So I spent some time surfing the websites of church planters who are starting new, exciting, bold churches.
To enter into a new community and start something from scratch is no small thing. Planters are risk takers, pioneers, faith adventurers.Most new church starts don’t make it past their first 18 months or remain so small they can barely survive much less thrive – so those that do – you have to be highly impressed with their determination, commitment and ingenuity, along with their talent and leadership.
But as I surfed the websites of the ones that survived and listened to their preaching, read what makes them the ‘church for people who don’t like church’ I became more and more disappointed in these bold adventurers. One by one they had either sold out to the values of church they seemingly were not about (that’s why they were starting a church that people who didn’t go to church would like), or they had lost their boldness.
Click on their websites and you were clicking on to lookalike websites of most large evangelical churches.
Popular pop culture was the flavor of the day.
Want to know about the staff – and their list of interests (including their favorite movie and what they have on their iPod ….seemingly this reveals things about us that would make us want to come to our church); latest reads and seminary qualifications was plain to see.
Hierarchy was the structure of the day.
As for the preaching – formulaic, propositional, ‘say-a-prayer-or-raise-a-hand-and-receive-Jesus’ was Sundays preach.
Where’s the newness, the boldness, the church for those who didn’t go to church?
There’s a big reason why people don’t go to church and very few studies indicate it is because of the old fashioned music or the dull preaching. That turned off my generation, but not the new generation. Today’s generation are turned off because of synthetic theology, shallow living, formulas and self-centered religion.
And in most of the new churches I surfed this was the smelled out flavor.
But then my surfing discovery turned nasty.
Getting myself disillusioned over bold risk taking church planters who were way too conservative, synthetic and predictable in what they had started I blinked hard and realized that I was as guilty as them!
Sure we’ve been involved in helping turnaround a traditional inward focused classic church.
Sure we have done some bold, risky things to shake complacency out and focus on being a church for people who don’t go to church.
Sure we have fought off legalism and traditionalism.But despite all the progress and newness we have birthed – much of what I was seeing in these ‘bold’ planters is apparent in me.
My earlier boldness – had turned rather predictable.My earlier freshness in theology – had become somewhat stale.
My earlier contrariness – had seen me sit too much inside a box (albeit a new box).
The one that hit home the most - I’ve shrunk the Gospel down to a message of personal salvation – when it is so much more.
In fact in all of the church planters that I surfed – their theology was rather flat and dull; a cosmetic airbrush rewording of conservative evangelicalism from the 1980’s.
If there is one thing the unchurched masses of America need the church to declare it is a compelling, stirring theology. A theology that isn't used to support the things the church has stood against; or a formula that promises you how to have the best life, the best marriage, the best children or the best job……its only a “decision” for Jesus away!
Rather it is desperate for theology that unpacks the bigness of the Gospel.
Scot McKnight suggests that this “personal salvation” Gospel is deconstructing the church.
So my idle hour surfing the website of some bold risk taking church planters has convicted me.
January 2012 will see me join the movement that is boldly declaring that our problem is not so much that our God is too small, but our Gospel is too small.
Starting January 1, 2012 ……..until the end of May we will be making sure that the Gospel this church is preaching is the same Gospel as Jesus preached.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Friday, November 11, 2011
Why Catholics Are Right - but too small.
So I’m reading a book called Why Catholics Are Right.
Just wondering. Always good to check.
The author Michael Coren (somewhat controversial Canadian TV talk show host) spends most of his introduction defending his strong title. “Sounds a little proud”, some of his critics said; “it might offend people” others suggested – but he decided to stand strong on his audacious title.
And it is audacious.
It is politically incorrect.
It is insulting to all other branches of Christianity let alone other Faiths.
It is offensive to any sense of tolerance.
It is downright arrogant (even if written humbly) as it loudly tells everyone else – they are wrong.
If Coren had used other words such as “better” or “good” or even “more right” which perhaps isn’t the best English but is kinder, people’s charge against him might only have been he is wrong rather than he is insulting/proud/offensive/arrogant.
But all of the above isn’t how I feel about his title.
It’s not offensive, or arrogant sounding, or proud, or insulting to me.
It’s about time someone used the word right.
Surely believing something necessitates that you are convicted, persuaded, convinced that what you believe is right.
Is this not the very nature of truth?
Truth can’t be partially right, partly right, or maybe right.
Truth has to be right – or it’s not truth.
So, thank you Cohen for defining the nature of truth.
Right is right even when it’s politically incorrect, arrogant, offensive, or proud sounding.
As Cohen himself writes “to believe something is, self-evidently, not to believe something that is its contrary.”
Therefore to be a Catholic necessitates believing that Catholicism is right.
The remainder of Cohen’s book is him detailing the views of the Catholic Church – and he is right about these views.
BUT is truth about views, about propositional statements, about a set of beliefs?
You can be right about views – but right about views does not equal right about truth.
Enter another book I am reading as I prepare to preach through Mark’s Gospel in 2012.
The King Jesus Gospel: The Original Good News Revisited @ Scot McKnight.
Its early days in my reading (only page 48) but already McKnight is challenging static rightness. He redefines the Gospel to the fullness of what it is and that fullness is not defined by a list of views or the rightness of beliefs.
Jesus is not a right to be believed, he is a way to be lived. You do the Gospel rather than believe the Gospel.
Here emerges the problem with Cohen’s rightness – and everyone else’s rightness (mine included). Rightness implies we can arrive at it. We can complete it. We can hold it all in a book, a list, a box.
Rightness shrinks.
So, if Catholics are right ….. or Protestants, or Baptists, or Evangelicals, or Pentecostals, or Emergents ….. its too small being right.
There’s something bigger than right. There’s Jesus.
Just wondering. Always good to check.
The author Michael Coren (somewhat controversial Canadian TV talk show host) spends most of his introduction defending his strong title. “Sounds a little proud”, some of his critics said; “it might offend people” others suggested – but he decided to stand strong on his audacious title.
And it is audacious.
It is politically incorrect.
It is insulting to all other branches of Christianity let alone other Faiths.
It is offensive to any sense of tolerance.
It is downright arrogant (even if written humbly) as it loudly tells everyone else – they are wrong.
If Coren had used other words such as “better” or “good” or even “more right” which perhaps isn’t the best English but is kinder, people’s charge against him might only have been he is wrong rather than he is insulting/proud/offensive/arrogant.
But all of the above isn’t how I feel about his title.
It’s not offensive, or arrogant sounding, or proud, or insulting to me.
It’s about time someone used the word right.
Surely believing something necessitates that you are convicted, persuaded, convinced that what you believe is right.
Is this not the very nature of truth?
Truth can’t be partially right, partly right, or maybe right.
Truth has to be right – or it’s not truth.
So, thank you Cohen for defining the nature of truth.
Right is right even when it’s politically incorrect, arrogant, offensive, or proud sounding.
As Cohen himself writes “to believe something is, self-evidently, not to believe something that is its contrary.”
Therefore to be a Catholic necessitates believing that Catholicism is right.
The remainder of Cohen’s book is him detailing the views of the Catholic Church – and he is right about these views.
BUT is truth about views, about propositional statements, about a set of beliefs?
You can be right about views – but right about views does not equal right about truth.
Enter another book I am reading as I prepare to preach through Mark’s Gospel in 2012.
The King Jesus Gospel: The Original Good News Revisited @ Scot McKnight.
Its early days in my reading (only page 48) but already McKnight is challenging static rightness. He redefines the Gospel to the fullness of what it is and that fullness is not defined by a list of views or the rightness of beliefs.
Jesus is not a right to be believed, he is a way to be lived. You do the Gospel rather than believe the Gospel.
Here emerges the problem with Cohen’s rightness – and everyone else’s rightness (mine included). Rightness implies we can arrive at it. We can complete it. We can hold it all in a book, a list, a box.
Rightness shrinks.
So, if Catholics are right ….. or Protestants, or Baptists, or Evangelicals, or Pentecostals, or Emergents ….. its too small being right.
There’s something bigger than right. There’s Jesus.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
100 Pages A Day Diet.
I only really have two hobbies.
One is watching English Premier League football (soccer for you yanks!).
With shock I read that Direct TV were about to lose all their Fox channels including my beloved Fox Soccer. Please note this is the only FOX channel I approve of! If fact my prayers were torn as I feel the world would be a better place without FOX News …..but as usual my selfishness dominated. So I prayed for it to remain - and God intervened to ensure I (whom the world revolves around) still got my weekend fix of five Premier League football games. Ah - bliss (especially when the family leave for the afternoon and I get the couch, the chocolate and the TV controls to myself).
My second hobby is buying and reading books.
But, for the past few months while my buying has not subsided, my reading had. The pile of books on my desk was growing beyond what I was reading. So I’m officially on a "100 pages a day minimum diet" – the only diet where more is better.
The only way to tackle this diet – buy some really good books to get me started.
So here’s my list of what I’m using to start my reading diet:
Peter Rollins has just written his third book Insurrection: To Believe is Human, To Doubt, Divine. Yet again he stretches you theologically with a strong philosophical bent. Aargh. Took all of Saturday afternoon (after 4 football/soccer games watched) to finish this off. A wonderful blend of orthodoxy and nearly heresy!
Jim Collins’ new leadership book Great by Choice: Uncertainty, Chaos, and Luck – Why Some Thrive Despite Them All. It’s even better than his bestseller Good to Great. Fascinating case studies of some of our best known companies and why they are still around.
1Q84 @ Haruki Murakami. Eh ……a racier novel than I thought (it should be R rated). Some have termed it the grandest work of world literature since Roberto Bolano’s 2666. Most critics loudly applaud it – the Guardian called it ‘a global event in itselff’. Its loud praise caused me to buy it ….662 pages in and counting. Intriguing. And no I am not recommending it (like when we show a clip from a TV show during our preach - doesn't mean we are recommending it! Don't blame me if all your kids are watching GLEE!). But by saying that I realize you will all now go and buy it. You sad bunch of people who respond the wrong way to the word ‘racy’.
Simply Jesus @ NT Wright. Yet again NT at his scholarly best. No wonder some call him the world’s leading New Testament scholar. Great reading as I get ready to preach Mark’s Gospel for 4 months in 2012.
Yes it is rather weird jumping from 1Q84 to Simply Jesus!!!!!
100 pages a day diet.
Easier when you are reading good stuff.
So my diet plan for the next few weeks:
Why Catholics are Right @ Michael Coren.
Steve Jobs @ Walter Isaacson
God is Red @ Liao Yiwu
Churchill @ Martin Gilbert
The Tenth Parallel @ Eliza Griswold
GK Chesterton: The Apostle of Common Sense @ Dale Ahlquist
Any other recommendations??
One is watching English Premier League football (soccer for you yanks!).
With shock I read that Direct TV were about to lose all their Fox channels including my beloved Fox Soccer. Please note this is the only FOX channel I approve of! If fact my prayers were torn as I feel the world would be a better place without FOX News …..but as usual my selfishness dominated. So I prayed for it to remain - and God intervened to ensure I (whom the world revolves around) still got my weekend fix of five Premier League football games. Ah - bliss (especially when the family leave for the afternoon and I get the couch, the chocolate and the TV controls to myself).
My second hobby is buying and reading books.
But, for the past few months while my buying has not subsided, my reading had. The pile of books on my desk was growing beyond what I was reading. So I’m officially on a "100 pages a day minimum diet" – the only diet where more is better.
The only way to tackle this diet – buy some really good books to get me started.
So here’s my list of what I’m using to start my reading diet:
Peter Rollins has just written his third book Insurrection: To Believe is Human, To Doubt, Divine. Yet again he stretches you theologically with a strong philosophical bent. Aargh. Took all of Saturday afternoon (after 4 football/soccer games watched) to finish this off. A wonderful blend of orthodoxy and nearly heresy!
Jim Collins’ new leadership book Great by Choice: Uncertainty, Chaos, and Luck – Why Some Thrive Despite Them All. It’s even better than his bestseller Good to Great. Fascinating case studies of some of our best known companies and why they are still around.
1Q84 @ Haruki Murakami. Eh ……a racier novel than I thought (it should be R rated). Some have termed it the grandest work of world literature since Roberto Bolano’s 2666. Most critics loudly applaud it – the Guardian called it ‘a global event in itselff’. Its loud praise caused me to buy it ….662 pages in and counting. Intriguing. And no I am not recommending it (like when we show a clip from a TV show during our preach - doesn't mean we are recommending it! Don't blame me if all your kids are watching GLEE!). But by saying that I realize you will all now go and buy it. You sad bunch of people who respond the wrong way to the word ‘racy’.
Simply Jesus @ NT Wright. Yet again NT at his scholarly best. No wonder some call him the world’s leading New Testament scholar. Great reading as I get ready to preach Mark’s Gospel for 4 months in 2012.
Yes it is rather weird jumping from 1Q84 to Simply Jesus!!!!!
100 pages a day diet.
Easier when you are reading good stuff.
So my diet plan for the next few weeks:
Why Catholics are Right @ Michael Coren.
Steve Jobs @ Walter Isaacson
God is Red @ Liao Yiwu
Churchill @ Martin Gilbert
The Tenth Parallel @ Eliza Griswold
GK Chesterton: The Apostle of Common Sense @ Dale Ahlquist
Any other recommendations??
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
The two-second advantage
I anticipate the future.
I’m not saying that arrogantly as if I have some God given special ability.
I’ve got what Vivek Ranadivé calls a “talented brain”.
Ouch – that could sound arrogant as well.
To make it sound not so arrogant but perhaps more mysterious if not just plain odd - I have “memory of the future” (as Swedish researcher David Ingvar dubbed it).
I have the ability to know what is going to happen based upon what my memory has previously stored.
It’s amazing.
I can actually anticipate the future.
Here’s what’s even more amazing – I’m not the only person with this ability.
In their fascinating book The Two-Second Advantage, Ranadivé and Kevin Maney present some neat research on the predictive ability of the human brain.
This is what made Wayne Gretzky the greatest hockey player of all time.
And it is what distinguishes a top level successful leader and others.
Enter what they term “Ones” and “Twos”. Top level leaders are one of these two types.
Think through which one you are.
Ones tend to be founders.
They are bullheaded and courageous. They tell people what they think, not what they think people want to hear. They see openings and get flashes of creativity. They can take in everything that is happening and see it from a higher level, the details blurring into instinct.
Ones have ‘feelings’ about something and if the feeling is right – they go with it.
Twos pay attention to detail; they get things done, but what they do is based upon the right data, enough data, more data.
For Twos, ‘we think this is right’ never trumps ‘we know this is right.’ They move when they know it is the right thing based upon accessing and sorting the right information.
It is this constantly returning to the mountains of data that most distinguishes Ones from Twos.
Ones frequently make decision on incomplete information. Ranadivé and Maney suggest they generally have less than 10% of the information Twos require to make decisions).
Yet with not enough time, or all the data, what the Ones have that makes them different than the Twos is this two-second advantage – otherwise called predictive capabilities. Ones have an efficient agile mental ability that can quickly predict what’s going to happen despite not having all the data available – and they can be right most of the time.
They anticipate the future.
They have memory of the future.
At the neurological level, Ones have neuron activity going on in their brains that fire together (everyone’s brain does this), but then their brains simultaneously wire that pattern together to enable them to predict what is going to happen ….and when the prediction is correct their brains get strengthened (their firing neurons connected by axons gets a neurological workout that strengthens the bond) and they grow strong in this predictive capability.
Is this a ‘hardware’ genetic ability, or a ‘software’ learned ability?
Interestingly, research is pointing to a learned ability!!
So, I’m off now to get my neurons firing on topics that are central to effective leadership – strategic analysis; contextual awareness; new research; old facts; comparative reasoning – it’s that fuel that will hopefully enable me to anticipate the future and make the right impactful decisions.
I’m off now to read Jim Collins’ new book Great by Choice……
I’m not saying that arrogantly as if I have some God given special ability.
I’ve got what Vivek Ranadivé calls a “talented brain”.
Ouch – that could sound arrogant as well.
To make it sound not so arrogant but perhaps more mysterious if not just plain odd - I have “memory of the future” (as Swedish researcher David Ingvar dubbed it).
I have the ability to know what is going to happen based upon what my memory has previously stored.
It’s amazing.
I can actually anticipate the future.
Here’s what’s even more amazing – I’m not the only person with this ability.
In their fascinating book The Two-Second Advantage, Ranadivé and Kevin Maney present some neat research on the predictive ability of the human brain.
This is what made Wayne Gretzky the greatest hockey player of all time.
And it is what distinguishes a top level successful leader and others.
Enter what they term “Ones” and “Twos”. Top level leaders are one of these two types.
Think through which one you are.
Ones tend to be founders.
They are bullheaded and courageous. They tell people what they think, not what they think people want to hear. They see openings and get flashes of creativity. They can take in everything that is happening and see it from a higher level, the details blurring into instinct.
Ones have ‘feelings’ about something and if the feeling is right – they go with it.
Twos pay attention to detail; they get things done, but what they do is based upon the right data, enough data, more data.
For Twos, ‘we think this is right’ never trumps ‘we know this is right.’ They move when they know it is the right thing based upon accessing and sorting the right information.
It is this constantly returning to the mountains of data that most distinguishes Ones from Twos.
Ones frequently make decision on incomplete information. Ranadivé and Maney suggest they generally have less than 10% of the information Twos require to make decisions).
Yet with not enough time, or all the data, what the Ones have that makes them different than the Twos is this two-second advantage – otherwise called predictive capabilities. Ones have an efficient agile mental ability that can quickly predict what’s going to happen despite not having all the data available – and they can be right most of the time.
They anticipate the future.
They have memory of the future.
At the neurological level, Ones have neuron activity going on in their brains that fire together (everyone’s brain does this), but then their brains simultaneously wire that pattern together to enable them to predict what is going to happen ….and when the prediction is correct their brains get strengthened (their firing neurons connected by axons gets a neurological workout that strengthens the bond) and they grow strong in this predictive capability.
Is this a ‘hardware’ genetic ability, or a ‘software’ learned ability?
Interestingly, research is pointing to a learned ability!!
So, I’m off now to get my neurons firing on topics that are central to effective leadership – strategic analysis; contextual awareness; new research; old facts; comparative reasoning – it’s that fuel that will hopefully enable me to anticipate the future and make the right impactful decisions.
I’m off now to read Jim Collins’ new book Great by Choice……
Sunday, September 25, 2011
The motion picture of slums.
On the day we left to visit our good friends in the Huruma slum, Nairobi, Kenya, we heard of an oil spill in a neighbouring slum called Mukuru Sinai (rather ironic that a slum is called after a mountain filled with God's presence). With oil spilled, hundreds of the residents of Mukuru Sinai saw the chance for some free oil - but tragically the oil caught fire and over 100 people died.
Some journalists blamed the residents greed for the disaster.
On the day we left Nairobi Rasna Warah a Nairobi based writer answered the journalists accusations with an insightful article. I copy it here to help people understand the reality of 4.1 billion people living in extreme poverty:
"For people who live in the nicer parts of Nairobi, where electricity is available at the touch of a switch and bathrooms have flush toilets, the behaviour of Sinai residents may appear bizarre, if not downright stupid. Surely residents must know that petrol is dangerous? Have they not heard of the recent tragedies where people died because they were scooping oil from overturned tankers? Only an idiot would rush to get a bit of free petrol even if it meant exposing oneself to grave danger.
But imagine, for once, that you live in Sinai slum or one of the many slums that people call home in the city of Nairobi. Imagine that you share a tin or mud shack with six to eight family members, all of whom sleep on a middy floor, and who share a pit latrine with dozens of neighbors. Imagine dinner time in that shack. A highly polluting kerosene or charcoal jiko is cooking and heating increasingly scarce meals. Outside, criminals and drunkards are on their nightly prowl and girls are selling their bodies for KSH50 (70c) to buy unga for their families. Stray dogs and pigs are adding to the noise and chaos.
For people living in slums, or "urban villages" as we like to call them, daily life is like being on death row or committing a slow form of suicide. Here, one is exposed to hundreds of hazards daily. If one does not die from preventable diseases such as TB or Aids, one dies from a stray bullet from a policeman's or criminals gun.
The daily grind of living can be so soul-destroying that the only way people living in these hell holes can forget about it is by drowning themselves in illicit brews or reckless sexual encounters. And because we live in an unequal society where wealth and opportunities tend to accrue to those who are well-connected and privileged, the chances of escaping this death sentence are bleak indeed, particularly in an environment where patronage, corruption, and extremely low wages ensure that the poor will always remain poor.
Now imagine that oil from a pipe leaks right into your slum neighborhood. Would you call the chief and the police to alert them about it or would you think, "Hey, life is unpredictable, I can die any time. Why not grab some oil to light my stove tonight? I'll be saving money on kerosene and maybe it will mean that my family will sleep on a full stomach tonight."
If I lived in Sinai, I might have thought the same way. So let us not blame the poor for being stupid and ignorant; let us ask ourselves why we live in a society that forces people to grab spilt oil even if it means dying in the process."
The motion picture of slums is only available for those inspired to wander down twisted, slippery, narrow aisles, jump over open sewers, take in the smells of one-year old garbage, taste stewed chicken beaks or roasted fish gills, and share in the fear of being bulldozed in the middle of the night.
Stand with us and others to do your part in kicking extreme poverty off the face of the planet in our generation.
www.whenigrowup-global.com
Some journalists blamed the residents greed for the disaster.
On the day we left Nairobi Rasna Warah a Nairobi based writer answered the journalists accusations with an insightful article. I copy it here to help people understand the reality of 4.1 billion people living in extreme poverty:
"For people who live in the nicer parts of Nairobi, where electricity is available at the touch of a switch and bathrooms have flush toilets, the behaviour of Sinai residents may appear bizarre, if not downright stupid. Surely residents must know that petrol is dangerous? Have they not heard of the recent tragedies where people died because they were scooping oil from overturned tankers? Only an idiot would rush to get a bit of free petrol even if it meant exposing oneself to grave danger.
But imagine, for once, that you live in Sinai slum or one of the many slums that people call home in the city of Nairobi. Imagine that you share a tin or mud shack with six to eight family members, all of whom sleep on a middy floor, and who share a pit latrine with dozens of neighbors. Imagine dinner time in that shack. A highly polluting kerosene or charcoal jiko is cooking and heating increasingly scarce meals. Outside, criminals and drunkards are on their nightly prowl and girls are selling their bodies for KSH50 (70c) to buy unga for their families. Stray dogs and pigs are adding to the noise and chaos.
For people living in slums, or "urban villages" as we like to call them, daily life is like being on death row or committing a slow form of suicide. Here, one is exposed to hundreds of hazards daily. If one does not die from preventable diseases such as TB or Aids, one dies from a stray bullet from a policeman's or criminals gun.
The daily grind of living can be so soul-destroying that the only way people living in these hell holes can forget about it is by drowning themselves in illicit brews or reckless sexual encounters. And because we live in an unequal society where wealth and opportunities tend to accrue to those who are well-connected and privileged, the chances of escaping this death sentence are bleak indeed, particularly in an environment where patronage, corruption, and extremely low wages ensure that the poor will always remain poor.
Now imagine that oil from a pipe leaks right into your slum neighborhood. Would you call the chief and the police to alert them about it or would you think, "Hey, life is unpredictable, I can die any time. Why not grab some oil to light my stove tonight? I'll be saving money on kerosene and maybe it will mean that my family will sleep on a full stomach tonight."
If I lived in Sinai, I might have thought the same way. So let us not blame the poor for being stupid and ignorant; let us ask ourselves why we live in a society that forces people to grab spilt oil even if it means dying in the process."
The motion picture of slums is only available for those inspired to wander down twisted, slippery, narrow aisles, jump over open sewers, take in the smells of one-year old garbage, taste stewed chicken beaks or roasted fish gills, and share in the fear of being bulldozed in the middle of the night.
Stand with us and others to do your part in kicking extreme poverty off the face of the planet in our generation.
www.whenigrowup-global.com
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
9/11 ten year reflection .......borrowed.
With the 10 year anniversary of 9/11 nearing, Christianity Today published the thoughts of eleven senior Christian leaders on how they have changed since 9/11.
I write below the thoughts of Will Willimon, the presiding Bishop of the North Alabama Conference of the United Methodist Church.
His thoughts and reflection so resonated with me .....although the ending sentence of Philip Yancey's thoughts are also so striking.
Yancey concluded "we dare not do to Muslims what we have, to our shame, done to Jews."
But read Willimon's complete comments:
"On 9/11 thought, For the most powerful militarized nation in the world also to think of itself as an innocent victim is deadly.
It was a rare prophetic moment for me, considering Presidents Bush and Obama have spent billions asking the military to rectify the crime of a small band of lawless individuals, destroying a couple of nations who had little to do with it, in the costliest, longest series of wars in the history of the United States.
The silence of most Christians and the giddy enthusiasm of a few, as well as the ubiquity of flags and patriotic extravaganzas in allegedly evangelical churches, says to me that American Christians may look back upon our response to 9/11 as our greatest Christological defeat. It was shattering to admit that we had lost the theological means to distinguish between the United States and the Kingdom of God. The criminals who perpetrated 9/11 and the flag-waving boosters of our almost exclusive martial response were of one mind: that the nonviolent way of Jesus is stupid. All of us preachers share the shame; when our people felt vulnerable, they reached for the flag, not the Cross.
September 11 has changed me. I'm going to preach as never before about Christ crucified as the answer to the questions of what's wrong with the world. I have also resolved to relentlessly reiterate from the pulpit that the worst day in history was not a Tuesday in New York, but a Friday in Jerusalem when a consortium of clergy and politicians colluded to run the world on our terms by crucifying God's own Son. "
Thank you Will for your insight and poignant thoughts.
As Samuel Rodriguez, President of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference wrote "the only authentic, transformative solution to cultural challenges stems not from the donkey or the elephant but rather from the glorious intersection known as the agenda of the Lamb."
I write below the thoughts of Will Willimon, the presiding Bishop of the North Alabama Conference of the United Methodist Church.
His thoughts and reflection so resonated with me .....although the ending sentence of Philip Yancey's thoughts are also so striking.
Yancey concluded "we dare not do to Muslims what we have, to our shame, done to Jews."
But read Willimon's complete comments:
"On 9/11 thought, For the most powerful militarized nation in the world also to think of itself as an innocent victim is deadly.
It was a rare prophetic moment for me, considering Presidents Bush and Obama have spent billions asking the military to rectify the crime of a small band of lawless individuals, destroying a couple of nations who had little to do with it, in the costliest, longest series of wars in the history of the United States.
The silence of most Christians and the giddy enthusiasm of a few, as well as the ubiquity of flags and patriotic extravaganzas in allegedly evangelical churches, says to me that American Christians may look back upon our response to 9/11 as our greatest Christological defeat. It was shattering to admit that we had lost the theological means to distinguish between the United States and the Kingdom of God. The criminals who perpetrated 9/11 and the flag-waving boosters of our almost exclusive martial response were of one mind: that the nonviolent way of Jesus is stupid. All of us preachers share the shame; when our people felt vulnerable, they reached for the flag, not the Cross.
September 11 has changed me. I'm going to preach as never before about Christ crucified as the answer to the questions of what's wrong with the world. I have also resolved to relentlessly reiterate from the pulpit that the worst day in history was not a Tuesday in New York, but a Friday in Jerusalem when a consortium of clergy and politicians colluded to run the world on our terms by crucifying God's own Son. "
Thank you Will for your insight and poignant thoughts.
As Samuel Rodriguez, President of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference wrote "the only authentic, transformative solution to cultural challenges stems not from the donkey or the elephant but rather from the glorious intersection known as the agenda of the Lamb."
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
The Main Thing
Returning back from Australia and having coached pastors seeking church transformation it has sharpened my focus on ensuring the main thing is truly the main thing.
It is so easy to be deflected from the main thing.
No deflection more common than Christians under your charge not getting it.
I accept, as Dallas Willard writes, that "non-discipleship is the elephant in the room." But so often the correcting of that elephant leads to the main thing no longer being the main thing.
The main thing is not discipleship.
Neither is the main thing evangelism.
The main thing is the Gospel, or as Jesus defined it, the coming of the Kingdom of God.
This is bigger than discipleship, this is broader than evangelism.
Discipleship can so often be both insular and individual; evangelism can so often be formulaic and point in time oriented.
The Gospel, the coming of the Kingdom of God, is corporate and tangible, process and story.
The elephant in the room often leads to us shrinking everything, and this is the call of the Main Thing: KEEP IT GOD SIZED.
So we return from Australia and launch three emphasis:
It is so easy to be deflected from the main thing.
No deflection more common than Christians under your charge not getting it.
I accept, as Dallas Willard writes, that "non-discipleship is the elephant in the room." But so often the correcting of that elephant leads to the main thing no longer being the main thing.
The main thing is not discipleship.
Neither is the main thing evangelism.
The main thing is the Gospel, or as Jesus defined it, the coming of the Kingdom of God.
This is bigger than discipleship, this is broader than evangelism.
Discipleship can so often be both insular and individual; evangelism can so often be formulaic and point in time oriented.
The Gospel, the coming of the Kingdom of God, is corporate and tangible, process and story.
The elephant in the room often leads to us shrinking everything, and this is the call of the Main Thing: KEEP IT GOD SIZED.
So we return from Australia and launch three emphasis:
- Our biggest and boldest Alpha Course yet .....and on Sunday past Redeemer's Church people threw magnetic lights onto a huge wall each with names of people they are going to boldly, courageously, matter of factly invite to take a second look at faith and Jesus Christ. 942 names - 942 precious people.
- Help guide When I Grow Up (a charity to empower children in extreme poverty - http://www.whenigrowup-global.com/) to take a huge step in seeing a High school built in the Huruma slum, Nairobi, Kenya, as well as expand our partners amazing work in Guatemala and Haiti.
- Join with some incredible volunteers from redeemer's Church to see new initiatives begin in communities around Reedley - REACH out to extend the Kingdom of God.
It's the main thing ......and we are working hard in the next few months to keep the main thing the main thing.
Its big.
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
My farewell to Australia
I’m eating my last brekkie in Australia as I prepare for my flight home.
Poached Pear and Granola washed down by an Italian Red Orange Tiro –tasty.
Not that its classic Aussie food – it’s an Italian Café in the airport.
That’s classic Australia, certainly metro Australia. It is a very global country – masses of people of immigrated to Australia in the last few decades and you sense it. Unlike the US where the masses tend to assimilate into the strong US culture – Australia has a very eclectic feel and look to it.
Initially Australia felt very English and American – I was disappointed hoping for something different. But after being in 4 of their main cities while the English/America flavor is still strong – I’m beginning to discern the other myriad of flavors in this vast country.
Interesting – first airport that I’ve been in which has announcements and adverts in English and Chinese.
Would I come back to Australia – probably.
Would I want to live here – probably not.
Unsure if that has to do with the isolation Australia has – Perth is the most isolated city in the world …but truth be told its other cities on the other side of the mass of land that Australia is are to a degree still isolated (long flights to most other places).
It could still be my British heritage – Australia does have a candidness that slides towards crudeness and/or classlessness that does not appeal.
Or it could be that the Cadbury’s is still not quite as smooth and creamy as the British Cadbury’s!!! (Yesterday I did discover Cherry Ripe Bar – cherries wrapped in coconut wrapped in dark chocolate – why did I not discover them 16 days ago!)
From a Christian perspective I thought Australia would have been more like Britain – postChristian moving towards antichristian. But I did not feel that nor was I told that. Take the Salvation Army I was working with – they are highly respected here with a known and accepted strong Christian thumbprint.
There are many large churches here and people while not attending church were not antiChristianity.
So I get ready to board my plane back to California (say that here to people and they are so impressed you live in California …..although my 72 year old woman cab driver this morning did ask me if I was taking any money back with me because CA was broke!!).
Back to sun and heat.
Back to crazy LAX – worst airport in the world.
Back to no Cadbury’s – but to good Mexican food.
Back to news shows that are all about the US with maybe a I minute world report!
Back to Christianity shrinking …..but the Christians don’t realize it.
Back to polarizing politics.
Back to a country where everyone flies a flag (only in the US – no other country in the world).
Back to a weakening dollar.
Back to a country that feels and acts tired …..more than every before in its history.
But ….back to a Church that is growing.
Back to a congregation filled with generous people (when I share how much our church of 800 raises every year people literally gasp!)
Back to a church/country where people are positive and see the glass half full (mainly a good characteristic).
Back to a church where vision is central …..and it’s a vision of Christ.
Back to a church where politics are few if any.
Back to a church where people invite others to come and explore faith.
Back to a church where leaders can lead.
Back to a church that exists for lost people.
My bag is stuffed full with Cadbury’s and I’m ready for a season of more growth and more new things happening to see as many people as possible reached with the Gospel and as many people as possible becoming poverty change agents – defending and helping some of the most vulnerable orphans and children in the world.
17 hours to go.
Poached Pear and Granola washed down by an Italian Red Orange Tiro –tasty.
Not that its classic Aussie food – it’s an Italian Café in the airport.
That’s classic Australia, certainly metro Australia. It is a very global country – masses of people of immigrated to Australia in the last few decades and you sense it. Unlike the US where the masses tend to assimilate into the strong US culture – Australia has a very eclectic feel and look to it.
Initially Australia felt very English and American – I was disappointed hoping for something different. But after being in 4 of their main cities while the English/America flavor is still strong – I’m beginning to discern the other myriad of flavors in this vast country.
Interesting – first airport that I’ve been in which has announcements and adverts in English and Chinese.
Would I come back to Australia – probably.
Would I want to live here – probably not.
Unsure if that has to do with the isolation Australia has – Perth is the most isolated city in the world …but truth be told its other cities on the other side of the mass of land that Australia is are to a degree still isolated (long flights to most other places).
It could still be my British heritage – Australia does have a candidness that slides towards crudeness and/or classlessness that does not appeal.
Or it could be that the Cadbury’s is still not quite as smooth and creamy as the British Cadbury’s!!! (Yesterday I did discover Cherry Ripe Bar – cherries wrapped in coconut wrapped in dark chocolate – why did I not discover them 16 days ago!)
From a Christian perspective I thought Australia would have been more like Britain – postChristian moving towards antichristian. But I did not feel that nor was I told that. Take the Salvation Army I was working with – they are highly respected here with a known and accepted strong Christian thumbprint.
There are many large churches here and people while not attending church were not antiChristianity.
So I get ready to board my plane back to California (say that here to people and they are so impressed you live in California …..although my 72 year old woman cab driver this morning did ask me if I was taking any money back with me because CA was broke!!).
Back to sun and heat.
Back to crazy LAX – worst airport in the world.
Back to no Cadbury’s – but to good Mexican food.
Back to news shows that are all about the US with maybe a I minute world report!
Back to Christianity shrinking …..but the Christians don’t realize it.
Back to polarizing politics.
Back to a country where everyone flies a flag (only in the US – no other country in the world).
Back to a weakening dollar.
Back to a country that feels and acts tired …..more than every before in its history.
But ….back to a Church that is growing.
Back to a congregation filled with generous people (when I share how much our church of 800 raises every year people literally gasp!)
Back to a church/country where people are positive and see the glass half full (mainly a good characteristic).
Back to a church where vision is central …..and it’s a vision of Christ.
Back to a church where politics are few if any.
Back to a church where people invite others to come and explore faith.
Back to a church where leaders can lead.
Back to a church that exists for lost people.
My bag is stuffed full with Cadbury’s and I’m ready for a season of more growth and more new things happening to see as many people as possible reached with the Gospel and as many people as possible becoming poverty change agents – defending and helping some of the most vulnerable orphans and children in the world.
17 hours to go.
Two icons
My last day in Australia.
Taught for 6 hours and then as my colleague Paul Borden spoke to a Chinese and Australian group I grabbed a cab and headed downtown.
Time to see the 2 iconic Sydney landmarks – Sydney Opera House and Sydney Bridge.
I was too late to climb up the outside of the Bridge (next time – looks fun), but I took a ferry and sailed out into the bay, past the Opera House, under the Bridge and up to Darling Harbor. Found a neat Malaysian Restaurant, ate well, drank a smooth China beer called Lucky and walked across the river to look at Sydney from another angle.
Sydney is a city with an impressive skyline, a beautiful location, appears very clean and modern, hugely multicultural and a very appealing city.
So I gave it a good 4 hours of visiting - mixture of tiredness and a long flight tomorrow saw my energy levels sag …..and no even Lucky or Cadbury’s could resuscitate my energy.
But maybe I’ll be back.
The Salvo’s seemed appreciative (even although the Divisional Commander in thanking me for coming called me Roger!!!! ….do I look like a ‘Roger’? Keeps you humble.).
For them the work of transformation in the Eastern Territory is at beginning stages.
Would be interesting to visit in two years to see if traction is happening.
In leadership, and especially change leadership, momentum is crucial.
Our time here has been trying to generate such momentum. Get Officers into the dialogue of growth, transformation, outward focus, missional action.
Reintroduce them to what is the main thing.
Over 2 days or 3 days of teaching and discussing bring to the fore of their thinking what it would look like to lead missional corps.
Momentum.
Mine’s is diminishing.
16 days on the road is fun but weary – especially for an introvert like me.
Space and silence has been rare.
So unlike really godly pastors I’ll not be leading the person sitting next to me on my flight home in the sinners prayer after drawing the cross diagram on a napkin during my 17 hours flight home …..instead I’ll be sitting with my headphones on, ignoring them (I will introduce myself as I slip my headphones on) and taking much needed space …in a huge Airbus 380 double decker plane with 550 people on board
Taught for 6 hours and then as my colleague Paul Borden spoke to a Chinese and Australian group I grabbed a cab and headed downtown.
Time to see the 2 iconic Sydney landmarks – Sydney Opera House and Sydney Bridge.
I was too late to climb up the outside of the Bridge (next time – looks fun), but I took a ferry and sailed out into the bay, past the Opera House, under the Bridge and up to Darling Harbor. Found a neat Malaysian Restaurant, ate well, drank a smooth China beer called Lucky and walked across the river to look at Sydney from another angle.
Sydney is a city with an impressive skyline, a beautiful location, appears very clean and modern, hugely multicultural and a very appealing city.
So I gave it a good 4 hours of visiting - mixture of tiredness and a long flight tomorrow saw my energy levels sag …..and no even Lucky or Cadbury’s could resuscitate my energy.
But maybe I’ll be back.
The Salvo’s seemed appreciative (even although the Divisional Commander in thanking me for coming called me Roger!!!! ….do I look like a ‘Roger’? Keeps you humble.).
For them the work of transformation in the Eastern Territory is at beginning stages.
Would be interesting to visit in two years to see if traction is happening.
In leadership, and especially change leadership, momentum is crucial.
Our time here has been trying to generate such momentum. Get Officers into the dialogue of growth, transformation, outward focus, missional action.
Reintroduce them to what is the main thing.
Over 2 days or 3 days of teaching and discussing bring to the fore of their thinking what it would look like to lead missional corps.
Momentum.
Mine’s is diminishing.
16 days on the road is fun but weary – especially for an introvert like me.
Space and silence has been rare.
So unlike really godly pastors I’ll not be leading the person sitting next to me on my flight home in the sinners prayer after drawing the cross diagram on a napkin during my 17 hours flight home …..instead I’ll be sitting with my headphones on, ignoring them (I will introduce myself as I slip my headphones on) and taking much needed space …in a huge Airbus 380 double decker plane with 550 people on board
Monday, August 8, 2011
Another day, another city.
So today I arrived in Sydney - a short flight from Melbourne.
It's the last leg of my tour of DownUnder and its time to dig deep to maintain passion and energy.
One of the sessions I'm teaching is a called "It's All About Sunday, Stupid."
I had to ask for special permission to use the word "stupid" among the Salvo's who come out of the holiness tradition.
It's an adaptation from the successful run by Bill Clinton for the White House. He had to overcome a 90% job approval by the elder Bush - riding high due to victory in Kuwait - and his chief strategist James Carville, came up with the slogan "It's all about the economy stupid" to turn the election onto the topic most Americans put as #1 - how much money they have to spend.
Brilliant strategy and Clinton won!
My session spins the title to suggest that it's actually all about preaching (It's all about the preaching stupid!").
Within my teaching I mention that one of the biggest speakers bureau in the US have as their number 1 requirement for someone to be placed on their books - they must have passion!!
So - as I get near my 37th teach I am fighting the tendency for passion to slip away.
Cadbury's is helping me.
But of more help is another group of Salvo officers eager to learn and eager to see their Corps become healthy and growing.
The central Sydney/New South Wales division is lead by a Divisional Commander who spend time in both Papa New Guinea and Russian. They have a strong mindset that the Army exists to reach people with Jesus first .....and so they lead this Division to push outwards. They are missional.
This makes all the difference.
If a Corp or a Church can grasp that the church/corp is not existing as keepers of an aquarium but fishers of people; if they can grasp they are not custodians of the saints but missionaries to lost people - the church's passion is ignited and life enters.
So, Sydney looks like being a good place - there's more Cadbury's, cool weather and an outward focused Salvation Army Division.
It's the last leg of my tour of DownUnder and its time to dig deep to maintain passion and energy.
One of the sessions I'm teaching is a called "It's All About Sunday, Stupid."
I had to ask for special permission to use the word "stupid" among the Salvo's who come out of the holiness tradition.
It's an adaptation from the successful run by Bill Clinton for the White House. He had to overcome a 90% job approval by the elder Bush - riding high due to victory in Kuwait - and his chief strategist James Carville, came up with the slogan "It's all about the economy stupid" to turn the election onto the topic most Americans put as #1 - how much money they have to spend.
Brilliant strategy and Clinton won!
My session spins the title to suggest that it's actually all about preaching (It's all about the preaching stupid!").
Within my teaching I mention that one of the biggest speakers bureau in the US have as their number 1 requirement for someone to be placed on their books - they must have passion!!
So - as I get near my 37th teach I am fighting the tendency for passion to slip away.
Cadbury's is helping me.
But of more help is another group of Salvo officers eager to learn and eager to see their Corps become healthy and growing.
The central Sydney/New South Wales division is lead by a Divisional Commander who spend time in both Papa New Guinea and Russian. They have a strong mindset that the Army exists to reach people with Jesus first .....and so they lead this Division to push outwards. They are missional.
This makes all the difference.
If a Corp or a Church can grasp that the church/corp is not existing as keepers of an aquarium but fishers of people; if they can grasp they are not custodians of the saints but missionaries to lost people - the church's passion is ignited and life enters.
So, Sydney looks like being a good place - there's more Cadbury's, cool weather and an outward focused Salvation Army Division.
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Firsts
So Adelaide has been a number of firsts for me.
The first place I’ve been to whose time zone is 30 minutes different from their neighbors.
The first time I’ve stayed in a swamp area ……my hotel is surrounded by water that the locals call wetlands – but that’s simply a posh term for a swamp.
The first time I’ve eaten at a restaurant called Ned Kelly’s – the closest thing Australia has to a local hero …who was a thief, murdered and criminal – Robin Hood without the good! Speaks into Australia’s criminal beginnings.
The first time I attended an Aussie Rules Football game – wow!!! 18 players on each team, a field the size of two football/soccer fields and the score was Adelaide Port 21: Collingwood 159 – yep that reads 159. A 138 differential. And it rained, and we got soaked, and we ate a meat pie, and I was cold, and you could only see a fifth of the action, and ………
Adelaide.
It was also a first being at a Salvation Army Corp that is low on the standard army rituals and bigger on being outward focused. Golden Grove Corp is a suburb of Adelaide and where Majors Paul and Bev Beeson serve. Few in uniform, no band or songsters and a corp trying hard to reach new people.
But here’s the stark reality. After 8 years of being there few guests comes through their front door of Sunday worship. It is a corp of around about 100 people.
The scale of the problem the Salvos are facing, and the scale of the problem many churches in Australia are facing is that most people do not see the need for the church. Add to that a church that seems removed from reality and you have a recipe for a weak church and a post-Christian nation.
Australia is to a degree a few years behind the UK – already a post-Christian nation where only 4% attend church.
Australia is to a degree a few years ahead of the US!!
One of the things my trip down under is doing for me is reminding me that the reality of Australia is about to become the reality of the US (already declined to 12% church attendance from 45% twenty years ago) and church leaders there (myself included) need to keep leading in ways that makes Christianity relevant and the church vibrant and living in the real world.
Goodbye Adelaide …..a 1 hr flight and I’m finishing this blog in Melbourne overlooking the airport as I sleep before catching an early flight to Sydney for the last leg of my 4 stop tour.
What firsts will I experience in Sydney?
PS …opted out of a Spanish email reply. Decided to let anonymous remain anonymous and focus my energies on the change and expansion I need to lead, rather than the people who don’t really want to be led. Been teaching Salvo leaders the principle of wasted energy which is lost energy.
Thanks for the wise blog replies sent to me.
The first place I’ve been to whose time zone is 30 minutes different from their neighbors.
The first time I’ve stayed in a swamp area ……my hotel is surrounded by water that the locals call wetlands – but that’s simply a posh term for a swamp.
The first time I’ve eaten at a restaurant called Ned Kelly’s – the closest thing Australia has to a local hero …who was a thief, murdered and criminal – Robin Hood without the good! Speaks into Australia’s criminal beginnings.
The first time I attended an Aussie Rules Football game – wow!!! 18 players on each team, a field the size of two football/soccer fields and the score was Adelaide Port 21: Collingwood 159 – yep that reads 159. A 138 differential. And it rained, and we got soaked, and we ate a meat pie, and I was cold, and you could only see a fifth of the action, and ………
Adelaide.
It was also a first being at a Salvation Army Corp that is low on the standard army rituals and bigger on being outward focused. Golden Grove Corp is a suburb of Adelaide and where Majors Paul and Bev Beeson serve. Few in uniform, no band or songsters and a corp trying hard to reach new people.
But here’s the stark reality. After 8 years of being there few guests comes through their front door of Sunday worship. It is a corp of around about 100 people.
The scale of the problem the Salvos are facing, and the scale of the problem many churches in Australia are facing is that most people do not see the need for the church. Add to that a church that seems removed from reality and you have a recipe for a weak church and a post-Christian nation.
Australia is to a degree a few years behind the UK – already a post-Christian nation where only 4% attend church.
Australia is to a degree a few years ahead of the US!!
One of the things my trip down under is doing for me is reminding me that the reality of Australia is about to become the reality of the US (already declined to 12% church attendance from 45% twenty years ago) and church leaders there (myself included) need to keep leading in ways that makes Christianity relevant and the church vibrant and living in the real world.
Goodbye Adelaide …..a 1 hr flight and I’m finishing this blog in Melbourne overlooking the airport as I sleep before catching an early flight to Sydney for the last leg of my 4 stop tour.
What firsts will I experience in Sydney?
PS …opted out of a Spanish email reply. Decided to let anonymous remain anonymous and focus my energies on the change and expansion I need to lead, rather than the people who don’t really want to be led. Been teaching Salvo leaders the principle of wasted energy which is lost energy.
Thanks for the wise blog replies sent to me.
Thursday, August 4, 2011
What's 70 and what's 30.
I’m sitting at Melbourne airport waiting my flight to Adelaide. Another good day with some great Salvation Army Officers eager to see church/corp transformation.
We talked many things included Sample’s 70/30 rule.
This rule states that you will spend 70% of your time doing trivial, routine tasks and only 30% of your time on the big, major, significant leadership issues.
This goes against the grain.
Most of us think we will spend 70% of our time on the big, important issues and 30% on routine, menial tasks.
Steve Sample says it’s the other way around.
To quote him “many people want to be leader but few want to do leader.”
This rule is always a reality check to leaders wanting to see growth and development. They imagine that when their church puts to bed silly arguments and specializing in trivial things they will spend all their time on the real stuff.
Not so.
Not long after teaching that rule today I received a 70% kind of email. The kind of email you want to ignore.
The kind of email you think a healthy church leaves behind.
The email was a guest who had visited our church several times telling me the things she/they did and didn’t like ……with obviously more that they didn’t like than like.
Two things bothered me.
Firstly – there’s no name. They have some weird email address and they omitted to place their name at the bottom of their essay! They didn’t care to tell me who they are.
Always sad.
Normally we immediately bin anonymous mail – but this one warrants a reply …..because of the second thing that bothered me.
They strongly disagreed with us putting our Scripture verses on the screens in both English and Spanish.
And I quote “by this time the Spanish community should be able to understand what it looks like to read the names of the books of the Bible, the reference verses and page numbers.”
We live in a community that is 70% Latino with many in our church fluent in both but eager to invite friends or family who only speak Spanish to explore faith and Jesus Christ.
I have to tell you I initially thought I had misread what they were saying and they must have been thanking us for having English and Spanish. But slowly I reread and yes – there are supposed Christians who are racist and bigoted. Simply put they are arrogant, proud and elitist. Or, to say it another way – they are not living the way of Jesus.
So I will count to 10, or maybe 10,000 or maybe I need to count to ten million and then compose an email reply that stops me from sinning in my reply.
I would count this as part of the 70% but perhaps this is more of a 30% work. This is one of the big, major issues – the Gospel is at stake, the truth of Christ is at stake, the testimony of His Name is at stake.
So ……… I sit in Melbourne Airport contemplating my words.
Tomorrow another day of teaching and another group of Salvation Army Officers.
Tomorrow I will be writing an email reply fully in Spanish!!!!!!!! LOL.
We talked many things included Sample’s 70/30 rule.
This rule states that you will spend 70% of your time doing trivial, routine tasks and only 30% of your time on the big, major, significant leadership issues.
This goes against the grain.
Most of us think we will spend 70% of our time on the big, important issues and 30% on routine, menial tasks.
Steve Sample says it’s the other way around.
To quote him “many people want to be leader but few want to do leader.”
This rule is always a reality check to leaders wanting to see growth and development. They imagine that when their church puts to bed silly arguments and specializing in trivial things they will spend all their time on the real stuff.
Not so.
Not long after teaching that rule today I received a 70% kind of email. The kind of email you want to ignore.
The kind of email you think a healthy church leaves behind.
The email was a guest who had visited our church several times telling me the things she/they did and didn’t like ……with obviously more that they didn’t like than like.
Two things bothered me.
Firstly – there’s no name. They have some weird email address and they omitted to place their name at the bottom of their essay! They didn’t care to tell me who they are.
Always sad.
Normally we immediately bin anonymous mail – but this one warrants a reply …..because of the second thing that bothered me.
They strongly disagreed with us putting our Scripture verses on the screens in both English and Spanish.
And I quote “by this time the Spanish community should be able to understand what it looks like to read the names of the books of the Bible, the reference verses and page numbers.”
We live in a community that is 70% Latino with many in our church fluent in both but eager to invite friends or family who only speak Spanish to explore faith and Jesus Christ.
I have to tell you I initially thought I had misread what they were saying and they must have been thanking us for having English and Spanish. But slowly I reread and yes – there are supposed Christians who are racist and bigoted. Simply put they are arrogant, proud and elitist. Or, to say it another way – they are not living the way of Jesus.
So I will count to 10, or maybe 10,000 or maybe I need to count to ten million and then compose an email reply that stops me from sinning in my reply.
I would count this as part of the 70% but perhaps this is more of a 30% work. This is one of the big, major issues – the Gospel is at stake, the truth of Christ is at stake, the testimony of His Name is at stake.
So ……… I sit in Melbourne Airport contemplating my words.
Tomorrow another day of teaching and another group of Salvation Army Officers.
Tomorrow I will be writing an email reply fully in Spanish!!!!!!!! LOL.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
The uniform
So I saw Melbourne today - through the window of a car as I was driven to my next hotel room. Although I am still about 19km from the city itself. Tomorrow at 7.15am I cross the city on a 2 hour drive to teach again a group of Salvation Army Offficers. "Melbourne through a car window" - the possible title for a very boring travel guide.
Last night I met a senior Salvation Army Major. The only one at the conference with a uniform on (until we held our final session today when several officers appeared dressed to retrun to the real world!).
I've struggled with the whole uniform thing. It seems so exclusive, so 'we are different', it seems a possible significant barrier between them and the people they/we want to reach with the love of Jesus.
Yet last night I learned something very interesting.
The Major walks most days to work (at least parking lot to office). Seemingly most days as he walks to work with his uniform on someone, a stranger, a fellow commuter, a member of the general public will stop him and say "thank you for what you do."Amazing.
Its a badge
A badge in Australia that carries credibility.
A worthy badge.
Of course I'm not advocating we all get a dark blue, rather old fashioned looking, average cut, shapeless uniform.
We have a uniform that we just need to begin to wear - the uniform of love.
Imagine if Christians took on that uniform.
Imagine if we served, washed feet, forgave, showed grace, unconditionally loved the way jesus asks us to.
Imagine if we began to wear the 'Follower of Jesus' uniform.
That one is not a barrier, nor shapeless, nor old fashioned looking.
That one has real style and fits perfectly.
Last night I met a senior Salvation Army Major. The only one at the conference with a uniform on (until we held our final session today when several officers appeared dressed to retrun to the real world!).
I've struggled with the whole uniform thing. It seems so exclusive, so 'we are different', it seems a possible significant barrier between them and the people they/we want to reach with the love of Jesus.
Yet last night I learned something very interesting.
The Major walks most days to work (at least parking lot to office). Seemingly most days as he walks to work with his uniform on someone, a stranger, a fellow commuter, a member of the general public will stop him and say "thank you for what you do."Amazing.
Its a badge
A badge in Australia that carries credibility.
A worthy badge.
Of course I'm not advocating we all get a dark blue, rather old fashioned looking, average cut, shapeless uniform.
We have a uniform that we just need to begin to wear - the uniform of love.
Imagine if Christians took on that uniform.
Imagine if we served, washed feet, forgave, showed grace, unconditionally loved the way jesus asks us to.
Imagine if we began to wear the 'Follower of Jesus' uniform.
That one is not a barrier, nor shapeless, nor old fashioned looking.
That one has real style and fits perfectly.
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Still haven't seen a kangaroo.
Day 7 in Australia and no kangaroo sightings yet.
Truth be told, the last 2 days I haven't seen much at all.
I've walked from my bedroom to the conference room, to the dining room, to the laundry room and back to my bedroom.
I have heard a Kookaburra bird.
But still to see a kangaroo ...or Melbourne (where I'm staying!).
But what I have seen is so much better than seeing a Kangaroo.
I've seen pastors decide there are necessary endings they need to make when they return to their corps.
I've seen pastors face honestly their biggest fears - including the fear that perhaps they haven't got the gift of preaching and they need to rethink their role -so many brave, courageous pastors who do not want to be an obstacle in God's way.
I've seen pastors dream of what could be an no longer ask 'why?', but say 'why not!'
I've seen pastors grapple with the big stuff, ask the central questions, wrestle with important tensions.
I've seen tears of hope for what God could do in and through their leadership.
So - no Skippy yet, but I never came for that.
It's like going to Kenya.
I sit in the Nairobi airport and I see tourist after tourist buy tee-shirts with giraffes on them.
But they miss it.
Kenya is not about giraffes or elephant sightings - Kenya is about the people.
My trip down under is not about seeing the Gold Coast, a kangaroo or Mick Dundee - this trip is all about seeing church leaders grasping what God can do in and through them as they turn their churches or corps outward to be all about what God is about -reaching people who are lost.
I want more of these sightings.
Truth be told, the last 2 days I haven't seen much at all.
I've walked from my bedroom to the conference room, to the dining room, to the laundry room and back to my bedroom.
I have heard a Kookaburra bird.
But still to see a kangaroo ...or Melbourne (where I'm staying!).
But what I have seen is so much better than seeing a Kangaroo.
I've seen pastors decide there are necessary endings they need to make when they return to their corps.
I've seen pastors face honestly their biggest fears - including the fear that perhaps they haven't got the gift of preaching and they need to rethink their role -so many brave, courageous pastors who do not want to be an obstacle in God's way.
I've seen pastors dream of what could be an no longer ask 'why?', but say 'why not!'
I've seen pastors grapple with the big stuff, ask the central questions, wrestle with important tensions.
I've seen tears of hope for what God could do in and through their leadership.
So - no Skippy yet, but I never came for that.
It's like going to Kenya.
I sit in the Nairobi airport and I see tourist after tourist buy tee-shirts with giraffes on them.
But they miss it.
Kenya is not about giraffes or elephant sightings - Kenya is about the people.
My trip down under is not about seeing the Gold Coast, a kangaroo or Mick Dundee - this trip is all about seeing church leaders grasping what God can do in and through them as they turn their churches or corps outward to be all about what God is about -reaching people who are lost.
I want more of these sightings.
Monday, August 1, 2011
Mooroolbark
It wins the prize for the strangest sounding place I’ve been to in Australia – and believe me they have some strange sounding names ….. Burrumbuttock, Gooloogong and Wagga Wagga to name a few.
Mooroolbark is my destination for a 3 day conference with Salvation Army Officers.
We’ve talked before about how leaders define reality, but today we also shared that leaders move people to a preferred future. This is leadership. Moving people.
So my day began at 4am and a text from a friend - Sean Bautista – a United pilot who regularly flies into Sydney and Melbourne.
‘U in Melbourne’ his text read
‘Yes’ I managed to rouse myself to reply …..as I looked at the time and groaned….adding on that ‘I am in Mooroolbark an hour from the airport.’
‘I’m there for 2 hours enroute back to Sydney no time to meet’ was Sean’s reply.
‘You mean you woke me at 4am to tell me we can’t meet up!’ I texted back and tried to return back to sleep.
His text moved me – firstly to happiness thinking of sharing a pint with him.
But then it moved me again …..and again……and again…..and again as I struggled to sleep more.
Moving people.
Historically God’s people were nomads – moving was not hard for them.
Sadly, the Church is anything but nomadic.
Movement is painfully slow for many Christians.
We have lost our ability to move.
And in losing our ability to move we don’t stay static we die.
Scripture says – where there is no vision the people perish.
Movement leads to life, non-movement leads to death.
This is why leadership is so vital.
Leaders move people.
Pray that a bunch of Salvo’s downunder become people movers.
Mooroolbark is my destination for a 3 day conference with Salvation Army Officers.
We’ve talked before about how leaders define reality, but today we also shared that leaders move people to a preferred future. This is leadership. Moving people.
So my day began at 4am and a text from a friend - Sean Bautista – a United pilot who regularly flies into Sydney and Melbourne.
‘U in Melbourne’ his text read
‘Yes’ I managed to rouse myself to reply …..as I looked at the time and groaned….adding on that ‘I am in Mooroolbark an hour from the airport.’
‘I’m there for 2 hours enroute back to Sydney no time to meet’ was Sean’s reply.
‘You mean you woke me at 4am to tell me we can’t meet up!’ I texted back and tried to return back to sleep.
His text moved me – firstly to happiness thinking of sharing a pint with him.
But then it moved me again …..and again……and again…..and again as I struggled to sleep more.
Moving people.
Historically God’s people were nomads – moving was not hard for them.
Sadly, the Church is anything but nomadic.
Movement is painfully slow for many Christians.
We have lost our ability to move.
And in losing our ability to move we don’t stay static we die.
Scripture says – where there is no vision the people perish.
Movement leads to life, non-movement leads to death.
This is why leadership is so vital.
Leaders move people.
Pray that a bunch of Salvo’s downunder become people movers.
Sunday, July 31, 2011
My first Sunday in Australia
Church and Christianity in Australia are viewed by the majority as irrelevant to life. Only around 5% will attend a place of worship today.
America fairs slightly better at around 12%.
But like Australia there are a growing number of people in the US who see particularly Church as irrelevant to life.
Truth be told – often Church is irrelevant to life.
But, Christianity isn’t.
And that’s our problem.
How do we hold the most relevant hope and reality there is (life with God) in a vessel (the Church) that in so many ways is unattractive, irrelevant and misrepresentative of the Jesus who is the head of her?
So I walked into the Fortress to be the guest preacher today.
The Fortress is the central Perth, Western Australia main citadel.
A central corp of the Salvation Army and led by Majors Barry and Ros who are two neat relevant pastors.
I’d met them yesterday as we lead coaching for Army officers and leaders. They introduced me to one of their equally neat leaders a guy called Robin. He’s in PR and I teased him about his trendy hairstyle, cool clothes and slightly graying partial beard – the necessary accessories to be cool.
Two neat majors and equally neat and cool lay leader ………
So today my eyes were slightly surprised when I entered the Fortress and the Major’s were in their old-fashioned Army uniform (only slightly because they were the Major’s); but then my eyes were shocked when Mr. Cool PR dude was also in his uniform!
Truth be told often Church is irrelevant to life.
I expected a marching band – and the musicality was excellent.
I expected a choir – and the harmonizing was excellent.
But in many ways it seemed so ……irrelevant.
What surprises me is that after some Salvation Army band music the band leader led us on drums into some modern worship music.
After church we ate in a really hip gourmet burger place.
I headed to their home and enjoyed watching Aussie Rules Footie on their modern HD TV.
We were taken to the airport by one of the uniform, band playing officers listening to modern rock music on the car stereo.
And my neat cool relevant Majors are dressed hipper than me!!!!!
My point is a point of confusion. It seems there is a dichotomy, a dichotomy that seems to be unnecessary.
I know the Army has a great heritage.
I know they have been a part of magnificent ministry.
I know all their rituals and traditions stem from reasonable roots.
I know you can’t just throw away history.
I know there are molehills and mountains.
I know there are things worth fighting to keep and fighting to lose.
I know they are a group of good people.
PS …….I’m writing this in Perth Airport waiting my flight to Melbourne and this really attractive girl has just sat down next to me. There are hundreds of empty seats and she chose to sit next to me. Maybe uncool, shirt tucked in, balding, fairskinned with freckles, skinny Scotsmen ……is the new cool!!!
Sorry for the sociological distraction – back to my first Sunday in Australia.
I know uniforms, band music, and Army titles are not central theological issues or even the issues.
But it sits on the surface of the bigger issue.
Churches (mine included) can embrace dichotomist realities that reveal an inauthenticity/hypocretisim that unchurched people sniff a mile away, and keep them miles away.
There is a strong call for us to be One.
That call is to trueness.
My first Sunday in Australia has got me questioning where I am not one. Where am I a walking dichotomy?
America fairs slightly better at around 12%.
But like Australia there are a growing number of people in the US who see particularly Church as irrelevant to life.
Truth be told – often Church is irrelevant to life.
But, Christianity isn’t.
And that’s our problem.
How do we hold the most relevant hope and reality there is (life with God) in a vessel (the Church) that in so many ways is unattractive, irrelevant and misrepresentative of the Jesus who is the head of her?
So I walked into the Fortress to be the guest preacher today.
The Fortress is the central Perth, Western Australia main citadel.
A central corp of the Salvation Army and led by Majors Barry and Ros who are two neat relevant pastors.
I’d met them yesterday as we lead coaching for Army officers and leaders. They introduced me to one of their equally neat leaders a guy called Robin. He’s in PR and I teased him about his trendy hairstyle, cool clothes and slightly graying partial beard – the necessary accessories to be cool.
Two neat majors and equally neat and cool lay leader ………
So today my eyes were slightly surprised when I entered the Fortress and the Major’s were in their old-fashioned Army uniform (only slightly because they were the Major’s); but then my eyes were shocked when Mr. Cool PR dude was also in his uniform!
Truth be told often Church is irrelevant to life.
I expected a marching band – and the musicality was excellent.
I expected a choir – and the harmonizing was excellent.
But in many ways it seemed so ……irrelevant.
What surprises me is that after some Salvation Army band music the band leader led us on drums into some modern worship music.
After church we ate in a really hip gourmet burger place.
I headed to their home and enjoyed watching Aussie Rules Footie on their modern HD TV.
We were taken to the airport by one of the uniform, band playing officers listening to modern rock music on the car stereo.
And my neat cool relevant Majors are dressed hipper than me!!!!!
My point is a point of confusion. It seems there is a dichotomy, a dichotomy that seems to be unnecessary.
I know the Army has a great heritage.
I know they have been a part of magnificent ministry.
I know all their rituals and traditions stem from reasonable roots.
I know you can’t just throw away history.
I know there are molehills and mountains.
I know there are things worth fighting to keep and fighting to lose.
I know they are a group of good people.
PS …….I’m writing this in Perth Airport waiting my flight to Melbourne and this really attractive girl has just sat down next to me. There are hundreds of empty seats and she chose to sit next to me. Maybe uncool, shirt tucked in, balding, fairskinned with freckles, skinny Scotsmen ……is the new cool!!!
Sorry for the sociological distraction – back to my first Sunday in Australia.
I know uniforms, band music, and Army titles are not central theological issues or even the issues.
But it sits on the surface of the bigger issue.
Churches (mine included) can embrace dichotomist realities that reveal an inauthenticity/hypocretisim that unchurched people sniff a mile away, and keep them miles away.
There is a strong call for us to be One.
That call is to trueness.
My first Sunday in Australia has got me questioning where I am not one. Where am I a walking dichotomy?
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Day 3 in the most isolated city in the world.
I watched my first Aussie rules footie game today.
Geelong beat Melbourne 233 to 47.
That’s more like a cricket score than a footie score!!!
Don’t understand the game at all – but from what the commentators were saying – the score was the worst ever!!!
I only saw the game on the telly - funny how the Aussies use similar slang to the Brits!
The second day of the layered learning event in Perth was a good day. Even although I was hungry for most of it.
Last night’s dinner/supper didn’t quite work out.
My hotel has no restaurant but they contract with a company who deliver from various restaurants.
I duly ordered a tasty pizza – pineapple, chicken, fresh tomato, mozzarella cheese and avocado (when in Aussie land eat what they eat ….and I thought it was all bbq’s and Skippy meat) to eat with my rented movie – The Top 10 Chain Saw Murders.
2 ½ hours later the pizza arrived – cold.
Being true to my Scottish frugalness – I didn’t pay for it …but did eat 2 slices of a disgusting pizza.
(PS the movie I rented was The Tourist!)
So today I was hungry all day …..but obviously I am a pathetic westerner who doesn’t understand true hunger.
Check our www.whenigrowup-global.com and get involved in ensuring really hungry kids are given hope.
Come on guys ……use your money to make a difference.
Interesting day.
A room full of Aussie pastors/officers and lay leaders passionate about seeing their churches/corps reach more and more people for Jesus.
But also a room full of Christians sadly grappling with the elephant in the church.
Listen to Dallas Willard’s insight on the elephant:
“It is not the much discussed moral failures or financial abuses or the amazing similarity between Christians and non-Christians. These are only effects of the underlying problem. The fundamental negative reality among Christian believers now is their failure to be constantly learning how to live their live in the Kingdom Among Us.
And …..it is an accepted reality!”
The elephant in the church is the acceptance of non-discipleship.
People will embrace Jesus as Savior – but will not follow him as Rabbi or Teacher.
People will take his forgiveness and grace – but will not live the way Jesus wants us to live.
But the elephant is – it’s acceptable.
It’s time for the church and its leaders to stop accepting it.
It’s time name it, confront it and kick its butt.
I’d love to write more on this ….but its supper time and they are taking me to a real restaurant tonight.
So sorry – theology comes second my own needs and greed come first.
Yep ……there’s an elephant not only on the church!!!!
Geelong beat Melbourne 233 to 47.
That’s more like a cricket score than a footie score!!!
Don’t understand the game at all – but from what the commentators were saying – the score was the worst ever!!!
I only saw the game on the telly - funny how the Aussies use similar slang to the Brits!
The second day of the layered learning event in Perth was a good day. Even although I was hungry for most of it.
Last night’s dinner/supper didn’t quite work out.
My hotel has no restaurant but they contract with a company who deliver from various restaurants.
I duly ordered a tasty pizza – pineapple, chicken, fresh tomato, mozzarella cheese and avocado (when in Aussie land eat what they eat ….and I thought it was all bbq’s and Skippy meat) to eat with my rented movie – The Top 10 Chain Saw Murders.
2 ½ hours later the pizza arrived – cold.
Being true to my Scottish frugalness – I didn’t pay for it …but did eat 2 slices of a disgusting pizza.
(PS the movie I rented was The Tourist!)
So today I was hungry all day …..but obviously I am a pathetic westerner who doesn’t understand true hunger.
Check our www.whenigrowup-global.com and get involved in ensuring really hungry kids are given hope.
Come on guys ……use your money to make a difference.
Interesting day.
A room full of Aussie pastors/officers and lay leaders passionate about seeing their churches/corps reach more and more people for Jesus.
But also a room full of Christians sadly grappling with the elephant in the church.
Listen to Dallas Willard’s insight on the elephant:
“It is not the much discussed moral failures or financial abuses or the amazing similarity between Christians and non-Christians. These are only effects of the underlying problem. The fundamental negative reality among Christian believers now is their failure to be constantly learning how to live their live in the Kingdom Among Us.
And …..it is an accepted reality!”
The elephant in the church is the acceptance of non-discipleship.
People will embrace Jesus as Savior – but will not follow him as Rabbi or Teacher.
People will take his forgiveness and grace – but will not live the way Jesus wants us to live.
But the elephant is – it’s acceptable.
It’s time for the church and its leaders to stop accepting it.
It’s time name it, confront it and kick its butt.
I’d love to write more on this ….but its supper time and they are taking me to a real restaurant tonight.
So sorry – theology comes second my own needs and greed come first.
Yep ……there’s an elephant not only on the church!!!!
Friday, July 29, 2011
Still down under in Australia
So Day 2 saw me awake in Australia ready for the reason for my long travels to begin. Day 1 of teaching.
So to prepare I went a 5 mile run around Ascot Racecourse and along Swan River. My mind was cleared - partly due to being chased by a dog and the clarity running can bring.
It all begins with God, and so theology took centre stage in Session 1.
Who is this God that we have given ourselves to?
Who is this God that we preach and declare?
Who is this God that we lead our congregations to give themselves fully to?
Enter ......... trinitiarian theology.
Not the easiest beginning topic to handle, and tonight I'm rewriting some of it, but at its core stands a trinitarian God who incredibly moved with the sole purpose of human redemption.
3=1
We believe that God eternally exists as three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and each person is fully God, and there is One God.
3-1=0
Each person is God only with the other two.
So, the incredible death of Christ on the cross and his cry 'my God, my God why have you forsaken me' describes not only the suffering of Christ but the suffering of God. God was 'damaged' due to the cross.
But this was all purposeful. God the Father sent the Son (at such a cost) to rescue humankind.
His purpose flows out of God being missional - a sending God.
Christ was sent to bring about God's rescue.
3+1=1
The Missio Dei accomplished, you and I are joined to God, heirs, co-heirs. We are brought into the union of the Godhead.
The Trinity was not exclusive. It moved to include you and me. God is inclusive.
Its moving was at the ultimate cost.
The Church is called to live out that cost - radically, sacrificially, selflessly give ourselves to see others included in God.
.....and there were too many blank stares hence my rewriting tonight.
But its core.
Miss who God is and all the pain and effort in trying to lead and serve in a local church becomes vain.
Grasp how far God went ....... you'll not pull back, pull up or pull away.
Session 2 was simple - lets talk leadership.
But over lunch conversations began, and what rose to the surface was here in Australia, like in America, Britain, most places - church leaders sit around and discuss how to help dysfunctional Christians grasp the scale and the urgency of reflecting the image of the God we worship and who made us.
Tonight I sit watching another storm hit Perth. Gallons of rain are falling as i eat Cadbury's chocolate and hit my netbook.
Trinitarian faith in all its depth and complexity being contemplated even outworked by a simple Scots guy slightly carnal and slightly tired trying to help a bunch of Aussie pastors lead towards health.
The key is knowing it is God working purposefully to bring about his one and only purpose - the missio dei ....in and through jars of clay.
Off to watch a movie and eat more chocolate.
So to prepare I went a 5 mile run around Ascot Racecourse and along Swan River. My mind was cleared - partly due to being chased by a dog and the clarity running can bring.
It all begins with God, and so theology took centre stage in Session 1.
Who is this God that we have given ourselves to?
Who is this God that we preach and declare?
Who is this God that we lead our congregations to give themselves fully to?
Enter ......... trinitiarian theology.
Not the easiest beginning topic to handle, and tonight I'm rewriting some of it, but at its core stands a trinitarian God who incredibly moved with the sole purpose of human redemption.
3=1
We believe that God eternally exists as three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and each person is fully God, and there is One God.
3-1=0
Each person is God only with the other two.
So, the incredible death of Christ on the cross and his cry 'my God, my God why have you forsaken me' describes not only the suffering of Christ but the suffering of God. God was 'damaged' due to the cross.
But this was all purposeful. God the Father sent the Son (at such a cost) to rescue humankind.
His purpose flows out of God being missional - a sending God.
Christ was sent to bring about God's rescue.
3+1=1
The Missio Dei accomplished, you and I are joined to God, heirs, co-heirs. We are brought into the union of the Godhead.
The Trinity was not exclusive. It moved to include you and me. God is inclusive.
Its moving was at the ultimate cost.
The Church is called to live out that cost - radically, sacrificially, selflessly give ourselves to see others included in God.
.....and there were too many blank stares hence my rewriting tonight.
But its core.
Miss who God is and all the pain and effort in trying to lead and serve in a local church becomes vain.
Grasp how far God went ....... you'll not pull back, pull up or pull away.
Session 2 was simple - lets talk leadership.
But over lunch conversations began, and what rose to the surface was here in Australia, like in America, Britain, most places - church leaders sit around and discuss how to help dysfunctional Christians grasp the scale and the urgency of reflecting the image of the God we worship and who made us.
Tonight I sit watching another storm hit Perth. Gallons of rain are falling as i eat Cadbury's chocolate and hit my netbook.
Trinitarian faith in all its depth and complexity being contemplated even outworked by a simple Scots guy slightly carnal and slightly tired trying to help a bunch of Aussie pastors lead towards health.
The key is knowing it is God working purposefully to bring about his one and only purpose - the missio dei ....in and through jars of clay.
Off to watch a movie and eat more chocolate.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Australia Day 1
Travelling for 19 hours on a plane to reach the first city in my tour of Australia passed as slow as you think it passed.
19 hours on a plane – add on the airport waiting time and it brings you to a total of 28 hours.
Even trying out the new A380 double decker super jumbo made it only interesting for the first hour –when they had a sky cam attached to the tail of the plane for you to watch the takeoff from! But then it was back to ordinary airplane food and cramped leg space – trying your best to sleep as you flew over nothing but water.
When I did the short 5 hour flight across Australia from Sydney to Perth the monotony was broken by the incredible golden coastline we hugged and the three bars of Cadbury chocolate I eat in place of more yuck airplane food.
Thank the Lord for Cadbury’s down under.
And while I seem to have begun my travels complaining, it is absolutely amazing that I am sitting nearly 10,000 miles from California reaching here in just over one days travel – safely.
Thank you Jesus and Qantas (which I discovered stands for Queensland and Northern Territories Aerial Services).
Apart from watching three pretty good movies Lincoln Lawyer, The Adjustment Bureau and the weird but funny Paul, I finished off two good reads.
Read #1 (which I finished between waiting in Fresno and reaching LAX) was a leadership book called It’s Your Ship: Management Techniques from the Best Damn Ship in the Navy @ Captain D. Michael Abrashoff.
Fun read.
The story of turning the USS Benfold from one of the most dysfunctional ships into the go to ship in the Gulf War. Basis premise – give every sailor ownership of the ship, hence the book’s title. Revolutionary thinking in a highly pyramidical US Navy culture.
Read #2 was about Dean Karnazes called UltraMarathon: Confessions of An All-Night Runner.
This guy is incredible – he’s run the Badwater Race (Death Valley to Mount Whitney) in the summer heat where your shoes actually melt on the road surface! He’s run the Western States 100 (yep – 100 miles not 100km). He ran a marathon at the South Pole. The Relay Race is teams of relay runners running from Calistoga to Santa Cruz – 199 miles! Dean Karnazes ran it without a team ……. he ran all 199 miles himself and then ran a full marathon (26.2 miles) immediately after it!!!
Crazy.
Fanatical.
Possessed.
Or …..committed to what he can do well.
Both books stirred me as I flew to Australia.
My trip here is to work alongside the Salvation Army in Perth, Melbourne, Adelaide and Sydney and coach on church transformation.
It was initially a 10 day trip talking in 2 cities; it’s now 17 days, 39 talks, 4 cities!
I needed stirring for this trip - so these books, amazing scenery and Cadbury chocolate has brought me that.
So to read #3 and the most stirring:
Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra.
Written over 400 years ago, the first modern novel, it is a classic and one of only 20 or so pieces of literature that have survived for more than 400 years.
Steven Sample suggests we give up reading new books and if all we read every year are the 20 or so true classics we would have done ourselves more good.
So here goes.
I’m at page 43 and its slow, different but in a strange way refreshing and intriguing.
Today (Thursday) I saw the Indian Ocean for the first time as I explored Western Australia.
Tomorrow – my main reason for being here begins.
I begin it with a 2 hour teaching on the Theology of the Trinity. Wonder if any will return for more on Saturday and Sunday.
So far I’d describe Australia as an English feeling place with an American overture. Unsure if that is a compliment.
Tomorrow I meet church leaders ……. brings purpose and the tangible to why I’m here.
Can’t come soon enough.
Heading to bed ……. still fighting the old jet lag and too much Cadbury’s!!
19 hours on a plane – add on the airport waiting time and it brings you to a total of 28 hours.
Even trying out the new A380 double decker super jumbo made it only interesting for the first hour –when they had a sky cam attached to the tail of the plane for you to watch the takeoff from! But then it was back to ordinary airplane food and cramped leg space – trying your best to sleep as you flew over nothing but water.
When I did the short 5 hour flight across Australia from Sydney to Perth the monotony was broken by the incredible golden coastline we hugged and the three bars of Cadbury chocolate I eat in place of more yuck airplane food.
Thank the Lord for Cadbury’s down under.
And while I seem to have begun my travels complaining, it is absolutely amazing that I am sitting nearly 10,000 miles from California reaching here in just over one days travel – safely.
Thank you Jesus and Qantas (which I discovered stands for Queensland and Northern Territories Aerial Services).
Apart from watching three pretty good movies Lincoln Lawyer, The Adjustment Bureau and the weird but funny Paul, I finished off two good reads.
Read #1 (which I finished between waiting in Fresno and reaching LAX) was a leadership book called It’s Your Ship: Management Techniques from the Best Damn Ship in the Navy @ Captain D. Michael Abrashoff.
Fun read.
The story of turning the USS Benfold from one of the most dysfunctional ships into the go to ship in the Gulf War. Basis premise – give every sailor ownership of the ship, hence the book’s title. Revolutionary thinking in a highly pyramidical US Navy culture.
Read #2 was about Dean Karnazes called UltraMarathon: Confessions of An All-Night Runner.
This guy is incredible – he’s run the Badwater Race (Death Valley to Mount Whitney) in the summer heat where your shoes actually melt on the road surface! He’s run the Western States 100 (yep – 100 miles not 100km). He ran a marathon at the South Pole. The Relay Race is teams of relay runners running from Calistoga to Santa Cruz – 199 miles! Dean Karnazes ran it without a team ……. he ran all 199 miles himself and then ran a full marathon (26.2 miles) immediately after it!!!
Crazy.
Fanatical.
Possessed.
Or …..committed to what he can do well.
Both books stirred me as I flew to Australia.
My trip here is to work alongside the Salvation Army in Perth, Melbourne, Adelaide and Sydney and coach on church transformation.
It was initially a 10 day trip talking in 2 cities; it’s now 17 days, 39 talks, 4 cities!
I needed stirring for this trip - so these books, amazing scenery and Cadbury chocolate has brought me that.
So to read #3 and the most stirring:
Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra.
Written over 400 years ago, the first modern novel, it is a classic and one of only 20 or so pieces of literature that have survived for more than 400 years.
Steven Sample suggests we give up reading new books and if all we read every year are the 20 or so true classics we would have done ourselves more good.
So here goes.
I’m at page 43 and its slow, different but in a strange way refreshing and intriguing.
Today (Thursday) I saw the Indian Ocean for the first time as I explored Western Australia.
Tomorrow – my main reason for being here begins.
I begin it with a 2 hour teaching on the Theology of the Trinity. Wonder if any will return for more on Saturday and Sunday.
So far I’d describe Australia as an English feeling place with an American overture. Unsure if that is a compliment.
Tomorrow I meet church leaders ……. brings purpose and the tangible to why I’m here.
Can’t come soon enough.
Heading to bed ……. still fighting the old jet lag and too much Cadbury’s!!
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Warning - this blog may cause constipation.
Welcome to another blog that hopes to stretch thinking and cause rethinking.
Will we poop in heaven?
Let’s start with heaven.
Let’s start with asking will Osama Bin Laden be in heaven?
Bin Laden believed so …….. being met at the gate by 72 vegans!
(Sadly there was a screw up in the paperwork and the virgins he’d hoped for didn’t show up.)
But could he be in heaven?
Some of you might think that he’s the poop.
Now in case I am misunderstood, I am not in any way minimizing the violent and hate-filled atrocities Bin Laden perpetrated over the past 15 years including the bombing in Nairobi, Kenya where 224 died and over 5000 injured; and the tragic events of 9/11 and the over 3000 killed and countless victims injured.
Bin Laden lived a life of violence and murderous hate.
But could he be in heaven?
Is he beyond God’s grace?
The difficulty with celebrating anyone death is the sense that we are celebrating someone receiving God’s punishment of hell …..as if they deserve it and we (those celebrating) don’t deserve such.
If Bin Laden had been captured and as a war criminal now faced justice being done to him that might be a more celebratory outcome. But, celebrating his death - and by all accounts people celebrating are assuming he is now in hell receiving due justice – seems to suggest he is getting what he deserves ….and we will also get what we deserve but we will get heaven.
Really?
The core of Christian teaching is that no-one deserves heaven. Heaven is an act of God’s free gift of grace. No one deserves it but all can receive it.
Now I’m not suggesting that I know Bin Laden accepted God’s grace (but he might have); and if he had he would be in heaven!
This for some is the scandal of the Gospel.
The scandal says - no one is beyond God’s grace, and God’s grace is all you need to enter heaven.
The scandal, or perhaps the surprise of heaven, is that it will be full of the unexpected, none more than who is there and who isn’t!
Will there be poop in heaven …that could be unexpected.
Sitting in an airport Chili’s last week I shared the question I was pondering and one person quickly retorted – “Of course we all know there will be, we all say it ‘holy ****!’”
But the original questioner was reflecting on a theological point. If poop is the body’s way of removing impurities, if heaven is void of impurities will we still poop!
Heaven.
Oftentimes we think of heaven as ethereal, intangible, esoteric and immaterial.
To say that an easier way – floaty, dreamy, hazy.
I grew up with the idea that it was a place above earth where we would sing hymns and worship all day long, every day, for ever and ever …like one everlasting church service.
For me that sounded more like hell!
Scriptures teaches that there is a place, a space, a realm beyond the one we currently inhabit.
Scripture teaches that just now we have a body that gets old, weary and eventually will give out on us – but there is a second kind of body one that is ‘imperishable’.
Scripture also teaches that not being here will be better.
In this new place, with a new body, in a better place will we still poop?
I truly don’t know.
BUT, Scripture doesn’t only talk of heaven as being somewhere else, sometime else.
Jesus taught, lived, that heaven had come to earth.
For Jesus heaven was not ‘someday’ but was a present reality.
Scriptures teaches that it is both here, now and yet fully to come.
Eternal life does not start when we die; it starts now.
Jesus’ prayer, our prayer was and is “thy kingdom come”.
Christians are about bringing heaven to earth ….. today.
The original questioner was wondering if in the other reality our bodies will be perfect, sinless and therefore poopless.
But the better way to look at heaven is to see it not as somewhere else, sometime else - but the focus of our attention and purpose now.
If as a Christian you pooped today, if today you have been about what God wants you to be about - bringing heaven to earth, then theologically you pooped in heaven!
Sorry if this blog causes constipation.
Will we poop in heaven?
Let’s start with heaven.
Let’s start with asking will Osama Bin Laden be in heaven?
Bin Laden believed so …….. being met at the gate by 72 vegans!
(Sadly there was a screw up in the paperwork and the virgins he’d hoped for didn’t show up.)
But could he be in heaven?
Some of you might think that he’s the poop.
Now in case I am misunderstood, I am not in any way minimizing the violent and hate-filled atrocities Bin Laden perpetrated over the past 15 years including the bombing in Nairobi, Kenya where 224 died and over 5000 injured; and the tragic events of 9/11 and the over 3000 killed and countless victims injured.
Bin Laden lived a life of violence and murderous hate.
But could he be in heaven?
Is he beyond God’s grace?
The difficulty with celebrating anyone death is the sense that we are celebrating someone receiving God’s punishment of hell …..as if they deserve it and we (those celebrating) don’t deserve such.
If Bin Laden had been captured and as a war criminal now faced justice being done to him that might be a more celebratory outcome. But, celebrating his death - and by all accounts people celebrating are assuming he is now in hell receiving due justice – seems to suggest he is getting what he deserves ….and we will also get what we deserve but we will get heaven.
Really?
The core of Christian teaching is that no-one deserves heaven. Heaven is an act of God’s free gift of grace. No one deserves it but all can receive it.
Now I’m not suggesting that I know Bin Laden accepted God’s grace (but he might have); and if he had he would be in heaven!
This for some is the scandal of the Gospel.
The scandal says - no one is beyond God’s grace, and God’s grace is all you need to enter heaven.
The scandal, or perhaps the surprise of heaven, is that it will be full of the unexpected, none more than who is there and who isn’t!
Will there be poop in heaven …that could be unexpected.
Sitting in an airport Chili’s last week I shared the question I was pondering and one person quickly retorted – “Of course we all know there will be, we all say it ‘holy ****!’”
But the original questioner was reflecting on a theological point. If poop is the body’s way of removing impurities, if heaven is void of impurities will we still poop!
Heaven.
Oftentimes we think of heaven as ethereal, intangible, esoteric and immaterial.
To say that an easier way – floaty, dreamy, hazy.
I grew up with the idea that it was a place above earth where we would sing hymns and worship all day long, every day, for ever and ever …like one everlasting church service.
For me that sounded more like hell!
Scriptures teaches that there is a place, a space, a realm beyond the one we currently inhabit.
Scripture teaches that just now we have a body that gets old, weary and eventually will give out on us – but there is a second kind of body one that is ‘imperishable’.
Scripture also teaches that not being here will be better.
In this new place, with a new body, in a better place will we still poop?
I truly don’t know.
BUT, Scripture doesn’t only talk of heaven as being somewhere else, sometime else.
Jesus taught, lived, that heaven had come to earth.
For Jesus heaven was not ‘someday’ but was a present reality.
Scriptures teaches that it is both here, now and yet fully to come.
Eternal life does not start when we die; it starts now.
Jesus’ prayer, our prayer was and is “thy kingdom come”.
Christians are about bringing heaven to earth ….. today.
The original questioner was wondering if in the other reality our bodies will be perfect, sinless and therefore poopless.
But the better way to look at heaven is to see it not as somewhere else, sometime else - but the focus of our attention and purpose now.
If as a Christian you pooped today, if today you have been about what God wants you to be about - bringing heaven to earth, then theologically you pooped in heaven!
Sorry if this blog causes constipation.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Rob Bell - poet, prophet or pest?
There’s something about poetic language that draws me in.
Take this poetry:
“Many have these questions.
Christians,
people who aren’t Christians,
people who were Christians,
but can’t do it anymore because of questions about these very topics,
people who think Christians are delusional and profoundly misguided,
pastors,
leaders,
preachers – these questions are everywhere.”
There’s something about the way the poetic weaves together groups of people who would not normally go together.
The poetic finds way through a phrase even a word that pulls the unusual into community.
Take this poetic phrase:
“Honest business,
redemptive art,
honorable law,
sustainable living,
medicine,
education,
making a home,
tending a garden – they’re all sacred tasks to be done in partnership with God now, because they will all go on in the age to come.
In heaven,
on earth."
Poetry.
Putting together words that on earth don’t go together.
Merging what’s normally unmerged.
There’s something about poetic language that draws me in.
For some the movement of poetry appeals, for others it raises questions.
For me the rhythm evolves poetic license; for other its vagueness confuses or denies.
For me it draws me to think and consider possibilities; for others it causes them to think that the poet is considerably wrong.
Chesterton once wrote: “it’s the mathematician that goes mad not the poet”.
The mathematician is trying to get heaven, God, faith, truth into his head, the poet is just trying to get his head into heaven.
The poet can hold vagueness; the mathematician can’t.
The poet can write something unconcluded; the mathematician must see the conclusion. The poet in this case is the pastor and author Rob Bell.
The mathematicians in this case are the pastors and Christian leaders lining up to shoot the poet.
The topic is Rob Bell’s latest book Love Wins: A Book About Heaven, Hell, And The Fate Of Every Person Who Ever Lived.
Take this poetry:
“Many have these questions.
Christians,
people who aren’t Christians,
people who were Christians,
but can’t do it anymore because of questions about these very topics,
people who think Christians are delusional and profoundly misguided,
pastors,
leaders,
preachers – these questions are everywhere.”
There’s something about the way the poetic weaves together groups of people who would not normally go together.
The poetic finds way through a phrase even a word that pulls the unusual into community.
Take this poetic phrase:
“Honest business,
redemptive art,
honorable law,
sustainable living,
medicine,
education,
making a home,
tending a garden – they’re all sacred tasks to be done in partnership with God now, because they will all go on in the age to come.
In heaven,
on earth."
Poetry.
Putting together words that on earth don’t go together.
Merging what’s normally unmerged.
There’s something about poetic language that draws me in.
For some the movement of poetry appeals, for others it raises questions.
For me the rhythm evolves poetic license; for other its vagueness confuses or denies.
For me it draws me to think and consider possibilities; for others it causes them to think that the poet is considerably wrong.
Chesterton once wrote: “it’s the mathematician that goes mad not the poet”.
The mathematician is trying to get heaven, God, faith, truth into his head, the poet is just trying to get his head into heaven.
The poet can hold vagueness; the mathematician can’t.
The poet can write something unconcluded; the mathematician must see the conclusion. The poet in this case is the pastor and author Rob Bell.
The mathematicians in this case are the pastors and Christian leaders lining up to shoot the poet.
The topic is Rob Bell’s latest book Love Wins: A Book About Heaven, Hell, And The Fate Of Every Person Who Ever Lived.
The poetry written above comes from this book.
I loved the book, in all it inconclusiveness, vagueness and poetry!
Excellent.
Like everything else Rob Bell has written he weaves new thought alongside orthodox thought and invites you to be shocked and stirred and intrigued and scratched, question and disagree and agree and applaud, and want more and want less all at the same time.
As a poet he lets you swim in the sea not curtailing its vastness ignoring the ‘don’t swim here’ signs.
It’s the work of a poet not the work of a mathematician or a scholar or a theologian.
Is he really preaching universalism as some charge him with?
Is he really presenting a false God as others charge him with?
Is he really denying the atonement?
Should he really be burned at the stake for heresy?
He’s a poet.
Another poet Eugene Peterson endorsed the book indicating that while he doesn’t agree with all that Rob’s written, he’s my brother in Christ writing nothing new but continuing a worthwhile discussion.
To some extent it’s a classic modernity/postmodernity clash.
The clash of formulaic, propositional truth with narrative.
I live in the borderland between two cultures.
I can be the poet, but I can also be the mathematician.
There are times when the ‘modern’ in me wants better supporting evidence for the new definitions Rob gives.
There are times when the ‘postmodern’ in me wants him to pull back from wording that seem to be too deconstructive.
But I enjoy Rob Bell and his poetic exegesis.
For me, God is as much a poet as He is a mathematician.
The intricacy and preciseness of creation; the clarity and formulae of The Law He gave enable the mathematician to claim God as his friend.
But the mysteries left hanging; Jesus’ answers that were more questions; the both/and of His Being (three but one; fully God but fully human); the Psalms, the Revelation, the Book of Songs ……reveal a Divine Poet.
There’s room for both; and both should allow room for the other.
To a degree I need there to be a box – call it Orthodoxy.
I need there to be lines drawn and conclusions reached and The Faith handed down.
I need the Didache, the Creeds, the Confessions of Faith, the completed Canon.
But I’m nervous of a box with the lid fully closed. (In fact the only box I know of where the lid is fully closed is a coffin!)
I’m wary of theology that has systematized God into concluded theories.
I’m skeptical of faith built upon conclusions.
Does faith not require lines to sometimes bend or be dotted?
Does God not stand bigger than even the biggest box we can find?
I need perhaps not vagueness – what if we call it largeness.
I need space for more – more redefined, or more to be defined.
I need the poet.
“And to that,
that impulse,
craving,
yearning,
longing,
desire – God says yes.
Yes, there is water for that thirst,
food for that hunger,
light for that darkness.
If we want hell,
if we want heaven,
they are ours.
That’s how love works.
It can’t be forced,
manipulated,
or coerced.
It always leaves room for the other to decide.
God says yes,
we can have what we want,
because love wins.”
Poetry.
“Is the cross about the end of the sacrificial system
or a broken relationship that’s been reconciled
or a guilty defendant who’s been set free
or a battle that’s been won
or the redeeming of something that was lost?
Which perspective is the right one?
Which metaphor is correct?
Which explanation is true?
The answer, of course, is yes.”
To some it’s misleading, indecisive, confusing, heresy.
To me its poetic thought invites thinking, engagement, discussion.
For some, including a good friend of mine, the debate is irrelevant – God’s sovereignty answers it all.
For some, Rob Bell has struck his final nail in his own coffin.
But for others, myself included, Rob Bell has enabled us to keep largeness a big part of God; a largeness that allows us down here to discuss and disagree, but do so respecting our brothers and sisters rather than displaying both the arrogance of claiming to be right and the arrogance of stating the other is wrong.
It allows largeness in thought and worship that quickness my heartbeat, thrilled by the vastness of God and The Faith I’m a part of.
The poet never sets out to complete the box; the poet sets out to express their emotion and in that expression wonder if they’ve latched on to something divine.
If they have – the poem will deliver, it’s an outward journey.
If they haven’t - the poem is but an inward restlessness revealed.
For the poet while the former is best, the latter still holds meaning.
For the reader if they seek to critique it they will deduce one of either of the endings.
Or, if they can, they become the poet and the circle continues.
And continues.
And continues.
And continues.
Freaks some people out!
Helps some of us to breath.
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Crikey, I Didn't Choose the Fish Tacos!
Something strange happened to me tonight.
You may not think it very striking or of any importance.
Here it is - I didn't choose fish tacos!!
Pow! Bam! Wham! Yikes!
Everyone knows that I always, always, always choose Daniel's fish tacos. Always.
Comment away, but I do.
Tonight I didn't.
I made another choice.
Listen to this line from a stretching book I am working through:
"The burden of choice is a peculiarly modern phenomenon."
You could argue that the freedom to choose is one of the great signs of progress in modern life.
Those who live in abject poverty worry very little about which kind of food to eat precisely because there are no choices before them.
They would not see choice as a burden, but as a blessing.
My argument is, it is never a blessing, it is always a burden.
Its is our contemporary nihilism (as Hubert Dreyfus and Sean Dorrance Kelly term it in All Things Shining: Reading the Western Classics to Find Meaning in a Secular Age.)
Choice, even in the most basic case, amounts to profound questions, questions that revolve around how possible it is to live a meaningful life.
To live a meaningful life always returns to the ultimate question - 'on what basis do I make a choice ....even the most basic of choices, even choosing Hearty Omelette over my regular, loved, favorite Fish Tacos?'
For Ancients and Middle Agers life was already defined. Circumstances defined it. Things were unchangeable. Additionally, there was a belief system that whether or not you believed in God or gods, there was one framework, one system, one defining reality.
For the modern world ........ nothing is defined.
Everything then is a choice.
Every choice therefore defines.
Every definition makes up the fullness of who we are.
That makes choice a burden.
Even the choice of food.
Sitting tomorrow at Daniel's restaurant choosing from the menu is an existential life defining moment.
Every choice counts.
Every choice has a basis.
Remember Hamlet's famous soliloquy "To be or not to be, that is the question."
This is your choice.
You may not think it very striking or of any importance.
Here it is - I didn't choose fish tacos!!
Pow! Bam! Wham! Yikes!
Everyone knows that I always, always, always choose Daniel's fish tacos. Always.
Comment away, but I do.
Tonight I didn't.
I made another choice.
Listen to this line from a stretching book I am working through:
"The burden of choice is a peculiarly modern phenomenon."
You could argue that the freedom to choose is one of the great signs of progress in modern life.
Those who live in abject poverty worry very little about which kind of food to eat precisely because there are no choices before them.
They would not see choice as a burden, but as a blessing.
My argument is, it is never a blessing, it is always a burden.
Its is our contemporary nihilism (as Hubert Dreyfus and Sean Dorrance Kelly term it in All Things Shining: Reading the Western Classics to Find Meaning in a Secular Age.)
Choice, even in the most basic case, amounts to profound questions, questions that revolve around how possible it is to live a meaningful life.
To live a meaningful life always returns to the ultimate question - 'on what basis do I make a choice ....even the most basic of choices, even choosing Hearty Omelette over my regular, loved, favorite Fish Tacos?'
For Ancients and Middle Agers life was already defined. Circumstances defined it. Things were unchangeable. Additionally, there was a belief system that whether or not you believed in God or gods, there was one framework, one system, one defining reality.
For the modern world ........ nothing is defined.
Everything then is a choice.
Every choice therefore defines.
Every definition makes up the fullness of who we are.
That makes choice a burden.
Even the choice of food.
Sitting tomorrow at Daniel's restaurant choosing from the menu is an existential life defining moment.
Every choice counts.
Every choice has a basis.
Remember Hamlet's famous soliloquy "To be or not to be, that is the question."
This is your choice.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Week 8 - A Saturday dialogue.
Week 8 brings me to start by quoting a passage some of the guys in our church dialogued about on Saturday morning:
Christian faith is about Christ, not about experiencing Christ. There's a difference and it matters. We put our faith in a person, not an experience........
We do experience Christ in our faith and that's a very good thing, but it's not the really important thing in Christian faith or even in Christian experience. The person in whom we have faith is the really important thing in Christian experience.
Its a great quote. Its a thinking quote.
I grew up in a tradition that seemed to worship doctrine over Jesus.
You could be a hard, difficult, angry man .... but if you were solid in your doctrine everything was good! I came across many men like that. Full of truth, but no grace.
Doctrine was everything.
For years I've been puzzled by this reality.
It's like churches called "Bible Church" or "Baptist Church"!!
Why are they not called "Jesus Church"?
Do we worship the Bible, or worship a sacrament? No. We worship Jesus Christ.
But recently I've been rethinking my attitude towards the elevation of doctrine.
Listen again to our Saturday book:
More than any other religion Christianity makes a big deal of doctrine.
Most religions are fundamentally a way of life, but Christianity is fundamentally a faith, because it's centered not on how we live but on what we believe about how Christ lives (and died, and rose again).
So today at church a girl walks up to me and thanks me for the past 2 years. She has been a part of our church while attending a nearby two year YWAM mission project. Specifically she wanted to thank me for every week teaching from the Scriptures and not trying to just be topical or relevant.
Interesting that it came a day after discussing this topic.
Interesting that most of our critics see us as anything but doctrinal!
Here's the kind of church we have worked hard at being for the past 7 years - a church that elevates orthodox doctrine heard in fresh and creative ways, leading people to Christ, and from that knowledge of Christ come to a vibrant, life changing experience with Christ .... from the outside in.
Maybe our presentation of doctrine has not been wrapped in the same wineskins as a previous generation or other churches, but we are a solid doctrine teaching church.
Final quote from our book [Good News For Anxious Christians @ Phillip Cary]:
The work of the church is accomplished by the power of the Holy Spirit, which forms hearts by the word of God, so that Christ may dwell there and make a lasting change in people's lives. This has been the work of the church from the beginning, since our Lord poured out his Spirit upon his Body at Pentecost. We need not worry that the Holy Spirit will cease to accomplish the work for which he has been sent, no matter how many falsehoods and failures we see in the life of the church.
Christian faith is about Christ, not about experiencing Christ. There's a difference and it matters. We put our faith in a person, not an experience........
We do experience Christ in our faith and that's a very good thing, but it's not the really important thing in Christian faith or even in Christian experience. The person in whom we have faith is the really important thing in Christian experience.
Its a great quote. Its a thinking quote.
I grew up in a tradition that seemed to worship doctrine over Jesus.
You could be a hard, difficult, angry man .... but if you were solid in your doctrine everything was good! I came across many men like that. Full of truth, but no grace.
Doctrine was everything.
For years I've been puzzled by this reality.
It's like churches called "Bible Church" or "Baptist Church"!!
Why are they not called "Jesus Church"?
Do we worship the Bible, or worship a sacrament? No. We worship Jesus Christ.
But recently I've been rethinking my attitude towards the elevation of doctrine.
Listen again to our Saturday book:
More than any other religion Christianity makes a big deal of doctrine.
Most religions are fundamentally a way of life, but Christianity is fundamentally a faith, because it's centered not on how we live but on what we believe about how Christ lives (and died, and rose again).
So today at church a girl walks up to me and thanks me for the past 2 years. She has been a part of our church while attending a nearby two year YWAM mission project. Specifically she wanted to thank me for every week teaching from the Scriptures and not trying to just be topical or relevant.
Interesting that it came a day after discussing this topic.
Interesting that most of our critics see us as anything but doctrinal!
Here's the kind of church we have worked hard at being for the past 7 years - a church that elevates orthodox doctrine heard in fresh and creative ways, leading people to Christ, and from that knowledge of Christ come to a vibrant, life changing experience with Christ .... from the outside in.
Maybe our presentation of doctrine has not been wrapped in the same wineskins as a previous generation or other churches, but we are a solid doctrine teaching church.
Final quote from our book [Good News For Anxious Christians @ Phillip Cary]:
The work of the church is accomplished by the power of the Holy Spirit, which forms hearts by the word of God, so that Christ may dwell there and make a lasting change in people's lives. This has been the work of the church from the beginning, since our Lord poured out his Spirit upon his Body at Pentecost. We need not worry that the Holy Spirit will cease to accomplish the work for which he has been sent, no matter how many falsehoods and failures we see in the life of the church.
Monday, February 7, 2011
I got robbed in Nairobi!
Week 6 and I've just returned from a quick trip to Nairobi, Kenya.
Again I return because too easily I forget how the majority of our world brothers and sisters live.
Seems rather ironic that we have to spend nearly $2K on trip costs to remember that over 70% of the world live on less than $2 a day.
Ask the four young guys who lead the Furaha Community Foundation that we partner with in the Huruma slum or any of their 23 employees and they will tell you that for "mzungus" (white people) to care enough about them to visit them ...... is better than sending more money to them. In a culture where relationships are more precious than money somethings truly are priceless.
As I return from another trip it is too easy for me to ignore how far away we were.
Eerily we flew over Cairo, Egypt as the country below us was sitting on the edge of a revolution. Just hours earlier we had flown at 36,000ft over Darfur seeing its sprawling sand hills - unable to see the pain on a people who had and are experiencing modern day genocide ..... sadly the world flies over it too with politicians ignoring the reality. We watched as Vienna lit up in the early evening and its huge cartwheel shaped road pattern distinguished it from the other European cities we passed. With nightfall on us we landed in the cosmopolitan capital of the world - London with its 9 million people representing over 270 nationalities.
The sad thing is I'd seen it all before and the awe of how far we were from home and what we were seeing no longer gave me chills.
Some say familiarity breeds contempt. For me, it just breeds ordinariness.
Maybe that's sadder.
When the sense of wonder, awe and excitement get diluted, life shrinks down to your size.
When life becomes your size - ordinary is too grand a word to describe the pettiness of your existence.
Of course, where ordinariness is the norm, faith is extinct.
Faith only exists in the world of extraordinary. Ordinary has no need of faith - it is content to remain where it is.
That is always the challenge of Kenya.
How do you prevent the regularity of visiting robbing you of the faith needed to visit?
Same is true in your life, in your context.
The challenge is to prevent the theft.
The need is to be wise to the thief.
The technique is to protect your soul.
Again I return because too easily I forget how the majority of our world brothers and sisters live.
Seems rather ironic that we have to spend nearly $2K on trip costs to remember that over 70% of the world live on less than $2 a day.
Ask the four young guys who lead the Furaha Community Foundation that we partner with in the Huruma slum or any of their 23 employees and they will tell you that for "mzungus" (white people) to care enough about them to visit them ...... is better than sending more money to them. In a culture where relationships are more precious than money somethings truly are priceless.
As I return from another trip it is too easy for me to ignore how far away we were.
Eerily we flew over Cairo, Egypt as the country below us was sitting on the edge of a revolution. Just hours earlier we had flown at 36,000ft over Darfur seeing its sprawling sand hills - unable to see the pain on a people who had and are experiencing modern day genocide ..... sadly the world flies over it too with politicians ignoring the reality. We watched as Vienna lit up in the early evening and its huge cartwheel shaped road pattern distinguished it from the other European cities we passed. With nightfall on us we landed in the cosmopolitan capital of the world - London with its 9 million people representing over 270 nationalities.
The sad thing is I'd seen it all before and the awe of how far we were from home and what we were seeing no longer gave me chills.
Some say familiarity breeds contempt. For me, it just breeds ordinariness.
Maybe that's sadder.
When the sense of wonder, awe and excitement get diluted, life shrinks down to your size.
When life becomes your size - ordinary is too grand a word to describe the pettiness of your existence.
Of course, where ordinariness is the norm, faith is extinct.
Faith only exists in the world of extraordinary. Ordinary has no need of faith - it is content to remain where it is.
That is always the challenge of Kenya.
How do you prevent the regularity of visiting robbing you of the faith needed to visit?
Same is true in your life, in your context.
The challenge is to prevent the theft.
The need is to be wise to the thief.
The technique is to protect your soul.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Where the Gospel is lived.
Week 4 brings new perspective.
Sunday's preach was on the topic of immigration. Speaking into a very real issue, at a very real time for a very real reason - the Gospel.
The Gospel is about real life, not really about heaven in the future.
The Gospel is about transformation and God's rule and reign now.
His rule and reign in a world that rejects it.
The Gospel is all about real issues in real time.
So, the Scripture's teach that Christ followers are "strangers in a strange land" (1 Peter 1 & 2).
To understand this brings new perspective on how Christians engage with the issue of immigration - both documented and undocumented.
Scripture is teaching that because of the distinct and different lifestyles of Christ followers, a lifestyle that is different that the majority of people - the society in which they live will view them as strangers.
Now here's the twist. In our country, if Christians lived as Christ expects us to we would be living at the margins of our society .......and who would we meet there - the immigrant!!
This is the charge, or should I say the opportunity.
If Christians lived as Christ expects us to live, a mass of people who politicians have turned to to help win the past three elections and bring them to the White House, would have to engage justly and fairly with the immigration issue.
As long as Christians - who should be the loudest voice standing with the migrant - stay silent; politicians can ignore it.
Ours is the Christian generation that can accomplish historic things.
This is the generation that could abolish world famine; this is the generation that could eradicate malaria as a killing disease; and ours is the generation that could create an equitable and fair immigration policy for the US.
What an opportunity!
It comes with the challenge for Christians to live on the margins as Christ expects us to.
To live the Gospel!
Sunday's preach was on the topic of immigration. Speaking into a very real issue, at a very real time for a very real reason - the Gospel.
The Gospel is about real life, not really about heaven in the future.
The Gospel is about transformation and God's rule and reign now.
His rule and reign in a world that rejects it.
The Gospel is all about real issues in real time.
So, the Scripture's teach that Christ followers are "strangers in a strange land" (1 Peter 1 & 2).
To understand this brings new perspective on how Christians engage with the issue of immigration - both documented and undocumented.
Scripture is teaching that because of the distinct and different lifestyles of Christ followers, a lifestyle that is different that the majority of people - the society in which they live will view them as strangers.
Now here's the twist. In our country, if Christians lived as Christ expects us to we would be living at the margins of our society .......and who would we meet there - the immigrant!!
This is the charge, or should I say the opportunity.
If Christians lived as Christ expects us to live, a mass of people who politicians have turned to to help win the past three elections and bring them to the White House, would have to engage justly and fairly with the immigration issue.
As long as Christians - who should be the loudest voice standing with the migrant - stay silent; politicians can ignore it.
Ours is the Christian generation that can accomplish historic things.
This is the generation that could abolish world famine; this is the generation that could eradicate malaria as a killing disease; and ours is the generation that could create an equitable and fair immigration policy for the US.
What an opportunity!
It comes with the challenge for Christians to live on the margins as Christ expects us to.
To live the Gospel!
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Week 2 or 3 ...spirituality is living more than lessons.
Week 2 or is it week 3?
Begun running some bigger distances than I have for a couple of years. Wondering/testing if this is the year I try for another marathon.
So I pulled out a new type of marathon training plan - the Hansen plan.
In my 14 weeks training plan I will cover a total distance of 622 miles.
The last time I did a marathon I ran 3 days a week and covered a total of 380 miles.
The short of the Hansen - kill you before the race date so you'll never actually run a marathon!
Or .....run 622 miles so that when you run a 26.2 mile marathon it will feel a mere walk in the park.
So I've begun.
I'll give it a few weeks trial and see how my body holds out. Then decide.
But interesting methodology.
Run double what I've run in training before - and yet - while my other training plans had four runs that were either 18 miles or 20 miles in total the Hansen plan only sees me reach 16 miles (still 10.2 short of marathon distance)!
The philosophy includes you may not do a big 20 miler, but when you do your 16 miler, the runs you've put in the days before and the days after will make the 16 miler feel like a 26 miler without the actual pounding of the concrete and the wear and tear on your body.
So now, as a church pastor, I have to now try and link this methodology and my attempt to train with it, to something to do with Jesus!!!
Here's the best I can come up with:
......nope, got nothing.
But then maybe that's a good thing.
Maybe this constant need to try to spiritualize everything, misses it.
Maybe its the doing itself that is spiritual not a lesson you can learn from it.
Maybe its not about finding a spiritual parallel but living spiritual in whatever parallel you are in.
Maybe my marathon training can be spiritual.
What I won't now do is list a whole number of ways it can be. That misses it as well.
What I will do is take on the challenge of this training wanting to know God in the midst of it.
Spirituality is living more than lessons.
Begun running some bigger distances than I have for a couple of years. Wondering/testing if this is the year I try for another marathon.
So I pulled out a new type of marathon training plan - the Hansen plan.
In my 14 weeks training plan I will cover a total distance of 622 miles.
The last time I did a marathon I ran 3 days a week and covered a total of 380 miles.
The short of the Hansen - kill you before the race date so you'll never actually run a marathon!
Or .....run 622 miles so that when you run a 26.2 mile marathon it will feel a mere walk in the park.
So I've begun.
I'll give it a few weeks trial and see how my body holds out. Then decide.
But interesting methodology.
Run double what I've run in training before - and yet - while my other training plans had four runs that were either 18 miles or 20 miles in total the Hansen plan only sees me reach 16 miles (still 10.2 short of marathon distance)!
The philosophy includes you may not do a big 20 miler, but when you do your 16 miler, the runs you've put in the days before and the days after will make the 16 miler feel like a 26 miler without the actual pounding of the concrete and the wear and tear on your body.
So now, as a church pastor, I have to now try and link this methodology and my attempt to train with it, to something to do with Jesus!!!
Here's the best I can come up with:
......nope, got nothing.
But then maybe that's a good thing.
Maybe this constant need to try to spiritualize everything, misses it.
Maybe its the doing itself that is spiritual not a lesson you can learn from it.
Maybe its not about finding a spiritual parallel but living spiritual in whatever parallel you are in.
Maybe my marathon training can be spiritual.
What I won't now do is list a whole number of ways it can be. That misses it as well.
What I will do is take on the challenge of this training wanting to know God in the midst of it.
Spirituality is living more than lessons.
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Week 1 Non Violence: A Dangerous Idea!
I know its only the first week of 2011, but here's my best book so far in the new year:
Non-Violence:The History of a Dangerous Idea @ Mark Kurlansky.
Maybe as we start a new year we need to revisit how we live in a world that annually is growing more violent than the years/centuries before.
Kurlansky is not writing from a Christian perspective but he does quote a powerful divine decree "those who take the sword shall perish with the sword."
Does it not seem ironic that a nation that purports to hold to Christian heritage holds the most powerful military force in the history of humankind!
The classic pamphlet on this subject was written in 1815 by David Low Dodge, the man who is considered the first American peace activist. A devout Christian, who at the end of the 1812 war formed the New York Peace Society. Risking the accusation of being disloyal and unpatriotic (how things never seem to change) he postponed his publication until the war was over. It's title was "War Inconsistent With The Religion of Jesus Christ."
Here's a most thought provoking quote from his writing:
Perhaps the most fascinating and disturbing insight that Kurlansky reveals is that throughout history though most religions shun warfare and hold nonviolence as the only moral route toward political change - governing people have always shunned nonviolence and co-opted religion and its language into their violent campaigns.
"If someone were to come along who would not compromise, a rebel who insisted on taking the only moral path, rejecting violence in all its forms, such a person would seem so menacing that he would be killed, and after his death he would be canonized or deified, because a saint is less dangerous than a rebel. The first and most prominent example was a Jew named Jesus!"
Ouch!!!
Gets you thinking about what it means to be a follower of the rebel Jesus.
Non-Violence:The History of a Dangerous Idea @ Mark Kurlansky.
Maybe as we start a new year we need to revisit how we live in a world that annually is growing more violent than the years/centuries before.
Kurlansky is not writing from a Christian perspective but he does quote a powerful divine decree "those who take the sword shall perish with the sword."
Does it not seem ironic that a nation that purports to hold to Christian heritage holds the most powerful military force in the history of humankind!
The classic pamphlet on this subject was written in 1815 by David Low Dodge, the man who is considered the first American peace activist. A devout Christian, who at the end of the 1812 war formed the New York Peace Society. Risking the accusation of being disloyal and unpatriotic (how things never seem to change) he postponed his publication until the war was over. It's title was "War Inconsistent With The Religion of Jesus Christ."
Here's a most thought provoking quote from his writing:
"The professed object of war generally is to preserve liberty and produce a lasting peace; but war never did and never will preserve liberty and produce a lasting peace, for it is a divine decree that all nations who take the sword shall perish with the sword. War is no more adapted to preserve liberty and produce a lasting peace than midnight darkness is to produce noonday light."
Perhaps the most fascinating and disturbing insight that Kurlansky reveals is that throughout history though most religions shun warfare and hold nonviolence as the only moral route toward political change - governing people have always shunned nonviolence and co-opted religion and its language into their violent campaigns.
"If someone were to come along who would not compromise, a rebel who insisted on taking the only moral path, rejecting violence in all its forms, such a person would seem so menacing that he would be killed, and after his death he would be canonized or deified, because a saint is less dangerous than a rebel. The first and most prominent example was a Jew named Jesus!"
Ouch!!!
Gets you thinking about what it means to be a follower of the rebel Jesus.
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