Folks, We Need To Talk

December 16, 2011 By 3 Comments

Friends, I give you exhibit A, the Say Merry Christmas video.

I expect this video, along with the song and website it is related to, is probably not a big deal, and it shouldn’t amount to much. But, it does offer a specific example of a sentiment that I think we really need to think more about.

Let me begin by saying that I have friends that think this video is to be celebrated, along with the sentiment it promotes. It is through one such friend that this video came to my attention. I do not wish to offend. If you are among my deeply sincere friends who rally around this sort of thing, chances are we’ve already had a discussion along these lines at some point.

I do not question the sincerity of the folks who are driving this, or those who would support it. My assumption is that they are serious about following Jesus and care deeply about how our faith intersects with society. In the case of those friends I am thinking of, I know that you care deeply about these things.

But, folks, we need to talk.

As best as I can tell, this video is calling for a “Christian boycott” of any store that does not overtly promote the specific verbiage of our faith at Christmas. In other words, regardless of the personal beliefs of the store owners and/or employees, we would hope to coerce them to express, even if insincerely, a sentiment rooted firmly in our sincere faith in Christ. Perhaps I am missing something, but this seems to be the aim.

Furthermore, I understand this to be rooted in the broad idea of counteracting the so-called “war on Christmas” being waged by “the secularists.”

If I’m wrong on this, and somehow missing the point, please help me. Or, if you think I’ve got it right, but you want to try to warm me to the validity of these sentiments, I am listening.

But, this sort of thing raises many questions for me. Here are just a few…

1. How does this sentiment and initiative relate to the gospel?

2. How does it relate to our role as followers of Jesus in our communities?

3. Who is this initiative for? Or, to put it another way, who benefits from any results that might come from this boycott?

4. What is this trying to achieve? I understand the idea of more businesses saying “Merry Christmas,” but on a deeper level, to what end?

Personally, I have yet to have any sense that my deep devotion to Christ, or the free expression of my faith, has in any way been hampered or discouraged related to whether the check-out dude at Barnes and Noble said “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Holidays.”

That is not to say that I don’t notice when someone in that context says, “Merry Christmas!” I appreciate it when they do. And given our cultural context, when that happens, I assume they really mean it. And, I appreciate that. Isn’t that the way it should be? I don’t expect a non-believer to say “God with you,” or wish me the peace of Christ when I leave their store at any time of year. That would be strange indeed. Perhaps something of a sacrilege.

Furthermore, as far as establishments (and there are some) that seem to have made a very conscious decision to avoid any overtly Christian tone in their holiday verbiage, I can’t come up with any Christian ethic that would justify my choosing to avoid their store for that reason. If anything, it seems to me like all the more reason to get in there!

Perhaps this is because the meaning of Christmas, for me, is so deep and beautiful. It is so rich to me that even calling it “Jesus’ birthday” is to subtly cheapen it. First of all, December 25th was almost certainly not when our Christ was born.

And that’s OK.

Christmas is not just the celebration of a birth as a date on a calendar. Rather it is the recognition of the mystery of incarnation. It is the story of God with us. It is the profound mystery that God became man, and lived (and lives) among us.

It is God coming into a world of darkness with the piercing light of true love. He didn’t just send a messenger, no, He actually came into this world. It is the story of love and redemption.

And, so I guess I’m inclined to go on into that store. And, I’ll probably say, “Merry Christmas!” And, when I do, it will not be to make some political point, or establish some little personal beachhead of Christendom… “Merry Christmas! In your face, sucker!”

No, I will say it to gently affirm the mystery of the ages to those who may need to hear it the most.

God help us when our most cherished and winsome expressions of faith become weapons for political bullying, masquerading as… I’m not even sure what. I honestly can’t think of a justification.

I know we meant well, but it’s time to step back and take a deep breath.

Maybe we are the ones who need to remember what Christmas is really all about.

May it be so.

Merry Christmas!

Filed Under: Practicing, Thinking Tagged With: ,

This Is Our City

November 10, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Christianity Today has launched a new section of their website focused on highlighting Christian renewal in various urban areas across the United States. The site is currently highlighting 6 cities, with most of the information centered on Portland – clearly the “flagship” city of this new focus. More content will be forthcoming related to the other 5 cities. There is also a “7th City” section where CT is requesting stories related to “your city.” Pretty cool.

Amanda and I got the opportunity to be in Portland this past Spring for the Q Conference, and learning about the things going in Portland was a highlight of our time there. Read about that here, here, and here.

There is also an article on This Is Our City in the current issue of CT, as well as an article on what is going on in Portland. I know of some pretty cool things going on in Denver too… maybe the 7th City?

Filed Under: Living, Practicing Tagged With: ,

Youth Ministry Isn’t Just About Youth, It’s About the Church

November 10, 2011 By 2 Comments

Skye Jethani weighs in on Tony Jones’ suggestion that Evangelical youth ministries are responsible for the Emerging Church. It’s a very interesting discussion.

The suggestion is rooted in the idea that the youth ministries of the 1980s and 90s were formational to the generation that would launch the Emerging Church movement, due to the values and sensibilities of those ministries. Having grown up fully engaged with the models described in this assertion (I was a youth, fully active in Evangelical youth ministry in the 80s), I find it hard to argue against this suggestion. My own story confirms rather than challenges the assertion.

Likewise, the youth ministries of the 50s and 60s are implicated in the birth of the contemporary megachurch.

The point of this has less to do with megachurches or the emerging church, in either of which there is plenty to both applaud and bemoan. The point is how we understand faith formation and more specifically, ecclesial formation in our churches.

I don’t read these ideas as criticisms of what youth ministries were doing in past decades as much as keen observations related to how formation works, and the law of unintended, or at least unforeseen consequences.

It reminds me of that great interchange near the end of The King and I, where the king’s son declares that when he is king, he will make a proclamation that his subjects no longer be required to bow low, with faces to the ground, in the presence of the king, because it is humiliating for the people, and “a bad thing.”  His father, on his deathbed, turns to the teacher, Anna, who has had such a progressive influence in forming the ideas of the young prince and says, “…I believe, this proclamation is your fault. ” To which she replies, “Oh, I hope so, Your Majesty!”

The point of this, to my thinking, is not so much that youth ministry matters more than we think, but rather that it matters in more ways than we think. And that it’s not just a place to keep youth occupied and help direct their personal focus on Christ. It is, in fact, a primary catalyst in the formation of the church future.

In that light, consider the final two paragraphs from Jethani’s second post on the subject…

I’m not entirely sure, but based on work by David Kinnaman at Barna and Kara Powell at Fuller, I’m concerned that youth ministry is forming the values of isolation and activism into Millennials. They’re relationally isolated from other generations in the church, and their faith is isolated from any sense of calling or vocation. At the same time they are linking faith to social action toward the poor and marginalized, but this is often emotionally driven without a theological rootedness that can fuel engagement when emotion runs dry. Without a robust theology of justice, in time compassion fatigue may set in and activism slip into apathy.

Could these values explain why we’re seeing an exodus of young adults from the church? While it’s always been a problem, adults often returned to the church after getting married or having children. But that’s not the case anymore. Could the values of isolation (separating young people from the rest of the church community), and activism (a sense that real faith happens outside the church and may make church irrelevant) be behind the de-churching of Millennials? Time will tell.

I think these guys are on to something. And, it’s not just about youth ministry. How are we thinking through and understanding the role and mechanism(s) of formation in our churches? Are we understanding the role of every part (worship, youth ministry, children’s ministry, etc…) in the whole? In most cases, I think we are falling far short of a holistic understanding, and the intentionality needed for rich formation that goes much beyond the individual. And, if statistics tell us anything, we aren’t doing so well with that either.

Saying “time will tell” may suffice for the social observer/commentator, but not for this pastor/practitioner. I hope we can take the batan from such keen observers as Jethani and Kinnaman, and do something with it. Let it be.

Tony Jones’ original post

Skye Jethani’s part 1 and part 2

Filed Under: Practicing, Thinking Tagged With: , ,

Last Brownie for the Saddest Act

May 3, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Some of us were sitting around the house last night talking about beautiful and poignant moments created by real community. Amanda and I were reflecting on the richness of the time we enjoyed in Seattle last week, sharing good drink and food with the kind of friends (both old and new) that take us to that place. It reminded me of this great scene from Notting Hill, where we see a brilliant cinematic recreation of the type of community we were talking about. I once heard Rikk Watts reference this scene as an example of what communion should be like.

He may be on to something.

The scene moves me to tears every time I watch it, and it reminds me of the power of real community/family. Not only the safe and desperately needed place that such community provides for its members, but how easily those previously on the outside are drawn in.

We watched the movie last night on Netflix.

If you haven’t ever seen it, I highly recommend the entire movie. But, here is the scene I’m taking about…

Anna Scott (played by Julia Roberts) is a superstar actress in a new and unlikely relationship with William Thacker (played by Hugh Grant). The first opportunity they have for a date happens to be on the same night that Will is headed to his best friend’s house to celebrate the birthday of his younger sister. Rather than backing out of the dinner, William decides, with Anna’s prodding, to just bring her along.

Filed Under: Living, Watching Tagged With: ,

Seeking: To Be Better Rooted (and Linked)

May 2, 2011 By Leave a Comment

A consistant theme of our double conference tour in Portland/Seattle was the idea of being “rooted and linked.” This tone was explicitly sustained at the Inhabit Conference, but it was certainly implicit at Q as well.

Rooted: The idea of local, neighborhood, parish, etc… is hot. For many of us at this point it is an idea that feels good and right. And that’s about it.

Our ability to get enormous guilt assuaging milage from the fact that we “embrace” an idea over and against actually doing anything is well established.

mia culpa

It is certainly a challenge. All of the discussion of the realities of local disconnect and loss of neighborhood, and the causes of such, ring true for us. We have lived them to the nines. Thankfully, we have made some changes in this regard, which is hopeful. But, we’ve taken small steps at best. And I think we would honesty have to say that we lost a step or two in our move to Colorado. There are various reasons for this which I won’t unpack here. The point is that it is time for a reset.

I should quickly add that I don’t think this is a problem for everyone. My sense is that a lot of people in our local, rural community actually do live this quite well already.

What does that look like?

In what way(s) do we start?

Our situation offers a mix of challenge and opportunity. I know this is true for all of us. But, each of our situations are different. For instance, in our case, it matters that…

We have 6 kids, the oldest being 17 years and the youngest being 17 months old. This effects the way we live, the dynamics of our home, the time we spend, the time we have, where we can live and how we can live.

We are rural, and live 15 minutes outside of the twin townships of Westcliffe/Silver Cliff, with a combined population of about 1,000 people. The county population (in which our family is numbered) is about 5,500. We refer to this broader area as the Wet Mountain Valley, or the Valley.

The staff at Horn Creek (where we work, 15 minutes outside of Westcliffe) is our primary community. Essentially, none of us are native to the Valley (an exception would be our 17 month old daughter). We are a rich community that in many ways is very real, but in other ways is somewhat artificial and transient. Few, if any, will live the rest of their lives here.

A unique and important part of our camp community is our internship program – 8 to 12 young adults that come and live and serve with us for a year at a time.

We connect and have influence over thousands of people who come to Horn Creek every year from other places, places where they have roots and community. Or not.

We have a local church community that we love, but that we don’t fit into easily in a demographic or cultural sense. Our children our not seeing all we would like them see there in terms of what a dynamic community of Christ followers might look like. How could that change? How could we be part of that change?

Through technology, particularly social media, we are linked with a broader community that is very rich. In many ways we feel closer to this community because of the deeper roots and greater cultural affinity. Rich but limited. This community is not local, neighborhood or parish.

We have a tiny, traditional neighborhood of 5 or so families that live beside us on the mountain (not camp related). We don’t really have relationships with them.

I could keep going, but you get the idea.

One thing we know. Our mode of operation the last three years is not compatible with taking steps to being more rooted in neighborhood and parish or even with our own children.

Seeking: A life that is more locally rooted and broadly but intentionally linked. And honest.

Anyone have any thoughts?

Filed Under: Thinking Tagged With: ,

The Millennium Matrix

May 1, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Another post from the “transferring from my older blog” series. ;-)

The Millennium Matrix: Reclaiming the Past, Reframing the Future of the Church
by: Rex Miller

No other book has been as helpful to me in understanding the nature and implications of the post-modern shift. Again and again, I have gone back to the ‘Millennium Matrix well’ when attempting to help churches and organizations get perspective on our current cultural context. In fact, I am writing this post following another weekend of having Rex come to speak to a group of ministry leaders with whom I am connected.

The book is sweeping and comprehensive, yet practical and accessible. Sweeping because the best way to understand what is going on now is to understand what has happened before. In this respect, the matrix itself, which takes up a good chunk of pages in the middle of the book, is worth the price of the book all on its own.

The Millennium Matrix website gives a taste of the book’s approach.

Rex is a student of Marshall McLuhan’s insight on media and culture, and his application of such in the context of faith and culture is forcefully compelling.

In the end, perhaps the most powerful take-away from the book is a framework to see opportunity where so many see only gloom and doom. Equally compelling is the concept of ‘convergence,’ which sees the post-modern transition leading to a context for the appropriation of the best that each of the past media-shaped eras have to offer. In this sense, the ‘digital’ or ‘convergent’ age, following in the wake of modernity/post-modernity, is not a repudiation of that which has gone before, but rather a new context for embracing all that has gone before. In true post-modern form, it’s not about either-or, but rather both-and.

On a one-on-one level, I always recommend this book to those caught in a narrow, fearful, protectionist mindset regarding the implications of the demise of modernity. I wish more of them would actually read it!

Filed Under: Reading Tagged With: , , ,

The Great Giveaway – David Fitch

April 30, 2011 By Leave a Comment

The Great Giveaway: Reclaiming the Mission of the Church from Big Business, Parachurch Organizations, Psychotherapy, Consumer Capitalism, and Other Modern Maladiesby: David E. Fitch

I got to talk today with David Fitch, and looking forward to hearing him speak this afternoon at the Inhabit conference. Since I am getting a chance to be with David face to face, I thought it would be a good time to start moving a few old posts from my other blog into this one… an act of simplification.

I read this book several years ago and it still remains one of my favorites for providing thoughtful critique and practical direction to those hopeful for the correction of some of the less positive effects of modernity on the Western Church.

This book remains the primer of thought for much of my philosophy of worship and how it connects with catechesis and mission.

Particularly bold and insightful is Fitch’s chapter on preaching, subtitled ‘The Myth of Expository Preaching.’

Ouch.

It is a vital challenge for those with the fortitude to lay down defensiveness and consider the insightfulness of Fitch’s indictments.
From Publishers Weekly:

This is a searing but loving insider critique of the individualism that marks North American evangelicals. Fitch, senior pastor of the Life on the Vine Christian community in Arlington Heights, Ill., blames an embrace of modernism for attempts by evangelicals to “individualize, commodify, and package Christianity.” He criticizes mega-churches that end up functioning like capitalist businesses with CEO-style pastors judging success by the number of “decisions for Christ” produced. Each chapter outlines the various ways evangelicalism has “given away” its influence and then offers concrete practices designed to help the church reclaim its mission. Fitch’s most scathing criticism is saved for the evangelical willingness to embrace modern psychology, which he blasts as patient-centered rather than Christ-centered. He challenges evangelical churches to think smaller (in terms of congregation size), place less focus on coercive evangelism, return to communal catechesis, offer more liturgical worship and provide opportunities for small group intimacy where Christians can confess their sins, repent, read scripture and pray together regularly. Intellectually rigorous, this book’s critical tone will undoubtedly upset many conservative evangelicals, but will point the way for the more moderate ones for years to come. (Oct. 15)Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Filed Under: Learning, Reading Tagged With: , , ,

Jesus Dojo

April 30, 2011 By 4 Comments

Got to spend some time with Mark Scandrette yesterday. Listening to him talk about what they are doing in the mission district of San Francisco is challenging, inspiring and scary. The “Jesus Dojo” idea is powerful… and simple, biblical, obvious. The way of Jesus was always about learning by experiencing and doing. So, in Mark’s San Francisco community, they are learning to live in the way of Jesus by… actually living in the way of Jesus.

Huh.

It finally occurred to me this morning, as I reflected on some of the things Mark shared was that it lines up very closely with what Rick McKinley and others from Imago Dei shared with us in Portland. Imago Dei being a more structured, and in some ways more conventional context, relatively speaking. But the idea is the same. Essentially, that discipleship only happens for them when people are on a trajectory of actual doing.

As I talked with Mark about our situation, and the restrictions inherent to being a family of 8, he expressed how the “family thing” (in the traditional sense) has been a missing element of much of the missional discussion and experiments. Hmmm.

Mark’s new book: Practicing the Way of Jesus: Life Together in the Kingdom of Love

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