@JetBlue, I truly love your airline. The snacks! The legroom! But on one of the worst days of my life, one of your agents made a booking mistake that cost me over $1,800, and absolutely no one I've spoken with is 'able' (or willing) to make it right. How is this okay?
I’m at the coolest most hip Christian church in all of Los Angeles
I’m prepared to be disappointed
I am so prepared to be disappointed that I pick a seat near the exit so that I can sneak out after the music is over
This is a church perhaps more widely known for their merch than their message
Mosaic Church in LA has impeccable branding and excellent PR
The New York Times wrote a feature article about them titled “Los Angeles Churches Make Worship...Hip?”
I’m here so I have to check it out
I enjoy going to churches - I’ll tell you why in a moment - but I invited my Jewish friend Jonathan to come along
We grab a free cup of cold brew coffee and oat milk outside
Then we line up to enter a Hollywood auditorium that is all white
Everything is white inside and you understand this but I will describe it anyway
White walls, white curtains, white light boxes, white doors, even white speakers from the ceiling
Plus concrete floors and black chairs
The attendees and staff are diverse so you know this is not a comment about race
I’m just saying it is impeccably perfectly white inside
When they start the service and use lights to paint the walls orange it feels like we’re in a James Turrell church
I like it already the vibes are great
Now we’re singing songs of being broken and anxious to praise a higher power who saves us and lifts us up
The songs are good
The music lifts me up
I hold my hand on my chest when I sing and it feels good
I feel comfortable in these non-denominational churches
Why do I like to go to contemporary church services?
I like to go to Christian church to sing out loud
I like the Christian karaoke
To sing songs with strangers with good words of hope
I like to gather with this room of strangers who are all interested in self improvement and becoming better people
I guess that church is the oldest community and the original Happy Hour
And it is made relevant here with new lights and cool songs
The service leader comes out and he says
“If this is your first time here, I hope you’re a little bit afraid.”
People laugh and this is such a good line that I want to use it at one of my events
Then the lead pastor comes on
His name is Erwin McManus and hot damn if he isn’t a heckin’ good public speaker
“Do you use language to reveal, or language to conceal?”
We listen to him preach for an hour and it is an excellent sermon
“He’s so good!” I whisper to Jonathan
“So good!” he agrees
We’re both impressed
We had planned to leave after the music but we stay for the entire service
Jonathan is on his phone snapping photos, looking up references, and taking notes. He wants to make something like this for his Jewish community
The pastor is funny and self-deprecating and clearly an experienced public speaker
He tells stories of his wife and their interactions that make us all laugh
“That’s the language of God.”
If you’re in Los Angeles, check out Mosaic Church sometime
And if you get the chance to hear Erwin McManus preach or speak you should totally do it
He has good skills
The service winds down and we make our way outside into the Los Angeles sunshine
I am inspired and I would definitely come back to hear Erwin speak
But not Jonathan
“If I go a few more times I might enter as a Jew and leave as a Christian!” he laughs
This is a good church
Most common DM I get is about medical bills:
Never pay the first medical bill you get.
It's the suckers bill. Think usury.
Just throw it out.
40% chance you never hear from them again
40% chance you get 5 more then offered a big discount
20% chance you go to war
I would like to propose a ban on all future movies about:
- elephants (let's study them 50 more years then go for another documentary)
- star wars (you tried, it's okay, take a break)
- batman (is he deranged? a detective? lost and desperate for love? if we don't know by now...)
'Earlier this year, the Coca-Cola Company introduced a suite of four supposedly hip new flavors (Ginger Lime, Feisty Cherry, Zesty Blood Orange, Twisted Mango). Let’s speak frankly: these are crazed and desperate drinks.' https://t.co/mx9Ibdlfwm