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Tomorrow a good friend takes off on a plane for half way around the world... No cell phone, no suitcase, and no set schedule accompany this man - only freedom.
Tomorrow my wife also leaves for the day. She goes off to a job she loves and in a career that she is committed to joyfully because of what she brings to others, and the gift that serving them is to her. Although cell phone, papers, and work bag go along with her... so does a distinct freedom.
What must a man do to be 'free' if it seems like freedom means two nearly diametrically opposed things?
Hopefully the blog entries that follow might offer me (and you) some clarity on these questions.
I just hope that it is not another 6 months before my next post.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Monday, August 24, 2009
Reflections on BBQ and Brimstone...
Yesterday, I was sitting under the tracks of the MindEraser at Elitch Gardens, and with the noise of joyfully screaming youngsters in the background - I posed a question to my friend Sean.
I asked what his thoughts on experiencing God in worship were recently.
Among his answers (very insightful and honest), he noted that part of his time in worship is spent simply asking the question: "am I living the way I should be?"
I made a mental note about how it struck me when Sean said this simple line. I began to realize that so often I over-think worship and how we are to encounter the living God. I often think of reflection of Sean's nature as regulatory, guilt-filled and legalistic. But really, is there anything that can lead more to freedom and peace than tossing all of ones life before God and letting him pick through it and gently let me know what is good for me and what is not?
I realize that this is much easier said than done. I feel that most folks don't need someone to tell them that they have done things that are wrong, but instead someone to create a space for them to process their life and decisions - good and bad. I also found something so simple, deep and beautiful about Sean's insight, and even with the antiquated, evangelical images that this notion conjured up in my mind.
I realize that there have been many wounds and misconceptions doled out by the traditional, "are you livin' right with God?," preacher. But, there is a beauty in simply reflecting on a daily basis on such questions:
Am I living/loving like Jesus?
Am I giving all I can to the poor and those in need?
Am I giving my heart to my wife, kids, or friends as much as I should?
Where do my daily priorities fall?
Quite often I feel I could be quite satisfied and fulfilled singing a few hymns and hearing a simple message at a quaint country church, shooting the breeze and asking the above questions with good friends over a beer and BBQ that afternoon.
In theory and practice, is post-post-modern synonymous with post simplicity?
I asked what his thoughts on experiencing God in worship were recently.
Among his answers (very insightful and honest), he noted that part of his time in worship is spent simply asking the question: "am I living the way I should be?"
I made a mental note about how it struck me when Sean said this simple line. I began to realize that so often I over-think worship and how we are to encounter the living God. I often think of reflection of Sean's nature as regulatory, guilt-filled and legalistic. But really, is there anything that can lead more to freedom and peace than tossing all of ones life before God and letting him pick through it and gently let me know what is good for me and what is not?
I realize that this is much easier said than done. I feel that most folks don't need someone to tell them that they have done things that are wrong, but instead someone to create a space for them to process their life and decisions - good and bad. I also found something so simple, deep and beautiful about Sean's insight, and even with the antiquated, evangelical images that this notion conjured up in my mind.
I realize that there have been many wounds and misconceptions doled out by the traditional, "are you livin' right with God?," preacher. But, there is a beauty in simply reflecting on a daily basis on such questions:
Am I living/loving like Jesus?
Am I giving all I can to the poor and those in need?
Am I giving my heart to my wife, kids, or friends as much as I should?
Where do my daily priorities fall?
Quite often I feel I could be quite satisfied and fulfilled singing a few hymns and hearing a simple message at a quaint country church, shooting the breeze and asking the above questions with good friends over a beer and BBQ that afternoon.
In theory and practice, is post-post-modern synonymous with post simplicity?
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Playing Duck, Duck, Damned...?
I had to chuckle when I heard an author speak of door to door type evangelism as a big game of "Duck, Duck, Damned." :)
There have been a ton of thoughts and ideas running through my mind as of late about how we do things like: evangelize, talk about Jesus, and "make disciples of all nations."' My gut instinct is usually to wince when someone is talking about "going out to evangelize." I begin to wonder who will be ducked and who might be intelligent enough to be "damned?"
I have been reading a book that is focusing on the "Reformission" of the church. How can we connect with people, our culture and share the shalom of Christ, in a way that makes sense to unchurched and de-churched immersed in today's culture. During my reading of this book and simply trying to live this way vocationally and personally - two ideas have really stood out thus far.
The first one I wrote about in a blog for Hope Community Church (hopesatellite.blogspot.com) on 6/9/09. Acts 17 finds Paul in the city of Athens - speaking with the philosophers and thinkers of the day. Sidenote: what a life to live in ancient Athens and just sit around and talk philosophy, religion and though - all day! Anyway, this is who Paul is summoned to talk with - and he just starts telling stories about Jesus. I can only imagine the freshness that the stories of Christ brought in comparison with the Grecco-Roman gods. The ideas of wholistic - life changing faith and practice. Good news for the poor, inclusion of the lame and feeble minded and a concept of caring, creator God who wants to interact with humanity. Thinking of the culture in that setting - these ideas where very unique. My argument is that Paul was sharing this in an obviously pre-Christian culture, and that our audience is very similar in out post-Christian culture. Even Athens seems to be so parallel to the worlds that many of us live in, with an interest in personal spirituality, the arts, expression, love and character.
It seems that so many folks in the church today see that type of culture as hostile to the Gospel, and yet I believe it is more primed than ever. When we, like Paul, simply talk about Jesus for what He is, with no connection to the convoluted Americanized, materialized, politicized marketing scheme of past decades, our culture is aching for something/someone like Jesus.
The second idea that stood out to me over the past week or reading on Reformission - is that we often see our progression of "evangelism" in a false light. Traditionally we (in all of our foresight and genius) essentially tell people: "believe in Jesus and then join a church." There are more holes in this approach then there is time here to discuss them. But, I think we have it flipped...
People should be able to relationally and experientially join a faith community and be loved for who they are (not for their "ministry potential") first - and that would be their starting point for a journey of conversion. But the question remains - are we the type of faith community in which this is our practice and all people feel welcomed and loved?
-Whether it is realized or not, all mankind bears the image of the creator God...
There have been a ton of thoughts and ideas running through my mind as of late about how we do things like: evangelize, talk about Jesus, and "make disciples of all nations."' My gut instinct is usually to wince when someone is talking about "going out to evangelize." I begin to wonder who will be ducked and who might be intelligent enough to be "damned?"
I have been reading a book that is focusing on the "Reformission" of the church. How can we connect with people, our culture and share the shalom of Christ, in a way that makes sense to unchurched and de-churched immersed in today's culture. During my reading of this book and simply trying to live this way vocationally and personally - two ideas have really stood out thus far.
The first one I wrote about in a blog for Hope Community Church (hopesatellite.blogspot.com) on 6/9/09. Acts 17 finds Paul in the city of Athens - speaking with the philosophers and thinkers of the day. Sidenote: what a life to live in ancient Athens and just sit around and talk philosophy, religion and though - all day! Anyway, this is who Paul is summoned to talk with - and he just starts telling stories about Jesus. I can only imagine the freshness that the stories of Christ brought in comparison with the Grecco-Roman gods. The ideas of wholistic - life changing faith and practice. Good news for the poor, inclusion of the lame and feeble minded and a concept of caring, creator God who wants to interact with humanity. Thinking of the culture in that setting - these ideas where very unique. My argument is that Paul was sharing this in an obviously pre-Christian culture, and that our audience is very similar in out post-Christian culture. Even Athens seems to be so parallel to the worlds that many of us live in, with an interest in personal spirituality, the arts, expression, love and character.
It seems that so many folks in the church today see that type of culture as hostile to the Gospel, and yet I believe it is more primed than ever. When we, like Paul, simply talk about Jesus for what He is, with no connection to the convoluted Americanized, materialized, politicized marketing scheme of past decades, our culture is aching for something/someone like Jesus.
The second idea that stood out to me over the past week or reading on Reformission - is that we often see our progression of "evangelism" in a false light. Traditionally we (in all of our foresight and genius) essentially tell people: "believe in Jesus and then join a church." There are more holes in this approach then there is time here to discuss them. But, I think we have it flipped...
People should be able to relationally and experientially join a faith community and be loved for who they are (not for their "ministry potential") first - and that would be their starting point for a journey of conversion. But the question remains - are we the type of faith community in which this is our practice and all people feel welcomed and loved?
-Whether it is realized or not, all mankind bears the image of the creator God...
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