Driscoll, Driscool, Driscol

While I have no idea how to spell his name, Mark Driscoll has been stirring up quite a storm since he has decided to try his hand at blogging.

I have talked of my differences with Driscoll (my best guess at the spelling) on this blog before, he really took the cake when I listened to a sermon by him in which he said all methodism is plainly stupid. It takes a lot of something to dismantle a whole number of denominations, including my own, based on your own interpretations of Scripture. So now he has been blogging a bit and is throughly weird in the way he contexts each post with a meeting with a well known Christian. I don't even know what to think of that

Now, Mark has GONE OFF! on several people associated with the Emergent organization, especially Padgitt and McClaren. Both of these men I have disagreements with theologically, but from both of these men I have learned. But Driscoll has gotten rather out of hand and is being, in my judgment, unkind.

Cuss all you want Mark, but it doesn't make you any cooler to me. In the words of a recent PBS documentary on the punk music scene, "It's easy to say %$@*-(#&, but it's way harder to get up and do something." So, don't give me empty and sarcastic and ignorant words. It's a waste.

Nonetheless, I am adding a link to Driscoll on the right and adding a link to a anti-emergent (and anti-Rick Warren) site, because I think it's good to not walk around blindly.

Blue Like Jazz

I have just recently finished don Miller's book, Blue Like Jazz and am kicking myself for not reading it earlier. I got a signed copy "with love" and it is now a really treasured book to me. You can get your own signed copy if you buy it directly from his website, where you can also get the images from the book. And by images, I mean cartoons.

Like Phillip Yancey, I drink up the writing of Miller, as he is a writer who writes of theology. As opposed to other authors, who are theologians who theologize about writing. If that makes no sense, think of it this way, Miller's book is easy to read, but will challenge and convict you if you allow the Spirit to work in your heart through it.

Here are some quotes and questions that affected me:

p.2 "the chasm that separated me from God was as deep as wealth and as wide as fashion."

What's your chasm?

p. 15 "there was this blowhard preacher talking about how television rots your brain. He said that when we are watching television our minds are working no harder than when we are sleeping. I thought that sounded heavenly. I bought one that afternoon."

p. 20 "I AM THE PROBLEM."

p. 91 the interaction about worshipping the golden calf might be the best paragraph ever written.

p. 135 "So we started praying every week that God would teach us to live missoinal lives, to notice people who needed to be loved."

So Kimball says that we need to pray missionary prayers - do you have any idea what that sounds like?

Home and Native Land

So I learned last night flipping through watching Hardball on CNBC that Paul Martin had conceded the Canadian election to Stephen Harper. My first thought was, what a normal name for a leader - and my is he good looking! Easily the best looking Canadian leader since Sheila Copps and Pierre Trudeau. It's also heartwarming to see the NDP resurging. Nice in a "Yes to Nuclear Power" way, not in a "Shoot my .22 at the rockets over the prairies" way.

He's promising policy over pizzaz and is expected to improve international relationships (with the USAmericans especially) and bring the course of the country rightward, which, I think, is an improvement on the Liberal party's last 13 years. Not that I hope Canada becomes like Puerto Rico or Vigin Islands - I just hope they stop making ridiculous policy reforms that make Canada look like more of an experiment than a country.

Mostly, though, I hope for a better exchange rate: paying off my student loans is easier that way!!

Collegians

This is a special post for the sunday night college group!

Here's a link to the article that I want us all to read through:

Donald Miller, The Campus Confession Booth

Read it and we'll talk about it on Sunday night. Be sure to know that I don't want to go and set up a confession booth at Reed College or at LBCC or anywhere for that matter. Don't look at this as a programming option, rather, consider their creativity in ministering to their community - then ask:

What does it mean for us to minister creatively to our Albany? our world?

The eagle lands sunday night at 7:30, reading the last half of the chapter from the Velvet Elvis also.

New Links

I've found a plethora of new blogs and links that you want to check out:

Some of which will make the permanent blog roll on the side bar:

Here they are:

ABC News Report on Emerging Church Trend from Andrew Jones

Mark Driscoll blogs

Scott Plumley - whose blog is turning into a tribute to his wife...

McAnulty Adventures - a feally funny blog about living in a house full of men in tangent.

Rob Buhl - YP at north abany community
church
Enjoy!

Lj - emerging theologian

my son visits me today...

lj: what are you doing daddy?

me: looking at some films to help people learn to follow Jesus.

lj: oh

me: do you follow Jesus?

lj: yes!

me: what kind of a difference does that make in your life?

lj: My life is the blue one.

Christmas Eve

This is my attempt to debunk the rumors:

WE launched 208 super balls into the air during the 6 pm Christmas eve service. Way more than the rumored 100.

Just kidding, of course. but you can listen to my teaching on the giving joy this past Christmas by going to the South Albany Community Church website and listening in.

It will only be up for a few weeks, after that it is shuffled off - so check now!!

Listen here

You Don't Own ME!

I am a

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

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

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

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

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

Love

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

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

Love means choosing someone else, instead of yourself.

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

So a post has been deleted on the reorient.

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

Tony Jones

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

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

The Emergent Director/Coordinator will:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Winston

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

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

Go ahead - click it up!!

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

Winston Thurton

SACC is genius

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

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

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

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

Khobi

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

Check back soon for a rant on tithing.

Velvet Elvis

I have just finished reading Velvet Elvis by Rob Bell for the second time. The first time I devoured it in one night, but now I have grinded through it a little more so that it makes more sense.

I have bought 4 more copies and given them away. I can see McLaren's influence and clearly appreciate Bell's presentation of the Redemptive Movement Hermeneutic in a variety of context. There are moments and words that everyone should struggle with - which makes this book valuable for your oreintation.

Here's some quotes and questions:

p.21 "Jesus exposes us to reality at its rawest."

Can you be a follower of Jesus and not be real? Is fake the root of all sin?

p.28 "...brickianity..."

Are you on a journey or are you building a fortress?

p.33 quoting Sean Penn, "The mystery is the truth."

p.83 "Jesus is the arrangement. Jesus is the design. Jesus is the intelligence. For a Christian, Jesus' teachings aren't to be followed because they are a nice way to live a moral life. They are to be followed because they are the best possible insight into how the world really works. They teach us how things are."

How does Jesus' life on earth interact with the effect of sin on humanity?

p.85 "That is why it is impossible for a Christian to have a secular job. If you follow Jesus and you are doing what you do in his name, then it is no longer secular work; it's sacred. You are there; God is there. The difference is our awareness."

Are you moving slow enough to be aware? What are you missing in your speed? Are you addicted to speed and shallow? What are you scared of?

p.120 "I say the system has to be changed. It has to be destoryed and replaced not with another system but with an entirely new way of life."

p.165 "I am learning that the church is at its best when it gives itself away."

p.169 "The call of Jesus goes in the other direction. It's about making our live more difficult. It is going out of our way to be more generous and disciplined and loving and free. It is refusing to escape and become numb to and check out of this broken, fractured world."

Are you blessed?


You've got to read this book. Move.

A New Day

A new feature will be found in the reOrient!

As is my custom - I post a bunch of compelling quotes in order that you can see what I am thinking about.

Now: I am going to try to include some questions that ask what the next step is. I am sensing that in my interaction with the whole imergent thing (with an "i" on purpose) I am ready to start creating instead of just learning.

This is just a step in that direction.

May the progressions continue.

Milk Carton: My blog

So, I'm not posting as much as I should. It's a sign that I am getting a little overwhelmed.

Heather is having the baby any time in the new couple weeks, days, whatever.

We are planning 3 unique, yet interconnected Christmas Eve/Morning Services - a family service hosted by Scott and I - that's it - a contemplative 11'o'clocker - and a normal sunday service that I won't have to do much at.

We are moving toward planting a new congregation within our context.

My personal small group is bustling.

I am trying to recruit more leaders for Driven HS Ministry.

Oh yeah - and I'm drinking a lot of coffee.

Emerging?

We are at the point now where we are talking about creating a new congregation withing the context of South Albany Community Church. Just talking - but talking for real.

We are at the point where we have no desire to be "emergent". Rather, we want to be more than what we are. We want to find what is just past what we have right now. We want to see what happens when we let the restless evangelicals push the envelopes that they have been stuck in for so long.

Thing is - this is what makes us more emergent than ever before. It strikes me that, no matter if we start a new emerging service or not - I am what I am. The way I understand the gospel, the way I live in the way of Jesus, the context of my conversations, my approach to my understanding of all theology is different. And the modern church (read: my denomination) is not creating new categories other than fear of postmodernity.

So, we are trying to engage conversation with those who are like us - and in leadership positions - and there ain't many around Albany, Oregon. Many churches are sticking with status quo, but that just isn't what I want to tell Jesus I did with my life.

So we are looking outside of our town to help us engage the conversation - with the hope of finding a true (Albanian) expression of being a missional congregation. Right now we are answering a bunch of questions found in Kimball's book Emerging Worship. But we are purposely avoiding the chapters on ideas and common values in emerging churches. I know them. We know them. But the way that we have been trained tells us to model and to copy (pragmatism) - but we are refusing.

In that light - I read this quote last night and it really speaks to where we're at right now. It's an exciting time.

We need to recognize this and understand this. It is not dependent on people coming to our building and sitting in our meeting. After we think through the other building blocks, we can begin to design a worship gathering. To do this backwards is dangerous and will ultimately produce consumer-Christians who 'go to church' (a worship service), are not engaged in the mission, and don't see themselves as the church.
You may say, 'We know our mission isn't to start a worship service.' You need to probe and ask if you really do know that. What comes to your mind when you imagine 'success'? Is it a view of people all gathered in a worship service you have created? Or is it a view of a community of worshipers being missionaries in their world, being a part of community in smaller settings, and then coming together for a worshi pgathering? There is a huge difference between the two! Probably what comes to your mind and heart first is what you are building on.
-Dan Kimball, Emerging Worship, p.33/34

Death by Caffeine

It would take 146.02 cups of Brewed Coffee to put you down.

This just in from the death and coffee webpage - Death by Caffeine. This is funny, because part of my observation of Ramadan was to have no coffee. None. And I really, really like it. So, afterwards, when my lovely wife brought me a Dutch Bros. - it made my work day go by really fast.

Really, really fast.

Also - she found my glasses yesterday. So if I haven't seen you in a while I will now.

And - the final random note: Kelsey B. is the best.

Mad Props in the Reorient

I found this via bob.blog (now on typepad!) and ran it through on the reorient.

This is the reorient if Aaron Swank wrote it all.

reorient'n

Just a warning...there may be some cussing in there, I really don't know what half of it says. So, if there is, don't read it!

LAter-
James <><

Erwin McManus, The Barbarian Way

I just recently picked up this book and read it in two nights. Nothing like a hip small book with huge print and large margins. I really really reccommend this book. To everyone. It's not preachy or anything, and gives it real, talking about what I dream of the students in the Driven youth becoming and staying.

Oh God, may they not become domesticated.

Here's some tastebuds:

p.5 "Thje tribe of Jesus, above all people, should rightly carry the banner, 'Forward'."

p.15 "A barbarian invasion is taking place even right now. They are coming from the four corners of the the earth and they are numbered among the unlikely...those who are most religious will be most offended and indignant."

p.43 "For years I have made it my mission to destroy the influence of the Christian cliche 'The safest place to be is in the center of the will of God'"

p.45 "God would never choose for us safety at the cost of significance."

p.77 "You could put a suit on me, but underneath there would always be a savage."

There's lots of other stuff, ideas for new tattoos, really great understandings of Scripture, Nathaniel, Jephthah, and more.

Go. Now. But the book and read it. Trust me, the biggest books on my shelf are not the best. This book is more proof of that.