I went with a bud of mine named Josh. Josh is on staff at the same church I work at and oversees the middle school ministry. Josh will be bringing a group of soon-to-be-ninth-graders there this summer. Yikes. Please pray for him.

We went there and scoped things out. Since I have spent some time in Latin America, I also went with to make sure Josh was not left to be feasted on by the Chupacabra. I also had the opportunity to visit some missionaries that our church supports and to see the ministry they are a part of. It is called Esperanza Viva, it is located in Puebla, Mexico and it is quite amazing.

Puebla is about a two hour bus ride away from Mexico City and is surrounded by mountains, there is even an active volcano right close by… the journey there is amazing as long as you can avoid whatever movie is contaminating the environment. We were treated to “peaceful warrior” … Kind of like the karate kid meets gymnastics.. which starred Nick Nolte as Mr. Miagi.

While Puebla is very beautiful… there is one underlying piece of it that complicates things… nobody drinks the water in Puebla. Not even the Chupacabra. Seriously… nobody can drink the water in Puebla. It is far too contaminated. It is not a matter of adjusting to be able to drink the water… Nobody drinks the water in Puebla.

In Puebla, bottled water is more expensive than Coca cola. When this is the case you can start to see how people are changed because of their surroundings. Given enough Coke and enough time your teeth will rot out of your mouth.

Did you know that you can use a Coke soaked cloth in order to loosen a rusty bolt?

It’s also good for cleaning toilets.

So.. we’ve got a bunch of people pouring a tasty and wretched concoction into their mouths instead of something pure, clean, and rejuvenating. This troubles me.

I know I don’t drink enough water. I have access to it, and maybe after writing this, I’ll start drinking it more often.. but I am free to partake in something that is a basic human need, and although I have access to it, I don’t really care about it, or think about it often, or drink it with the thanks that I should. I can get it for free and it is all around me, so why should I care?

When we remember what it is like to be without water… we begin to appreciate it.

After we have been out in the sun and our mouths are dried out… we care.

When we visit a mission and are allotted our 5 gallons to bathe with for the day… we care

when we are dehydrated from vomiting all day and slowly going insane in our concrete prison of a hostel, as we desperately search for just one little drop of water from the bone dry bottles on the floor… we care.. and we are willing to do nearly anything to get the water we need. We flip into survival mode… and we run out into the night looking for water. (some of you know it as the “both ends” story)

Most people reading this are in the same situation that I am right now. We have water and we often take it for granted. I am actually getting thirsty as I write this, so i am going to get some water right now.

refreshing.

I see some serious crossover with this concept though. I think we can take many things fro granted if we forget what it is like to be without them. This has spiritual implications as well. Maybe this is part of why it is so important for us to share our faith with others and invite them into the salvation that Christ offers. Not only is that something that is life giving for others, but it can remind us of what it is like to be “thirsty”.

Now, I am not talking about “making christians” I am talking about living out what we believe. When we operate in the identity of Sons and Daughters of God we drink deep from the salvation that has been given to us. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control… these things are life giving and when we live these out we are sharing our faith.

We are given a choice in all of this. We can drink deep from the life giving water and share this with others.. or we can allow the acidic sweetness to stain our teeth and destroy our bodies.

We need to be intentional.

We need to remember what it means to be “thirsty”, to be separated from God… and we need to live out our salvation by bringing water to those who thirst. In doing this we are reminded of what it means to thirst and we will desire to drink deep.

You better have your twitter lingo down as you will be attending tweetups, asked about your twaffic and surrounded by other tweeples.

2.  Moleskin – the notebook for hipsters

‘Losing my passport was the least of my worries, losing a notebook was a catastrophe.’ — Bruce Chatwin

3.  Flip Mini HD – you know….for your vlog.

Also use to video guys walking into walls, signage or other barriers as they are checking their twitter account.

4.  SCL – The Book

Jon Acuff breaks down Christian antics in a humorous way on his blog Stuff Christians Like and in his new book.  ps.  Follow him on twitter as well @prodigaljon.

5.   Geek T-shirt

It’s true right.  If you have an iphone, the time you spend dropping the kids off at the pool, has increased 45%.  Actually having an Iphone goes without saying…right?

6.  Macbook

I promise you.  If you go to a Christian tech conference and don’t have a mac notebook you’re going to feel like you are carrying around a typewriter by some of the looks you get.  I know…I’m a PC.

7.  Unique Business Card

Make a business card that people will remember.  Your business card is their first impression of you and your business or organization.  It doesn’t have to be fancy,  just put some thought into it.

http://creativebits.org/cool_business_card_designs

8.  The New Business Card – Bump App

You may have seen it on the commercials but this iphone app is pretty slick.  Just bump phones with a friend or someone you just met and the app will automatically sync your contact information.

Eight years ago, September 11, 2001, America was attacked by Islamic terrorists. Shortly after, our nation went to war against those who perpetrated this evil. It has been a long and costly struggle. And today, as then, those of us who follow Jesus continually weigh that cost and wonder, “What is the Godly response to violence and injustice?” For 2,000 Christians have debated this question and different streams of our faith have answered it differently. For some, a violent response to violence is never justified. For others, war, while never desirable is sometimes, and under some conditions the better of several bad options.

On, Sunday, September 16, 2001 I addressed the congregation of North Heights Lutheran Church, in St. Paul, Minnesota. Below is manuscript of that message. We’re eight years removed from those terrible days, yet the questions still present themselves. While there are other Biblical perspectives, here is one “Christian” answer to the question, “Is war ever justified?”

Jesus’ words are inconvenient today. As the days pass and the horror of the New York and Washington attacks settle into the cracks in our souls, one bitter question still resounds: how do we love these enemies? In the first days we stumbled through cycles of crushing emotion. That first Tuesday was sat around kitchen tables, or in office cubicles in stunned disbelief. On Wednesday we stood awkwardly over our children’s beds trying to comfort their fears. On Thursday we lay awake into the night, haunting images of falling towers and weeping widows playing in our brains. On Friday we prayed, a nation so awkward on her knees. On Saturday we woke with the bile of rage fuming in our bellies: war, at once everywhere and no-where with each one of us a citizen soldier alongside the tireless firemen in Manhattan and the heroic hostages who stormed the cockpit over Pennsylvania. On Sunday, we walked into familiar worship spaces looking for some stitch to seam up the tatters. And what did we find? Jesus’ words agitating rather than comforting our souls. “Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you.”

The war, we are told is progressing into new theaters. But our rage is still very real. And it is good rage. Anger like ours is a sign of health, for our morally lethargic society is finally calling something absolutely evil. Some wonder, “is this God’s judgment; has our sin removed God’s protective hand?” Perhaps. But God never begets chaos. He is, even now using it to bring about his better purposes, but such carnage is nothing but the spawn of Hell. These deeds were evil and we are right to respond with anger.

But right anger is a dangerous companion. It can so easily turn and pollute our souls. Animals lash back against assault in a chemical, defensive instinct. We know this impulse, for we are, on one level, animals. But we are not mere animals. We are spirit creatures made in God’s image, called by God to rule our instincts with spirit. So we must distinguish righteous anger from vengeful wrath.

And we draw this line with love. Yes, love – the startling marriage of anger and love. Which leads then to a first question: How can I love my enemies when there is not a flicker of natural tenderness within me? In one sense this is the essence of being Christian: we can never do any command of Jesus. In fact the entire Christian life is impossible. Only Jesus can be a Christian, and only Jesus can live his will and way through me. As Dr. Morris Vaagenes is so fond of saying: “I can’t, you can, please do, thank you…”

But then, a second question: how do I love my enemies… or more accurately, how do I let Jesus love them through me? Here we find some surprises.

We bless them. Paul speaks directly: “Bless those who curse you” (Romans 12:14). Now “to bless” is something far more than to simply “wish the best.” Covenant blessing is a supernatural release of grace from one person to another, an unction that the blessed one might fulfill their supernatural destiny. Jacob (Genesis 49) “blesses” his 12 sons that they might each live out their intended purposes. To bless is to literally impart upon someone the presence of God, which will mean goodness as well as judgment. To bless our enemies is to ask that the weight of God’s fullness would be heavy upon them, and that they would submit under the pressure of His holiness, and realize the full potential of their lives.

Now to bless Muslims has particular significance. For our Muslim cousins (even those few who sanction this kind of holy war against the West) are aching for such favor from God. Their bitter hunger goes back to Genesis 21 when Ishmael the son of Abraham not granted the promise of covenant was sent away to the desert to live by his own wits and strength. And in the desert Ishmael’s children remain – the Arabs of today. The good news we bring to them is that in Jesus the same blessing of Isaac is available to all Gentiles – to Ishmaelites as well the rest of us. What they bitterly fight to gain can be theirs by faith! So we bless our Muslim cousins with the knowledge of the favor of God’s covenant for them.

We pray for them. Jesus directs us: “pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44). Why pray? Prayer is an act of intentional passivity, asking God to act where we can not. Before Nehemiah confronted Artaxerxes, the Persian King who held the Jews in exile he prayed. As a result, God bent the man’s intention (Nehemiah 1:10, 2:4). We might strike an enemy’s physical life, but no human can reach in to alter the heart or intent of another soul. In fact whenever one soul tries to bend the will of another, the effort ends in bitterness. God however can mold motives and attitudes, even the intentions of our enemies. In this, our greatest weapon against their violence is prayer for their souls.

We forgive them. In the prayer Jesus taught us we utter: “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass…” Forgiveness is imperative! In fact if we do not forgive, even the worst offenses against us, we ourselves are not forgiven (Matt. 6:14). But what is genuine forgiveness? It is not a warm emotion. It is not mustering the will to “like” our foes, or overlook their offense. Biblical forgiveness is a legal matter, a covenant agreement. When we forgive we release a justified charge against another and in the process turn the prosecution over to God. He will exact the justice. Paul says it this way: “Leave room for God’s wrath.” And so we shall. By forgiving, we step aside and let God lift his leveling hand. And He does and will. For all his ways are just, and unlike our imperfect vindictive forces, His wrath is strategically redemptive.

We overcome them. Evil begets more evil. But when we intervene to “overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21) we turn evil deeds to an end their perpetrators did not intend. Joseph wept before his brothers saying “you intended to harm me, but God intended it for good” (Genesis 50:20). Paul (Philippians 1:12) claims that the injustice of imprisonment was turned to good because he redeemed the situation and made it an opportunity to share the gospel with Roman soldiers.

But how is this love for our enemies? When we do good in the face of evil we stop some of the affect of wickedness. We cover some of their guilt and lesson their eternal accountability for havoc wrought in God’s order. The heroic deeds of firemen, the blood donated, the financial gifts to families have birthed good in the world that was not here before September 11. And thus heroic love intended for helpless victims turns out, ironically, to be merciful love for the terrorists, for it dims their shame.

We stop them. Love has many faces. And there are times when we must lift a hand and halt the evil. Revenge belongs to God (Romans 12:19). Still, at times we must institute force to stop the chaos of wickedness. Jesus himself was not above using force in his ministry. He did so in the temple when he turned the tables of usury (Luke 19:42). This proves true, even if that force involves death. “Turning the other cheek” is a personal strategy for love. In corporate arena’s love takes on more complicated expressions. In the original language the commandment is “thou shalt not murder” not “thou shalt not kill.” Dietrich Bonhoeffer made a choice to join an assassination plot against Hitler, and he called it love, love for the victims but also for Hitler himself. How? C.S. Lewis, echoing St. Augustine who wrote of “just war” says that love must sometimes act forcefully. If we believe in an eternal judgment then stopping an evil person, even by killing him, can be merciful, for it stops him from further polluting the world and thus incurring darker damnation upon himself and those he influences. Worse things than death can beset a human soul.

Since September 11, 2001, all this dense theology is suddenly starkly relevant for us. We are a nation at war. But we are not the first to face this question of right violent resistance. Every generation of followers of Jesus has wrestled with the reality: some of you in the Second World War, in Korea, in Vietnam, in the Gulf, or as police officers or reservists today. Our purpose, as Christian-Americans is 1) to prayerfully and faithfully support our government and 2) to stand as a prophetic voice reminding our government of the love and mercies of God. Even in the midst of military fury we must insist that militant actions be driven not by vengeful wrath, but by aggressive, persistent, creative love, love in forms that on the surface may not look familiar, but are nonetheless vigilant mercies.

]]> http://www.prodigalmagazine.com/when-love-means-war/feed/ 1 http://www.prodigalmagazine.com/men-of-god-spotlight-jr-towles/ http://www.prodigalmagazine.com/men-of-god-spotlight-jr-towles/#comments Sun, 12 Jul 2009 16:00:28 +0000 aclapp http://prodigalmagazine.com/?p=3000 He calls the shots.  For most of us, we have always wanted to get to the place where we call the shots in life.  No boss.  No set schedule.  There is no one to whom we have to answer.  He calls the shots in a different way.  He calls the game.  From behind the plate, he signals to the pitcher what pitch should be thrown next, and then he sets up a target for the pitcher in the exact location where the pitch should be thrown.

It is not an easy job.  On the field, he makes a hundred or more decisions throughout one game, trying to baffle the hitter so the Houston Astros can win the game.  JR Towles has learned how to game plan for Major League hitters and he calls the shots for the pitcher during the game.  In his life, though, he has learned that it is God who is calling the shots and he walks humbly down the trail that God has cut for him.

I caught up with JR in Kissimmee, FL this season during Spring Training.  He stood there intent on talking about a faith that has changed his life in more than one way.

Faith

JR Towles grew up loving the game of baseball and at an early age in life, he heard the gospel and gave his life to Jesus Christ.  His two great passions began to develop and to grow deeper as his life progressed and before long, JR would see how God would use his passion for baseball to give JR an audience to share the gospel with others who were looking for answers for their lives.

Career

Q – How has your faith influenced your career?

“It (faith) has everything to do with it.  If it wasn’t for Him, I wouldn’t have anything.  Like my favorite verse says, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” He’s where all your strength comes from and without Him, nothing’s possible.”

Q – How hard is it to stand strong in your faith in the world of Major League Baseball?

“I don’t think it’s too hard for me.  He’s given you everything and everything comes from Him.  As long as you give Him credit and try to do everything you can to glorify Him, it’s going to be alright.”

Q – How do you stay focused?

“We have Bible Studies some times.  I wake up early in the mornings and read the Bible.  (You) just try to hang around people who believe in Christ and talk about it.  It’s really hard to get going in a church because you’re playing games all the time but you have chapel and that helps you.”

Q – What is the highlight of your career so far?

“Getting to the Big Leagues was the highlight.”

Q – How do you stay positive when you know that failure can come?

“You can’t let your highs get too high or your lows get too low; you have to keep it on an even level.  Last year was real tough for me.  Just try to stay mentally positive and know that everything happens for a reason.  (You have to) Believe that He wouldn’t put you through it if He’s not going to get you through it.”

Q – In life, how have you handled setbacks?

“I’ve always been an underdog in my life.  I’ve always had to work the hardest.  You just have to overcome them.  Like I said before, everything happens for a reason and you just have to keep a positive attitude about it.”

Advice

Knowing that JR had always been an underdog, I felt like most of us could resonate with the drive it has taken him to get to where he is in life.  We all have had to push hard to get to the places where God has us and if we learn anything from the Bible, God loves to use underdogs for His purpose and to further His kingdom.

Q – What is your advice for those who have made mistakes in life?

“God’s a forgiving God.  He sent His Son to die on the cross for you so if you believe in Him, everything’s going to be alright.”

Q – How can men do a better job living their faith in day to day life?

“Always put Him first.  If you always put Him first, then everything else is going to get taken care of.  Just try to live the life that He has for you and try to please Him in any way you can and try to touch someone in a Christian way.  Try to be a good example to others, which is going to please Him.”

JR Towles’ story teaches us that anything is possible when it comes to a loving God who only wants what is best for His creation.  Regardless of the odds we face, we have God with us who is even bigger.  Regardless of what we have done in the past, we have God who forgives us and loves us unconditionally.  We may seem like underdogs but underdogs just happen to be what God loves to use.

* – Special thanks to Sally Gunter of the Houston Astros for helping us line up this interview.

Something happened a little farther down the road. I met a converted Catholic who introduced me to those ten “lost” centuries of Christendom that all of my childhood training had overlooked. It seemed as though the death and resurrection of our Savior jumped suddenly to the years of Martin Luther, and we just went on in our Western traditions from there. However, apparently there was much to be missed.

Got some recommendations, some “guided” church visits, some new inside information on what are referred to as the sacraments. Encouraged to begin reading some of the early Christian fathers (as they were called); and, combined with some of the more modern counterparts, I began to have an interest – if not a deepening attraction – to those referred to as “the mystics”. The saints of the first real churches – Ambrose, Jerome, Augustine; those who kept new traditions alive and modernized in the present day: Thomas Merton.

I read Merton’s Seeds of Contemplation and was smitten. I had to know more. I had to read more. I had to see some of this for myself. Found a local monastery, booked it for a weekend (you can do that now online), and inadvertently started a new part of my Christian development.

Monks are interesting folks. They dedicate themselves to “contemplation”, prayer, and life in community with others. Sometimes this includes the outside world, sometimes it doesn’t. Their stories, as I came to learn them from my visits (which soon became annual events), involved spiritual battles and challenges that were far beyond my comprehension. What were these “principalities and powers”, these battles going on for my soul, these spiritual beings that were more or less “departed” from this cosmos that we still talked about and included in our worship? After all, my entire spiritual development from childhood was, actually, not spiritual in any sense of the word. Now I was getting a new perspective. This was all new stuff.

Taking hours, sometimes days, to just sit and “contemplate” the reality of Christ in these remote settings, of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and what that really meant, what fellowship and community meant to me and my fellow brothers and sisters (including those in the monastery with me), and then worshiping (six times daily) with these dear people brought things into a much different balance than anything that I was taught on Sunday School flannel boards in the past. There was truly a “spiritual” out there, and that spiritual was alive, and well, and thriving. And, it was a necessary part of Christian development. In me.

I am not sure if our modern-day TV preachers, particularly the Charismatic ones, are on to these truths. For sure, they pursue what are known as “sign gifts” from the Bible: prophecy, healing, and speaking in foreign tongues. All of that stuff that we more or less avoided and discounted in our local church back home. Whether or not that qualifies these personalities as true modern “mystics” I will leave for the reader to decide. To be sure, they often go beyond the intellectual and the fundamental. Which – to my background and training – can certainly be entertaining, even sometimes what I used to think was unbiblical. I just wonder now if it is more than that, if they are on to something. Maybe without knowing it, they are moving into the world of the monastery, the monk, and the mystic. Again. Full circle.

In any case, there is a whole other world out there for the Fundamentalist, for the seeking Believer, for the curious Christian. It started a long time ago, it continues today, and it is tucked in faraway and strange corners of our world. But it is the launching pad for a spiritual development that will amaze you, startle you, and definitely deepen you.

Now, occasionally visiting churches that were developed from these traditions (Catholic, Orthodox, and Anglican), brings some of this home to me. It now makes sense – at least sometimes – as to what all of this ornate decoration and art and liturgy and trappings and music and incense is all about. It supports and encourages this odd, non-intellectual, life of the mystic. To be sure, our fellow modern-day Catholics probably don’t give it a passing glance as they are rushing to the Communion table or to the exits, but it is most certainly there for a reason.

Monasteries, and their inhabitants, are alive and well in the United States. Meaning that full-blown Christianity is also there – much to the surprise and delight of this old Baptist. Certainly alive and well in other parts of the world, as well. I would encourage those who believe and insist that there must be more to what is preached about in our local urban churches to step out – literally – and “taste and see that the Lord is good”.

By the way, my converted Catholic friend left his profession as a Los Angeles attorney some years ago. Last I heard, he was living in an Orthodox monastery in Greece, and was becoming fluent in the local language. Both in the modern vernacular, and the original New Testament version.

Thank you, Brother Tim.

Bind – Like the thread that binds up a tear, so God is able to mend the wounds of our hearts. This tattoo-inspired graphic depicts spools of thread binding up a heart that is on fire for the Lord! When we accept Christ, he comes in, heals us, and makes us new! Psalm 147:3

Buy Here

Heavey and Light – Limited Edition Heavy and Light State shirt. This shirt marks the To Write Love On Her Arms Heavy and Light show January 11, 2009 that featured performances by:

Jon Foreman
Aaron Gillespie
Dustin Kensrue
Anthony Raneri
Josh Moore
and Zach Williams

Buy Here

King of Kings – Rediswhite.com

Not for sale yet…Vote for it here

Found – The signature logo shirt presents the pig (sinner) aimlessly walking through life without direction. The FOUND wording signifies the poverty of spirit in which a sinner lives prior to being FOUND by God. Jesus was condemned by the Pharisees for eating with sinners and He rebukes them by telling three parables illustrating how God rejoices when one sinner repents (Luke 15:2-32). We can follow His example and share the message of God’s desire to find the lost.

Buy Here

Praise and Contempt – “Where there should be praise, there is contempt” is a bold assertion. Acknowledging Jesus Christ as the sovereign ruler of the universe won’t win you a popularity contest and on top of that you can bet our culture won’t stop mocking our Lord anytime soon. Moving on, we (and this includes every living thing as well) are commanded to praise God. Luke 19:40 “I tell you, if these become silent, the very stones would cry out.” When people choose not to praise God but choose to praise everything else it shows the contempt they hold in their hearts for the Creator of all things.

Buy Here

Revelation 5:5 – Between God and man was a gap of sin. Jesus bridged and pulled that gap together. This T shirts depicts a lion arising as though slain, I made it hard to see because great is the mystery of Godliness.

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All too familiar are the small statues of Christ’s lament. The Designer says ”I wanted to do a very textural yet simple hand drawn rendition of this iconic image. A large full front print will bring the details justice.”

Not for sale yet – Vote for it here

Sons of Thunder – Mark 3:17 – James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James, to whom He gave the name Boanerges, that is, “Sons of Thunder” I have always loved this title over them. Sons of Thunder with a “Voice among Echos”.

Not for sale yet – Vote for it here

Love is the ultimate weapon – Inspired by 2 Corinthians 10:4 “The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.” Notice that the guns are all broken. Love has power above all weapons of this world.

Not for sale yet – Vote for it here

Hmmm, I gotta see this, I think to myself. This is not because I’m a bored, lonely “housewife” but because growing up in the church “Hot” Christian Singles – especially of the female species – were something akin to a Sasquatch sighting. People claimed to have seen one, but it was rare and largely unconfirmed. Of course, Sasquatch probably is a poor choice of comparison given the similarities it also shared with the actual Christian singles I knew.

“Hey, Ron did you go to the Sunday night service?” A friend would ask.

 ”Uh, no. My dad wanted to watch Chips, but it was just a rerun. Why?”

 ”Ah Crap!” they would reply with less-than subtle disappointment. “Raymond said there was this totally hot chick sitting in the third row last Sunday night.”

“Ya, right. Raymond thinks Liza Minelli’s hot.” Further undermining Raymond’s credibility was his exclusive use of sweatpants in his daily wardrobe and the excessive amount of time he spent in front of something called a computer. “Besides, if there really was a hot chick at church she was probably either someone’s relative visiting to be nice, or she’s Catholic.”

At that age and with my level of spirituality, I was convinced of two basic premises when it came to Catholics. They weren’t really true Christians, and all girls of that faith between the ages of 14 & 21 were smoking hot babes outfitted in sexy plaid school uniforms which they wore constantly except when showering. I’ve since recanted on both beliefs.

 Now, in the event you are reading with a certain indignation over the fact that your Christian wife is totally hot, then allow me to apologize along with offering my congratulations. My wife is one smoldering Christian babe too, and, like you, we met under totally normal circumstances. (okay, so it was me spending a ridiculous amount of time in front of something internet dating). It’s not my intent to insult anyone.

 My premise, however, is not that sexiness and faith are mutually exclusive. Heaven forbid (No, really. Heaven forbid). The day a supermodel turns her life over to Jesus, God does not in turn beat her with an ugly stick to the point she could scare buzzards off a meat wagon. Rather, the idea of fronting single Christians with such sensual undertones seems to me, well, a bit ironic given the command to avoid fornicating (ancient word for ‘getting busy), and save yourself for marriage.

 What’s next? Adult Faith Finder - the only Internet dating site where Christians can find a long-term relationship, a “faith-buddy” or just a one-night fast.

Ron Mattocks is a freelance writer who contributes to various publications and blog sites. Raised in the church in western Pennsylvania, he later went on to be a military officer and business executive before writing. He lives in Houston, Texas with his wife and five kids and maintains the blog Clark Kent’s Lunchbox talking about parenting, faith and life from a man’s perspective. He can be reached at rmattocks@yahoo.com

Coolest feature : It’s all about the tees.  This site displays why crowdsourcing always wins, as many of the tshirt designs beat anything you can buy in stores from Christian clothing labels.

Rating : 9/10  They would be 10/10 if they were the first to think of this concept, but the overall useability of the site and the clean design makes it a delightful visit.

Here are the most recent contest winners…

We browsed the Web and posted the most original Christian Ink we could find. You got better? Email me pics of your tattoo and we will feature the best in v.2 of “Top Christian Tattoos”. If your tatt has a story behind it, we would love to know that too!

In the past 10 years, Christian clothing has become a booming industry. With the growing popularity of church-growth programs, Disciple Now’s, and youth events, Christian t-shirts are something that we all now love to have in our closet. But among the event t-shirts and church-customized clothing, often original, catchy shirts are hard to find, and up-and-coming clothing companies even harder. We have compiled some of the newest and coolest companies in today’s Christian clothing industry, and not only do they have great shirts, they have great stories as well!

One Truth Onetruth.com
This company truly has roots in youth culture. Its founder, Jeremy, was very involved in what he calls the “hardcore scene��? as a young man. Because of its focus on clothing and identity, Jeremy saw his wardrobe as an expression of identity. So when he came to know Christ, he naturally wanted to identify himself with Christ in the same way. The neighborhood bookstore clothing line just didn’t cut it in the hip culture he was accustomed to, so he started creating his own clothing… and then clothing for his friends and family. Visitors can shop from their website, and will find a wide range of clothing from young and hip, to more simple and conservative. The company sums up their purpose with, “In our culture, almost every shirt promotes something… and if just one person is encouraged to think about their eternal destiny and relationship with God because of these shirts, it’s all worth it.��?

Jacob’s Well Jwellclothing.com
Jacob’s Well is a company that seeks to inspire and entice those who see their clothing. Many of their shirts are designed to cause by-passers to question their lives, their spirituality, or maybe just the meaning of the shirt in general. Attention-getting apparel is their specialty, and their styles lean more toward the youthful, punkish crowd that often has such trouble finding cool new designs. This company does indeed “challenge the world to reflect on how they are living, and who they are living for” through these very unique clothing designs.

Jesus Is a Rebel Jesusisarebel.com
This clothing group is formed by 6 guys and one “decision-making” girl who definitely have a passion for spreading the word. They promote the belief that by being Christians we are automatically committing to be “rebels to the world” and their shirts definitely express this defiant enthusiasm. Their simple shirts call viewers to think in a different way about the Jesus and the Christian walk that many of us have created in our minds. Slogans such as “Jesus Is A Rebel” and “Jesus Was Homeless” grace many of their designs, and many more embrace today’s political agenda, yet refocus it on the duties of the Christian life. Based in California, this company encourages believers in their walk, as they believe that “being a Christian is about the most counter-culture and rebellious thing you can do.”

Don’t Be Pimped Dontbepimped.com
This company is the epitomy of gothic culture “turned Christian. This site focuses on reaching those who have turned to the typical counter-culture available to today’s youth, and meeting them where they stand. They also market music from alternative Christian rappers and singers in their local California area. Their designs are created to reach out to “a generation that has real questions, real struggles, and real life issues.” While many may be offended by their shirts that say “The Devil is a Pimp, Don’t Be His Ho”, the company firmly explains the design in that “Satan is PIMPIN’ this generation and his first stop on the block is the “church”. They believe that Christian society has become soft in its treatment of sin and its reaction to today’s pop culture, and their shirt designs are created to make us face this situation and “take a firm stand against the lies of the enemy”. Beware… their website might offend you, but if you allow yourself to spend a few minutes there, it will make you highly sympathetic with today’s generation.

1 Of 1 1of1clothing.com
In a society that often sees Christianity as a limiting lifestyle, this company’s purpose is to express that Jesus came to bring life. Through their products and clothing, they “desire to echo Christ, and bring a life-giving message… to a culture that needs it.” They promote the concept that every person is unique and we are all created individually to be exactly who God wants us to be. Their clothing lines feature simple designs that focus on the wearer’s identity as a believer… no slogans or catchy phrases; just simple words and images that say it for you. This company is also very involved in ministries and in getting the word out about up-and-coming Christian musicians. Forming a circle of support for their community and causes, this involved clothing company definitely deserves our support in return.