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?
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Brilliant by Association?
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.
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.
Monday, February 04, 2008
Nobody Cares
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.
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.
Sunday, January 13, 2008
The Overgrown Cross
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 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...
Thursday, January 10, 2008
I Object
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.
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.
Sunday, January 06, 2008
Who's in charge here?
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.
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.
Saturday, December 01, 2007
Blue Christmas
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.
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.
Monday, November 26, 2007
Trade Secrets
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...
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...
Sunday, November 25, 2007
What if we didn't know...
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.
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.
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Kids and Careers
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.
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.
Wednesday, November 07, 2007
Maybe it's not that difficult...
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...
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...
Monday, October 15, 2007
Obstructed Views
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...
Sunday, September 23, 2007
The Imaginary Jesus
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!
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!
Sunday, September 02, 2007
Doing it right
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.
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.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
This Time It's Personal
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.
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.
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
An Inconvenient Lie
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!?!
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!?!
Monday, September 25, 2006
"Koino-nicotine"
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...
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...
Sunday, September 17, 2006
Why and How
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...
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...
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
Labour day, Baseboards, and Talking To God
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.
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.
Sunday, August 20, 2006
Books and Getting "Tagged"
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...
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...
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