Last Night Rocked

It was great! Thanks to everyone that came out to the Tavern Church. The band was wonderful and David Ponder may be only guy in town going back and forth between a Les Paul and a Banjo. Dr. Bezner delivered a great message about how the "Kingdom of God" is not simply something we experience when we die and go to heaven- it can be part of our reality now...

I'm excited to do it all again on Sunday, April 25.

Stay tuned for news on our upcoming community project when we feed the guys at Soul's Harbor in a couple of weeks.

New high-budget Hollywood promotional video for the Tavern Church...

I've been trying to upload a new TAVERN CHURCH promotional video but have been having technical issues...so in the mean time, copy and paste the link below...

http://sharing.theflip.com/session/558766f694fbdb474e6a1e4882e4c3d0/video/12024352

See you guys tomorrow!

For all you LOST fans...

We FINALLY got a glimpse into the backstory of the ageless wonder Richard Alpert in last night's episode. For some perspective on it from the Tavern Church's pastor, Dr. Steve Bezner, click here:

http://bit.ly/c4v7UJ

Friends

It was a TV show that defined a generation. My generation. I used to like Friends until they tried to hook Joey up with Rachel. Those two had the social chemistry of Perez Hilton and Pat Robertson. It was uncomfortable and, to me, ultimately unwatchable. I also remember an episode where Monica is curiously approving when she discovers that her husband Chandler is watching porn. I remember wondering "will hundreds of thousands of guys and girls who love this show now think its cute when they discover their partner is watching porn?" This really bugged me and it was hard for me to watch Friends the same way. Chanica's porn kinda ruined it for me. But, if I'm going to start bagging shows that have sketchy solutions to sketchy situations- then I'm going have to stop watching TV altogether. So, with remote in hand, I press on...

Talk about seriously digressing...the point of this entry is not a TV show. I'd rather talk about actual, real-life, I-want-better-for-you-than-for-me friends. You see, I think we are, at times, really confused about what "friendship" means. The book of Proverbs says "He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harms" and then a few verses later "...A righteous man is cautious in friendship, but the way of the wicked leads them astray" (Prov 13:20 & 26.)

Now, far-be-it-from-me to get all preachy on you, but I think we all have had people in our lives that we'd classify as "friends" that have been both "fools" and "led us astray" in some of our choices. I'm sure we've actually been those people, too. Maybe often. But friends, that is not "friendship." I am certain that we have bonded with people over poor decisions fueled with insecurity and laced with peer-pressure. Never forget: friends free us from our insecurities they don't fuel them. They drag us away from danger- they don't hold our hand and walk with us into it. The fact is, we mistake a lot of things for authentic friendship.

Now my confession: I have frequently been a crappy friend. It's true. I have stood silently while I watched my friends make bad decisions. There might've even been a time or two I even encouraged them. I'm certain that insecurity, and not love, was guiding me. But, I knew better. And, so did you.

So, how can you be a good friend? Well, I love the passage in Proverbs 17 that declares "as iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." Do your friends sharpen you? Do you sharpen them? If not, regardless of how well you know these people, true friendship isn't going on. You've just been co-existing, making memories, fueling insecurities, and missing the point, entirely.

So start sharpening some people. A good start would be inviting someone that needs purpose, direction, redemption, and love to The Tavern Church THIS Sunday night at 7:45 at the City Tavern in downtown Dallas. It's a great way to show how much you love someone...by holding their hand and walking away from the fires of insecurity- and into an encounter with Christ.

It's super casual. No pressure. No dress code. The music is incredible (and I'm a music snob- so believe me.) Grab a beer. Hear the Word. Feel the love. Be a friend.

WE WANT QUESTIONS...

We've all got 'em. Why did God do this or that? How could God allow that to happen?? I remember being in junior high and hearing a preacher say "I wouldn't have much faith in a God that my simple mind could completely understand!" And, while that is true, I tend to be a skeptic and tend to need answers. Fortunately for me, I know the answers to most of our questions are out there...AND at the Tavern Church we happen to have a pretty brainy guy speaking each month in Dr. Steve Bezner. I know for a fact that he did NOT buy his PhD on eBay.

So all that being said, we'd love for you to pose some questions that we can take a minute or two and answer at this Sunday's service. You'll have total anonymity- we're not gonna call you out. It's so very ok to have questions.

Try to keep them theological in nature and post them here OR email them to info@thetavernchurch.com

See you Sunday night!

Latte Summit

Steve Bezner & I met yesterday to discuss Tavern Church stuff. We discussed my ability to always under-dress, regardless of the circumstances. I owned it.

WALK ON

I'm a simple man. (Not really, but roll with me here.) I like reading. I like going to concerts. Because it is directly related to what my fiancee and I do vocationally, we see lots of shows. The best two concerts I've EVER been to have both been U2 shows. Over a decade ago I saw them rock the Cotton Bowl and late last year saw them (from about 15feet away) melt faces at the Deathstar (the new Dallas Cowboys stadium.) I'm a big U2 fan- maintaining a few degrees shy of an obsession. And like I said earlier, I also like to read.

So, I have really enjoyed delving into Walk On by Steve Stockman. It was a recent gift from Kimmer- who knows me well enough to buy me gifts I'll love (I'm picky and no one has ever been able to know what I'll like like she does- not even my sainted mother) and this book was no exception.

Stockman explores the spiritual side of the band. It is a pretty interesting read, as U2 is made up of 75% interesting Christians. Theyre not your cookie-cutter, Bible-belt, cover-your-mouth-and-open-your-eyes-real-big when-you-hear-a-cussword Christians. They have no interest in pharasaic mores (pronounced "mor-ayz.") And it's refreshing.

And that's what ties into the Tavern Church. We're interested in authenticity. None of us is perfect. Not anywhere close. But, we all need a Redeemer.

Stockman suggests that if the members of U2 had grown up in the U.S. or even Northern Ireland, instead of Dublin, they would've been sucked into a Christian subculture that frowns upon rock n'roll and bars and fraternizing with (instead of loving) the enemy. It's pretty crazy- but I think he's right. The Republic of Ireland, during the embryonic years of U2, was 96% Roman Catholic. And much of that was hardened, bitter, and somewhat agnosticized. In Dublin at the time, a young rock band that partied hard implementing drugs and sex and everything else would have been a yawnfest. They would've been like everyone else and their dog. But, the fact that they came out as Christians was a genuine act of rebellion. Smoking and drinking and sexing it up is a boring rebellion- defending the Faith with your words and actions and with boldness- now THAT takes courage.

So, this week we get ready for another Tavern Church service. Sunday night at 730pm at the City Tavern in downtown Dallas. If youre looking for an authentic rebellion- come on out.

See you there...