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:

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.

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.

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.

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?

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?

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:

1. 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.
2. 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?

Audio Future

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?

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.

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:

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.

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...

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?

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-

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

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:

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.

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):

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."

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;

"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...

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!

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.

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.

GO HOLINESS!