And now something different…

Savage Chickens is a web comic by Doug Savage.

Dawn of the Revolutionaries

As I am writing this it is the end of July and soon we will have a new building! By the time you read this, you will be like “We ARE in the new building…duh”. Well, I’m going to write about it anyways, so there!

I don’t know about you, but I have excitement bubbling inside of me to be in the new building. I cannot wait to see what God has in store for us when we get there…new people, new equipment, drinking fountain, awesome decor, no more hearing Crossroads worship practice. It is gonna be awesome! You may have noticed that the theme of this issue of RevoMag is “Zombies”. So I’m going to do my best to tie in zombies with the new building. And no, I’m not going to talk about taking shelter at the new church and defending it from hoards of zombies; though that would be pretty cool… Oh, are you still there? My train of thought took a small detour, sorry about that.

If you have read my other article, (which you should since it’s epic) you would know that I view Christ-followers as zombies. Now we as zombies can’t really do much being cooped up in a church basement at our parents house. We need room to stretch out our stiff zombie arms. This will be a time for us to test our undead legs for the race we are all in. A time for us to break out and be who we really are…Revolutionary Zombies!

It is a new beginning, nothing holding us back! I know that throughout the whole process of getting our new building ready has been tiring and our legs are wearing out. The “race” verse that probably best describes us right now is “…let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us” (Hebrews 12:1 NIV). But when we get into the new building, I think that verse will look a little more like this one “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize” (1 Corinthians 9:24 NIV). It sounds hopeful and promising just like moving into our new crib. I know without a doubt we will still have problems when we get settled in and maybe even more. But we are not running this race in vain, only for God’s glory!

Death Became Us, Life Becomes Us

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be a zombie? To die and then come back to life? What would that be like? What got me to ask myself these questions is the story of Lazarus. Now he wouldn’t really be considered a zombie, but technically he was. He died and 4 days later was raised from the dead.

The main question that keeps brewing in my head is “How would Lazarus live his life after his resurrection”? Would he dig up his savings account out of the field and buy a new donkey so that he could do the traveling he’s always wanted to do? What about trying all the things he never got around to doing in his previous life? Or would he find a wife and start a family?

If you think about it; we as Christ follower’s are all zombies. A breed of zombies that don’t hunger for flesh but for the Spirit. We were raised from the death of sin and made alive in Christ. “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.” -Ephesians 2:4-5. We are all given a “second chance” at life when we hand it over to Christ. No longer are we dead! As Dora the Explorer would say it “Can you say “Celebrate”? Very Good!” I fully believe that when Lazarus came out of that tomb; the very first thing he did was rejoice and praise his Lord and Savior. If his faith wasn’t very strong before, it would be powerful now.

God can do some amazing things in our lives if we just let Him. For me, it was the scare of cancer that pushed me over the edge. My faith became real and is continually growing inside of me. There is no regrets, only dedication. He is my life because before Him I didn’t have one. We’re alive, every breath is new, every heartbeat is precious, every sight and sound is breathtaking. We live. Now live like it.

Interview with a Zombie!?

RevoMag: What’s your name?

Zombie: Auhhh…

RevoMag: So, Auhhh… what’s your favorite color?

Zombie: Brains…

RevoMag: Interesting… do you have any hobbies?

Zombie: Braains…

RevoMag: I see… Do you live near by?

Zombie: BRaAINSs!

RevoMag: I’m starting to think that is all you can say or that you have a serious problem with obsession… WHAT are you doing? Uh..should you be breaking out of those chains!? Your making me a little nervous Mr. Zombie. DON’T COME ANY CLOSER! I’M WARNING YOU! IF YOU TAKE ONE MORE STEP I’M GOING TO HAVE TO CALL THE AUTHORI…….

(10 minutes later…)

Zombie: Good afternoon, RevoMag, I’m afraid the last journalist is currently indisposed at the moment and I will be taking her spot.

So, madam, do you remember anything?

Madam: Auhhh…

Zombie: Good.

Some Kind of Zombie by Cassie Riley

It’s really incredible that the lyrics of a specific song still resonate in my mind and soul even after 14 years.  Some songs just seem to provoke certain emotions that seem to linger over an indefinite amount of time; the kind of song that seems to transport you back to a different time and place and bring back the feelings from “way back when” to the present.  There is one very unique song that takes me back to my teenage years, when I was 16 and on my first trip to Branson, MO with a group of kids I really didn’t know, on an uncomfortable bus, headed to somewhere I had never been before.  It was such an awkward experience and I was incredibly nervous, but even now I realize that the awkwardness was also coupled with anticipation.  At the time I had no idea what God had in store for me, or that He had prepared the way before me.  All I knew is that I was on my way to Branson to a youth revival and everyone seemed really excited that I was going.  They yammered on and on to me about the bands they were going to see and I just couldn’t realize what was going to be so cool about a hymnal choir.  I was so wrong.  That one trip changed my life, and there is a song that moves me back to that very time and place every time I hear it or hear the name of the band.   So, you may be wondering what the name of this song is and who the band is.  The song is titled “Some Kind of Zombie” by Audio Adrenaline.

I remember arriving outside of the stadium, thinking how can this many people be excited about God.  At the time I did not have a relationship with Jesus.  I was curious.  I wanted to know what the big deal was about this Jesus guy everyone seemed to love.  I wanted to understand why they could be so passionate about someone they couldn’t even see or touch and it was very odd to me that so many people believed in a book that was written in a language I couldn’t understand.  I was incredibly nervous, and yet very excited about this “concert”.  It was AMAZING!  I had absolutely no idea that Christians could rock out like that.  The music, the bands, the experience was soul changing.  I was in the presence of Skillet, Audio Adrenaline, Rebecca St. James, and a few other bands I can’t remember, but the most important presence that I was unaware of was God.  I arrived with the intention to figure this whole “Christian” thing out and before I knew it, I was back stage with 100’s of other teenagers out of the 1000’s in the auditorium, and I accepted Jesus Christ as my savior.

The lyrics in Audio A’s “Some Kind of Zombie” took on a whole other meaning.  At first it was just this cool song that sounded awesome, that made my heart pound and pulse race.  After the concert I bought a C.D. and listened to every song over and over again.  I desired to be “some kind of zombie” for Jesus.  I was enamored with this man who died for my sins and sacrificed his life so I would be able to be with him forever.  I was in awe of the bands who believed so passionately that it flowed through their music like water, like air.  I wanted to be some kind of zombie and change my life, change my mind, change my attitude.  I was now dead to sin and alive in Christ.