en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/717073 Comments by Mella_DP http://stuffchristianslike.net/2010/10/win-3-free-books-from-billy-coffey/#IDComment105605956 In Chicago? Um, yes. In fact, I'm surprised it's not snowing right now. Sat, 23 Oct 2010 13:20:59 +0000 http://stuffchristianslike.net/2010/10/win-3-free-books-from-billy-coffey/#IDComment105605956 http://stuffchristianslike.net/2010/10/win-5-copies-of-gabe-lyons-new-book/#IDComment102478344 50-ish. Often more, but reliably at least that many. Tue, 5 Oct 2010 14:20:35 +0000 http://stuffchristianslike.net/2010/10/win-5-copies-of-gabe-lyons-new-book/#IDComment102478344 http://stuffchristianslike.net/2010/09/3665/#IDComment98821667 Usually, yes, that's what it means. I did know of one called Sixth Presbyterian (or something) because the street it was on used to be called Sixth Street. But I also know of a Sixth Presbyterian called that because there were five other Presbyterian churches already. Wed, 15 Sep 2010 03:11:01 +0000 http://stuffchristianslike.net/2010/09/3665/#IDComment98821667 http://stuffchristianslike.net/2010/09/doing-dating-detective-work/#IDComment98018088 I took mine off when I turned 30 (ring, not tattoo) because I figured it must become officially creepy at that point. Also because my hands are a bit arthritic, and it doesn't fit that well any more. Fri, 10 Sep 2010 14:09:06 +0000 http://stuffchristianslike.net/2010/09/doing-dating-detective-work/#IDComment98018088 http://stuffchristianslike.net/2010/09/handbells/#IDComment96757419 Oooh, good one! I haven't seen or heard about a church handbell choir since I was in kindergarten - the youth group at our church in southern California had one. Fri, 3 Sep 2010 13:59:46 +0000 http://stuffchristianslike.net/2010/09/handbells/#IDComment96757419 http://stuffchristianslike.net/2010/09/fancy-pulpits/#IDComment96627818 Individual climate and volume controls! Because I'm dying to find out what people would find to complain about once they were able to customize the entire worship experience to their precise demands of comfort. Thu, 2 Sep 2010 18:02:16 +0000 http://stuffchristianslike.net/2010/09/fancy-pulpits/#IDComment96627818 http://stuffchristianslike.net/2010/08/3542/#IDComment94554820 Angry Conversations With God - it's kind of intense, and I can only get through a few pages at a time, which is *not* common for me. Sat, 21 Aug 2010 15:34:15 +0000 http://stuffchristianslike.net/2010/08/3542/#IDComment94554820 http://stuffchristianslike.net/2010/08/3557/#IDComment93881102 Very nice. Though I have to say that the manipulative, smarter, 6-year-old big sister I used to be is kind of proud of LE. Have her call me, I could give her some pointers. Wed, 18 Aug 2010 13:14:21 +0000 http://stuffchristianslike.net/2010/08/3557/#IDComment93881102 http://stuffchristianslike.net/2010/08/3496/#IDComment93518166 The dorkiest thing I've recently done on purpose was attend the same concert on the same tour in both Chicago and Milwaukee, two weeks apart. That's pretty dorky for me. The dorkiest thing I've recently done by accident was kicking my iron last week. I have a dime-sized, second-degree burn on the top of my foot. Mon, 16 Aug 2010 21:47:04 +0000 http://stuffchristianslike.net/2010/08/3496/#IDComment93518166 http://stuffchristianslike.net/2010/08/trying-to-find-a-new-church/#IDComment92537872 Hi, Bubba. :) I don't recall, but it was something mundane like "Evans" or "Robertson" or something. Thu, 12 Aug 2010 14:33:46 +0000 http://stuffchristianslike.net/2010/08/trying-to-find-a-new-church/#IDComment92537872 http://stuffchristianslike.net/2010/08/the-guy-writing-the-check-during-the-offering/#IDComment92534008 I think this can only be getting worse as we all become less practiced at check-writing. I don't recall the last time I wrote a check for anything besides tithe or a parking ticket. I haven't even bothered to order checks with my current address on them, and I moved here three years ago. Thu, 12 Aug 2010 14:05:35 +0000 http://stuffchristianslike.net/2010/08/the-guy-writing-the-check-during-the-offering/#IDComment92534008 http://stuffchristianslike.net/2010/08/trying-to-find-a-new-church/#IDComment92008282 My father once candidated at a church where 75% of the congregation had the same surname, and at another where all six members of the pulpit committee went by "Bubba." (no joke). Unsurprisingly, he didn't accept jobs from either of them... Tue, 10 Aug 2010 19:05:51 +0000 http://stuffchristianslike.net/2010/08/trying-to-find-a-new-church/#IDComment92008282 http://stuffchristianslike.net/2010/08/trying-to-find-a-new-church/#IDComment92000877 That's my story too - my father was a Naval officer, and a Chaplain, at that. So, yeah, there were a *lot* of churches. Tue, 10 Aug 2010 18:40:34 +0000 http://stuffchristianslike.net/2010/08/trying-to-find-a-new-church/#IDComment92000877 http://stuffchristianslike.net/2010/08/trying-to-find-a-new-church/#IDComment91954438 Oh, goodness. So many. Especially when I first moved to Massachusetts, where options are limited if you're not Catholic or Unitarian. - The one where the woman in front of me was gesturing to the worship music in what I can only describe as "pretending to do sign language" -The one where the associate pastor's wife found out I'd just moved to the area and was from another state, and told me, "Oh, well then I'm sure you won't be here very long." (to be fair, this is New England for you) -The one where the worship team included a woman in a Ma Wilder bonnet, a guy playing bongos who looked like the title character in a community production of Jesus Christ, Superstar, a guy in a 3-piece polyester suit cut circa 1973, with matching sideburns, and, yes, a woman with an actual rain stick. - The one where I sat down right in the middle of the sanctuary, and literally 99% of the regulars sat behind me. -The one where the pastor asked everyone in their 20s (this included me at the time) to stand up in the middle of the sermon for some kind of object lesson - The one where I walked in for the first time on Easter Sunday, and the first thing anyone said to me was, "You should have used the other door." (true confessions: I became a member of this church for over 5 years.) There are a bunch more from my childhood, since we moved a lot. I regarded visiting strange Sunday School classes as my own personal hell. Tue, 10 Aug 2010 13:56:31 +0000 http://stuffchristianslike.net/2010/08/trying-to-find-a-new-church/#IDComment91954438 http://stuffchristianslike.net/2010/07/3375/#IDComment87495275 Akin to #2, I suppose...taking every opportunity to make all the people who didn't go on the trip (you know, the ones who bought from your bake sale, and helped with your car wash, and made faith partner pledges to help you raise funds even though they were totally turned off by your saccharine request letter, and prayed for your safety the Sunday before you left) feel guilty about sticking around in comfortable suburbia while you were sweating for Jesus in the jungle. Years ago a youth girl was asked to recap her stmt to Central America to the (mostly elderly, low income, and very supportive of missions) congregation. We never heard where she went or what she did there, but instead got lambasted for our affluent complacency and lack of evangelistic zeal for ten straight minutes. Mon, 19 Jul 2010 13:30:02 +0000 http://stuffchristianslike.net/2010/07/3375/#IDComment87495275 http://stuffchristianslike.net/2010/07/want-to-guest-post-on-stuff-christians-like/#IDComment86210015 Or the nearly related, "that's not my spiritual gift." (Wait, has that one been done? I can't remember.) Mon, 12 Jul 2010 03:24:52 +0000 http://stuffchristianslike.net/2010/07/want-to-guest-post-on-stuff-christians-like/#IDComment86210015 http://stuffchristianslike.net/2010/07/what-are-you-praying-about-2/#IDComment85984050 Praying for 2010 to be better than 2009 for me and my closest friends (2009 was a disaster on multiple levels, including several actual tragedies). So far so good, and we just had a party last night to celebrate surviving half-way. Sat, 10 Jul 2010 18:45:19 +0000 http://stuffchristianslike.net/2010/07/what-are-you-praying-about-2/#IDComment85984050 http://stuffchristianslike.net/2010/07/overcommitting-to-god-in-worship/#IDComment85795689 Definitely a top guest post! I've always wondered how making flattering promises to God became the mainstay of "worship." Seems like just a way to turn it around and make it about me again. Fri, 9 Jul 2010 14:10:24 +0000 http://stuffchristianslike.net/2010/07/overcommitting-to-god-in-worship/#IDComment85795689 http://stuffchristianslike.net/2010/07/overcommitting-to-god-in-worship/#IDComment85794195 Even before that, there's always been the pressure of songs that mention "lifting up your hands," etc. You have to be sure to lift your hands at the right point in the song, to make it look like an actual act of worship, and not like the lyrics pressured you into it. Fri, 9 Jul 2010 13:58:45 +0000 http://stuffchristianslike.net/2010/07/overcommitting-to-god-in-worship/#IDComment85794195 http://stuffchristianslike.net/2010/07/when-christians-try-to-convert-christians/#IDComment85531404 I'm probably a bad person, but when I'm in that situation, I can never decide whether I'd rather throw the PK card and watch them squirm now, or wait for one of my parents to introduce me and watch them squirm later. It's probably good for my father's church that I live 4 states away. Thu, 8 Jul 2010 15:37:17 +0000 http://stuffchristianslike.net/2010/07/when-christians-try-to-convert-christians/#IDComment85531404