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 #127 Poets, Prophets & Preachers: Day 3, Session 2

Day 3, Session 2
Peter Rollins
"For those with ears to hear: Parables and the lost art of provocation"

A system or an ideology is not what you see, it is the lens through which you see everything.

The question is not "Is Christianity true?" The question is "What does it mean when Christianity claims to be true?"

The importance of "name..."
Exodus 3 "What is your name? Who should I say has sent me?"

God cannot be truly known, not because there is a lack, but because there is so much.

Words are not sufficient when the infinite comes into contact with the finite.

When God reveals his name to Moses he actually says, "My name is Presence."

Revelation has 3 features:
comprehension - understand that we do not understand
bedazzlement - God shakes everything up
transformation - the presence of God changes us

When God reveals himself, we cannot remain the same.
- Jacob wrestles with God and God gives him a new name, a new identity
- Paul encounters Jesus on the road to Damascus and he is transformed so deeply that he embraces what he once fought against.

Everyone talks about how God will make our lives better. When I allowed God into my life, he wrecked everything. Nothing has been the same.

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 #124 Poets, Prophets, & Preachers: Day 2, Session 3

Day 2 Session 3
Shane Hipps
"How Technology Shapes the Sermon"

Shane, a former marketing and advertising executive, focused on the brilliance of Marshall McLuhan, the man he refers to as "The greatest thinker you've never heard of." McLuhan predicted concepts similar to Amazon.com 30-40 years before the internet was available to the public.

We often hear the statement "The methods always change, but the message stays the same."
Shane explained that "The medium IS the message."
The way you say something is more important than what you actually say.

"Our conventional response to all media, namely that it is how they are used that counts, is the numb-stance of the technological idiot...for the content of any message is the juicy piece of meat carried by the burglar to distract the watchdog of the mind." -Marshall McLuhan

In another thought, Shane explained, "We are what we behold."

He added, the printing press was the first assembly line of the industrial age. It was linear, sequential, uniform, and repeatable type. It helped to shape how we interacted with various areas of our lives, including other technology, even architecture. Before the printing press, churches met to share the stories of Jesus. But with the printing press came the concept of "transfer of information." Clergy deviated from leading the conversation and now started lecturing on the topic. The first pews were created and the church's architecture was changed in order to better provide the "transfer of information."

Between 1850 and 1900 many technologies had started to harness the use of electricity. Among these was photography.

Shane explained, "With technology comes an increased inability to utilize abstract thought."



The words create a thought of an image, but the picture creates an emotion connected to an image.

Shane explained that "a picture is worth a thousand words" is a good thought, but words are not interchangeable with pictures.

In "the boy is sad" the words stimulate the left brain....the image stimulates the right.
The words are conceptual...the picture is holistic.
The words are sterile...the picture is emotional.

"Images pin the logical side of our brains to the back of our skull." The image overrides any logical thinking. This is why advertisers use images instead of essays to sell their products.






On the left is text that represents a syllogism or an argument used in explaining a logical conclusion. On the right is the eastern symbol, the Yin Yang, used to explain the existence of opposing forces in nature, spirituality, or human thought.

Image based cultures move from western thinking to more eastern thinking.
Left brain - semi colon plus closed parenthesis
Right brain - :) emoticon

Letters in and of themselves do not mean anything. That is what makes them useful. We ascribe meaning to them when used in context.

The letter "L" does not, on it's own mean anything.
But when used in a specific context:



it means something very specific.


- Image based cultures create a literary deficiency.
- you will remember an image far better than the description of that image.
- image limits possibilities but creates a shared experience,
- what does the image actually do? vs. what do the words actually say?

-if you want to unleash imagination...use words.
-if you want to create a shared experience...use images.

Image vs. Words has shaped how we view many things.

Before the printing press, people focused on the Gospels when examining the Bible. Why? Because they were basically stories about Jesus. They were easy to share with others verbally.

Shane explored the use of images and words through modern eras:

Middle Ages - the message was the story of Jesus. Because of imagery, the ability to communicate through image, stained glass was utilized to tell the story. (it was difficult to put Paul into pictures)

Martin Luther believed that John, Paul, and Peter were more important than Matthew, Mark, and Luke, because they appealed to logic, thought, and reason.

We must understand how to use technology instead of being used by it.

-So what does all of this mean for the sermon?
In order to understand the shift in the technological impact on the sermon, we must consider the focus of the church service:

In the middle ages, the service was focused on the Eucharist and the homily. The alter was the visual focus.
The homily was given in Latin. This was not the common language of the people. In fact it was the language of the educated. Because of this focus, there was an emphasis on mystery...or not really understanding, but welcoming the unknown into the service.

In the industrial (print) age, the service focus was shifted to the sermon and the visual shift was directed to the pulpit. The church became a lecture hall. It was common for a "sermon" to be a four-hour scholarly dissertation.

In the television (broadcast) age, the stage became the focus. The church became a studio with lights, sound equipment, and projection. The pastor became the host or star of the show while a band became the opening act.

In the internet age, the focus shifted to connecting people and providing a shared experience. The church became a coffee shop. The pastor became the facilitator.

Interestingly, you can find an example of all of these types of churches within a 20 mile radius of most major metropolitan cities.

There are some practices that can help us become better artists of preaching:
-the art of surprise: this is not necessarily the use of paradox or absurdity.
"When you keep them guessing, they pay attention."
3 types of surprise:
- exegetical: this is providing contextual information, asking questions of the text, find answers to those questions.
- rhetorical: used with familiar texts or topics. Create dissonance where there was none. Planting an itch so they can scratch.
- linguistic: become a student of language. Fine new words for old thoughts. Use poetry to get to the heart. Use prose to illuminate the crux of the passage.

Shane then walked us through a case-study of the John's account of Jesus' first miracle: turning water into wine at the wedding in Cana.
- rhetorical surprise: John mentions this as the 1st miracle. Why? Isn't this an odd miracle? Examine the Hebrew perspective on wine in relation to celebration, joy, and abundance. Rabbinical thought: "without wine, there is no joy." Connect Jesus with the "abundance of God."

-exegetical surprise: notice the jars - the container not the content. Jesus used the jars that were for "ceremonial washing" when empty wine jars (amphora) would have been available. Using ceremonial jars for anything other than washing would have violated purity laws. Jesus chose the ceremonial jars for a specific reason. What was that reason?

- linguistic surprise: examine the amphora, study Rabbinical sayings, look to other biblical passages for insight. Find a new way of saying what we have become familiar with.

The art of the sermon has much to do with mastering the art of letting go.
- We pour ourselves into a message and then we have people tell us it was "a good sermon." We didn't want a good sermon, we wanted pure life transformation.
"When I learned to be divested in the outcome, life change started to take place." Sure we want life change to take place, but when we fearlessly and honestly offer what God has given us without reservation, bias, or expectation, we will see His results.
"You do not need encouragement to breath, you just do it."
"I have not achieved, I have tasted."

Prior to image, we had heroes for what they had done or accomplished. With image, we now have celebrities who are known simply for being seen.

There are technophiles and technophobes. We must have both eyes open and see technology for what it is: a tool, not a solution.

Simplicity:
The problem is not simplicity, but simplicity on the front side of complexity. It is very different from simplicity on the far side of complexity. This is why wise sayings mean much more from an older person who has seen much life. Their simple, "God has a plan for us" has depth to it in light of their lives.

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 #57 Pagan Christianity?

I am reading a book that has been on my shelf for quite some time. It is written by trend tacker, George Barna and house church pioneer, Frank Viola. The focus is on the ancient roots of Christianity--the roots that actually have no biblical basis--the roots that take foot in the ground of the other faiths and religions that have been assimilated by Christianity over the past 2000 years.

The introductory chapter starts with the following quote:

There is perhaps nothing worse than reaching the top of the ladder and discovering that you're on the wrong wall.
-Joseph Campbell, Twentieth-Century American Writer

This is an appropriate place to start this book. The assumption is not that Christianity in message is the wrong wall, but perhaps Christianity in method might be. The way we have been living out the lessons and examples of Jesus may be counterproductive to what He intended with those lessons and examples. It is not that Christianity is in question, it is the possible misrepresentation of Christ that is.

The writers describe a silent revolution in which devotees are leaving old, accepted ways of "doing church" for even older approaches. They explain,

The heart of the Revolutionaries is not in question. There is ample research to show that they are seeking more of God. They have a passion to be faithful to His Word and to be more in tune with His leading. They ardently want their relationship with the Lord to be their top priority in life. They are tired of the institutions, denominations, and routines getting in the way of a resonant connection with Him. They are worn out on the endless programs that fail to facilitate transformation. They are weary of being sent off to complete assignments, memorize facts and passages, and engage in simplistic practices that do not draw them into God's presence.

The writers then tell us what this book is really all about:

This book will challenge you to consider making more significant changes in they way you practice your faith. Altering the ways in which we worship is no simple task. When people suggest significant changes in some of the hallowed practices, cries of "heretic" can be heard coming from all directions. Such protest is common largely because people have little knowledge of the true foundations of their faith.

And finally, Barna and Viola conclude,

That's where this book comes in. Rather than foster continued resistance to methodological innovations, it's time that the body of Christ get in touch with both the Word of God and the history of the church to arrive at a better understanding of what we can and should do--as well as what we cannot and should not do.

The writers follow this introduction by examining several aspects of "church", deeply analyzing the origins and primary practices that birthed the traditions and sacred cows of today.

The following list highlights the proceeding chapters:
-Have we really been doing it by the book?
-The church building
-The order of worship
-The sermon
-The pastor
-Sunday morning costumes
-Ministers of music
-Tithing and clergy salaries
-Baptism and the Lord's Supper
-Christian education
-Re-approaching the New Testament
and finally,
-A second glance at the Savior

It is important to note, that although I might disagree with some of the things the writers have to say, I do believe it is important for leaders in the church and followers of the faith to understand where our traditions come from and why they became traditions. It is healthy to examine our lives.

As I finish each chapter, I will post some thoughts. Constructive comments are welcomed.

Post #24 The Missing Link...

This experiment is closing in on the end of its first month. The challenge is to write one post for every day of the year. I have missed a few days, here and there, but have been able to catch up. It is not east, as I sometimes get lazy and other times just forget. But, I think it is a good thing to give my brain the shot of creativity that it craves.

For this post, I want to give a few links to other sites/blogs that I visit regularly. I hope you find them enjoyable.

Church Marketing Sucks

Finding Rhythm - Zach Lind

Post Secret

PoMo Musings - Adam Walker Cleveland

Pundit Kitchen - Funny Political Pictures (May have questionable material)

LOSTCasts The only LOST podcast worth listening to

Post #19 On the Importance of Emotional Health...

On Sunday, Michelle and I heard a message about the importance of emotional health, specifically in regards to our service and love of God and others. The pastor spoke on two passages: one from the Gospel of Mark 12 and the other from Exodus 18

28One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, Of all the commandments, which is the most important? 29The most important one, answered Jesus, is this: Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. 31The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these. –Mark 12:28-31

13 The next day Moses took his seat to serve as judge for the people, and they stood around him from morning till evening. 14 When his father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he said, What is this you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge, while all these people stand around you from morning till evening 15 Moses answered him, Because the people come to me to seek God's will. 16 Whenever they have a dispute, it is brought to me, and I decide between the parties and inform them of God's decrees and laws. 17 Moses' father-in-law replied, "What you are doing is not good. 18 You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone." –Exodus 18: 13-18

Take time to chew on these passages. Think about how our emotional health effects our relationships, our families, our jobs, our ability to serve God, and our ability to love God and other people. We often read the passage from Mark and glance over it because this passage seems simple: "Faith is not about legalism, it is about love."

The part that gets overlooked (even in the message that we heard on Sunday) is this: "Love your neighbor as yourself." The key is that we are expected to love ourselves: not in some self-centered, egocentric pride, but a kind of love that respects, protects, and nurtures. We are expected to take care of ourselves; physically, emotionally, and spiritually. And in that same way, we are expected to take care of others.

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 #6 A little preachy...

Disclaimer: After yesterday’s post I realized that this experiment has the potential to take a “preachy” tone. Part of that has to do with my love of theology and biblical history. Part of that has to do with my own proclivity to go on tangential rants.

So, if from time to time, my postings read more like a sermon, you have been forewarned. Also, I understand that not all of my friends, visitors, or dedicated readers share my religious, political, or sociological perspectives. Please understand that my goal is not to offend, but rather inspire; not to push away, but rather to invite dialogue. With that said, I want to focus on a biblical passage, hopefully sharing some personal insight along, the way.

Matthew 21:12-15 is a glimpse into the passion of Jesus. His heart stands in opposition to the exploitation of people and against systemic corruption and injustice. Many people use this window into the life of Jesus as a justification for their own anger. However, this passage, in my opinion, is less about anger than it is about standing up against hurtful systems.

12 Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. 13 "It is written," he said to them, " 'My house will be called a house of prayer,' but you are making it 'a den of robbers.' "
14 The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them. 15 But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple courts, "Hosanna to the Son of David," they were indignant.

There are a few things that we must consider when reading historical documents, and biblical accounts are not an exception. We must consider time and setting. These are the “when and where” that provide context.

Time: 1st Century AD (or CE), specifically Passover.
Setting: Jerusalem, specifically the Temple.

These two details help contextualize the passage; they help us to understand not just the words on the page but the cultural relevance at the time of the event. We know the time and setting from earlier in the chapter as well as from corroboration with other Gospel accounts. They story has been steadily building toward a confrontation between Jesus and the religious/political leaders in Jerusalem.

As part of Passover, Jewish worshippers would travel to Jerusalem to the temple. They would then offer offerings and sacrifices to their God. For this purpose, traders would set up tables and tents for the sale of sacrificial animals and spices. Since currency varied from region to region, money changers also set up to exchange the currency, for a fee. It is believed that the religious leaders would then be given a portion of the profits made and the occupying Roman government would in turn tax the religious leaders. So all of those on one side of the system appeared to profit.

All of the pilgrims would have to exchange their currency and purchase “clean” sacrificial animals (animals bought in the Temple area and approved by the religious leaders). The injustice becomes more apparent when one considers those worshippers who were among the poor, sick, or otherwise marginalized. Not only were they considered second class citizens, but under this system, they were expected to make sacrifices, as payment for their marginalized status, because their situations were considered the result of some sin.

When Jesus opposed this system, he is not simply “cleansing” the Temple. He could have easily used water as a symbol for cleansing. Instead, he goes right to the root of the injustice he sees. He protests the entire system. This was an attack on the socio-religio-political order: a system that exploited its own devotees for profit.

Jesus’ actions brought him into direct confrontation with the religious/political leaders. They were already plotting how they could eliminate him. The Romans were reluctant to allow the Jewish leaders to have authority to perform executions. But there was one charge that would almost certainly end in death: enemy of the state. Inciting social unrest during the crowded Jewish holiday and taking a swipe at the financial corruption all the way up the ladder was certainly considered dangerous political behavior.

And so, his confrontation with the unjust, corrupt establishment would lead him to be executed as a criminal.

There are some questions we should consider:

1. Am I contributing to a system that exploits people (whether domestic or foreign), specifically those who are already marginalized?

2. What can I do to actively confront such exploitation?

Post # 3 All in my head

So this is only the third post, and I am getting it online after 10:00pm. This is going to be more difficult than I originally thought. I have to sit down and arrange my thoughts for posting, but as for now I will shed light on some things I am thinking about with hopes to put flesh on these bones at later dates.

1. I have been thinking about teachable moments lately. My degree in Biblical Studies is not being put to much use lately and I think I am going to need an outlet soon.

2. Michelle's website is a lot of fun for me. She has been taking great photos and I get to write the code and figure out how to display them in a semi-professional manner.

3. To revisit the last post: I miss making music on a regular basis.

4. I need to read more often. Maybe I can post thoughts about some of the books I have on my "to-read list".

Well, I know that this may not be that exciting. But trust me, it will get better. As I find my rhythm, I will focus on controversial topics, theology, politics, and pop-culture. However, right now, it is still all in my head.

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.

2nd Visit to Church A

After our first visit, we realized that it would not be fair to write off a church when we did not get a "typical" Sunday with that congregation. On our first visit to Church A, the student pastor gave the message. So we decided to visit the following week in order to hear the lead pastor present the message.

Again, there were some initial disappointments. The "greeters" were not greeting. We strolled past several people before anyone noticed. Finally, one man introduced himself and offered us coffee.

We walked into the meeting area and took our seats. Background music was playing, (Violent Hill by Cold Play: good call) and there were new band members getting ready to play.

The music was not as good this week. The songs may have been difficult, or they may have had too similar sounds, but there was something lacking. The band was talented, but there was a glaring distraction. First, let me tell you that I am a bass player, and I have a good time when I play. I also do not know the heart of the musician, but the bass player seemed as if he was performing. Many of his actions were distracting and over-played. This was a turn off for me. The worship band should be lead worshippers not just musicians playing.

The message was decent, but seemed like it was lacking. I understand that there is a trend to simplify the Bible so that the average person can understand and apply it, but there has to be a fine line between simplicity and biblical study. If we, as ministers only simplify, then we are not instilling disciplines of study. We are instilling feel good messages.

As we left for the day, I doubted if I would find what I am looking for.

It should be noted that I had emailed the website of Church A and received a response from the Community Development pastor. I replied to this message before we visited the second time, but have yet to hear from him again. This is as frustrating to me as greeters not greeting. I would have to say that at this point I was disappointed. Perhaps Church B will give me something more.

The Search Begins…again

Two years ago, Michelle and I felt that we had to leave a church congregation that we had been part of for nearly five years. This was a difficult decision, but one that needed to be made. Over these past two years, we have both finished our degrees, take life-changing trips, and bought our first house. We soon realized that we needed something more. We needed to once again be plugged into a larger church community.

We visited a few churches before we bought our house and moved, but found them to lack the theological, social, or cultural aspects that we have felt called to. They either had little external focus, were “watered down”, or were trying too hard but falling too short.

So, after we made the move, we started looking again for a church home. The local church landscape is littered with congregations who have little or no positive influence in the community as a whole. Outreach, community service, and external focus are seemingly unimportant to some groups. Add to these internally focused congregations an ever-present variable: denominational affiliation.

In our city and surrounding area, there appears to be three times as many Baptist churches and two times as many Pentecostal churches than any other type of congregation. Since Michelle and I are not affiliated with any denomination, we tend to look for nondenominational congregations: and our options seem to be few.

We did, however find a handful of congregations that caught our attention. So, over the last three weeks, we have visited two churches near our home. I am going to critique the experiences in an effort to more specifically understand what we want/need in a church community. I will be evaluating the experience through several lenses: first impressions, music, lesson, overall atmosphere, and final thoughts. I will not use the real names of the churches, instead I will elect to call them Church A and Church B.

Church A is a nondenominational congregation of about 300-400 people. We found Church A via their website and concluded, through information on the site, that they were outwardly focused and involved in the community. We found the building easily, and as we entered the doors, we noticed that there were no greeters to welcome people. If there were any, they weren’t doing their jobs. We passed 7-8 people before anyone took notice of us. Finally someone stepped up. He was obviously a staff member and his name take confirmed this fact. There was no clear signage to give direction once in the building, but there were coffee and pastries.

We entered the meeting area and took a seat. Although the people seemed friendly, they lacked the initiative to make an impact on us. The worship music was upbeat, modern, and well played. They utilized a full band: drums, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, bass, keyboard, and several vocalists. However, the leader’s speaking and mannerisms seemed forced and awkward.

The day we visited was the last day of the lead pastor’s sabbatical (a minister’s way of getting an extended vacation), so the student pastor gave the message. It was engaging; utilizing multimedia and participation of many people. However, it was obviously crafted by someone who spends his time teaching and mentoring 13-18 year olds. Overall, the message was simple; easily taught by any first year seminary student. Communion was made available throughout the service at tables along the sides of the room. Offering was collected via drop boxes as people exited.

Overall, the visit was pleasant. We understand that no church congregation will meet all the expectations that we have. The outward focus of the church is its real attraction for us. The biggest disappointment was the lack of responsive greeters at the doors. Any church consultant will stress the importance of the first 5 minutes of a visitor’s experience. Based on the other variables, I would rate our first experience at Church A as a B-. Although it lacked in some areas, it was a far cry from the hymn singing, suit wearing bore-fests of my childhood. We also realized that things would most likely be different on a Sunday with their lead pastor. So we decided to give it another shot the following week. That critique is for our next post.