Worth Doing Poorly

Neglect

2009-12-21T00:40:00.002-05:00

In my often overly romantic teen years I once wrote a poem about killing a flower. The idea was that there are dramatic and violent ways to kill it, but doing so by depriving the flower of the basic things it needs to survive is ultimately more devastating.

I've been neglecting this blog for the last few months.

If you want to see where my head is at these days you should chase me down at the Catalyst Foundation or on facebook.

When can I walk to school?

2009-09-15T09:46:00.002-04:00

Shortly after getting out of the van from dropping off three children at school and daycare this morning I came across this from Al Hsu.
Life for me is in some kind of constant tension between competing convictions. I want my children to be confident, curious, and independent; but I worry whenever they are out of sight for too long. I want to minimize environmental impact; but driving less is terribly inconvenient. I want to spend more time connecting with my neighbours; but our own calendar already feels full.
The road to hell may be paved with good intentions, it is always easy to identify the sell-outs and compromises in the lives of others. When I hear of those doing much more good than I am I feel guilty. At the same time I can't imagine the sheer research load of doing something like Ben Bowen does.
Anybody else enjoying the angst?

Cosmo-Christians

2009-06-22T16:06:00.001-04:00

Really like this article from Skye Jethani at Our of Ur, so I'm going to just post the whole darn thing:

Cosmo-Christians
A new breed of believers is challenging the nature and scope of Christian engagement in the world.
by Skye Jethani

Last year during the presidential campaign, the Christian segment of the population once believed to be a monolithic voting block turned out to be more diverse than previously believed. The hold of the Religious Right, Christian Coalition, and other GOP-leaning groups over the evangelical brand started to loosen. What emerged was a new, generally younger, more urban, and less politically idealistic group of Christian voters. Michael Lindsay, author of Faith in the Halls of Power, refers to them as "Cosmopolitan Evangelicals." According to Lindsay, they:
• reject signifiers of "populist" Christianity, such as the Left Behind books and Thomas Kinkade paintings.
• are less involved in local churches, but highly involved with parachurch organizations.
• may not theologically agree with same-sex civil unions, but they don't see them as an assault on the culture.
• remain definitively pro-life.
• are more engaged with matters of local and global justice. AIDS, poverty, and human rights have been added to "traditional family values" in their set of concerns.
• recognize the legitimacy of environmental matters and view them through the theological lense of "creation stewardship."
The movement of a number of evangelical heavy-hitters like Rick Warren and Richard Cizik toward poverty and environmental issues is an indication that cosmopolitan Christians are gaining influence, as is the inability of Religious Right pillars like James Dobson and Pat Robertson to rally young people in high numbers.
Lindsay's definition, heavily slanted to political issues, is an interesting starting point, but I believe the characteristics of this new breed of evangelicals may be broader than he's articulated. Consider the definition of the word cosmopolitan:
To be free from local, provincial, or national ideas, prejudices, or attachments; at home all over the world.
In a real sense, the younger cosmopolitan Christians have grown up with a global awareness on a scale unprecedented in American history. They are more connected via technology to the realities of global injustice, mission, and economics. And unlike populist or provincial Christians who carry a "God and country" value into their cultural engagements, the cosmopolitan Christians are more likely to downplay the role of patriotism in their faith and see global concerns as paramount.
But there may also be a common theological thread among cosmopolitan Christians as well. There is a significant debate occurring within the church about whether social justice is central to or is simply an implication of the gospel. In other words, did Jesus' incarnation, life, death, and resurrection seek merely to redeem humans who then express their redemption through good works on the earth? Or, was healing of social injustices part of Jesus' redemptive mission?
Increasing numbers of Christians are coming to the belief that healing the world's injustice is part of God's kingdom mission. A gospel with a wider scope than men's souls, as articulated by N.T. Wright's reflections and Robert Webber's Christus Victor perspective, is providing a theological framework for cosmopolitan Christians to hang their values upon. And they are not without biblical basis. The Apostle Paul says in Colossians 1:19–20:
For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in Christ, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
The reconciliation and redemption of "all things" that are broken, fallen, and rebellious in the world give cosmopolitan Christians a strong rationale for engaging issues of justice, poverty, environmental stewardship, and culture, as well as evangelism.
So the newly branded "Cosmo Christians," as I like to call them, have at least two qualities that define both the nature and scope of their mission. First, they are cosmopolitan-Christians concerned with the world's pressing issues and injustices. Second, they are cosmic-Christians who see the scope of God's redemptive work in Christ as extending to "all things," and not simply the rescuing of people's souls from a world destined for destruction.

10 Ways to NOT love your neighbour

2009-06-10T12:32:00.002-04:00

I've been thinking a lot about what Jesus means when he tells us we are meant to love our neighbours and why us church people seem to find that so hard. I've been thinking a lot about my neighbours, the people who live on my street and what it would mean for me to love them. Here are ten ways I know that I can show I don't love them:

1. Drive more than 20 minutes to church: If my spiritual community and my geographic community are only connected by highway it is almost certain they will rarely connect. Part of Christian love is desiring to merge those communities.
2. Move more than 3 times in a decade: Love requires familiarity, moving makes it nearly impossible.
3. Never ask for help or admit your struggles: Hiding our faults doesn't make us look more godly, it makes us look fake; fake isn't love.
4. Spend lots of time in your back yard: In the suburbs (where I live) backyards are where we go when we don't want to see people, front yards and driveways are where we might end up in a conversation.
5. Don’t borrow things: Being self-sufficient is ultimately wasteful and exclusive.
6. Invite them out, but only to church events: Treating the folks next door only as projects is offensive.
7. Stereotype them: Take a little time to find out some of the stereotypes people have of Christians, especially evangelicals and you'll understand why this is so harmful.
8. Pray for them without asking permission: This one is a bit sketchy I admit, but how much more loving is it to ask someone what they want from God rather than pursuing your own agenda.
9. Spend at least 4 evenings/week not at home: More nights at church events does not equate to more love for neighbours. When do you expect to know them if you're never around?
10. Have church friends over often: The corollary here is that you don't simultaneously have neighbours over. If our social lives are filled with people from church we give the impression (usually accurate) that we have no interest, need, or time for getting close to those who live next door.

I admit that by these standards I don't love my own neighbours very much...I'm committed to changing that this summer.

Final Final Post

2009-05-05T00:02:00.002-04:00

New posts are going up at www.catalystfoundation.ca
Update your reader/bookmark to keep up with what's happening at Catalyst.

De-baptism?!?

2009-04-16T09:23:00.002-04:00

(This one's for you Yaksman)

Came across this article today about 100 000 people who have downloaded a certificate of de-baptism to signify that they are no longer in agreement with the decision made by their parents to ritually include them in the church. I've gotta say that I kinda like the idea.
While I have been baptised both as an unaware infant and later out of my own conviction as a teen, I do feel badly for those who feel tied to a faith they don't, can't, or won't adhere to. If this de-baptism is a sincere act of integrity to reconcile personal conviction with religious ritual I'm all for it. If it is being done just for laughs and mild rebellion, that's okay with me too.
The best thing about this is that people are considering whether they agree with the implications of baptism on their current life and beliefs. Nothing is much more Christian than regularly reconsidering the compatibility of our character and our stated convictions. If we genuinely don't desire to live in responsive obedience to the revelation of God we have received or what we believe isn't matching up to the spiritual community we are part of it is better that we face that directly and deal with it.
I would love to see a church offer a de-baptism day where they could provide the certificates and meet individually with people who wanted to be officially relieved of any expectations of identification or involvement with the church...

I want my pastor to...

2009-03-11T14:51:00.002-04:00

During the 7 years I spent working full time in church I often came up against the expectations various people in the congregation had for what my role should be. In the beginning I spent far too much time and energy trying to figure out what was expected by everyone. I actually become much more effective when I stopped trying so hard to be a "good pastor" and tried to focus on being myself...

This week's Breakfast With Fred piece gives the late Fred Smith's perspective on what a pastor should be:

“I was asked to address the topic, “A Layman Looks at the Pastor.” I changed one word: Looking TO, not looking AT. Here are my personal views:.

1. I want my pastor to commit himself to building community. We live in a fractured world. Our cities are not friendly. Our workplaces are often combative. Sadly, even our homes are dysfunctional. As a group of believers, we need the fellowship of believers where people feel accepted and blessed.

2. I want my pastor to encourage the “priesthood of the believers.” He is not my agent negotiating a better deal with God than I can make. I want him to remind me that he isn’t a professional Christian with greater access. I want him to join with me in prayer --- not do the praying for me.

3. I want my pastor to teach me how to think about God, not just know what he thinks about God. My pastor is to awaken the teacher within me. He is to help me and guide me, but the responsibility for my spiritual health is mine.

4. I want my pastor to maintain his own spiritual vitality. I want his teaching to come from the artesian well of his walk, not the dead sea of old sermons and seminary classes.

5. I want my pastor to be my spiritual dietician, helping me to develop a spiritual regimen that is uniquely based on my gifts and opportunities. I am grateful for those who invested in my spiritual growth.

6. I want to be a regular person around him --- and I want him to be natural with me, as well. Maintaining images can alienate us from each other.

7. I want my pastor to know truth, not just the facts of the Bible. Just as information is not knowledge, and knowledge is not wisdom, so facts and word studies do not comprise the truth of the revelation.

8. I want my pastor to personify humility. I don’t want him to act humble – I want him to be humble. Our son, Fred, Jr., once gave me a great definition of humility: “Accepting your strength with gratitude.”

This week think carefully about: 1) What do I want my pastor to be? 2) How am I partnering with my pastor for encouragement? 3) What does it mean to be real with my pastor?

Point/Counterpoint

2009-02-13T15:24:00.003-05:00

Larry Flynt sent members of congress free subscriptions to the porn magazine he publishes.

Most of them responded with condemning speeches (at least publically). But one was much more creative.

I don't know anything about this congressman, but this is pretty smooth.

Things I Need To Hear...

2009-02-09T22:39:00.002-05:00

Over lunch today a good friend and I were talking about work and family and the mystery of balance. He's been out of work for a few months now, which gives him a certain perspective.

When I mentioned that I sometimes find it hard to reconcile the needs of my family with three small children at home and the encouragement to develop myself as a leader as much as I can he said something truly profound:

"Your job is not a covenant".

He went on to say that as a follower of Jesus I have a covenant promise with God, and as a married man I have another one with Kristen (and by extension our kids). But while I may be strongly committed to my other roles in life (profession, extended family, community, friendships, etc.), none of them have that same qualification.

A covenant is something much more than a commitment, it is a soul promise. It is an enduring sacrificial pledge from which there is meant to be no exit. It is a sacred and determining priority.

Church people often make trite statements about putting God first, marriage second, children third, church next, and so on...
But working that out in real life is far more complex. We can't just say that we always do family things before work. Real life requires compromise and constant renegotiation. that is why the reminder of covenant is so helpful. It's much deeper than a list of priorities. It's a fundamental orientation to life that honours core relationships even in the midst of the challenge doing so presents.

Thanks Gerb, I needed that.

Great Quote

2009-02-04T16:42:00.000-05:00

“As a theologically conservative Christian myself, the challenge to me is to accept that it’s possible for someone to come to a different theological conclusion based on scripture, and still be a committed follower of Jesus. I’m used to feeling like, I know you’re a real Christ follower when you agree with me about everything, and part of the journey of a conservative Christian is realizing that there are genuine, heartfelt, passionate followers of Jesus, who arrived at different conclusions on some theological issues and some ethical issues rooted in their passion for, and study of scripture. Now there are also some sloppy, lazy, self-serving people who make up their ethics as they go along, to validate how they want to live, and then try to look through scripture to find the proof-text. And how do you know the difference between the two of those? First of all, as a Christian, I want to give people the benefit of the doubt until proven otherwise, but also I get to know the difference when I get to know them, when we hang out together, when we do Bible study together.”

-Bruxy Cavey

Whose Story Is This?

2009-02-04T16:06:00.001-05:00

I can't decide if I love this video or not.
I suspect that a lot of church people will think it's innovative and persuasive; but I wonder if people who aren't already convinced of the Christian message will just see it as another semi-typical attempt to market our faith...

Thoughts?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WndCCNpD0BI

Two Good Starts

2009-01-30T10:40:00.000-05:00

Last night I attended the "very soft launch" of Word Made Flesh - Canada. When Mark Petersen gets this motivated by a charity it is always worth checking out; and it was.

But the best part of the night came earlier, before I left home.

I was telling my 5 year old son, Ben, that I was going to hear a man who lives with people who don't have enough money or food. Ben asked why the man (Chris Heuertz) would do that. I explained that God loves everyone, but he has a special love for the poor. Ben nodded thoughtfully, then disappeared upstairs for a minute. When he came down he solemnly handed me the entire contents of his giraffe piggy bank and told me to give it to the man who helps the poor people. Then he drew a picture for them of someone who was given "clothes, food, money, a hat, and a house".

My son is more like Jesus than I am.

It was a sacred privilege to give his donation to Chris and after last night's event I am glad that Ben's first entry into generosity was in support of such a good organization.

Being Neighbourly

2009-01-23T21:14:00.002-05:00

We've been in our house for almost three years. It's the kind of street where people rarely leave until the really have to, most of the houses are a little over 50 years old and many are still on their first residents.

This fall the neighbours on the east side of our place moved out, they needed somewhere with fewer stairs to accomodate their aging health. We spent a few weeks watching out our living room window as people came to see the house; who would our new neighbours be?

We've been hoping for either a family with young kids for ours to play with, or (even better) a teenage girl who could babysit. When the sold sign went up we watched even more closely and it seems like we didn't get our wish. We haven't met them yet, but it looks a couple in their mid-50's bought the place and are having a lot of renovations done before they move in. I can admit to being a little disappointed.

The thing is, whoever these people are, they are our neighbours. Today I read an article from Carolyn Arends, a musician I used to love a decade ago who now does a fair bit of writing and speaking. She talked about the reaction she had when her lovely family neighbourhood was overrun by grow-ops. What does "love your neighbour" feel like when the neighbour is in handcuffs?

A New Beginning

2009-01-21T11:38:00.002-05:00

I really hope President Obama can deliver on some of the hope he has brought to both Americans and many in the rest of the world. I'm excited about the way he has set an entirely different tone for governing and engaging with people than his predecessor had. An amazing example is the new white house website.

Any chance Canada's political leaders will follow suit?
(Didn't think so)

Pro-What

2009-01-16T15:27:00.002-05:00

I am not particularly interested in entering into the abortion debate on blog and facebook. I have zero confidence that the complexities and emotion of it can be usefully addressed here. But I do want to share these thoughts from Skye Jethani that express what I believe is a productive shift in the dialogue:

Christians have always been pro-life. During the Roman Empire when infanticide was rampant, it was Christians who retrieved abandoned babies from outside the city walls to raise them as their own. But it was also the church that gave unprecedented dignity to slaves, women, and social outcasts. Some have even hypothesized that it was Christianity's appeal to the disenfranchised masses that fueled its rapid expansion.
But since Roe vs. Wade, the way "pro-life" has been defined by many evangelicals has been very narrow. It has simply meant anti-abortion. But now that seems to be changing. Growing numbers of Christians are embracing a wider ethic of life. Jim Wallis has called for a Christian agenda that is pro-life "from the womb to the tomb." That means valuing people after they are born, and not just before. It means pursuing social justice, equality, education, health care, and human rights. It means fighting poverty and advocating for those without a voice.

I would love to see those who are so decisive in their condemnation of abortion become half as passionate about the lives of those that have been born. They might even earn a sincere audience...

The Root Of All Evil

2009-01-15T15:26:00.002-05:00

(Note; the title above is a misquote from the Bible where it actually says "The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil" 1 Timothy 6:10)

The last year or so has seen some very public shame for a number of religious leaders who share in common the belief that God wants those he loves to be healthy and rich. The basic idea is that if we give generously to God (usually through the leader's organization) God will reward us with material prosperity. It's a very appealing invitation, especially for those who are economically struggling. Unfortunately it doesn't hold up to sound theology or practical observation.

This article gives the sad story of some of those leaders and how their followers are holding on to the teaching.

I don't really blame people for getting caught up in this. It's a very enticing idea; God will make me rich if only I stop sinning, give enough, pray enough, do enough. If I'm not rich it's my own fault for not trusting God the way I should.

The thing is, thee is an element of truth hidden here. It is a biblical principle that God provides us with all that we have so that we can bless others. Often, those who are faithful in giving their time, energy, love, abilities, and yes, money, do receive more in return. But the key to the whole thing is that it isn't a mechanical transaction.

We don't get to say to God, "I gave you $2000, now you owe me $10 000". It's all God's to begin with.

Truth only is true when it's equally true for everyone. Do the prosperity believers believe that those living in abject poverty are more sinful than the North American elite consumers? Do they think the only way God shows love is with cash?

I know this is a hugely loaded topic. I know there are tons of questions, for instances, objections, cautions, and pitfalls here. But I also know that there are a lot of people suffering with undeserved shame and false hope because they are convinced that they are only a little more donation away from easy street.

If the Bible teaches us anything, it's that there are no easy streets this side of heaven. Some prosperity preachers are finding that out now.

Should every player get to play?

2008-12-23T16:21:00.002-05:00

In my professional life as someone who evaluates and develops nonprofit organizations I sometimes find myself stuck in a tension between honouring the best intentions of every participant and the reasonable expectation for meaningful performance outcomes that truly benefit those in need. It reminds me of the way I've been torn as a sports coach with whether to give equal playing time to everyone or to favour those who give the team the best chance of winning.

An article I read today argues that within the church everyone should get to play in the way that they want. In part the author says:

The church remains the home of the no-cut audition. We don't get to choose the other members of our body. You have to want to get in, but once you are here, we will find a part for you to play.

I'm so grateful that there is a place for everyone in God's great production. I hope I can keep that in mind when I need to suggest to some that they may be playing the wrong part. Ideally my true motive will be to see each one find the role for which they have been unwittingly preparing all along. Some of us don't realise that we are meant to be in the chorus, not singing solos. (Those who have heard my voice will now be thinking that some of us should maybe hold the lyric sheet and stay quiet).

At Christmas of all times, I pray that I and each one I interact with will discover more fully the dreams we can pursue in the company of a God who withholds nothing in his wild passion to be with us.

So whatever part you are now playing, and whatever parts you find yourself playing in the future; Merry Christmas

Advent

2008-12-22T21:59:00.002-05:00

My favourite missionaries posted the most wonderful, simple explanation of the anticipation of Christmas:

http://forestviewchurch.ca/blogs/eggert/?p=22

Read it.

The Idology of Ideology

2008-12-19T15:33:00.002-05:00

(Title taken from a Bruce Cockburn lyric "Call it Democracy")

Over lunch this week I may have confused a younger friend by saying that I am personally supportive of the legalization of gay marriage and all the accompanying rights that go with it, at least until political and religious leaders get their heads together and realise that the government should provide legal civil unions for any two people who so desire and each spiritual community should enact it's own practise for sacred unions.

In the discussion she referred to the idea that she just can't see herself letting go of some of the basic tenets of conviction she has been raised with. I understand that. Still, I hope that she will learn to hold most convictions loosely and only the most crucial of them in closed hands.

Brian McLaren describes what I'm experiencing as "ideological homelessness" in an excellent and very timely article.

Here's a snippet:

What they have in common, I think, is that they are seeking to create a new space that isn't clearly defined as "left" or "right." This is a space of civil disagreement, engaging with the other, crossing boundaries. Just yesterday, I heard somebody define this space as being homeless ... ideologically homeless.

If Rick were the right-wing nut-job that some of his hefty-lefty critics are painting him to be, he wouldn't dare accept an invitation by a Democratic pro-choice pro-gay President. If the President-Elect were the left-wing nut job his tighty-righty critics paint him to be ... he wouldn't invite Prop-8-supporting Rick Warren to give the invocation. If Rick were the compromising apostate his tighty-righty critics claim him to be, he wouldn't outspokenly disagree with the President-Elect on gay marriage and criminalizing abortion. And so on ... you get the point.

Meanwhile, what the critics have in common is that they have a home. They know where they stand - left, far left, right, far right, etc. They know who's in and who's out, who's orthodox and who's not, whom they're cold toward and whom they're hot about.

Christian does not equal Conservative

2008-12-14T01:25:00.002-05:00

I've heard from more than one direction in this highly political year that Evangelical Christians must vote for the conservative (Republican in the US, Conservative Party in Canada) political party.

I find this utterly offensive.

While I have had some excellent interaction with people I deeply respect who are Christian and affiliate themselves with the conservative side, far too many of my spiritual siblings are simply stupid in this. They have limited what they understand to be God's interest to a very short list of hot topics; particularly the inclusion of homosexual couples in the civil institute of marriage. At the same time they are so partisan that they willfully turn a blind eye to other matters (environment, poverty, corruption, immigration/refugees for example), and often to the glaring inconsistencies and improprieties of their preferred leaders.

There is neither integrity or spiritual high ground in this.

There is also no historical perspective. My current favourite theologian, John Stackhouse, wrote an article that all politically interested followers of Jesus would be wise to give careful consideration. You don't have to agree, but you would be missing out on an important understanding if you ignore it.

And in the interest of honesty let me say that I have voted Liberal, Conservative, and Green each at least once in recent elections and I believe my current Member of Parliament (a Conservative) is worthy of respect and a committed representative of our riding.

I Believe In Books

2008-11-24T09:11:00.002-05:00

Came across this interesting article from leadership guy Mark Sanborn which got me thinking about books that have been timely influences in my life.

Here are a few:
Dragonriders of Pern - Anne McCaffrey I took this from my oldest brother and it was the first fantasy series I ever read. The story of Menolly struggling to find acceptance in a culture that didn't understand tapped into my own adolescent search for identity.
Mere Christianity - CS Lewis Started my search to find ways to express faith that could be understood by people who hadn't been already immersed in the subculture.
No Compromise - Melody Green This biography of Christian music and ministry pioneer Keith Green still calls me to a more complete devotion to what I claim to believe, I first read it about twenty years ago.
20 Hot Potatoes Christians Are Afraid to Touch - Tony Campolo Challenged several of the stereotypical views I had accepted without criticism.
The Jesus I Never Knew and What's So Amazing About Grace - Philip Yancey Two books that started me on the road to understand and experience Jesus with appreciation of church traditions but not dependence on them.
Spiritual Leadership - Oswald Sanders Still the best leadership book on my shelf.
Oh The Places You'll Go - Dr. Seuss The most honest and inspiring adult book ever hidden as a children's book. Can't count the number of times I've read this book to groups or given it as a gift.
All I Really Need To Know I Learned In Kindergarten - Robert Fulghum Profound wisdom throughout this book, not just the title essay. Probably one of the major influences on how I try to express myself even now.
A New Kind Of Christian - Brian McLaren Took all the things I was afraid to admit I was wondering and put them in narrative form.
Making The Best Of It - John Stackhouse The latest book to open up an understanding of faith that truly connects with the inherent messiness of my reality.
Holy Sweat - Tim Hansel The theme book of my internship year at Medeba. Expresses the adventure of following Jesus in ways that are easy to connect but hard to pursue. Sadly, out of print.
Return Of The Prodigal Son - Henri Nouwen Came at exactly the right time in my life and opened me to a new, more contemplative exploration of faith.
The Gospel In A Pluralist Society - Lesslie Newbigin Put words to my wonderings and turned me on to a whole circle of other writing based on his thought.

That's enought for now. Another time I could add "I Wish That I Had Duck Feet" "It's not about the bike", "The Hobbit", "God in the Alley", "Five Love Languages", and "Adrenaline and Stress"

Fame! I'm gonna live forever!

2008-11-21T20:06:00.002-05:00

My boys have made their mainstream media debut: http://www.dundasstarnews.com/community/gallery/details/152426

The Most Offensive Word in the English Language

2008-11-02T18:22:00.002-05:00

(It's not what you think).

Forgive the melodramatic title to this post, but I've got some frustration to vent.
I find it absolutely repulsive that so often we (and yes, I include myself here) use the word "just" in a dismissive sense with regard to people, tendencies, skills, and interests.

"I'm just a volunteer"
"That's just being emotional"
"I'm just learning to do it"
"You're just a student"
"I just try to help"
"My mom was just a housewife"
and the list goes on...

How arrogant and offensive to label the gifts and creations of God in such a way!
If I hear anyone speak of my children as "just" anything I'll be furious. They are not "just"; they are special, loved, unique, and sacred. The same is true of my developmentally delayed relatives, the neighbour with dementia, and the newcomer working a menial job to provide for their family. None of us is "just".

In fact, I'd love to take all those examples above, remove the word just, and replace it with an exclamation point at the end and an enthusiastic tone. We really need to learn to celebrate who we are, what we do, and those things that identify us as distinct from every other of the billions of humans who have wandered around on this sod.

I can only imagine God's reaction to our dismissal of ourselves, other people, or the things he has given us. Do you think he rages or weeps?

But then again, I'm just some guy with a blog...

If you don't (xxxxxxx); don't complain

2008-10-10T09:01:00.003-04:00

It's not good enough to show up and vote once every few years and then feel you've done your part for the political process and our country. If the only time our representatives receive feedback is on election day they are ill-equipped to understand or respond to what we care about. Imagine if the only time your employer ever spoke to you was to either fire you or extend your contract annually.

We need to be the people who become known in the constituency offices, not because we're always complaining or critical; but because we offer a reasoned perspective that both affirms and argues respectfully as needed. If we don't do this the only voices to be heard will be the constant griping of the annoyed and the thoughtless praise of the loyalists. Politicians can't do their jobs well without our ongoing participation.

This doesn't mean we need to become associated with any political party. In a previous post I was critical of forming committed allegiances of this type, at least for those who call themselves Christians. In fact, I suspect that the most influential voices to a politician often are those who are undecided. After all those are the people they want to convince.

During the course of a campaign we are bombarded with political messaging, and still often we respond only by marking our "X". Between elections we are often completely silent. If we can't do better than that we don't deserve better government than we are getting.

On Obama

2008-10-09T10:39:00.004-04:00

More than ever before in my life I am becoming politically conscious. I'm more attentive to the election campaigns both here in Canada and in the US. And I've taken the time to contact the leading candidate in my area about issues that matter to me, though I haven't yet decided how to vote (though my two year old has declared his allegiance...)

One of the best bloggers around posted this on how Niebuhr's philosophy has impacted Barack Obama. It's good.

(I have a daydream where someday I come up with something worth writing a book about and Al Hsu is my editor).

Call and Response

2008-09-25T09:09:00.001-04:00

Last May, in a hotel room overlooking the Atlantic Ocean in Fort Lauderdale I was strongly impacted by a pre-release trailer for a movie called "Call and Response".

There is a growing awareness of the ugly reality of human trafficking in our time, particularly the sexual exploitation of children slaves.
Please see and circulate this trailer.

Amy Eden Wignall

2008-09-10T12:18:00.004-04:00

Born September 9, 2008 at 12:54pm. 9lbs 3oz.
Everybody's doing great.

Little Bit of Culture

2008-09-08T16:14:00.002-04:00

Read this article, a question and answer with Andy Crouch, author of Culture Making.

I want to be part of affecting the culture of my neighbourhood. Too often I'm too busy to do that. Too often our churches are too busy with self-sustaining activity to care about it, especially when most of the congregation live outside the community where the church meets.

For more on this idea see: http://catalystfoundation.blogspot.com/2008/09/picking-favourites.html

Christians and Politics

2008-09-03T15:41:00.002-04:00

With campaigns charging forward in the US and about to officially launch here in Canada (though the ads are already underway) I find myself thinking more politically now than I can ever remember.
I have a really hard time with Christians who are strongly partisan politically. No party or leader fully represents the values and direction of Jesus or the Bible, though many from various perspectives try to lay claim. Followers of Jesus are called to one loyalty above all others, loyalty to Christ. That means we are expected to give our devotion to those priorities at all times.
I see too many people of Christian faith in both nations who are uncritically supportive of one or another candidate. We need to be intentional about presenting another view, one that may be unelectable, but is truly faithful.
Author Scot McKnight puts it this way:
“On politics I strive as much as possible to let my passions be for God and for the Church and for others (the Jesus Creed). I place no confidence in redemption by way of politics. The political hope ebbs and flows every 8 years now; I don’t get all riled up if a Republican or a Democrat wins; I don’t think it matters that much to what we are called to do on a daily basis.” —Scot McKnight (Jesus Creed)
(To read some reactions and thoughts on this quote go here).
I don't identify myself as an anabaptist or pacifist, but I do share their concerns about assigning loyalty or trust in any person or ideology other than Jesus.
I do believe we earn the right to speak prophetically to our leaders by engaging in the process of government regularly, not only by spouting off at election time.
I believe those who choose to speak for Christ from the inside of partisan communities take a significant risk and need to be both challenged and encouraged to retain their proper alignment and priorities.
And I believe that God is bigger than any party, election, or nation; and we would be wise to turn more of our attention to the real needs of the least and lost in our communities and around the world rather than becoming gripped by the drama of the electoral process.

Seeds of a Rant

2008-09-02T10:16:00.003-04:00

I have a major rant coming about the way clergy use (exploit) the idea of "calling" and all the damage it does. This cartoon, stolen from Out of Ur, relates...

What size gospel are you?

2008-08-27T15:48:00.002-04:00

Every church wants to express the truth and grace of Jesus as fully as possible. MOre and more we're running into "missional" churches and movements that are trying to point out the ways in which some of our ways of being Christian have reflected an incomplete understanding of the good news of Jesus. It's pretty fuzzy stuff mostly, which makes it easy to take slightly disguised shots at the well known Christian leader of choice for their limited gospel.
In the course of an ongoing series on their website about the "size" of the gospel; Christianity Today posted this article from a missional church pastor/theologian who opens up the question of what happens when we make the gospel so big that average people can't get their heads or hands around it.
From where I sit, this sounds like a part of what has happened in the more theologically liberal churches in my community. Starting with acknowledging something more, they ended up something so big it lost all meaning. I find myself struggling to maintain a grip on the safety rail of faith in the midst of the theological ride I've found myself on in the last year or so...

Open to Interpretation

2008-08-17T22:19:00.004-04:00

I really enjoyed a poolside conversation yesterday with two younger guys who are thoughtful and deeply committed in their following Jesus. As is often the case lately, a lot of it was about how the truth and grace of Jesus can be expressed in ways that are meaningful to those who currently find no place in the church.

The image above is from this interesting post from Mark Petersen which raises a few thoughts:
-I like how he takes the challenge of the artist and sees the hope in it
-I can understand the controversy, and hope the local churches have embraced it and seen it as opportunity for dialogue and reflection
-I didn't know Mark jogs

Facebook for Jesus?

2008-08-15T14:34:00.002-04:00

I have come to actually quite like facebook. I (like many other people) probably waste/spend more time on it than is really warranted, but it has allowed me to maintain and develop some good friendships.
At the same time it can be a little concerning in other ways.
As a former youth pastor and camp guy I see a lot of stuff on the profiles of some young people that I wish weren't there. Constant references to getting drunk, sex, drugs, and the like are discouraging. Sometimes I wonder if I should send a message asking about what's really going on with people who I still think could be involved in something much more meaningful and fulfilling. A couple times I have sent those messages and gotten no response, and wondered if I made a mistake...
Today I came across an article about the use of facebook as an evangelistic tool. I'm not sure what I think entirely. I agree with some of the points the author makes about it being a great way to connect with people who have become distant and I have also had experiences where I think those connections have led to some valuable spiritual interaction. There is an opportunity here to engage with people through another media that creates possibilities.
I guess my frustration is with the mindset that thinks we should be careful and selective about what we post so we can best interest people in getting to know Jesus. At one level that makes sense, but at another it suggests that our spirituality is somehow compartmentalised and we should omit those aspects of our lives that don't fit with it when we go public.
I'd much rather that our editorial efforts were made at the level of our real lives, rather than our cyber ones.
Making facebook so strategic and selective puts me in mind of people and organizations who approach evangelism as a program and tactic. We train in the right presentations and responses that will eradicate people's defences and allow us to convince them to accept our Jesus. I was deep in that subculture for many years and am glad to be outside of it now.
The Christian message is about so much more than a brief formulaic call to repentance. I would hope that my friends on facebook who identify themselves as Christians can be bold enough to be sincere in that forum, just as I hope for us all to be in every aspect of life. I suspect that will ultimately better reflect the variety and complexity of God's work among us as we try to respond faithfully to the ways Jesus is revealed.

Performance Anxiety

2008-08-12T21:41:00.002-04:00

Another interesting post from Out of Ur, this time on how spiritual leaders struggle with the expectation to achieve success based on external, measurable criteria. I find myself torn.

On one hand I totally agree with this article: If Scripture shows that faithful and godly leaders can have shrinking ministries (Jesus in John 6), and sinful leaders can have successful ministries (Moses in Numbers 20), then why do we persist in measuring our success simply on the measurable outcomes of our work?
Brothers and sisters, you are more than the measurable outcomes of your work.
I spent several years working for a church in one of the most performance driven communities in Canada. At times I felt the sting of not standing up to the high expectations that always seemed beyond my reach (thankfully, those occasions were few and may ultimately have been more self-imposed than otherwise). I tried to speak out against what I found offensive in the perform or perish culture that I saw in the schools, sports, homes, and workplaces. Looking back I wish I'd done a better job of really understanding and articulating what is so damaging about that paradigm.

However; I also benefited from that culture. It often brought out the best in me. I became better as a leader and as a pastor because there were people around me who wanted to see me develop and didn't allow me to be lazy or hide behind any excuses.

In my role with the Catalyst Foundation I spend a lot of time essentially evaluating leaders and their organizations. I want to support those who are most effective at bringing about good in the lives of others. There was a time when I found discussion of numbers and clear outcomes to be contrary to my sense of ministry, but I don't anymore.

I agree that the measure of any person (the focus on pastors in the article reflects the primary audience of the writer, not a belief that pastors have a harder life than the rest of us I hope) should not be on what they are able to accomplish. We are more than our results. Ultimately we will not be judged based on our curriculum vitae, but on our faithful obedience to God as truly revealed to us.

I want to challenge those who read this article that we need to learn to distinguish between our core identity (i.e. adopted and beloved child of God), and our work (professional or otherwise). In our work we should seek to be productive, knowing that it is not all that we are.

If we don't learn to do that then whatever our work it will be "soul-killing" because no labour, no matter how sincere or serving, is the fulfilment of a human life. Confusing this leads us to either dependence on the opinions of others (which the article rightly critiques), or a rejection of all evaluation and an entirely individualistic standard of life which is so vulnerable to ego and laziness.

In summary, evaluate and improve what can be measured and ruthlessly remember that many things can't.

Olympic Spiritual

2008-08-09T21:32:00.002-04:00

Watching the opening day of the Beijing games. I love the variety and constant supply of sports, but I generally dislike the opening and closing ceremonies. I'm good with the parade of nations, athlete's oath, and torch lighting; it's all the weird artsy stuff I can't connect with. My favourite moment is often that moment in the closing ceremonies when the athletes all mingle and celebrate in the infield of the Olympic stadium. Seeing all these people, the stress of competition relieved, coming together in something that looks a lot like joy is kinda exhilarating, even from my couch. It gives me a little longing for heaven.

Today I found this article from a favourite blogger, Al Hsu. He shares my idea, but adds a lot to it as a Taiwanese American.

Maybe it's a little cheesy to try to take a universally powerfully tradition and claim it as some kind of Christian metaphor. But I'm not saying it's Christian, just that it puts me in mind of something sacred to me.

Ferrets and Cults

2008-08-06T17:58:00.005-04:00

Last week I had a long overdue chance to spend a full evening with my oldest brother. Over 4 hours at his favourite pub we did a lot of catching up on life and exploring what it is that makes each of us who we are.

One of the themes of our conversation was the way each of us has been strongly drawn to certain subcultures over the last couple decades. I've invested a lot of myself in Evangelical Christianity, Pastoral work, and "Extreme" sports; and found a lot of my identity through those communities. My brother has been deeply committed to; well, those are his to share or secret, but let's say that there is not a lot of natural affinity between our peer groups.

Despite the strong differences, we've each found ourselves having significant roles and circles of influence, and been involved in welcoming and initiating many newcomers to our respective circles. In many ways we have taken similar steps on very different paths, and as a result we can relate quite closely to one another's experiences.

It may be age and stage of life or something, but I find myself concerned by how isolated some of my subcultures are from those not included. I appreciate that the very nature of a subculture is in the difference from the common, but it's so easy to completely lose touch with the outside world.

In some cases that might be a good thing, but it easily leads to loss of perspective and extremism as we continually subdivide within our tribes to find ever more specific identities and communities. In the end we lose the ability to relate in any meaningful way between our subculture and the parts of our life lived among the masses. The scariest thing about that, at least for me, is how not frightening some of my spiritual siblings find it.

Aftermath

2008-08-05T13:54:00.003-04:00

One of my favourite people in all the world to spend a long evening talking with is a self-professed skeptic. (Most of the time I share his temperament if not his paradigm). This post is not for him.

I read an article today that moved me surprisingly. It's about the infamous New Life church in Colorado (of the Ted Haggard scandal and last year's shootings) and how they are recovering from two tragedies. And, yes I do consider the Haggard matter to be tragic from several angles.

There are several ways I don't agree with the practices and teaching of New Life. It would be easy for me to poke holes in even this story and find fault with some of what it says. But I choose not to. Instead, I choose to believe that God is doing something meaningful among people who shared trauma.

Read right to the end of the article. The postscript demonstrates grace and courage beyond common human capacity. Well done folks. You've entered into the realm of the inexplicable. I hope you can hang out there for a while.

Logic and Emotion

2008-07-22T15:29:00.003-04:00

There is a common struggle for spiritual people to deal with the tension between intellect and subjectivity. Particularly when trying to express our faith to people who might not share it, we don't know which aspect takes priority and how to use them honestly.

This article by Philip Yancey gives insight:

Lewis has taught me a style of approach that I try to follow in my own writings. To quote William James, "… in the metaphysical and religious sphere, articulate reasons are cogent for us only when our inarticulate feelings of reality have already been impressed in favor of the same conclusion." In other words, we rarely accept a logical argument unless it fits an intuitive sense of reality. The writer's challenge is to nurture that intuitive sense—as Lewis had done for me with his space trilogy before I encountered his apologetics. Lewis himself converted to Christianity only after sensing that it corresponded to his deepest longings, his Sehnsucht.

So convictions typically change when we find logical support for what our emotions/intuition have already begun to prefer.

I bet that's true in many areas of life.

All the losers win...

2008-07-16T14:56:00.002-04:00

Years ago I often listened to a song by a band called DeGarmo and Key that included the lyric "Here's to all the losers, lose all guilt and sin. Here's to life in Jesus, all of the losers win". I'm not sure if I've experienced the loss of all guilt and sin except on a theological level; but I definitely relate to being a loser on many fronts. And paradoxically, it is in the experience of failure that I have gained the most.

For months now I've been fascinated by the story of Jacob, the brash and scheming young man who connived his way into and out of trouble time and time again. There was no situation he couldn't weasel his way through. Until he found himself terrified by the side of a creek, knowing he was about to face the brother who had every reason to kill him. In that time of desperation he suddenly found himself in the fight of his life, one he couldn't escape with all his wiles. Here read it for yourself:

Jacob Wrestles With God
22 That night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two maidservants and his eleven sons and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. 23 After he had sent them across the stream, he sent over all his possessions. 24 So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. 25 When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob's hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. 26 Then the man said, "Let me go, for it is daybreak."
But Jacob replied, "I will not let you go unless you bless me."
27 The man asked him, "What is your name?"
"Jacob," he answered.
28 Then the man said, "Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome."
29 Jacob said, "Please tell me your name."
But he replied, "Why do you ask my name?" Then he blessed him there.
30 So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, "It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared."
31 The sun rose above him as he passed Peniel, and he was limping because of his hip.

So, Jacob (which means Schemer) becomes Israel (which means one who struggles with God) and for the rest of his life he limps as a reminder that there are some things he can't escape.

Carolyn Arends wrote an excellent article about this recently. You should read it.

I'm not alone...

2008-06-17T20:31:00.003-04:00

I've recently started reading the blog of marketing guy Seth Godin. Today he said something (at the end of a post about recognizing how truly privileged we are) that I needed to post:

The object isn’t to be perfect. The goal isn’t to hold back until you’ve created something beyond reproach. I believe the opposite is true. Our birthright is to fail and to fail often, but to fail in search of something bigger than we can imagine. To do anything else is to waste it all.

I love how he condemns both perfectionism and ambivalence. Spending several years neck deep in one of the most performance-driven communities in Canada gave me a strong distaste for the unquenchable lust for overachieving. At the same time I do have respect for high standards and commitment. Seth captures exactly what I think worth doing poorly is about. thanks

Where do we belong?

2008-06-17T20:03:00.002-04:00

The favourite buzzwords in a lot of church circles these days are "emerging" and "missional". Those who identify with these terms describe it as an important movement in Christianity in the Western world through which the church moves away from being primarily institutional and returns to more sincere and open relationship with the community. Critics often see it as either just another form of target marketing or an abandonment of the Biblical basics that define what is truly Christian.

Both the advocates and the naysayers have valid points. There are loads of examples of a loss of focus happening and the church losing the distinct message of God's earnest love for all of Creation and his passion to reveal himself for our response. It is potentially dangerous to leave behind the predictable systems and structures of church for the uncertainties of trying to figure out how to live out the truth and grace of Jesus in the midst of our neighbourhoods, marketplaces, and relationships.

Next Monday I'll be taking part in something called a synchroblog on this idea of Christians being "missional". To see what comes up you can visit my work blog.

For now, click over to see what has happened as the staff and students of Inter-varsity Christian Fellowship at McMaster University have struggled and celebrated their journey in this area. I know well that there has been a lot of doubt and discouragement along the way. There has been a large decline in attendance in prominence; and some people have been hurt in the process. It has been messy. But even in my conversation today with staff leader Cole Bassarab I saw how glad they are to have taken the risks and ow they are more fully experiencing God as they go.

Like an airport?!?

2008-06-15T18:48:00.002-04:00

My new role with the Catalyst Foundation means I'm doing a bit more travelling than I've done before. that means spending a little more time in airports, with the strange sociological realities they bring.

At church this morning our pastor referred to an analogy he heard from Dr. Reggie McNeal at a denominational conference this week. It went something like this:
The church is meant to be like an airport; not a destination to which we bring people so they can arrive, but a place we pass through en route to where we are meant to be, which is among the people in our communities who are most in need; the place where God is at work.

I didn't hear McNeal, but I find it an interesting and helpful image. Certainly the church loses perspective and often we see our Sunday services as the purpose and high point of life.

I long to be part of a Christian community in which our gatherings are truly about being energised and prepared for being the presence of Christ in every other aspect of life.

Virginity for the Unchurched

2008-06-04T15:09:00.002-04:00

I was very intrigued by this article from Christianity Today about the growing advocacy for premarital abstinence among people who make no claim of religious motivation. It's interesting that they offer more concrete considerations than most youth pastors do for why sex before marriage is generally a bad idea. But more interesting is the following comments about the value of this movement.
God's direction for our lives is good, both for raw practical reasons, and because it reflects the right relationship we are meant to have with God and all of Creation. this article surfaces both.
For my part, I hope that unchurched people who choose to remain celibate outside of marriage find some comfort and support in this movement. Theirs is a lonely conviction.

Two things not to be discussed in proper company

2008-06-04T13:54:00.002-04:00

Religion and Politics are crucial topics but are rarely addressed with sincerity and humility in the media. Today I blog-hopped my way to this very interesting piece on how Barack Obama's faith informs his political role. Obama says:
Well, look, obviously as a Christian I believe in the values that are laid out in Scripture. I reflect on them often. I reflect on the lessons of Scripture as I’m going through the day. I pray frequently. I wrestle with doubts and try to figure out whether I’m doing the right thing, am I operating in an honest and moral way that is true to my religious precepts? Sometimes I may falter. So I guess the point is, I approach my work or I guess my faith is part of everything that I do. And I don’t think there’s a clear separation between my faith and how I try to live my life. And I certainly think that part of my motivation in the work that I do is a belief in what I consider the core precept of Christianity in addition to Christ dying for your sins and that is treating your brothers and sisters as you would have them treat you. A sense of empathy and a belief in the golden rule. And that’s what I try to apply to my work and what I do every day.

Regardless of your view of his stance on issues (I tend to like his positions for the most part), this is the kind of sincerity I appreciate.

3 sides to every story

2008-05-16T17:03:00.002-04:00

One of my favourite writers these days is The Suburban Christian, Al Hsu. His blog and book have been travelling companions for me. Today I read a piece from him that was truly enlightening.
Al posted reports on the same conversation from pastors on the traditional fundamentalist and emergent perspectives. It shows just how far we need to go to even be able to engage with one another effectively, let alone come to understanding and acceptance.
I find myself wishing I could interpret what I think both sides are saying for the benefit of the other. Not that I have the ability or credibility to accomplish that, though I do have some allegiances with both camps and their positions.
I'm really hoping there will be a pile of comments posted on Al's blog to further this discussion.

Better Than What I Want

2008-04-29T14:23:00.002-04:00

Friends of mine keep revealing to me through their lives how very shallow my vision of Christian community really is. Today I read an article that made that all too clear.
When we planted our (now closed) church we had some honest discussions about what we wanted it to be like. We talked about having a strong sense of community, and what that actually meant. It was an easy discussion when we were all imagining our preferred co-congregants. We all wanted to find some best friends for ourselves and our children. We also wanted sincerely to be a place for otherwise outcast people to be welcomed. But what that would look like was much more complex.
We really enjoyed having one older man (call him Jim) attend our church. Jim was friendly and positive, although he had a hard time communicating and we didn't always know what he was trying to tell us. We liked having him at church and small group. I miss him since we closed down last summer.
A more challenging thought was what would we do if Karla Homolka, who had recently been released from prison, showed up one Sunday. I know a church that had to deal with a halfway house for sex offenders on their block and had to decide how to wrestle with their desire for safety for their community and their desire for hope for these hated felons.
Community isn't easy when it is most real.

Getting it right

2008-04-14T13:53:00.002-04:00

I've recently started teaching the youth Sunday School class some weeks at the church we're attending. It's very interesting to hear these young people express their faith and try, on my part, to both affirm what they have understood so far and challenge them to broaden their perspectives.
In every expression of the Christian faith there is something lacking. The truth and grace of Jesus is so elaborate it can't be properly expressed in any one paradigm. That's probably why even Jesus could only explain it a variety of images, stories, and actions. It's big, complex, and wondrous.
I find myself tending towards criticism of the way other people express their faith far too often. I catch myself nitpicking and looking for the flaws instead of appreciating the admittedly incomplete portrayals of what God is really up to in all this mess.
Al Hsu from InterVarsity Press wrote an excellent article on this that I read today. It's well worth the few minutes to read and much longer to consider implications.
Al also wrote one of my favourite recent books; The Suburban Christian, and has an interesting blog. I'd gladly buy him dinner...

I used to be a pastor

2008-04-06T22:24:00.002-04:00

This evening I was the guest speaker at 24/7 church in Burlington where my friend Kip Philp is the pastor. They've been meeting for a little over a year now in what until quite recently was a fairly notorious dance club. It was good to b with the people there. It's a much more diverse congragation than I expected based on the location.

I really enjoyed having the opportunity to speak. It's been several months since I've done a sermon; and I realised how much I miss it.

A few years ago I really loved guest speaking. It was a rush to go somewhere new and meet new people. I confess I also liked the almost guaranteed affirmation that came after the service from having heart level conversations and praying with people who didn't really know me. It seems like everyone loves the unfamiliar voice; and of course they would usually get the best message I'd done over the previous several months...

I don't get so pumped for guesting anymore. I'm still happy to do it to help out and I think I have some ability/gift in communicating that I like to exercise. But really, without the ongoing relationship with the congregation there's a big piece missing for me. I want to be involved in seeing what God does among a group of people over time. Being able to teach strategically with a sense of long term momentum is a lot more gratifying now.

I wonder if I'll ever have that opportunity again.

I hate to be another guy who "used to be a pastor". Theologically I believe every Christian is equally a part of what God is doing, but at an emotional level I had a strong association with being the acknowledged leader of a church. Maybe that was a problem. Maybe God knows I need to find my identity only in being His adopted child, and not in what I do in any particular role. I always said pastor wasn't about the business card or paycheque but just expressing my sincere care for people. I guess now we'll find out if that's true.

I would love to work as a pastor again. I feel that way more strongly tonight than I have in a while. I love what I'm doing now with Catalyst Foundation too, no desire to do something else right now.

I do wonder though...

The Little Vagabond

2008-03-14T13:49:00.003-04:00

As I type this I'm listening to Geoff Ryan from the salvation Army speak about the real meaning of community. He's got the credibility to talk about it. He's the pastor at one of the most interesting churches in Canada, 614 Regent Park. He's someone I want to take to lunch sometime soon.

He opened his message with this poem from William Blake:
Dear mother, dear mother, the church is cold,
But the ale-house is healthy and pleasant and warm;
Besides I can tell where I am used well,
Such usage in Heaven will never do well.

But if at the church they would give us some ale,
And a pleasant fire our souls to regale,
We'd sing and we'd pray all the live-long day,
Nor ever once wish from the church to stray.

Then the parson might preach, and drink, and sing,
And we'd be as happy as birds in the spring;
And modest Dame Lurch, who is always at church,
Would not have bandy children, nor fasting, nor birch.

And God, like a father rejoicing to see
His children as pleasant and happy as he,
Would have no more quarrel with the Devil or the barrel,
But kiss him, and give him both drink and apparel.

Now, that's my kind of church!

Using the Bible

2008-02-26T14:08:00.003-05:00

Christianity Today (which I don't always agree but often find interesting) has produced an interesting tool to help people assess the way we understand and interpret the Bible.
This is a far more important issue than some people realise because so much of what confuses and divides Christians comes down to this issue. How literally do we use the Bible and how much do we believe it is open to interpretation and opinion? Unfortunately, fewer and fewer of the church people I talk to are even willing to consider the positions of the Bible thoughtfully, let alone acknowledge the biasses that inform and affect us.
I'd love to be on a church staff or leadership team that took this quiz and used it as a tool for a significant discussion on the hows and whys of using the Bible. It might be challenging and even heated at times, but it would reveal a level of interaction that would have the potential to bring about something powerful and transformative to a church.
I find myself in tension on a lot off this. I want to hold to a conservative view that holds Scripture as important and relevant, but I resist some of the hardness and apparent insensitivity I see in most conservatives.
That being the case I'm not surprised that I scored a 62 and rate as a moderate.
I wonder if that will change over time?

Brilliant by Association?

2008-02-24T21:56:00.003-05:00

Today I'm reminded again how many truly phenomenal people touch my life. It is humbling to share conversation or even just read their words and get a sense that these are people who are grasping something of reality that is still beyond me. Is it a goood thing or a bad one that this seems to happen to me quite often?

Mike and Sarah Eggert are friends who have left the safety and comfort of Oakville, Ontario for the uncertainties of Malawi, taking three sons including a baby with them when they went. They said (with a sincerity that makes cliches absolutely real) "We believe we're safer in Malawi obeying God than we could ever be in Oakville doing something other than what He's calling us to". I love and miss them, and I deeply admire them. Read this and you'll get a sense of why I admire them so much.

I also got to spend several hours this evening with a family who, in the three years I've known them, have taught me how deep and vast God's idea of community really is. Paul and Elizabeth Millar are thoughtful, fascinating, and a lot more like Jesus than I am. Every time we get oour families together I realise how much more frequently I need to do so. You can only get a vague glimpse of how outstanding they are in their simple normalcy from Paul's blog but it will get you started.

I could easily go on and tell you about several others, but there are too many and it's too hard to choose, and those are the ones who inspired me today.

Nobody Cares

2008-02-04T09:27:00.000-05:00

Most church leaders realise that the majority of visitors to a church come through the personal invitation from a friend or family member. But we can't figure out why our regulars aren't bringing anyone with them week by week, month by month. A good article I came across this morning gives a reasonable explanation; http://www.davidfoster.tv/?p=657#

I've often said, even in this space I think, that we're all evangelists for something. David Foster raises the same ppoint from another persepctive. I admit that right now I'm one of those people attending a church that I'm not excited enough about to invite friends and neighbours. I've even discussed that with our pastor and staff. I really want it to be a church I can bring people to. There are just a few (maybe a few more than a few) things that are in the way so far. What I am excited about is that there are some people in our church who are happily inviting others and I really believe there is a desire to become more that kind of church.

The Overgrown Cross

2008-01-13T21:31:00.000-05:00

Outside the church window this evening I could see through the rain a hydro pole illuminated among the trees by the street light. It looked like a cross overgrown with other trees, branches obscuring but not completely obliterating the familiar shape.

I feel the same: for myself, my church, and my community. The cross hasn't left us, but it's hard to see with so much surrounding it, hiding it, taking its stark form and making it uncertain.

It's actually more beautiful this way. More artistic and appealing; especially in this light. It's a much more organic image.

I suppose it could be a hopeful image. New life emerging from the raw reality of what it takes to make all things right and restore hope. But tonight it looks like something else to me. It looks like reality is being lost. I can't see what I know is most important. I wish I could away the obstructions and see clearly...

I Object

2008-01-10T14:37:00.000-05:00

Recently I heard some friends complaining that church is just another business, run by the same principles and practices as any for profit company and with the same (lack of) regard for people. I generally don't agree with them for the most part, but they've had some experiences that have really hurt them and helped them reach that (tragic) understanding.
I don't agree, but I do understand. It is often true that important decisions in churches are made with a strong eye to the financial bottom line and the strategic plan. Of course, churches do need to be financially responsible and there's no reason to assume that God is any less present in the development of a strategic plan than He may be in a moment of passionate worship. Where I have an issue is when decisions are being made with a sense of objectivity.
It happens sometimes at tough meetings that someone will suggest that we need to look at something without our personal bias and be more reasonable. There are times when that is helpful, but it feeds a false and dangerous delusion that we can and should be objective in our spiritual leadership.
The postmodern scholars have shown us that there is really no such thing as raw objectivity. All of us have overt and subtle influences that prevent us from acting in a totally distanced and unbiassed way. And that is a part of what it is to be made in the image of God.
The Christian story is of a God who refuses to remain objective, ever.
God chooses to create, to have relationship with his creation, to temper his justice and anger, to forgive, to abandon his glory and enter our reality, to suffer the indignities and the atrocity of death, and to promise to return to rectify all that has gone wrong from the beginning. Nothing could be less objective.
Our appeals to objectivity are usually just a way of saying that we think our biasses are better than someone else's. We think we're being reasonable because we can see the other person's subjective priorities; but we ignore or miss our own.
I would love to see a church leadership take the time to be open about their preferences and prejudices and then have a real conversation about an issue with the understanding that the lack of objectivity is part of their calling. (I've seen a couple glimpses of it and I will always admire the people who had that much courage).
Please, never treat me objectively, I am not merely an object, God's church is not an object, theology is not an object, and we are not meant to treat people as anything that diminishes them as beloved recipients of God's truth and grace.

Who's in charge here?

2008-01-06T21:25:00.000-05:00

Pastors and theologians sometimes get fired up talking about theories of Biblical authority. The short version of what they write books and books about could go something like this:
The conservative (or "traditional") argument is that the Bible is entirely true, reliable, and free from error. Taken literally, it is the only appropriate guide for life and faith. It's commands are absolute and need to be obeyed everywhere and at all times.
The liberal ("or postmodern") argument is that the Bible was written by human authors who may have made mistakes and certainly reflected the biases and misconceptions of their culture. It can't be taken as any kind of compulsory source of obligation, but only as a questionable historical record that may or may not have anything important to tell us today.
The thing is, even though those may be caricatures of the views; most people who aren't pastors or theologians really don't understand or care about the whole issue. It doesn't touch our lives in ways we notice as life goes by.
Some people bemoan the loss of the Bible being seen as the authority for life. Usually they are the same people who worry about the loss of other kinds of traditional authority based on credentials, titles, experience, or whatever objective standard they were once able to rely on. They critique the way people "these days" don't trust anyone except their friends.
An honest consideration would reveal that authority has always been based more on relationship than on any objective value. It is only the modernist claim to objectivity that presumes that there is one absolute interpretation of the Bible and that these printed pages can or should control behaviour for us.
Take a few minutes to see the more than a dozen times in John 4-9 where Jesus appeals to his relationship with God the Father as grounds for his work and ministry. It was the relationship, not anything else that made him worthy of respect. He then went out of his way to prove himself repeatedly to his friends and followers.
So its true that there is less and less trust of anyone who makes claims to objective truth or authority "these days". But what if that isn't really any different than it always has been? What if supposed objective authority was really based on trusting certain views and systems because they had worked for people we found reliable?
I may be a heretic but it seems to me that we've always based our confidence on relationships; so its a good thing that we can have a relationship with God to help sort out all these authority issues among all the different interpretations competing for our obedience.

Blue Christmas

2007-12-01T20:13:00.000-05:00

This evening I went with my parents to an event called Blue Christmas. One of our local funeral homes offers it at this time of year as a generic memorial for everyone who has lost loved ones over the last twelve months. (My grandfather died some months ago).
We put lights on a Christmas tree and lit candles, listened to a beautiful piece of music, and heard a couple brief reflections on grief. It was an experience of shared suffering and giving permission for people to face their feelings.
What stood out to me was the need (in respect for the widely varied spiritual beliefs or lack thereof represented in attendance) for there to be no reference to God, heaven, prayer, or the like. There were a couple very nonspecific suggestions of something beyond the material life, but it was so couched in careful sensitivity as to be essentially nonexistent.
What can you offer grieving people if you don't offer even a totally generic faith? Not much really. Acceptance of grief, acknowledgment of confusion, rituals and symbols with no clear meaning.
You can help people look back and honour memories of their lost loved ones. But you can't say much of anything about the future. For people deep in grief the future can be extremely bleak; and unending sense of emptiness and loss.
The only help for grief is hope.
Hope is the realm of faith. Not any single faith in particular necessarily, but some form of faith.

Trade Secrets

2007-11-26T19:48:00.000-05:00

I think it was the US Army that used to recruit with the slogan "It's the toughest job you'll ever love". It's a good slogan, you can see why they chose it.
The thing is, I think I've heard a lot of other careers described with similar sentiments; pastoring, teaching, counseling, social work, nursing,...
At the risk of causing offense to a lot of people I really like and respect, I think many of those jobs really aren't that tough. At least they don't have to be.
I've seen some people in most of those fields who are really not excellent at what they do. The basic processes or systems of the field are sound enough that if you just follow along it works out a lot of the time. It's still a lot of work in most cases, but maybe not as incredibly hard as we tell ourselves.
That's not meant to suggest that a lot of people in these fields are coasting and generally incompetent; just that excellence is pretty rare.
Before I became a pastor, and certainly in my first few years of it, I bought into that. I had this sense that my role was incredibly difficult and I had to employ all my energies to fulfill the expectations. I was partly right I guess. It did take everything I had in me to try to meet the expectations.
As time went by I realised that I could be a whole lot more effective if I stopped trying so hard and gave up on the idea of being a great pastor; just accepted the role of being myself as best I can.
Of course it didn't turn out exactly as I hoped since I'm not a pastor anymore, so I guess I'm not one of the excellent ones.
Still, I really don't regret it. There were people who really wanted me to just play the part of pastor the way others did, and I refused. I couldn't feel right about that.
Bottom line is this I guess (after this rambling rant); there are lots of fields that are well developed enough that mediocre is actually pretty good. The only way to find out how capable we really are is to step outside the system and try something risky. In my case it didn't work out, our church plant closed and I'm going to be doing something else for a living for a while at least. But I'm glad to not be playing along.

p.s. I'm not saying everyone has to do what I did or that people who don't are mediocre. But if you're annoyed reading this and wondering if I've got you in mind as I write, you can feel free. You're probably wrong about my opinion of you, but if it makes you sincerely ask whether you're excellent or mediocre it's worth it to have you ticked...

What if we didn't know...

2007-11-25T21:39:00.001-05:00

Religion Profile:

We are considering an ancient religion that can now be found in widely differing expressions in many places around the world, though it may not be recognizable to it’s original founders.
Multiple divinities and many other spiritual beings can be identified in their sacred texts and worship, although they offer a mostly confusing explanation of themselves as monotheistic.
There is some dispute about the identity of the founder of the religion with two primary candidates, one of which claimed to have a supernatural vision of the former, though they never met in life. Many adherents claim to have similar visions with varying degrees of frequency. The prominence of mystical elements is common in the worship, though some make no personal claim of such experience and consider it suspect among others.
Another outstanding feature of their worship is the practice of ritualistic symbolic cannibalism. Some practice this only rarely, others at every gathering and even in private. Many use it as a rite of passage into adulthood.
Currently there are such wide varieties of expression in their worship gatherings that an outsider would be unlikely to see them as part of the same faith. The relative success of this religion is rooted in broad adaptability to cultures, though this causes a great deal of controversy among adherents who often argue that their own particular expression of the faith is the only one that is true to the founders.
There have been many dramatic and violent schisms which have become permanent, though there are occasional brief attempts to reconcile.
There is some confusion about the sacred texts. While there is general agreement that the title is “The Book” (English translation); the separate texts included within that cover vary significantly, and the degree to which they are considered authoritative or relevant causes further dispute.
Clearly, it is nearly impossible to describe this religion accurately because there is little that all adherents can agree on. The history is full of violence, conflict, and difficulty. It is ironic that the founder spoke of himself as the way, the truth, and the life and is worshipped as the Prince of Peace. Christianity is a very complex religion.

Kids and Careers

2007-11-20T21:30:00.000-05:00

Last weekend I had two interesting experiences.
Saturday night I went to a high school reunion to see some people I haven't spoken to in 16 years. Sunday we celebrated my oldest brother's 40th birthday.
It was good to talk with some old friends on Saturday night and get updates on their life stories. With few exceptions the conversations didn't go much beyond where we live and work and who we live with.
Maybe the reason I hesitated about going was partly because I'm not working right now (though I have just agreed to an interesting new position starting in February), and it's still a little tough to not be a pastor anymore.
But I think the real doubt was just that I didn't want to bother going to see people I haven't seen in so long if I wasn't going to see them again for another 16 years. As it turns out I enjoyed it and it was nice to catch up with folks. I'll have to see if it leads to any further contact.
For my brother's birthday we gave him 40 different beers from around the world. Which meant he really couldn't transport them home on the bus, so I got to spend an extra hour with him on the drive to Toronto. We had one of the best conversations I can remember. It started with typical work and relationship stuff, but before long we were discussing things that motivate us, give meaning to our lives, and the struggles that come when those things aren't working the way we want them to.
The bottom line is this; as much as I enjoyed Saturday night, I long for conversations like I had on Sunday. Kids and careers are central aspects of life (certainly mine). But for many of us there is something deeper happening under the surface that rarely gets touched. That's where I want to relate.

Maybe it's not that difficult...

2007-11-07T10:28:00.000-05:00

Everyone I know is an evangelist...Everyone.

It's something we do constantly without often having any intent or even awareness that we are doing it.

It rarely offends anyone, is most often done quite sensitively and leaves most people with a clear opportunity to respond.

We are all evangelists; sharing with friends, colleagues, and neighbours the good news we've discovered about restaurants, TV shows, and music.

Few of us hesitate to mention in conversation that we ate a good meal out last weekend. We're comfortable hearing that from a friend and naturally consider whether we might want to have a similar meal ourselves without feeling threatened. We feel free to ask more about the restaurant, where it is, how expensive it is, whether there's a dress code or not... We might even suggest going with out friend the next time they go.

We're also comfortable telling others about new friendships we've made in most cases without pressure. If there seems to be commonality between our two friends we might even suggest introducing them or doing something together.

But somehow when it comes to Jesus it takes on this ominous tone. We cramp up and feel overwhelmed and unequipped. Churches spend big money on Evangelism plans, courses, and materials. We hope that some other person with the gift of evangelism will take on this onerous burden.

Salespeople generally know that a personal reference is the most valuable marketing tool. We just bought a car from a dealer because they had given my parents a good deal and they gladly did the same for us.

I wonder what would happen if we just determined to speak as openly about our faith and our churches as we do of our favourite movies...

Obstructed Views

2007-10-15T20:12:00.000-04:00

At sports events and concerts sometimes people find themselves stuck behind a post or peering around the edge of the bleachers to see the action. At best it's an annoyance, and in most cases it's noted on the ticket so you've got some advance warning. The problem would be if somehow we thought that what we can see from behind the post was the whole game.

All too often that happens in our faith. Various obstacles interfere with us getting a clear view of Jesus. Sometimes it's our sin that gets in the way; but a lot of the time it can be caused by the churches we're a part of. We layer beliefs, doctrines, traditions, and practices on top of each other so much that I fear we've buried Jesus.

The problem is that it's nearly impossible to dig him out again since we usually don't know what the obstructions are...

The Imaginary Jesus

2007-09-23T23:25:00.000-04:00

This morning I led the service at St Mark's United Church where I grew up. It's always a challenge to know what to communicate to a group I don't know.
What we ended up digging into was Matthew 16 where Simon Peter realizes that Jesus really is the Christ, but then Jesus shows him that even that revelation wasn't complete.

I think pretty much everyone in our culture has some ideas about Jesus. We can imagine him to some degree depending on our background, experiences, and what we've been exposed to. If we take a few minutes and consider a few questions we can draft a picture of our own imaginary Jesus. Try these to get started:

1. When you imagine Jesus, what does he look like? (appearance, race,
build, clothing, setting, etc.)

2. When you imagine Jesus, what sorts of things do you most often picture
him doing?

3. What do you imagine Jesus saying?

4. When you imagine Jesus, what emotions do you imagine him expressing?

5. What sort of political views do you imagine Jesus to have?

6. Who do you imagine Jesus hanging around with?

7. What do you imagine Jesus being passionate about?

8. What would your imaginary Jesus most likely say to you?

I'd love to hear some thoughts back!

Doing it right

2007-09-02T01:03:00.000-04:00

Last Sunday was the closing service for our church.
I really wasn't sure how any of us would react.
We tried to design a gathering that would be honest about the hurt and confusion many of us are feeling, but still ultimately focus on God's good faithfulness. I think we managed it...
There were a couple moments that really struck me hard. Knowing how disappointed some people were and still seeing them choose to sing songs honouring God was nearly overwhelming. Hearing pledges of continued faith as we prayed at the end of the service impacted me too.
So, as much as I do truly wish that we were continuing; there is some consolation in seeing that we were able to help one another deal with the emotions in a real way. After continually talking about authenticity the whole time we existed as a church it meant a lot to see us living it in a challenging time.
I don't know what might be next for our people. I know some are trying to figure out a way to explore possibilities of continuing in some form and that would really interest me. Still, there's certainly no guarantee of that coming together. In the mean time we've got to start looking for a church for our family.
This weekend I'm speaking (for what will probably be the last time) at Forestview Oakville. Again, I don't know if that will draw up some emotion. But I do know that I can go back there with a sense that what we did with the Hamilton congregation was risky, bold, and faithful. That's not a bad way to sign off.

This Time It's Personal

2007-08-21T22:24:00.000-04:00

It's been a long time since I've posted here. I've been updating the blog at my church fairly regularly over the last year and a half so you can catch up with my ponderings from then at: http://forestviewchurch.ca/Blogs/Chris/

The big news in my world is that the decision has been made to close down our congregation that I've been pastoring for the last 17 months. There's a lot of competing emotion and thoughts for me in this (it wasn't my choice). Still, I come back to a confidence that those who made the decision are people I trust and respect, even if I don't necessarily agree with them. I know that they are people of prayer who's sincere desire is to honour God and be caring towards people.

I don't know what will be next for me. The first priority is to do my best to help our congregation through this transition; whether that's into another church or into some new form of gathering together. After that I know I need to get some rest from the last seven years of church work and do the hard work of figuring out who I am if I'm not leading this church anymore. I'll also finally finish my Masters degree by Christmas.

More than likely this will become my outlet for the next few months. Feel free to hang around for the ride and chip in with your thoughts too.

An Inconvenient Lie

2007-01-10T21:09:00.000-05:00

Al Gore created global warming.

Yes, its entirely true and I will prove it right here and now. So pull up a comfy futon and a pleasurable beverage and sit at the feet of your instructor...

Many of you (okay, I know "many" people is a gross exaggeration of my readership, but I digress). Many of you have probably seen Gore's propaganda film "An Inconvenient Truth". I have not yet seen movie but why should that prevent me exposing it as a cheap means of seeking political office.

See, Gore is a keen observer of the American political scene and surely he has noted that throughout that history (at least in the last four years) it has been a sure means of election to create a major crisis and claim to be able to resolve it. Actually fixing anything doesn't seem all that important, at least if you're already in your second term.

So what should we do?

It's simple. We need to refuse to vote for Al Gore. It's our duty as Canadians!

So, Gore created global warming. He personally invented it and will use his movie to ensure he gets to be president. A shrewd move isn't it!?!

"Koino-nicotine"

2006-09-25T23:16:00.000-04:00

New friend Dave Stone is an interesting guy, he's the only person I know who ever attempted a Christian Keg Party (not a roaring success but you gotta love the creativity).
After church on Sunday we were talking about the real source of Christian unity and we realised that the Church has something to learn from smokers. (yup, I said it)
Too often church people find their unity in shared morality, shared politics, even shared activities. None of those things are necessarily bad, they're just not the things that are supposed to bring us together.
Remember the story Jesus told about the Pharisee and the tax collector at prayer (Luke 18 for those keeping score)...
Christian unity is properly based on one thing; we are messed up people who know that we need Jesus desperately in this life and for whatever happens when this life is over.
Finding our commonality in all that other stuff doesn't make us Christian, it makes us religious, political, and demographically consistent. We're the Pharisees

Smokers understand this way better than we do. We all see them, the social lepers huddling in uncomfortable herds outside the buildings where respectable people mingle. They try to ignore the scornful glances as they publically prove that there is something unhealthy in their lives. There's an almost admirable honesty in it really.

Every once in a while I experience something like that among God's people. We actually look each other in the eye and admit that we're screwups and we can't get it right. In those all too rare moments something like the presence of God breaks through.

We're told all the time that what people are looking for is community. How sad is it that they're more likely to find it in a haze of tobacco smoke than in a worship service...

Why and How

2006-09-17T23:48:00.000-04:00

There seem to be a lot of situations in which I'm discovering that I've mistaken the "How" of faith matters for the "Why".
For example; for a lot of years I thought the point of the Creation narrative in Genesis 1,2 was for me to be able to prove that the evolution my science teachers, friends, and family talked about was untrue. I don't see it like that anymore. In fact, I'm honestly not sure how old the world is or what mechanism God used to bring it into existence. What I am confident of is that some of the things I was taught in church were wrong (definitely in tone, probably in content.) The purpose of the Creation story is to remind us that all of the universe was made on purpose and for a purpose. It's not primarily about the how, it's the why.
Similarly, I thought for a long time that Jesus came to Earth to enable my personal salvation and to start his church. I'm pretty sure I had that wrong too. Jesus came to establish his kingdom. The church (and even me) are the tools he is employing to that purpose. The why and the how.
I've got this feeling I'm just scratching the surface of what all this is going to mean...

Labour day, Baseboards, and Talking To God

2006-09-06T22:02:00.000-04:00

I spent a lot of the long weekend installing new baseboards and quarter round in my house. It's a funny thing. If you walked into my living room you probably wouldn't notice that it was done, but somehow it makes a real difference in the atmosphere of the room. It just brightens the space and makes it feel more complete with the new white baseboards rather than the old plain wood ones. It's a subtle difference in terms of observations but in terms less visceral it's dramatic.
So what? Well, in my typical spiritual ruminations I was comparing baseboards to prayer. I think a lot of prayer is essentially invisible. And I certainly can't prove that it makes a significant difference if someone wants observational proof. Yet somehow praying is dramatic in my life. Not so much for the objective answers, but for the less measurable but more significant way my life beomes brighter and more complete (not better necessarily, at least in the way most of us consider better).
Now, here's another thought. I never would have chosen to do the baseboards without Kristen's prodding. I wouldn't have thought it would make a real difference in the space or be worth the time and money involved. I was wrong (nothing newsworthy about that, Kristen is almost always right about household aesthetics). Often I need someone to draw me into prayer because I don't believe or can't remember that it really makes any difference.

Books and Getting "Tagged"

2006-08-20T01:17:00.000-04:00

Another Book Quiz
Tagged by Chatter (I don't really know what tagging is but she put this on her blog and told me to do it to).
1. One book that changed your life: The Jesus I Never Knew - Philip Yancey
2. One book that you've read more than once: Everything I Really Need To Know I Learned in Kindergarten - Robert Fulghum (The whole book, not just the famous bit)
3. One book that you'd want on a desert island: Overdue book from the reserve section of the university library. I know they'd find me.
4. One book that made you laugh: Stupid White Men - Michael Moore
5. One book that made you cry: A New Kind Of Christian - Brian McLaren
6. One book that you wish had been written: What I'm Thinking - My Wife
7. One book that you wish had never been written: Great Expectations - High School nightmare
8. One book that you're currently reading: Quantum Zoo
9. One book that you've been meaning to read: Shelves full, I'll go with Through Painted Deserts - Donald Miller
10. Now tag 5 people: I doubt 5 people will ever read this...

Quantum Physics!?!?

2006-08-14T22:15:00.000-04:00

So on my vacation I decided I wasn't going to read anything church related. I picked up a book by someone I heard interviewed on the CBC a few months ago. It's called Quantum Zoo and the idea is to take the most difficult aspects of theoretical physics and makee them understandable to someone without the background; like me.
Okay, I can't say the pages flew by or that I really get it all, but I did grasp some of the basic ideas on the outer edge of science. I guess it's not typical pleasure readding but it did stretch my brain in a new direction.
Most interesting to me is the idea that a lot of the assumptions I was taught in school are not entirely true. At it's most basic levels the universe doesn't play by the rules it's supposed to.

2 things that intrigue me:
-the ultimate truth of the universe is light, not time or space. The Bible says a lot about light as God's first creation, an aspect of his character, and the role his pople are supposed to paly in the world (Discuss)
-The endless debate about the source and age of the world really is pointless. Time and space are not necessarily consistent. What's more important than how or when the world began is why and by who...

Subjects and Objects

2006-08-14T21:56:00.000-04:00

I've been thinking about the words "subject" and "object" lately. What do they mean in light of faith?

I want to be a subject. I want to be something that people talk about and consider; an active player in the dramas of life. I want to be worthy of careful study for those who wonder what I'm all about.
More than those though I want to be a subject of the king. One who lives under the care and direction of one who knows infinitely more than I do and loves completely. I want to be willing to subject myself to any challenge and cost in response to that love as I discover more and more about who my king really is.

In contrast, I don't want to be an object, one who is passive, one who stands in the way and disputes things. I don't want to be someone who life happens to.

Or maybe I just spend too much thinking about words...

2006-07-06T22:58:00.000-04:00