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My friend recently included me in a facebook dialogue that she started in order to think about how the church might better be the church.  Her letter is below.  This post will be long, but it is worth it and may turn into a series of posts.  Comments are not only welcomed, but encouraged.  : )  I pray any who read these words will show me much grace in putting them to paper as I seek to refine the chaos that is often my brain.

Everyone,
I’ve spent much time in recent months deeply in the desert of prayer. I love our church, its people, its mission… its hope. More than anything, I treasure the life giving transformation that happens so often there (my son finding true life, as the most shining example).

I’m sharing a few thoughts I’ve had that would provide a way for us to grow in the blessing of glorifying God through what we already have and do in slightly different ways, as well as a few simple new ways to bring Him glory and us to a more familial place.

The main point here is to begin a discussion with a larger community within our larger “C” Community and gather thoughts and possible volunteers to help us find the steps in our new dance with the Holy Spirit in the diaspora God blessed us with to bring us closer to him in these financially creative times.

Be blessed — in the freedom to know exactly who you are (and are not;-) in the hope and possibility of a God who loves us enough to call us to accountability.

Love,
10-weed

Our church showers amazing love & grace for those well-connected in the church. What of those on periphery, not sure how to get in? Do we have a volunteer base set up for helping them with funerals, like a funeral committee of sorts, to provide for their needs? Bringing lunch, helping with reception after the funeral, childcare, household help, food donations, etc.?

Art Gallery – With so many gifted artists in our faith community, and so much wall space, why are we not celebrating those gifts by hanging them for a month or quarter? (Understandably, given the economic situation, interested artists should pull together a plan for what they would like to showcase, where & plan to invest their own time in glorifying God by setting those on display themselves after gaining approval.)

Events around town section – to encourage our faith community to be present in the world outside of our church walls as a way to carry the gospel they seek to live into the lives of others by fellowshipping in the midst of life??

Website noodling:
Not just what we do at our church, but *why* we believe we are called to do it.

What do we aim to teach our children, young adults, varying adult classes? And why?

What are the classes studying now, or planning to study in the near future?

Major theological ideas we celebrate:
What are they??
(Baptism, reconciliation, communion, confirmation…)

Pertaining to valuable pre-education:
What topics are covered?
Expectations participants should have
What it is that they are doing from a faith perspective, as in bringing their child forth for baptism
Expectations parents (if applicable) should have
The faith community’s role/responsbility in these events, and in the lives of its members

Well, I have no idea how much of this will apply, but below are my thoughts of in response to what is mentioned above. This is my first response kind of deal so there is not a great deal of refinement of these ideas at this point. Anyway, here ’tis:

• I think you hit the nail on the head with childcare. While I don’t have children, I have heard about this dynamic from a few different places. It is frustrating for younger generations where both husband and wife work to be involved in the life and work of the church when there is no childcare available. I think it was a book I read named “Tribal Church” by Rev. Carol Howard Meritt who talked about a church (maybe hers?) where they had child care available whenever the doors were open for any church related “function” whether it is a meeting or a Bible study.
• It seems to me that another area of frustration for both older and younger generations is the inclusion of young adults. In some circles, the young adults are included with the “youth” ministry. While there are definitely similarities in format and so on, the life issues that young adults deal with are significantly different. There are struggles on both sides for sure, but the young adults (and youth) aren’t just the future of the church, they are the church in the same way that the generations that have gone before them are. And they have a lot to share if they are invited not to the table of Christ as passive participants but as people whose thoughts and ideas are validated and put into practice as legitimate ministry ideas. Lack of experience doesn’t mean a lack of good ideas….it just means those ideas may need more support of those who have gone before them.
• Something that has also given me food for thought are the niches of the community that are in need of more assistance. Groups that come to mind: – Single parents: offer free child care – People from other countries: offer classes on English idioms, etc. (these people are often much smarter than we give them credit for becuase they are not always able to put their thoughts into English as well as a mative speaker. But I often ask myself, “Self, can I speak their language?” The answer is always no unless it is French and even in that I am on a 3rd grade level (if that) so I respect anyone who is pursuing a career or education in a language that is not their native tongue.)
• Those with developmental/physical disabilities: It seems to me that it is not just important that these folks are a part of the body of Christ in thought or ideal, but in reality and action. Are these folks attending your services? Are these folks invited to be integral members of committees and serving as deacons who pass the collection plates and assist with communion and other visible events? While many times we feel these folks are disadvantaged (even the term “disability” is not helpful though it is maybe a bit better than “handicapped”), the reality is that in many aspects they are probably much more equipped for ministry. 
• Talking about race – Do people in our church (whatever church that may be) feel comfortable talking about race and ethnicity?  In an effort to make sure no one was offended, I feel as though I grew up ignoring differences so there was no possibility of offending anyone.  This is not helpful.  The language we use to talk about race and ethnicity is also not helpful.  For those of us white folks, how many know what caucasian is?  Most of us aren’t actually caucasian.  Not are all of us white folks Anglos either to use another common word.  The diversity of humanity is beyond any system of categorization that the IRS or anyone else comes up with.  It seems to me that even if we are welcoming of others (whatever “other” is for each of us) in theory, if we aren’t comfortable talking about the differences in perception and aren’t willing to validate another persons way of doing something it is no longer about Christ.  At this point it is about how we are doing something and this is stifling to the Spirit and the Body of Christ. 

These thoughts both humble and challenge me.  Their incompleteness is heartbreaking.  And their lack of wings to fly into the face of the status quo are debilitating to me as well as the church.

Riddled: a poem

i am riddled
riddled by self doubt
my insecurities often
get the best of me
even when i
seek
to leave them
behind behind
this face of mine
is an entanglement
of complexities
that often
reveal
themselves as
liabilities rather than
capabilities
hear me

I realized something about myself today.  I realized that I am apprehensive when it comes to talking about race or ethnicity.  I am terrified I am going to insult someone!  See, when I was growing up, the way my culture interacted with racial differences was to not interact with racial differences.  It was too charged.  So now I find myself unable to confidently navigate through discussions in this arena.  There are so many terms flying around about how to refer to different people groups: Hispanic vs. Latino/a, African-American vs. Black, Anglo vs. Caucasian…it is maddening.  I also find myself apprehensive about interacting with people from different cultures.  Not because I don’t want to, but because I feel unequipped.  I was not brought up in a racist family, nor do I feel as though the communities I was influenced by were racist.  It seems as though those who I was influenced by in relation to race and ethnicity were content with overlooking differences thinking that would be the best way to overcome racism.  But it seems to me that this is insufficient.  It seems to me that until we can in fact celebrate these differences we will not be able to overcome racism and ethnocentrism.  And so I will continue to take steps forward in understanding, appreciating, and loving those of my brothers and sisters who bring much to the table through their culture and the way in which they see the world.

So it’s the end of my first full semester of seminary at Princeton Theological Seminary.  It has gone by much too fast.  I wish I could slow things down a bit.  There is so much pressure to learn things quickly.  This works if you are not trying to learn things in depth and connect information, but such is not the case with me.  I am learning that connections are very important to me.  And I have never said it quite that way before I let my fingers do the talking.  It seems to me that learning is a very personal thing.  Personal in that it should not be…institutionalized.  And yet that is exactly what we have done.  In learning and in worshiping.  Putting boundaries around things in the attempt to organize things and make them easier to understand.  And yet the opposite is accomplished.  We understand less because we sever the links.  Can you really truly only talk about “Christian History” without at the same time talk about theology, Christology,  soteriology, philosophy, politics, economics, and …?  So why do we do this?  To try and measure someone’s intelligence and ability to learn and understand?  As if a letter grade can really capture the essence of understanding.  I feel institutionalized education merely provides us lessons in…how to play the game.  That’s the only way I can think of it at this point.  But the first and second verses in 1 Corinthians 13 takes on new meaning for me here:

If I speak in Greek and Hebrew…and can fathom all mysteries and knowledge but have not love, I am nothing.

My point here is not about love, as wonderful as love is, but rather that knowledge is not power, contrary to the popular sentiment.  If there is any truth in this statement it is merely because we–society, humanity–have granted power to those who seem to be knowledgeable so we don’t have to rely on the Spirit to lead and guide as we discern what God would have us do.  At this point my thoughts are jumbled, but I assure you this thread has not run out but is weaving an afghan in my left cerebral hemisphere which now that I think of it, that very well might be the cause of my sinus problems.

Alas, I must translate some more Greek.

A Psalm of Lament for that which has not yet come and may never be

How long, O Lord, will you let me suffer?
How long will you let my waking and
my  sleeping be plagued by doubt?
Will you not come to the aid of Your child?
Will you not speak words of comfort to me
as my doubt and despair consume me?
Why are you so far from me when I am
so desperately in need of your healing presence?
Will you quell the storm within my soul?
Will you heal my soul or shall I die?
Shall I die inside as my desires are swept away?
Is there hope of something new?
Is there hope in You, O my God?
In You I have placed my trust,
O Lord, under your wings  I will rest.
For You, O Lord, will redeem what is lost
And bring forth life in places it has never been.
Selah.

I love my mom.  : )

A Guest Post by Rev. Russell Rathbun, author of nuChristian:::

I have learned so much about reading the Bible in the last few years from the Ancient Rabbis. I have long known that it was not a book of answers, but a book of the best questions there are about what it means to be human in relations ship with God.  But the Sages have such an amazing way of interacting with the scripture as if it were a living thing.  It is a kind of relational way of reading.

The rabbi’s, when they read, walk into the text.  They bring them selves to it and step across the edge of the scroll onto its body, bouncing a little, believing it will hold their weight.  And then on hands and knees crawl through the furrows of words, examining, brushing away dirt, not like an archeologist hoping to unearth some dead, hardened thing but like a botanist examining growth patterns and evidence of the soils mineral content, water content or whether there is deep clay and then, below the cracks in the soil from which the words emerged.  It is the cracks, the gaps that will allow them a way in.  The midrash is the exploration of those gaps.  Stories and parables, proverbs and legal case studies come from their time mining those gaps.  The text is changed by their having been there, there are footprints left behind, indentations, great hollowed out places and covered over, smoothed out portions.  The tents of opposing camps are set in the text side by side.  Conclusions leaned up against refutations, some decaying some flourishing.  Having once been an oral wisdom that required a speaker, and what is an individual speaker if not a unique interpreter, the text was not allowed to pass into stone, to become hardened, but was kept alive and fertile, even malleable but with deep and unknown roots.

Russell Rathbun (Author of nuChristian)

Image by: Judson Press

Recently, I was asked to do a book review of a book called nuChristian (no that’s not a typo…its actually ‘nu’ as in ‘new’) that is a response of sorts, but more so a contribution to the ongoing conversation that resulted from the book unChristian written by Dave Kinnamon (President of The Barna Group) and Gabe Lyon (founder of Fermi Group, now Q) and published in 2007.   Written by Rev. Russell Rathbun, one of the founding pastors of House of Mercy in St. Paul, Minnesota, the book is practical, pastoral, and conversational and based largely on Russel’s experience in the post-modern world.  As such Russell is upfront about the fact that he is writing from a “highly subjective, extremely relational perspective” (p. viii).  While some may discount his book since it is “subjective” and “relational,” I think it has a great deal of insight to offer and I am thankful Russell chose to write from this standpoint.

In the Forward of the book, Shane Claiborne writes, “I am convinced that if we lose a generation in the church, that loss won’t be because we failed to entertain them, but because we failed to dare them–to take the words of Jesus seriously and to do something about the things that are wrong in the world” (p. vi).  According to Shane, “Russell Rahtburn offers us that dare–to renew a Christianity that reminds the world of Jesus again” (p.vi).

There is a lot that I could say about this book.  I think Russell does a great job of responding to the data presented in The Barna Group’s study.  And I very much appreciate his straightforward but gracious approach in his response.  I think the two things that jumped out at me the most while reading Russell’s book were his discussion of ’scapegoating’ and his understanding of the way postmodern people read the Bible.

Russell goes into some depth to draw his reader into his understanding of ’scapgoating.’  While I was familiar with the term, I very much appreciated his efforts to place the concept within our current culture and context.  Early on in the book Russell writes, ”The kingdom of God is made up of every kind of person there is” (p. 3).  Though this may result in a response of “well, duh” from many people but let’s be honest…this is not the reality of many churches.  I personally have attended or visited many churches and found them to be demographically and ideologically anemic.  Many write this off as a result of people seeking to be with others who are like them (what Russell refers to as the “homogenous unit principle” as introduced by Dr. Donald A. McGraven [p. 1]).  I personally think this it’s a cop out.  Russell presents the idea that it is ’scapegoating’ (p. 6).  The bottom line in this seems to be that “scapegoating is when we find someone else like us, and we bond of the shared object of our envy, anxiety, and fear” (p. 6) since “one of us most be wrong” (p. 7) if there is a difference in desires or opinions.  It is harder for me to walk the line between scapegoating and judgement, but undoubtedly blaming any one certain group for the ills of society is unfounded at best.  I appreciate Russell’s efforts to drive the point home that “nuChristians listen to and consider the opinions of others” (p.88).  That coupled with the reality that “human perfections is an illusion” (p.88) makes a great case in and of itself for leaving the judgement of others to God.

As for Russell’s understanding of the way postmodern people read the Bible, he first explains that previous generations typically view scripture “as an instruction book, a guidebook, [or] a book of answers” (p.16).  In this line of thing, “there is only one right interpretation of every text in the Bible”  (p.16).  In the eyes of a postmodern person, if this is trued, they “see the Scriptures as something dead” (p. 17).  Instead of thinking of the Bible as an answer book, Russell proposes that we view it “as a book of really good questions” (p.18).  I really like that.  It took quite some time in my own life to see that if Christianity is just about following rules, you don’t need the Holy Spirit.  Or discernment.  Or a brain even.  Machines can follow rules.  Russell compares this to the use of a “checklist” saying, “you don’t need God when you have a checklist” (p.19).  I also found it very intriguing that Russell has found that “in [his] own ministry…highlighting the questions we find in Scriptures gives people permission to voice the questions they have always wondered about” (p. 18).  It’s rather boring, after all, when someone just provides you with all the answers.  Our brains can only take so much of that.  It’s boring, frankly, and it assumes that the person giving the who is on the receiving end of the answers doesn’t have the mental capacity to think through things on their own.  Our curiosity is primed, so to speak, when there is mystery.  And if there is one place there is enough ministry to last us until Christ returns, it’s God and the Bible.  Allowing people to wade through the deep waters that are the Scriptures will surely bear more fruit and cramming answers in their brains.

While I am sure I disagree with Russell on at least a few things, the more I think about it the more I understand agreeing isn’t really important.  It seems to me that Russell is daring us to hold our beliefs loosely and others tightly.  Love of God and Love of neighbor are linked inseparably.  And if loving my neighbor means challenging myself to be more accepting of ambiguity and more realistic about the limits of my own humanity I am all for it.  No one has it all figured out.  We can all learn from each other.  The question is, will we humble ourselves enough to allow that to happen?

He has showed you, O mortal, what is good.
And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God.

Micah 6.8

*for more reviews on this book, visit http://www.judsonpress.com/blogtour.cfm for a list of blogs included on this blog tour*

www.brianmclaren.net

I found this book while buying text books for my fall classes.  It was on the shelf for another class that after seeing the “text books,” I wish I could take.  Brian McLaren is one of my favorite authors not because I agree with everything that he says, but mostly because he has a lot of really great ideas and I feel as though I have become a better follower of Christ from conversing with Brian through his books.  Brian’s ideas are very challenging.  But I have found them challenging in a productive way.  There has been fruit as a result of the challenges he has issued to me as a reader of his books both in what he says and more importantly how he says it.

In Brian’s book More Ready Than You Realize, Brian invites readers into a dialogue that takes place between him and woman named April he meets at a book signing.  Though the words exchanged at the book signing were few, April read Brian’s book in one night and e-mailed him shortly after meeting him.  What starts as a short conversation turns into a spiritual friendship.  As Brian sees it, “engaging in spiritual friendship will not only help others become Christians, it will help us become better Christians, who love God more than ever…because our concept of God is expanding, deepinging, and growing more glorious through conversation with our seeking friends” (p.58).  If that’s not shocking, he goes on to say, “In essence, the Christians are “converted” first in authentic spiritual friendships” (p.58).

More Ready That You Realize is a breath of fresh air in the aftermath of televangelists and cookie-cutter salvation prayers in that he offers an authentic view of how people can come together and learn from each other and how in that, both those who have met Christ and those who aren’t sure if they want to, are more ready than they realize.  While Brian does not offer a simple system to “do things the right way,” if you have questions like…

How do I share my faith in Christ without being a Bible beater?

Do people really want to hear about Jesus anyway?

What if I don’t feel confident enough in my faith to tell people about it?

How am I supposed to know how to answer questions people ask me about Jesus, God, and the Bible?!?

This book will contribute to your faith journey in ways that are beneficial for you personally, as well as those you encounter on the way.

For more information about Brian and his books and speaking ministry, visit http://www.brianmclaren.net/.

(McLaren, Brian D. More Ready Than You Realize. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2006.)