Today's Sermon: Worshiping Flames

Introduction by: Sister Mary
OK.. this week's sermon is a long one. It is from a dude I do not know. I don't know anything about his church (except what he says here). All he and I have in common is the fact that we are "burners". And that's enough for me.

Burning Man is taking place this week in the Nevada desert. It is an awesome week long event that everyone should experience at least once in a lifetime.
Skip the sermon if you want (shh.. I did) but check out B.M.'s website!! And then make the pilgrimage. It is both heaven and hell. It is grotesquely beautiful. And it is truly a spiritual experience of epic proportions!
It's all your's Randy!

A PASTOR ON THE PLAYA?
Why I Go To Burning Man
by Randy Bohlender

I've noticed a thread on the e-playa recently...one where people are swapping stories about what they tell non-burners about Burning Man. Part of the discussion has centered on trying to explain why we go to the Burn. I've faced this question more than my share of times. To a certain extent, I fit the mold. I'm an adventurer. I love travel. I have an auxiliary hole in my head from which dangles the obligatory gold hoop. At first glance, I meld into the Burning Man crowd quite well. Still, if my college graduating class would have had the foresight to vote, I would have probably been voted "Least Likely to Burn".

It's not my appearance that makes me an unlikely burner, it's my paradigm. Prepare your hearts for a shock, gang. I'm a born-again Christian. Even stranger (or some would say even worse), I'm a pastor...have been for years. I've made it my life, and will continue to do so.

2002 was my second trip to Burning Man. Back in 2000, acting on what we would call prompting from God, a team of five of us brought 5,000 bottles of water to give away. It was our way of making a prophetic declaration of what God wants to do in people's lives; bring water to the dry places. We were wonderfully received - burners are great hosts. It was more than a fluke that Renee Roberts was shooting footage for her documentary Gifting It...we spent a good hour on the playa discussing giving, altruism and art. This year, I returned with a larger camp...five people became twelve, one vehicle became three, and five thousand bottles of water became ten thousand. We spent the week gifting water to fellow burners, as our practical demonstration of the love of God. A few folks differed with our philosophy, but none argued about the practicality of the gift, and all were grateful receivers. We became Burners and lived among friends for the week.

As we talked with passing Burners and word got out that "the Christians" were camped at the corner of 225 & Forecastle, we were frequently approached by pleasant people with an innocent question: "Why are you guys here?" It was never asked in anger...just curiosity. People honestly wondered why we would choose to spend so much effort and resources to give to a group that, at least on the surface, seemed to be proudly at odds with much of what the church has stood for down over the years. Our standard answer was "to show you God loves you in a practical way!" Driving the 2200 miles home, covered in dust, I asked myself the same question, and came to the following greater conclusions.

Uhhh-ohh.. gee.. we lost Randy. And just when it was getting good too! Oh well here's his link if you wanna go there.
But me.. I think I'd rather just call it a sermon and burn one!




 

the word was delivered at:
¶ 12:08 AM