Renovate Conversation

Tragedian

2011-06-09T13:41:00.003-04:00

I do not know that I ever saw anything more terrible than the struggle of that Dwarf Ghost against joy. For he had almost been overcome...But the light that reached him, reacted against his will. This was not the meeting he had pictured; he would not accept it. Once more he clutched at his death-line, and at once the Tragedian spoke.

- C.S. Lewis The Great Divorce

Bonhoeffer, Palin, Barnes & Noble

2011-03-30T08:02:00.000-04:00

The same shelf...really?

Psalm 15

2011-03-27T07:59:00.002-04:00

LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary?

Who may live on your holy mountain?

Those whose walk is blameless,

who do what is righteous,

who speak the truth from their hearts;

Who have no slander on their tongues,

who do their neighbors no wrong,

who cast no slur on others;

Who despise those whose ways are vile

but honor whoever fears the LORD;

who keep their oaths even when it hurts;

Who lend money to the poor without interest

and do not accept bribes against the innocent.

Whoever does these things will never be shaken.

Direction

2011-03-24T07:54:00.002-04:00

"For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them; but whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm" Proverbs 1:32-33

Waywardness and Complacency.

Directionless and Apathy.

Sometimes aimlessness is my only direction and complacency my only drive.

I am listening.

The Gift-Giving-Gizmo

2011-03-21T08:07:00.002-04:00

In John chapter 14 Jesus says to his disciples, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I don not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

The world gives under the constraints of a closed system. A system of scarcity in which there is only so much to go around; so much food, wealth, affluence, health, and power. As a result, the giving of this world has to be conditional.

You will receive these “gifts” if only the right conditions exist. Being born in the right place, going to the right schools, choosing the right line of work. The mechanism by which the world “gives” requires the proper investment and a little (or perhaps a lot) of luck.

Because this is the choice mechanism of “gift giving” in our world, in order to receive these gifts one must tirelessly pursue the “right avenues” in order to reap a benefit. In essence we become legalistic mechanics of the gift-giving-gizmo…making sure we’ve done everything possible so that we’ve postured ourselves to receive from the world. Maintaining the gift-giving-gizmo is tiring; maintaining the gift-giving-gizmo is, for all purposes, work.

That’s why we have phrases like, “There’s no such thing as a free lunch.” Very few things in this world are given benevolently; they are earned through exchange or proximity. And so in this world the notion of a true gift is rare. That’s why when we see something or experience something beautiful, creative, and prophetic we stop in awe. We realize we were just witnesses, recipients, of a gift.

So when Jesus says that he does not “give as the world gives”, he is standing against the so-called gifts of our day. For Jesus, “gift” has nothing to do with human manufacturing or human achievement. Instead it is through love poured out on the cross and brought to power in the resurrection that gift is truly defined.

When Jesus tells those who are thirst to come and drink (receive the gift) he then goes on to say that anyone who drinks will have “rivers of living water” flowing from them (Jn.7:38). The beauty in this gift is as we participate we ourselves begin to pour out this love-gift to others. This gift is meant to be shared.

It cannot be earned. It can not be cozied-up to. No corporation can commodify it, no military regime can grab it, and no religious order can bestow it. This love-gift is given out of an over-abundance…plenty to go around; no scarcity here…a true gift.

As you go about your day, don't wait for the gift-giving-gizmo of this world to do something remarkable. Instead, give generously of the love-gift that has been given to you.

Animated Functions

2011-03-18T08:08:00.000-04:00

How many of us move from one event to another, one conversation to the next, one text message to email, all without stopping to take a breath? To pause?

Our drive for efficiency does not sit well with schedules that are finite. We are in a continual race to get things done, keep up, and keep going. The treadmill never seems to slow down let alone stop.

This pace of living gives the illusion of life but is really nothing more than going through life as if we were unconscious; one thing to the next, without thought, without reflection, without pause. In this practice we become a true “busy-body”; an automated, animated, function.

This is not life. Yet we keep going, and our pace keeps us numb; numb from problem solving, creative thinking, and deep human interaction. In this space we find ourselves everywhere and nowhere…scattered.

Maybe it is time to stop.

Stop and remember that you were not created as a function, but enlivened by the breath of God.

Breathe.

Give focus to your inhale.

Give focus to your exhale.

Breath is the space in which awareness happens. Maybe the discovery is that the world is larger than your thoughts, or perhaps, smaller than you could hold. Your discovery could bring in to sharp focus the current moment, and how that moment will never be duplicated.

Amidst the pause and release, discovery of who we are, where we are, and what we are rises to the surface. In our breath we become conscious again. We begin to see our full self; our success and failures of the past, our practices and constructions of today, and our longings, desires, and fears for tomorrow.

When we breathe we steady ourselves. Our being is no longer thrown around and twisted up because of circumstance, but instead, we find ourselves anchored through the steadiness of God’s given breath. His life, his being, animating us, animating me, animating you. We no longer operate as functions; we live as children.

Today, before you read that email or send that tweet, breathe; be mindful of your true connection.

This afternoon, before you hurry in the house after you come home from work, breathe; be present for your wife and kids.

Tonight, before you tell you children to “quiet down" after dinner, breathe; be willing to engage in their play.

You are not a function. You are alive. Breathe.

"Thank You For this Chicken" pt. 2

2011-03-15T07:40:00.003-04:00

A few posts ago I shared about our family's participation in a local farm. I came across this clip from Portlandia and had to share it.

Sit at the Welcome Table

2011-03-12T07:53:00.000-05:00

In my church experience growing up, we took communion on the 1^st Sunday of each month. For a kid that meant that on those particular Sundays church would run 15 minutes longer and that I wouldn’t get to have any of the “snack” that the adults seemed to enjoy.

As I’ve grown and have strived to follow after Jesus, the participation in the Table has become more central to me.

The beauty of the Eucharist is that it has nothing to do with me. Christ’s work, his salvation, and his Lordship are independent of me. That is good news. I don’t have to “feel spiritual” for God to be close; the Table proclaims that he is. My theology of the atonement doesn’t have to be perfect for Christ to bring death to life; that’s what he does. This Table is marked by what God has done, is doing, and will do.

The Table could stop here; resting solely on God’s accomplished work and it would be complete. Yet the Table keeps going; the Table is an invitation.

At the Table I do not become a passive observer of God’s act, nor do I become a teller of some historical event. Instead I am invited to participate the work that God is doing; I have the joy to “proclaim” it for my life. Here, the Table has not just served as a symbol for Christ’s sacrifice, but a beacon; calling me to share in that sacrifice.

We have been doing a teaching series at Renovate (listen here) over that last few weeks on the Lord’s table. While we haven’t exhausted all aspects of what participating in this sacrament communicates, it has been a good primer for what we are “saying” each time we share of the bread and drink of the cup.

What has been your experience in participating in communion? How have you experienced Jesus? How have experienced the Church?

Downcast

2011-03-09T07:59:00.001-05:00

I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me.

Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him."

- Lamentations 3:19-24

Pursuing Longing

2011-03-06T08:14:00.001-05:00

Yearning and longing are not things I am particularly fond of. I would much rather rest in discovery and contentment. Something in my wiring tells me that if I am longing then there must be something wrong with me. Maybe it is my lack of appreciation for what I have (in relationships, accomplishments, and possessions) that keeps me on the unsettled path of longing. Sometimes I long simply for the longing to cease.

I recently began reading a book by Rabbi Irwin Kula titled, “Yearnings; Embracing the Sacred Messiness of Life”, and have been thankful for the way in which Rabbi Kula has articulated the importance of our yearnings. In the introductory pages he writes, “Our yearnings generate life. Our desire animates us” (p.xiii). While our longings and desires can drive us mad, they are essential in our pursuit of discovery; discovery of self, discovery of others, and discovery of God. Maybe our goal should not be so much to squelch or subdue our longings, but rather to ask “What are these longings teaching me about myself? About God?”

Throughout the Scriptures yearning and longing fill the pages. God longs to create out of love, the Israelites long for freedom to become the people of God, Hannah longs for a child, Jesus yearns to do the will of the Father, Paul longs to see the Church form across cultural barricades, creation groans with yearning for renewal, and God longs for full restoration of all that he made. Longing and yearning give way to movement , expansion, and creativity; longing is an essential element to the God story.

As I personally yo-yo in and out of spaces of longing, contentment, and back to longing, I have tried to remind myself that yearning is necessary. Without our yearning we give way to the stale stagnancies of death. Maybe our prayers should not be, “God please take away this yearning”, but rather, “God may my longings be rooted in you and propel me further into the life, death, and resurrection of Christ.”

This in some way echoes the words of Paul in Philippians, “I want to know Christ, the power of his resurrection, and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me” (Phil. 3:10-12).

These are words of longing, pursuit, and movement.

Maybe it is your longing for a healthy relationship with a loved one that will serve as the catalyst to help you love them more deeply. Maybe it is your longing of meaningful work that will cause you to spend extra hours dreaming and writing your next idea. And maybe it is your longing to be comfortable with your uncomfortable-self that will cause you to move closer to the one who created you.

Creator of all, Truth made known in flesh. May you become the craving of my heart and the yearning of my soul. On my journey grant me spaces of rest and encouragement that I may appreciate the fullness of all you have done in life around me. And before I become too complacent, nudge me and unsettle me, that I may never give up my pursuit to follow after you. Amen.

Key Chain

2011-03-03T07:50:00.004-05:00

Lilly came up from the craft room (hard at work with glue, glitter, and scissors) and presented me with the best key chain ever. If she keeps this up she may just get anything she asks for.

God of Creation

2011-02-28T07:35:00.000-05:00

That God created the world means that all material things reflect God’s glory and power. The incarnation cements this connection. Christ’s eternal and glorified new humanity means that human life is now enmeshed in the life of God. God’s story and the creation’s story come together in Christ, making things more than mere bits of matter, and opening our eyes tot their ultimate transfiguration. Creation, incarnation and the ultimate re-creation of the cosmos reveal a God for whom matter matters, and material things open our eyes to the One who is above and beyond all things.

Jesus Christ, God incarnate; God as matter, stuff, body, flesh and blood, has forever bridged the divide of creation and creature. In Christ’s incarnation, God now fully participates in the life of creation, and his creatures are represented before his throne with the ascended Lord. Christ is the primary and ultimate sacrament. By virtue of Christ’s taking on flesh, God is no longer a distant creator, but now, in Christ, "This is my Father’s world," and "he shines in all that’s fair." Christ, the sacrament of God made flesh, can again make the whole creation a sacramental place.

Leonard J. Vander Zee Christ, Baptism, and the Lord’s Supper

The Mirror of Erised

2011-02-25T07:35:00.001-05:00

"The mirror will be moved to a new home tomorrow, Harry, and I ask you not to go looking for it again. If you ever do run across it, you will now be prepared. It does not do well to dwell on dreams and forget to live, remember that.”

- Albus Dumbledore to Harry Potter on the dangers of the Mirror of Erised

Thank You For This Chicken

2011-02-22T07:50:00.001-05:00

Recently at the dinner table our son Luke offered the prayer before dinner and surprised me with his words, “Dear God, thank you for this chicken, the farm it came from, and please look after all of the other animals.” In this prayer Luke reminded us of some things we had forgotten.

Our food comes from somewhere.

This may seem like a no-brainer, but with all of the instant “food” so readily available to us, it becomes easy to forget (or even know) where our food comes from.

In being reminded that our food has an origin, we’ve begun asking: “Where does our food come from?” Asking this question has been a bit like opening Pandora’s Box. “Just exactly what kind of plant grows a Twinkie?”, “Do these cookies really come from tree-dwelling elves?”, and “If this apple is labeled, ‘organic’, then what kind of apple is this?… ‘Industrial’?”

Our questions have led us to make some changes in the food we purchase. Each Tuesday Misty stops by Grassfields Farm on her way home from work to pick up milk, eggs, and whatever meat they have available (we started back in January). After our first experience we instantly appreciated the taste and quality of the food but even more have grown to appreciate being able to build a relationship with those who grow/raise our food. Participating in this local farm has reminded us that we are part of a bigger creation and that we have a responsibility (and privilege) to steward what God has made.

I recognize it is in part due to our “affluence” that we have the opportunity/choice to purchase food from a local farm. Not everyone has the means of transportation to connect them to locally grown food (we live in a part of the country where farms are still common, unlike many of our cities which have become “food deserts”). Further, fresh/clean/whole food is more expensive (a cheeseburger from McD’s is 99 cents, and a head of broccoli costs close to 2 dollars). As a result, we’ve had to make some choices in the food (and amount) we purchase.

Instead of buying 2lbs of beef from the grocery store we purchase only 1 lb. at the same price from the farm. In buying less food we have begun to look at what we eat differently. Don’t get me wrong, we have plenty to eat, but having to purchase less food means that we cannot afford to think of food in terms of “mindless consumption”, instead food, animals, and the farms they come from become a “gift”.

Another gift of purchasing local food has meant that we’ve had more prep-time in preparing meals. At first this may sound more like a chore (we are all busy with the hurriedness of life) however, purchasing ingredients to make our meals has caused us to slow down. Lilly, peeling carrots for dinner, has developed a deeper appreciation for the food we eat and Caleb, chopping lettuce for salads, has caused him to be more curious about eating “leafy greens”. Instead of Mom “heating up dinner” our meals have become a family affair, full of conversation and meaning.

Is this something we do each night? No. We still have evenings where soccer games and gymnastics cause us to eat on the run, but those times are becoming less and less. We may never be able to fully live off of locally grown food however our hope is that as we do our part to steward the food resources in front of us we are able to create better, more intimate connections with our community, our kids, and our Creator.

That is something to be thankful for.

At Work

2011-02-19T07:56:00.000-05:00

In John chapter 5 Jesus heals a man on the Sabbath. Jesus should have known better.

You don’t heal on the Sabbath.

Thankfully, the Pharisees were there to remind Jesus of his “faux pas”.

Upon questioning his Sabbath breaking, Jesus said things like: “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working”, “the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does”, and “…I seek not to please myself but the one who sent me.”

In Jesus’ reply I am comforted in knowing that the Father is always at his work. No vacation keeps Him lounging, no difficult situation keeps Him guessing, and no “rules” keep him confined. Our Father is always at work.

While I am comforted and assured of a God who is always active on behalf of His creation, I also desire to be able to reply with confidence the same way Jesus did: “I do only what I see the Father doing…”

Like an apprentice in relationship to the artisan, being about the Master’s work isn’t merely vocational; it is a calling. This calling isn’t reserved for clergy or those who work in a church, but each one of us.

"Farming and the Global Economy"

2011-02-16T07:45:00.001-05:00

If communities of farmers and consumers wish to promote sustainable, safe, reasonably inexpensive supply of good food, then they must see that the best, safest, and most dependable source of food for a city is not the global economy, with its extreme vulnerabilities and extravagant transportation costs, but its own surrounding countryside. It is, in every way, the best interest of urban consumers to be surrounded by productive land, well farmed and well maintained by thriving farm families in thriving farm communities.

Wendell Berry Another Turn of the Crank

“Wood – I’ve Found You a Seeker”

2011-02-13T07:41:00.004-05:00

One of my favorite parts in the book, “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone”, is when Harry is busted for flying his broomstick just after his class was instructed not to do so. Never mind that class bully Draco Malfoy took something that didn’t belong to him and flew it into the afternoon sky. And never mind that Harry took to his broomstick in an effort to retrieve the object and return it to its rightful owner. And never mind that Harry was successful. The bottom line is that Harry did what he shouldn’t have been doing, and when his teacher came back to the class and saw Harry in mid-flight he was caught in the act.

Harry was quickly escorted out of class by Professor McGonigal. Just what punishment would come of his rule-breaking?

Surprisingly, instead of a scolding Professor McGonigal introduces Harry to Oliver Wood, Captain of the Quidditch team (a sport in the Wizarding World played on high flying broomsticks). Approaching Oliver with a terrified Harry Potter, McGonigal said, “Wood, I’ve found you a Seeker” (A Seeker happens to be one of the most important positions on a Quidditch team; reserved for the quickest, fastest, and sure-handed flyers).

Harry wasn’t in trouble at all. In fact, quite the opposite…he was being made an integral part of the Quidditch team (something that never happens to first year students). Although Harry got it wrong by breaking a teacher’s instruction, he also got it right and showed his natural skill and raw aptitude for flying.

Further it was Professor McGonigal who “caught him in the act” of doing something wrong but also an action that show-cased his potential. Professor McGonigal’s response was one that gave encouragement to the giftedness that lay just beneath surface.

Everyday people around us, whether in the home, classroom, or in the workplace are playing by the rules; not wanting to get caught doing something they shouldn’t. They’re tip-toeing to live carefully within the lines of the practical and the “supposed to”. Yet in this space of safety little room is give for innovation and creativity, making it virtually impossible for anything remarkable to emerge.

As you go about your day, catch someone in the act of doing something unique, thoughtful, creative, and encourage them to pursue their raw talent. Chances are they had to break a few rules to do so, and we’ll all be glad they did.

Mechanically Separated Spirituality

2011-02-10T07:40:00.001-05:00

I put a frozen pizza in the oven the other night and read the ingredients while I waited for the self-rising crust to do its thing. The pepperoni was advertised as being made with “real pork” and “real chicken”. As I read further I discovered that the pepperoni was made with “mechanically separated” chicken.

“Mechanically separated”?

What is our definition of “real”?

While the industrial age has produced cheap and quick “food” what have we lost in the process? Have we lost touch with the “real?”

I can’t help but wonder if we were to have an ingredients label on our churches what it might read.

“Made with REAL disciples”, “Ingredients: strategically formulated spirituality, business-model infused Holy Spirit, and enhanced ‘worship’ through relevant music and teaching.”

We are living in an age where many of us don’t know what our food is made of or where it comes from.

The same could be said of our spirituality.

Christmas Day

2010-12-25T08:15:00.000-05:00

Behold I bring you good news of great joy: for to you is born in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

Luke 2:10-11

Christmas Eve

2010-12-24T08:13:00.000-05:00

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light;

those who lived in a land of deep darkness,

on them light has shined.

Let us walk in the light of the Lord.

Isaiah 9:2

Caleb's Christmas Carol

2010-12-18T08:05:00.000-05:00

My 10 year-old sang this song to me yesterday. The tune is familiar but the words are all him.

"Let It Flow"

(to the tune of "Let It Snow")

Oh, although the bathroom over there is frightful,

The urinal is quite delightful.

Especially if you have to go,

Let it flow, let it flow, let it flow

You'll have to excuse me, I have the sudden urge to use the restroom.

"Joy to the World" (Songs I'm Listening to pt.6)

2010-12-14T08:11:00.000-05:00

Joy to the World , the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing.

Joy to the World, the Savior reigns!
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.

No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found,
Far as the curse is found,
Far as, far as, the curse is found.

He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders, wonders, of His love.

"Flowers On the Wall" (Songs I'm Listening to pt.5)

2010-12-12T08:07:00.000-05:00

I've keep hearin' you're concerned about my happiness
But all that thought you're givin' me is conscience I guess
If I were walkin' in your shoes I wouldn't worry none
While you and your friends're worryin' bout me I'm havin' lots of fun

Countin' flowers on the wall that don't bother me at all
Playin' solitare till dawn with a deck of fifty one
Smokin' cigarettes and watchin' Captain Kangaroo
Now don't tell me I've nothing to do

Last night I dressed in tails pretended I was on the town
As long as I can dream it's hard to slow this swinger down
So please don't give a thought to me I'm really doin' fine
You can always find me here and havin' quite a time

It's good to see you I must go I know I look a fright
Anyway my eyes are not accustomed to this light
And my shoes are not accustomed to this hard concrete
So I must go back to my room and make my day complete

Don't tell me I've nothing to do

"Welcome Table" (Songs I'm Listening to pt.4)

2010-12-10T12:49:00.000-05:00

I'm going to sit at the welcome table
Yes, I'm going to sit at the welcome table
One of these days, hallelujah
I'm going to sit at the welcome table
Sit at the welcome table one of these days, one of these days

I'm going to feast on milk and honey

Yes, I'm going to feast on milk and honey

One of these days, hallelujah

I'm going to feast on milk and honey

Feast on milk and honey one of these days, one of these days

I'm going to tell God how you treat me

Yes, I'm going to tell God how you treat me

One of these days, hallelujah

I'm going to tell God how you treat me

Tell God how you treat me one of these days, one of these days

All God's children gonna sit together

Yes, all God's children gonna sit together

One of these days, hallelujah

All God's children gonna sit together

All of God's children gonna sit together one of these days, one of these days

"Run On" (Songs I'm Listening to pt.3)

2010-12-08T07:45:00.000-05:00

First up, great God, let me tell you the news  

My head got wet with the midnight dew  

I've been down on bended knee,

Talkin' to the man from Galilee  

Then my God spoke and he sounded so sweet  

I thought I heard the shuffle of the angel's feet

Then he put one hand upon my head 

Great God almighty let me tell you what he said:  

Go tell that long tongue liar  

Go tell that midnight rider  

Tell the gambler, the rambler, the back biter

Tell them God Almighty gonna cut 'em down

You may run on for the long time  

Run along for the long time

Let me tell you God Almighty gonna cut you down

You may run on for the long time

Run along for the long time

Run along for a long time

Let me tell you God Almighty gonna cut you down   

Well you may throw your rock and hide your hand  

Work in the dark against your fellow man  

But as sure as God made rich and poor 

You gonna reap just what you sow   

Some people go to church just to signify

Tryin' to get a date with the neighbor's wife

But listen to me brother, sure as you're born,

You better leave that woman alone

Cause one of these days, you mark my word,

You think that brother is goin' to work

You're gonna come up and knock on the door

That's all brother, you'll knock no more

You may run on for the long time

Run along for the long time

Let me tell you God Almighty gonna cut you down

"But For You Who Fear My Name" (Songs I'm Listening to pt.2)

2010-12-06T08:11:00.001-05:00

But for you who fear my name,

the sun of righteousness will rise

with healing in his wings.

And you shall go forth again,

skip about like calves

coming from their stalls at last.

You shall be my very own

on the day that I

cause you to be my special home.

I shall spare you as a man,

as compassion on his son

who does the best he can.

The Market of Generosity

2010-12-04T08:47:00.001-05:00

Don't look to the Market to guide your generosity. If your generosity is based on the ebbs and flows of the Market your "gift" will be captive to the world of acquisition and will never understand the beauty of what it means to truly give.

A spirit of generosity is not dependent upon one's bank balance but rather upon one's capacity to give of them-self to another. The Market doesn't like generosity, because true generosity expects nothing in return; no kick-back and no "return on the investment". In the eyes of the Market, generosity offers no benefit.

But the vision of Market is blinded because the Market can't see the power of "gift". More than bringing joy to the recipient, a "gift" shifts our focus from "independent" to "interconnected". It is in our interconnections that we find our humanity.

In a world driven by the Market don't let your low bank balance or busy schedule cause your muscles of generosity to atrophy. Instead, be generous with your time, generous with your possessions, generous with your money, and generous with your love.

"Society" (Songs I'm Listening to pt.1)

2010-12-02T08:03:00.002-05:00

It's a mystery to me

We have a greed with which we have agreed

And you think you have to want more than you need

Until you have it all you won't be free

Society, you're a crazy breed

Hope you're not lonely without me...

When you want more than you have

You think you need...

And when you think more than you want

Your thoughts begin to bleed

I think I need to find a bigger place

Because when you have more than you think

You need more space

Society, you're a crazy breed

Hope you're not lonely without me...

Society, crazy indeed

Hope you're not lonely without me...

There's those thinking, more-or-less, less is more

But if less is more, how you keeping score?

Means for every point you make, your level drops

Kinda like you're starting from the top

You can't do that...

Society, you're a crazy breed

Hope you're not lonely without me...

Society, crazy indeed

Hope you're not lonely without me...

Society, have mercy on me

Hope you're not angry if I disagree...

Society, crazy indeed

Hope you're not lonely without me...

Prostitute Birthday Party

2010-11-30T08:18:00.002-05:00

I heard Tony Campolo share this story a few years ago and recently found a video of him sharing the same story.

Advent Reflections pt. 1

2010-11-28T07:58:00.000-05:00

Advent is the anticipation of deliverance, peace, and restoration. The anticipation of Shalom. Each day that passes is one day closer. Advent is not merely history remembered, it is history unfolding.

Black Friday

2010-11-26T08:03:00.001-05:00

As our world ushers in the Christmas season with long lines, killer deals, and maxed out credit cards, may you anticipate the coming of our King through loving your enemy, seeking justice for the oppressed, and considering others greater than yourself.

Purpose of More

2010-11-24T08:37:00.000-05:00

In this world, our value and sense of purpose comes in the acquisition of more. More money, more toys, a "better" job, more friends on Facebook. Yet the pursuit of more leads us on a merry-go-round of insanity; more is never enough and as a result we never feel fulfilled in our purpose. When we pursue questions of purpose and meaning we need stop looking to the promises of more and begin to empty ourselves to the point of such nakedness that we are confronted by who we really are. No societal labels, no self-made definitions, no false pretenses of who we think we are and what we think we should be doing. In this terrifying place of vulnerability our infatuation with more (cloaked in language of purpose) looses its hold on us and we become free. No longer a slave to some pre-conceived destiny that must be decoded but rather free to find in each new day the joy of life.

More Than Remembering

2010-11-22T07:52:00.002-05:00

Too often I "remember" what Jesus did for me on the cross yet fail to understand that too is my call, my journey, my destination.

Guinea Skates

2010-11-20T07:53:00.002-05:00

the things we do to our family pets....

Talking Dog

2010-11-18T07:53:00.000-05:00

What's not to like about the dog?

"From the Office of Rick Warren"

2010-09-05T08:00:00.000-04:00

In a recent post I wrote about my curiosity when I discovered that Rick Warren was following my twitter feeds. My cynicism caused me to think that this was part of a marketing plan to get more followers to follow him. So in fairness to Pastor Warren I hand wrote a letter, simply asking why he was following my tweets. I received this email from his Chief of Staff David Chrzan:

Dear Dave,

Thanks so much for your note to Pastor Rick and for your question. Pastor Rick attempts to follow as many pastors, church leaders and church planters via Twitter as he can. Through listening to the tweets of other Christian leaders Pastor Rick is able to discern a little of the pulse of the church at large. He hears what is on the hearts of pastors and church planters; and as a result he is able to pray for the church and its’ leaders more specifically.

Rick teaches that every leader must be a life time learner and so this is one more way he seeks to learn from others in the Body of Christ. I’m not able to tell you specifically how Pastor Rick came to follow you on Twitter. He follows pastors and church planters on Twitter as they become known to him. There are many pastors and planters that Rick follows because they were recommended to him for their teaching, and inspiration.

Thanks again for writing to Pastor Rick. Our prayer team will be praying for you and Renovate Covenant Church of Muskegon, Michigan as you seek to fulfill God’s purposes by planting new churches.

God Bless,

David Chrzan

Chief of Staff

Well...still not sure why he is following my tweets or how he can comb through the 14,000+ people he follows, but the response is genuine and for that I'm thankful.

Now, I wonder what Rick Warren's favorite Garbage Pail Kid is?

Just Wondering...

2010-08-25T08:14:00.000-04:00

What was your favorite Garbage Pail Kid?

Punk Rock Never Dies

2010-08-22T08:40:00.000-04:00

The strings have been changed on the SG and the Groove Tubes in the Marshall are glowing....that can only mean one thing:

Some friends and I started a band.

Our sound won't be anything new for those that know me; influences like: Bad Religion, Green Day, NOFX, and Social Distortion. We'll be playing some covers ("Somebody Put Something In My Drink" by the Ramones should be a crowd pleaser) as well as writing some of our own stuff.

Right now we're practicing in our drummer's basement (some things just don't change) and hope to get enough tunes soon to play our first show. Not sure what the scene is like here in Western, MI, but hopefully there are enough dive bars to let us rip.

Also, our band name is still up in the air, so I'd love to get your input.

Punk Rock Never Dies!

Purpose Driven Tweets

2010-08-19T08:42:00.002-04:00

I just got a notification that Pastor Rick Warren is following my tweets. Why would this celebrity-pastor (with 135,233 followers) follow my tweets (along with 14,115 others)?

Since I don’t know and have never met the Purpose Driven Pastor I have to admit that my response is a bit cynical: It's part of a marketing ploy that many “celebrities” engage in. A marketing team manages their account and “follows” other people in the hopes that they will in turn follow their tweets. Then, when you click “follow” they either un-follow your Twitter feed all together or simply never pay any attention to your posts.

Why would this bother me? Because it is disingenuous. Following someone on Twitter should be based on a genuine desire to hear what is going on with others. Whether it is your friend from college or Kim Kardashian, the point is not how well you know them, but rather your desire to engage in their life and hear what they have to say; superficial or otherwise.

I have no delusions of grandeur regarding my tweets/postings, nor am I trying to gain any kind of “following”. Simply put, I just don’t want to be “used” in an effort to pad another’s Twitter stats.

To be gracious, I do not know Pastor Warren's motives for following my Twitter feeds. So out of fairness to him I wrote a letter asking him why he is interested in following my tweets. I'll keep you posted on his response... via Twitter of course :)

Relational Youth Ministry Blog

2010-08-17T13:00:00.001-04:00

Just a heads up…

In addition to writing on this blog I will also be writing monthly for the blog: “Relational Youth Ministry” (here's my first post: "Unplug..."). A good friend of mine, Tim Ciccone, is the blog’s facilitator and asked me to be one of the contributing voices to the conversation that deals with all things related to youth ministry. While I am no longer a youth pastor (I served as youth pastor at my home church for four years) I will be sharing my perspective on youth ministry as a church planter. For those of you who have a heartbeat for youth I hope the Relational Youth Ministry blog becomes a helpful resource for you.

Peace.

(Tim has also released, In Transit, a book designed for youth workers that are navigating a move from one ministry context to another. A great resource that is worth checking out)

Longing for Home

2010-08-06T07:49:00.000-04:00

We all have a place that brings us a sense of calm; a place where we are at peace. Home is the space where we are content in this world and with our contributions we give to make it better. When we are “home” we are able to gain perspective on the movement of life and our own personal development. Home is safe and free. Time seems to stand still when we are home, giving us breathing room to reflect on life and dream new possibilities.

Home sometimes is a physical place; the town you grew up in, your grandparent’s cottage, or your garage full of tools. Home can also be found in the relationships of others; hanging out with long-time friends over drinks, playing with your kids at the park, or going for walk with the one you love. A sense of home can also come over us when we listen to a piece of music, taste a certain kind of food, or gaze at the sunset on a summer evening.

Yet most of life is spent on the go, constantly moving (in thought and action) causing us to feel like someone who is continually traveling for work and rarely ever home. We grow tired of the “air travel, the road travel, and the hotels”…we simply long for home.

Because we struggle to find “home” we loose track of where we are, who we are, and what we want our life to be about. Life outside of “home” is disjointed, unsettling, and lonely. And so our pursuit of “home” continues.

Where do you find yourself today? At home or in tireless pursuit?

Where are those places that bring you home?

What are those moments that give you a sense of home?

Contradiction of the Mind

2010-07-15T16:39:00.003-04:00

my mind is sharp, my mind is dull

my mind is keenly aware and hopelessly oblivious

my mind races on to the next thing but can’t keep the pace

my mind remembers in vivid detail and forgets in opaque ambiguity

my mind dreams of possibilities but falls asleep on the job

my mind tunes in and my mind tunes out

my mind is a problem solver and a problem child

my mind has a limitless imagination yet is confined by the constructs of reality

my mind can see the possibilities, but is blinded by what’s in front of me

my mind is a laser beam of focus and a scattered array of confusion

my mind

Letting Go of "Supposed To"

2010-06-09T07:37:00.000-04:00

There is nothing that kills imagination and creativity quicker than the phrase, “Supposed to”.

“Supposed to” limits one’s possibility to that which has already been done. “Supposed to” may make one relevant but it never gives way to the unique creative genius.

“Supposed to” is attractive…it shows us the way, but this is precisely the problem. If the way is easy and can be shown so simply then there is a good chance no new thing will be discovered.

“Supposed to” is for those who want to fall in line, do as they’re told, and live a nice happy life. “Suppose to” doesn’t ask that much of you, just the status quo really. It doesn’t require you to think or to dream; and it certainly doesn’t rock the boat.

And while you are doing what you are “Supposed to” there are others doing what hasn’t been done, doing what they were told shouldn’t be done, or even more: what couldn’t be done. It is those who leave the confines of “Supposed to” that find their soul in the middle of a chorus…singing life out loud.

Living life outside of the “Supposed to” doesn’t mean that life is up for grabs; there are indeed some things we should be about. We should be generous, kind, and supportive of others. We should be encourages of children and our word should stand by exactly what it says.

Life free from the “Supposed to” doesn’t mean that we live life outside of the box, but rather that we dance along its edges. It means that when we go to work, school, or manage the household we will take care of more than our responsibilities…and not because they are a “have to”, but rather because they are an opportunity. An opportunity to do more than the minimum of the “supposed to” but to offer the fullness of our unique self to others.

May you live a life fare away from the demands of the supposed to and learn to live from the unique self God has placed within you.

Life Together

2010-06-07T07:33:00.000-04:00

I want to share this excerpt from “The Future of the Covenant In the Postmodern World” written by Jay Phelan, President and Dean of North Park Theological Seminary.

Phelan writes:

In the Covenant I think we have a chance to offer to the world a grown-up faith, a faith that can handle ambiguity, a faith that can handle hard questions, a faith that can accept people even when they are wrong, a faith that permits disagreements and encourages discussion, a faith that is able to say “I’m sorry” and “I love you,” a faith that looks out for the suffering and marginalized and shares with them the love of Jesus, a faith that is mature because the word and will of God are internalized. We have a chance, I say. We could also fall back into the safety of the old nanny or engage in adolescent “acting out,” and refuse to leave either childhood or adolescence.

There are all kind of people in families. There’s the conservative Uncle Bob, who lives in the suburbs and votes Republican. There’s liberal cousin Lisa, who lives in a city co-op and works with the homeless. One brother is an Army officer, another a devoted pacifist. One brother-in-law is a law officer in favor of capital punishment. His wife pickets at the prison whenever a life is to be taken. These opinions are real, profoundly different, and in some senses not compatible.

But you stay together because you are a family and have a common ancestry and common commitment. You stay together because you are grown-up people and not adolescents. Jesus, as you know, called his disciples from all sorts of backgrounds and persuasions. He expected them to stay together, whatever their differences; because, however serious those differences, they had him in common. And they had his mission in common: a mission of God’s generosity, grace and longing.

God does want lost people found, and lonely people, and broken people, and confused people, and angry people, and frustrated people. God wants all people found and restored to the family. The Covenant Church has a chance to help people find such people, if we can avoid insularity, squabbling, and childishness, of which we are all capable.

Video Killed the Radio Star

2010-06-05T07:35:00.000-04:00

Since our beginning Renovate has incorporated video in our worship gatherings. We have used video to project song lyrics, share short films that raise questions, and cast images that inspire. Video in our gatherings is as normal part of our liturgy.

I’m sure it came as a surprise to many that we took an intentional break from our video over 4 weeks ago. No lyrics projected, no images, and no short videos…we haven’t even set up the screens. Don’t get me wrong, there are many wonderful uses for video and projection within the context of worship however there are also times when technology has a way of creating distance between others and ourselves. At its best video has the capacity to paint vivid pictures for the mind body and soul however it also has the capacity to overload us to the point where we become desensitized to the world around us.

During our video break we’ve printed out lyrics to songs on sheets of paper to share and sing along with (there is something wonderful about holding a song sheet with another person and singing together). Also in conjunction with our video break Dave Nagel (our Worship Cultivator) has given his musicians a four-week “Sabbath” from playing on Sundays. The hope of this Sabbath for our musicians is to give them both rest from the need to “produce” and the opportunity to reflect on why we offer our gifts in this way.

These intentional breaks from our regular liturgical practice has created other opportunities within our worship like having selected people read Scripture from their seats for all to hear.

This video break has served to remind us that we are not measured by our level of production (as individuals and as a church), but rather through our identification as one of God’s children.

Field Trip Week

2010-06-03T07:37:00.003-04:00

This past week I went on two different school field trips with my boys. With my 2^nd grader, Luke, we went with his class to a camp where they learned all about habitats and the ecosystem do doing “hands on” research in the pond and wildlife studies in the forest. As one of the adult chaperones I helped the kids fill out their nature worksheets and also taught them a few other things that weren’t a part of the curriculum like: “How to burn stuff with a magnifying glass” (who knew ants popped like popcorn?). One of the highlights: playing “spider web tag” with the entire 2^nd grade class during our picnic lunch (man, those kids are fast!).

The day after Luke’s trip I went with Caleb and his 4^th grade class to Camp Pendalouan (a YMCA camp here in Western, MI). We learned about the first settlers to Michigan, the fur trade, and played another tag-like game to illustrate the workings of the food chain (elementary kids sure love their tag games!). My highlight of this day: watching my son interact with his class…he’s sweet, kind, and funny.

I have to admit that when the week 1^st began and I saw that I had two full days of school field trips in which I would not be getting any work done (yes, pastors do work during the week J I was a bit overwhelmed. Yet as I thought of the +’s and –‘s of going on the trips I was easily swayed in going when I reminded myself of one simple fact: Each one of my boys had invited me.

As my kids get older I will be invited less and less into the events of their life and so I want them to know that Mom and Dad love their invitations. Accepting their invitations communicates to them that what they do and think about matters…it shows them that their world is beautiful, interesting, and something I want to participate in.

Sure, not all of us have the flexibility of being self-employed, but going on every field trip isn’t the point (there will be plenty of field trips that even this pastor won’t be able to attend). The point is that as parents we regularly accept the invitations into our kid’s lives; doing what they would like to do, seeing what they would like us to see, and laughing at what they find funny.

Of all the things that were taught this past week what I learned most from my elementary school field trip experience was: Being invited by a child is enough of a reason to go along.

Back

2010-06-01T07:31:00.003-04:00

My family and I recently got back from our vacation in Florida. Our time as a family was filled with fun, adventure, relaxation, and connection. I can’t tell you what a gift it was to put my phone away and “let go” of phone calls, emails, txts, and work. This Sabbath for our family allowed us to reflect and remember the love we share with one another and the love that God has for us.

Part of taking a Sabbath means that we need to prepare for rest (remember the Israelites who gathered extra food on the 6^th day while in the wilderness?) and that we are intentional in our rest. Too many of us in taking vacations or time away from the office, fail to set up good boundaries for our absence (such as getting extra work done ahead of time/making sure people know who to contact in our absence) and end up checking email or make a “quick call” to the office to handle that “urgent” issue. As this happens we may physically be out of the office, but our mind never stops working. When we fail to “let go” we are easily taken away from the moment in front of us (being with the family, kids, etc) and are mentally transported to some other moment that may seem important but has little to no connection to what is happening around us right now. As a result we become more and more defined by the production of our hands instead of one of God’s unique creations and end up missing some of the beautiful things God does before us everyday.

My family and I can’t stay in Florida forever (sorry kiddos) and need to get back to reality; a reality that includes phone calls, emails, and work. Yet as we’ve returned Misty and I have been intentional about finding ways in which we cannot only turn off our phones and emails, but also our brains from the work we find so important. In doing so we hope to create a rhythm of participating in Sabbath yearly, monthly, weekly, and daily all so we might stay connected to what matters most.

What are some things you do in order to “let go” of work and rest in what is important in life?

What practices have you found helpful when resting to keep your mind from wondering to work, etc?

What intentional boundaries do you create when taking time away to keep yourself from feeling the need to “work”?

Communication Sabbath

2010-05-01T08:12:00.002-04:00

For the next two weeks I’m taking a Sabbath from communication. No, I’m not going mute; I’m still going to talk with Misty, talk with my friends, talk to myself, and in times of parental breakdown, yell at the kids. But I am taking a break from other forms of communication.

For the next two weeks I’m taking a break from the phone; no calls, no txts (I’ll have to figure out how to spell all over again, "lol"). I’m also going take a communication Sabbath from Facebook, Twitter, and blogging. There will be no status updates, tweets, or meanderings about life…I’m taking a break. Oh yeah, no emails either.

My hope is that taking a break from communicating I can re-connect with the ones that are most important in my life: my kids, Misty, and our Creator. I will be reading, writing, talking. But mostly…

I will be listening.

I’ll be back in 2 weeks. Peace.

Peace In the City

2010-04-29T07:44:00.001-04:00

In his book, the Beloved Community, Charles Marsh quotes Presbyterian minister Mark Gornik. Gornik and his friends were committed to fostering community development incarnationally and moved into Baltimore row housing in 1986. Gornik’s words are important for all who struggle with privilege in the midst of inequality:

“I cannot escape my background as a white male born into a world of options and privileges. But I can and should struggle with my obligation as a Christian to view the city in all of its forms and conditions through the eyes of the stranger, the excluded, and the poor. Christian reflection on the inner city must emerge out of relationships: the bonds of commitment to Christ and his peace for the poor. In Christ’s fellowship with the poor, in his identification with the depths of suffering through the cross, the cries from the depths of the inner city are also his, and the pleas that all things might be made right becomes a yearning in the Spirit of God for God’s reign of peace.

These words beg all of us to consider our privilege. Whether it comes by way of economics, education, or in by being a part of the ethnic majority we are called to leverage our privilege for the sake of others.

Waiting (Mobility pt. 4)

2010-04-27T07:34:00.001-04:00

We have a difficult time waiting. Whether it is waiting in line at the grocery store as the person ahead of us stumbles through the “self-check-out” in a clumsy manner or awaiting test results from the doctor; waiting is a difficult process.

Waiting is the antithesis to mobility. It renders us passive, stationary, and still when we would rather “get on with it”. We long for our moments of waiting to be short and quick so that life can be lived. Waiting is irritating and a waste of time.

Waiting is viewed as the space between where we were and where we want to be; waiting leaves us feeling powerless and helpless.

Henri Nouwen writes on those who wait in Scripture: “…there is none of this passivity in Scripture. Those who are waiting are waiting actively. They know that what they are waiting for is growing from the ground on which they are standing. Right here is a secret for us about waiting. If we wait in the conviction that a seed has been planted and that something has already begun, it changes the way we wait. Active waiting implies being fully present to the moment with the conviction that something is happening where we are and that we want to be present to it. A waiting person is someone who is present to the moment, believing that this moment is the moment.” – Finding My Way Home

May you see that your moment of waiting (no matter how long) is the moment and may you find the peace and hope of God fully present in the midst of your waiting.

Prayer: for the Good of Others

2010-04-25T07:43:00.000-04:00

“O God, we thank thee for the abundance of our blessings, but we pray that our plenty may not involve want for others. Do thou satisfy the desire of every child of thine. Grant that the strength which we shall draw from this food may be put forth again for the common good, and that our life may return to humanity a full equivalent in useful work for the nourishment which we receive from the common store."

Walter Rauschenbusch

Mobility and the Biblical Narrative (Mobility pt. 3)

2010-04-23T07:37:00.003-04:00

The Biblical narrative gives us another way to view mobility. In the Old Testament the Israelites are led out of slavery and into the promise land. At a quick glance it may seem as if God is concerned with the upward mobility of his people, but upon further study more is taking place. Although God is leading them to a place of hope and promise, God also leads his people through a place of struggle and pain; the wilderness. In fact as the journey out of Egypt unfolds, the Israelites request they be sent back to Egypt (Exodus 14:11-12; 16:3; 17:3).

For the Israelites this is not the type of mobility they had hoped for, yet God is concerned not just with “where they are going”, but “who they are becoming”. The Exodus story is not simply about God’s people moving from the slums to the suburbs but rather moving from a scattered and fearful people to a new community that finds its identity in God.

The life of Jesus is also one that causes us to re-think our affinity for mobility. In the Gospels Jesus has a conversation with the mother of Zebedee’s sons (Matthew 20:20-28; Mark 10:35-45). She makes a request that her two boys sit next to him at his thrown; this is the request of upward mobility. Jesus replies by asking if they can drink from his cup…the cup not of his “success” but rather of his suffering. The account then goes on:

“Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave - just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” - Matthew 20:26-28

Jesus communicates in his words (see his conversation with the rich young ruler) as well as with his life (especially the journey to the cross) that type of mobility one is to aspire to as his follower is one of downward mobility. While our culture may aspire to moving at a greater speed and acquiring more in the name of success and efficiency, Jesus beckons us to cast aside our nets and follow him not on a path of mobile comfort but rather down the path that leads to Calvary for the sake of the Kingdom.

What other examples from the Scriptures/life of Jesus do you see regarding “downward mobility”?
What is lost in a life of “downward mobility”? What is gained?

"The Silver Chair"

2010-04-21T19:39:00.001-04:00

“Are you not thirsty?” said the Lion.
“I’m dying of thirst,” said Jill.
“Then drink,” said the Lion.
“May I – could I – would you mind going away while I do?” said Jill.

The Lion answered this only by a look and a very low growl. And as Jill gazed at its motionless bulk, she realized that she might as well have asked the whole mountain to move aside for her convenience.

The delicious rippling noise of the stream was driving her nearly frantic.

“Will you promise not to – do anything to me, if I come?” said Jill.
“I make no promise,” said the Lion.

Jill was thirsty now that, without noticing it, she had come a step nearer.
“Do you eat girls?” she said.
“I have swallowed up girls and boys, women and men, kings and emperors, cities and realms,” said the Lion. It didn’t say this as if it were boasting, nor as if it were sorry, nor as if it were angry. It just said it.

“I daren’t come and drink,” said Jill.
“Then you will die of thirst,” said the Lion.
“Oh dear!” said Jill, coming a step nearer. “I suppose I must go and look for another stream then.”

“There is no other stream,” said the Lion.

- C.S. Lewis, The Silver Chair

Prayer: for the Church

2010-04-19T07:49:00.000-04:00

“O God, we pray for thy church, which is set today amid the perplexities of a changing order, and face to face with a great new task. We remember with love the nurture she gave to our spiritual life in its infancy, the tasks she set for our growing strength, the influence of the devoted hearts she gathers, the steadfast power for good she has exerted. When we compare her with all other human institutions, we rejoice, for there is none like her. But when we judge her by the mind of her Master, we bow in pity and contrition.

Oh, baptize her afresh in the live-giving spirit of Jesus! Grant her a new birth, though it be with the travail of repentance and humiliation. Bestow upon her a more imperious responsiveness to duty, a swifter compassion with suffering, and an utter loyalty to the will of God. Put upon her lips the ancient gospel of her Lord. Help her to proclaim boldly the coming of the kingdom of God and the doom of all that resist it. Fill her with the prophets’ scorn of tyranny, and with a Christ-like tenderness for the heavy-laden and down-trodden. Give her faith to espouse the cause of the people, and in their hands that grope after freedom and light to recognize the bleeding hands of the Christ. Bid her cease from seeking her own life, lest she lose it. Make her valiant to give up her life to humanity, that like her crucified Lord she may mount by the path of the cross to a higher glory."

Walter Rauschenbusch

Unwanted Side Effects of Mobility (Mobility pt.2)

2010-04-17T07:43:00.002-04:00

While living a life that values increasing mobility may seem as harmless as pursuing the “American Dream”, our highly mobilized culture comes with some unwanted side effects. One of the effects of mobility is the creation of distance. Essentially this means that as we become increasingly mobile and transient we lose out on connection with one another as well as with creation.

Think about the individual or family that rushes through a drive-thru to scarf down a combo meal on the way to the next sports/club event. Little attention is given to the food; where it came from, where it was harvested, who prepared it, as well as the working conditions of those who prepared it. Compare this to a family that operates at a slower pace, choosing to spend meals around a common table, perhaps even preparing food harvested locally. Is it possible that in our quest for a highly mobile lifestyle we lose out on deep human connections?

Further, the speed created though mobility desensitizes us to the world around us. While watching the TV or on the internet if a commercial, news clip, or pop-up occurs that informs me of a devastating event I have the ability to “click away” to the latest sports scores. Mobility affords me the luxury of constructing a world that keeps me comfortable, safe, and happy while being desensitized to the pain of others.

What is gained in a highly mobile lifestyle? What connections are lost?
How are we desensitized to the world around us by the pace at which we move?

The Thin Line Between Creative and Crazy (pt. 3)

2010-04-15T07:39:00.000-04:00

"Songwriting is about getting the demon out of me. It's like being possessed. You try to sleep, but the song won't let you. So you have to get up and make it into something, and then you're allowed to sleep. It's always in the middle of the bloody night, or when you're half awake or tired, when your critical faculties are switched off. So letting go is what the whole game is."

- John Lennon

The Mobility God (Mobility pt. 1)

2010-04-13T07:38:00.002-04:00

Our Western culture prides itself in its capacity for movement and mobility. From the telling of our history, which includes the “discovery” of the West, to the speed at which we communicate with one another via social networking sites on the internet, our movement oriented culture thrives on conquest, achievement, and efficiency (just think about the names of the cars we produce in America: “Expedition”, “Explorer”, “Mustang”, “Voyager”).

The notion of “Upward Mobility” is hard-wired into us as individuals. Upward mobility suggests value in a movement towards something more; it fuels those who have “little” to achieve “more”, encouraging them on with progress, speed, and efficiency. An example of our desire for a life of upward mobility can be reflected when a young couple finds there first place to live.

Often a “starter home” (even this term suggests the need for progress towards something “better”) is smaller, modest. Possibly one’s first home, because of funds, is not purchased but rented; maybe even in an area of town that is viewed as less desirable because of crime, schools, etc. As the couple grows older, presumably makes more income, their ability to afford more by way of a house (as well as standard of living) increases. This causes them to leave their first home/apt and purchase something bigger and better (possibly leaving the area all together for a more “stable” community). The goal for the family is one of upward mobility (the hope that one day they will have the “house of their dreams”) and is made possible by an individual’s (or in this case, a couple’s) wealth, privilege, and power.

The philosophy of upward mobility also values speed and efficiency and can be seen in the way we communicate and process information. Telephones no longer exist to merely make connections from one household to another, instead each person has their own personal mobile phone that processes information (emails, web-surfing, news feeds, Facebook updates, etc) at lightning fast speed; yes, they still make phone calls as well. Further, the cost of the devices that make our fast exchange of information possible (iPhones, LCD TV’s, computers, etc) as well as the cost to manage/power our devices (mobile phone plans, internet plans, cable bills, etc) require a great deal of financial prosperity.

In short: our fascination with the mobile lifestyle is one that reflects a great deal of wealth, prosperity, and privilege.

Mobility as a value in our culture is not inherently bad, but I am wondering if there are any unwanted side effects of a mobile lifestyle.

Where else do you see our culture’s desire for “upward mobility”?
If a life of “upward mobility” is afforded by wealth, prosperity, and privilege what does this mean for the poor among us (are they able to live a life of “meaning”)?

Prayer: By the Works of Our Hands

2010-04-11T07:39:00.000-04:00

“O God, we thank thee for the sweet refreshment of sleep and for the glory and vigor of the new day. As we set our faces once more toward our daily work, we pray thee for the strength sufficient for our tasks. May Christ’s spirit of duty and service ennoble all we do.

Uphold us by the consciousness that our work is useful work and a blessing to all. If there has been anything in our work harmful to others and dishonorable to ourselves, reveal it to our inner eye with such clearness that we shall hate it and put it away, though it be at a loss to ourselves.

When we work with others, help us to regard them, not as servants to our will, but as brothers [and sisters] equal to us in human dignity, and equally worthy of their full reward. May there be nothing in this day’s work of which we shall be ashamed when the sun has set, nor in the eventide of our life when our task is done and we go to our long home to meet thy face."

Walter Rauschenbusch

A Constructed Heart

2010-04-09T07:32:00.000-04:00

As I was cleaning out my 1st grader’s backpack yesterday I came across this craft she had made.

I began to envision her creating this cut-out paper heart. Moving the scissors in a precise manner to give the heart its shape, intentionally placing two heart stickers on each side, and circling each word of a phrase she had memorized in her own heart and now wanted to share with others: “love god love people”.

There is a sweet simplicity to this piece, yet it came by way of a careful and deliberate construction.

May you find joy in living out this simple phrase. May you intentionally embrace all the depths of its practice in the midst of a complex world; always growing in a deeper love and obedience for the Creator and a more sacrificial love for your enemy. And may the heart that is constructed in you beat with such fervor that the hearts of others come alive with the simple hope that has found its home within you.

The Thin Line Between Creative and Crazy (pt. 2)

2010-04-07T07:30:00.000-04:00

"It is only true that a lot of artists are mentally ill - it's a life which, to put it mildly, makes one an outsider. I'm all right when I completely immerse myself in my work, but I'll always remain half crazy." - Vincent van Gogh

The “Progress” God

2010-04-05T07:53:00.000-04:00

We are a culture of progress. A combination of advances in technology, science, and social enlightenment have made “today” better than “yesterday”. Whether it has been technologies invented to bring us light in our homes, medicines discovered that cure disease, or bigotries defeated for the benefit of cross-cultural relationship we as a society/humanity have progressed.

And ironically, just as we recognize where we’ve come from we also recognize where we need to go (we are still a long way off from racial equality in this country). So we move on, working toward a better tomorrow.

In all of these ways, our desire for and participation towards, progress are good and true. However is it possible that the notion of “progress” also carries with it a dark side? One that might not lead us towards a more hopeful future for all but instead move us deeper towards injustice and imbalance?

Progress becomes problematic (and even harmful) when it comes by a purely humanistic understanding of the world. In this sense, those moving towards betterment seek to achieve it through the autonomy of humanity. Their “Triune-Progress-god” is one of science, technology, and economy. In this model progress happens as people push scientific limits to discover how “the world works”, develop technologies that serve for the luxury of our existence, and set up economies for prosperity. It constructs a society, a “tower”, that is strong, tall, and shiny…seemingly flawless.

When we serve human betterment through the gods of science, technology, and economy, we become people who construct our own Tower of Babel. A towering society prides itself on its “magnificence”, a spectacle of what can be accomplished when people work together to move forward. Yet when our betterment comes apart from Divine participation and rests solely on our own self aggrandizement we make severe flaws in the tower’s “construction”. This is the story of our Western modern culture as well as the story of how empire always operates.

In this version of “progress” betterment only comes to those who are benefactors of the Tower (the living situation at the “top floor” is certainly better than that of those in the shadows of the tower). Our human systems on their own are unable to bring about complete, whole, true harmony for all.

And when the “Progress” god fails and the Tower falls? It brings devastation (ex: the market collapse of ’09). In the midst of the Tower’s rubble and ashes, the collapse also brings with it possibility; a possibility that our progress might once again resume, yet this time not solely on the might of human autonomy but rather through the tandem movement of both humanity and the God of progress.

In this sense we become co-laborers not for a Tower that will one day topple, but co-laborers for a Kingdom that will bring lasting peace, justice, and equity for all.

Where do you see example of human progress that although bring good to some also bring oppression to others?

Easter

2010-04-04T07:53:00.003-04:00

“…they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, ‘Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen!’” – Luke 24:3-6

Good Friday

2010-04-02T07:52:00.002-04:00

"Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows: yet we esttemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted." - Isaiah 53:4

Maundy Thursday

2010-04-01T07:42:00.002-04:00

Holy God, source of all love, on the night of his betrayal Jesus gave his disciples a new commandment, to love one another as he loved them. Write this commandment in our hearts; give us the will to serve others as he was the servant of all, who gave his life and died for us. Amen. - The Lutheran Book of Worship

Consuming Darkness

2010-03-30T07:48:00.000-04:00

We have a unique relationship with darkness. As children we love to play and tell stories in the darkness. Yet if all light is extinguished our fascination turns to fear. When we get older darkness can even become a nuisance (ever stub your toe on the edge of your bed in the middle of the night?). As an adult we may even experience a darkness that as children we never knew: a darkness of the soul.

Some refer to it as despair, hopelessness, and depression, yet the feelings it brings with it are the same. In the dark seasons of life a deep sadness and sense of meaningless seam to keep us incarcerated in a life that feels too small; void of any breath; void of any light. In darkness we loose our orientation to life and we become numb to the world around us; operating like a shell of our former self.

A darkness of the soul is deep, engulfing, and all consuming. In darkness, there are no easy answers. Sadly many who go through seasons of darkness are given platitudes to “help” them in “their” situation. “Maybe you’re not praying enough”, “This must be a result of some unconfessed sin in your life”, and (my personal favorite) “Just let go and let God…”

Articulating these sentiments can leave one feeling more alone, as if it is up to them (and their “prayer time”) to just “snap out of it” (see the advice Job received from his “friends”). Religious clichés like these leave little room for help and end up perpetuating a deeper sense of guilt leading one further down the spiral of hopelessness.

The darkness of the soul may seem void of any kind of spirituality. However, this is often the place where God is most present. In the place where the lights of life are shut out we are often taken to the end of “self”; the place where, because of total exhaustion, we surrender. It is in that moment a new light dawns and we begin to see more clearly than we ever have before.

There is no formula or time frame given through which the cloud will be lifted…darkness is a part of the journey.

If you are experiencing a season of darkness; you do not have to journey alone. Share your feelings with someone you trust, who loves you and can walk with you (a friend, family member, a counselor). As you feel swallowed in hopelessness, may you find solidarity with the Giver of Light who is never consumed by darkness and has made his dwelling among you.

When you find yourself experiencing a season of “light” be generous with the light that has been entrusted to you. Use it as a beacon of hope to those who are stuck and wondering, ushering them to the place of peace and hope.

“I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. I well remember them, my soul is downcast within me. Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, ‘The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.’” – Lamentations 2:4

Palm Sunday

2010-03-28T07:49:00.003-04:00

Jesus, when you rode into Jerusalm the people waved paslms with shouts of acclamation. Grant that when the shouting dies we my still walk beside you, even to the cross.

- A New Zealand Prayer Book (He Karakia Mihinare o Aotearoa)

The Pain of "Forget"

2010-03-27T15:00:00.001-04:00

Throughout life there are experiences that we wish we could forget. Pains and past hurts that serve as an on-going reminder that we are “not okay”. Ironically there are also things within our life that we hope we never forget. The sound of the ocean tide sweeping the shore, the warmth of the sun on our face, the moment we had our first last kiss, and the time when our child invited us to come and play.

These moments of goodness are essential to our memory. They serve as a compass, always pointing us in the direction of possibility and hope.

Yet sometimes during the pains of life, we become so overwhelmed with a destructive reality that our capacity to “remember” life’s joys drastically diminishes. The opening narrative of Exodus tells of a good God who had continued in life-giving relationship with his people throughout the generations. God had expressed his goodness to Joseph and his descendants in such a way that all of God’s people knew their identity and their hope.

The story takes a dramatic turn with the death of Joseph’s generation and the birth of a king (who had no memory of the good past). These two events cause the collective memory of God’s goodness and promise fade away. Exodus 1:8 hits like a thud: “Then a new king, to whom Joseph meant nothing, came to power in Egypt.” This was the turning point; the moment when God’s people began to forget.

When the difficulties of life come our way and begin to make for us a new reality, it becomes all too easy to forget the good of the past. Not only do we loose our hopeful memory of the past but we also let go of the possibility that good will re-emerge in the future.

Maybe in the midst of a difficult relationship, the loss of work or in declining health, your capacity to “remember” the goodness of life, and the One who created it, has escaped your memory. Yet this is not where the story ends. Pharaoh (and the lords of this earth may have forgotten) but the God of creation never forgets.

May you, whether wondering in pain or basking in joy, be reminded of a good God who has not forgotten.

The Divine Hours

2010-03-25T07:48:00.002-04:00

God, you have prepared in peace the path I must follow today. Help me to walk straight on that path. If I speak, remove lies from my lips. If I am hungry, take away from me all complaint. If I have plenty, destroy pride in me. May I go through the day calling on you, you, O Lord, who knows no other Lord.

- Phyllis Tickle, The Divine Hours

The Thin Line Between Creative and Crazy (pt. 1)

2010-03-23T07:35:00.004-04:00

"Many people hear voices when no one is there. Some of them are called 'mad' and are shut up in rooms where they stare at the walls all day. Others are called 'writers' and they do pretty much the same thing." - Meg Chittenden

Not So Different? (Church and Culture pt. 4)

2010-03-21T07:46:00.000-04:00

In last two conversations of Church and Culture we took a look at the “Christ against Culture” model and the “Christ of Culture” model stating that they serve as the antithesis/opposite to one another. Yet despite their differences (of which there are many) the result of either posture is often the same: irrelevance to the world.

The irrelevance of the “against” posture is clear to see. Church communities that exist by praxis of escapism from the culture fail to find any common ground for conversation that can give birth to a mutually life-giving relationship between the Church and culture. The Church in this category is unable to speak any of the cultural language and finds its self unable to communicate effectively with the world around them. Further, the world sees the church in this posture as having nothing helpful (or even hopeful) to contribute; essentially the culture sees the Church as the “last” place to go for guidance and direction. The church in this posture becomes a holy huddle…wholly irrelevant.

By contrast of approach, yet with similar outcome, the “of” posture of the Church engages so deeply in the culture that the distinctives of the sacred community evaporate. Here the Church so immerses itself in the culture (by way of music, structure, ideology) that there is nothing “new” to be offered to the culture. As a result the culture doesn’t look to the Church for inspiration or direction because the Church looks just like the culture. The church looses its mission for sake of mimicking the world around them and fails to bring the type of fresh creativity that can inspire the culture towards the story of God.

How have you seen the irrelevance of the “against” posture in our culture?

How have you seen the irrelevance of the “of” posture in our culture?

"I've Run a Twisted Line"

2010-03-19T07:42:00.004-04:00

"The Maker" - Daniel Lanois

Oh, oh deep water, black and cold like the night
I stand with arms wide open
I’ve run a twisted line
I’m a stranger in the eyes of the Maker

I could not see for the fog in my eyes
I could not feel for the fear in my life
From across the great divide, In the distance I saw light
Jean Baptiste walking to me with the Maker

My body is bent and broken
By long and dangerous leaps
I can’t work the fields of Abraham and turn my head away
I’m not a stranger in the eyes of the Maker

Brother John, have you seen the homeless daughters
Standing there with broken wings
I have seen the flaming swords there over east of Eden
Burning in the eyes of the Maker

Burning in the eyes of the Maker

Oh river rise from your sleep

Numbers Represent People?

2010-03-17T07:49:00.000-04:00

I was in a conversation recently about what it means to be a healthy church. The conversation quickly changed when it became clear the metrics the person was using to determine a healthy church were all based on numbers (“how many people are coming to your church?” “how much money is given?”, etc). As the conversation headed down this road I became terribly disinterested. Sensing that I was checking out of the conversation the person I was talking with told me that, “Numbers are important because numbers represent people”.

Their statement didn’t lengthen the conversation any (I wasn’t interested in a justification for cold numerical statistics). But the statement did get me thinking.

“Do numbers represent people?” “Is that a reason to gauge the success of a ministry by the numbers?” Hmmm….

On one hand it can seem that numbers are important (think about a situation in which there is some sort of tragedy; the number of those rescued matters greatly). However I don’t sense that one’s participation at a Sunday church service is a matter of life and death (people can attend church without a commitment to kingdom living). Further if numbers matter, then often churches will do all sorts of things to simply get more numbers to their events. In doing so, churches set aside their prophetic call in this world and end up feeding the same things this world offers (autonomous individualism and consumerism).

So, do “Numbers represent people?” I don’t think so. Numbers are nothing but cold statistics meant to categorize people on the slide-rule of easy management.

But people…people cannot be confined to the statistics of numbers. People are living breathing organisms, made in the image of the Creator. They have joys, hurts, hopes, fears, talents, flaws, gifts, skeletons, hang-ups, and character traits that are as unique as the colors of life. Numbers cannot tell these stories.

What do you think of the phrase: “Numbers represent people?”
How have you seen church communities operate in unhealthy ways because they were “number driven?”

“So the Bible, Science, & Religion Walk Into A Bar…”

2010-03-15T07:42:00.000-04:00

The mention of these three elements together seems to be either: the set-up for some cosmic joke or the creation of a powder-keg waiting to explode.

G.K. Chesterton said, “Private theories about what the Bible ought to mean, and premature theories about what the world ought to mean, have met in loud and widely advertised controversy…and this clumsy collision of two very impatient forms of ignorance was known as the quarrel of Science and Religion.”

Whether it is courtroom battles during the Scope’s trial, debates over “how the world was formed”, or whether or not there is a “gay” gene, we have all been witness to “Science” and “Religion” not playing nicely together. Yet within the constructs of history Science and Religion being at odds with one another is a relatively new phenomenon (it wasn’t until the Enlightenment of 19th Century when Religion distanced itself from Science in a competitive way).

So a couple of questions: Are Science and Religion really at “odds”?

What are the major barriers that keep the Science community and the Religious community from getting along well?

What helpful contributions do these two communities bring to the table?

OF Culture (Church and Culture pt. 3)

2010-03-13T07:36:00.000-05:00

In our last conversation on this topic we discussed the “Christ against Culture” relationship. This conversation will focus on what could be seen as the antithesis to the “Christ Against” model:

Christ OF Culture

- states that God is transcendent and can be found in all human endeavors.
- the Church and culture are not it conflict.
- the Church embraces the world.
- uses cultural symbols and tools (rock music, theater seating, etc.) to communicate with the culture.
- mimics culture.

Examples: 20th century Protestant Liberalism and the Seeker Sensitive movement.

Where else do you see examples of this posturing? What healthy/unhealthy when the Church is postured this way?

The Divine Hours

2010-03-11T08:03:00.000-05:00

Most loving Father, whose will it is for us to give thanks for all things, to fear nothing but the loss of you, and to cast all our care on you who cares for us: Preserve me from faithless fears and worldly anxieties, that no clouds of this mortal life may hide from me the light of the love which is immortal, and which you have manifested to us in your Son Jesus Christ our Lord; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

- Phyllis Tickle, The Divine Hours

Too Many Options For Significance

2010-03-09T07:29:00.002-05:00

We are a culture that prides itself on having an endless array of choices ever before us. Choice gives us the space to be free; free from becoming pigeon-holed or defined to one particular way. Choice also embodies movement; a movement towards the significant.

To us the allure of choice begins with possibilities, possibilities become opportunities, and opportunities turn into hope. And what is the hope? That we might be able to move beyond our current situation and live a life of uniqueness and significance.

And so Significance drives our existence. From the time we are young and told that we are “special” to the moment we graduate assured that we were “created for something more” we desire to make choices that will lead us into a meaningful life.

Choice and Significance seem to be the perfect pair however is it possible that our over-indulgence with choice leaves us empty in our pursuit of meaning?

“As a society of consumers, we define choice “not as freedom to choose one course of action over another but as the freedom to choose everything at once. This is the ‘I-want-it-all’ mentality. ‘Freedom of choice’ means ‘keep your options open.’ However, in real life every choice of any consequence inevitably rules out a whole series of other options. It is literally impossible to ‘keep your options open’ and live a life of any significance.” (Truth Is Stranger Than It Used to Be)

Maybe, then, discovering our significance is found in making the difficult decisions that refine us into the people God has designed for us to become.

Bibles for Everyone?

2010-03-07T07:26:00.000-05:00

The invention of the printing press in 1440 is arguably one of the greatest inventions of all time. It revolutionized the way in which we communicate and relate to one another. The printing press made it possible for the common person to have their own copy of the Scriptures to read and study.

We value greatly our individual personal Bibles, for they have made truth accessible and dare I say palatable, to our unique needs and lifestyles (just take a stroll through your local Christian bookstore at all of the different “kinds” of Bibles: for the environmentalist, the patriot, the pre-teen, etc).

Clearly the benefit of giving out Bibles to people of all cultures (and demographics) has been great however in the process of individualizing the Bible to such an extent has something been lost?

Christian theologian and ethicist Stanley Hauerwas writes, “No task is more important than for the Church to take the Bible out of the hand of individual Christians in North America.”

Hauerwas argues that full access to the Scriptures completely unguided by Church tradition or biblical training leads to a situation where any interpretation is viewed as “valid” an in effect the Bible becomes stripped from its true authority to speak into our lives and our culture.

Have we over-emphasized a “personal” approach to reading/studying the Scriptures?
What does a more “communal” approach look like?

How have our “niche” translations (the “Green” Bible”, Pre-Teen Bible, etc.) been helpful or harmful in our culture?

Against Culture (Church and Culture pt. 2)

2010-03-05T07:22:00.001-05:00

As we explore the relationship between the Church and culture let’s look at the first posturing Richard Niebuhr outlines (see Niebuhr’s “Christ & Culture”).

Christ Against Culture

- this position finds its footing on the sole authority of Christianity over the Christian.
- It rejects the world and any of culture’s claim to authority.
- the world here is seen as bad, something that needs escaping, and in turn doesn’t deal with systems of the world.
- creates an “Us vs. Them” mentality; at times antagonistic.
- creates a Christian sub-culture.

Examples: 20th century Christian Fundamentalism

Where else do you see examples of this posturing? What healthy/unhealthy when the Church is postured this way?

"What It Means To Me"

2010-03-03T08:16:00.002-05:00

There is a pervading sense (particularly in Evangelicalism) that all one needs to do to understand God’s word is study it in the morning hours (usually in solitude) and pray God reveals its meaning.

Further our individualistic culture has become skeptical of any kind of authority (ie: tradition, clergy, critical scholarship) that Biblical training seems to many as unnecessary. As a result many are shaped not by what the Scriptures have been saying throughout the centuries (through the community of faith) but rather by their own particular vantage point and perspective.

In the 18th Century Baptist Preacher turned Universalist Evangelist Elhanan Winchester writes about how he came to his position of Universalism: “I shut myself up chiefly in my chamber, read the Scriptures, and prayed to God to lead me into all truth, and not suffer me to embrace any error; and I think with an upright mind, I laid myself open to believe whatsoever the Lord had revealed. It would be too long to tell all the Teaching I had on this head; let it suffice, in short, to say, that I became so well persuaded of the truth of Universal Restoration, that I determined never to deny it.”

The critique here is not on a theological position but rather the method of Biblical interpretation used to arrive at such a position.

Here I find John Calvin worth quoting: “I acknowledge that Scripture is a most rich and inexhaustible fountain of all wisdom; but I deny that its fertility consists in the various meanings which any man, at his pleasure, may assign.”

Where is the balance between individual study, teach ability, trained clergy, and Biblical scholarship/criticism in the life of Biblical interpretation?

How have you seen individual interpretation practiced in harmful ways?

The Market of Religion

2010-03-01T07:12:00.003-05:00

“…the religious tradition, which previously could be authoritatively imposed, now has to be marketed. It must be ‘sold’ to a clientele that is no longer constrained to ‘buy’. The pluralist situation is, above all, a market situation. In it, the religious institutions become marketing agencies and the religious traditions become consumer commodities.”

Peter Berger “The Sacred Canopy”

A Biblical Nation?

2010-02-27T07:03:00.004-05:00

From our nation’s beginning we have been heavily influenced by the Bible. Yet to what extent should America be labeled a Biblical nation? Our Presidents throughout the years have all been seen carrying a copy of the Bible and have even quoted Scripture, yet does this make American a “Biblical nation”?

As history looks back on our forefathers each one used (and misused) the Scriptures in various ways. Thomas Jefferson (who’s personal library consisted of more books on the Bible than any other president) translated his own copy of the Bible. Dubbed “The Jefferson Bible”, this translation focused on the life and teachings of Jesus but was completely devoid of miracles (or anything supernatural). On the one year anniversary of September 11. President George W. Bush, gave a speech in which he said, “The ideal of America is the hope of all mankind…That hope still lights our way. And the light shines in the darkness. And the darkness shall not overcome it.” (here President Bush mixes portions of John 1:4-5 with a nationalistic fervor in such a way that what is created is nothing short of syncretistic and idolatrous).

What emerged throughout the development of our nation was a predisposition to read Scripture through the lens of America nationalism (ex. in 1777 Benjamin Franklin proposed the national seal be illustrated as Moses leading Israel to safety through the Red Sea).

Mark Noll writes: “...although the Bible had worked itself into the foundation of national consciousness, it contributed little to shape the structures built upon that foundation – except for the conviction that the structures were as sacrosanct as the biblical foundation itself.” – The Bible In America

In this sense Noll points out that America (and its policies) has become intertwined with our Biblical identity to such a degree, that just as the Bible is venerated and held sacred so then is our national identity.

Where do you see examples of America as a “Biblical Nation”?
Where do you see example of America act apart or “outside” of the Biblical narrative?

Church and Culture (pt. 1)

2010-02-25T07:59:00.000-05:00

Disagreements (even arguments and church splits) arise in church circles over what is “appropriate” by way of dress, worship music, and even social policy as they relate to culture. Is there a proper relationship between the Church and culture? Richard Niebuhr’s classic theological discourse “Christ & Culture” articulates 5 different relationships between Christ (or the Church) and Culture that we’ll take a look at over a series of blog posts.

Some questions to get us thinking: Where have you seen examples of a dysfunctional relationship between the Church and culture? Where have you seen examples of a functional (or healthy) relationship between the Church and culture?

Interpreting The Bible

2010-02-23T07:56:00.002-05:00

Questions for you today surrounding Biblical interpretation:

What must one consider when interpreting the Bible?

What must one guard against when interpreting the Bible?

What in our culture works for proper Biblical interpretation? What in our culture works against proper Biblical interpretation?

Can one know what the “Bible says”?

Avatar: A Shift In Culture

2010-02-21T07:52:00.004-05:00

Last weekend my family and I went to go see the latest James Cameron blockbuster: Avatar. With large buckets of popcorn and our 3-D glasses we were ready to be taken away to another world…another reality.

The movie was amazing; filled with special effects that would make George Lucas want to re-re-release the Star Wars franchise.

Yet lying beneath the layers of CGI is a storyline that serves as a sign post to our shifting culture. Avatar tells the story of exploration, discovery, conquest, and the progress that emerges from such conquests. This story is nothing new; it is found all through the history of cinema as well as through our collective American history. This is the story of how Columbus “discovered” America and “how the West was won”. The difference here is that a shift in how the story is being told is taking place.

Both Columbus and the expansion of the West (and the other “stories” like them) have been told through the prevailing worldview of a single perspective…the perspective of the majority (the group that holds the most power and influence). This is what modernity has brought us: a single story.

However the pitfall of modernity is that it claims only one story (the story of the majority) and in effect silences (through violence, oppression, or ignorance) all of the “other” stories that are speaking from different vantage points. Avatar serves as an indicator to the shift from a modern to a postmodern culture as it tells the story from the alternative vantage point (in relation the prevailing story).

One could easily recognize that the alternative story has always been there (Native Americans have always had an alternative story to the expansion of the West) but what points to a cultural shift is that this alternative story is being heard.

Middleton and Walsh write: “It is not just that the ‘Columbus story’ is being questioned or retold; more fundamental is the fact that aboriginal voices now have a significant hearing among us.” (p.12 Truth Is Stranger Than It Used to Be)

The shift in “story telling” can become unsettling and disorienting for many, particularly those who have ascribed to the prevailing story (more on this in another blog post). However I also can’t help but grow increasingly hopeful that in the midst of this shift there lies the great possibility that the God story might weave itself among us in new and surprising ways.

As the telling and hearing of the alternative stories increases, what is lost and what is gained?
How might the “alternative story” shape the way we think about and communicate the Gospel?

From Chucks to Vans

2010-02-20T07:42:00.008-05:00

Velcro-low-top-black-converse-all-stars...

These are the shoes of my 8 year old Luke. Well worn, he has gotten a lot of mileage out of these bad boys. These kicks have climbed trees, skated up and down streets, and chased his little sister.

Sadly these shoes are worn beyond wear and no longer can keep up with Luke's action-packed-hyper-fast life style. We had to say "good-bye" to the Chucks and opt for something sleeker, faster, newer.

Luke's choice:

Old-school-low-top-slip-on-vans-with-flames (insert Scorpions metal tune "Rock You Like a Hurricane").

Do you have a favorite pair of shoes currently or from your childhood?

Anyone still own a pair of L.A. Gear or British Knights?

The Bible In Our Life

2010-02-19T07:50:00.000-05:00

The Bible is present in every courtroom and every presidential inauguration taking on an “iconic” status, while serving as the foundational book for those of the Christian faith. Further, within the Christian framework there are those who uphold a venerated view of the Bible (without error, without question, literal in every way) while others in the faith take a different posture. These differing views of the Bible lead to a varying array of practices reflected in both our personal living and our corporate politics. Over the centuries perhaps no other book as been used and abused than that of the Bible. It has been used to both defend the institution of slavery in the United States while at the same time serving as a beacon of hope for those looking for freedom from such an oppressive system.

In “The Bible in America” Nathan Hatch and Mark Noll write: “…Scripture has been nearly omnipresent in the nation’s past…however, the actual use of the Bible in American life has been attended with considerable complexity and decided ambiguity.”

Because of this I would like to have some conversation (over several blog posts) that revolve around the Bible; how we use/misuse it; its impact on our life/politics; and the message it brings.

Where do you see the Bible’s impact on our culture (either positive or negative)?

The Big Story

2010-02-18T07:23:00.000-05:00

What do you think of the way in which James Choung illustrates the Gospel? (play video)

What does this illustration highlight about the Gospel that other illustrations often miss?

Are there things about the Gospel that are failed to be communicated in this illustration?

Ash Wednesday

2010-02-17T07:48:00.002-05:00

O God, your mercy is infinite and in your will is our peace. We learn your way so slowly; we choose your will so reluctantly. In this season of learning the limitlessness of your love, help us through the guidance of your Holy Spirit to learn the meaning of our Lord's suffering and to choose his example of humility. Enable us to experience and to proclaim that you are might to save, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

"Happy Birthday George, Here's A Mattress"

2010-02-15T07:40:00.001-05:00

Today is President’s Day (formally celebrated as Washington’s Birthday) and I can’t think of any better way to celebrate than by giving the gift of a mattress.

Really?...

Macy’s, I’m sorry for your marketing team.

Balloon Jesus Video

2010-02-11T07:53:00.001-05:00

A couple of weeks ago I was in Denver and spent a few evenings at the Paramount Cafe' with friends. It was pushing 12:30am on our last night in town and a girl in her early 20's was making balloon animals in order to earn a few bucks. She told me her name was Amy and then I asked her to make me a balloon animal.

She had a large portfolio of balloon animal creations (from a toilet bowl, to Bill Cosby, to things that for reasons of good taste, I can't mention on this blog). She said "how about a balloon Jesus". I agreed and then Amy asked if I wanted the "Crucifixion Jesus" or the "Robe Jesus".

I opted for the "Robe Jesus" because he was a bit more cheerful.

During her 15 minutes of Jesus creation Amy shared with me all sorts of things she experienced and thought about in life. I was glad to hear her story and impressed at her balloon creation.

I shot some video with my phone and put this video together...enjoy.

Conan's Last Words

2010-02-09T07:39:00.004-05:00

"All I ask of you, especially young people . . . is one thing. Please don't be cynical, I hate cynicism. It's my least favorite quality and it doesn't lead anywhere."

-Conan O'Brien on leaving the Tonight Show

"Don't Ask, Don't Tell"

2010-02-07T07:32:00.004-05:00

In his first State of the Union address, President Obama said he would work to repeal the law that kept people from serving in the military based on sexual orientation. While the military does not ask recruits to state their sexual orientation they do actively investigate whether the enlisted are gay (since 1994 12,000 service members have been dismissed because of their sexual orientation). read more from TIME

My questions are simple:

What do you think of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy?

Should those who are gay be allowed to serve in the military?

Is this a "moral" issue?

As always be gracious in your postings.

"Do You Like American Music?"

2010-02-05T07:32:00.001-05:00

Folk-Punk-Americana...oh how I love the Violent Femmes. I remember the 1st time I heard the song "Out Of the Window"...I was hooked. Then it was Blister In the Sun, Add It Up, American Music, Gone Daddy Gone, Old Mother Reagan, and Waiting for a Bus.

This Milwaukee trio showed me what was possible with an acoustic guitar and a tight rhythm section. Yet it was Gordon Gano's perverse lyrics ("wait a minute honey gonna add it up...) filled with teenage angst ("you can all just kiss off into the air...") and sung like an 11-year old that brought me both relief and laughter...the Femmes were a breath of fresh air to teenagers everywhere.

Never too complicated in their chord charts the Femmes taught me that the G, C, D combo was king and soon I found myself down in the basement with my friend Duffy playing every Femmes tune as if we had written it ourselves. The energy they recorded in their songs was channeled in their live performances (still one of my "all time shows" 1993 Chicago's Aragon Ballroom).

Although my guitar skills may not have advanced too far beyond the basic three chord progression, the landscape of American music is better because of the Femmes.

When to Leave a Church

2010-02-03T07:36:00.000-05:00

I came across this conversation on the Jesus Creed blog and felt like it was worth discussing. Here are the questions to consider:

When is it appropriate to leave a church? When is it harmful?

What influences our decisions to leave a church?

Does our consumer driven culture influence our decision to leave a church? How?

What are the wrong reasons to stay at church?

Do we (21st century Americans) view our relationship with our local church like a "family" or like a "club"...what's the difference?

Bonhoeffer On Building the Church

2010-02-01T07:31:00.000-05:00

Although Dietrich Bonhoeffer did not live during the era of the "Church Growth Movement", the remarks of this Lutheran pastor are well worth noting:

It is not we who build. [Christ] builds the church. No man builds the church but Christ alone. Whoever is minded to build the church is surely well on the way to destroying it; for he will build a temple to idols without wishing or knowing it. We must confess–he builds. We must proclaim–he builds. We must pray to him–that he may build.

We do not know his plan. We cannot see whether he is building or pulling down. It may be that the times which by human standards are the times of collapse are for him the great times of construction. It may be that the times which from a human point of view are great times for the church are times when it is pulled down.

It is a great comfort which Christ gives to his church: you confess, preach, bear witness to me and I alone will build where it pleases me. Do not meddle in what is my province. Do what is given to you to do well and you have done enough. But do it well. Pay no heed to views and opinions. Don’t ask for judgments. Don’t always be calculating what will happen. Don’t always be on the lookout for another refuge! Church, stay a church! But church, confess, confess, confess! Christ alone is your Lord; from his grace alone can you live as you are. Christ builds.

(No Rusty Swords, as cited in TDP, p. 841)

"Born Again" As Bragging Rights?

2010-01-29T07:21:00.001-05:00

While Jesus speaks plainly about the necessity of new birth in following him. Is there a stigma attached to the term: "Born Again Christian" in our current context? Are there things that are un-willingly being communicated when this term is used to identify one's self as a follower of Jesus?

Frank D. Macchia writes: "The many churches today that tout the 'born again' experience as a way of distinguishing themselves as the awakened ones from the 'worldly' churches should take heed. Even the most awakened churches exemplified in [the book of] Acts had to live from a perpetually painful and humbling conversion experience, one that couaed them to depart from long-held and even cherished beliefs. To use the born-again sloan as a cheap means for self-aggrandizement runs completely contratry to the true nature of converstion. Conversion should bring about humility, critical self-evaluation, and openness to the other to see what God would teach us about the expanding horizon of the Kingdom of God in the world."

Hell of A Conversation

2010-01-26T07:32:00.000-05:00

I recently got into a conversation with someone about the "nature of hell". They asked what I thought/believed and so I shared with them how I understood the Scriptures and the Christian tradition on this matter.

I articulated that much of our "theology" and imagery of hell stems from Greco-Roman and Medieval Christian influence than it does on what the Scriptures point towards. As the conversation went on they were frustrated and defensive that my posture did not take on a more "literal" approach. For them, a very fiery hell is a "necessary" belief.

So my questions for you: What is your understanding of the nature of hell? What does the Scripture say? What is gained/what is lost in your particular view as it relates to our understanding of God? Is their room for different opinions?

As a primer to the conversation read what New Testament Professor (and Baptist Minister) Klyne Snodgrass has to say...

As always let us be charitable and gracious in our discussion.

"Image Is Everything"

2010-01-23T07:41:00.000-05:00

Back in the 80's tennis legend Andre Agassi was the poster boy for Canon's EOS Rebel camera. Agassi's "rocker" look (hot pink spandex, big glam-rocker hair, and Oakley Blades) was the perfect illustration for the camera's tag line: "Image Is Everything".

This tag line has not only been useful in building a camera brand but it has also been useful for churches seeking to develop a "brand" leading them into a market of successful church growth. Many churches (like any organization) focus on their "target audience" and then work to find ways in which to package their product in such a way that it is relatable and sell-able to their target audience.

In some respects I agree with the "Image Is Everything" mantra (I would perhaps articulate it another way: "Perception is reality") however I wonder in what way this phrase best serves the call of the Church.

For large companies, as well as for followers of Jesus and the Church, it is important to know how they are being understood, viewed, and preceived in their community/world. If the perception of a particular church is that they are judgemental, mean-spirited, and self-focused the leaders of that particular church may want to find out why and make the necessary adjustments so that the true nature of the church is put on display.

Yet large companies also function by selling people an image of how they want to be perceived in order to sell more of their product(s). When companies are driven by the sales numbers of their product (and what the "consumers are saying") they often re-tool their particular product so it becomes more user friendly, more accessible, and more consumer oriented. This leads to many great products that serve my lifestyle, however when this serves as the mode of operation for churches it shifts our focus from being Christ centered to self-focused. In short, when practiced by the church, this business practice leads to idolatry.

Jesus called his disciples to follow after him by "picking up their cross", as Bonhoeffer would put it: "a bid to come and die". I wonder what the branding experts would have to say about that marketing slogan.

Reason #39 Why I Love Muskegon:

2010-01-21T07:34:00.002-05:00

ROLLER DERBY BABY!!!!

Saturday, February 13 the Skee Town Skirtz are taking on the Flint City Derby Girls!

From 1961-75 Roller Derby made its way as a rough n tumble sport and then again came back for one season (1989-90). The Roller Games I remember was televised with a figure 8 track, Wall of Death, and an alligator pit (See the Roller Games video).

With team names like: the T-Birds, Maniacs, Vandals, and Rockers, roller derby was always about attitude, collisions, and entertainment.

Come support our local girls: "Tamara Hurtsworse", "Brat Michaels", "Concussion Muffin" and others.

We're bringing the kids (under 10 are free) and fully expecting that Lilly's experience will result in her setting some new life goals.

If you were a roller derby skater, what would your "nickname" be?

2010-01-20T07:33:00.000-05:00