Two Recaps...

Did what I said and went to the mega-church on Saturday night. Interesting experience. I took a page of notes, too, to help me process the night and work through some of my mega-church issues.

All told, it was about what I expected it to be. The building is, of course, gorgeous, with a huge waterfall and, if you can believe it, a cafeteria. No joke--looks just like a high school one, except cleaner, and the people working there probably aren't as surly and rude as their high school counterparts.

The sanctuary, although massive, was only half-full or less (Saturday night's not a huge draw, I suppose). All the acoutrements were there--plush seats with wooden armrests, three massive television cameras (only two were manned--they record all their events), a softly lit stage, complete with draped fabric and blue lighting, a sound system that was comparable to what most bands take with them on tours; heck, they even had a Bosendorfer (didn't get a close enough look, but I hope it's the one with extra keys). 9 feet long, that one is. I'd love to play one of those one day.

Anyway, the usual conundrum ensued within my brain with the mega-church model. To boil it down: does the mega-church produce consumers of religious entertainment product or can it actually promote the NT ideals of what the Church is supposed to be like? Is it possible in a congregation with four services and close to 5000 weekly attendees to ever have a sense of community? It struck me that one could attend the Saturday night service for years and be involved in one area of church ministry, and work with someone who attends the Sunday night service and is equally as involved in ministry, but never know that person goes to the same church. Is this really what it's about?

Then again, how can you argue with the fruit that church is producing? They have the resources (in people and currency) to run ministries that the average church simply cannot run (a special needs ministry for children with developmental disabilities, for example, that includes a support group for parents of these children). No doubt that is beneficial. But what has been sacrificed to attain that level of ministry prowess?

What bothered me most about it, though, was the fact that it was designed and produced (and I do mean produced--during the singing, the screen showed shots of all the musicians like a music video, with the lyrics projected in the bottom corner) to look and feel like a concert. Even though I was standing and trying to sing (the songs were in keys that made the vocalists sound good, but made it impossible for the average person to sing), I still felt like I had gone to church to get my fill of religion for the week. This isn't what it's about.

Argh. Here's what it comes down to for me: I am not a mega-church kind of guy (could you tell?). I think they do good work, but I also think that they are for the most part promoting a view of the Church that isn't in line with what I see the NT Church being. That's my story, when it comes right down to it, and I'm sticking to it.

Okay, time for the weekly 24 update. I took notes as I was watching; I don't have the time stamps on it (wasn't that coordinated), but if you watched, I hope you know the scenes I'm referring to. If not, well, maybe reading this will make you wish you were watching.

1. Okay, has Graem actually had that bag on his head for the eight minutes it's taken to get to this scene? If so, that guy's got some amazing lung capacity.

2. Seriously, must we lie about the reason that Nadia can't access her computer as fast as everyone else? Okay, people, she's a Muslim, and she's working in a government office. I suppose it's just intended to make us more upset at the inhumane practices of that feindish Tom fellow, but honestly, why not just say, "Because I'm brown, the government's put me behind some extra security" instead of lying about it left, right, and centre? Haven't they been watching their own show? Don't they know that this kind of thing always leads to some sort of tragic misunderstanding in hour 16?

3. Commercial: The Astronaut Farmer, with Billy Bob Thorton playing a small-town midwest farmer. So, he's basically being himself, then? Okay. Here's the next commercial, this one extolling the value of the horseracing industry to Alberta's economic production. I'm not kidding--it's like a PSA.

4. Okay, we're back. Are you serious? The blackmail storyline again? Lame. And already done. This is the part where we develop more and more anger toward the man they are setting up to be the well-intentioned-but-tragically-misguided character this season. Any wagers on how long it'll be before Tom's little plan backfires and we get a scene in which he says something like, "Oh no, what have I done?" No? Okay.

And hey, why doesn't Karen, if she's so smart, talk to the president of the US--arguably the most powerful man in the world--and tell him what's happening? It's like the CTU-Nadia storyline: things could run so much more smoothly if everyone was just level with everyone else. Is that so hard around here?

More to say about this: what kind of leader lets his national security advisor just up and quit in the middle of a national crisis? At the very least, shouldn't he be concerned with her leaving the bunker and getting nuked? Come on now, just because she blows sunshine up your ass, you let her leave? Some leader you are, Mr. President.

5. I love the stone-faced guard who is so concerned with following procedure in not letting Ms. Palmer in that he doesn't notice the prison riot breaking out behind him. Nice work, eagle-eye. And how exactly are these guards trying to break up this fight? Doesn't look like they're making much of an effort at all. Hello, has anyone heard of pepper spray? Rubber bullets? No? Don't tell me you don't have any of those things at mini-Gitmo here.

6. Commercial: Bridge to Terabithia. What's next, The Outsiders?

7. James Cromwell?! Seriously?! Great casting choice, in my opinion. I still think the Donald Sutherland angle was good, but I'll take Cromwell. And you know, it's good that evil spawn there was working without daddy dearest's knowledge. I was beginning to think that the entire Bauer clan was corrupt.

8. Some CTU agents those guys turned out to be. Aren't you supposed to, I don't know, NOT GET SHOT sitting in your car? What kind of training are they giving their agents over there, besides high-level immersion in witty retorts and lying to peers?

Tick, tick, tick, tick...

See you tomorrow.