I was drawn to this book first by Jeremy and then by Scot McKnight. It is an interesting journey through emerging expressions of church around the world. Steve Taylor, a dedicated blogger, goes through the way birth, pilgrimage, community, creativity, DJing, leading and following. This book is intimate in its observation of the emerging church, while, at the same time, wise and insightful in its conclusions.
Here's some fodder:
taylor begins with an examination and comparison of Zeffarelli's 1968 version of Romeo and Juliet with Luhrmann's 1996 version. Remarkable.
p.26 "In many ways, body modification is the natural offspring of a culture in which identity is found in how we look and the experiences we live out."
p.53 "The church is experiencing this transition as well. When to push toward birth and when not to push? Some things said in transition are best left in the birthing unit. Times of transition require grace, sensitivity, and multiple mission strategies. They require the help of midwives."
mayBe
p.104 "the point of redemptive community is not community. The point is to send you somewhere, to reveal the body of God in the world that God loves."
The side-notes, by Taylor and others, are worth the price of the book on their own. If you are wondering what emerging churches are doing around the world. Buy it.
Thursday, October 12, 2006
Ramsey, Total Money Makeover
I have been getting lots of comments lately, time to blog about a couple books - surefire comment killers!
Giving to churches is on a definitely downward slope and the financial health of young people in churches is doing the same. Many think we need to teach theological principles to stem the tide. I think a more holistic approach would be to help young christians develop financial health. Most efforts of christian organizations in this drection look more like amway than John 10:10 - so it is up to pastors to teach financial health and freedom to their people.
Here's some notes of interest:
1. I didn't underline a single thing. It would be more beneficial to read this book and make a list of the steps that Ramsey is suggesting.
2. The book has tons of stories of other people who were successful using the program - see the amway note above. I don't get cranked by others' stories - but if you do, there's some here.
3. Ramsey points out that many in our congregations/society who look rich are actually drowning in debt. In a society were image is everything, it is an ugly image that we are presenting when the exterior is shiny and white and the interior is a rotting pit of bondage debt.
4. What happens if the christians stop incurring debt? Including home mortgages? Impossible? perhaps. Would it be a revolutionary witness? for sure.
Giving to churches is on a definitely downward slope and the financial health of young people in churches is doing the same. Many think we need to teach theological principles to stem the tide. I think a more holistic approach would be to help young christians develop financial health. Most efforts of christian organizations in this drection look more like amway than John 10:10 - so it is up to pastors to teach financial health and freedom to their people.
Here's some notes of interest:
1. I didn't underline a single thing. It would be more beneficial to read this book and make a list of the steps that Ramsey is suggesting.
2. The book has tons of stories of other people who were successful using the program - see the amway note above. I don't get cranked by others' stories - but if you do, there's some here.
3. Ramsey points out that many in our congregations/society who look rich are actually drowning in debt. In a society were image is everything, it is an ugly image that we are presenting when the exterior is shiny and white and the interior is a rotting pit of bondage debt.
4. What happens if the christians stop incurring debt? Including home mortgages? Impossible? perhaps. Would it be a revolutionary witness? for sure.
Monday, October 09, 2006
Anonymus
I really don't like anonymus comments. Whether on the blog or on some comment card or whatever - I just don't like contextless information or opinions.
This is not an attack, it's my preference and my blog.
So, I think I am going to disable anonymus comments. Can you give me a reason to bring them back?
This is not an attack, it's my preference and my blog.
So, I think I am going to disable anonymus comments. Can you give me a reason to bring them back?
Saturday, October 07, 2006
Only the good die young
It seems that NBC has a tracker on my TV and notices when I watch a show and quickly decides to cancel it. The new show Smith has become the latest victim. Sure, it had a generic title, but it was pretty cool - lots of action and such...
Because it only had 8 million viewers last week it is being replaced by reruns. Imagine having your product watched by 8 million people and then being told you are a failure....crazyworld.
Because it only had 8 million viewers last week it is being replaced by reruns. Imagine having your product watched by 8 million people and then being told you are a failure....crazyworld.
Thursday, October 05, 2006
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
I still don't know if I will ever vote again...
For a long time the way I formed my political beliefs from my theological understandings has caused me to struggle with the polarization that I see in polotics in America. I won't go into what I believe here, because of my pastoral role and the jeopardy that such a discussion could put my church into.
However, I will post a couple links to a new organization that is wholly Christian and not Democrat or Republican. I think it's a good time for this conversation to finally be taking place. I first heard of this on the Colbert Report when Campolo was the guest and was very intrigued. It seems to be picking up steam. The ramifications are also interesting.
Tony Campolo on Red Letter Christians
Tony Jones
I wonder what will come of all this...as it seems Emergent is moving in a political direction...
As far as the title of this post, I'm 29 and have only voted once. It was for a guy that promised us improvements to the higway - and he came through...you would think I would vote more...but now I'm not a citizen where I live, so it's not even an option...
However, I will post a couple links to a new organization that is wholly Christian and not Democrat or Republican. I think it's a good time for this conversation to finally be taking place. I first heard of this on the Colbert Report when Campolo was the guest and was very intrigued. It seems to be picking up steam. The ramifications are also interesting.
Tony Campolo on Red Letter Christians
Tony Jones
I wonder what will come of all this...as it seems Emergent is moving in a political direction...
As far as the title of this post, I'm 29 and have only voted once. It was for a guy that promised us improvements to the higway - and he came through...you would think I would vote more...but now I'm not a citizen where I live, so it's not even an option...
Simple
There seems to be a growing movement in emerging circles toward a spirituality that is simple, organic and natural. A view on spiritual disciplines that seeks not to define and separate, but connect and draw out. It is an interesting movement because for a long time spiritual disciplines have been a measurable thing that you do; under this line of thought spiritual disciplines are things you are becoming.
To the point where traditional spiritual disciplines are only needed for the immature int he faith. That's a soakable thought!
The latest contribution herein is a book, Off-Road Disciplines, by Earl Creps. I've never heard of him, but the book is published by Leadership Network, so it won't be a bestseller, but it will be a fantastic book.
To the point where traditional spiritual disciplines are only needed for the immature int he faith. That's a soakable thought!
The latest contribution herein is a book, Off-Road Disciplines, by Earl Creps. I've never heard of him, but the book is published by Leadership Network, so it won't be a bestseller, but it will be a fantastic book.
Thursday, September 28, 2006
Mad Props to Chuck Colson
There's not a lot of Chuck Colson that I am that into. I've got an inch and a half book about Being the Body that he wrote (a gift) that isn't that high on my list, even in my book buying fast (the two inch Josephus has to come first...). But, Colson has hit a dinger on this one. The title link will open a CT article he wrote that all mankind needs to read. Even if you just read the beginning and picture the story - you will laugh.
Colson's frustrations are shared by me. That is why I was so super amped to see David Crowder Band last week and will at the NYWC. That is why I think Bono is a worship leader. That is why I liked the Newsboys before they put out worship albums. That is why Mat Kearney, Coldplay and P.O.D. are staples for me when I am worshipping (How P.O.D.'s song "Goodbye for Now" isn't an Easter classic by now...I have no idea!). These bands/singers/songwriters write from talent and say something that is worshipping God from the relevance of world my soul lives in. Problem is, these are also very talented musically and don't write G-C-D songs. We did U2's Beautiful Day for a church youth service - and it was hard. Our student worship team is learning a DCB song - and having a hard time. But with the complicated music comes valuable lyrics that are moving a generation.
One disclaimer, however. Colson's statment:
Had me scratching my head. Does he really think Jesus died on the cross to make a propositional statement? Puh-leeze.
Colson's frustrations are shared by me. That is why I was so super amped to see David Crowder Band last week and will at the NYWC. That is why I think Bono is a worship leader. That is why I liked the Newsboys before they put out worship albums. That is why Mat Kearney, Coldplay and P.O.D. are staples for me when I am worshipping (How P.O.D.'s song "Goodbye for Now" isn't an Easter classic by now...I have no idea!). These bands/singers/songwriters write from talent and say something that is worshipping God from the relevance of world my soul lives in. Problem is, these are also very talented musically and don't write G-C-D songs. We did U2's Beautiful Day for a church youth service - and it was hard. Our student worship team is learning a DCB song - and having a hard time. But with the complicated music comes valuable lyrics that are moving a generation.
One disclaimer, however. Colson's statment:
the gospel above all else is revealed propositional truth
Had me scratching my head. Does he really think Jesus died on the cross to make a propositional statement? Puh-leeze.
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
Interesting things
I am going to post a couple of interesting things. I am not going to post my thoughts on them. If you want to know my thoughts, post yours in the comments.
1. Mars Hill Michigan: In this week's message Rob Bell tells the people that they need more volunteers in the children's ministry because the last couple weeks they have had to turn kids away. He says that it is wrong - they need to take care of their own children. What are the implications of telling this (being honest) to your congregation?
2. Leadership Network: Has put out a report on finances in larger churches. Our own church is facing some similar issues...how are our finances helping/challenging us? It is a question that SACC'ers have to answers.
endnote: Sacc'ers? What a dumb term James.....but better than SACCians, or SACCites, or SACCese...I guess.
1. Mars Hill Michigan: In this week's message Rob Bell tells the people that they need more volunteers in the children's ministry because the last couple weeks they have had to turn kids away. He says that it is wrong - they need to take care of their own children. What are the implications of telling this (being honest) to your congregation?
2. Leadership Network: Has put out a report on finances in larger churches. Our own church is facing some similar issues...how are our finances helping/challenging us? It is a question that SACC'ers have to answers.
endnote: Sacc'ers? What a dumb term James.....but better than SACCians, or SACCites, or SACCese...I guess.
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
Walt's blog
Here's something to sit up and take notice of. Walt is the leader of the Center for Parent Youth Understanding. He's pretty good at reading the culture and helping YP's sort through it and redeem it for the gospel.
This blog post of his implicates Americans. He's pretty daring to write this stuff, I think.
This blog post of his implicates Americans. He's pretty daring to write this stuff, I think.
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
McLaren on emerging obligations
On page 256 of A Generous Orthodoxy, McLaren develops 8 (9 really) "emerging obligations of a generous orthodoxy...in regard to other religions in God's world. He admits to building on the work of David Bosch, a missionary in Africa.
1. We must willingly accept the coexistence of different faiths in our world willingly, no begrudgingly.
McLaren uses the analogy of a parent loving a child being different from approving of what they do. This seems like a simple task in theory, but in practice we know that it is not. The whole 'love the sinner, but hate the sin' really falls apart in conversations like this, because the sin is the identfier of who the sinner is. The two become inseparable. So we are to love the whole package with the mature understanding that love is not equivalent to approval. I think this has even further implications if we want to talk about the western church culture that gives love if they approve (of your dress, habits, culture, skin color, political views, etc.). There is a sick under-culture that surrounds Christiamericanity that witholds love from those who are unapproved, making me a judge of who God loves and who He doesn't. This may be sin in its ugliest form.
2. Having acknowledged and accepted the coexistence of other faiths, Christians should actually talk with people of other faiths, engaging in gentle and respectful dialogue.
In a modern context, dialogue and debate are engaged in with the intent to conquer and colonialize. You argue in order to defeat (humiliate) the other person, and turn people over into your particular viewpoint (can you see why I don't like talking to most advocates of calvinism?). This viewpoint rolled over into evangelistic methods, which created a divide-and-conquer method which sold very well.
In a postmodern context, dialogue and debate is engaged in for mutual benefit. If I engage in discussion with more poeple who disagree with me, I can understand them better and, perhaps more importantly, I understand my own positions better, irregardless of their conversion. This does not mean that I do not want others to convert. It does mean that I am not interested in humiliating people into the kingdom of heaven. Rather, I am interested in people knowing me for my love of them, their position, even their identifying sin and then wanting to know where that love comes from - the saving love of Jesus.
3. We must assume that God is an unseen partner in our dialogues who has something to teach all participants, including us.
Many Christians think we own God - like He is a good and service that we are peddling to the world. These people are wrong. That's as blunt as I need to be.
4. We must learn humility in order to engage in respectful dialogue.
We do need humility but, like McLaren, this humility can quickly look like arrogance. I have heard comments from people who sat under Pagitt's and Jones' teachings and thought their apologies were a bit patronistic. I am pretty sure that this would not have been their intent, but people will not always take it the way it was intended. When we are talking about a new kind of Christianity, we must be aware that we are changing something that is very close to many hearts and will cause passionate reactions and discussions.
5. We must realize that each religion is its own world, requiring very different responses from Christians.
It is interesting that the assumption is that all people prescribe to a religion. This is more and more true in our more and more postmodern world. Especially here in the pacific northwest, where their are more and more who choose "none" as their religious affiliation. People here are not institutionalized Christians, but they are spiritual and many love Jesus.
6. Only at this point are we ready to reassert that conversation does not exclude evangelism but makes it possible.
Once again, in a postmodern context, listening earns trust. There is no substitute for showing value in another person than giving them our most precious commodity, time. We must earnestly hope for the salvation of all people - knowing that listening to them and learning their story is more than a good method of saving people. Know this: listening = knowing = loving.
7. We must continually be aware that the "old, old story" may not be the "true, true story."
This one hurts the most. Many times we are not aware of the misconceptions that other religions have on Christianity. Some believe that God had intercourse with Mary to produce Jesus. To those of us old in the faith, this sounds silly, but for many it is what they have been taught since an early age. We must be aware that re-education may be an early step in evangelism.
Also, we need to be aware that we may have misconceptions about other religons that actually hinder our evangelistic efforts. Our old stories about them may not be true either.
8. We must live with paradox.
There will be people in the world who are more in tune with the song of God than us. Some who live more lovingly than me. Some who show more mercy than me. Yet, when I speak of my faith, it is a loving, merciful faith. How do I put this together? One would naturally assume the answer is to work harder, creating a works based faith. Or, perhaps, we would speak of the forgiveness of God, yet we must be sure not to cheapen our Savior's sacrifice on the cross. Many times, our best response is going to have to be humbly living in paradox. This goes to the point of Dwight Freisen coining the term, "paradoxy", meaning paradox and orthodox at the same time.
9. If members of other religions are under threat, we must seek to protect them.
Were the wise men Jews? Were they following God's leading or astrology? What are we going to do with the apparent fact that God draws all men unto Himself? As a nation full of Christians, known as a Christian nation, what are we doing to help Arabs come to the Lord?
1. We must willingly accept the coexistence of different faiths in our world willingly, no begrudgingly.
McLaren uses the analogy of a parent loving a child being different from approving of what they do. This seems like a simple task in theory, but in practice we know that it is not. The whole 'love the sinner, but hate the sin' really falls apart in conversations like this, because the sin is the identfier of who the sinner is. The two become inseparable. So we are to love the whole package with the mature understanding that love is not equivalent to approval. I think this has even further implications if we want to talk about the western church culture that gives love if they approve (of your dress, habits, culture, skin color, political views, etc.). There is a sick under-culture that surrounds Christiamericanity that witholds love from those who are unapproved, making me a judge of who God loves and who He doesn't. This may be sin in its ugliest form.
2. Having acknowledged and accepted the coexistence of other faiths, Christians should actually talk with people of other faiths, engaging in gentle and respectful dialogue.
In a modern context, dialogue and debate are engaged in with the intent to conquer and colonialize. You argue in order to defeat (humiliate) the other person, and turn people over into your particular viewpoint (can you see why I don't like talking to most advocates of calvinism?). This viewpoint rolled over into evangelistic methods, which created a divide-and-conquer method which sold very well.
In a postmodern context, dialogue and debate is engaged in for mutual benefit. If I engage in discussion with more poeple who disagree with me, I can understand them better and, perhaps more importantly, I understand my own positions better, irregardless of their conversion. This does not mean that I do not want others to convert. It does mean that I am not interested in humiliating people into the kingdom of heaven. Rather, I am interested in people knowing me for my love of them, their position, even their identifying sin and then wanting to know where that love comes from - the saving love of Jesus.
3. We must assume that God is an unseen partner in our dialogues who has something to teach all participants, including us.
Many Christians think we own God - like He is a good and service that we are peddling to the world. These people are wrong. That's as blunt as I need to be.
4. We must learn humility in order to engage in respectful dialogue.
We do need humility but, like McLaren, this humility can quickly look like arrogance. I have heard comments from people who sat under Pagitt's and Jones' teachings and thought their apologies were a bit patronistic. I am pretty sure that this would not have been their intent, but people will not always take it the way it was intended. When we are talking about a new kind of Christianity, we must be aware that we are changing something that is very close to many hearts and will cause passionate reactions and discussions.
5. We must realize that each religion is its own world, requiring very different responses from Christians.
It is interesting that the assumption is that all people prescribe to a religion. This is more and more true in our more and more postmodern world. Especially here in the pacific northwest, where their are more and more who choose "none" as their religious affiliation. People here are not institutionalized Christians, but they are spiritual and many love Jesus.
6. Only at this point are we ready to reassert that conversation does not exclude evangelism but makes it possible.
Once again, in a postmodern context, listening earns trust. There is no substitute for showing value in another person than giving them our most precious commodity, time. We must earnestly hope for the salvation of all people - knowing that listening to them and learning their story is more than a good method of saving people. Know this: listening = knowing = loving.
7. We must continually be aware that the "old, old story" may not be the "true, true story."
This one hurts the most. Many times we are not aware of the misconceptions that other religions have on Christianity. Some believe that God had intercourse with Mary to produce Jesus. To those of us old in the faith, this sounds silly, but for many it is what they have been taught since an early age. We must be aware that re-education may be an early step in evangelism.
Also, we need to be aware that we may have misconceptions about other religons that actually hinder our evangelistic efforts. Our old stories about them may not be true either.
8. We must live with paradox.
There will be people in the world who are more in tune with the song of God than us. Some who live more lovingly than me. Some who show more mercy than me. Yet, when I speak of my faith, it is a loving, merciful faith. How do I put this together? One would naturally assume the answer is to work harder, creating a works based faith. Or, perhaps, we would speak of the forgiveness of God, yet we must be sure not to cheapen our Savior's sacrifice on the cross. Many times, our best response is going to have to be humbly living in paradox. This goes to the point of Dwight Freisen coining the term, "paradoxy", meaning paradox and orthodox at the same time.
9. If members of other religions are under threat, we must seek to protect them.
Were the wise men Jews? Were they following God's leading or astrology? What are we going to do with the apparent fact that God draws all men unto Himself? As a nation full of Christians, known as a Christian nation, what are we doing to help Arabs come to the Lord?
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
McLaren, a Generous Orthodoxy
It has taken me some time, due to my own slacken-ness to finish this book. It has an interesting full title:
A Generous Orthodoxy : Why I am a missional, evangelical, post/protestant,
liberal/conservative, mystical/poetic, biblical, charismatic/contemplative,
fundamentalist/Calvinist, Anabaptist/Anglican, Methodist, catholic, green,
incarnational, depressed- yet hopeful, emergent, unfinished Christian.
This book took me a very long time because the first half was less motivating to me than the second half. Or, maybe, I was more ready for the second half? Either way...
McLaren, a fantastic thinker and teacher, begins with 100 pages on Jesus, including a warning chapter (chapter 0), that kind of sets the stage. Then he takes each adjectif and builds a chapter around it. It seems very much an apologetic for McLarn himself, after having recieved harsh criticisms regarding his theological questioning. After reading this text however, I don't see how people are pegging him as a universalist, but peggers do like to peg.
Anyways, here's some motivating quotes and questions:
p.23, "...clarity is sometimes overrated..."
How badly do we need to know before we believe?
p.111, quoting a mentor of McLaren's, "Remember, in a pluralistic world, a religion is valued based on the benefits it brings to its nonadherents."
p.160, "...we wanted clear assurance that God didn't like the people we didn't like, and for the same reasons we didn't like them."
This was convicting to me. How do I really love the people I don't like. More than being a horrible cliche?
p.195/6, redoing TULIP, "T = Triune Love ... U = Unselfish Election ... L = Limitless Reconciliation ... I = Inspiring Grace ... P = Passionate, Persistent Saints"
p.240 "I must admit that, apart from a miracle, I see no human power capable of standing up to the expanding empire of global consumerism, which author Tom Beaudoin ominously calls "theocapitalism."
p.256, eight thoughts on postmodern evangelism - this will be a separate post with thoughts
p.267, "In the previous chapter, I suggested that Jesus didn't come to start another religion, which would include the Christian religion."
First thoughts: Uh-oh...but after reflection I have to ask, then why did Jesus come? To seek and save the lost, right? To begin a disciple-making movement right? To bring fulfillment to the law right?
Friday, September 01, 2006
Trendy Justice
The title link is to Dan Kimball's post on the trendiness of social justice in american/western churches. I have noticed this ever since I heard it remarked that "missions trips/service projects" are the new "worship" for youth ministry.
Brown is the new black.
This worries me on a couple of levels:
Brown is the new black.
This worries me on a couple of levels:
- I worry that as a trend that it will lose its emphasis. I worry about this because of my own personal passion for the poor. Oppression against the poor is a worldwide issue and fighting it has become a major part of my philosophy of youth ministry. Perhaps because of my early involvment with world vision, or just because of God-given desire, I try to leave a wake of students who are passionate about serving the poor because they see Jesus in the eyes of those they serve.
- I worry that this movement in youth ministry is cheapening the mission/service trip. Much like, I think, the youth ministry worship movement cheapened worship. We ended up with songs like, "coming back to the heart of worship" that revealed the way we betrayed with our worship. Perhaps some day we will need to get back to the heart of social justice.
These kinds of concerns beg several questions that I think are relevant:
- How do youth ministers engage social justice issues? How much do we remain counter-cultural when the culture is about AIDS in Africa and the invisible children? Do we fight AIDS in Africa, like Bono? Or do we educate ourselves and do things about AIDS in China and India? Or do we find other less popular areas to serve in? Areas that the world is not noticing because the light of celebrity hasn't yet shone on it?
- How do we treat trends in youth ministry that affect the very theology of salvation working in the students we are entrusted with? Do we pragmatically use trends? How much do we interact with them?
And then practically,
- How do we bring this home? What does it look like in my town/school/church/home?
- How long are these trends (games and fun>>>worship>>>missions trips>>> ???), and how do we adapt earlier?
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
Tuesday, August 29, 2006
Sunday, Sunday, Sunday
I preached this past Sunday here at home. It was on Acts 8:26-40 on Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch - the link is for my friends who are still wondering what that means. I don't manuscript - so you can download and listen online. But hurry, because it'll be gone in like 6 weeks.
I don't know if first or second service made it online - there's a couple gooders in each service though.
Also 8 people were baptized on Sunday - and I barely cried at all....I must have been a bit nervous?
I don't know if first or second service made it online - there's a couple gooders in each service though.
Also 8 people were baptized on Sunday - and I barely cried at all....I must have been a bit nervous?
On my train
If there's a train from here to heaven, I really think that we may have to share the car with other Christians that we struggle the most to love. If you read this blog, my opionatedness tends to get the better of me and my train car will be full - of people who frustrate me and, more importantly, people who I frustrate.
Many in my car will be Calvinists. I just can't bring myself to see the world the way that Calvinists do. I really appreciate a great many of them, both through online ministries and through personal friendships.
Currently, Scot McKnight has a post on the rise of young evangelical Calvinists, especially in the emerging church scene. I guess it's the cover story of the latest CT. Scot also has a long series of posts on his own personal post-calvinism.
Often, we Wesleyan/Armenians feel like the last ones on the face of the earth. We talk about our missions being fueled by holiness and people look at us like we've never read the institutes! (I haven't...) The Baptists are great folks - but they are large and powerful and boycottish - which is not where I am inclined to be. This, however, is more my fault than theirs. I honestly like the subversive nature of Wesley's ministry. The way he was bold and country and just...
So this one's for the Wesleyans (and the emo kids) who don't think that Calvin was such a bad guy, but who really do appreciate the movements and development of methodism, wesleyanism, and armenianism.
Many in my car will be Calvinists. I just can't bring myself to see the world the way that Calvinists do. I really appreciate a great many of them, both through online ministries and through personal friendships.
Currently, Scot McKnight has a post on the rise of young evangelical Calvinists, especially in the emerging church scene. I guess it's the cover story of the latest CT. Scot also has a long series of posts on his own personal post-calvinism.
Often, we Wesleyan/Armenians feel like the last ones on the face of the earth. We talk about our missions being fueled by holiness and people look at us like we've never read the institutes! (I haven't...) The Baptists are great folks - but they are large and powerful and boycottish - which is not where I am inclined to be. This, however, is more my fault than theirs. I honestly like the subversive nature of Wesley's ministry. The way he was bold and country and just...
So this one's for the Wesleyans (and the emo kids) who don't think that Calvin was such a bad guy, but who really do appreciate the movements and development of methodism, wesleyanism, and armenianism.
Friday, August 25, 2006
Convergence
I have been aware of what Robert weber has been doing with the Chicago Call and the new Ancient Evangelical Future Call for quite some time now. I even volunteered some input into the process. Now, there is this article in CT magazine that has an interesting note at the end:
It makes me wonder. One of the major things I like about my young denomination is having convergence and merging (in addition to the regular splitting away to start a new denomination) as a part of our story. It's rather nice I'd say.
So I wonder at what point the church will re-merge and become more united. Can this even become true for the west/east split of 1057? I would pray to that end.
Unity...it's a great truth.
The call says some harsh things about "separatist ecclesiologies." But can a separatist ecclesiology be a temporary expedient?
Just today I picked up one of my favorite books—The Principle of Protestantism by Philip Schaff. Schaff does say that there is a principle of separation to bring about a correction. When that correction has been achieved, we ought quickly to unite again with the group from which we separated. He was using that with regard to the whole Protestant world and saying the Protestant world left the Catholic church for a correction. Once that correction has been made, he said, we should reunite again with the Catholic church.
It makes me wonder. One of the major things I like about my young denomination is having convergence and merging (in addition to the regular splitting away to start a new denomination) as a part of our story. It's rather nice I'd say.
So I wonder at what point the church will re-merge and become more united. Can this even become true for the west/east split of 1057? I would pray to that end.
Unity...it's a great truth.
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
For future reference...
Amazingly many people look at me weird when I tell them that our high school summer missions trip was to a corner in Pasedena called 'blood corner' and to a church on Ward Street in Compton, which happens to be one of the worst for gang violence.
To my surprise, people wonder why we went there. The best answer I have thought of so far is that to ask the questioner why they don't go there...
I haven't been convinced yet...
Stray thoughts on a tuesday morning...
To my surprise, people wonder why we went there. The best answer I have thought of so far is that to ask the questioner why they don't go there...
I haven't been convinced yet...
Stray thoughts on a tuesday morning...
Tuesday, August 15, 2006
Watch Out!
The one thing that older leadership needs to know is that younger leadership isn't even asking the same questions anymore. So older leadership's answers aren't cutting it.
That's my quote - what questions are you asking?
That's my quote - what questions are you asking?
High School Camp
I spent the last week at Mayfield camp - my first year not as a counsellor and got to be int he "leader" group. It's been interesting watching the younger generation of youth pastors take the reigns as the olders move on to new things that the Lord is calling them to. Many changes to many different parts of camp. One of my favorites was the willingness to create artistic stations (they did look a little ghetto, but nobody told me to bring my candles...lol).
In a horribly scary moment a student named Bryan was severly injured and remains in the hospital at this moment. Your prayers for him and his family are appropriate and appreciated.
I taught two classes, one called "My Jesus can beat up you Jesus" and another called "Go to church or go to Hell". If those make you nervous, you can relax, they weren't exegetical theology classes, they were practical theology classes. OK - so maybe you shouldn't relax. Here's some of my favorites from the week:
"Christine Brinkman is so hot."
"Am I fired yet?"
"Throw it up one more time."
"What?! No flips or pyramids, that's weak. 6."
"Mary was pregnant and didn't even get to have sex for it." (That one surprised even me!)
"Fricken Wicked."
"$#@%&^!" - said by the speaker...
"So, do y'all have room on your bus for about 14 kids?"
"No, I'm not actually from California..."
"How do they all know this dance?"
"I'm staying in the honeymoon tent..."
"PIRATE!!"
OK - so most of my classes were videotapes by Jon, who I have to get in touch with through Josh, so I'll try to get those on utube and posted here as soon as I can.
K - later-
In a horribly scary moment a student named Bryan was severly injured and remains in the hospital at this moment. Your prayers for him and his family are appropriate and appreciated.
I taught two classes, one called "My Jesus can beat up you Jesus" and another called "Go to church or go to Hell". If those make you nervous, you can relax, they weren't exegetical theology classes, they were practical theology classes. OK - so maybe you shouldn't relax. Here's some of my favorites from the week:
"Christine Brinkman is so hot."
"Am I fired yet?"
"Throw it up one more time."
"What?! No flips or pyramids, that's weak. 6."
"Mary was pregnant and didn't even get to have sex for it." (That one surprised even me!)
"Fricken Wicked."
"$#@%&^!" - said by the speaker...
"So, do y'all have room on your bus for about 14 kids?"
"No, I'm not actually from California..."
"How do they all know this dance?"
"I'm staying in the honeymoon tent..."
"PIRATE!!"
OK - so most of my classes were videotapes by Jon, who I have to get in touch with through Josh, so I'll try to get those on utube and posted here as soon as I can.
K - later-
Thursday, August 03, 2006
Dumb, but you know you like it
1. One book that changed your life:
Brian McLaren, A New Kind of Christian
2. One book that you’ve read more than once:
Douglas Coupland, Shampoo Planet
3. One book you’d want on a desert island:
The Poetical Works of Byron
4. One book that made you laugh:
The Pulpit Commentary Volume 1 Genesis
5. One book that made you cry:
Brennan Manning, Ragamuffin Gospel
6. One book that you wish had been written:
Stanley Grenz, The Trinity and Relationships
7. One book that you wish had never been written:
Tim LaHaye, Left Behind
8. One book you’re currently reading:
Kenda Creasy-Dean, ed., Starting Right
9. One book you’ve been meaning to read:
Josephus, The Complete Works
Brian McLaren, A New Kind of Christian
2. One book that you’ve read more than once:
Douglas Coupland, Shampoo Planet
3. One book you’d want on a desert island:
The Poetical Works of Byron
4. One book that made you laugh:
The Pulpit Commentary Volume 1 Genesis
5. One book that made you cry:
Brennan Manning, Ragamuffin Gospel
6. One book that you wish had been written:
Stanley Grenz, The Trinity and Relationships
7. One book that you wish had never been written:
Tim LaHaye, Left Behind
8. One book you’re currently reading:
Kenda Creasy-Dean, ed., Starting Right
9. One book you’ve been meaning to read:
Josephus, The Complete Works
You live, you learn, you stop being a moron
Last night about 10 I was driving back into town accross the bridge and the truck next to me had stickers on the back tail gate that said:
So, to my new friend Mr.Dumb Redneck:
Learn to spell. Ala is a commune in Italy. Allah is the Islamic name for god.
Nuke 'Em All
Let Ala sort it out
So, to my new friend Mr.Dumb Redneck:
Learn to spell. Ala is a commune in Italy. Allah is the Islamic name for god.
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
Sabbath Keeping, Lynne Baab
Sabbath is a popular buzzword right now in most evangelical circles, thanks in no small part, to the emerging conversation. Most people are reading another book called The Rest of God, but it wasn't available in my book club when I needed to buy a few books to fulfill my obligation. Also, I wanted to read this book because I am reading so many male-authored books, that I thought a woman's voice on Sabbath would round me out a little more.
Baab's book is written from a lot of experience and in a very historical faith (postmodern) context. She keeps it real, saying that the Sabbath is not a new gimmick for those emerging kids, yet, at the same time she doesn't give as many concessions for different lives and lifestyles as I would have liked - but I still really appreciated this text.
I still wonder, however what Sabbath looks like for parents with small children? Especially for single parents with small children? Isn't a little pie-in-the-sky? I imagine Israel was able to keep it as an entire nation was keeping it - so there would be a familial context that would help each other out - but in the western world today? I'm not so sure it's a direct cut and paste...
Here's some other notes of interest:
p.65 "What activity in your life has lost its value because of overuse? What is in danger of losing its value?"
p.94 "we say, 'I got a lot done today. I justified my existence on the face of the earth.' Our joke reflects an unfortunate reality that both of us battle."
p.123 "notice"
Rob Bell once taught that the greatest teachers are those who are moving slow enough to notice....hmmmm...
Finally, a long quote(p.121/2):
Baab's book is written from a lot of experience and in a very historical faith (postmodern) context. She keeps it real, saying that the Sabbath is not a new gimmick for those emerging kids, yet, at the same time she doesn't give as many concessions for different lives and lifestyles as I would have liked - but I still really appreciated this text.
I still wonder, however what Sabbath looks like for parents with small children? Especially for single parents with small children? Isn't a little pie-in-the-sky? I imagine Israel was able to keep it as an entire nation was keeping it - so there would be a familial context that would help each other out - but in the western world today? I'm not so sure it's a direct cut and paste...
Here's some other notes of interest:
p.65 "What activity in your life has lost its value because of overuse? What is in danger of losing its value?"
p.94 "we say, 'I got a lot done today. I justified my existence on the face of the earth.' Our joke reflects an unfortunate reality that both of us battle."
p.123 "notice"
Rob Bell once taught that the greatest teachers are those who are moving slow enough to notice....hmmmm...
Finally, a long quote(p.121/2):
In the twentieth century many Christians adopted a form of spirituality that began with knowledge. Study the Bible; learn themajor precepts of the Christian faith; say the acurate and true things about God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit and the Christian life. This kind of spirituality asserts that after we have the basic truths straight, then we can begin living a life that honors God.
The sabbath works the other way around. It invites us to participate in something without totally understanding it. In fact, many faithful sabbath keepers say that only after years of observance did they begin to understand the profound lessons God was teaching them through it. Receive the gift of the sabbath over time. Embrace the sabbath without knowing everything you will learn from it."
Saturday, July 29, 2006
Rejuvenile, Christopher Noxon
I picked rejuvenile after seeing it, I think, on Marko's blog. The author was then on Colbert Repotrt (a forgettable interview) and did a little TV tour. The book didn't get to where I hoped it would. Telling a lot of stories and using the "if it's true once, it must be true 100 times" theory to prove its points. The overall thesis for Noxon is that adults are holding onto things of their childhood in increasing numbers here in America, and , quite possibly, around the world. He dabbles a bit in what I think is a major factor in this phenomenom, economics, but prefers to tell a lot of stories and create an overly long essay.
But, this book did help me through Annual Conference, so it isn't the most boring part of this past week...
Here's some quotes and such:
p.4 "rejuvenile describes people who cultivate tastes and mind-sets traditionally associated with those younger than themselves."
p.51 "Some people like golf; I like tag."
p.58, there is a discussion that leads up to, and disappointingly avoids, the interaction of play and spirituality.
p.61"[Huizinga] proposed that the name 'Homo Sapiens' (Man of Reason) be replaced with 'Homo Laudens" (Man the Player), because 'we are not so reasonable after all' "
my idea: lose the Homo part too...
p.63, discussion on Pat Kane, "militant postmodernist", creator of the Play Ethic; "Kane argues that the Protestant work ethic is a relic of the Industrial Age, that we'd all be better off if we reduced the number of hours we work...and used our free time and new technologies to engage in creative, fulfilling play."
p.75, quoting a dedicated, adult, dodge-ball player;
p.139, quoting a Disney fan; "...my fantasty life keeps me sane in my real life."
p.140/1, interesting notes on completeness and satisfaction, especially considering Matthew 5:48, understanding that perfect=completely whole...
p.246 "When you boil it down, i think we rejuveniles are attempting to hang on to the part of ourselves that feels most genuinely human."
This book is a good discussion starter, especially for young leaders and young pastors who don't want to suck. I'd say, read the book and then spend some time trying to figure out how the gospel of Jesus can be good news to the rejuveniles...because it is, and they aren't going away...no matter how long we have to stay in Neverland...
But, this book did help me through Annual Conference, so it isn't the most boring part of this past week...
Here's some quotes and such:
p.4 "rejuvenile describes people who cultivate tastes and mind-sets traditionally associated with those younger than themselves."
p.51 "Some people like golf; I like tag."
p.58, there is a discussion that leads up to, and disappointingly avoids, the interaction of play and spirituality.
p.61"[Huizinga] proposed that the name 'Homo Sapiens' (Man of Reason) be replaced with 'Homo Laudens" (Man the Player), because 'we are not so reasonable after all' "
my idea: lose the Homo part too...
p.63, discussion on Pat Kane, "militant postmodernist", creator of the Play Ethic; "Kane argues that the Protestant work ethic is a relic of the Industrial Age, that we'd all be better off if we reduced the number of hours we work...and used our free time and new technologies to engage in creative, fulfilling play."
p.75, quoting a dedicated, adult, dodge-ball player;
"Once you get hit in the face, you're fine."
p.139, quoting a Disney fan; "...my fantasty life keeps me sane in my real life."
p.140/1, interesting notes on completeness and satisfaction, especially considering Matthew 5:48, understanding that perfect=completely whole...
p.246 "When you boil it down, i think we rejuveniles are attempting to hang on to the part of ourselves that feels most genuinely human."
This book is a good discussion starter, especially for young leaders and young pastors who don't want to suck. I'd say, read the book and then spend some time trying to figure out how the gospel of Jesus can be good news to the rejuveniles...because it is, and they aren't going away...no matter how long we have to stay in Neverland...
Friday, July 28, 2006
Contemplative Youth Ministry, Mark Yaconelli
I first came accross Mark's work when I found the Youth Ministry and Spirituality project that he was heading up for SF theological Seminary. I was attracted to the works that they were exploring and have lead the last two youth ministries that I have been leading into some of the practicies and rules of the old, beautiful ways of Christianity. This book is a real culmination, a sort of "Purpose Driven" except is driven by contemplative living and seeing that work its way into a youth ministry. Very educational and very practical and very easy to read, this book is a real asset to all sorts of youth pastors who are trying to be faithful to the calling God has put on their lives and to the students they love who are living in an increasingly postmodern context.
Here's some quotes, thoughts and Q's:
p. 21 "[Jesus'] ministry, it seems, doesn't come from a pre-planned formula but instead arises in response to the real situations and relationships he encounters."
p.25 "Contemplative youth ministry honors the desire to listen as well as teach in our interactions with kids. It grounds our ministries in prayer as well as evangelism - in silence as well as acts of justice."
p.33 "Congregations and church leaders find themselves relying on the media to learn about kids." This underscores my thinking on youth pastors taking advantage of every preaching/teaching opportunity in front of adultsto teach them about teens and culture so that they can love and minister to those younger than themselves.
p.42 "When kids learn to live in the Pirit of Jesus, they may no longer fit in...They may develop a costly compassion for others. They may become more vulnerable to the pain and loneliness of the world."
p.43 "Being a Christian isn't safe." It isn't the safe alternative, no matter how many times K-Love tells you that...
p.72 "Once we admit that we are powerless to turn kids into Christians, we can recognize that ministry is a series of small acts of trust."
p.79 This page contains an amazing chart that revelas the differences in anxiety/fear motivated youth ministry and Love/contemplation motivated ministry. Oh God, motivate us becuase of love...
p.140 quoting Michael Warren "One cannot be concerned about the spirituality of teens without being at the same time concerned about the spirituality of the entire community...the message embodied in a community's WAY is more powerful than any message in a textbook or on a blackboard."
Even going back through this book right now, it reminds me of some tweaking that we are going to do to make our ministry more about Jesus...more and more and more...isn't that a good idea!
Here's some quotes, thoughts and Q's:
p. 21 "[Jesus'] ministry, it seems, doesn't come from a pre-planned formula but instead arises in response to the real situations and relationships he encounters."
p.25 "Contemplative youth ministry honors the desire to listen as well as teach in our interactions with kids. It grounds our ministries in prayer as well as evangelism - in silence as well as acts of justice."
p.33 "Congregations and church leaders find themselves relying on the media to learn about kids." This underscores my thinking on youth pastors taking advantage of every preaching/teaching opportunity in front of adultsto teach them about teens and culture so that they can love and minister to those younger than themselves.
p.42 "When kids learn to live in the Pirit of Jesus, they may no longer fit in...They may develop a costly compassion for others. They may become more vulnerable to the pain and loneliness of the world."
p.43 "Being a Christian isn't safe." It isn't the safe alternative, no matter how many times K-Love tells you that...
p.72 "Once we admit that we are powerless to turn kids into Christians, we can recognize that ministry is a series of small acts of trust."
p.79 This page contains an amazing chart that revelas the differences in anxiety/fear motivated youth ministry and Love/contemplation motivated ministry. Oh God, motivate us becuase of love...
p.140 quoting Michael Warren "One cannot be concerned about the spirituality of teens without being at the same time concerned about the spirituality of the entire community...the message embodied in a community's WAY is more powerful than any message in a textbook or on a blackboard."
Even going back through this book right now, it reminds me of some tweaking that we are going to do to make our ministry more about Jesus...more and more and more...isn't that a good idea!
The Ragamuffin Gsopel, Brennan Manning
I originally tried to read this book while being indoctrinated in fundamentalism at my southern bible college (mostly the culture's fault, not wholly the school's). that being said, I quickly put it down when I saw that Manning thinks God's love is unconditional. That didn't work for me then...however, now I have read the Scriptures for myself and I think that God loves everybody...unconditionally. I think, perhaps, the biggest folly in humanity's history is the people of God (Adam, Israel, Church) thinking that God's favor being on them is synonymus with being God's favorite.
Today, I much appreciate the Ragamuffin Gospel's availability and vulnerability to me. And when I hear people say that they heard that guy is a liberal and dangerous...I pick it up and read it again...
Here's some quotes, processes and questions (pages are from the 1990 Multonomah version):
p.11 First off, if you can read the word before without feeling conviction, put the book down, go pray for a few years and then come back. Or as Jesus says (p.19) "Go and learn the meaning of the words, 'It is mercy I desire and not sacrifice. I have come not to call the self-righteous but sinners.' "
p.22 "Aristotle said I am a rational animal; I say I am an angel with an incredible capacity for beer."
This is the quote that caused me to put the book down in judgement so many years ago. I have moved forward and am more able to accept others' faults now. Where have you been? Where do I need to move next?
p.25 quoting Paul Tillich "Simply accept the fact that you are accepted."
p.32...go read Job 26:7, then tell God what you think. See if you aren't changed.
p.42 "When the religious views of others interpose between us and the primary experience of Jesus as the Christ, we become unconvicted and unpersuasive travel agents handing out brochures to places we have never visited."
p.53 "For the disciple of Jesus 'becoming like a little child' means the willingness to accept oneself as being of little acocunt and to be regarded as unimportant."
Are you important? Really? Are you answering from your dreams or from your reality/actions?
p.72 "The trouble with our ideals is that if we live up to all of them, we become impossible to live with."
p.74 "The tendency in legalistic religion is to mistrust God, to mistrust others, and consequently to mistrust ourselves...Do you really believe that God is love?"
p.85 "When a man or woman is truly honest (not just working at it), it is virtually impossible to insult them personally. There is nothing there to insult...people who had nothing to be proud of."
p.134 quoting Jean Danielou, " 'Truth consists in the mind giving to things the importance they have in reality.' The really Real is God."
and finally to end with...
p.29 "My friends, if this is not good news to you, you have never understood the gospel of grace."
Great stuff - go at it.
Today, I much appreciate the Ragamuffin Gospel's availability and vulnerability to me. And when I hear people say that they heard that guy is a liberal and dangerous...I pick it up and read it again...
Here's some quotes, processes and questions (pages are from the 1990 Multonomah version):
p.11 First off, if you can read the word before without feeling conviction, put the book down, go pray for a few years and then come back. Or as Jesus says (p.19) "Go and learn the meaning of the words, 'It is mercy I desire and not sacrifice. I have come not to call the self-righteous but sinners.' "
p.22 "Aristotle said I am a rational animal; I say I am an angel with an incredible capacity for beer."
This is the quote that caused me to put the book down in judgement so many years ago. I have moved forward and am more able to accept others' faults now. Where have you been? Where do I need to move next?
p.25 quoting Paul Tillich "Simply accept the fact that you are accepted."
p.32...go read Job 26:7, then tell God what you think. See if you aren't changed.
p.42 "When the religious views of others interpose between us and the primary experience of Jesus as the Christ, we become unconvicted and unpersuasive travel agents handing out brochures to places we have never visited."
p.53 "For the disciple of Jesus 'becoming like a little child' means the willingness to accept oneself as being of little acocunt and to be regarded as unimportant."
Are you important? Really? Are you answering from your dreams or from your reality/actions?
p.72 "The trouble with our ideals is that if we live up to all of them, we become impossible to live with."
p.74 "The tendency in legalistic religion is to mistrust God, to mistrust others, and consequently to mistrust ourselves...Do you really believe that God is love?"
p.85 "When a man or woman is truly honest (not just working at it), it is virtually impossible to insult them personally. There is nothing there to insult...people who had nothing to be proud of."
p.134 quoting Jean Danielou, " 'Truth consists in the mind giving to things the importance they have in reality.' The really Real is God."
and finally to end with...
p.29 "My friends, if this is not good news to you, you have never understood the gospel of grace."
Great stuff - go at it.
Monday, July 24, 2006
Annual Conference
Some pastors are good at meetings. Some pastors are good at reading during meetings. Guess which category I fit into. I'm up at our annual conference, a meeting of all the pastors and lay leaders from all our churches in Washington and Oregon. Lots and lots of talking, most of it is important, but it is all run by rob's rules of order and that fails to crank me up. There is also a lot of talk about new things that churches are doing, not unlike what our church is doing with the new congregation idea that is bouncing around.
My son and I are in the hotel right now having a quick conversation about saying, Oh my God, and why that is wrong and why oh my Jesus is too and so is oh my Mary. And then Heather tells me that LJ doesn't even know what venerate Mary means. So, I've got to go, aparently my son needs some more theological training.
My son and I are in the hotel right now having a quick conversation about saying, Oh my God, and why that is wrong and why oh my Jesus is too and so is oh my Mary. And then Heather tells me that LJ doesn't even know what venerate Mary means. So, I've got to go, aparently my son needs some more theological training.
GO HOLINESS!
Thursday, July 20, 2006
PESM
Today I sent in my application for Pacific Evangelical School of Ministry. It's a Masters of Ministry program to further my education. While it's not the kind of masters that I can get a doctorate off of, I can transfer to George Fox and get a Masters of Theology and never have to worry about an Masters of Divinity (nothing against them, I'd just prefer a M.Th. to a M.Div.).
It's a three year program, after which I can answer a doctirnal statment to my board of ministry and become fully ordained. I will do this because I honestly believe in our denomination, it's leadership, theology and (most of it's) structural systems. I don't believe, however, in the baby-blue background on our deonminational home-page...it's kind of calming, yet I am suspicious of that blue...
Plus, we have a history of unity instead of division and I think that's a beautiful thing.
It's a three year program, after which I can answer a doctirnal statment to my board of ministry and become fully ordained. I will do this because I honestly believe in our denomination, it's leadership, theology and (most of it's) structural systems. I don't believe, however, in the baby-blue background on our deonminational home-page...it's kind of calming, yet I am suspicious of that blue...
Plus, we have a history of unity instead of division and I think that's a beautiful thing.
Friday, July 14, 2006
131
this is the number of emails in my inbox. This afternoon I will get this lower. If I don't get to yours today, much apologies.
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
Emerging Frustration
One of the things I don't like about the emerging scene is the way it celebritizes some and the minions follow their interests. The agenda of the mass of emergence seems to be played according to the desires of the celebrities.
What I mean is, we wonder what Rob Bell is reading and then we read that so that we can be like him.
I totally respect all sorts of the leaders of emergence - and some I think are nut-o's so I like them even more...but I think the emerging community betrays it's lack of emergence when it merely copies the vision and desires of celebrity emergers.
So, hear it here first: I will not be swayed from being the best James Carmichael possible. I will not grow my hair longer because of the last nooma. I will not wear a faux-hawk because of the Axis leader (and they were cool in for English soccer hooligans 10 years ago, which is when I wore one...silly Americans, try to keep up!), I will not say there are mulitiple ways to heaven and make Jesus Christ a mere prophet so that I am edgy like some in Seattle. I will not swear to try and pretend to be relevant, for that matter, I will not worship at the altar of relevance. I will not name drop. I will not. I will not. I will not.
But, I will go out for lunch today and develop future leaders. I will live missionally and holisticly. I will raise my kids with a knowledge of the Scripture and a relationship to the Triune God. I will push. I will change myself and change the church in accordance with the historical nature of our faith to meet the culture with the good news of Jesus. I will be a heretic if that is what they want to call it. I will see the kingdom of God and move in those waves of light. I will. I will. I will.
What I mean is, we wonder what Rob Bell is reading and then we read that so that we can be like him.
When the whole point is to be us where we are!Or, we get interested in quantum physics (Pagitt), or have a theology pub (many), or listen to rockabily music (Kimball) or wear hats (A. Jones) or understand Moltman in a single cursory reading (T. Jones).
I totally respect all sorts of the leaders of emergence - and some I think are nut-o's so I like them even more...but I think the emerging community betrays it's lack of emergence when it merely copies the vision and desires of celebrity emergers.
So, hear it here first: I will not be swayed from being the best James Carmichael possible. I will not grow my hair longer because of the last nooma. I will not wear a faux-hawk because of the Axis leader (and they were cool in for English soccer hooligans 10 years ago, which is when I wore one...silly Americans, try to keep up!), I will not say there are mulitiple ways to heaven and make Jesus Christ a mere prophet so that I am edgy like some in Seattle. I will not swear to try and pretend to be relevant, for that matter, I will not worship at the altar of relevance. I will not name drop. I will not. I will not. I will not.
But, I will go out for lunch today and develop future leaders. I will live missionally and holisticly. I will raise my kids with a knowledge of the Scripture and a relationship to the Triune God. I will push. I will change myself and change the church in accordance with the historical nature of our faith to meet the culture with the good news of Jesus. I will be a heretic if that is what they want to call it. I will see the kingdom of God and move in those waves of light. I will. I will. I will.
Tim Conder, The Church in Transition
This fab book is written by Tim Conder, who is a pastor of the Emmaus Way church in Chapel Hill, where my friend Michelle goes.. This church is a congregation of a larger church, Chapel Hill Bible Chruch. This is fascinating to me because they are doing some of the very things that God is calling us towards. The most major difference seems to be leadership structures. Chapel Hill Bible Chruch is non-denominational, so it has a a more fluid, co-pastorship, leadership structure. The structure of leadership within our denomination will not lend itself as easily to what we are endeavoring to do. However, as I read from Tom Hurt recently, 'God has not cancelled the Great Commission' - we cannot afford to not follow the leadings of the Spirit of God!
The book is a bit about what it takes to transition in all forms, from worship to leadership to mission to whatever. It's more than some candles and U2 - and this book details that kind of thing.
Here are some interesting quotes, notes and questions:
p.8 "I believe we are living in an era when the church must open itself to change if it would fulfill its calling."
p.16 - excellent notes on defining postmodernism and its tennents of finititude and suspicion.
p.21 "Perhaps most of all, the emerging church is a missional church."
p.25 "Like many of Christ's followers, I have many frustrations with the existing church...certain late night religious broadcasts...the U.S. presidential election of 2004...cultural anachronisms...thus diminishing the voice of the church in a constantly changing world."
p.37 excellent notes on the postmodern worldview having a disbelief in - goodness of knowledge - certainty and rational nature of truth - objectivity of knowledge.
p.45 referring to C.S. Lewis (the apparent O.G. of emergence) "[the Christian faith] is entry into a relationship in which we are joined mysteriously by God's spirit into the 'three-personed,' triune community life of God."
p.99 refering to a Paggit statement, "Wouldn't the world be better off if you spent two hours working on the sermon and the rest of the week feeding the hungry in your community?"
p.114 " Awareness of the depth of our sinfulness can stregthen our connection to those around us and eradicate the self-righteousness, entitlements, and fears that prevent relational hospitality."
go ahead and get this book - I got it free at the NPC, but you should pay!
The book is a bit about what it takes to transition in all forms, from worship to leadership to mission to whatever. It's more than some candles and U2 - and this book details that kind of thing.
Here are some interesting quotes, notes and questions:
p.8 "I believe we are living in an era when the church must open itself to change if it would fulfill its calling."
p.16 - excellent notes on defining postmodernism and its tennents of finititude and suspicion.
p.21 "Perhaps most of all, the emerging church is a missional church."
p.25 "Like many of Christ's followers, I have many frustrations with the existing church...certain late night religious broadcasts...the U.S. presidential election of 2004...cultural anachronisms...thus diminishing the voice of the church in a constantly changing world."
p.37 excellent notes on the postmodern worldview having a disbelief in - goodness of knowledge - certainty and rational nature of truth - objectivity of knowledge.
p.45 referring to C.S. Lewis (the apparent O.G. of emergence) "[the Christian faith] is entry into a relationship in which we are joined mysteriously by God's spirit into the 'three-personed,' triune community life of God."
p.99 refering to a Paggit statement, "Wouldn't the world be better off if you spent two hours working on the sermon and the rest of the week feeding the hungry in your community?"
p.114 " Awareness of the depth of our sinfulness can stregthen our connection to those around us and eradicate the self-righteousness, entitlements, and fears that prevent relational hospitality."
go ahead and get this book - I got it free at the NPC, but you should pay!
RE-Connect
Here's a big long post with lots of stuff:
OLD PEOPLE: I have a growing fascination with old people. I think the most major social transition period in the west is adolescence. The second most major is retirement. I am finding that old people are just like teens only slower. There's the same sub-groups: not goths and skaters, but singers and weirdos and populars and rebels and hypers. So, perhaps a better transition for aging youth pastors is to seniors ministry, not senior pastor? I think this might help, because not all old people are cranky - and some of the crankies need a bold youth pastor to call them out and ask them why they are cranky...just like a teenager...
LAX06: We took 18 kids and 9 leaders (7 rookies!) to Pasedena and Compton for 9 days of being in the music of the kingdom of God. We worked and worked and prayed and were among people who live in the most dangerous areas of our country. It was really amazing to see the way that God worked...you can listen to the sermon here: LA Sermon - it'll only be up for a few weeks, so check it now.
BUSH: if you haven't seen bush singing U2's sunday bloody sunday - google it and you will see.
GETTING LOST: try it. I've done it a few times in the last few months - it's good for you.
OLD PEOPLE: I have a growing fascination with old people. I think the most major social transition period in the west is adolescence. The second most major is retirement. I am finding that old people are just like teens only slower. There's the same sub-groups: not goths and skaters, but singers and weirdos and populars and rebels and hypers. So, perhaps a better transition for aging youth pastors is to seniors ministry, not senior pastor? I think this might help, because not all old people are cranky - and some of the crankies need a bold youth pastor to call them out and ask them why they are cranky...just like a teenager...
LAX06: We took 18 kids and 9 leaders (7 rookies!) to Pasedena and Compton for 9 days of being in the music of the kingdom of God. We worked and worked and prayed and were among people who live in the most dangerous areas of our country. It was really amazing to see the way that God worked...you can listen to the sermon here: LA Sermon - it'll only be up for a few weeks, so check it now.
BUSH: if you haven't seen bush singing U2's sunday bloody sunday - google it and you will see.
GETTING LOST: try it. I've done it a few times in the last few months - it's good for you.
Wednesday, July 05, 2006
Saddle
Trying to get back in, with 6 books to blog on my 50 books in 2006 tour. I want to talk about old people. About the LA missions adventure. About getting lost. Bush singing. Lots of stuff.
Warning!!:
I am going to edit out the blog roll on the right, I have some peeps who don't post and I'm going to eliminate a few dead links. Don't be surprised.
Seacrest Out.
Warning!!:
I am going to edit out the blog roll on the right, I have some peeps who don't post and I'm going to eliminate a few dead links. Don't be surprised.
Seacrest Out.
Friday, June 16, 2006
Pat Freaking Robertson is a saint
...these people are devilish. You've got to love the little question by Hannity at the end of this...I won't give it away, just watch.
baptist hate group on hannity and colmes
Cranked.
ht: Driscoll
baptist hate group on hannity and colmes
Cranked.
ht: Driscoll
Friday, June 09, 2006
Lj - emerging theologian 3
So last night LJ and I were doing our evening prayers, complin, if you will. We ususally say the shema, the same prayer and have a 4 sentence conversation about our commitments to each other. Recently, however, we have added Psalm 115:1-3 to his memorization. Here's a little tidbit from last night:
LJ:Why do the nations ask, where is their
Jesus...God?..Jesus..our...uhhh...He is in heaven, he does whatever he
pleases.
Me: great job, let's pray.
Lj: I said Jesus, not God, oops.
Me: That's ok - they're sort of the same.
LJ:...(puzzled look)...
Me: Well God is like the Father and Jesus is like the Son (using the
word like to try explain the intricacies of explaining unexplainable truths
about God using the English language)
Lj: Like me and you!
Me: ...(hesitating...considering the implications of my son comparing
himself to Jesus and me to God - what's good and what's bad about it)
Lj: Who's the mommy?
Me: ...(considering my options: 1. say God, let my child in on the
majesty of God's motherly loved that is expressed inthe Scritpures; 2. say
the Holy Spirit and get into a conversation about the Trinity and later have to
explain that the Holy Spirit is probably not a boy or a girl; 3. Say Mary
and let my son revere her)...(my answer...) Mary, the virgin Mary,
she is Jesus' mom.
Lj: ok, let's pray
Wednesday, June 07, 2006
Spiritual Leadership, J. Oswald Sanders
This book was one of my assigned books read by our staff and discussed in staff meetings. This one actually worked better than most - it didn't turn into a karioke evaluation after the middle trying chapters that are found in most books.
i am trying to process this one, though. I am living in a context where Rob Bell tells me, Everything is Spiritual, yet, if there is a such thing as spiritual leadership, then it follows that there is a such thing as unspiritual leadership. So how can I say everything is spiritual, when apparently it is not? Then, (using Bell's logic of everything being spiritual because there is no Hebrew word for spiritual - thus everything is spiritual) possibly, can it not be true that nothing is spiritual? I can't believe that, though, because then God would be a liar. As a point of note, apparently Bell has merely borrowed a phrase that Schaffaer used before him, and explained a little more cartesianly.
Anyways, I am beginning to sound like a Nate rant when he has overdosed on Lewis...lol.
So, I am living in this tension of everything being spiritual but assuredly old-school (read: reductionism) Sanders says, apparently, that it isn't. I have a hypothesis - maybe everything is spiritual, but sin rips the spiritual out of things. And then, the regeneration/renewal/salvation of all things that Jesus is doing could be described as working the spiritual back into all things.
So here's some quotes contributing to the tension:
> p.18 "True leaders must be willing to suffer for thee sake of objectives great enough to demand their wholehearted obedience."
> p.28 "A true leader influences others spiritually only because the Spirit works in and through him to a greater degree than in those he leads."
So, then, why? Doesn't this mean a pastor cannot spiritually lead those who are more spiritual? Isn't there a problem in this somewhere when we have 26 year olds graduating seminary and pastoring people who have been following God for fifty years?
> p.32 "Spiritual goals can be achieved only by spiritual people who use spiritual methods."
>p.53 on young leadership, "...pray while others daydream..."
>p.75 "Any position of leadership involves a considerable amount of correspondence, and letters are self-revealing"
I ripped on this section in a staff meeting - it's all about how writing letters is so important. Hello?? email!! Anyways...
>p.85 "The spiritual leader should outpace the rest of the church, above all, in prayer."
>p.87 "Jesus performed miracles without a sign of outward strain, by 'he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears" (quoting Hebrews 5:7)
p.157 "Many influential Christians have fallen before this temptation [indispensability]. It seems that Christians are especially prone to it. They cling to authority long after it should have passed to younger people."
I think this is going to be a trying point for much of the modern/baby boomer leadership in existence today. Even more so because of a lack of understanding and suspicion that leads to a dismissal of postmodernity.
Good stuff. I wouldn't have read this book if I hadn't been told to, but if I only ever did what I wanted I would only grow in some areas. This book helped to balance me and see through some biases that I had been reading in other texts.
i am trying to process this one, though. I am living in a context where Rob Bell tells me, Everything is Spiritual, yet, if there is a such thing as spiritual leadership, then it follows that there is a such thing as unspiritual leadership. So how can I say everything is spiritual, when apparently it is not? Then, (using Bell's logic of everything being spiritual because there is no Hebrew word for spiritual - thus everything is spiritual) possibly, can it not be true that nothing is spiritual? I can't believe that, though, because then God would be a liar. As a point of note, apparently Bell has merely borrowed a phrase that Schaffaer used before him, and explained a little more cartesianly.
Anyways, I am beginning to sound like a Nate rant when he has overdosed on Lewis...lol.
So, I am living in this tension of everything being spiritual but assuredly old-school (read: reductionism) Sanders says, apparently, that it isn't. I have a hypothesis - maybe everything is spiritual, but sin rips the spiritual out of things. And then, the regeneration/renewal/salvation of all things that Jesus is doing could be described as working the spiritual back into all things.
So here's some quotes contributing to the tension:
> p.18 "True leaders must be willing to suffer for thee sake of objectives great enough to demand their wholehearted obedience."
> p.28 "A true leader influences others spiritually only because the Spirit works in and through him to a greater degree than in those he leads."
So, then, why? Doesn't this mean a pastor cannot spiritually lead those who are more spiritual? Isn't there a problem in this somewhere when we have 26 year olds graduating seminary and pastoring people who have been following God for fifty years?
> p.32 "Spiritual goals can be achieved only by spiritual people who use spiritual methods."
>p.53 on young leadership, "...pray while others daydream..."
>p.75 "Any position of leadership involves a considerable amount of correspondence, and letters are self-revealing"
I ripped on this section in a staff meeting - it's all about how writing letters is so important. Hello?? email!! Anyways...
>p.85 "The spiritual leader should outpace the rest of the church, above all, in prayer."
>p.87 "Jesus performed miracles without a sign of outward strain, by 'he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears" (quoting Hebrews 5:7)
p.157 "Many influential Christians have fallen before this temptation [indispensability]. It seems that Christians are especially prone to it. They cling to authority long after it should have passed to younger people."
I think this is going to be a trying point for much of the modern/baby boomer leadership in existence today. Even more so because of a lack of understanding and suspicion that leads to a dismissal of postmodernity.
Good stuff. I wouldn't have read this book if I hadn't been told to, but if I only ever did what I wanted I would only grow in some areas. This book helped to balance me and see through some biases that I had been reading in other texts.
shabbat
this is short because it got erased earlier today. I've taken the last couple days off and rested and used energy in non-ministry ways (the only people I looked to care about were sleeping in my house, taking my order, or playing center for the Miami heat).
I have also joined the world of downloading podcasts. I love it because I can have lots going on while I am working. Right now I just finished with some Miroslav Volf and am listening to Donald Miller read his new book.
I love this stuff.
Today I worked on our summer missions trip, happening in two weeks. Should have it finalized by tommorrow. Cool stuff, with God smiling on the whole effort. The giving spirit of the adults in our church is humiliating to me. They are so amazing.
Ok - lots of posts coming - I have a ton of books to upload.
I have also joined the world of downloading podcasts. I love it because I can have lots going on while I am working. Right now I just finished with some Miroslav Volf and am listening to Donald Miller read his new book.
I love this stuff.
Today I worked on our summer missions trip, happening in two weeks. Should have it finalized by tommorrow. Cool stuff, with God smiling on the whole effort. The giving spirit of the adults in our church is humiliating to me. They are so amazing.
Ok - lots of posts coming - I have a ton of books to upload.
Friday, May 19, 2006
C.S. Lewis, The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe
So this is one of the 50 books I want to read and blog on this year. It is a super easy read, probably one of the easiest for me this year. Given my son's addiciton to all things Narnia and his desire to change his name to Peter and become a SpiderMan Knight...I read this book.
The first part of my reflection is this: "People who have not been in Narnia sometimes think that a thing cannot be good and terrible at the same time." This is Lewis' version of paraorthodoxy. A lot of what Lewis describes in this book has to do with understandings of the kingdom of God. Obvious parallel's abound. Which brings me to today's rant:
The second part of my reflections is how easily the culture industry is having their way with the church. We will sell our souls to any loser who makes a movie that has anything to do with religion. It's as if we don't even notice that if you want to make an extra $100,000,000 for your movie you should market it through chruches. Give pastors free sermons that interact with it and the people will go out in unthinking droves. I am so scared of the implications of this that I can't even imagine how badly we need to think this through. I'm not against Narnia, or DaVinci Code or Passion of the Christ - I just think that we need to be a little more aware of how Hollywood is whoring out the body of Christ.
The first part of my reflection is this: "People who have not been in Narnia sometimes think that a thing cannot be good and terrible at the same time." This is Lewis' version of paraorthodoxy. A lot of what Lewis describes in this book has to do with understandings of the kingdom of God. Obvious parallel's abound. Which brings me to today's rant:
I am so sick hearing of people criticizing emerging churches and theologies by saying that they are not new - that they have been doing them since _______(fill in appropriately irrelevant period of time). This whole thing about Emergent is about recovering a gospel which is not so affected by modernism; it's not about just being NEW! So, it's a cultural process and just because you finger painted Jesus when you were in middle school, you are not somehow culturally hip and Emergent. In fact, culturally hip and Emergent are mutually exclusive - they are not the same. I think this is the basis for a lot of this criticism - people who are scared and feeling like if they are not emerging then they aren't cool and will become irrelevant. All that to say - you don't need to announce that you are emergent or that emergent is a fad or say anything abstract about postmodernism to try to undermine it. For me, I am a postmodern person who grew up in a postmodern environment - it's not a bunch of intellectual abstractions to me; it's family, it's relationships, it's Jesus. Just because I (or Emergent) am (is) intellectually wired that doesn't mean that my (Emergent's) relationship with God is intellectual. (breathe!)
The second part of my reflections is how easily the culture industry is having their way with the church. We will sell our souls to any loser who makes a movie that has anything to do with religion. It's as if we don't even notice that if you want to make an extra $100,000,000 for your movie you should market it through chruches. Give pastors free sermons that interact with it and the people will go out in unthinking droves. I am so scared of the implications of this that I can't even imagine how badly we need to think this through. I'm not against Narnia, or DaVinci Code or Passion of the Christ - I just think that we need to be a little more aware of how Hollywood is whoring out the body of Christ.
Monday, May 15, 2006
I'm in...
Ok - so I know that I will have to do pennance for my past sins - more to Sarah Uhden than to Jesus. But I have long been an opponent to the hype that is Pirates of the Gayribean...er...Caribean. And yes I know that's not spelt rite - in the future spelling will be an art not a science.
Anyways - I have decided that I will become a Pirates of the Caribean fan. I won't dress up or anything silly like that, but I will pay my 9 bucks to go see the movie. And pay for my wife also, I'm good that way. Anywyas - I've always loved J.Depp and now I will be a part of his massive clan of followers.
And know the answer to the question you are asking your computer screen...why? What has swayed you? Here's the answer in the form of a quotation of dialogue from the upcoming sequel:
This post has been edited...
Anyways - I have decided that I will become a Pirates of the Caribean fan. I won't dress up or anything silly like that, but I will pay my 9 bucks to go see the movie. And pay for my wife also, I'm good that way. Anywyas - I've always loved J.Depp and now I will be a part of his massive clan of followers.
And know the answer to the question you are asking your computer screen...why? What has swayed you? Here's the answer in the form of a quotation of dialogue from the upcoming sequel:
elizabeth: there will come a moment when you have a chance to do the right thing.
cap’n jack sparrow: i love those moments.
(pause)
cap’n jack: i like to wave at them as they pass by.
This post has been edited...
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
Mike King
Mike King runs a ministry in the middle of the country that I would take my kids to if I was in the middle of the country.
And his blog is killer. Talking about the DaVinci Code and sermon ideas, he recommends, "I'm Sorry that I have not taught the basics of orthodoxy and church history because I have been too busy teaching politics so it is no wonder you are bothered by something silly like the DaVinci Code."
Killer.
And his blog is killer. Talking about the DaVinci Code and sermon ideas, he recommends, "I'm Sorry that I have not taught the basics of orthodoxy and church history because I have been too busy teaching politics so it is no wonder you are bothered by something silly like the DaVinci Code."
Killer.
Tuesday, May 09, 2006
TidBits
Some random stuff that is affecting my reality...
>> The Canadian dollar has passed 90 cents which impacts the Candian economy in a negative way and has lined up the international oil trade with the Canadian dollar. The two have nothing to do with each other, but the international trade community seems to think so.
>> LJ is terrified of going numero duex - this morning he went and told Heather that his sides hurt - Heather told him that is his body telling him that he has to go to the bathroom - LJ said that it was his body telling him that mommy needed to hold him.
>> Chelsea is getting aggressive. Her career in mixed martial arts fighting is looking promising.
>> President bush finally called the Darfur crises a genocide. Finally...hopefully...
>> The Canadian dollar has passed 90 cents which impacts the Candian economy in a negative way and has lined up the international oil trade with the Canadian dollar. The two have nothing to do with each other, but the international trade community seems to think so.
>> LJ is terrified of going numero duex - this morning he went and told Heather that his sides hurt - Heather told him that is his body telling him that he has to go to the bathroom - LJ said that it was his body telling him that mommy needed to hold him.
>> Chelsea is getting aggressive. Her career in mixed martial arts fighting is looking promising.
>> President bush finally called the Darfur crises a genocide. Finally...hopefully...
Wednesday, May 03, 2006
Sale of YS
Every youth pastor in the nation with nothing better to do watched a little video yesterday letting us know that Youth Specialties has been sold. YS is a big supporter of my ministry - they supply me and resource me and everything in between to help me be me.
I love that they are selling and gaining more resources through Zondervan. Zondervan, of course, belongs to News Corp, so now maybe YS will become more supportive of W., like FoxNews is (please note I am as serious about this as I am about the Christian butt-jeans).
Anyways - the biggest reason that I love YS is for the way that they make me feel "normal" for having a calling to youth ministry. Through their conventions, books, emails, and encouragment that makes them more than a company, they have become a friend/organization that isn't shocked for the love that I have for teens in Albany.
I am a friend of Emergent, yes, but I am a really good friend of YS!
I love that they are selling and gaining more resources through Zondervan. Zondervan, of course, belongs to News Corp, so now maybe YS will become more supportive of W., like FoxNews is (please note I am as serious about this as I am about the Christian butt-jeans).
Anyways - the biggest reason that I love YS is for the way that they make me feel "normal" for having a calling to youth ministry. Through their conventions, books, emails, and encouragment that makes them more than a company, they have become a friend/organization that isn't shocked for the love that I have for teens in Albany.
I am a friend of Emergent, yes, but I am a really good friend of YS!
Wednesday, April 26, 2006
Our Medium Group
I kind of lead our small group. Except there is about 18 people in it, so I like to call it a medium group. But I can't do that too often because it makes it sound like a coven. We meet everyother Friday night and pay to have the kids taken care of. I really love the people in our group.
We are normal people, ex-anythings that are trying to learn to follow and become a community of Chrsitians who are committed to each other, Jesus and those not in our medium group. We want Albany to be better because we are becoming more like Jesus. We want to gather and yet be different so that we have diverse relationships.
We are all similar age and have kids, but that was an accident (not the kids, the formation of the mediums).
So last week we started watching The Jesus I Never Knew with Yancey. When we came back from the video (VHS, we had to watch it in another room) I sat on the floor (like the hippy I am) and the whole group set up in stadium seating on the couch and stools behind the couch. Since I am trying to help us create a group instead of a feeding trough I asked (told) them to move around to the side and make more of a circle. I asserted my leadership. I got a couple weird looks but they moved and we had one of our best groups ever. The conversation wasn't all through me, it actually moved around the room and there was direct interaction between people. I was very blessed.
I am thinking about this, though, becauseo reading Dan Kimball's reflections on pews and thinking through my own theological avariance to pews (it worked in a system that is now obsolete). And I am thinking about our small group last year, where I tried to not be the leader and just be communal. That sucked. The group was great, and I loved the people, but we went no where. Albany was not better because we met on Friday nights.
This year I have been asserting myself as an emerging leader. It feels weird, different, but I am, I think, more truly living out my calling as a pastor when I am leading people (youth, adults, seniors, whoever). Not way out in front, but just barely ahead and helping them to come see more of the Jesus-way (props to Sander's Spiritual Leadership).
Who would have thought all this up? What a blessing to partner with the Lord in what is coming soon and is already here...but has been forever.
J<><
We are normal people, ex-anythings that are trying to learn to follow and become a community of Chrsitians who are committed to each other, Jesus and those not in our medium group. We want Albany to be better because we are becoming more like Jesus. We want to gather and yet be different so that we have diverse relationships.
We are all similar age and have kids, but that was an accident (not the kids, the formation of the mediums).
So last week we started watching The Jesus I Never Knew with Yancey. When we came back from the video (VHS, we had to watch it in another room) I sat on the floor (like the hippy I am) and the whole group set up in stadium seating on the couch and stools behind the couch. Since I am trying to help us create a group instead of a feeding trough I asked (told) them to move around to the side and make more of a circle. I asserted my leadership. I got a couple weird looks but they moved and we had one of our best groups ever. The conversation wasn't all through me, it actually moved around the room and there was direct interaction between people. I was very blessed.
I am thinking about this, though, becauseo reading Dan Kimball's reflections on pews and thinking through my own theological avariance to pews (it worked in a system that is now obsolete). And I am thinking about our small group last year, where I tried to not be the leader and just be communal. That sucked. The group was great, and I loved the people, but we went no where. Albany was not better because we met on Friday nights.
This year I have been asserting myself as an emerging leader. It feels weird, different, but I am, I think, more truly living out my calling as a pastor when I am leading people (youth, adults, seniors, whoever). Not way out in front, but just barely ahead and helping them to come see more of the Jesus-way (props to Sander's Spiritual Leadership).
Who would have thought all this up? What a blessing to partner with the Lord in what is coming soon and is already here...but has been forever.
J<><
Sharks
Jaws came out when I was very young. I am afraid of sharks and because of that I hate them. I hate being afraid of anything. So I think I need to make it one of my life goals to touch a shark.
maybe a small one in captivity would be a good baby step...
SHAQ
This year I was nervous. I have to admit it. The HEAT just didn't seem to be getting it together. But - SHAQ IS BACK!!
scoring 49 points in two games on only 30 shots (let's see Kobe do that!) and shooting 73% from the line.
scoring 49 points in two games on only 30 shots (let's see Kobe do that!) and shooting 73% from the line.
Detroit who? Pistons? I might remember them...they used to be the favorites, right? Before SHAQ woke up?
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
Doug Pagitt, Preaching Reimagined
I read this book before going to the National Pastors Convention (which is a set of blog posts that I need to finish) where I was going to learn from Doug. I went to a early morning book club, but Doug talked for a long time and I didn't get a chance to ask my questions...that sucked and I was disappointed for getting up that early.
This book is a viewpoint that preaching goes more on the pastor side (as oppossed to the prophet side, ala Driscoll and Bell). It has some really interesting insights - if you are one who leads and addresses the whole congregation, it's very likely worth the read. Here's some stuff that I was drawn to:
>> Doug's style of preaching is (self-) called progressional dialogue. He calles traditional preaching, "spreaching". Saying that the church is the only place in culture where spreaching happens. I think comedians do it to though...but I don't know what the implications of that are for preachers...
>> p. 31 "We tell the story of the Spirit blowing where it will. Yet we resort to speaching in an effort to protect the story, to make it digestible and applicable. The gospel is simply too powerful for that kind of control."
>>p. 35 "I'm not suggesting we need a new kind of preaching to reach a target market. Rather we need a new kind of preaching because we need a new us."
And I (james) think the same can be said for forms of church!
So what is the role of apostolic leadership in the emergent church?
>>Chapter 11>>Implication vs. Application>>This chapter put to words much of my thinking on the application/implications that are presented at the end of Purpose Driven sermons..."Think about the ways in which the disciples responded whenever they listened to Jesus preach. They wondered what this call would mean for them. They talked to each other about what they'd heard. They asked Jesus questions about how his words were changing them. They were not asking questions of application, but of reorientation."
The gospel is not a prescription!
What does this look like in youth ministry?
>>p. 145 on pastor burn-out rates: "Something is tragically amiss when the life-giving gospel becomes hazardous to the lives of the people most engaged in it."
Divorce kills the Sabbath. Kids spend the week at one place and the weekend somewhere else....where do they rest if both parents are trying to get maximum relationship out of the kids?
This book is a viewpoint that preaching goes more on the pastor side (as oppossed to the prophet side, ala Driscoll and Bell). It has some really interesting insights - if you are one who leads and addresses the whole congregation, it's very likely worth the read. Here's some stuff that I was drawn to:
>> Doug's style of preaching is (self-) called progressional dialogue. He calles traditional preaching, "spreaching". Saying that the church is the only place in culture where spreaching happens. I think comedians do it to though...but I don't know what the implications of that are for preachers...
>> p. 31 "We tell the story of the Spirit blowing where it will. Yet we resort to speaching in an effort to protect the story, to make it digestible and applicable. The gospel is simply too powerful for that kind of control."
>>p. 35 "I'm not suggesting we need a new kind of preaching to reach a target market. Rather we need a new kind of preaching because we need a new us."
And I (james) think the same can be said for forms of church!
So what is the role of apostolic leadership in the emergent church?
>>Chapter 11>>Implication vs. Application>>This chapter put to words much of my thinking on the application/implications that are presented at the end of Purpose Driven sermons..."Think about the ways in which the disciples responded whenever they listened to Jesus preach. They wondered what this call would mean for them. They talked to each other about what they'd heard. They asked Jesus questions about how his words were changing them. They were not asking questions of application, but of reorientation."
The gospel is not a prescription!
What does this look like in youth ministry?
>>p. 145 on pastor burn-out rates: "Something is tragically amiss when the life-giving gospel becomes hazardous to the lives of the people most engaged in it."
Divorce kills the Sabbath. Kids spend the week at one place and the weekend somewhere else....where do they rest if both parents are trying to get maximum relationship out of the kids?
I think I like this book mostly because it helps me to go somewhere with my
thoughts. Pagitt doesn't tell me things as much as he gets me going in
directions that lead to really really awesome thoughts, feelings, changes
and expressions of Christianity in a postmodern world.
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
We've gone too far...
We should, in the America that is marketed Christianity, take notice when the Christianity we are marketed may have gone too far. This, I believe, is too far.
But it is so dang* funny!!
(*that dang was especially for Cassie...)
But it is so dang* funny!!
(*that dang was especially for Cassie...)
Friday, April 14, 2006
Recent Searches
Here's some recent searches that have ended up in the reorientation:
>> mtv overdirve (and yes, that's spelt wrong...)
>> "mark driscoll"
>> leron schults
>> "shed his blood with me today shall be my brother"
>> mtv overdirve (and yes, that's spelt wrong...)
>> "mark driscoll"
>> leron schults
>> "shed his blood with me today shall be my brother"
Wednesday, April 12, 2006
Prayer Rug
So I get this prayer rug in the mail, two or three times now and they say that if you mail it back, after using it, that you will be blessed a bunch. So I checked the appropriate boxes (asking for a blessing to cover all of our debt) and sent it in. Thing is, I used the name John E. Rocket. They sent me a book now! It's called the Seed Principle, and you can see where this is going. Apparently now I mail something else in, the little card on the back, and they rush me something else so that God can be my financial partner.
Th church website is here, and apparently they have been accused of being a scam trying to get people's money - I don't know how that could be!
This is even better than doing the publisher's sweepstakes!!
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
Driscoll, Confessions of a Reformission Rev.
After reading this book, I am going to buy Mark's other book, Radical Refomission. It's really, really super. I am going to go through my regualr drill of quotes, questions and thoughts, but you should know that I stayed up until 2 am on a Saturday reading this book, and then spent two hours praying really hard. Then slept for almost three hours and went to Sunday - ministering to/with people from 8 am to 10 pm with a 1 hour lunch and a 15 minute dinner - and I didn't feel all that tired...a little scatter brained, but most people don't notice that as unusual.
Anyways - here it is!!
>> I noticed right off that Mark sees himself as a missionary, and sees it as his job to know the culture and the things that are shaping that culture in order to help his church enter that culture effectively
>> In the introdution, question two had a great little checklist that can help be a diagnostic for some church leaders
>> p.22 "The emerging church is a growing, loosely connected movement of primarily young pastors who are glad to see the end of modernity and are seeking to function as missionaries who bring the gospel of Jesus Christ to emerging and postmodern cultures"
>>AMEN!! Are you glad to see the end of modernity?!
>>p.23 "Will you proclaim a gospel of forgiveness, fulfillment or freedom?"
>>p. 47 "Over the years, I have become increasingly troubled by the frequency with which young pastors simly dismiss the New Testament teaching on church leadership and discipline, so that f four guys are drinking beer in a pub, they can call it a church...[I say] that sometimes a whore wears the same perfume as a wife, and it's no different with the bride of Christ."
>>p.48 (on homosexuality in the church) "It seemed odd that a male greeter who had likely had sex with a man before church chastised me for wearing a hat in church because I was disrespecitng God."
>>p. 59/60 Mark gives an example of his fine counselling skills. Buy the book for these two pages alone!
>>p. 67 on marrying people, "knowing that their marriage is for the gospel as much as the gospel is for their marriage."
>>p. 71 "I can honestly say it was the gayest thing I have ever been a part of." (referring to a church painting party)
>>p. 77 in response to the desires of some to have collective sermon preparation...like Doug Pagitt's book, Preaching Reimaging, "My people needed to hear from God's Word and not from each other in collective ignorance like some dumb chat room."
>>p. 78 "I decided that being coo, having good music, understanding postmodern epistemology, and welcoming all kinds of strange people into the church is essentially worthless if at the bedrock of the church anything other than a rigorous Jesus-centered biblical theology guides the mission of the church."
>>p. 83 on his church changing meeting locations, "In the move, we lost some of our least-committed people, as I was hoping we would."
>>p. 103 "As I studied the Bible, I found more warrant for a church led by unicorns than by majority vote."
>>p.112 "As people completed the [membership] class, they were encouraged to either sign up as members or leave the church and go elsewhere."
>>p.113 on giving "So we started asking members for annual pledges, tracked their giving, and contacted them if their giving was significantly below their pledge."
And finally, why I love Driscoll...
p.182/3:
If you are a church leader, paid or not, buy this book. Make your mission the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Anyways - here it is!!
>> I noticed right off that Mark sees himself as a missionary, and sees it as his job to know the culture and the things that are shaping that culture in order to help his church enter that culture effectively
>> In the introdution, question two had a great little checklist that can help be a diagnostic for some church leaders
>> p.22 "The emerging church is a growing, loosely connected movement of primarily young pastors who are glad to see the end of modernity and are seeking to function as missionaries who bring the gospel of Jesus Christ to emerging and postmodern cultures"
>>AMEN!! Are you glad to see the end of modernity?!
>>p.23 "Will you proclaim a gospel of forgiveness, fulfillment or freedom?"
>>p. 47 "Over the years, I have become increasingly troubled by the frequency with which young pastors simly dismiss the New Testament teaching on church leadership and discipline, so that f four guys are drinking beer in a pub, they can call it a church...[I say] that sometimes a whore wears the same perfume as a wife, and it's no different with the bride of Christ."
>>p.48 (on homosexuality in the church) "It seemed odd that a male greeter who had likely had sex with a man before church chastised me for wearing a hat in church because I was disrespecitng God."
>>p. 59/60 Mark gives an example of his fine counselling skills. Buy the book for these two pages alone!
>>p. 67 on marrying people, "knowing that their marriage is for the gospel as much as the gospel is for their marriage."
>>p. 71 "I can honestly say it was the gayest thing I have ever been a part of." (referring to a church painting party)
>>p. 77 in response to the desires of some to have collective sermon preparation...like Doug Pagitt's book, Preaching Reimaging, "My people needed to hear from God's Word and not from each other in collective ignorance like some dumb chat room."
>>p. 78 "I decided that being coo, having good music, understanding postmodern epistemology, and welcoming all kinds of strange people into the church is essentially worthless if at the bedrock of the church anything other than a rigorous Jesus-centered biblical theology guides the mission of the church."
>>p. 83 on his church changing meeting locations, "In the move, we lost some of our least-committed people, as I was hoping we would."
>>p. 103 "As I studied the Bible, I found more warrant for a church led by unicorns than by majority vote."
>>p.112 "As people completed the [membership] class, they were encouraged to either sign up as members or leave the church and go elsewhere."
>>p.113 on giving "So we started asking members for annual pledges, tracked their giving, and contacted them if their giving was significantly below their pledge."
And finally, why I love Driscoll...
p.182/3:
When we started the church, I was full of pride, and by God's grace, I am now down to perhaps half a tank. I routinely critiqued the work of other men, particularly older men who had faithfully served Jesus be reaching modern and suburban types of people. It was typical young-buck-in-rutting-season folly.
But now that I've had a few years of ministry beatings, I am increasingly grateful for the Christian leaders whom Jesus is using even if they are considerably different from me.
If you are a church leader, paid or not, buy this book. Make your mission the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Monday, April 10, 2006
THAT IS IT!
This is my final opinion on Mark Driscoll....drumroll: I love the guy.
...pause...
Like he cares.
...pause...
I don't always agree with his statements, or with his apporaches, but I do agree with a huge stinking lot of what he is doing and how he is doing it. Why do I put this post up? basically because I have been wavering for three years with what to think about the pastor who I totally relate to, but is just so different than me at the same time. Finally, three things have cemented my thoughts:
1. He changes. His opinion on things 5 years ago is diferent than now. This gives me permission to be the same. So I can blog and not have to worry about it when my kids read it 3 years from now, because I am in process.
2. I just finished his new book. I am going to go through it on this blog. It has moved me.
3. The advertisements for the men's retreat at marshill seattle are posters with the picture of David carrying Goliath's head over his shoulder back home. That is what men's ministry should be about. The MEN in the Bible....
4. I know I only said three...but on Mark's blog today he put a whole post on Ulimate Fighting and had this line about why more men aren't in church:
Bring it.
...pause...
Like he cares.
...pause...
I don't always agree with his statements, or with his apporaches, but I do agree with a huge stinking lot of what he is doing and how he is doing it. Why do I put this post up? basically because I have been wavering for three years with what to think about the pastor who I totally relate to, but is just so different than me at the same time. Finally, three things have cemented my thoughts:
1. He changes. His opinion on things 5 years ago is diferent than now. This gives me permission to be the same. So I can blog and not have to worry about it when my kids read it 3 years from now, because I am in process.
2. I just finished his new book. I am going to go through it on this blog. It has moved me.
3. The advertisements for the men's retreat at marshill seattle are posters with the picture of David carrying Goliath's head over his shoulder back home. That is what men's ministry should be about. The MEN in the Bible....
4. I know I only said three...but on Mark's blog today he put a whole post on Ulimate Fighting and had this line about why more men aren't in church:
So, I’ll just say that while young men are watching tough men compete, the reason they don’t go to most churches is because they could take the pastor and can’t respect a guy in a lemon-yellow sweater, sipping decaf and talking about his feelings.
Bring it.
Friday, April 07, 2006
You have to read this...
I came accross this article today on Mike King's blog (see Sidebar). The main points are thus:
And the best line is:
You can read John Fischer's article here: The Separation of Church and Hate.
How has this unfortunate situation come about?
1) We have been more focused on sin than the sinner.
2) We have been more concerned with creating a safe society than with making a positive impact on culture.
3) We have bought into the notion that we could effect a change upon society through politics.
4) We have opted for morality over the gospel.
5) We have become the self-appointed last line of defense that God doesn’t need and never asked for.
And the best line is:
Who told us to become the Moral Majority? Why was that the most important thing? If we were listening to Jesus, why wouldn’t we have become the Merciful Minority, infiltrating the world with God’s love?
You can read John Fischer's article here: The Separation of Church and Hate.
Illness and Production
So the family is mostly sick. Lj is getting over it, Heather is in the middle of it and Khobi is about to get it. I went two nights with 2 hours sleep this past week. Really feeling stupid - which is awkward when people ask you something really simple and you can't figure out what's going on. It's probably my deconstructionist philosophy slowed down that is most frustrating. I kind focus on things in a holistic sense and answer the question at the same time!!
That being said, I have been productive lately:
>> I preached in church last week on the latter parts of Mark 12. Used the term revolution frequently and feared that people would dismiss it as "that young pastor"...so I prayed that I would never lose my belief and passion in the revolutionary ways of Jesus Christ. You can listen to the sermon online at our church website (it will only be there for 6 weeks - so get it while it's hot!). Also, I referred people to two websites within my spreaching, The Simple Way and the Jesus Creed. I also told people to google Gamaliel the Elder so that they could understand where Jesus was putting Himself in the theological context of His day...wondering if anyone did that....AND I gave an NT Wright article about the Historical Jesus and Christian Theology from his website. Can you tell I was trying to make the sermon more than a 20 minute speech? Check it out!
That being said, I have been productive lately:
>> I preached in church last week on the latter parts of Mark 12. Used the term revolution frequently and feared that people would dismiss it as "that young pastor"...so I prayed that I would never lose my belief and passion in the revolutionary ways of Jesus Christ. You can listen to the sermon online at our church website (it will only be there for 6 weeks - so get it while it's hot!). Also, I referred people to two websites within my spreaching, The Simple Way and the Jesus Creed. I also told people to google Gamaliel the Elder so that they could understand where Jesus was putting Himself in the theological context of His day...wondering if anyone did that....AND I gave an NT Wright article about the Historical Jesus and Christian Theology from his website. Can you tell I was trying to make the sermon more than a 20 minute speech? Check it out!
Sunday, March 26, 2006
lj - emerging theologian 2
Tonight, LJ is haveing a hard time falling back to sleep so we are looking for a picture of Jesus with a blue sash on the internet. We find one, but it's not exactly the one we are looking for. Then LJ explains his theology of salvation...
Thank the Lord LJ isn't a Calvinist...then he'd be really screwed up...kidding...mostly.
That Jesus is my savior...he's my favorite one...he's my savior. Blue Jesus is in my heart...walking around trying to find his friends. And his parents are going to come and pick him up.
Thank the Lord LJ isn't a Calvinist...then he'd be really screwed up...kidding...mostly.
Friday, March 24, 2006
NPC - CCC#4 - Leron Shults
It seems it is taking me quite a while to work through a lot of my thoughts that developed at the National Pastors Convention. That's good - dang good - because my church fronted dolla's (that's rap for a bunch of cash) to send us. So, of course, they hope it's somehow worth it.
The fourth presenter at the emerging critical concerns course was Leron Shults. I had never heard of him before, but he would be THE reason I would consider going to Bethel Seminary. He is really smart (his blog is here), but he helped me to further develop my beliefs about process salvationism (combined with what Campolo taught about Einsteinian physics...more on that much later) and he writes killer books. He's also just one more reason why I keep thinking it sure helps you to be emerging if you are Wesleyan...
From the titles of his books you who think I am a little too deep can see why I am going to be buying them when my book buying fast is over:
The Postfoundationalist Task of Theology
Reforming Theological Anthropology: After the Philosophical Turn to Relationality
The Faces of Forgiveness: Searching for Wholeness and Salvation
Reforming the Doctrine of God &
Transforming Spirituality: Integrating Theology and Psychology
So here's what I heard and learned and thought...
> His main point was to talk about Decentering the Renewal: the disturbing spirit in the emerging churches
>the emerging church must be driven by a centrifugal force (out of control)
>examples of Jerusalem against Antioch as major centers of the early church
>the natural response to loss of control is fear (my thoughts: is that what the Spirit of God does...instills the fear of God?)
>Acts 9:31 =
>the secret to church growth is the FEAR of the LORD (we should fear no other) and comfort...these two conditions lead to vulnerability.
>salvation: the reordering of a community because of the presence of the spirit of God. (my thoughts: not only does this help me explain process salvationsism, but it is also a commentary of communal salvation...which I beleive in but don't totally understand, yet.)
> our theological categories must change because they are based on theories of understanding which are no longer contemporary.
> my notes: this is the massive underlying truth about the emerging movement - the old ways of knowing are leaving because the things that people believed were true are simply not anymore. It's very similar to the times when they found that the world is not flat...only now we are finding that the universe is not infinite, just curved. Funny thing is...some church leaders think that this is a load of crap, a fad. I wonder if that's what they thought when they suppressed Galileo for saying the earth wasn't the center of the universe...
The fourth presenter at the emerging critical concerns course was Leron Shults. I had never heard of him before, but he would be THE reason I would consider going to Bethel Seminary. He is really smart (his blog is here), but he helped me to further develop my beliefs about process salvationism (combined with what Campolo taught about Einsteinian physics...more on that much later) and he writes killer books. He's also just one more reason why I keep thinking it sure helps you to be emerging if you are Wesleyan...
From the titles of his books you who think I am a little too deep can see why I am going to be buying them when my book buying fast is over:
The Postfoundationalist Task of Theology
Reforming Theological Anthropology: After the Philosophical Turn to Relationality
The Faces of Forgiveness: Searching for Wholeness and Salvation
Reforming the Doctrine of God &
Transforming Spirituality: Integrating Theology and Psychology
So here's what I heard and learned and thought...
> His main point was to talk about Decentering the Renewal: the disturbing spirit in the emerging churches
>the emerging church must be driven by a centrifugal force (out of control)
>examples of Jerusalem against Antioch as major centers of the early church
>the natural response to loss of control is fear (my thoughts: is that what the Spirit of God does...instills the fear of God?)
>Acts 9:31 =
>the secret to church growth is the FEAR of the LORD (we should fear no other) and comfort...these two conditions lead to vulnerability.
>salvation: the reordering of a community because of the presence of the spirit of God. (my thoughts: not only does this help me explain process salvationsism, but it is also a commentary of communal salvation...which I beleive in but don't totally understand, yet.)
Challenges from the panel...
> our theological categories must change because they are based on theories of understanding which are no longer contemporary.
> my notes: this is the massive underlying truth about the emerging movement - the old ways of knowing are leaving because the things that people believed were true are simply not anymore. It's very similar to the times when they found that the world is not flat...only now we are finding that the universe is not infinite, just curved. Funny thing is...some church leaders think that this is a load of crap, a fad. I wonder if that's what they thought when they suppressed Galileo for saying the earth wasn't the center of the universe...
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
Harambee this summer
Through a wildly God-ordained series of events, our high school group is following God's lead on a summer missions trip to Harambee Ministries in Pasedena, to serve God in the greater LA region.
It's so ffunny how, no matter how hard I seem to try, God gets His way and always has a GOOD way. So, is this a conincidence (LACY FOX!), nope, I don't think so. But I could be 90% wrong.
Either way, I think I might be more excited about this missions trip than the previous two (and I get pretty worked up about student missions) for a couple reasons:
1. We are not going in with YouthWorks. I love, absolutely love, YouthWorks, but we sensed God leading us to go it a little more on our own, so we are partnering with local organizations and just going in. This makes me nervous because I will really need to have a handle on things and I will need the best possible leaders.
2. We are going to LA, the furtherst this group has gone (since the South Tremont days...inside joke alert) since over a decade ago when they went to Mexico with Oregon City. This makes me nervous because of raising gas prices and long drives for my excellent leaders.
3. We get to meet and work with Rudy Carusco. I really love what he is about and the way he is engaging the emerging church in an urban setting, when so much of it seems to be happening to white suburbans...it's really a cool thing. This does not make me nervous.
So - all in all - this is really big....applications are due on Wednesday night.
It's so ffunny how, no matter how hard I seem to try, God gets His way and always has a GOOD way. So, is this a conincidence (LACY FOX!), nope, I don't think so. But I could be 90% wrong.
Either way, I think I might be more excited about this missions trip than the previous two (and I get pretty worked up about student missions) for a couple reasons:
1. We are not going in with YouthWorks. I love, absolutely love, YouthWorks, but we sensed God leading us to go it a little more on our own, so we are partnering with local organizations and just going in. This makes me nervous because I will really need to have a handle on things and I will need the best possible leaders.
2. We are going to LA, the furtherst this group has gone (since the South Tremont days...inside joke alert) since over a decade ago when they went to Mexico with Oregon City. This makes me nervous because of raising gas prices and long drives for my excellent leaders.
3. We get to meet and work with Rudy Carusco. I really love what he is about and the way he is engaging the emerging church in an urban setting, when so much of it seems to be happening to white suburbans...it's really a cool thing. This does not make me nervous.
So - all in all - this is really big....applications are due on Wednesday night.
Sunday, March 19, 2006
ONLINE!
Heather finally did it! - she went ahead and called the company and got us the internet at home. Much kudos to here for holding out so long, though.
Now, I'll be taking bets for a pool to see how long before she sets up a blog. I don't think it will be long - and then the world will see (or the two or three people who actually read this) how Heather can rant with the best of them.
Now, I'll be taking bets for a pool to see how long before she sets up a blog. I don't think it will be long - and then the world will see (or the two or three people who actually read this) how Heather can rant with the best of them.
Thursday, March 16, 2006
NPC - CCC#3
Doug Pagitt, an early leader in the emerging movement, presented third at the seminar. He opened with some nice remarks that I thought were humble, about how this isn't the "new cool thing" that should make all pastors feel guilty because they don't know what is going on. Also, Doug's presentation was the most informal and "anti-notes", he began with a video and explained how his feelings mirrored those expressed in the video. Here's some great stuff I gained from his time:
>> this whole thing has to be felt before it is thought
>> The culture and the gospel is inseparable - both for moderns and pomo's
>> we need to understand the reality of the world so that we can know the good news for it; this is a sublte difference from repackaging for relevance
>> Doug called himself a traditionalist...from the first century
>> He expressed a desire for a non-church-centric view of the kingdom of God (free from dogmatics and the "who's got the gospel" issues)
>> He also noted that the way that we form our beliefs is, in fact, a practice. This is where the real differences in modernism and postmodernity exist. Modernism neglects the fact that the medium of spiritual formation carries a large message - perhaps is the greater message.
Challenges from the panel...
>> a call was put out to a community who will form into a gathered worship group?
>> the relationship between Luke 4 (Jesus in Temple) and the beatitudes (Luke 6) was discussed
>> I thought that I cannot become a pastor who is just waiting for grandma to die so that we can have the keys to the car. And I know pastors my age who are like this - we need to go out and get our own car. And not PIMP it.
>> I thought of this also: I wonder how these relationships work and if I need to read some on this:
Covenant/Kingdom Relationships
Abraham (all people) --------> Moses (Jews)
Jesus (kingdom) --------> Paul (church)
Where is that chart going? Is there a relationship? Can we learn from the Old Testament tales of the Jews in order to make our churches a better representation of the original ingredients?
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
Free for All
I'm on a new keyboard today and it's rather noisy...yesterday I baptized my keyboard with a Frapachino that a student bought me. That was frustrating.
Tonight, at youth group, we are having a Free for All (much like everyother youth pastor who is enamored with Rob Bell...Aaron Swank is partly right about me...). We are going to focus the questions on relationship issues.
During some worship times, we are going to use some visuals and questions that I have downloaded from Dropping Knowledge. We'll use these and talk about the role of questions in our relationships, especially with Jesus.
It should be a great night.
Here's an example of what we'll use for our prayers:
Friday, March 10, 2006
NPC - CCC#2
Ryan Bolger, (on the left; Gibbs on the right) a professor at Fuller, has recently published a new book, with Eddie Gibbs, called Emerging Churches. It is a scholastic survey of emerging movements around the US and the world that gives some definition to the movement and shows some of the areas that the church is emerging. I haven't read it. Here's what he had to say at the conference, with a smattering of some of my own thoughts...
>> going to a church, in our culture, evokes the same emotions that going to a gay bar did in the culture of 1990.
>> we do not need to gather the disgruntled, we need missionaries
>> belief: a person shouldn't have to cross cultures to find God.
>> new: the church today is toxic to spirituality; it is a different culture...we desire an indigineous congregation.
>> "post" churches:
*must overcome dualisms
- a truncated theology of either/or moving to both/and
*must overcome linearity
- "God is in a book"
- we are not forming our culture the way that our
culture does...we use words, our culture uses pictures
*must overcome body/mind dualisms
- Christianity is not about believing right things while not living right things.
- increased desire for holism
*overcome homogenity- God is NOT about conformity and control
- we want diversity and shared practices while not having to share theology
- success vs. faithfulness in measurement and evaluation systems
*overcome individualism- "my" to "His"
*overcome "my needs getting met" (fed)
- we are not economically driven
*overcome spectatorship-consuming vs. producing: the benefit is in the participation
-clergyvs. laity; noting relationships between hierarchical and network systems.
>>also, ryan brought up not speaking into a culture for the first three years, instead learning that culture...
Challenges from the panel...
>> we are a consumer culture if we are not thinking theologically
>> We are not all disgruntled; many of us just want the freedom to go beyond
Thursday, March 09, 2006
MTV saved my life
For various reasons, MTV has saved my life. Most recently, it is the advent of the broadband online channel called MTV Overdrive. I have an insaitable desire for Coldplay songs right now, and Overdirve allows me to get all the music I want and save my allowance at the same time!!
God bless MTV!
ps. comments that blast me for praying for God's blessings on MTV are more than welcome. That is definitely a theological discussion that I want to have!
God bless MTV!
ps. comments that blast me for praying for God's blessings on MTV are more than welcome. That is definitely a theological discussion that I want to have!
Wednesday, March 08, 2006
NPC - CCC#1
National Pastors Convention - Critical Concerns Course #1
I attended 8 hours worth of a critical concerns course on the emerging movement as published by Zondervan (all the panel was Zondervan authors...sounds fishy...) called The Emerging Church: Theology and Practice, Multiple Perspectives on the Issues with Ryan Bolger, John Burke, Tony Jones, Dan Kimball, Scot McKnight, Doug Pagitt, LeRon Schults.
I am going to add a few of their blogs on the sidebar next time I work on that stuff. For now I will link to each of them and to the name, which takes you to the NPC site and gives bios on each presenter. They all took turns presenting for 30 minutes, then were commented/challenged by the others and then there was audience questions (which actually didn't happen nearly enough in my opinion). Tony JOnes was the MC and he made sure to note at the beginning the obviousness of Zondrevan's control of the voices and that the theological discussions will accompany the practical discussions.
Up first...and remember these are just my notes/thoughts/questions...they may or may not be based in your reality...
Dan Kimball
>> emerging from exploring methodology lead to exploring theology * and not being afraid to do so...
>> Judges 2:11 - emerging should never finish; now that I look that up, I'm not sure what that had to do with anything...
>> When we rethink ecclesiology we end up rethinking theology.
>> taking the "mental" out of fundamental...you can become comfrotable in being a fundamentalist without becoming a FUNDAMENTALIST!
>> we need correction, rediscovery, reevaluation and change - by approaching Scripture with each of certainty, humility and mystery...of which the former is emphasized for moderns and the latter for postmoderns - and both can never get enough of the middle one.
>> I had an interesting thought that the former attacks on missionaries for contextualizing the gospel (like Hudson Taylor dressing in asian clothing) are not being leveled at emerging. I wonder if that is because instead of us having to go to the mission field, the mission field has come to us...
>> there was a challenge to change the attitude owards fundamentals; not just assume fewer fundamentals...which seems to be a fair assesment of much that is emerging...
>> many people misunderstand the emerging because they think that their understanding is an absolute fundamental - which negates church history...which is so dang true...
>> I saw a pastor playing solitaire on his computer...I wondered if his church footed the bill for him to be at the this conference. Then I got angry at all senior pastors who are dismissing the emerging movement. Then I recommited myself to not lose my flame...I am a Christian and I will not become the kind of Christian they are....and they know who they are...don't worry, if you are reading this blog it is very likely you are not them...
>> Finally, I came to the conclusion that if we are going to go ahead with a church within a church model of reaching the emerging culture (and allowing us to follow Jesus in the way that He is calling us) then the key question will be:
I attended 8 hours worth of a critical concerns course on the emerging movement as published by Zondervan (all the panel was Zondervan authors...sounds fishy...) called The Emerging Church: Theology and Practice, Multiple Perspectives on the Issues with Ryan Bolger, John Burke, Tony Jones, Dan Kimball, Scot McKnight, Doug Pagitt, LeRon Schults.
I am going to add a few of their blogs on the sidebar next time I work on that stuff. For now I will link to each of them and to the name, which takes you to the NPC site and gives bios on each presenter. They all took turns presenting for 30 minutes, then were commented/challenged by the others and then there was audience questions (which actually didn't happen nearly enough in my opinion). Tony JOnes was the MC and he made sure to note at the beginning the obviousness of Zondrevan's control of the voices and that the theological discussions will accompany the practical discussions.
Up first...and remember these are just my notes/thoughts/questions...they may or may not be based in your reality...
Dan Kimball
>> emerging from exploring methodology lead to exploring theology * and not being afraid to do so...
>> Judges 2:11 - emerging should never finish; now that I look that up, I'm not sure what that had to do with anything...
>> When we rethink ecclesiology we end up rethinking theology.
methods >>> ecclesiology >>> theology
>> taking the "mental" out of fundamental...you can become comfrotable in being a fundamentalist without becoming a FUNDAMENTALIST!
>> we need correction, rediscovery, reevaluation and change - by approaching Scripture with each of certainty, humility and mystery...of which the former is emphasized for moderns and the latter for postmoderns - and both can never get enough of the middle one.
>> I had an interesting thought that the former attacks on missionaries for contextualizing the gospel (like Hudson Taylor dressing in asian clothing) are not being leveled at emerging. I wonder if that is because instead of us having to go to the mission field, the mission field has come to us...
Challenges from the panel...
>> there was a challenge to change the attitude owards fundamentals; not just assume fewer fundamentals...which seems to be a fair assesment of much that is emerging...
>> many people misunderstand the emerging because they think that their understanding is an absolute fundamental - which negates church history...which is so dang true...
>> I saw a pastor playing solitaire on his computer...I wondered if his church footed the bill for him to be at the this conference. Then I got angry at all senior pastors who are dismissing the emerging movement. Then I recommited myself to not lose my flame...I am a Christian and I will not become the kind of Christian they are....and they know who they are...don't worry, if you are reading this blog it is very likely you are not them...
>> Finally, I came to the conclusion that if we are going to go ahead with a church within a church model of reaching the emerging culture (and allowing us to follow Jesus in the way that He is calling us) then the key question will be:
Are we desperate enough to allow for theological diversity?
National Pastors Convention
SO...at the end of February I went to the national pastor's convention in San Diego. I am going to post a bunch of my notes, seminars and such, and thoughts from the various things - but as individual posts, so that converstaions can be made about them individually...so go ahead and comment on the things I write. But to start, here's a quick list of the highlights of the week for me...
*when the guy swore at me as we were landing in SD and then wanted to know what denomination I am in...
*tijuana and bartering, I'm still wondering if I should have stopped in at the dentist...
*hot tub...
*palm trees...
*beautiful hotel...
*watching John park...
*eating till I puked in my mouth...
*chocolate mocha macciatos...
*when the guy swore at me as we were landing in SD and then wanted to know what denomination I am in...
*tijuana and bartering, I'm still wondering if I should have stopped in at the dentist...
*hot tub...
*palm trees...
*beautiful hotel...
*watching John park...
*eating till I puked in my mouth...
*chocolate mocha macciatos...
Thursday, March 02, 2006
Ya Think!
I am just walking to get my coffee this morning and I wonder...how does it feel to muslims when we hold "crusades" and get all excited about them and gather together and all.
I bet it would feel the same as if an islamic organization was holding an event at the local arena and called it a jihad.
Dang. Looks like we might want to consider stopping using the word crusade.
I bet it would feel the same as if an islamic organization was holding an event at the local arena and called it a jihad.
Dang. Looks like we might want to consider stopping using the word crusade.
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