Saturday, February 28, 2004
Moving On
This short story is taking up all my creative energies right now, so I'll just throw out a few more examples of convergence:
1. I am officially am employee of the Emerging Church Network. How's Tactical Culturalist sound for a job title? Don't be fooled - there's not much money in it. But the opportunity to work with a group that is raising the bar on resourcing organic faith communities is a tremendous honor. Plus, these guys are really cool.
2. Connor was accepted into the daycare at a nearby Presbyterian church, beginning in September. They have a top-notch program and the waiting list is long. Jolie was the third person called (out of about 80) in the raffle for the few open spots. Connor was the only kid accepted in the time slot we wanted.
3. We had our first offer on the house in SC this morning!
1. I am officially am employee of the Emerging Church Network. How's Tactical Culturalist sound for a job title? Don't be fooled - there's not much money in it. But the opportunity to work with a group that is raising the bar on resourcing organic faith communities is a tremendous honor. Plus, these guys are really cool.
2. Connor was accepted into the daycare at a nearby Presbyterian church, beginning in September. They have a top-notch program and the waiting list is long. Jolie was the third person called (out of about 80) in the raffle for the few open spots. Connor was the only kid accepted in the time slot we wanted.
3. We had our first offer on the house in SC this morning!
Thursday, February 26, 2004
Indulged Closure
While I'm working on a short story to describe my first visit back to SC (which I may or may not post), I also feel that I'd better put some closure on this Passion movie thing. So I'll make this as short as possible and try to post something else really soon (plenty to spew out, as usual).
On the airplane traveling from Chicago to Austin I overheard two men in their 40s in front of me:
Man 1: "So are you gonna go see that Mel Gibson Jesus movie?"
Man 2: "I don't know. The churches have bought up all the tickets for the first couple of weeks. After that, I'll probably have lost interest."
Jolie and I did have a really meaningful experience last night. Before going to the movie we ate at a fantastic Middle Eastern restaurant to enhance our "anticipation." Then we went to a unique cinema which serves restaurant-quality food and drink while the movie is showing. Instead of seeing the Passion with my fellow church members, this crowd was rowdy and highly motivated to consume liquor (no one under 18 allowed). The sold out audience had a lot of fun with the interactive movie trivia games. Then, after the real previews, they showed old previews of a Jesus movie from the 70s, Road Warrior, and The Life of Brian. Pretty clever, but not exactly reverent. Well, it didn't take more than 20 seconds for silence to prevail for the next two hours. Jolie and I had our own private Communion, eating and drinking the "elements" while watching the film "in remembrance of Him." Very difficult to bring the fruit of the vine to my lips while watching this blood bath. Very painful to swallow foccacia bread while listening to the Human body bear such thunderous blows. I suspect it was thus for John, Mary and Mary even after His resurrection appearances.
To conclude, I'll quote from Godric (a beautiful book I read last week which moved and shocked me more than this film)):
Ah, Godric, the sights a man has seen he cannot give away like coins, and in the wallet of my heart I finger this one still.
On the airplane traveling from Chicago to Austin I overheard two men in their 40s in front of me:
Man 1: "So are you gonna go see that Mel Gibson Jesus movie?"
Man 2: "I don't know. The churches have bought up all the tickets for the first couple of weeks. After that, I'll probably have lost interest."
Jolie and I did have a really meaningful experience last night. Before going to the movie we ate at a fantastic Middle Eastern restaurant to enhance our "anticipation." Then we went to a unique cinema which serves restaurant-quality food and drink while the movie is showing. Instead of seeing the Passion with my fellow church members, this crowd was rowdy and highly motivated to consume liquor (no one under 18 allowed). The sold out audience had a lot of fun with the interactive movie trivia games. Then, after the real previews, they showed old previews of a Jesus movie from the 70s, Road Warrior, and The Life of Brian. Pretty clever, but not exactly reverent. Well, it didn't take more than 20 seconds for silence to prevail for the next two hours. Jolie and I had our own private Communion, eating and drinking the "elements" while watching the film "in remembrance of Him." Very difficult to bring the fruit of the vine to my lips while watching this blood bath. Very painful to swallow foccacia bread while listening to the Human body bear such thunderous blows. I suspect it was thus for John, Mary and Mary even after His resurrection appearances.
To conclude, I'll quote from Godric (a beautiful book I read last week which moved and shocked me more than this film)):
Ah, Godric, the sights a man has seen he cannot give away like coins, and in the wallet of my heart I finger this one still.
Thursday, February 19, 2004
How do you know when God is speaking to you? Convergence.
In Lullaby by Chuck Palahniuk, there is a moment when the main character ponders all of the "noise" in society and the lack of ability to hear anything divine. In contrast, he tells of the ancient Greeks, who attributed all of their thoughts to the gods. They just assumed it was Apollo telling them to buy bread. It was Aphrodite encouraging them to notice an attractive person. Nowadays, we assume all our thoughts are our own, and we can't fathom the idea that divinity could sneak into our inner dialogue. So God seems silent and remote...
The first voice was from Tuesday's reading in Celtic Daily Prayer. It was actually the description of a celebrated saint, John Hyde, missionary to India:
His main work was not as a teacher or an evangelist, but as an intercessor on location.
One woman said of him, 'I do not remember that he ever talked about prayer: he prayed. Speaking four or five times a day, he would then spend half the night in prayer.' A missioner in England prayed once with him. Hyde fell to his knees, was five minutes in silence, then both men looked up with faces streaming with tears. Hyde said, 'Oh, God!' and then was still again for five minutes. 'Then came up from the depths of his heart such petitions for men as I have never heard before, and I rose from my knees to know what real prayer was.'
Later that day, I had the honor of hearing a Rumanian pastor report on the events that led to the end of his country's brutal reign of totalitarian terror and the spiritual tidal wave that corresponded. He spoke of mobilized prayer efforts beginning in 1973 for specifics that didn't happen until 17 years later. His story paralleled great national acts of God on behalf of Israel in the Old Testament, where simply insisting that the Lord was Supreme in the face of great darkness resulted in salvation from exile.
Jolie and I have been reading a brochure about church planting movements in southern regions of the globe. The number one "universal element" to these historic movements? prayer.
Then, I received this comment from an unexpected blogger.
Hmmm. I wonder if God is trying to say something to me...
The first voice was from Tuesday's reading in Celtic Daily Prayer. It was actually the description of a celebrated saint, John Hyde, missionary to India:
His main work was not as a teacher or an evangelist, but as an intercessor on location.
One woman said of him, 'I do not remember that he ever talked about prayer: he prayed. Speaking four or five times a day, he would then spend half the night in prayer.' A missioner in England prayed once with him. Hyde fell to his knees, was five minutes in silence, then both men looked up with faces streaming with tears. Hyde said, 'Oh, God!' and then was still again for five minutes. 'Then came up from the depths of his heart such petitions for men as I have never heard before, and I rose from my knees to know what real prayer was.'
Later that day, I had the honor of hearing a Rumanian pastor report on the events that led to the end of his country's brutal reign of totalitarian terror and the spiritual tidal wave that corresponded. He spoke of mobilized prayer efforts beginning in 1973 for specifics that didn't happen until 17 years later. His story paralleled great national acts of God on behalf of Israel in the Old Testament, where simply insisting that the Lord was Supreme in the face of great darkness resulted in salvation from exile.
Jolie and I have been reading a brochure about church planting movements in southern regions of the globe. The number one "universal element" to these historic movements? prayer.
Then, I received this comment from an unexpected blogger.
Hmmm. I wonder if God is trying to say something to me...
Tuesday, February 17, 2004
VolleyBlog
OK, I promised one of my best friends that I would respond to his comment, so here goes:
To continue the family systems analogy, the courageously rebellious teenager stops acting out when the entire family acknowledges that there is unhealthy dysfunction and some signs of hope return. I can promise you that if more established institutional leaders would humble themselves just a little bit and acknowledge that the Kingdom of God is more vast than one particular flavor of marketing-driven gospel sale's techniques (one specific example cited from the context of our discussion), there would be FAR less angst amongst us Christian Xers and emergers in general. Humility has a way of removing the adversary.
But that's a conditional answer, and your question doesn't allow for conditions. Neither do truly Christian ethics. So lets take this a bit deeper. In citing Paul's response, you have given me pause to consider whether trying to find constructive ways to voice my disappointment is selfish and hurtful to Christ's cause. I readily admit to a mix of motives, some of which are shameful to be sure. And there is great potential for my challenges to the way this particular event is being handled to have a "killjoy" effect for people that are simply excited about the movie and using it to trigger significant conversations with their friends. Would the proper response, then, simply be "live and let live?" Is this what Paul meant?
I'm afraid it's even more complicated. By whose standard is "Christ being preached" by turning one man's interpretation of Jesus' Passion into a two-hour gospel tract? There are certainly many people dearly loved by God that will not see it this way. They will see a high-pressure marketing campaign being preached, and it may cause gospel hearing loss. While thousands of families will return to church for a season (and many for a lifetime) through these soul-winning efforts, people like myself will have even more baggage to deal with when trying to embody the good news of Jesus among the already disenfranchised. And that is actually all I'm trying to say. We live in at least two distinguishable cultures simultaneously. We need to recognize and take responsibility for the collateral damage being done by good but ignorant intentions.
Does it always have to be adversarial when family members fight? I was taught in psychology that ignoring someone is emotional abuse, the ultimate "I don't care if you exist!" statement. For me to sit still and not even try to challenge the small portion of humanity that I have some influence with would be less caring for the overall American Church. I AM an evangelical, and these are my closest siblings in the holy and catholic Church.
That said, I don't really know the answer to your question, friend. But it was worth it to try.
If you aren't burned out on this subject, feast your eyes on this and this.
To continue the family systems analogy, the courageously rebellious teenager stops acting out when the entire family acknowledges that there is unhealthy dysfunction and some signs of hope return. I can promise you that if more established institutional leaders would humble themselves just a little bit and acknowledge that the Kingdom of God is more vast than one particular flavor of marketing-driven gospel sale's techniques (one specific example cited from the context of our discussion), there would be FAR less angst amongst us Christian Xers and emergers in general. Humility has a way of removing the adversary.
But that's a conditional answer, and your question doesn't allow for conditions. Neither do truly Christian ethics. So lets take this a bit deeper. In citing Paul's response, you have given me pause to consider whether trying to find constructive ways to voice my disappointment is selfish and hurtful to Christ's cause. I readily admit to a mix of motives, some of which are shameful to be sure. And there is great potential for my challenges to the way this particular event is being handled to have a "killjoy" effect for people that are simply excited about the movie and using it to trigger significant conversations with their friends. Would the proper response, then, simply be "live and let live?" Is this what Paul meant?
I'm afraid it's even more complicated. By whose standard is "Christ being preached" by turning one man's interpretation of Jesus' Passion into a two-hour gospel tract? There are certainly many people dearly loved by God that will not see it this way. They will see a high-pressure marketing campaign being preached, and it may cause gospel hearing loss. While thousands of families will return to church for a season (and many for a lifetime) through these soul-winning efforts, people like myself will have even more baggage to deal with when trying to embody the good news of Jesus among the already disenfranchised. And that is actually all I'm trying to say. We live in at least two distinguishable cultures simultaneously. We need to recognize and take responsibility for the collateral damage being done by good but ignorant intentions.
Does it always have to be adversarial when family members fight? I was taught in psychology that ignoring someone is emotional abuse, the ultimate "I don't care if you exist!" statement. For me to sit still and not even try to challenge the small portion of humanity that I have some influence with would be less caring for the overall American Church. I AM an evangelical, and these are my closest siblings in the holy and catholic Church.
That said, I don't really know the answer to your question, friend. But it was worth it to try.
If you aren't burned out on this subject, feast your eyes on this and this.
Monday, February 16, 2004
I Liked Van Halen More Before "Jump."
I liked Dave Matthews more before "Crash."
I liked Lenny Kravitz more before "American Woman."
I liked Owen Wilson more before "Shangai Knights."
I liked the superbowl more before half-time hype.
I still like King's X (if you said "who?" you've proved my point).
And I liked "The Passion of the Christ" more before evangelical leaders put their spin on it.
This is a Gen X thing all the way. I know. As soon as our moms like something, it's just not cool anymore. It gets spoiled. No, we lose ownership of it. We lose the joy of discovering something that the mainstream hasn't noticed. As soon as the mainstream gets a hold on it, it becomes something different, something tarnished, something less raw and pure. Yes, we are hasty skeptics through and through. But it's like family systems therapy, where the rebellious teenager is depicted as the hero of the family because he or she has enough courage to act like something is wrong when it is. The problem needs attention because the parents are in denial. The problem with using the Passion film as propaganda (even if it's gospel propaganda) is that it spoils the purity of something that was already good. [I will say, however, that Mel Gibson struck me (in ABC's interview tonight) as a person with enough charisma and wherewithal to actually be liked by the emergent generation's parents and still be considered cool.]
I am reminded of my first month as student minister at Gateway in SC exactly 6 years ago. My first sermon series used clips from Brave Heart to illustrate the character of Christ. A few people were FURIOUS that I would use an "R" rated movie with so much violence in church! I have no doubt that these same people have already reserved their tickets for an opening day viewing of "The Passion." I wonder if they will realize the same Mel Gibson purposefully depicted William Wallace as a Christ figure years before. In fact, I wonder if Jim Caviziel's portrayal of Jesus will elicit as much of the Spirit of Jesus as Mel Gibson already did as Wallace. I wonder what such a vivid and graphic rendering of Jesus will do to our imaginations. Will we still embrace the hints of Christ we find in less overt characters in film and literature? In the hope that we will, here's a quick tribute to some of my favorites:
Ten Portrayals of Christ in Film:
1. Jeremy Irons as Father Gabriel in The Mission
2. Mel Gibson as William Wallace in Brave Heart
3. Tom Hanks as Capt. John Miller in Saving Private Ryan
4. Liam Neeson as Oskar Schindler in Schindler's List
5. Sir Alec Guinness as Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars
6. Viggo Mortensen as Aragorn in The Return of the King
7. Haley Joel Osment as Trever McKinney in Pay It Forward
8. Russell Crowe as Maximus in Gladiator
9. Matthew Broderick as Simba in The Lion King
10. Micheal Clarke Duncan as John Coffey in The Green Mile
honorable mention: the frogs in Magnolia
sad realization: tried to think of some female characters, but couldn't (any suggestions?)
I liked Lenny Kravitz more before "American Woman."
I liked Owen Wilson more before "Shangai Knights."
I liked the superbowl more before half-time hype.
I still like King's X (if you said "who?" you've proved my point).
And I liked "The Passion of the Christ" more before evangelical leaders put their spin on it.
This is a Gen X thing all the way. I know. As soon as our moms like something, it's just not cool anymore. It gets spoiled. No, we lose ownership of it. We lose the joy of discovering something that the mainstream hasn't noticed. As soon as the mainstream gets a hold on it, it becomes something different, something tarnished, something less raw and pure. Yes, we are hasty skeptics through and through. But it's like family systems therapy, where the rebellious teenager is depicted as the hero of the family because he or she has enough courage to act like something is wrong when it is. The problem needs attention because the parents are in denial. The problem with using the Passion film as propaganda (even if it's gospel propaganda) is that it spoils the purity of something that was already good. [I will say, however, that Mel Gibson struck me (in ABC's interview tonight) as a person with enough charisma and wherewithal to actually be liked by the emergent generation's parents and still be considered cool.]
I am reminded of my first month as student minister at Gateway in SC exactly 6 years ago. My first sermon series used clips from Brave Heart to illustrate the character of Christ. A few people were FURIOUS that I would use an "R" rated movie with so much violence in church! I have no doubt that these same people have already reserved their tickets for an opening day viewing of "The Passion." I wonder if they will realize the same Mel Gibson purposefully depicted William Wallace as a Christ figure years before. In fact, I wonder if Jim Caviziel's portrayal of Jesus will elicit as much of the Spirit of Jesus as Mel Gibson already did as Wallace. I wonder what such a vivid and graphic rendering of Jesus will do to our imaginations. Will we still embrace the hints of Christ we find in less overt characters in film and literature? In the hope that we will, here's a quick tribute to some of my favorites:
Ten Portrayals of Christ in Film:
1. Jeremy Irons as Father Gabriel in The Mission
2. Mel Gibson as William Wallace in Brave Heart
3. Tom Hanks as Capt. John Miller in Saving Private Ryan
4. Liam Neeson as Oskar Schindler in Schindler's List
5. Sir Alec Guinness as Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars
6. Viggo Mortensen as Aragorn in The Return of the King
7. Haley Joel Osment as Trever McKinney in Pay It Forward
8. Russell Crowe as Maximus in Gladiator
9. Matthew Broderick as Simba in The Lion King
10. Micheal Clarke Duncan as John Coffey in The Green Mile
honorable mention: the frogs in Magnolia
sad realization: tried to think of some female characters, but couldn't (any suggestions?)
Friday, February 13, 2004
Update: Houston Exposition
Every time we think we have reached our highest possible "challenge capacity," God seems to raise the bet.
The night before our big assessment Connor got a 103 degree fever and didn't really sleep much. So I got about 3-4 hours of sleep and Jolie got 2-3. It was incredibly stressful and frustrating to listen to our boy crying for hours at a time. To be honest, I got downright mad at God. Amazingly, the moment I finally "let God have it" was the moment I went from believing in prayer to actually speaking to (with) my Father in the heavens. I could actually hear His spiritual Voice say "about time you admitted you've been angry with me. Now we're getting somewhere." Connor fell asleep immediately (for the first time all night), I felt renewed hope for all kinds of things, and Jolie entered a new level of desperation. So for all of you that prayed for Connor's health and for us to be rested, God respectfully answered "Naw, I've got something else in mind."
We limped to the assessment Thursday morning, barely able to keep our eyelids open. And I know we weren't as "sharp" as we usually are, but things went remarkably well anyhow. We received a "recommendation with conditions" from the assessors. The conditions had to do with continuing to learn more about church planting and the Austin culture, as well as some very wise family advice. We are not only excited about this important green light to work with the Emerging Church Network, but also very gratified with the encouragement and timely suggestions to help us move forward. God really did more than we could have asked or imagined here.
Oh, Connor went to the doctor and he got some medicine for his sinus and ear infections. Though groggy, he is feeling much better.
Thanks to everyone that made this a matter of prayer. You are our valentine's. Back in Austin tomorrow...
The night before our big assessment Connor got a 103 degree fever and didn't really sleep much. So I got about 3-4 hours of sleep and Jolie got 2-3. It was incredibly stressful and frustrating to listen to our boy crying for hours at a time. To be honest, I got downright mad at God. Amazingly, the moment I finally "let God have it" was the moment I went from believing in prayer to actually speaking to (with) my Father in the heavens. I could actually hear His spiritual Voice say "about time you admitted you've been angry with me. Now we're getting somewhere." Connor fell asleep immediately (for the first time all night), I felt renewed hope for all kinds of things, and Jolie entered a new level of desperation. So for all of you that prayed for Connor's health and for us to be rested, God respectfully answered "Naw, I've got something else in mind."
We limped to the assessment Thursday morning, barely able to keep our eyelids open. And I know we weren't as "sharp" as we usually are, but things went remarkably well anyhow. We received a "recommendation with conditions" from the assessors. The conditions had to do with continuing to learn more about church planting and the Austin culture, as well as some very wise family advice. We are not only excited about this important green light to work with the Emerging Church Network, but also very gratified with the encouragement and timely suggestions to help us move forward. God really did more than we could have asked or imagined here.
Oh, Connor went to the doctor and he got some medicine for his sinus and ear infections. Though groggy, he is feeling much better.
Thanks to everyone that made this a matter of prayer. You are our valentine's. Back in Austin tomorrow...
Wednesday, February 11, 2004
All Things Will Be Exposed
Jolie and I will be in Houston for a few days. We'll see some family and friends while we're there, but the main reason for the trip is to have a "behavioral assessment." It's Thursday, from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, including all sorts of psychological evaluations, exercises, marital consultation, etc. Basically we will be naked. Please pray that God will use this "tool" to further advance His Kingdom purposes in us (and the assessors, too, for that matter).
I'll let you know how it went after we've got our fig leaves back in place...
I'll let you know how it went after we've got our fig leaves back in place...
Monday, February 09, 2004
A Passionate Prayer for Conversion
The wave is nearly at it's crest now. Every name-brand evangelical spokesman has found a way to get in on Mel Gibson's Passion film. Texas Baptists spent $40,000 on an advertisement to be used on Feb 25 in several local theaters (it was rejected). Many churches are training their congregation on how to "use the Passion movie as a tool for evangelism." Quote after quote after insider's email (btw, am I the only person that actually wants to wait until the sacred day of Ash Wednesday to see it?) reveal that this movie will have a ripple-effect of mass conversions across the U.S. and the world. And I hope they are right.
I plead with the Almighty King that we, the comfortable "followers of Jesus" will experience a conversion. I pray that the American Church will gaze into Jim Caviziel's eyes as if he were a holy icon, giving us a palpable window into heaven. I pray that as we sit in our air-conditioned environment with the padded theatre seating and surround sound, watching the blood-bathed body of Messiah beaten and tormented and abandoned, our souls will never be comfortable again. I pray that we will weep not only for the horrible images we have to bear, but for the realization that we have had our entire lives to show the world Jesus and now we are desperately hoping that a 2-hour film will make up for our failures. Tears for spending an average of $300 a month (per family) on fast food and eating out and only $5 for the poor. Sobs for a divorce rate that is higher among evangelicals than not. Cries as we gaze on the Prince of Peace and yet yawn at bombing civilians for the sake of another "just" war. Aches as we behold the Body mutilated, yet obsess over our own body images. Cringes as we embrace the knowledge that we killed this Christ. We, like the mob, have distorted the teachings of His Sermon on the Mount into "inner spiritual truths." We have rejected His miracles with modern skepticism. We have ignored His prophetic Voice announcing the Age of Jubliee, the Dawn of a New Kingdom, known by a True Love of God and others, publicly caring for poor and lame. Like the mob, we Hail OUR version of Jesus with palm leaves and hosannas, our cuddly American Jesus who came (we think) to give us material extravagance and protection from terrorists and reserved seating in paradise. But the real, historic Jesus is as aloof as ever. That's why thousands of well-intentioned church-goers will invite a "non-believer" from their workplace to watch The Passion of Christ with them, and they will feel assured that they have "done their duty" to the Man upstairs for another year. Suffering Servant, pierce our collective side with the Truth, that we, Your Church, have crucified You again.
And let the conversion begin. As we are silenced by the experiential power of film-making, breath new life in us by the Hope of Your Resurrection.
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
I plead with the Almighty King that we, the comfortable "followers of Jesus" will experience a conversion. I pray that the American Church will gaze into Jim Caviziel's eyes as if he were a holy icon, giving us a palpable window into heaven. I pray that as we sit in our air-conditioned environment with the padded theatre seating and surround sound, watching the blood-bathed body of Messiah beaten and tormented and abandoned, our souls will never be comfortable again. I pray that we will weep not only for the horrible images we have to bear, but for the realization that we have had our entire lives to show the world Jesus and now we are desperately hoping that a 2-hour film will make up for our failures. Tears for spending an average of $300 a month (per family) on fast food and eating out and only $5 for the poor. Sobs for a divorce rate that is higher among evangelicals than not. Cries as we gaze on the Prince of Peace and yet yawn at bombing civilians for the sake of another "just" war. Aches as we behold the Body mutilated, yet obsess over our own body images. Cringes as we embrace the knowledge that we killed this Christ. We, like the mob, have distorted the teachings of His Sermon on the Mount into "inner spiritual truths." We have rejected His miracles with modern skepticism. We have ignored His prophetic Voice announcing the Age of Jubliee, the Dawn of a New Kingdom, known by a True Love of God and others, publicly caring for poor and lame. Like the mob, we Hail OUR version of Jesus with palm leaves and hosannas, our cuddly American Jesus who came (we think) to give us material extravagance and protection from terrorists and reserved seating in paradise. But the real, historic Jesus is as aloof as ever. That's why thousands of well-intentioned church-goers will invite a "non-believer" from their workplace to watch The Passion of Christ with them, and they will feel assured that they have "done their duty" to the Man upstairs for another year. Suffering Servant, pierce our collective side with the Truth, that we, Your Church, have crucified You again.
And let the conversion begin. As we are silenced by the experiential power of film-making, breath new life in us by the Hope of Your Resurrection.
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Friday, February 06, 2004
Based on a True Story
(the names have been changed to protect the innocent).
One day Red and Julie were planning to go see Tony Campini down at FBC Astin. Red was particularly excited, as Campini represented for him much of the kind of Christianity he was seeking to embody. For lunch that day, Red and Julie ate at Taco Kabana, a daringly low-budget "authentic" eatery. It was good, to their joy and relief. But just before preparing to leave for FBC, Julie got sick. So Red drove downtown by himself.
The first 15 minutes of Campini's message were outstanding. It was as if, Red thought, he knew what Red had been thinking and talking about with his cyber friends recently. He spoke of the Kingdom of God being a present reality, not just pie-in-the-sky-and-then-you-die. He spoke of hope, the kind he only hears much about in musicals - Annie, Les Miserables, the Man From La Mancha.
Suddenly, Red's mobile phone vibrated (he was in "manner mode"). It was Julie. She needed Red to come home right away and take her to the hospital. Red said "bye" to his friend Jonathan Green and sped off back to the suburbs. The doctors at the emergency clinic were very kind to Julie. They took some tests and concluded that Julie had a kidney infection! They gave her two shots, some prescriptions and a recommended diet for several days. Julie was in rough shape, but they eventually made it back home.
Later that night, Red was stricken with the same malady. How could this be a kidney infection, he thought, crotched over, volunteering bile into his grandmother's blue toilet? Kidney infections aren't contagious. It was a long night. The hero of this story is Red's Mother, Shayla. She rearranged her schedule to come take care of Red and Julie's only son, Connery, whilst Red and Julie ladled in bed like pretzels in a jello salad.
The next day, Red and Julie were feeling remarkable improvement. Unfortunately, grandmother Mima had contracted the same kidney virus (?) during the night. That made for a pretty long day. By and by, everybody got well and carried on nicely.
The moral of the story is I'd rather have mean doctors that know the difference between a virus and a kidney infection than nice doctors who don't.
One day Red and Julie were planning to go see Tony Campini down at FBC Astin. Red was particularly excited, as Campini represented for him much of the kind of Christianity he was seeking to embody. For lunch that day, Red and Julie ate at Taco Kabana, a daringly low-budget "authentic" eatery. It was good, to their joy and relief. But just before preparing to leave for FBC, Julie got sick. So Red drove downtown by himself.
The first 15 minutes of Campini's message were outstanding. It was as if, Red thought, he knew what Red had been thinking and talking about with his cyber friends recently. He spoke of the Kingdom of God being a present reality, not just pie-in-the-sky-and-then-you-die. He spoke of hope, the kind he only hears much about in musicals - Annie, Les Miserables, the Man From La Mancha.
Suddenly, Red's mobile phone vibrated (he was in "manner mode"). It was Julie. She needed Red to come home right away and take her to the hospital. Red said "bye" to his friend Jonathan Green and sped off back to the suburbs. The doctors at the emergency clinic were very kind to Julie. They took some tests and concluded that Julie had a kidney infection! They gave her two shots, some prescriptions and a recommended diet for several days. Julie was in rough shape, but they eventually made it back home.
Later that night, Red was stricken with the same malady. How could this be a kidney infection, he thought, crotched over, volunteering bile into his grandmother's blue toilet? Kidney infections aren't contagious. It was a long night. The hero of this story is Red's Mother, Shayla. She rearranged her schedule to come take care of Red and Julie's only son, Connery, whilst Red and Julie ladled in bed like pretzels in a jello salad.
The next day, Red and Julie were feeling remarkable improvement. Unfortunately, grandmother Mima had contracted the same kidney virus (?) during the night. That made for a pretty long day. By and by, everybody got well and carried on nicely.
The moral of the story is I'd rather have mean doctors that know the difference between a virus and a kidney infection than nice doctors who don't.
Monday, February 02, 2004
Look Back, Look Far, Look Near - look out!
I'd like to comment on the intuitive study which has taken place in my first month of Austin-dwelling. What does a commissioned church planter do with all that time on his (or her) hands, anyway? I've been wondering the same thing. Well, when one is in the process of shedding one's own methodology for a new and undiscovered one; when one is moving into a new missional environment; when one is convicted that offering support to one's spouse, child and Alzheimer's-challenged grandparents IS undeniably missional; when one shares a car; when one has less time for privacy and solitude than one has ever know before; when one discovers that there are no paradigms to mimic - well, maybe this, then...
First, God showed me my backside. Your backside, too. Actually it was a good, solid stare at the original 1st century expressions of church. The book is called The First Urban Christians: the Social World of the Apostle Paul. Without opening the book for quotes, let me try to express the overall impressions I received in just a few sentences. Paul was remarkably innovative and flexible in pioneering and steering the first church planting movement. The basic outline of these house gatherings was a common meal, and the Lord's Supper - with some fluid structure for teaching, singing, rehearsing core beliefs. Baptism was the new covenant ritual, literally symbolizing death from an old way of life and putting on the life of Christ. Paul's theology had a wonderful flexibility as well. For instance, his eschatology (beliefs about the end times) concentrated on "this is what we already have as Christians" when addressing the Galatians, but concentrated on the "this is what we will obtain in the future" when addressing the Corinthians. This fit the need of each local expression. Innovation and a certain level of (dare I say it?) diversity and accommodation within each culture were keys to growth.
Next, God showed me the big picture. Phillip Jenkins' The Next Christendom: the Coming of Global Christianity kicked my butt. This book describes the current and future global trends in Christianity with great depth and objectivity. Again, here's the gist. The "West" (Europe and North America) are already a minority voice in the big picture, and that voice will become increasingly less important during our lifetime. Africa, Latin America and Asia are the seedbeds of breathtaking works of the Holy Spirit. And their methods and beliefs are far removed from our modern, Enlightenment, colonial, old hierarchical world. For the West to think they are still the "movers and shakers" is like a half-time show celebrity thinking the world wants to see her boob (I knew I could sneak in a reference somewhere). Even the Postmodern Bandwagon, it seems, is only rolling among the streets of the white-dominated, secular humanistic Euro-Americana. The "South" (as Jenkins refers to these areas of boom) looks more like the crest of the middle ages than modern or even postmodern. Still, postmoderns will at least be able to "see things from the perspective of the other" in ways that weren't possible before, and this will smooth the road for Africans, Latinos and Asians to be the world leaders in Christianity. My hope is it will help them "skip" the blindspots of Enlightenment ways, too.
While I've been reading at every 5-10 minute window of opportunity, I've also been ducking in and out of the Austin scene whenever possible. Jolie and I take "prayer drives" together - trying to get a feel for the layout of the city and a deeper burden for people. We've finally taken in some live music. We've seen a contemporary dance performance. We've found some great eateries. We've sampled a variety of religious experiences. And we've exchanged mild banter with the natives. This really is a unique city. I feel God's love for Austinites deepening within me.
So God is filling me with chunks of experiential knowledge right now. I believe strongly that this is what we're supposed to be doing. Not much to brag about. No finite steps of strategic planning. Just lots of thoughts and intuitions incubating under the heat lamp. At some point, there will be a hatching. The pot will come to a boil. Now, I'm just gettin' stirred up.
I am sending what my Father promised to you, so stay here in the city until he arrives, until you're equipped with power from on high. [Luke 24:49]
First, God showed me my backside. Your backside, too. Actually it was a good, solid stare at the original 1st century expressions of church. The book is called The First Urban Christians: the Social World of the Apostle Paul. Without opening the book for quotes, let me try to express the overall impressions I received in just a few sentences. Paul was remarkably innovative and flexible in pioneering and steering the first church planting movement. The basic outline of these house gatherings was a common meal, and the Lord's Supper - with some fluid structure for teaching, singing, rehearsing core beliefs. Baptism was the new covenant ritual, literally symbolizing death from an old way of life and putting on the life of Christ. Paul's theology had a wonderful flexibility as well. For instance, his eschatology (beliefs about the end times) concentrated on "this is what we already have as Christians" when addressing the Galatians, but concentrated on the "this is what we will obtain in the future" when addressing the Corinthians. This fit the need of each local expression. Innovation and a certain level of (dare I say it?) diversity and accommodation within each culture were keys to growth.
Next, God showed me the big picture. Phillip Jenkins' The Next Christendom: the Coming of Global Christianity kicked my butt. This book describes the current and future global trends in Christianity with great depth and objectivity. Again, here's the gist. The "West" (Europe and North America) are already a minority voice in the big picture, and that voice will become increasingly less important during our lifetime. Africa, Latin America and Asia are the seedbeds of breathtaking works of the Holy Spirit. And their methods and beliefs are far removed from our modern, Enlightenment, colonial, old hierarchical world. For the West to think they are still the "movers and shakers" is like a half-time show celebrity thinking the world wants to see her boob (I knew I could sneak in a reference somewhere). Even the Postmodern Bandwagon, it seems, is only rolling among the streets of the white-dominated, secular humanistic Euro-Americana. The "South" (as Jenkins refers to these areas of boom) looks more like the crest of the middle ages than modern or even postmodern. Still, postmoderns will at least be able to "see things from the perspective of the other" in ways that weren't possible before, and this will smooth the road for Africans, Latinos and Asians to be the world leaders in Christianity. My hope is it will help them "skip" the blindspots of Enlightenment ways, too.
While I've been reading at every 5-10 minute window of opportunity, I've also been ducking in and out of the Austin scene whenever possible. Jolie and I take "prayer drives" together - trying to get a feel for the layout of the city and a deeper burden for people. We've finally taken in some live music. We've seen a contemporary dance performance. We've found some great eateries. We've sampled a variety of religious experiences. And we've exchanged mild banter with the natives. This really is a unique city. I feel God's love for Austinites deepening within me.
So God is filling me with chunks of experiential knowledge right now. I believe strongly that this is what we're supposed to be doing. Not much to brag about. No finite steps of strategic planning. Just lots of thoughts and intuitions incubating under the heat lamp. At some point, there will be a hatching. The pot will come to a boil. Now, I'm just gettin' stirred up.
I am sending what my Father promised to you, so stay here in the city until he arrives, until you're equipped with power from on high. [Luke 24:49]
