Time to retire… at least for a while

When I started this blog, I had hoped I would be able to keep up a regular discourse.  I admire those I know who are able to do so and, I believe, make a significant contribution to the ongoing dialogue about what it means to be a follower of Christ in our day.  But after blogging for a few months (admittedly, never as regularly as I had hoped), I have come to realize that this form of writing on a regular basis is not something I am able to do.  At least not right now.  I have a couple of writing projects in the works which need to occupy even more of my time than they are at this point and to think my writing on this blog will get any more regular is… well…. unrealistic at best.  So I am going into retirement.  I am not going to delete the blog because at some point I would like to try this again.  But for now, thanks for stopping by and may God bless.

 

Static is not all noise

This post is a bit of an expansion of a book review I did for Leadership Network Books.  I hope it is helpful.

I remember analog devises.  And the static that accompanied them.  If you are my age or perhaps a few years my senior, you may also remember the good old days of holding your head just right and very still in order to hear the voices on the other end of your analog wireless phone.  Thank goodness for digital. 

But static may not be a thing of the past after all.  In his book Static: Tune Out the “Christian Noise” and Experience the Real Message of Jesus, Ron Martoia argues that much of the language we use within the church is not effectively communicating the gospel.  Instead of coming to the text of the Bible and asking what it says to us and the people with whom we are in conversation, we are bogged down by the “Christian Noise” of what we have come to assume that we know about the text and what it means.

Ron uses the device of an ongoing conversation with a young couple in his church who are struggling with the question of how to share the gospel with friends at work. Through this ongoing conversation we are introduced to various words which may have lost much of their original meaning throughout the ages of church history.  He goes to great pains to elaborate how faith, repentance, Kingdom and other words which we use so frequently may have been understood by the people with whom Christ spoke in a very different way.  We are also asked to re-evaluate whether Jesus really was as concerned about the same things which occupy so much of our thinking.  In particular, the notion is challenged that Jesus’ primary concern was that people go to heaven when they die.  Instead, Martoia claims that Jesus focused on God’s Kingdom and salvation as first and foremost having to do with the reestablishment of God’s rule within our lives.  Martoia is quite willing to ask the question, “Did Jesus really say or do that?”  He is unafraid to push the point that we often read into the scriptures things which simply aren’t there. 

When you reading Static, it is possible to be confused, convicted, upset, enlightened and even feel somewhat helpless, all in a single page.  After all, we want to ask, if all of this is true, why did so few of us encounter this kind of teaching in seminary?  Books like Static challenge those of us who are vocational ministers in the place which hurts us most; our ability to clearly communicate the gospel.   The idea that we might not even be fully aware of the meaning of the Gospel is almost untenable.  Yet it is even more untenable to imagine that we may be communicating through static which makes the hearing, understanding and living out of the Gospel impossible.  The real tragedy is not in not knowing, it is in pride which prevents us from learning. 

 

Travel weary

I admire people who travel a great deal and still manage to be focused, creative and engaged.  After more than a month of almost constant travel, I can truthfully say that I am not that kind of person.  Not that my travel has been bad.  I have had opportunities to walk alongside of people involved in ministry across western Europe, meet with seminary students in California and work with students in a variety of projects in and around Seattle. 

Each of these opportunities has been a huge blessing.  But I find that I get travel weary after such extended periods of being away.  I am still far from a home body.  Being in new places, meeting new people and doing new things is something I love to do.  But whereas the occasional experience like these is something which energizes me, a constant diet makes me weary and unable to focus. 

I don’t want to spiritualize everything, but I think there is something about this which rings true of our spiritual lives as well.  All of us are on journey with God.  The pace of that journey may vary from person to person or even be different at different times of life.  I enjoy the journey tremendously and the challenge of new thoughts, new experiences with God and new ways of living out my faith.  But I have come to see that I also need pauses and times of stillness, when I simply rest in who God is and what I know of Him (which admittedly is not as much as I once thought).  I need rest.  And that is OK.

 

Tangible Kingdom Provides Tangible Help

Authors Hugh Halter and Matt Smay have provided readers with something genuinely helpful in their book, The Tangible Kingdom (to be released April 2008).  Halter and Smay draw upon several years of working with church leaders and church planters with the desire that churches become more missional and incarnational in their approach, regardless of whether that church is a mega-church or a house church.  Perhaps more importantly, Halter and Smay have seen these principles at work in their own faith community in Denver, Adullam.

One of the things I appreciate most about The Tangible Kingdom is that, although it is clear that Halter and Smay come from a more emerging church perspective, there is no attempt to propose that this is the correct or only perspective.  In fact, the authors go out of their way to be inclusive and hopeful for all churches seeking to be missional and incarnational in their focus.  This bridge building not only serves them well in this book, but is a model of valuing and encouraging both sides of this often contentious subject. 

The book begins with the story of a young woman, Fiona, a waitress in an Irish pub in New York City whom Halter befriends while leading a Church Planting Seminar. In a scene reminiscent of the woman at the well, Fiona greets Halter on his second visit to the pub by introducing him to the bartenders and other wait staff with the words, “This is the guy I was telling you about.  You have to hear how he talks about God.”  The conversations which ensue last through the night and reawakened in Halter the need and desire to be more deeply involved in the lives of people who quite possibly would never seek God in a more traditional church setting.  And in the process, rediscovering that God’s desire for the church has always been that she would take the gospel to the people, rather than waiting for them to come to the church.

While the stories are stirring and truly inspiration, one of the most helpful things for me was something the authors call “The Missional Pyramid”.  Taking the structure often found in churches relying upon a more attraction model, Halter and Smay quite literally turn things on their side.  By doing so, I found they made a convincing argument for church as a missional people of God, coming alongside of Sojourners (Tangible Kingdom speak for those who are ”temporary, spiritually curious but disoriented God seekers”), without simply adopting the position of the culture as a whole.  Another excellent conversation was contained in chapters dealing with being an incarnational community.  It seems to me that the authors correctly identify individualism, consumerism and materialism as some of the primary barriers to authentic community.  For them, Tangible Kingdom is an outgrowth not only of an incarnational / missional focus, but of an authentic community of Christ-followers who have these values at the core of their being.

The book closes with an admonition from the authors,

“Please don’t try to duplicate our story.  We suggest you start by finding the Fionas in our world and love them until the Kingdom starts to unfold.”

Amen.

 

Long lost blogger

Sorry for the long delay in writing.  This has been a crazy season these past few weeks and promises to be crazy for a few weeks more.  I have been on the road much more than usual which makes doing some of the things for which I need some quiet (like blogging) next to impossible.  In fact, I am leaving today for a leadership summit in which Alan Hirsch is the primary speaker.  For those who may not know Alan, I think the best way to get to know him is through his books and his blog.  His blog can be found at http://www.theforgottenways.org/blog/.  As you might guess, one of Alan’s books is also titled The Forgotten Ways and is absolutely one of the best books I have ever read.  Forgotten Ways and Alan’s other book, The Shaping of Things to Come, which he co-wrote with Michael Frost, have helped shape my thinking about the church in a significant way (for those into chicken and egg kind of questions, Shaping came first). 

I also want to introduce you to a book which should be available in April called The Tangible Kingdomby Hugh Halter and Matt Smay.  I have to go catch a plane, so no long review (yet), but let me just say it is another book for those who are looking for a way of encountering culture, being the church and being faithful to scripture, all without being caught up in the modern Christendom model of doing church.  At the same time, this is not another dissect and deconstruct what’s happening in the institutional church book.  Ok, enough for now, gotta run!  More after March 1st!

 

Modern Parables

Just thought you might be interested in a post I did for Leadership Network’s blog on a new video series by Compass Cinema.  Has anyone else used this material?  Let me know what you think.

 

Men and Church

This is not a book review.  I just wanted to clear that up before we go any further.  However, it is more of a question stimulated by a book that I am reading.  The name of the book is Why Men Hate Going to Church by David Murrow (catchy title, isn’t it).  Since I’m not going to provide a review, here’s one from Publisher’s Weekly:

 From Publishers Weekly
Murrow, a television writer and producer, asks and effectively answers the question: “What is it about modern Christianity that is driving men away?” Just 35% of American men say they attend church weekly, he reports, and women make up more than 60% of the typical congregation on a given Sunday. Murrow contends that the church caters to women, children and the elderly by creating a safe, predictable environment. This alienates anyone fond of risk taking, including young men and women, but men are affected most. In order to reach men, Murrow suggests, churches must “adjust the thermostat” to embrace the masculine spirit: let men lead; give them tasks; encourage pastors to show strength and teach men through object lessons, letting them discover truth for themselves. Two of the best outreach methods: start rigorous mentoring programs and help men make friends with other men. Murrow bases his conclusions on what he claims are legitimate biological and cultural gender differences. He is aware that these observations might offend, and his thesis will find few takers among those who believe that the church needs less, not more, male influence. But Murrow’s work is quite likely to get an enthusiastic reception from many Christian men. It contains sharp observations that will provoke much discussion—and, perhaps, some change.”

Now, honestly, there are many things in this book I agree with and which make sense to me.  For instance, I feel like the fact that most churches take very little risk is indeed (as Murrow points out) a turnoff to many men, who seem genetically predisposed towards risk-taking. But there is almost a sense in which Murrow defines “masculine” behavior in mostly blue collar terms.  Now, if you knew my family, you would know that all of my collars have a blue tinge and I enjoy shooting my dinner as much as the next guy.  But my question is; is that the only way of defining masculinity and does a church have to have a deer head hanging in the men’s room in order to attract men?   

 

A life well lived?

I went to a funeral this morning.  Sadly, this funeral was of a 17 year old young man who was the younger brother of a young lady who has been very involved in our ministry.  It was, as you might imagine, sad beyond belief.  As the father of a 17 year old, I just kept thinking that it wasn’t supposed to be like this.  Families are not supposed to have to bury their 17 year old sons.  And yet, this family has had to do just that.  It was obvious how much he was loved by family and friends and how deeply he will be missed.  

As the pastor talked about this young man and his brief, but full life, I began to think about what made for a well lived life.  Is it a matter of length?  Can a life be well lived, even if it is cut short?  For that matter, when is a life cut short?  It seems obvious to us that a young man in his teens has too much of life ahead of him for it to end so abruptly.  But the same is true of the young mother who leaves behind a family struggling to deal with her loss.  Or for that matter, the grandparent who leaves behind a legacy of generations who look to them for wisdom and counsel.  The truth is, something deep inside tells us that death is a knife into the fabric of what was meant to be.  We were designed for eternity and death appears to be the enemy.  

I think we learn a great many lessons in the pain and sorrow of death.  The first and most obvious is that life is precious. It is precious in part because, regardless of how long we live, it is too brief.  It is too precious to waste in pursuits that distract us from being the people God created us to be.  It is too precious for us to miss the opportunity to let other people know how important they are to us.  Expressions of love expressed at a graveside are no substitute for a lifetime of love given freely and openly.  It also reminds us to live well.  By that, I mean with one foot firmly planted in life and one foot firmly planted in eternity.  LIFE is the unique opportunity God gives us to be His people in the midst of a world which desperately needs the hope, joy, peace and grace which is embodied in the Kingdom.  It is not for the weak of heart.  We still face pain and sorrow.  We will encounter tragedy.  But in walking this journey hand in hand with Christ, we have hope.  Not just of eternity, but of a life well lived, regardless of its length.

 

Reading the Bible Without Additives in 100 Days

A friend of mine, Winn Griffin, has put together a program called Reading the Bible Without Additives in 100 Days.  As Winn points out, many of our ways of “indexing” the Bible have led us to read it in a way which makes catching the overall story very difficult.  Winn has developed a program to read the entire Bible in a story form, using The Books of the Bible. 

“Read the text of Scripture in a new way using The Books of The Bible™ text which is a new edition of Today’s New International Version where:

• Chapter and verse numbers are removed from the text.
• Each book’s natural literary breaks are shown instead.
• There are no notes, cross references, or section headings in the text.
• Text is presented in one column rather than two.
• Books that have historically been divided into parts are restored.
• Books are presented in an order that gives readers more help in understanding them.”

Winn’s program is free and the Bible only costs $8.99.  Hmm… sounds like a great Christmas gift or New Year’s resolution to me.

 

Advent Conspiracy

I love the whole concept of the Advent Conspiracy!  In so many ways we have allowed values not in line with following Christ to “take over” the Christmas season.  The vision of the Advent Conspiracy is simple: Worship More, Spend Less, Give More and Love All.  If it’s too hard to go cold turkey, how about starting small.  Cut back a little.  Last year we began giving goats to people… well, OK, not the physical goats, but many people we knew didn’t really need anything (including myself), so instead of buying more stuff to sit in a closet someplace we donated goats in their honor through Heifer International. It was so much fun we plan on doing more this year.  The main thing is to start someplace and allow the meaning of Advent to shape your life, rather than commercialism shaping the meaning of Advent.