Post #129 Poets, Prophets & Preachers: Day 3, Session 4

Day 3, Session 4
Rob Bell
"The one thing I've never heard someone talk about that has changed everything for me."

When you are in leadership, you will be given many backhanded compliments and hurtful suggestions. These, Rob explains, are "chocolate covered turds."

We tend to focus on the one negative comment even if we have heard nine positive ones.

Rumors, gossip, and lies will happen. In Acts 21:37-39 a soldier asks Paul, "aren't yo the Egyptian who started a revolt and led four thousand terrorists out into the wilderness some time ago?"

There will be someone who belongs to the "official committee for doctrinal purity, orthodox rhetoric, and general theological correctness."
- These people are usually self-apponted
- THey always seem to hit you when it hurts the most.

Rob explains that it can feel like "death by papercuts." On their own, they hurt and irritate, but receiving one after another after another will cause us to bleed out. These tiny slices will eventually kill is.

In order to avoid all of these things, we do 3 kind of things:
- we hold back: we don't push, don't challenge, don't try like we used to
- we create lists and labels: we label those who hurt us, we put them on a specific list
- we get revenge: passive - purposely not giving our best
active - slander, anger, malice from the pulpit

The one thing that we need to hear:
You have to learn to forgive.
- you forgive people not institutions

Someone says something negative about you. The anger or pain we hear is actually because of our feelings of vulnerability, of being studied, or analyzed.

"Even sheep have teeth!"

Some people are toxic: Proverbs 26:11
They will return to their "vomit" again and again, and you do not need to be there when they do.
Some people need very strong boundaries!


Speaking of boundaries: Titus 3:10
-You are not an ecclesiatical punching bag, hired by the masses to take the punches. You are a precious resource, a gift to your community. It is ok to guard yourself.

Luke 12:13 "Man, that's not my job!"
There are areas of life that other people are actually better trained and better suited for. The pastor does not have to be the problem solver and life fixer for every issue in life.

Forgiveness relieves us from the pain and anger.
Forgiveness also relieves those who hurt us from our punishment.

Luke 23 "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."

Tim Keller: "Forgiveness means refusing to make them pay for what they did..." it also saves us from the "life-long, living death of bitterness and cynicism."

The cross says, "The pain stops here."
"...absorbing pain instead of passing it on. Transforms pain from a destructive impulse into a creating power." - Parker Palmer

Post #126 Poets, Prophets, and Preachers: Day 3, Session 1

Day 3 Session 1
Rob Bell, "Fumbling around with your radar"
Ways to prepare for the sermon.

Rob talks about radar, buckets, chunks, and marinade.

"The worst thing for a pastor is to sit down on Saturday to a blank screen."
How do we get started and not have a blank screen?

There is "having to say something" and "having something to say."
What would it be like if every time you got up to teach you really were excited about having something to say?!
What if it had the chance to interact with the Spirit for a month, 6 months, or a year?

Radar
All around us, everywhere, all the time, everybody....vs. 9:00am office hours.
Genesis 28 When Jacob awoke...God was in this place and I am just now aware of it.
God was already there, we just showed up

We must be tuned into the presence of God and his work in creation. It must be on our radar.

We prepare for the sermon in two ways: through life and through the text.
Through life: when we see, hear, or otherwise experience something that might show God, we must write it, clip it, take a picture, save it, ask for it, get it, tear it out, store it, mark it, and remember it....with NO edit button.

Through the text: when we read the text, we should memorize, inhale, look at key words, focus on location, culture, concepts, stories, time, pictures, actions, and connections. Understand Greek and Hebrew texts. Understand what else has happened in this location. Understand the specific time in human history.

If you run into dead-ends, at least you have 7-10 minutes of material about what the passage DOESN'T mean!

-If you could not use any biblical or religious language...
how would I describe the text or illustrative material...to a child, to an alien from space, without using any words, with only drawings or pictures, with only actors?
-What is the thing behind the thing? What is the mystery behind the mystery? What is the truth behind the truth?

Is there a way to act, perform, show, do, ignore, circle around the idea or hand it out?

Those things on our radar end up in buckets (a collection of loosely connected material).
-one bucket per idea/fragment/insight/sentence
-review buckets once a week
-no pressure, no time frame
-revisit regularly
-be intentional and pay attention
-look for material for series
-some buckets grow
-if isn't hot, drop it
-there is a difference between accumulation and arranging

Once you have buckets that start to mean something, they become chunks: pieces of a message, an illustration, story, picture, or thought that you plan to actually utilize in a message.

Once you have several chunks, you allow those chunks to marinade for as long as possible. They marinade in the Spirit. They soak up the flavor of God and they enhance each other's flavors.

"The worst thing for a pastor is to sit down on Saturday to a blank screen."

Post #125 Poets, Prophets, and Preachers: Day 2 Session 4

Day 2 Session 4
Rob Bell
"The Fig Tree and the Failure of Language or Why some sermons work and others don't"

-A sermon has an engine...this is the "why?"
-A sermon also has an energy source...this is the "what?"
-A sermon comes from a specific place...this is the "where?"

When we give a sermon, we must ask ourselves...
-Why are we saying this
-Why do they need to hear this
-Why should they care
-Why do I care

What is the spark, impulse, insight, or twist that has compelled you to say these things to these people at this time?

A sermon circles around...
-a moment
-a movement
-a mystery

Matthew 21 - the fig tree and the temple
-fig tree symbolizes the religious establishment; cursing the tree would be similar to burning a flag today.
in this passage, the sermon would focus on the moment.

2 Kings 5:15 "Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel."
-there was a cultural concept that deities were localized, they lived only among those who worshipped them.
-in verse 18 Naaman explains that when he returns to his master, he will be required to bow down in another god's temple. He asks that Elisha's God would forgive him.
-does Elisha curse him or tell him "you must stand for something or you will fall for anything"? No...
he tells him to "go in peace."
this is movement, it is the movement of one man's (Naaman's) spiritual conflict.

Here is another example of movement:
In Genesis 27 We see Jacob pretending to be his brother. When his father asks who he is he says, "I am Esau."
Then, in Genesis 32 Jacob wrestles with God (or an angel of God) and is asked "What is your name." Jacob responds by claiming his identity. "I am Jacob."
This is movement.

One more example of movement:
Matthew 7:6 Pearls before swine.
In order to understand the passage, we must look at the previous text. Check the context.
7:1 Do not judge...
6:25 Do not worry...
Judging others is controlling others through negativity or oppression.
Just like refraining from worry is entrusting ourselves to God's care, refraining from judging others is entrusting them to God's care.
There is a movement. If we start at one point, we must back up to see where the story has been.

Psalm 1 "do not walk...do not stand...do not sit." = movement within the passage.

Philippians 1:6 "...He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."
This passage has a connection to the creation story.
Philippians - began Genesis - beginning
Philippians - a good work Genesis - it was good
Philippians - competion Genesis - completed
What is the connection: the God who created the universe and all of life within it is big enough to care for you.

This is mystery. We cannot understand the enormity of God, but we can understand his care for us.

Revelation 4 gives us insight into the "psychology of worship"
We gather together to recognize that we are not at the center of the universe. It reminds us of our proper place in the cosmos.

Let's talk about the parts of a sermon:

Everything in a sermon is related to everything else in the sermon.
In order to understand those parts,
-name the parts
-know the parts
-be aware of the parts
-feel the parts
-step outside of the parts

Where does it begin, where is it going, how does it get there?

parts of the sermon:
reading the passage
information
story
questions
picture
rant
action
insight
observation
statistic
declaration
invitation*

If we only use one or two of these parts we are going to lose, wear out, confuse or put the listeners to sleep.

* a note about the invitation. It does not necessarily have to be an alter call type of invitation. It may simply be an invitation to do, trust, step out, step up, help, pitch in, or give.

"The sermon is like sausage...or the law...if you love it, respect it...but don't watch it being made." - Rob Bell

Rob tells a short story about an editor who said that every once in a while, he could take off the editor hat and just enjoy the manuscript. The reason is because he realized that he was in good hands.This is where we must bring our listeners: into a realization that they are in good hands.

During the sermon, we must be aware of:
speed
intensity
tension
pacing
tone
posture
arc

- beware of openers that overwhelm. An opener that takes the breath out of everyone is hard to overcome. An opener is actually ineffective if the rest of the sermon cannot overcome it. "don't let your best moment in the message to be in the rear view mirror."
-there are no rules to a sermon, except "know what you are doing."
-use a story board to outline the sermon. it can make it easier to remember

The best storyteller knows what to tell, what not to tell, how to tell, how not to tell, when to tell, and when not to tell.

A sermon creates a place that allows people to find themselves in it.

a great sermon must be,
Focused yet open
Said yet unsaid
Defining yet imagining
Resolute yet unresolved

Let's talk about parable: they work because people remember stories!
The parable of the prodigal son is really the story of the forgiving father.

A-B-C-D-------------------K-------------------P-Q----->
A sermon should meet everyone where they are and invite them to the next step.
We can't expect a "B" to move to "K" without first moving to "C, D, E, and so on."

Rob then tells a story:
Three disciples are walking home after a lesson with their rabbi. The first turns to the others and apologizes for monopolizing the time. He realized that the rabbi had been speaking directly to him. The second interrupts and apologizes to the others because he realized that the rabbi had been speaking to him. The third interrupts and apologizes because the rabbi had been speaking to him. Each would swear that the rabbi's message was specifically for him but the rabbi's message had actually spoken to all of them.

This is the challenge before us: Give a message that speaks to everyone as if only to them individually.

Post #121 Poets, Prophets, & Preachers: Day 1

What follows are a collection of my notes and thoughts from the Poets, Prophets, and Preachers conference in Grand Rapids. Some of these will seem very cohesive and coherent. Other parts may seem disconnected or confusing. As a preface, you should have been here. (They are apparently recording the seasons in order to make DVD’s for sale later, so you have that going for you.)

Poets, Prophets, and Preachers

Session 1, Sunday Evening

Rob took the stage and immediately asked the question, “What would the average person on the street say when asked to describe a sermon?”

Unfortunately, the response would probably not be “empowering, inspiring, revolutionary, and challenging.”

Much more likely you would hear, “boring, lecture, patronizing, or irrelevant.”

With such negativity towards the art of sermon, why would anyone want to give a sermon?

As the world becomes for virtual (twitter, facebook, blogs) people will eventually crave personal interaction. We will eventually be drawn to “actual reality.” This is good news for those who have a message to give. People will crave real conversations, in real settings, with real people.

A lot of people seem to believe that a sermon only exists in order to be evaluated.
Some people see a sermon as pure propaganda.
Others see a sermon as a burden, and anchor that weighs them down and ties them up.

Why would anyone want to give a sermon?

Sometimes, when we give a message, we might think, “this is going to be the best one yet. It is going to blow them away.” Then, once the message has been given, we only get crickets in response.

Other times, we think, “Oh man, this one bombed. I really stunk it up today.” Then someone responds, “that was the most powerful thing I’ve ever heard in my entire life!”

Rob explained that often, people in our churches will want to go back to “the way we used to do it.” Or they might say, “great job, that was like the old Rob.” How can we move people forward if they are focused on the past?

Ezekiel 4
9 "Take wheat and barley, beans and lentils, millet and spelt; put them in a storage jar and use them to make bread for yourself. You are to eat it during the 390 days you lie on your side. 10 Weigh out twenty shekels of food to eat each day and eat it at set times. 11 Also measure out a sixth of a hin of water and drink it at set times. 12 Eat the food as you would a loaf of barley bread; bake it in the sight of the people, using human excrement for fuel."

This is actually describing a sermon. Zeke is told by God to “go into the public and do something very specific.” Giving a sermon is going and doing. It is not merely saying.

In a way, the sermon is:
Performance art
Guerilla theatre
Actions that evoke

Sermon is:
A witness,
If you don’t share it,
Speak it,
Tell it,
Point to it,
Express it,
Preach it,
You’ll spontaneously combust.

Jeremiah 20
“…his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot.”

Jeremiah 2:14
“14 Is Israel a servant, a slave by birth? Why then has he become plunder?”
This is not the way God intended things to be. Jeremiah has to let the people know this.

Mark 1:15
5 "The time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!"

Sermon is:
A call to return
An invitation
A fresh word
An implicit critique
The first punch

Isaiah 52
1 Awake, awake, Zion,
clothe yourself with strength!
Put on your garments of splendor,
Jerusalem, the holy city.
The uncircumcised and defiled
will not enter you again.
2 Shake off your dust; rise up, sit enthroned, Jerusalem. Free yourself from the chains on your neck, Daughter Zion, now a captive.
3 For this is what the LORD says: "You were sold for nothing, and without money you will be redeemed."

Sermon can be subversion
-there is another story.

Luke 4
“28 All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this. 29 They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him off the cliff. 30 But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way.”

Sermon is
Provocation
Loaded language
A warning

Stravinsky’s “Rites of Spring” actually evoke such a response from it first listeners that they rioted.
We have to be willing to take the bad and the good when we preach/teach.

Acts 17
32 When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, "We want to hear you again on this subject."

Göran Kropp – Mt. Everest Journey Wikipedia Article
If you do things that have not been done before or seen before or heard before you will get funny looks, angry letters, or worse. But you might get inspiration, truth, lights, revolution, excitement, anticipation, enthusiasm, dedication or even better.

Words can create worlds:
“In the beginning, God created…” “The Word was God and the Word was with God…”
Our words can show new worlds to people.

Sometime we have a series of seemingly unconnected thoughts and ideas. Trying to connect them is like “tying the clouds together.”

Sometimes the best sermon we can give is to tell someone, “Tomorrow does not have to be a repeat of today.”

There are layers to crafting a sermon:
Theological
Conceptual
Practical
Personal

Transformation happens when talks start talks.
The leader is often looked at to have the last word on a topic
It is more helpful if the leader has the first word and starts the conversation.

Post #69 Rob Bell Interviews Shane Hipps

Thanks to Zach for finding this. It is from the 2009 National Pastors Convention.

Post #35 On my iPod

I can't go anywhere without my iPod. I listen to it every day on my way to work and on my way home. I rarely listen to "regular radio" anymore. I thought I would share a little of what I am listening to.

First, I subscribe to a lot of podcasts. So, here's what I am listening to:


Mars Hill Bible Church - Rob Bell is the teaching pastor at MHBC. I love his style and he often speaks to my heart.






LOSTcasts - Ran by a team of fans from Austin, Texas, this podcast reviews each episode of LOST. They also provide theories and discuss connections between characters. One of the best parts is the comment section on their website where fans can join in the conversation.






The Official LOST Podcast - Hosted by ABC, the OLP features the creative force behind the show: Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse. They answer fan questions and occasionally provide some spoiler info.






Countdown with Keith Olbermann - You either love him or hate him, but KO is my man for political commentary.






SModcast- Presented by filmmaker, Kevin Smith and producer, Scott Mosier. THis one is vulgar, but it is my guilty pleasure. They basically record themselves having a conversation and then put it on the web. It is sometimes incredibly juvenile. Other times, it is somewhat enlightening.

So there we have it. My current list of podcasts. Tomorrow, I will post some of the music I am listening to.

Post #34 100 things about me...

I normally don't do these things, but Michelle sent it to me, and I thought it would make for a good daily post.

1. ONE OF YOUR SCARS, HOW DID YOU GET IT?
I have a scar on my left eyebrow from a pickup basketball game. I got undercut and ended up with 8 stitches. It coincidentally happened on the day my mother passed away. So I have a daily reminder of my mother.

2. WHAT IS ON THE WALLS IN YOUR ROOM?
Nothing. Our house is a cape cod, with sloped upstairs ceiling. Haven't quite figured out what to do with that.

3. DO YOU SNORE, GRIND YOUR TEETH, OR TALK IN YOUR SLEEP?
I do all three. I usually snore if really tired or sick.

4. WHAT TYPE OF MUSIC DO YOU LISTEN TO?
I listen to a lot of different types of music, but I loathe country.

5. DO YOU KNOW WHAT TIME YOU WERE BORN?
4:30pm I think. My dad would know.

6. WHAT DO YOU WANT MORE THAN ANYTHING RIGHT NOW?
I just want to be a good person and to make my wife as happy as she can be.

7. WHAT DO YOU MISS?
Late night talks over hot chocolate with my mom.

8. WHAT IS YOUR MOST PRIZED POSSESSION(S)?
I am pretty possessive of my guitars. But I would say my prized possession is my degree; it not only cost me a ton of money, but also 13 years.

9. HOW TALL ARE YOU?
I am just barely 6' tall.

10. DO YOU GET CLAUSTROPHOBIC?
Not often. We used to go caving in Kentucky. There was one cave that was about a quarter mile long. You had to go through it on your belly and at one point, the ceiling was against your back. It was maybe 2 feet tall for a long portion.

11. DO YOU GET SCARED IN THE DARK?
Sometimes

12. THE LAST PERSON TO MAKE YOU CRY?
I cry every time I watch Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.

13. WHAT'S YOUR WORST FEAR?
Getting old

14. WHAT KIND OF HAIR/EYE COLOR DO YOU LIKE ON THE OPPOSITE SEX?
Mid-length light brown hair with highlights and green eyes. (that's what my wife has right?)

15. WHERE CAN YOU SEE YOURSELF BEING PROPOSED TO AT?
I did the proposing; next to a lake, at night.

16. COFFEE OR ENERGY DRINK?
Coffee!

17. FAVORITE PIZZA TOPPING?
I'm not picky. Just no mushrooms.

18. IF YOU COULD EAT ANYTHING RIGHT NOW, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
A Texas Roadhouse Filet, medium rare.

19. FAVORITE COLOR OF ALL TIME?
I am a big fan of black.

20. HAVE YOU EVER EATEN A GOLDFISH?
I know that I have, but can't remember when. I think I might have been in jr. high.

21. WHAT WAS THE FIRST MEANINGFUL GIFT YOU'VE EVER RECEIVED?
Anything from my grandmother.

22. DO YOU HAVE A CRUSH?
Besides my wife? None that I no of. I am sure my wife can think of a few.

23. ARE YOU DOUBLE JOINTED?
Nope. I did dislocate my thumb while skiing a few years ago and it pops out of place occasionally.

24. FAVORITE CLOTHING BRAND?
Not really a brand kind of guy. I like anything made in Europe. My Irish souvenirs are great.

25. WHO IS YOUR FAV FEMALE/MALE CELEBRITY?
Female: It is difficult to pick one.
Male: I am typically a fan of anything Ed Norton does.

26. DO YOU HAVE A PET RIGHT NOW?
Yep

27. WHAT KIND IS IT?
2 dogs: Barkley and Dexter, one satanic cat: Max

28. WOULD YOU FALL IN LOVE KNOWING THAT THE PERSON IS LEAVING?
Maybe

30. SAY A NUMBER FROM ONE TO A HUNDRED.
23

31. BLONDES OR BRUNETTES?
Typically, brunettes, but whatever color my wife's hair is.

32. FAVORITE QUOTE?
"We are the music makers. We are the dreamers of the dreams." - Willie Wonka (the original)

33. FAVORITE PLACE?
Dublin, in any pub, with a pint of Guinness.

34. HAVE YOU BEEN OUT OF THE USA?
Yes.

35. YOUR WEAKNESSES?
Insecurity disguised as arrogance.

36. MET ANYONE FAMOUS?
Yeah. A couple of writers and some musicians.

37. FIRST JOB?
My first real job was at a Rax restaurant.

38. EVER DONE A PRANK CALL?
Yeah. I remember making a few.

39. DO YOU THINK EVERYONE OUT THERE HAS A SOULMATE?
Soulmates seems a little too much like a jr. high girl's dream. I think it is too "destiny" oriented. I think we have several people who we are compatible with.

40. WHAT WERE YOU DOING BEFORE YOU FILLED THIS OUT?
I was sleeping, but Michelle asked me to take Dexter out. So now I am doing my daily post.

41. HAVE YOU EVER HAD SURGERY?
No. I have had a few procedures that required me to be under, but I have never been cut with a scalpel.

42. WHAT DO YOU GET COMPLIMENTED ABOUT MOST?
My glasses get a lot of compliments.

43. HAVE YOU EVER HAD BRACES?
Nope, but I probably should have.

44. WHAT DO YOU WANT FOR YOUR BIRTHDAY?
I would love it if Michelle got pregnant. Other than that, I would love home brewery and a drum set.

45. HOW MANY KIDS DO YOU WANT AND THEIR NAMES?
2. Names are up for debate.

46. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?
Not really.

47. WHAT IS THE BIGGEST TURN OFF OF THE OPPOSITE SEX?
Arrogance, I like confidence, but when it comes off as just arrogant, I get turned off.

48. WHAT IS ONE THING YOU LIKED ABOUT HIGH SCHOOL?
I loved my senior year. Working with so many people on the yearbook and newspaper was great.

49. WHAT KIND OF SHAMPOO DO YOU USE?
Never a name brand. I always get a store brand. Right now it is from Target.

50. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING?
Not really.

51. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT?
Maple glazed ham.

52. ANY BAD HABITS?
I procrastinate a lot.

53. ARE YOU A JEALOUS PERSON?
Not usually.

54. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON, WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU?
Maybe, but I would think that I was not very approachable, so maybe not.

55. DO YOU AGREE WITH FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS?
I used to. I am too old for that now.

56. DO LOOKS MATTER?
Sure they matter. You don't want to be with someone you are physically repulsed by. But there are other very attractive qualities. I have met some very physically attractive people who are really ugly inside.

57. HOW DO YOU RELEASE ANGER?
I just hold it in.

59. WHAT'S YOUR MAIN GOAL IN LIFE?
To leave a positive influence on as many people as I can.

60. WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE TOY AS A CHILD?
Action figures and my basketball.

61. HOW MANY NUMBERS ARE IN YOUR CELL PHONE?
Not many. Maybe 25-30.

62.WERE YOU A FAN OF BARNEY AS A LITTLE KID?
I am too old for Barney. I was definitely a Sesame Street and Mr. Rogers kid.

63. DO YOU USE SARCASM?
Nope, I never use sarcasm. It uses me.

64. MASHED POTATOES OR MACARONI AND CHEESE?
Tough choice. I don't eat mashed potatoes often. I do like some mac n' cheese, especially if Ron and Aisa made it.

65. WHAT DO YOU LOOK FOR IN A GUY/GIRL?
I really just need someone who can tolerate me. It helps if they are kind-hearted.

66. WHAT ARE YOUR NICKNAMES?
I never really had a nickname. Everyone always just called me "Box."

67. FAVORITE SUPER POWER
I would love flying. But if I could go into the future and find out sports scores, then come back and bet on them: that would be freaking awesome!

68. WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE TV SHOW?
LOST!

69.WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO DEAL WITH YOUR ENEMIES?
Kill them with kindness. If that doesn't work, just kill them. haha.

70. WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR?
Plain ole' vanilla.

71. DO YOU HAVE ALL YOUR FINGERS AND TOES?
yes.

72. DO YOU HAVE A COMPUTER IN YOUR ROOM?
Yes, several

73. PLANS FOR TONIGHT?
Work out, watch Biggest Loser.

74. WHERE DO YOU WANT TO LIVE WHEN YOU ARE OLDER?
East or West Coast of US, or anywhere in Ireland.

75. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS?
If they want to, that would be cool.

76. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO?
News. I am a news junkie.

77. LAST THING YOU DRANK?
Orange Juice

78. LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO THE PHONE?
Michelle.

79. THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE IN THE OPPOSITE SEX?
I want to say eyes, but it is probably a little south of there.

80. WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO IN YOUR SPARE TIME?
Read, play guitar, write, travel, work on project around the house.

81. FAVORITE THING TO HATE?
I have a big problem with ignorance and intolerance. I sometimes see them in myself. That hurts.

82. FAVORITE SEASON?
Fall

83. WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE TYPE OF CANDY?
Candy bar: Kit Kat

84. HAVE YOU EVER REALLY AND TRULY HAD A BEST FRIEND?
Yeah, my wife. Seriously.

85. WHAT IS YOUR HAIR COLOR?
Brown, but I think I see some gray.

86. EYE COLOR?
Hazel

87. SHOE SIZE?
12

88. FAVORITE FAST FOOD PLACE?
Not really into fast food. I do like Fazoli's a lot.

89. FAVORITE RESTAURANT?
Rusty bucket.

90. DO YOU LIKE SUSHI?
I want to say no, but I haven't really given it a chance.

91. WATCH TV TODAY?
I am right now.

92. FAVORITE DAY OF THE YEAR?
I don't really have one.

93. PLAY ANY MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS?
I play guitar and bass. I want to learn drums and piano too.

94. REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRAT?
I would like to say that I am an Independent, but I have never voted for a Republican.

95. KISSES OR HUGS?
Both

96. RELATIONSHIPS OR ONE NIGHT STANDS?
Relationships. Although...never mind.

97. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU BOUGHT?
Groceries on Friday. I don't usually but much outside of that.

98. WOULD YOU EVER BE A HOUSEWIFE?
Not really, I would however, be down with being a house-husband.

99. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING?
Jesus Wants to Save Christians: A Manifesto for the Church in Exile.

100. DESCRIBE YOUR LOVE LIFE:
Always falling more in love.

Post #21 On Spiritual Abuse...

A few years ago, I wrote a blog post about spiritual abuse. Dysgrace, a system of spiritual abuse The basic idea of the post was based on a section of a book by David Faust, president of my alma mater.
From that post:

There are some identifiable dynamics to spiritually abusive systems.

1) Power posturing: Leaders demand excessive amounts of authority and compel their followers to submit.
2) Performance preoccupation: Spirituality is measured by strict adherence to the church's rules with little emphasis on grace.
3) Unspoken rules: For example, the "can't talk" rule instructs that any expression of disagreement or dissent is viewed as disloyalty toward the church's leadership.
4) Lack of balance: Abusive churches may either overemphasize subjective experiences or go to the other extreme and allow no room for the personal leading of God's Spirit.
5) Paranoia: Such churches are dominated by suspicion and fear of outsiders, and discourage interaction with the outside world.
6) Misplaced Loyalty: Loyalty to Christ becomes identified exclusively with one's involvement in a particular congregation or organization.

and finally,
7) Secretiveness: Rather than dealing with important issues and problems with an appropriate degree of openness, abusive systems consistently handle such matters behind closed doors.

The common thread to the dysgraceful church is that they are using people instead of ministering to them.

The reason I refer to this post has to do with the book I am currently reading, "Jesus Wants to Save Christians."

In the book, Rob Bell brings up this thought:

When people are manipulated with guilt and fear, when they are told that if they don't do certain things they'll be illegitimate, judged, condemned, sent to hell forever--that's violence.

It doesn't matter what spiritual language is used or what passages in the Bible are quoted, it's destructive. It's misuse of power. And central to the way of Jesus is serving, which is the loving use of whatever power you possess for the good of another. (emphasis mine)

Spiritual abuse is a terrible church-related experience. Whether it stems from the ego of a leader or the unchecked authority of a group, or some other factor, spiritual abuse is wrong. You cannot hate someone into the arms of Jesus. You cannot coerce people into love. It is wrong, manipulative, and disgraceful.

Post #18 East of Eden...

Rob Bell's book, "Jesus Wants To Save Christians," begins with the story of the first family: Adam, Eve, Cain, and Abel. After Adam and Eve sinned against God things began to move further away from God's original intention. They left the garden, not only the literal example of God's intention for humanity, but a symbol of God's Shalom and love and perfect plan.

Later, Cain became jealous and angry towards his brother, Abel, because Able provided a more favorable offering to God. In his jealousy and anger, Cain killed his brother.

Rob picks up this though,

As a result of the murder, the text says, "Cain went out from the Lord's presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden."

East of Eden.

There is a place called Eden, a paradise, a state of being in which everything is in its right place. A realm where the favor and peace of God rest on everything.

And Cain is not there. He's east of there.

And he's not only east of Eden, but in Chapter 4 of the book of Genesis, the text says that he was "building a city."

It's not just that he's east of where he was created to live, but he's actually settling there, building a city, putting down roots. The land of his wandering has become the location of his home. And then several chapters later, the Bible says that the whole world had one language and a common speech "as people moved eastward."

The writer of Genesis keeps returning to this eastward metaphor, (Genesis 13:11-12, 25:5-6, 28:10-22, 29:1) insisting that something has gone terribly wrong with humanity, and that from the very beginning humans are moving in the wrong direction.

Many times the behavior of religious people is perceived as antithetical to God's intentions. Anger, racism, sexism, exploitation and greed are not the ways of God. However these same behaviors and attitudes are often at the center of people who claim to know God best. This has to change. We need to move back toward Eden.

How does religion play a role in moving us further east?
How can religion help move us back to shalom; back towards a more whole existence?

Post #17 On My Shelf...

I like to read. Usually I read non-fiction, ministry related books. I know, not very exciting. But there are so many changes happening in ministry that it can be challenging just keeping up. A couple of my favorite writers are Rob Bell and Brian McLaren. Bell is a teaching pastor and McLaren retired from local ministry to do more writing and national speaking.

Anyway, here are a few books that I have been reading recently.


Jesus Wants to Save Christians, by Rob Bell


Everything Must Change, by Brian McLaren

I hope to post about some of my thoughts regarding these books soon. If you are interested, click the pics to take you to Amazon's page for each one. You can find summaries and reviews there.

Jesus wants to save Christians

I started reading Rob Bell’s new book, “Jesus Wants To Save Christians” this week. Like Rob’s other two books, this one reads in a narrative manner that reminds me of a conversation at a coffee shop between two life-long friends. One chapter into the book and I already think this will be my favorite of Rob’s works.

Rob is the teaching pastor at Mars Hill Bible Church and his teachings are available in the form of weekly podcasts. I have been a weekly listener for nearly 3 years and remember a series Rob did a year or two ago entitled, “Jesus want to the save the Christians…” During the series, Rob suggested that the teaching of Jesus were often focused on those who identified themselves as religious. Those teachings focused on issues such as greed, love of enemies, and serving others.

You see, as those who identify with religion, Christians are often under the assumption that they would not be greedy, hateful, or proud people. Unfortunately, the contrary is too often the case.

Additionally, far too often, complacency and ignorance are our truest sins. When we shop at stores that sell cheap products made in developing countries by underpaid, overworked people, we are contributing to a system that violets human rights, a system that pays its average store employee little more than minimum wage but whose CEO makes billions a year. When we contribute to systems of degradation and exploitation, we propagate the injustices such a system benefits from.

So what do we do? Boycott? Protest?

Well no, and yes.
No, because boycotts don’t really work and protests rarely bring the attention to the actual matter being protested (the crowd gets the attention instead). But yes, we can do something. We can first stop buying “things” just because we want them. That is a symptom of greed and is something we can do without. We can also find other places to make our purchases. Stores that are responsible and focused on helping others. We can shop in stores that strive to empower instead of exploit, stores focused on helping rather than hurting.

That brings me back to Rob’s book. This is not just a book about economics or systems of power. It is a book about doing what is good, by everyone involved. It is a book about doing that next best thing.

Here is the problem: we (as in Americans) are a part of an empire. We are a part of the system. Capitalism is not the enemy, but it can become a religion when it goes unchecked. In the end, we begin to worship God with words only, and our actions are devoted to the dollar.

This book is about the Kingdom, and a Kingdom ethic of responsibility. It is about the economics of Jesus and the stewardship of those things God has blessed us with. Because, after all, if we are followers of Christ, then we are decedents of the Exile. We inherit the promise of God to Abraham. Specifically, that we will be blessed in order to bless others. This is our promise and our calling. What we have been given is not for us to selfishly enjoy. It is for us to unselfishly share. I am blessed in order to bless others. When we finally figure this out, we will truly begin to help heal our broken and corrupt systems. This is the message of Jesus: you were once slaves in Egypt, but you have been brought out of Exile. Go and bring others out as well.

The gods aren't angry...part 2

Rob continued speaking about sacrifice and offering. Specifically he talked about God telling Abraham to offer his son, Isaac, as a sacrifice. Interestingly, Rob points out, Abraham never questioned God about this. He never asked, "Why?" or "How?" or "um, are you sure about that?" He doesn't question that God would demand such a sacrifice. Which should point us to the framework from which Abraham was acting. It was culturally acceptable for gods to be offered those things that were most valuable to the people, even their children.

But that story doesn't end there. Just as Abraham is about to sacrifice his son, God intervenes with a ram and essentially says, "Look, you have always assumed that you had to do things to bless gods and you had to provide sacrifices in order to please gods. But I am in the business of providing. It is not about you providing, it is about trusting that I will provide."

Rob mixes in a lot of quirky humor. He refers to Monty Python and other cultural tidbits as if he is just speaking with friends. at one point he refers to the book of Leviticus (a book of tedious ritual laws) as a "B-grade slasher film that misses something we refer to as a plot...it's all about killing and where to put the blood." Granted the books has its specific purposes, but for a first time reader, it is a bit daunting.

Rob then explained the idea behind certain offerings in the Hebrew system. The grain offering, the meat offering, the peace offering (which culminated in a feast with friends and family), the sin offering and the guilt offering. The point of these was that they provided a way to know where the people stood with God.

The old ways of offering sacrifices to gods was to please and appease the gods. But this new way of offering was not really for God. As Rob put it, "Sacrifice was about offering a way for us to tangible put to death our sin, shame, and guilt and walk away from the alter having entered into peace with God and leaving these things at the alter."

Now this should not be taken to imply that in the sacrifice we somehow can save ourselves from our sin. The point is that God used a method for his ends. HE provided the salvation. We simply admitted our guilt and sin.

Rob spent the last 30 minutes elaborating on a redemptive movement of Jesus. His death on a cross was God's sacrifice for us. Paul (the writer of nearly 2/3 of the New Testament) writes about Jesus' sacrifice as "reconciling all things to God." As Rob pointed out, "Other gods wanted you to sacrifice what was most important to you in order to have peace. This God sacrificed what was most important to him in order for us to have peace."

Sacrifice, according to Rob, was always about what the human heart needs, not about what God needs. God doesn't need anything from us. One passage in the Old Testament has God saying, "If I was hungry, why would I tell you?" Essentially saying, "You cannot provide me with anything. I am the provider."


Not only did we get a chance to hear Rob teach, but we got the opportunity to hang out with some old friends, Kasey and Lisa. They are part of a new church plant in Irvington (a neighborhood in Indianapolis). For what it's worth, this couple epitomizes kind, gentle hearted humility. They are the type of people I want to be. So it was really great to spend some time (although it was much too little for me) with them.

I love interacting with people who are pushing ministry in new directions. And I feel that Kasey and Lisa are doing just that.

Anyway, I will quit blowing sunshine at them. The point is, that I value interaction with brave people who are courageous enough to push limits, admit doubts, and risk failure; all for the sake of promoting a life in the Kingdom.

The gods aren't angry...part 1

Last night Michelle, Rochelle, and myself went to Indy to listen to Rob Bell speak on the topic of the history of religion. It was a very interesting look at how the pre-Abrahamic people worshiped different gods, and how the God of Judeo-Christian faiths interacted with the people in a new, and specifically different manner.

There were several interesting comments made, and from my chicken-scratched notes I can make out a few:

The talk started with a brief narrative about how primitive cultures ascribed worship to forces they believed manipulate those aspects of life that were beyond human control. These would be the harvest, the weather, the sun, moon, and stars, theaffect of biology on us, how food effects us, the rhythms of life. He went on to explain that these people eventually gave names to these forces and began to worship these gods. The idea arose that good things happened in life when the gods were happy, and bad things happened when the gods were unhappy. So the central concern of humanity became pleasing the gods. In order to please the gods, they offered sacrifices. These started as surplus offerings of harvest, but eventually evolved into sacrifices of those parts of our lives that were most important to us: up to and including children.

The idea arose that whether good things or bad things happened, you had to please the gods, so you had to offer more and more valuable and important sacrifices. That caused a huge insecurity and anxiety in the people in regards to their relationship to the gods.

Rob spoke about God's call that Abraham "leave his father's household." This was more than a call to leave his home. It was a call to leave all that his father had taught him about life and religion. It was a call to leave the religious rituals and perspectives of the culture. It was also a call to radically change his worldview. Nothing would be the same.

I will continue this later in "part 2" but I wanted to post a little about it here.

new posts coming

Ok so it's been a while since I posted anything serious (or anything at all for that matter). so i plan to start making a few posts here and there about a few things that have been on my mind, books I am reading, thoughts I have had, and other points of interest (at least interesting to me).

so be patient, it is coming.

In order to hold you over here are a few things that are keeping me occupied:

School: Cincinnati Christian University
House Church: 3rd Place

Books I am reading:
Slaves, Women, and Homosexuals by William Webb

Colossians Remixed by Brian J. Walsh and Sylvia C. Keesmaat


Sex God: Exploring the Endless Connections Between Sexuality And Spirituality by Rob Bell.

When I get time to watch TV:
L O S T

The Office

Heroes

Mars Hill Conference: Isn't She Beautiful Part 2

So the second day kicked of with a morning talk by Rob on the following topic:
A few thoughts on God, Jesus, salvation, judgment, heaven, hell, who's in, who's out, and the end of the world as we know it.

We started off by exploring this basic idea: If someone asked you what salvation was and how you received it, and the only thing you had to provide the answer was the Bible, what would that answer look like.

See, the big issue with topics like this is that we often don't just rely on the bible. We utilize denominational (or non-denominational) doctrine and theology that has it's roots in Professor So-and-so, and Doctor Mumble-Jumble. Even when we say "we just teach the bible," what we typically do is teach our slant on the bible.

This is a big discussion, and one that I don't want to go into here. But here on some of my thoughts on this talk and the rest of the day.

Going to heaven
When the goal of this life is escaping it to a far off other worldly place, we are not doing the present situation or message and justice. Jesus often spoke about the kingdom being here, now, present, with us.

Is that all we have to offer to people? An escapism? Is that really hope?

Is that the best that God can give us? or is that just the best we give God?

Another thought about "who's in" and "who's out":
What do we do about the person who has "said the prayer" but does not live his life for Jesus? or what about the person who has never said a prayer but lives more Christlike than most Christians?

If a prayer, or a ritual is the point, then do humility, compassion, love, generosity...really matter at all?

Is there more than one Jesus being portrayed to people? My Jesus does not look very much like the same Jesus Fred Phelps sees, or Pat Robertson sees.

Maybe some Jesus' need to be rejected.

Some people might actually be on the road to salvation by rejecting your church and what it teaches.

Have you ever noticed that the people who want to label in vs. out are always in?

How is it that even Christians can't agree on what it takes to be "saved"?

A very rigid fundamentalist becomes a very open universalist when a young family member dies.

Where is grace in all of this?

Grace: it is a free gift, there is nothing you can do to earn it, all you have to do is....


What is salvation?
Is it forgiveness of sins?
Is it relationship with God?
Is it safety from hell? What about the hell on earth?

How do you "get" it?
Is it something you say?
Is it something you have to be?
Is it something you do?
Is it something someone else does?
Is it something something someone says to you?
Is it something that someone else tells you to say/believe/do/trust?

When you examine the bible you find that there are "conversion" moments that have involved each of those examples.

If you were asked how someone gets saved, and you only had the bible to answer, you might find many different answers.

Salvation is holistic in nature. Jesus wants to save us...
from sin
from regret
from anger
from hatred
from selfishness
from bitterness
from poverty
from oppression
from ANYTHING that keeps us from the peace of God (Shalom)


Salvation is where Jesus is. If our hearts are truly being transformed, then we will begin to cane about the things that Jesus cares about.


Sometimes the greatest answer is "I DON'T KNOW."

Matthew, Luke (in Acts) and Paul (in Colossians) make a point to stress that Jesus wants to renew ALL things, restore EVERYTHING, and reconcile ALL things. There is more to the cross than individual, personal salvation. Of course that is a huge part of it, but if salvation is only about individual souls, then we miss the whole Gospel.

Jesus often tells parables that warn us. The people who we assume are "in" may be "out" and the people who are "out", may actually be "in."

Quotation from Richard Rohr: "My simple definition of salvation would be when one begins to live in conscious union with God. This of course grows and develops and Jesus makes it plain that this has to begin in our bodies, in our human lives, in our experiences in this world, now, and for that Jesus is surely necessary for salvation. It is not a formula of a mere affirmation but a change of identity"


When we look at the bible, we MUST remember that the story does not begin with sin. It starts with Shalom. Subsequently it also ends in Shalom.

Most of the Creation story is not even about people. It is about God's Creation.
Our planet is something to be cared for because it is a creation from God.

Caring for the environment is not an option for Christians

It is obvious that God wants to dwell with us.
He resided in the temple.
He became flesh and walked among humanity.
The Church is referred to as Christ's Body.
Revelation - Heaven crashing into earth.

Christian life is not about escaping this world, it is about being where God is.

Well there are my thoughts. This was just the first session of the day. And in typical "postmodern" fashion we didn't really get any answers, but we did get a lot of questions and conversations started. I enjoyed that.

I went to a workshop about leadership roles at Mars Hill as well. I won't go into it, but I was a little disappointed. There were specific topics I hoped they would address but they skirted around them.

The night service was mostly a worship service. The band is really good, and Rob gave a great short lesson on the prayer shawl that Jews wore/wear. It really ties into the woman who is healed by touching Jesus' robe. I won't go into that either. I have to save some of this stuff in case I want to teach on it. Haha.

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."

I am excited about tomorrow's schedule. I will post on it when I get home.

I will put all of these thoughts in a better format when i get home.

Books to Chew On

I wanted to give you a list of books that have been helpful, influential, and encouraging to me in my growth as a more mature, thinking, and responsible Christian. I own most of these books and would be happy to loan them out if you are interested.


Messy Spirituality, by Mike Yaconelli

This book is a great read! It re-enforces the fact that we are not going to be perfect and that we are going to make mistakes. The point is not perfection, it is in attempting to become more Christ-like. This may be a hard concept to digest, but the fact is that even if we try harder than any one else to be perfect, we will never succeed. But we can try everyday to be more Christ-like than the previous day. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has been oppressed by spiritual abuse and legalism.


A New Kind of Christian, by Brian McLaren

This book is for anyone who ever thought, "There has to be a different way to do this." The book is in a narrative form (story-telling), but the concepts that McLaren explains is very relevant. A lot of conservative Christians might take offense to some of McLaren's ideas (I don't pretend to agree with all of his thoughts), but this is a good book to challenge you to find out why you believe what you believe.


Velvet Elvis, by Rob Bell

I admit that I am a big fan of Rob Bell. The one thing that I truly appreciate is his ability to connect the Jewish culture of Jesus' time to the applications in our own life. I greatly respect the Jewish theologians and writers. What I believe today owe's so much to what they taught so many years ago. One thought that many Christians unfortunately subscribe to is "We are under the New Covenant, we don't follow the teachings of Moses and Abraham." This is so unfortunate, especially since Jesus affirms these teaching so many times. We have to remember that Jesus was an Israelite and try to figure out how that influenced his teachings, interactions, and beliefs.


I will add more books later.