just a little off the top: Mars Hill Conference: Isn't She Beautiful Part 1

Today was the first day of the conference and I am trying to take it all in. Rob spoke for 2 and a half hours this morning. Then we had a Q&A session with Rob and Don Golden (the lead pastor, i will talk about that later). I just finished a workshop on narrative theology. The basic idea is that we are a part of a greater story of God's redemptive process. This is a perspective that begins in the creation of a good world. This is much different than the idea most of us grew up with that focuses on the fall instead of God's good creation. What follows are some of the things I wrote down. Out of context they might seem incoherent, but I hope you get the gist.

From Rob's talk this morning:

Paul explains the idea of the Eucharist in Colossians chapters 2, 3 and 4. The Eucharist is what we more commonly call communion. There is a sense that Jesus was telling his disciples not just to do a ritual of eating, drinking, and remembering, but to also give themselves as a sacrifice.

There is no life without death, there is no feeding without a broken and poured out sacrifice.

Is this instruction for a ritual or a command for us to give our lives for others? Break yourselves open and pour out yourself out so that others may be fed and have life.

The Church: the only organization that exists for its non-members.

Jesus' body is the Church. The Church is God's gift to the world.

How are we a Eucharist for these people, in this place, at this time?

What works for "megachuch X" might not work for "small church Y." Bigger is not necessarily better, it just means more. And more just means more problems.

Imitating a "program" is just taking a shortcut so you don't have to wrestle with the difficult questions of really being the Church.

Our gift to people is in not pretending that we have it all together. Or gift is in the middle of pain, suffering, oppression, questions and doubts that we can stand in front and say, "me too."

If someone was fed, someone had to do the feeding.
If someone was blessed, someone had to do the blessing.
If someone received, someone had to do the giving.

From the workshop:

The issue with viewing the Bible as a self-help book or an owner's manual is that we only look to it when we have a problem.

Seeing the Bible as a story allows us to see from a perspective that makes us want to find ourselves in it.

We often have a theology rooted in "the Fall." What is we center our theology on Christ and in Creation?"

When we root our theology in Creation, we long for a New Creation.

The Cross was a symbol of empirical violence, oppression, and hatred that became a symbol of peace, freedom, and love.

Defending what you believe (an apologetic) is only as effective as the way you present it. The best apologetic s love period.

From tonight's teaching:

There's a box?

There are two types of creative people. One says, "look how innovative and creative I am. I am really outside the box." The other says, "There's a box?"

The art of creative ministry is being able to see God in everyday moments.

There are several "arts" to doing "box-less" ministry:
1) The art of tension
2) The art of elimination
3) The art of turning the edit button off
4) The art of expulsion
5) The art of space
6) The art of risk

How arrogant are we to limit God's revelation to us to our time table. We cannot dictate that God show up only during out "study time." He is ALWAYS present, we just need to wake up to it.

Mark Twain: "If I had had more time, I would have said less."

You cannot force creativity but you can provide the opportunity for creativity.

To do this (ministry) you have to be willing to stub your toes and fall down, even if it is in front of others.

Not everybody will appreciate you or your risk. You will have critics. You DO NOT owe them anything.

For every fundamentalist you offend, there will be someone who says, "Wow, now I am listening."