Faith & Fandom: 5 Groups You Meet At A Con

Here is the message i did for “Geek Church” at XCON 2015

Starting back in 2010 I began going to comicons. I would usually attend 2 a year, but then after putting my first book out last year I’ve dramatically increased con attendance. I went from 2 a year, to this being my 15th con or comic event in 1 years’ time. Since I’m doing this chapel service on Geek Church, I’m gonna talk about some spiritual insight and parallels I see in con life.

Group 1: Attendees. You’ve got the people who show up. Whether it’s for a 1 day visit or a 3 day pass, people come. Some only once, but some come annually. Some people walk in the doors of a con and are either so overwhelmed, or so underwhelmed that they never come back. Bottom line it doesn’t matter how good of a show you put on, if people don’t show up, the show falls apart. The same concept works for faith and the church. When I mention the church I don’t just mean one specific building on a specific day, but the community of believers as a whole. “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” – Hebrews 10:24-25.
When we attend shows together, they become a lot more fun, the experiences we have at events like these are greatly amplified by the people we share them with. If we are going to live life as people of faith, the same goes for us, we are meant to not only show up, but to be in this thing together. If the “Church” is people of faith living life together, then you aren’t really getting the full benefit and effect of the church if you are going through this alone.

Group 2: Promoters. We wouldn’t have the ability to attend if we didn’t have people promoting. A good promoter can break or make a show. Some promoters have a natural gift for bringing it all together, and some promoters mean well, but just fall really really short of bringing their vision to life. These are the people that gather artists, vendors, meeting spaces, the media, and everything in between. In short, these people are the leaders, the shepherds, the pastors. Just like every good con has a leader, or multiple leaders, we need to have Godly leaders in our lives. In Psalm 23 David calls the Lord his shepherd “1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,3 he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.” Someone who guides, protects, heals, provides, encourages, that’s the kind of shepherd David described the Lord as. If we don’t have people in our lives who guide us like this it’s easy for us to just scatter and stumble, but just like a con, when we have competent, and focused people leading, it becomes much easier to live out the experience we are meant to have.

Group 3: Artists, Celebrities, & Vendors. One of my favorite things about shows is just to walk around and see the stuff that people create. This usually results in me spending more money than I should have, and bringing home stuff I have no need for or place to put it, but still. I love to bring my comics to get signed by the people who poured their heart into their work. I love watching guys like John Hairston paint or to walk by and see Candice Davis crocheting a cuddly curiosity. I like to shake the hand, and if I can afford it take a picture with celebrities whose work has brought me joy and entertainment. There’s just a great experience to being in a place where so many creative people are expressing their artistic talents, because in a world where we live with 9-5 jobs, or jobs with even crappier hours, it’s really easy to lose all sense of art and beauty. So if you have talent, use it. Use it in the Church, use it in the world around you and let it bring God glory. As we see in the book of Exodus 35 “31 and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills— 32 to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, 33 to cut and set stones, to work in wood and to engage in all kinds of artistic crafts.34 And he has given both him and Oholiab son of Ahisamak, of the tribe of Dan, the ability to teach others. 35 He has filled them with skill to do all kinds of workas engravers, designers, embroiderers in blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen, and weavers—all of them skilled workers and designers.” God gives people skills, but we see that when He gives skill, He gives them to be used. I was at a show recently where I was the biggest “artist” there and i had the thought that if I was the best artist they had there, this show was in serious serious trouble. But it’s so cool to watch people go from just attending to actually pouring into it. Colossians 3:23 “Whatever you do, do it with your whole heart for God, and not for man.”

Group 4: Cosplayer. Cosplay is just so much fun. I like doing it, I love watching the skill that people put into them. I love just the sheer joy when one of my favorite characters turns the corner and I yell from across the room can I get your photo. I always make it a point to compliment people’s cosplays, and if I recognize their character to address them by that name, because not everyone is good enough to win a contest or get asked for photos. They are in essence all imitations, but let’s face it, some imitations are better than others. Scripture tells us that in order to actually be living our lives the right way we need to be imitators as well “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” Ephesians 5:1-2. We get so caught up in trying to imitate the concept of what a good person should be, or a good Christian, that we forget who we are really supposed to be imitating is God, not other people’s perspectives of God. I appreciate when a cosplayer stays in character. Yes I’ve heard more Harley voices than I really care for, but I admire the dedication. If we are being imitators of God, then we will be like children following the lead of a father they have an intimate relationship with, we’ll be loving, we’ll be generous, we’ll put others before ourselves, we’ll be someone please not only to God but to others around us. I personally feel like good cosplay makes every con better, and if believers imitated God, the world would be better on a whole.

Group 5 Volunteers: As much as anyone else, volunteers make cons not only possible, but great. A con with a lack of volunteers, or volunteers that aren’t committed to helping will truly suffer. You usually see them in matching shirts, like the sea of green X-Con shirts swarming around this weekend, or the forceful GAURDIANS with their creative spelling, but these volunteers answer questions, put up with annoying people, do dirty jobs, and sacrifice of themselves constantly with the simple heart goal of making this show as great as possible. Jesus set the example that this is what true greatness looks like, volunteering, serving, that’s the attitude we need. In Matthew 25 Jesus stated “26 … But whoever would be great among you must be your servant,27 and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, 28 even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”” People may pay $40 bucks for a selfie with “Eugene,” or spend an hour in line for Rick Flair, but honestly the people that are sacrificing their time and giving and the biggest V.I.P.’s here. That goes for the life of faith too. Yes we should use our art and gifts, but if we think that’s what makes us great, it’s not, it’s when we follow Jesus’ example and serve others, meet needs and live out the concept of the servant. Not everyone who serves others on Jesus behalf will get a cool t-shirt or early admission to stuff, but we will be considered great in the eyes of our father.

I love so many elements of Con life, that even though I’m exhausted when one’s over I immediately start looking forward to the next one. In some ways I could just do this constantly but as believers that’s a reality. There aren’t lulls and breaks in living out your faith it is constant. If we are living our lives as believers the way God intended, demonstrated, and called us to, then there’s no reason it shouldn’t be as fulfilling and rewarding as con life. In fact it should be more rewarding, but you know still going to cons of course.

Faith & Fandom: Avengers Age Of Ultron and Self Condemnation

This is a Faith & Fandom devotional/blog/future chapter from Avengers : Age Of Ultron. Please read it, like it, and share it (if you like it of course.)

Don't Read Until You've Watched Avengers: Age Of Ultron *SPOILERS*

When I left out of the theatre after Age Of Ultron, I wasn't exactly pumped. The movie was great, it was enjoyable and well done. Yes it was dark, but I like my heroes like I like my coffee. Earlier today it hit me why I wasn't enthused. It wasn't because the movie was bad, or there was poor storytelling, or a lack of Coulson (which sucked btw), but it was because I identified with it. Because I saw myself on screen, particularly in the form of Bruce Banner/The Hulk. Banner has struggled with his self worth vs his destructive tendencies since becoming the Hulk. He has strove to keep himself away from provocation and to keep everyone else away from the danger his presence creates. Having to be coerced to be a part of this team in the first place. After Scarlet Witch gets in his head he goes on a destructive rampage leveling chunks of South Africa and is only brought down by everything Tony Stark has at his disposal. After their defeat the team are all together on the ride home, broken, beaten, and destroyed. None more so than Bruce. The image of him shivering in shock, sitting on the ground, wrapping a blanket around himself says so much. This is a man that knows the damage he can cause and has fought for years to keep the destruction inside of him at bay. Now the whole world has seen it, broadcast as Dr. Banner stated "The whole world has just seen the REAL Hulk for the first time." That’s where it gets deeper. That's who Banner see's as the real Hulk, the monster. Black Widow goes to great lengths to tell him throughout the film that this isn't his identity, to show how much better they are with him than without him. But that's where Bruce lands, that he's a monster. Forget the fact he stopped Abomination, Loki, The Chitauri, and made some of the greatest advancements in tech out there. All he see's when he looks at himself is the monster.

I've been there. I've been there recently. I've been there more than I want to be. Everyone else has this image of who you are, but deep down all you see are your failures, your shortcomings, your faults, and no matter how much your loved ones or people respect tell you otherwise, it doesn't change that deep gut feeling of who you believe yourself to be. That's what I saw when Banner sat cowering on the floor of that plane, I saw me.

Self condemnation is a force equally destructive to Dr. Banner's great green alter ego. It attacks us, even when we aren't facing opposition from anyone else. No one on that painful plane ride was blaming Hulk. Every one of them were incapacitated, or attacked by the twins. Outside of Hawkeye they all were put through the same attack. Hulk didn't fail. The team failed. But just like with our own hearts, Bruce saw all the weight on himself, and it was crushing. We have to come to the place where we realize that self condemnation is as fruitful as self salvation, in actuality it's just a form of self deception. It's something that doesn't actually accomplish anything and only exists when we believe or enforce it on ourselves.

"If you, Lord, kept a record of sins, Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, so that we can, with reverence, serve you." - Psalm 130:3-4
If God isn't going to keep track of the sins of His people, why should we keep track of them for Him? Yes we should acknowledge, confess, and repent of our sins, but how often do we keep a running tab of our failures looping through the back of our mind.

Even if there was a record, we are told that in Christ there isn't condemnation anyway. " Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" - Romans 8:1

So why do we allow ourselves to stay in this place? Recently I failed in some areas in my life. A select few people know the details. People I trust, love, and respect. Even though I know these people love me regardless and don't look at me any differently, it takes everything in my power to believe that. Like Bruce sometimes all I see is my failure. Even if my failure is only a fraction of a percentage of how my life is normally lived, somehow I think that's all people will see. Just this week I was at an event where one of the people I previously spoke of was attending. They saw me across the parking lot and started walking toward me. Even though I know that person loves me with their whole heart I literally had to fight the urge to run and hide. Because when I saw someone that knows my failures, all I could think is that they see my failures, and nothing more. That all I measure up to are the areas I'm weak, the areas I'm destructive, the areas I'm out of control. I stood my ground and greeted my friend, because I knew he didn't see my failures. I know the same is true for God, no matter how many times I forget it.

One of my favorite passages in John 8 with the woman caught in adultery. Not only does Jesus defend her from those who would condemn her, he shows her grace Himself. "Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”“No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.” (Verses 10-11) Jesus defends us from others condemning us, and even refrains from condemning us Himself. So how do you think He would feel about us condemning ourselves? If Jesus doesn't won't exercise the right to condemn us here and now, then we need to see it's not our place either.

I think the saddest part of Hulk's story was after the battle was won, and Black Widow was trying to lullaby him back down, he just turned her communication off and sat there in his own isolation, and self condemnation. Deciding for himself that he didn't need to be in anyone else's life. That he didn't deserve to be a part of the team. That he didn't deserve grace, or forgiveness. I have sat in that same position. I have been in that place. Not that anyone has offered me a spot on the Avengers roster, but you feel me. Don't choose that route in your life. Don't miss out on God using you, blessing you, and growing you because you are more harsh on yourself that the world or even God is.

You are more than your failures. Grace is greater than your failures. You are not a monster, but self condemnation is. Don't let it win. Fight it with the truth of what God has shown you, and the worth and love he has placed on you.

Mumford & How Grace Works

So, last night after hours of heat, music, and violation of personal space I finally sat down at the Mumford and Sons concert. They were on their encore but I just wanted to rest a moment. So I sat down and laid my head back in my wife's lap. I looked up at the stars as my friends nearby stood with their spouses or danced with abandon. I just paused and appreciated where I was. Listening to a phenomenal band, blessed, provided for, and loved. As the song "Roll Away Your Stone" played the line came "It seems that all my bridges have been burned" and then Vincent and Basia, (two former students who I treasure and that have become absolutely essential and treasured pieces of my life and ministry) turned towards me in unison pointed directly at me as they boldly sang "But you say that's exactly how this grace thing works." It's one of my favorite lines ever and they knew that. It was a beautiful moment. It would have just been a cool passing memory, but then Danyelle made it something concrete. She leaned in and even though we were surrounded by loud music and thousands of voices, she said in a voice that sounded like a gentle whisper "That's you. You know that right? That's your legacy. They know that grace because of what you've poured into them and shown them. That's what you did." I just laid there with my heart overwhelmed. Surrounded by friends, listening to music I love, cradled in my wife's embrace, under the beauty of God's creation. Completely undeserving of any of it. "that's exactly how this grace thing works"

Photo By Ty Johnson

Nothing Is Wasted : BCO 1/16/2015

Gamechurch 2014 Review - Bibles

Lessons from Playdhough, Switchfoot, and Hootie & The Blowfish

So here's what God has been teaching me over the past couple weeks: Sharing your heart only when you know it will be well received isn't effective strategy, it's cowardice. I'm know there is the scriptural concept of "not casting your pearls before swine"(sharing what's precious with those who will reject and abuse it) but I think we use that as a cop out. We tend to not be honest about who we are unless we know we will be met with acclaim and warm fuzzy hugs. There is also the trend of taking it to offensive extremes, and that isn't what im suggesting either. This is what I’m suggesting in at least my life, and maybe yours if you feel so inclined; To be confident and bold in your identity in any situation. Proverbs 28:1 States "The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion." More often we live like we are wicked and hide ourselves even when no one is asking us to.

 So a little over a week ago Vincent and I went to a venue in Raleigh called "Kings" its this tiny little venue/bar/club(gasp) to see Playdough, a rapper ive known for years, who was on tour with Pigeon John. This was my first time seeing Playdough outside of a Church venue, so I expected there to be some toning down of the "Christian" portion of the program. To my surprise, in that little place surrounded by people who were buzzed and truly there for the party, he was more transparent than I've ever seen him in a church. It's like in a darker situation, the light shone that much brighter. I told him so after the show, and he said he just did what he does every night, be himself. I drove the two hours home in the rain just thinking about the situation. Replaying in my mind all the circumstances and situations, I don’t necessarily hide but instead am less bold.

Later that week I watched Switchfoot’s movie “Fading West” on Netflix. Watching them perform at a hardcore festival in Australia where no one had even heard of them and they completely didn’t fit in was just super awkward, but Jon Forman made this statement, “Every band has played shows that might have been for people that didn’t want to hear them, or could care less. But not every band does it intentionally.” They purposely put themselves in venues and shows that they know will be uncomfortable for them and out of their element, yet they don’t change who they are or what they do. They could play Christian festivals for the next 15 years and never have an issue, but they instead put themselves on tour with people who don’t share the same views, and perform for people who aren’t their “Stereotypical” audience. The band “Paper Route” said they were the most “Integritous” group of men they had ever met. That was coming from guys who aren’t coming from the same place as them. That statement never would have been made if they had taken the easy route.

This past weekend I watched Hootie and the Blowfish for the first time in 9 years. In a crowd of 7,000 people mostly all with a few overpriced beers in their system, there to get their southern pseudo rock on from songs they heard on the radio more than a decade ago (I love Hootie, just being a realist). This is pretty much what I expected but I was so glad to see these guys play again. What I wasn’t planning is what happened about a half hour in. ¾ of the band has solo projects, so Mark did a song from His solo work, and then a little while later Soni got up, what most people don’t know is that Soni recently struggled heavily with drug addiction and along that process he gave his life to Jesus and has been clean and doing great ever since. He’s started ministering and speaking and has put out a couple worship album. So in this crowd of 7,000 moderately intoxicated people, Soni got up and lead worship. In the middle of a Hootie concert. Worship happened. People were actually raising their hands and singing praises. Now not everyone there was feeling it, I heard several colorfully profane statements, but the majority of the crowd was actually responding. I couldn’t have imagined being in that position. Knowing that most of those people were not there for that, and the negative responses that would come. It’s one thing to do it at Winter Jam, but Soni was given the chance to share his work, and he did even if it wasn’t the “right” audience.  The second night, the same thing. He was bold with who he was, and even in an out of place situation. I got to talk with him about it Saturday night after the show, and he said “I feel like these are the songs God gave me, and if I’m given the chance to share them, I will.” (BTW Shout out to Hootie as a band, for being that bold to allow Soni to share that even when it didn’t fit in the flow of the evening).

So here’s the breakdown of where my heart is after all this.

1. Be genuine in who you are. There shouldn’t be a situation that you have to tone down who you are. If you have different “versions” of who you are, then you have to ask yourself, which one is the real one.

 2. Don’t limit yourself to safe places. If you only are open and honest in the places you feel safe, then you are most likely ineffective.

3. Be bold. Yes there should always be tact, love, and discretion. But if you are given the opportunity to be bold, then be bold.

Hector Miray finds faith in unlikely places in pop culture - fayobserver.com: Living

Hector Miray finds faith in unlikely places in pop culture - fayobserver.com: Living