Friday, December 30, 2005

You Don't Own ME!

I am a

Yet, I reserve the right to not be defined by emergent.

Emergent is a great organization that can help people, pastors and leaders who are moving in that direction. The problem comes when they become, usualy unintentionally, like a denomination. ("I belong to emergent").

but if that's our biggest problem...we're blessed. I say that because this kind of a problem encourages conversation, and conversations is what this is all about.

For me, being emerging used to be about an agenda, or "tricks" to get people to connect to God. Nowadays (and yes, that is the first time I have ever used that word) it's more about thinking theologically for a postmodern culture that I live in, instead of programming our way to a bigger church.

This is definitely not the end of the reorientation, though.

Tuesday, December 27, 2005

Love

I have a commitment to not deleting things that I say online. If I have the stupidity to say it, then I have to own it.

However, I have a higher commitment to some people than my commitment to myself. And when one of these people asks me to delete a post - I have to decide who I serve - myself or them. This is the primary question of a love relationship.

Love means choosing someone else, instead of yourself.

If the answer isn't them, then I have to ask where's the love? Do I love my own (sometimes extreme) commitments? Or, do I love people?

So a post has been deleted on the reorient.

Perhaps more will be...we'll have to see how I feel about all of that.

Thursday, December 22, 2005

Tony Jones

If you are a regular reader, then you know that Tony Jones is a writer and leader who I really appreciate. His books on Postmodern Youth Ministry and Soul Shaper were not only informative for me, but also liberating.
Tony is a gracious man who returns emails - not only to me but to other regular youth pastors who are trying to muck through the postmodern shift that is happening all around us. He takes time for people and listens very well.
Tony is also sure of what he believes but holds his convictions separate from those of Emergent the organization because of the responsiblity he feels as the director of the organization that calls itself a relationship.
It seems that, because of his relentless commitment to the question being of more worth than the answer, and the journey of more worth than the destination, he comes under frequent attack by those who seem to be in fear of losing their faith to the "evil emergent." Just browse through the comments in his blog (which is way to smart for most of the haters to understand) and you'll see what I mean.

In light of all this - and as a favour (guilty - Canadian!) to Emergent - I have fashioned the following job description for Tony Jones, director of Emergent.


The Emergent Director/Coordinator will:

*Always have to be changing the title of his postition, because people will always be complaining about it, all the while undergoing constant criticism of your every word, action and thought.

*Work closely with the extended Emergent board and inform them of the number of complaints being lodged anonymously on blogs, all the while undergoing constant criticism of your every word, action and thought.

*Return emails, press requests, phone calls and other communications with various people from supporters to haters,all the while undergoing constant criticism of your every word, action and thought.

*Make decisions about events and gatherings in order to further the conversation and relationship that is emergent, all the while undergoing constant criticism of your every word, action and thought.

*Put up with people trying to change the name of emergent to something else,all the while undergoing constant criticism of your every word, action and thought.

*Connect with grassroots level leaders who are living amongst the realities that emergent can help navigate, all the while undergoing constant criticism of your every word, action and thought.

*Keep a healthly sense of humor or go insane because all the while the director/coordinator will be undergoing constant criticism of every word, action and thought.



In the words of Jim Carey, "May you have a Christity Christ Christ Christmas!"

Wednesday, December 21, 2005

Winston

My father in law is one of the wisest people I know. He is a minister at large for an "international" ministry called Believer's Dynamics.

Anyways - he preaches as good as you breathe and he has a website and you can listen to his sermons on it - so I am linking to it to generate a little more traffic for him and to bless you with some killer sermons.

Go ahead - click it up!!

Also - it's a minsitry that is totally supported by people's financial support - so this Christmas - why don't you support?

Winston Thurton

SACC is genius

So with all the debate that is absolutely raging about the church services on Christmas issue - I really think that our church is doing something wise.

We are hosting 3 worship services, 2 on sat night and one on sun morning that are all similar but different so that people could go to just one, or two or three if they really wanted a good seat in heaven. There's no child care - they are all family oriented and will pack the sanctuary out - but it keeps our church from pitting family against church.

Not that other ideas are horrible or anything. I just think our idea really works.

So go ahead - tell people you follow the South Albany model. Jesus will love you more if you do!

Friday, December 09, 2005

Khobi

Sorry for the recent silence, had a baby - not sleeping - drinking lots of coffee.

Check back soon for a rant on tithing.