Hip Hop and Ketchup in a Church Van
Somebody stole our church van. I have no idea why you would want to steal a huge fifteen passenger van with church logos all over it, but maybe “church van” is the next big thing in trickin’ your truck. Now instead of SUV’s with huge rims people will be going for the customized church van look. Instead of a set of massive woofers in the rear of your Suburban, why not “trick” it with another three rows of seats and a Bible verse?
A lady called the church this morning to complain that one of our workers was out last night at 10:30 driving around the neighborhood blasting hip hop music. She was really angry. She told our Sunday School director that playing hip hop music was not a good way to do ministry and she hung up the phone. Well, the hip hop ministry is working for TobyMac, but no matter how you cut it, it’s not very cool in a fifteen passenger wagon. But whoever this guy is, you’ve got to love the fact that he’s somehow figured out a way to thump the woofers on a church van.
My oldest daughter and I were driving to a wedding after filing the police report. A person stealing things bothers little kids, so I was trying to help her put things in perspective. I told her we needed to pray that we can get the van back and it not be damaged or destroyed. She said, “Yeah daddy, we need to pray that they don’t get French fries and ketchup all over the seats.” How’s that for perspective? She probably said that because I repeatedly get on to her and her sister for "destroying" the back seat of our Altima - with food - lots of French Fries - but we are smart enough to deny them ketchup.
Sometimes we forget to differentiate between things we can lose and replace and things we can lose and never replace; to understand the difference between things that can be destroyed and recovered and the things that once destroyed are completely lost. Jesus understood the difference. He said,
Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:19-21)
If the hip hop church van thief gets ketchup on the seats, ultimately, we can deal with the mess. I just hope while he cruises the hood he gets hold of some TobyMac, hears the Gospel, and it changes his heart. TobyMac is cool, even in a church van – I’ve tried it, and it does thump the woofers.
A lady called the church this morning to complain that one of our workers was out last night at 10:30 driving around the neighborhood blasting hip hop music. She was really angry. She told our Sunday School director that playing hip hop music was not a good way to do ministry and she hung up the phone. Well, the hip hop ministry is working for TobyMac, but no matter how you cut it, it’s not very cool in a fifteen passenger wagon. But whoever this guy is, you’ve got to love the fact that he’s somehow figured out a way to thump the woofers on a church van.
My oldest daughter and I were driving to a wedding after filing the police report. A person stealing things bothers little kids, so I was trying to help her put things in perspective. I told her we needed to pray that we can get the van back and it not be damaged or destroyed. She said, “Yeah daddy, we need to pray that they don’t get French fries and ketchup all over the seats.” How’s that for perspective? She probably said that because I repeatedly get on to her and her sister for "destroying" the back seat of our Altima - with food - lots of French Fries - but we are smart enough to deny them ketchup.
Sometimes we forget to differentiate between things we can lose and replace and things we can lose and never replace; to understand the difference between things that can be destroyed and recovered and the things that once destroyed are completely lost. Jesus understood the difference. He said,
Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:19-21)
If the hip hop church van thief gets ketchup on the seats, ultimately, we can deal with the mess. I just hope while he cruises the hood he gets hold of some TobyMac, hears the Gospel, and it changes his heart. TobyMac is cool, even in a church van – I’ve tried it, and it does thump the woofers.
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