I was journaling and reflecting on this Scripture that gave me a lot of comfort today in my ministry. I thought I might pass it along to you as well in case it might encourage you. Love you guys and I am praying for you today... "But when God, who had set me apart even from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, was pleased to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach among the Gentiles" (Galatians 1:15-16)
Paul makes this passing statement in his letter that is full of mystery. I perk up at the statement because of its appeal to predestination, God’s plan, fate. I believe that God chose us to be saved. Yet what strikes me about this is the sense of purpose Paul seems to have by it. It is the “so that” that interests me. I think I always look to God’s sovereignty for salvation yet look at most of my life as my own control. But Paul takes a great sense of purpose from his own call to salvation. Not only did God call him to know his son and everything that comes with salvation, but he did it for a reason, so that Paul might preach to the Gentiles.I know God called me and take such great comfort in being chosen, but why did he call me? I seem to play my life out that I was given salvation and now I do ministry as a result and outpouring of the love I have. But is it actually that my ministry was as much in God’s plan as my salvation? It seems so.
"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them." (Ephesians 2:10)
This I a great comfort because I can put a lot of pressure on myself for ministry, like I need to not screw it up. But God has prepared the good works beforehand; I do not need to create them or stress out in finding them, but just to walk in them as the Spirit leads. Not that this would take a lazy attitude, but a comfort in God’s part in it all.
My “so that” right now is to pastor Flood. I was called to salvation through the grace of God so that I might pastor Flood. Realizing that somehow brings me comfort. I do not have to “perform” to prove I am worthy of the position. I do not have feel burdened under the stress of so many people. God knows what he is doing and I just need to be faithful and walk in what he has prepared. I hope I can have as much faith and confidence in God for my “so that” as I do for my salvation call. I hope I can lead those I minister to in finding their “so that.”
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Called
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Travis & Jyll
After a lot of prayer, Trav and Jyll discerned God was calling them to move to Rhode Island to begin building an alternative community that was fiercely devoted to personal evangelism and discipleship as well as the opportunity and responsibility of all who bear the name of Christ to work toward His kingdom justice for the oppressed and broken.
I could go on but Travis's recent email puts it best...
Our past month was pretty difficult. On top of stresses of a new baby and moving, we're living with the in-laws temporarily and are still not in Providence yet. We're in Worcester MA; so we feel like we're stuck in limbo until we get to Providence. We're praying for God's guidance about whether we should try to buy a condo or a a house, or if we should rent. We just need to get our own place and get fully settled so that we can start our mission in Providence. Its pretty hard from 30 minutes away. Please pray that we can get something and that God would really guide us intothe right situation. . . With all that, Jyll and I are doing well. We know we're being tested, and we're learning how God is our strength.
Two sundays ago we had a gathering at one of Jyll's cousin'shouses in Uxbridge Mass. This could be one of the communities we start. We had about 12 people there including Teagan. It went OK, there was the problem of a super preachy Christian who really made it somewhat annoying. I'm going to have to talk to her so people who aren't believers won't felt as uncomfortable. Please pray for that area and that I might have the opportunity to disciple some of these people to living missionally in their own towns.
Jyll and I are meeting with the pastor of Renaissance Church again in two weekends to have dinner. He is a great guy and really makes us feel like we're on the same team and trying to reach the same city. Jyll's big art show is also this friday and saturday and thesaturday after that. So please pray that we get to know some peopleand make some friends. We've had some great opportunities so far on Christmas Eve, New Years Eve and at a few events to get out and meet people and be involved in the city. So please pray for these artshows that they would generate more momentum for Jyll's art, and forour opportunities in the community.
The email snippet is just a glimpse into Travis and Jyll's life right now; but it's enough to challenge and encourage us all. They've left the familiar and are following God into the missional life He commanded in Scripture and demonstrated thru the person of Christ. Please pray for Travis and Jyll as they continue to go deeper into their call and this lifestyle.
You can visit their ministry blog HERE.
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Zack & Kelli
With no job prospects, Zack, Kelli, and their young kids picked up and bought a house in Arizona. They had been convicted by God that the professional ministry lifestyle they were doing so well at was outside of the kind of front-lines evangelism and discipleship Jesus modeled in His lifetime. Zack started a design company and they began making friends in the community. They launched into a variety of "common ground" opportunities where they could meet ordinary people living ordinary lives and encounter them as incarnational witnesses to Christ's person and message of hope and life.
Their community has several different faces and the dream continues to grow among them. As Zack, Kelli, their partners, and their friends press deeper into Christ, community, compassion, and creativity together, they are opening themselves to be shaped by God while becoming shapers of their world. They gather all the time and Christ's redemption message of repentance and growth frequently comes up. People are engaging in safe conversations about life in a context of loving community, and a number are beginning to follow Jesus for the first time.
Zack and Kelli readily admit they're all in process, but also eagerly confess that they're gaining ground in living the way of Jesus. They left everything to try to live just how Jesus lived; and people are being transformed because of it. They're pioneers with a big heart and an impassioned dream; and they're committed to follow Christ, every step of the way. Check their ministry site out HERE.
Summing It Up
First, I hear a lot of people expressing a desire to reconnect with the person and mission of Christ, with the reality of the Holy Spirit and the miraculous, with authentic community among believers and unbelievers, with the needy and broken of this world, with God's stewardship of our planet, with spheres of living that are integrated and in proximity vs. segregated and geographically separated. It's the desire to live a life that is whole and wholly cooperating with God's Master Plan for the universe. It's the desire to live a life that builds up and builds into rather than pulls apart or passes by. It's the desire to live a reconciled life, the life commissioned in 2 Corinthians 5:18 that sums up our spirituality. It is the desire for a Connected Life.
I also hear a lot of people identifying Enlightenment- and Modernity-based ecclesiologies as too self-serving and too self-reliant. They recognize that democracy and capitalism are poor models for Christian practice and that the word "church" has come to mean something God never intended it to in our modern vernacular. They see the trajectory of traditional and contemporary "church" practice as both resulting from a colossal derailing that must have taken root within just a few hundred years after Christ's ascension. These people recognize the path to truly building and becoming the body of Christ requires more than a return to medieval practice but rather a radical return to the Word of Scripture - interpreted not by academic theorists by the Incarnation of Jesus. They are participating in what appears to be a timely, grass-roots, Spirit-sparked Postmodern Reformation.
1) Connected Life
2) Postmodern Reformation
Does this sum up all that we are experiencing, talking about, and writing on these days?
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Saturday, January 27, 2007
"Postmodern Reformation"
Anyway, I toss it into the mix because while other really good terms like "missional", "incarnational", "revolution", "simple way", "symbol life", "neotribalism", and the rest are very helpful, they fail to embody the Western and even global cultural uprisings we're experiencing now with any real degree of historical specificity or Christian focus. In other words, we've had countless "revolutions" and "missional" movements throughout Christian, Hebrew, and secular history... which one are we talking about here? The word "postmodern" links what's going on to this specific moment in history while "reformation" indicates the Christian focus of our conversations and identification.
So there ya go. "Postmodern Reformation". Free of charge ...
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Friday, January 26, 2007
"American Idol" & Ancient Gladiators? Ouch!
In case some are thinking I'm taking this too seriously, lemme break it down. People usually don't behave in absurdly foolish and self-depracating ways out of an overflowing sense of self-confidence ...Duh. These are people who have been trained for years and years to feel like worthless, unlovable, born-to-lose, human garbage who must perform to earn their acceptability and significance, but will never be able to perform well enough. Their ridiculous behavior is simply an awkward caricature of their self-perception shaped by the devaluing, abusive, and critical treatment of those who should have loved, affirmed, and encouraged them. I'm talking parents, siblings, and other primary relationships.
They respond to this abuse by developing fantasies of grandeur in an attempt to alter their perceived reality and soothe the bleeding lashes that have flayed their heart so far open that normal daily interactions burn like acid. When the pain comes they run away (physically or emotionally) or lash out (how many times have we seen that on Idol ?) in a fight or flight response to something that's touched on a deep wound. They don't understand their brokenness; but they hate themselves for it. And their self-disdain is affirmed and deepened by the heartless judges' confirming words of devaluation on their physical appearance, clothing, weight, and other aspects of their person.
... And we watch them ... and we laugh ... because to us, they're simply characters on our television screen. Images living in hyper-reality that have no real feelings and are certainly not like us normal people. We're like the ancient Romans, gathering in mass to watch people suffer, bleed, and die at the hands of gladiators. We're becoming a cruel society. And many of us Christians are going with the flow of our culture, center-stream.
I'd like to encourage all of us (myself included) to weigh in the balance how we're training our own hearts through the kind of entertainment we program ourselves with. Next time American Idol comes on, make the choice to change the channel. Besides, Lost is on in a week, baby! Watch that, for cryin' out loud!
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Pete
As he prayed, hoping someone was listening, God met Pete right where he was at and began to stir his heart with something that felt like hope or purpose or maybe just spiritual "fresh air". Soon, Pete caught on fire with an overflowing sense of life and love and healing that flowed from heaven like a molten waterfall of red-hot passion. He quit looking to "Christians" for how to live and began looking to Jesus. Pete quicly went from arrogant, despairing, party-hound to smiling, focused, zealot who was living in the Way of Jesus.
A few years later, Pete joined a group of Christ-followers and headed to a Muslim country to bring his Jesus to a people group that God had pressed into his heart. He began learning the language, making friends with the locals, and simply talking to people about the love of Jesus. He didn't start a church service; he didn't build a building; and he doesn't have a budget to speak of. Pete and his friends just had Jesus and each other... and that was enough. In their first year there, Pete started a women's gym. It's turned into a place where Muslim women are discovering they are actually of great worth to God, their Creator, and that they have immense significance and purpose in this life through the Prophet Jesus, Whom they are beginning to realize is part of the Triune God. In addition to the gym, Pete hangs out a lot with devoted Islamic observers, engaging them in conversations that inevitably turn toward the personal, truth-championing, grace-giving Jesus Christ.
Pete's living the life. He's rejected the independent, self-reliant, consumeristic culture of the Western world and is following God, step by step, in the "ministry of reconciliation" Christ calls us into. It's resulted in transformation for Pete, a woman he'll soon call his wife, and a host of changed lives in his relational wake. God called; Pete responded; God blessed. That's the way it's worked for Pete; and that's the way it can work for us.
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Wednesday, January 24, 2007
The Missional Church & The Early Church (3)
The Church’s Purpose
What then was the purpose of the church? The church is the house of the living God, the place where God dwells. The church is where God’s people worship and glorify Him. The church is the house of prayer, the place where people bring God’s will and kingdom to the earth by their prayer and living faith. The church is where believers are built up and made to be disciples of Christ. Yet surprisingly, the church’s emphasis seems not to be on creating believers but building up believers. However, this doesn’t mean the church didn’t preach the gospel. Its purpose was also to reach the lost, and obviously it did. But as was mentioned, the believers went outside of the church to bring the gospel to the unbelievers and then added them to the church once they believed. If you want to catch fish, you go where the fish are.
Having said all this, does this mean that we should not preach the gospel in a church meeting? Actually, I believe such a question is an example of the problems some have had in returning to New Testament church practice. Some would say, “since we can’t find the preaching of the gospel in the early church meetings, then we shouldn’t have such a practice in our meetings today.” This is actually what the early Church of Christ denomination did in regard to musical instruments. Since they couldn’t find reference to musical instruments in the New Testament (although mentioned throughout the Old Testament), then they concluded there shouldn’t be musical instruments in church meetings today. But I believe that is a mistake. In our case, the issue isn’t whether or not the church practiced such a thing but what did they practice and why? And once we understand that, then we have greater clarity regarding what it means to be “New Testament.”
At the church’s beginning, virtually everyone who was in the church was a born again believer and there was no need to preach the gospel there. Not only so, in most cases the church met from house to house (there generally was not a central meeting place) and thus was somewhat decentralized. Formalized gospel meetings within the church to which unbelievers could be invited would have been less effective than simply going out to where the unbelievers were. And as was mentioned earlier, there might have been a great reluctance on the part of the unbelievers to visit a church gathering. Thus, the circumstances suggested that there was no need to preach the gospel in church gatherings. But our situation is much different today.
Firstly, there are many who attend church meetings but are not saved. In the case of grass roots, missional style congregations, it is more likely that the majority of their members will be genuine believers. But in most churches today, even evangelical assemblies, a large number of those attending are not regenerated believers. At least this is the view of many prominent church leaders. And there are distinct reasons for this (which we don’t have time to get into here). To such congregations, the preaching of the gospel certainly makes sense. But the gospel would need to be tailored to an audience who believes they are saved but are not and bringing them to a place that they can truly see their situation and their need for true repentance and salvation through the blood of Christ.
Also, there is less reluctance for unbelievers to attend church gatherings today. Thus, unbelievers could be invited to attend a church meeting in which it was determined in advance that the gospel would be presented. Or, in many cases, just the atmosphere of a church meeting might draw some to the gospel—assuming of course that the Holy Spirit is indeed present. This is why I don’t believe it makes sense to create a rule that says we shouldn’t have gospel meetings in the church since it doesn’t appear that they had them in the early church. The important thing is that we understand why the church did what she did so that we can properly make application to our present situation. Having said that, I do want to make it clear that though we can make such statements in light of church practice, this is not the case regarding doctrine. The truth is the truth and will not change over time. But church practice must be flexible to meet the present need of the culture being reached—but done so without adopting a secular world view in the process. This is, in part, what has resulted in churches today being filled with members who are not genuinely saved.
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
"Leaving the Church"
I'm looking forward to talking about all this when we get together, Jess! But since you asked, I'll give a bit of a summary here and now...
First, my wife and I are super-excited for the transition God's been leading us toward and clarifying during these past 8 months. Our growing convictions and application-move is tied to our obedience to His leadership. As we diligently seek Him individiually and in community, we trust that we're walking only as He leads and are more than willing to redirect in any way if He makes a different desire for us clear.
Also, as we follow God's leadership and rest in Christ amidst all this, we're happy to understand our transition not as "leaving the local church" but rather as rejoining it. I've come to understand a local church as a community of Christ-followers caught up together in a common Spirit (a universal reality), as well as a common geography, cultural identity, relational network, and mission. Our move to Arizona is actually a move into that reality and thus into the local church.
As I continue to study and observe, I'm actually growing inclined to suggest that it is the institutionally centralized eccelsiological method that has left the local church. The culture traditional-institutional models foster in the West are (in general) cultures of consumerism, limited or contrived community, passivity in personal disciple-making, & resistance to personal responsibility in spreading Christ's Kingdom justice to the oppressed. This culture bears striking resemblance to secular culture and stands in overwhelming contrast to Christ's Kingdom culture, which He demonstrated and taught while on earth.
We believe, as stewards of Christ's "ministry of reconciliation", we are called to abandon the disconnected lifestyle both authoritarian and democratic cultures produce and commit ourselves to following Christ into a connected lifestyle. By "connected" I mean reconciled... as in, reconciled to God (2 Cor 5:18), to the saints (despite ethnicity Eph 2:14), to our neighbors and ourselves (Mk 12:31), to the lost, to our mission (Gen 1:28; Mt 28:18-20) & to all of God's creation which He smiles on (e.g. environment, animals, ecological systems, etc.) (1 Cor 15:28).
It's about calling people to live in Christ's Kingdom culture, a biblically prescribed culture, an incarnational culture... a connected culture wherein people are fully surrendered to be led and empowered by His Spirit. It's a culture in which "normal" living is living that is actively, relationally connected to God's person and work in, through, & all around us. Traditional-institutional "church" methodology, while producing some praiseworthy results in many Kingdom categories, inherently limits the full reality of this culture. The troubling thing about it all is that many Western Christians are so inculturated in lifestyles of independence and consumerism that they don't even consciously know they're missing the majority of God's Spirit and Kingdom in their living experience.
So the question we ask isn't, "Why are we leaving the institutional method?" but rather, "Why would we hold onto it?" We still intend on gathering with the saints, corporate worship, the Sacraments, studying the Word, preaching an incarnational Gospel to the lost and relationally discipling the saved. We even still recognize the great need for better and more Christian institutions (especially local) with clearly defined missional identities (e.g. Compassion, Food for the Hungry, etc.). The notion of living in the footsteps and according the words of Christ and experiencing all of the life He offers to us on this side of glory while avoiding the obstacles we believe are inherent in the impersonal institutional entities that errantly call themselves "church", is a very attractive one we hope the whole body of Christ will be enraptured by.
A couple of starting books by traditionally popular authors that express more of the reasons behind my conclusions on Western and Western-Christian culture include The Connecting Church, by Frazee and Revolution, by Barna.
Saturday, January 20, 2007
The Missional Church & The Early Church (2)
Handling the Gospel
The first characteristic listed (previous post) for the “missional church” is the preaching of the gospel. The inclusion of the gospel as part of the Acts church experience would on the surface seem like a no-brainer. But the question is, in what way was the gospel carried out?
As John Lynch and I conversed on the missional church, the subject of the gospel came up several times. To John, the gospel should be realized by our reaching out to the world and meeting them where they are as opposed to inviting them to attend our meetings and presenting the gospel message to them there. That I heartily agree with. But as we talked, I found myself wondering what light the Scriptures might give regarding the gospel and its relationship to the church. So I decided to take a look. (I'm using “gospel” in the narrower sense as in the good news preached to sinners for repentance unto salvation.)
When we look at gospel preaching in the New Testament, it's hard to find it mentioned in the context of the church meeting. I went through the New Testament recently with this in mind and found that the preaching of the gospel was not really a function of the church per se, but rather of the individual members of the church. Of course, the church is made up of its members. But it did not appear to be a formalized function of the church. For instance, the New Testament clearly mentions the church gathering for prayer, for the Apostles’ fellowship, for the Lord's table,and for ministry among the saints in general. But it never mentions gathering for the preaching of the gospel. Rather, people would go out, either individually or in small groups, into the temple, synagogues, or market places and share the message of Christ with unbelievers.
There were also cases in which some were presented the gospel in response to an opportunity that arose. The healing of the lame man by Peter and John as they were going to the temple at the hour of prayer is an example of this. His healing created a lot of excitement and Peter took the opportunity to preach the gospel. In fact, I've found only two biblical passages where I thought one might deduce that the gospel was being preached in a church gathering, Romans 1 and 1 Corinthians 14.
As I was looking through various Scriptures, I thought Paul’s listing of the key offices and gifts within the church was somewhat suggestive regarding the place of the gospel within the church. He says in 1 Corinthians 12, “And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues...” In Acts 21, Philip is called an evangelist and Paul tells Timothy to do the work of an evangelist in 2 Timothy 4. But evangelist isn’t listed by Paul in 1 Corinthians 12 as one of the gifts and functions within the church. I think the reason may have been that the evangelist went primarily outside of the church to proclaim his message and then brought those who accepted that message to the church. And if there wasn’t yet a church in that city, then the evangelist would form the new converts into a church. This to me makes a great deal of sense. The church was not a place that unbelievers would typically visit.
The church was, on one hand, highly regarded by the common people, but it was also considered a fearful place to those on the outside and not to be taken lightly. Acts 5 says, “through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people. And they were all with one accord in Solomon's Porch. Yet none of the rest dared join them, but the people esteemed them highly.” The people may have esteemed them but they didn’t readily join them. Thus, I doubt the believers would typically invite an unbeliever to a church meeting to hear the gospel.
Off the subject a bit, I'd like to take a minute to give some context for how amazing Dave's point of view is here. Dave's not in his 30's or even 40's. He's not a hippie, pierced, seminary student who indulges in microbrews as part of his missiological strategy. He has no tatoos and I'm guessing owns no pairs of pants with holes in them.
Dave's a highly skilled professional with two grown kids and a dog that was born before many students in our college ministries. Dave is a recovering modernity mind who is pressing not into a postmodern worldview but a Christological worldview! The truth of Dave's message doesn't flow from his participation in the "Emerging / Emergent / Reformissional / Hoobadee-Doobadee" culture that makes up Relevant Magazine's target group. Dave just wants to experience more of Jesus in and through him. ...which is stunning for me considering how spiritually giant Dave already is in my eyes.
Anyway, I thought that was a powerfully encouraging bit of context for all this stuff.
(Part 4)
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Targeting the City, Transforming Culture
The relationship of Christians to culture is the singular current crisis point for the church. Evangelicals are deeply divided over how to interact with a social order that is growing increasingly post-Christian. . . [I believe] we need a new and different strategy.
My first strategic point is simple: More Christians should live long-term in cities. Historians point out that by A.D. 300, the urban populations of the Roman Empire were largely Christian, while the countryside was pagan. (Indeed, the word pagan originally meant someone from the countryside—its use as a synonym for a non-Christian dates from this era.) The same was true during the first millennium A.D. in Europe—the cities were Christian, but the broad population across the countryside was pagan. The lesson from both eras is that when cities are Christian, even if the majority of the population is pagan, society is headed on a Christian trajectory. Why? As the city goes, so goes the culture. Cultural trends tend to be generated in the city and flow outward to the rest of society. People who live in large urban cultural centers, occupying jobs in the arts, business, academia, publishing, the helping professions, and the media, tend to have a disproportionate impact on how things are done in our culture. . .
Once in cities, Christians should be a dynamic counterculture. It is not enough for Christians to simply live as individuals in the city. They must live as a particular kind of community. Jesus told his disciples that they were "a city on a hill" that showed God's glory to the world (Matt. 5:14-16). Christians are called to be an alternate city within every earthly city, an alternate human culture within every human culture, to show how sex, money, and power can be used in nondestructive ways.
Regarding sex, the alternate city avoids secular society's idolization of sex and traditional society's fear of it. It is a community that so loves and cares for its members that chastity makes sense. It teaches its members to conform their bodily beings to the shape of the gospel—abstinence outside of marriage and fidelity within. Regarding money, the Christian counterculture encourages a radically generous commitment of time, money, relationships, and living space to social justice and the needs of the poor, the immigrant, and the economically and physically weak. Regarding power, Christian community is visibly committed to power-sharing and relationship-building between races and classes that are alienated outside of the body of Christ. The practical evidence of this will be churches that are increasingly multiethnic, both in the congregations at large and in their leadership.
It will not be enough for Christians to form a culture that runs counter to the values of the broader culture. Christians should be a community radically committed to the good of the city as a whole. We must move out to sacrificially serve the good of the whole human community, especially the poor. Revelation 21-22 makes it clear that the ultimate purpose of redemption is not to escape the material world, but to renew it. . . So Christians work for the peace, security, justice, and prosperity of their city and their neighbors, loving them in word and in deed, whether they believe what we do or not. In Jeremiah 29:7, Israel's exiles were called not just to live in the city, but also to love it and work for its shalom—its economic, social, and spiritual flourishing. The citizens of God's city are the best possible citizens of their earthly cities.
This is the only kind of cultural engagement that will not corrupt us and conform us to the world's pattern of life. . . We must live in the city to serve all the peoples in it, not just our own tribe. We must lose our power to find our (true) power. Christianity will not be attractive enough to win influence except through sacrificial service to all people, regardless of their beliefs.
This strategy (if we must call it that) will work. In every culture, some Christian conduct will be offensive and attacked, but some will be moving and attractive to outsiders. "Though they accuse you … they may see your good deeds and glorify God" (1 Peter 2:12, see also Matt. 5:16). In the Middle East, a Christian sexual ethic makes sense, but not "turn the other cheek." In secular New York City, the Christian teaching on forgiveness and reconciliation is welcome, but our sexual ethics seem horribly regressive. Every non-Christian culture has enough common grace to recognize some of the work of God in the world and to be attracted to it, even while Christianity in other ways will offend the prevailing culture. . .
There is another important component to being a Christian counterculture for the common good. Christians should be a people who integrate their faith with their work. Culture is a set of shared practices, attitudes, values, and beliefs, which are rooted in common understandings of the "big questions"—where life comes from, what life means, who we are, and what is important enough to spend our time doing it in the years allotted to us. No one can live or do their work without some answers to such questions, and every set of answers shapes culture.
Most fields of work today are dominated by a very different set of answers from those of Christianity. But when many Christians enter a vocational field, they either seal off their faith and work like everyone else around them, or they spout Bible verses to their coworkers. We do not know very well how to persuade people of Christianity's answers by showing them the faith-based, worldview roots of everyone's work. We do not know how to equip our people to think out the implications of the gospel for art, business, government, journalism, entertainment, and scholarship. Developing humane, creative, and excellent business environments out of our understanding of the gospel can be part of this work. The embodiment of joy, hope, and truth in the arts is also part of this work. If Christians live in major cultural centers in great numbers, doing their work in an excellent but distinctive manner, that alone will produce a different kind of culture than the one in which we live now.
Jewish society sought spiritual power, while Greek society valued wisdom (1 Cor. 1:22-25). Each culture was dominated by a hope that Paul's preaching revealed to be an idol. Yet only in Christ, the true "wisdom of God" for Greeks and the true "power of God" for Jews, could their cultural storylines find a happy ending. The church envisioned in this article attracts people to Christianity by showing how Christ resolves our society's cultural problems and fulfills its cultural hopes. "For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength."
(Used by permission... for once in my life. Read the full article without my emphases and omissions here.)
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Political Acitivism versus Personal Authenticity
Okay so laying aside the fact that this picture has a hammer and sickle on it, I'd like to ask a question: Can political activism and personal authenticity work together? Or are they diametrically oppossed to one another?
Example: Could a pro-life demonstrater holding signs outside the front of an abortion clinic also be the same person to go around back and council the mother who just left? Or, could someone who is against the Iraq war, hold a peace ralley and then go down and try and build relationships with people in the Marine ROTC program on campus? I think the mother, and the Marine, would have already put the walls up, the dividing lines have been drawn, and as far as their concerned, the demonstrator is now the enemy.
I think there's a reason why Jesus never had a rally with his followers holding signs that said "Jesus is rad, Pharasees are bad." Paul pretty much said that Jesus is King and Ceaser is not in his letters born out of relationship, but he never went to a town and held a rally and marched on the local governors lawn with the masses chanting, "Hell no, we won't go, Ceaser we're gonna overthrow!"
That being said, I realize that demonstrations have been a part of bringing about significant change. Civil Rights, the end of Communism in Eastern Europe, etc. Political activism can create change - on a political level - and that can be awesome! But I don't think it creates change on a relational level. So, I cannot doubt that demonstrations and organizations and rallies are effective, I'm just not convinced you can do both. Maybe we just need to decide for ourselves what were called to do personally and do it well.
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The Missional Church & The Early Church (1)
In coming posts, David will continue this reflection to discuss how the early church handled the message of the Gospel and in what context they presented it. He will also look at the purpose and method of the organized early church and draw a number of parallels and conclusions in our contemporary Western cultural context.Recently a friend and I were discussing what has been referred to as the Missional Church. An organization called The Gospel and Our Cultural Network (GOCN) has listed a number of items that they believe characterizes the missional church. Michael Frost and Alan Hirsch in their book, The Shaping of Things to Come, list twelve items that they took from the GOCN (paraphrased by me):
Frost and Hirsh add these additional three points (again paraphrased):There is a reaction among many believers today toward the present state of the institutionalized church, and a desire to get closer to the standard set by the early church. Such a desire is not new. E. H. Broadbent’s The Pilgrim Church shows that this desire has been unbroken throughout the history of the church and has been manifest at least somewhere on the earth in every generation from the time of the Apostles. The universal nature of this desire, spanning both space and time, suggests to me that the Holy Spirit is witnessing within His people that the way the church began is the very same way she should continue.
To be sure, there are many who believe that today’s “mature” expression of the church is preferable to what it was at the beginning. But arguably, every significant advance that has occurred in the church in the last two millennia have come from those who have either believed we should return to some aspect of the truth as contained in the New Testament, or to the whole counsel of New Testament truth—including what we see in the Book of Acts.
Of course, there are some who say it is not possible to go back; that the New Testament was a dispensation we cannot revisit. But I do not believe Scripture supports that view. There is something burning in many of this generation who want to return to the beginning. If history is any indication, this is the prompting of the Holy Spirit.
In my review of church history, the groups that have sought to return to the early church’s life and practice have had mixed results. Zeal and desire alone do not achieved the desired end. Our need is to first learn what we can from the mistakes and the successes of those who have gone before us. But as with everything spiritual, it is more than a rational interpretation of past events that is needed. “Unless the Lord build the house, they labor in vain who build it” (Psalm 127:1). We must have the Lord's working and moving within us and through us if we will ever accomplish anything of value. Not only this, but Satan is crafty! Even if we know every detail of history, he is clever enough to outsmart us. We not only need the Lord's ability but His protection and wisdom.
Although the basic principals of how the church met and lived should be the same, the application and outward expression will likely be different. Paul said he became all things to all men that he might win as many as possible to Christ. He adjusted to the culture of those he was ministering to without compromising who he was and who Christ was. We will need to do the same.
For now, I'm receiving Dave's challenge to learn from the past in the spiritually dependent way he describes; and I'm eager for what kind of thought and discussion his thoughts stir up in us! Thank you David!
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(Part 4)
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Shane Claiborne / Heroic Example
Though I'm sure he'd never accept the title & would probably choke back a gag reflex if he ever read this, it's easy for me to think of Shane Claiborne as a modern-day hero for Western Christ-followers. No, neither he nor his ministry is perfect; but there are some stunning elements in his lifestyle that are worth imitating as they imitate Christ's example.The Jan/Feb issue of Relevant published an article by Shane, describing what he's doing in Philadelphia with The Simple Way. It's a killer article describing their application of some of Christ's clearest commands; and I think there's a lot we can learn from it. I've made the whole article available as a PDF HERE (...trusting that Relevant will see this more as free marketing rather than copyright infringement). It's well worth the read!
Saturday, January 13, 2007
The Gospel Smile
A lot of people want a real smile, wear a fake smile, resent themselves for not smiling, & envy those who do smile. I used to have trouble smiling; but I smile a lot now. Here's why...- I smile because I don't feel guilty. Sure I've done lots of terrible, hurtful, destructive things. But Jesus has forgiven me and given me the chance to make most of them right again. So I smile because God has given me grace.
- I smile because I've learned that God is real in Jesus Christ & Jesus loves me & is with me every second of every day in His Holy Spirit. So I smile because God is with me & loves me.
- I smile because I see the big picture, both now & after my body dies. My heart breaks for the rape, murder, violence, & greed that tears people apart; & I work against it; but I also see that it's only temporary. The worst of the worst can only last a lifetime, which is hard but not really that long. So I smile because God's given me perspective & hope.
- I smile because I realize that evil and death isn't God's fault or desire. I know that selfish independence produces evil in this world & that reconnecting with God & each other produces life. So I smile because I know God is good, although many experiences in this world are evil.
- I smile because God protects & empowers those who join Him. He's done that throughout history, especially in the lives of those who are eager to make the biggest dent in this world for Good. Often these kinds of zealots suffer & die, but do so rejoicing with full-knowledge of the purpose in it. That must relate to the perspective thing. So I smile because God gives me power over and beyond the natural & shares His mission in this world with me.
- I smile because God's been doing all this stuff for thousands of years & has created a community of people who smile together. So I smile because I'm connected in real, loving community.
God is eager to give every person the real smile that comes from life in Jesus. That's the Gospel message... the Gospel smile. When people find Jesus, they find their smile... guaranteed. "Taste and see that the Lord is good." (Psalm 34) Nothing to be ashamed of there, is there?
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Friday, January 12, 2007
Book Review: Off-Road Disciplines by Earl Creps
Off-Road Disciplines by Earl Creps is both a personal and deeply invitational book that is intensely practical.It is clear from the first chapter that Creps is bringing the reader on a life-long journey that he himself is on. He encourages pastors, lay ministers and the "average joe" Christian to look at ministry and the disciplines of ministry in a way likely not previously thought of.
If you're looking for a church growth manual or a step by step guide on how to be a better leader, this is not going to be the book for you. Off-Road Disciplines explores where the Church is headed in relation to the surrounding culture and challenges missional leaders in churches and para-church ministries of all traditions to stop and take a look at where they fit into the grand scheme.
The book is divided into 2 sections: Personal Disciplines and Organizational Disciplines. Creps speaks both to the "modern" leader and the "post modern" leader and everyone along the spectrum. He encourages, critiques and challenges both systems.
Creps talks about personal disciplines such as personal transformation, point of view and my personal favorite, reverse mentoring. In the chapter on reverse mentoring, he observes how our culture is more adequately represented by the 9-year-old teaching an adult how to play an X-box game she mastered in a day than it is by the mentoring relationship of a Mr. Miyagi and Daniel or Yoda and Luke Skywalker. Age-based or time-based seniority no longer carries as much weight in the post modern context and is in fact possibly disappearing altogether. The Off-Road Discipline Creps challenges in this chapter is that of reverse mentoring. People intentionally seeking out the wisdom of the young, "not as a replacement for other forms of mentoring but as an essential complement to them."
In the section on organizational disciplines, Creps delves deeper into the world of the "leader", discussing disciplines such as missional efficiency, discernment, surrendering preferences and passing the baton. I found his section on the discipline of blending differences particularly insightful and challenging. For the sake of simplicity, he boils down the "factions" to those demanding preservation and those calling for innovation, stating, "At least some of Church history, and much of our current crisis, results from the tension between the two poles." I specifically enjoyed his encouragement to not let the moderates get lost in the fog of war in order to reach places of harmony for the purpose of advancing the Kingdom together, using our own strengths and drawing from the strengths of the "other guy".
Another element I particularly appreciate from Crep's book is the attention he gives to a "larger than life", supernatural, living, moving God. Without this "life-blood" infusing our churches from within and spreading outside our walls, the mission is doomed from the start. Which brings us back where we started, this is all about Him in the first place.
This book was very timely for me to read and I have a feeling now is the time for you to read it...especially if you think you already have it all figured out ;)
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More Than Missional
So I've been thinking about it... about how God created & redeemed us to be both 1) His Family & 2) His Team. Thru our adoption in Christ, God made us His family... His children, fellow-heirs, & bride. Thru our stewardship as bond-slaves & servants, we are also God's team... His body, hands & feet, ambassadors, stewards of the Gospel & ministry of reconciliation (not to mention co-rulers of the world via Genesis 1). People who always talk about intimacy with the person of Christ must be emphasizing their identity as family. People who always talk about participating in the work or mission of Christ must be emphasizing their identity as team.
(By now, you I'm sure you know where I'm going with this... ) The Christian Reformation / Cultural Revolution that's upon us is about both. Thru God's grace in this perfect moment of history, we have the opportunity of fully realizing & living out our reality as BOTH God's family & team. Which works out pretty well ... 'cuz He calls us to both abide in His person & cooperate with His powerful work without sacrificing either grand reality!
As primary participants in this redemptive revolution (a very, very exciting stewardship to have) I was thinking it might be a good idea to work hard to avoid being simply "missional". Really, all the smokin'-red-hot-blessings from God are about wholeness ... about becoming fully connected to God & everything that bears the hope of reconciliation (our "ministry of reconciliation") .
Cool, huh? Person AND Work. Family AND Team. Love God AND Love People. Sounds like a Jesus thing to me.
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Thursday, January 11, 2007
Thoughts on Religion...
I think that Christianity has been to closely linked to church. Church has become a place where you put on your Sundays best and try to impress as many people as possible. People have no desire to go to church because who wants to be a people pleaser. Therefore, people see what church is to them and relate it to being a christian. Before I go any further, let me define what I think a Christian really is and what a christian is not.
Christ came to earth to free us to be fully alive. He intended us to regain our hearts back. If you've ever noticed, it is incredibly hard to find people who are really genuine. I mean the real deal. Sometimes when I talk to people, I feel like the whole conversation is like a routinely rehearsed dialect. People are indeed afraid to be who they really are and unfortunately, it is mostly common to find unauthentic people within the church or religious setting. A church shouldn't be a place to go to perform a certain way. There's too much of that already. A church is a place where you should be able to be your true self and express the way you really are inside.
A Christian to me isn't someone who lives a routine and meaningless life of church participation, tithing, etc. A Christian is not someone who lives his or her life based upon some tradition that they've learned over the years. Rather a christian is somebody who really is fully alive because of Jesus. Who has passions and desires that are good and quarks that arent' good and isn't afraid to express them. It's not just about duty. Rather its more about a real type of feeling inside that cannot be dismissed.
It peaves me to see people, especially in church, who just do things because they should or because if they don't they might be rejected. That not what the gospel (good news) says. Gospel means good news for a reason. Good news is when you find out that your cancer is gone. Good news is when you one a free trip to Hawaii or that your breath doesn't smell bad. Well, anyway, I just needed to get that off of my chest. What do you think?
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"Give War a Chance"
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
Naming the Problem(s)
Here’s why...
1) It fosters consumerism.
2) It’s passive (seekers coming to us for the Gospel vs. us going to them with the Gospel).
3) It’s usually an artificial community (not like real community is described in Scripture).
... & less importantly, but still important ...
4) It grows by addition, not multiplication, which quickly results in a monster of an infrastructure that’s costly to maintain.
5) Its internal functional structure is slow, bulky, & excludes some demographics in ways extra-religious relationships (i.e. normal friendships) do not.
6) It’s based on & continues to foster the professional vs. laity ministry divide.
7) It generally has long lists of rules (to maintain / control its functional integrity).
Certainly it’s possible to live the incarnational / missional lifestyle out while still immersing oneself in an institutional church structure; but there are obstacles. My friend asked, “What if I simply decided I wasn’t going to be consumeristic anymore & began living this way through my institutional church?” I suggested that it would be like a 20 year old single guy deciding he wasn’t going to lust anymore but still tend bar at a strip club. Yeah, possible, but not easy.
shameless plug
....because I can ;)
It's called "From Dialog to Action" and it's my feelings about the church in 2007
Remembering the Vision
So... Let's remember that the institutions, titles, organizational structures, and buildings that are commonly mistaken for "church" are all merely impersonal entities... "things", if you will. Real "church" isn't an impersonal thing but a family. Christ-followers are a family that's united by God’s Spirit & by the relationships we build with one another. And while we're all different, we're also kind of all the same... just like any other family.
And not only are we a family, we’re also a family with a mission. That makes us partners on a team, God’s team. Our team mission is to receive the overflowing life Jesus gives and bring that life to everyone we can reach. Contrary to what a lot of people think, we’re not defined by lists of rules or weekly meetings, although frequent gatherings are pretty common for us. Some people get caught up in that; but really, our family is defined by our leader, Jesus, & His mission to redeem the world. We're a missional community set on loving this dying world back to life. That's why we’re so committed to the ever-increasing cycle of gathering, growing, and going... because we love each other; we care about this world; and we want to succeed at the work Jesus called us to.
So in a sense, we’re a family of missionaries, bringing our relationship with Jesus into the culture around us. Yeah, we gather and worship and learn and encourage each other; but more importantly, we’re in each other’s homes, in the homes of our unbelieving neighbors, in cafes & bars, at parks, & at community events... meeting new people, building real friendships, & bringing the Jesus we love into those friendships. We also travel a lot, constantly going into other places to discover where people are & how we might be able to help them. Together, we're Christ’s own body, doing life together as a connected and fully connecting people... and finishing the work He's given us.
Wow! Now that's worth remembering!
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Tuesday, January 09, 2007
Missional Leadership: HT: Blind Beggar
...and now I find this blog entry and it makes me want to jump out of my chair!
From blind beggar's entry:
I was recently reading a paper by Krista Petty titled, “Making Good Ideas Happen: How to Help Your People Unleash Their Best Innovations,” where she talks about flipping the common church leadership paradigm and equipping and guiding the people of God to launch new ministries. Like Dr. McDill, she sees two models.
Using the first diagram below, Ms. Petty explains, “The senior minister, staff or leadership are paid to come up with the vision and direction, followed by the events, activities and programs to make the vision a reality. Often, leaders have the ideas and together with the people, they do the work.”
Instead of this American triangular organizational business model with top-down results, Petty suggests that “shared-vision leadership can present itself more like a diamond as both leaders and individuals shine with vision and passion to reflect blessing to the community. As individuals are impassioned with service ideas, successful church leaders will not be the only keepers of the vision; they will also serve as a conduit and encouragement for helping others develop in Christ and for community ministry benefit.” Sounds similar to Dr. McDill’s edification model.
Subtle Soul Killer
Barna's latest headline reads ... "House Churches Are More Satisfying to Attenders Than Are Conventional Churches". The abstract they sent to my email says, "House churches are more likely than conventional churches to satisfy the needs and expectations of their participants."The Revolution / Reformation we're engaging in will all-too-easily become tied & gagged if we give into the consumeristic selfishness that is so default to our human nature & worldly culture. While we discover the beauty of decentralizing & reconnecting, let's be careful not to do any of it for self-centered reasons. Remember, the methodology is for the mission; & the mission is outwardly focused.
This is never about our own consumeristic "satisfaction". That comfortable little blanket is the same subtle soul killer that lamed the church of the previous generation.
The 'Q' Conference - Part 2
We're at the dawn of Reformation within the community of Christ-followers & Revolution within Western culture. Intentionally participating in this Reformation / Revolution means understanding its nature, a nature that strikes me as a powerful 1 Corinthians 1:27 reality, in which, "God chooses the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chooses the weak things of the world to shame the strong."
Because it is a grassroots movement tied to the dynamics of postmodernity, this Christian Reformation / Cultural Revolution isn't about what people build but rather how people live. It's not about isolated moments of decision but rather progressive relationships. It's not for professionals but rather for the diverse "everyone". Any method intended to spur such a movement on must be intimately tied to the rhythms of lifestyle, relationships, & common community... not institutions, isolated moments, or professionalism. The Q Conference, with its high price tag & dominant white-male lineup of speakers, seems disconnected from the rhythms and essence of the present Reformation / Revolution.
Perhaps a better solution for motivating, educating, and challenging leading persons might be to arrange a "virtual conference" made up of the best & most pertinent messages of a variety of diverse presenters that are integrated & placed onto DVD or a website for download. Then, communities around the nation & world could affordably gain access to the discussions at hand & host their own discussions using whatever facilitations guides are made available with the conference itself. this way, local communities can experience the event within their local relationships & local missional contexts.
I'll give a small example of this dynamic in action. I've attended Willow Creek Community Church's Leadership Summit on their main campus for years. This last year, however, I took my church's leadership team to a local hotel & arranged a two day virtual conference using the most relevant sessions from the 2003 WCA Leadership Summit DVD package. Between enjoying the hotel's free full-breakfast & enormous hot tub (features the on-site conference never offered) our group worshiped, prayed, & watched sessions by Erwin McManus, Bill Hybels, Andy Stanley, & more... using the companion WCA workbook downloaded from their website. After each session, we engaged in roundtable discussions on the concepts & potential applications in our local context. The event was immersive, affordable, local, & flexible according to our particular desires!
(... and did I mention the hot tub?)
Monday, January 08, 2007
Communion is Not a Joking Matter!!!!
Friday, January 05, 2007
Missional Manifesto
This is a "manifesto" of sorts that I've been working on this morning in response to a question asked of me - "what does missional mean to me".
I thought I'd share it with y'all :) It will probably become our revised mission statement for Revolution for this year when it's all finalized.
Revolution defines itself as a progressive, experimental missional community to the north and downtown neighborhoods of Fort Collins.
By God’s grace and power, we will do justice, love mercy/kindness and walk humbly with God. Micah 6:8
We desire to live as missionaries in our own communities.
1 Pe:11-12 (the Message paraphrase) Friends, this world is not your home, so don’t make yourselves cozy in it. Don’t indulge your ego at the expense of your soul. Live an exemplary life among the natives so that your actions will refute their prejudices. Then they’ll be won over to God’s side and be there to join in the celebration when he arrives.Summary: We exist for the Glory of God. All creation is to demonstrate the greatness and goodness of God, to worship him, glorify him and enjoy him forever. By together (fellowship) growing in godly character (discipleship), we are better able to live out God’s love to others (outreach).
Regardless of denominational affiliation, specific theological leanings, etc. this is what we believe missional, Jesus followers are charged to do.
1. Build strong faith communities and community networks to support and equip one another - be it a home church, group of friends, traditional type church, or any other expression.
2. Equip the saints in love and power - love of God and others and the power of the Holy Spirit to transform lives and reconcile people to God and relationship with others.
3. Be externally focused. Investing time, talents, energies and resources primarily outside the walls of the church as a presence in specific communities - serving, loving and impacting neighborhoods for the better as expressions of God's love and care for his creation.
4. Be contextual and culturally aware in order to be incarnations of Jesus on earth, bringing people on a journey closer to Jesus...belonging, behaving, believing...making disciples in a relational way, not by just sharing the Gospel but BEING the Gospel.
5. Be organic rather than formulaic with faith communities rising up naturally out of relationships in a particular cultural context forming a natural and holistic base and foundation for everything.
6. Co-labor with God on Earth by loving each other and loving God together, acquiring a picture of what God is doing on the earth, locally, regionally and internationally and then joining with others to co-labor with God in that mission.
7. Connect with other faith communities, working together to maximize resources while still remaining true to the unique call of each individual community. Which means humbly accepting and respecting the differences, roles and responsibilities of each individual faith community.
8. Take up causes of social justice, caring for the poor the widow and the orphan, racial and ethnic/cultural reconciliation and environmental healing and restoration, caring for the whole of God's creation, giving God the Glory and revealing his love and action in those areas on the earth today.
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Thursday, January 04, 2007
A Little "Ditty" on the Death Penalty
Shane Claiborne is really an awesome guy from what I know of him. Everything I read of his regarding justice and living the life of Jesus resonates so strongly in me. And this man is really truly honest to goodnessly living it. Any time I read about people like Claiborne, I'm humbled.
This is something he said on Jim Wallis' blog today regarding the death penalty.
It is rather scandalous to think that we have a God who loves murderers and terrorists like Saul of Tarsus, Osama bin Laden, or Sadaam Hussein – but that is the "good news" isn't it? It's the old eye for an eye thing that gets us. But the more I've studied the Hebrew Scriptures the more I am convinced that this was just a boundary for people who lashed back. As the young exodus people are trying to discover a new way of living outside the empire, God made sure there were some boundaries, like if someone breaks your are, you cannot go back and break their arm and their leg. If someone kills hundreds of your people, you cannot kill 160,000 of theirs. ** Read the whole entry here.I personally agree with this interpretation and think it's about time we as Christians started looking at "punishment" differently...through the eyes of a redemptive Christ instead of through the eyes of a vindictive people.
I am the first to admit that, for me, much of this is philosophical (as a member of our faith community pointed out on my blog recently) since I've never experienced what it means to be a victim of a heinous violent crime. So please know that I'm trying not to get overly zealous about this issue. But it's important for all of us Christians to examine our ideals and filter them through the proper lens. And vengeance, no matter how you cut it, is not what we're called to.
I think that our penal system in America is offensive and reprehensible and that as Christians, if we're going to shout down people who receive abortions as murders, then we better turn the shouting inward. It might just cause us to drop our stones and walk away with heads bowed.
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Tuesday, January 02, 2007
Political Strategy vs. Political Understanding
I'm convicted that our inclination toward strategy, generalized planning, blanket judgments, and universal formulas is strongly connected with the human desire to calculate & control. It's a propensity toward independence, the same desire that motivated the biblical original sin (i.e. knowledge without God).
One of the ways this independent / controlling impulse works its way into Christian political thinking is when we begin applying generalized formulas to specific voting decisions. One might say that Christ's kingdom ethics lean more toward Democratic or Republican values & so vote for all such affiliated candidates while bearing antagonism toward other-affiliated candidates. And while this sounds clean, linear, & stable... it's far from realistic.
Reality teaches us that politics, like all of life, is messy. It's full of contradictions, paradoxes, & inconsistencies that prevent universal voting formulas & blanket party affiliations from being truly helpful or even reasonable. In truth, such formulas & unquestioned affiliations become crutches for the uninformed who would know, if they had done their homework, that most candidates have both strong pros & cons to their potential offiial appointments.
Candidates are people, unique & diverse, & must be treated as such. I would have no problem voting across party lines for a candidate I felt more led by God's Spirit & wisdom to vote for. Each candidate must be judged upon their unique resumes of lifestyle & public service. I pray that the era of Republican voting Republican, Democrat voting Democrat, & Independents simply not voting is fast approaching extinction. I hope we're learning to become a more intelligent & relationally aware people than that.
And I still wonder how Jesus-living-thru-us affects our voting patterns on specific candidates (e.g. Obama or McCain).
Was Jesus Liberal or Conservative?
This is always a fun topic to ponder. I have thought about the idea of Christianity and political party affiliation for quite some time now. I used to attend a church that was a very conservative based group. I even found myself getting sucked into the discussions and group rants of how much we hated the Liberals and Democrats. I then had an epiphany: Can Liberals or Democrats love Jesus as much as I? Can the Liberals and Democrats be doing as much if not more for the kingdom of Gad than I?
