really what a Christian is? Then if “Christian” really means “Little Christ” then how is that most of these fail to describe Jesus himself? A Christian goes to church. Jesus went to a physical synagogue, but he never went to church, in fact, he probably doesn’t understand that phrase. A Christian doesn’t drink alcohol, smokes, or swear. Jesus drank wine, and gave wine to his friends supernaturally. He hung out with people who were known to get drunk. I think he might have swore at the Pharisees, but I don’t know that for sure. Christians don’t go to bars or places that have an atmosphere of smoke and alcohol. Jesus went to the houses of notorious sinners, smokers, drug-addicts. I doubt he was concerned about appearance. Christians argue about theology, while Jesus argued with the theologians. Christians are segregated, while Jesus destroyed it on the cross. Christians condemn the lost and the wayward while Jesus loved them so much he left the healthy to find them, heal them and give them a drink of water. “

Pharisaic Christians

I read this in one of the blogs I like Yes, I prefer uphill : “*In my old Bible study, we were going to have T-shirts made that said, “Pharisaic Bitches From Hell.” We realized that as much as we wanted to be good and follow Jesus, we kept acting like Pharisees at least half of the time. The “from hell” part wasn’t maybe the best theology, but we thought it was funny. Actually, I still think it’s funny. But I also still laugh when someone farts.”

I laughed so hard when I read this because, how much real this can be? not a lot. I think I will get the idea and also make t-shirts for Connection: “Pharisaic Christian…..most of the time thou, and I still fart”. Don’t you think it will be so funny? then in front of the t-shirt the logo of the congregation. I remember a friend of Jeff from Poets that said: “sometimes the Church needs to be shocked”. I am tired of trying to be polite and to be expected to speak properly, specially around Church people…nah!! Let’s be real! Paula(my wife) can let you know that with her I am extremely real on my way I talk, sometimes too explicit. We need to start praying the prayer of Saint Alejo (sorry but I cannot explain this prayer to you unless is by phone, e-mail or in person). I did explain it to my friend John in Smithville, he and his wife have adopted the prayer. It is just about being real!!!! …and yes I am a pedorro!!!

Posted by Miguel Carpizo in his state of brokenness
Escrito por Miguel Carpizo en su estado de quebrantamiento

When the coin goes down!!

In Mexico we have a saying, “por fin te cayo el veinte” (when the coin goes down) Let me explain it to you. We used to have public telephones cabins where you went and grabbed the handle, deposited a coin and dialed, as soon as the other end answered the coin will go down connecting you with the person you wanted to talked. We use this phrase when something has clicked in our mind, in our life, and suddenly we realized is there. Well, “por fin me cayo el veinte”. (my coin has gone down). Last Saturday we have a “quinceañera” celebration. A quinceañera celebration in the Hispanic community is when a girl goes from being a girl and becomes a woman. It is a big celebration full of music, special dances, great food and most of all the enormous joy of the family and friends on welcoming a girl into the world of womanhood.

One of the most beautiful things I saw during all this festivity is when Sami (the girl who was celebrated) chose Rockey and Jamie (an American family) to be her godparents. When asked why she chose them, she said, “if something happens to my parents, I would choose them as my new parents” or when Rockey and Sami sang together or when I saw Rockey (the president of El Grupo, the leadership team of Connection) dancing with Malena (a very funny lady) ,or when Sam (19 year old) was invited to join Sami’s escorts and dance an waltz with her.WOW!!I saw what Connection has been all about. All these people not worrying about what others will say. What a great testimony to others! Then it got me!!!! I LOVE THIS COMMUNITY!!! I love these people, people we can be real with our flaws and imperfections, where we can ask even if it sounds ridiculous, where we can dance and celebrate……and yet love God with what we can!!! This time of stuckness has brought me life and understanding that we are not growing in numbers but we are growing in deepness. Deepness of friendship, connecting cultures, races, generations. I am so blessed to be the pastor of all these people. (whether I believe I have a call to be a pastor or not) A place where we don’t have to have all the things together, all the answers or the strategies. It is just a group of messy people finding God in their own journey. Leaving behind our differences of language, idiosyncrasy, status quo, theology and enjoy life together………and guess what? Julia Wiant, Lee’s daughter wants a quinceañera and she is not even Hispanic….well this is the beauty of building bridges, and for Julia there is not difference. This is what Connection is all about.

Posted by Miguel Carpizo in his state of brokenness
Escrito por Miguel Carpizo en su estado de quebrantamiento

Searching for the aroma

“Our goal should be able to get people to ‘this’ point, right now in this coffeehouse” This statement was shared to me while having a morning coffee. What was the point he was talking about? To a place where we can be ourselves, open to share our fears, our doubts about God and people, our questions. A place where we can have coffee knowing that we don’t have to pretend we are more spiritual than the other person, or we know more about ‘The Word’. How can I brake the gap between the newer generations? How can I show myself more real, more human, more me?

Posted by Miguel Carpizo in his state of brokenness
Escrito por Miguel Carpizo en su estado de quebrantamiento

Underground Café(Underground Congregation)

What about a congregation that is a free medical clinic, a coffee-restaurant , an after school program, a weekend Peña(live music, wine and dancing), a “tapas” place( appetizers place), a place that instead of a sermon where a person talks and everybody listen, is a teaching where everybody learns together, where there is not a pulpit and chairs, but sofas, tables and breakfast, I mean full-breakfast! Where you have teachings in Spanish and English and a time of worship bilingually. Where you can have Latin-American Friday nights, blues and jazz nights, open-mic nights. Where people can come and learn Spanish, English, dancing (salsa, folklore or classical), drawing, sculpture, guitar,piano lessons and about God. Where it is not about Sundays, where we wont go to church, but we go to become the church. What about a congregation that is about restoration instead of self-preservation. What about a place were we can be ourselves, just the way we are hypocrites, imperfect, loud, weak, people with hunger for spirituality, thirsty for God.Where you may be have a pastor who doesn’t know how to teach and a teacher who knows who to be a pastor. Where people won’t expect anything from one single person but as everybody else in the group. A place with not programs but activities. Do you think people will be interested in something like this?

Posted by Miguel Carpizo in his state of brokenness
Escrito por Miguel Carpizo en su estado de quebrantamiento