1) Reflect on Shenk's statement (p. 6), "We must concede that political freedom is not a correlate of spiritual vigor." I discussed this issue at length with my daughter and wife. Persecution appears to be a stimulus for missional eccelesiology.
I don't think you are too far off the mark with the idea that persecution appears to be a stimulus for missional ecclesiolgy. It takes only a quick look at the stories and statistics coming out of closed countries to support the thesis. One cause may be the overall political atmosphere in the nation in question. In, say, China where all freedoms are restricted, it is not suprising to see people coming to a gospel that proclaims freedom, a hope for the future and a culminating event to history in which the evil that is so painfully visible around them is finally and utterly defeated. By contrast, in nations like ours, freedom breeds complacency. We have it better than most of the planet and we know it. It isn't a great leap of logic to see how we first start to see ourselves as the center of the universe and then begin to take everything we have for granted - from the easy availability of food to the myriad churches in a given locality. It's no wonder we start to sit back and ask what the church can offer us rather than what we can offer the church and, as a member of that body, the world. I find it interesting thar the church is one of the first places people turn when that national aura of complacency is shattered by a tragedy like 9/11 or the VT massacre. These types of events that garner national attention, as well as any number of personal crises, remind people that their spirituality may have been suffering as they enjoyed the relatively carefree freedom afforded us.
2) What do you think of Luther's 7 characteristics of an ideal church (p. 36)?
It seems to me that you see vestiges of these seven characteristics in most churches today. The question, then, is how far do they go with it? For example, it is no longer an issue for the churches to conduct their services in the vernacular - as opposed to Luther's time when Latin was the language of the church. However, is the form of English one that the congregation understands? I find this most often coming up in issues involving particular translations of the Bible used in services as KJV is increasingly difficult for current generations to understand, but older, more traditional congregations find it difficult to make the change to a more modern translation. Another issue is the "Christianese" language we so often use that makes it difficult for new believers or seekers to make sense of the worship service. Likewise, it seems the other six characteristics are practiced in varying degrees in the church.
3) Intriguing statement about transcendence by Berger, explain this phenomenon (p. 40).
This statement makes a lot of sense to me simply in terms of my own experience. In high school and college, it was not common to hear Christians speak out. Often, as Shenk explains, the atmosphere was antagonistic towards Christians so it was easier not to say anything. At the same time, the modern age's tendency toward science tended to squash the spiritual in many ways. Yet, at the same time, people were looking for something beyond the latest technological advances and the mechanistic nature of the modern world - as has been said there is a God-shaped hole in each of us and we strive constantly to fill it. So, as I was growing up, it was, for some reason, totally acceptable to talk about occult practices even if they weren't overtly identified as such. For example, in high school, we might have read the horoscope from the daily newspaper as we sat around the lunch table, but we didn't talk about praying for God to reveal his will. In the culture at the time, that would have set us apart as being kooks. I remember clearly how other students in my dorm at college would play around with Ouija boards frequently. Then and now, we live in a world in which the future seems uncertain. In these occult practices, people are trying to find the answer, In Christ, we know the answer.
4) One of my favorite maxims is noted, "The church exists by mission, just as a fire exists by burning" (Brunner, p. 87). How does one keep the fire going?
Take a step outside the walls of the church. Break out of the evangelical bubble. Extend your horizon beyond your local community. In some ways I can only speak for myself and for the people with whom I have worked whether it be the youth at my church or my brief interactions with college students at the Passion conference, yet I have noticed that when a believer makes a concerted effort to learn about the world out there, that believer has a tendency to focus more intently on mission. They seem to have an attitude that wants desperately to do something to correct what they see as wrongs in society and, often, want to do that in the name of the Almighty God whom they know holds the past, present and the future in the palm of His hand. We can also be energized by the realization that God has the capacity to fix the world's problems on his own and can, in an instant, turn the hearts of every creature back to him, but he asks us to go and to do and to be whatever it takes to bring others to him. No matter what external forces may drive us, the fire can't keep burning if we don't maintain a spark within ourselves by developing disciplines that help us to more clearly see the heart and mind of God such as prayer, Bible study, silence, fasting and the like.
5) Respond to the statement about the crowning achievement of the Enlightenment Movement being the "autonomous self" in modern cultural development (p. 95). How does this perspective influence the church and community of faith we are striving to form in 2007?
Part of the response to this question goes back to the theme of my answer to the first question in that the "autonomous self" manifests itself in our tendency to think of ourselves as the center of the universe. It breeds a "what's in it for me" attitude. For the church, it has lead to the phenomenon of church shopping as people move from church to church to find one that fits their needs. I believe it is also the motivation behind so many age-group related ministries within the church. I realize there is a bit of a contradictory nature in that statement as it is coming from someone involved in youth ministry, but, then again, I am a big proponent of intergenerational activities within the church. So, anyway, we have Sunday school classes for children, divvied up by grades. They graduate to middle school or junior high ministry. After that, specific ministry to high school ministry. And then, they disappear and we wonder why. Could it be that we haven't incorporated them into the life of the church all along and they now feel that they have no place in the community? On a larger scale, the idea of the autonomous self also limits the perception of what it means to be a follower of Christ. After all, if our own thoughts, preferences and, as the book mentions, self-esteem are at the heart of our decisions, what room is there for true humility and authentic service?
Tuesday, May 8, 2007
Monday, May 7, 2007
Session 10 & 11: Tammie
1) What is the church? (In a course on Christ and Culture, this should be discussed and dissected.) Describe its nature (ontological reality, identity, membership), mission (purpose, function, role), and structure (organization, polity, administration).
The church, as it exists locally, regionally and throughout the world, is a community called and set aside by God to be the vehicle through which his redemptive purposes for all of creation are revealed in the midst of a fallen world. As a body of believers led by the Spirit, the church is to be a community of hope. It is comprised of believers and, generally, can be thought of as encompassing two different arenas. First is the invisible church which is comprised of all believers through all the ages and the second is the visible church, active and present today which lives in the already-not yet tension between the time that God's redemptive plan is revealed and the time in which his promise is fulfilled. The church is the body of Christ and, as such, its members have been given gift by the Spirit which equip the church to carry on Christ's mission in the world.The organization of the church is influenced by its history and by the world around it, but it is, at heart, influenced most by the leading and teaching of the Spirit. The organization that a church forms is a means of expressing the nature and values of the church.
2) Unmasking the powers was interesting discussion (p. 135), how does the church engage in this messy ministry in a broken world?
By getting messy ourselves. I heard a speaker earlier this year who challenged the college students to whom he was speaking to do more than just "drop nickels from their SUVs" to help the poor as they themselves pursued the American dream. That has stuck with me as a reminder that ministry - real ministry in a messed-up. broken world - can't be done from afar. We also unmask the powers as we live as the people of God, possessing an otherwise inexplicable hope when the rest of the world seems to be so hopeless. In such a way, we point to Jesus who has disarmed the powers and prove that these powers have no control over the redeemed people of God. In one of the sources I used for the ECM course, a speaker said that the church's mission is to find out what God is doing in the world and join him there (I think I also heard that Bono said that, too, but that's a different story of engaging culture!). That, it seems to me, is an awesome place to start.
3) If the church is to be missional, why do we need Mobile Missional Structures? (p. 169)
Mobile missional structures bring a new dynamic to the local church as it grows from the local church and, in return, strengthens the local church. In one sense, the key to discovering why they are necessary is in their name - mobile. These structures can often move more quickly and effectively than the local church as they are often specialized ministries reaching specific populations. Just a few weeks now after the VT tragedy, I think of campus ministries such as Intervarsity Christian Fellowship and Campus Crusade for Christ which were already active in the campus and its leaders could respond almost instantly to the unfolding tragedy. These mission structures can fill the gaps in the local church. For example, there are not too many local churches that, individually, could afford or administer a full-time overseas mission endeavor on its own. So, mission agencies or departments within denominations have been created to fill that need. It is also notable that those who service in mobile mission agencies have a vision or the skills for ministry in a broader context, but who are connected to the local congregation, For example, the Passion movement with which I have volunteered for the past couple of years is meant to be a catalyst for ministy on college campuses - not the ministry itself.
The church, as it exists locally, regionally and throughout the world, is a community called and set aside by God to be the vehicle through which his redemptive purposes for all of creation are revealed in the midst of a fallen world. As a body of believers led by the Spirit, the church is to be a community of hope. It is comprised of believers and, generally, can be thought of as encompassing two different arenas. First is the invisible church which is comprised of all believers through all the ages and the second is the visible church, active and present today which lives in the already-not yet tension between the time that God's redemptive plan is revealed and the time in which his promise is fulfilled. The church is the body of Christ and, as such, its members have been given gift by the Spirit which equip the church to carry on Christ's mission in the world.The organization of the church is influenced by its history and by the world around it, but it is, at heart, influenced most by the leading and teaching of the Spirit. The organization that a church forms is a means of expressing the nature and values of the church.
2) Unmasking the powers was interesting discussion (p. 135), how does the church engage in this messy ministry in a broken world?
By getting messy ourselves. I heard a speaker earlier this year who challenged the college students to whom he was speaking to do more than just "drop nickels from their SUVs" to help the poor as they themselves pursued the American dream. That has stuck with me as a reminder that ministry - real ministry in a messed-up. broken world - can't be done from afar. We also unmask the powers as we live as the people of God, possessing an otherwise inexplicable hope when the rest of the world seems to be so hopeless. In such a way, we point to Jesus who has disarmed the powers and prove that these powers have no control over the redeemed people of God. In one of the sources I used for the ECM course, a speaker said that the church's mission is to find out what God is doing in the world and join him there (I think I also heard that Bono said that, too, but that's a different story of engaging culture!). That, it seems to me, is an awesome place to start.
3) If the church is to be missional, why do we need Mobile Missional Structures? (p. 169)
Mobile missional structures bring a new dynamic to the local church as it grows from the local church and, in return, strengthens the local church. In one sense, the key to discovering why they are necessary is in their name - mobile. These structures can often move more quickly and effectively than the local church as they are often specialized ministries reaching specific populations. Just a few weeks now after the VT tragedy, I think of campus ministries such as Intervarsity Christian Fellowship and Campus Crusade for Christ which were already active in the campus and its leaders could respond almost instantly to the unfolding tragedy. These mission structures can fill the gaps in the local church. For example, there are not too many local churches that, individually, could afford or administer a full-time overseas mission endeavor on its own. So, mission agencies or departments within denominations have been created to fill that need. It is also notable that those who service in mobile mission agencies have a vision or the skills for ministry in a broader context, but who are connected to the local congregation, For example, the Passion movement with which I have volunteered for the past couple of years is meant to be a catalyst for ministy on college campuses - not the ministry itself.
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Session 12
1) Reflect on Shenk's statement (p. 6), "We must concede that political freedom is not a correlate of spiritual vigor." I discussed this issue at length with my daughter and wife. Persecution appears to be a stimulus for missional eccelesiology.
I think this is a powerful statement and it seems true in history. It seems to me that one of the most vital characteristics of Christianity is the level of commitment of the participants. There are a number of factors that can help to solidify and test the commitment, but nothing is better that opposition. Opposition to Christianity seems to be the refiners fire that makes sure that those that commit to it really commit. It eliminates people from partial commitment, and heightens the involvement of those genuinely committed. So while it does seem to affect the quantity in the short term adversely, it definitely affects the quality of those involves positively. I think in the long term then the quantity increases because of the spiritual fervor and commitment of the few that were committed in the beginning.
2) What do you think of Luther's 7 characteristics of an ideal church (p. 36)?
I think they’re fantastic. I was all pumped up when reading this until I read the few lines afterward when Luther himself admitted that he couldn’t find people that wanted to really live this way, so he settled for something else. It is a bit discouraging that Luther felt this way in his time. I think these could be great pillars of a local congregation. It doesn’t really address the purpose of the community, but it could really be a church’s description of “who we are”. Sometimes these statements are more effective in communicating with non Christians than telling others what “we believe”.
3) Intriguing statement about transcendence by Berger, explain this phenomenon (p. 40).
I think it is an interesting theory, and it probably goes against what modernists believe in that things must be explained and that is what people want. It supports the idea that people are drawn to something they will not fully understand, something mystical. I’m not sure that is completely explains the situation, but there does seem to be some level of continual desire that is lost when the church becomes increasingly secularized and the sacred is lost. At that point it simple becomes a human organization and no more dynamic than the leadership. With a higher degree of transcendence there is a curiosity mixed by fear that draws people in and keeps them interested. I just got an e-mail from a friend in the mission field in Indonesia. She shared a story of a group of villagers becoming very hostile and even violent to the local missionaries. They were involved in some degree of the supernatural, but many of the village members recognized it was just lead by a few of the men and all depended upon how they felt. These new Christians in their midst scared them, but they were also curious. Not only that the four men that were threatening and violent to the missionaries all died in separate incidents in the next 6 months. The mystery increased, but so did the interest.
4) One of my favorite maxims is noted, "The church exists by mission, just as a fire exists by burning" (Brunner, p. 87). How does one keep the fire going?
I think the increase of short-term missions trip participants can work both ways on this issue. On one hand it can really encourage and pen the eyes of Christians and show them what God can do through them. People can return changed and can then change their lives in such a way that they can live more missionally back at home. This can give them an added level of confidence when it comes to evangelism as well as accountability within relationships if they happen to travel with fellow church members and friends. Unfortunately, in our list making society, some people leave an experience like and check evangelism or service off the list for the year. or more. They simply are unaffected in their present life and return to the same habits, only feeling better because they have this on their spiritual resume. I think the single best way to keep the fire going is to continue to nurture and develop your own relationship with God in such a way that you are simply compelled to share it as you interact with others. We can’t be the people that complain about church and then try to invite people to come with us.
5) [Ponderings: "I have been reflecting on the 20th century. I was born in 1949, I don't feel that old, but in looking at one-half century of life in America. I wonder, where are we headed? My synopsis is that Christendom was at war with itself and lost; both sides lost in each war. German social conformed ideology, financial unrest, and political regret from previous wars were in conflict with British ideology of individualism in social contract ideology, colonialism, and triumphalism. Individualism won and community (socialism/Leninist-Marxist communism) lost; China, India, and Islam present new challenges to American political/economic individualism/triumphalism. Today, America is the world's third largest mission field, Britain & Germany (Europe) are post-Christian, postmodern."] Respond to the statement about the crowning achievement of the Enlightenment Movement being the "autonomous self" in modern cultural development (p. 95). How does this perspective influence the church and community of faith we are striving to form in 2007?
I think it is a clear and present danger to the development of faith communities. The good news is that the more people isolate themselves and become little train wrecks, the more community looks appealing. The best way to combat this is to solidify the importance of community and work diligently at communicating community standards to those that are involved and those that are curious. The best thing the church has going for it in this regard is that it can essentially maintain (which requires a lot of work) while the rest of society continues to erode in its commitment to communal living. I think there will always be a thread of true communal Christian living and at some point it will increase again. It reminds me of the Turning Points in Christianity class I took by Dr. Harrold, no matter what the church did to destroy itself, or the world did to suppress the church, eventually a remnant remained that carried their faith on to the next generation in a powerful and world changing way. I believe that God is maintaining a remnant, many remnants in our world for His purpose.
I think this is a powerful statement and it seems true in history. It seems to me that one of the most vital characteristics of Christianity is the level of commitment of the participants. There are a number of factors that can help to solidify and test the commitment, but nothing is better that opposition. Opposition to Christianity seems to be the refiners fire that makes sure that those that commit to it really commit. It eliminates people from partial commitment, and heightens the involvement of those genuinely committed. So while it does seem to affect the quantity in the short term adversely, it definitely affects the quality of those involves positively. I think in the long term then the quantity increases because of the spiritual fervor and commitment of the few that were committed in the beginning.
2) What do you think of Luther's 7 characteristics of an ideal church (p. 36)?
I think they’re fantastic. I was all pumped up when reading this until I read the few lines afterward when Luther himself admitted that he couldn’t find people that wanted to really live this way, so he settled for something else. It is a bit discouraging that Luther felt this way in his time. I think these could be great pillars of a local congregation. It doesn’t really address the purpose of the community, but it could really be a church’s description of “who we are”. Sometimes these statements are more effective in communicating with non Christians than telling others what “we believe”.
3) Intriguing statement about transcendence by Berger, explain this phenomenon (p. 40).
I think it is an interesting theory, and it probably goes against what modernists believe in that things must be explained and that is what people want. It supports the idea that people are drawn to something they will not fully understand, something mystical. I’m not sure that is completely explains the situation, but there does seem to be some level of continual desire that is lost when the church becomes increasingly secularized and the sacred is lost. At that point it simple becomes a human organization and no more dynamic than the leadership. With a higher degree of transcendence there is a curiosity mixed by fear that draws people in and keeps them interested. I just got an e-mail from a friend in the mission field in Indonesia. She shared a story of a group of villagers becoming very hostile and even violent to the local missionaries. They were involved in some degree of the supernatural, but many of the village members recognized it was just lead by a few of the men and all depended upon how they felt. These new Christians in their midst scared them, but they were also curious. Not only that the four men that were threatening and violent to the missionaries all died in separate incidents in the next 6 months. The mystery increased, but so did the interest.
4) One of my favorite maxims is noted, "The church exists by mission, just as a fire exists by burning" (Brunner, p. 87). How does one keep the fire going?
I think the increase of short-term missions trip participants can work both ways on this issue. On one hand it can really encourage and pen the eyes of Christians and show them what God can do through them. People can return changed and can then change their lives in such a way that they can live more missionally back at home. This can give them an added level of confidence when it comes to evangelism as well as accountability within relationships if they happen to travel with fellow church members and friends. Unfortunately, in our list making society, some people leave an experience like and check evangelism or service off the list for the year. or more. They simply are unaffected in their present life and return to the same habits, only feeling better because they have this on their spiritual resume. I think the single best way to keep the fire going is to continue to nurture and develop your own relationship with God in such a way that you are simply compelled to share it as you interact with others. We can’t be the people that complain about church and then try to invite people to come with us.
5) [Ponderings: "I have been reflecting on the 20th century. I was born in 1949, I don't feel that old, but in looking at one-half century of life in America. I wonder, where are we headed? My synopsis is that Christendom was at war with itself and lost; both sides lost in each war. German social conformed ideology, financial unrest, and political regret from previous wars were in conflict with British ideology of individualism in social contract ideology, colonialism, and triumphalism. Individualism won and community (socialism/Leninist-Marxist communism) lost; China, India, and Islam present new challenges to American political/economic individualism/triumphalism. Today, America is the world's third largest mission field, Britain & Germany (Europe) are post-Christian, postmodern."] Respond to the statement about the crowning achievement of the Enlightenment Movement being the "autonomous self" in modern cultural development (p. 95). How does this perspective influence the church and community of faith we are striving to form in 2007?
I think it is a clear and present danger to the development of faith communities. The good news is that the more people isolate themselves and become little train wrecks, the more community looks appealing. The best way to combat this is to solidify the importance of community and work diligently at communicating community standards to those that are involved and those that are curious. The best thing the church has going for it in this regard is that it can essentially maintain (which requires a lot of work) while the rest of society continues to erode in its commitment to communal living. I think there will always be a thread of true communal Christian living and at some point it will increase again. It reminds me of the Turning Points in Christianity class I took by Dr. Harrold, no matter what the church did to destroy itself, or the world did to suppress the church, eventually a remnant remained that carried their faith on to the next generation in a powerful and world changing way. I believe that God is maintaining a remnant, many remnants in our world for His purpose.
Interview
1. Describe how you became a member of your group, and why you remain active in it?
2. What are the core values, rules, and rituals of your group?
3. How do leaders function in your group?
4. What purpose or need does your group fulfill in your life?
For my interview I phoned a college student (at a college I previously worked) that was a member of an intentional community, or a living and learning community known as the Spanish house. As a Spanish major, Jennifer was aware of the Spanish house and was friends with a number of the girls that were going to be a part of it for the school year. Because Jennifer lives on a residential campus it is pretty normal to consider living options for the following year. She was familiar with it and the advisor, one of her Spanish profs, and some of her friends got together with her and they did it. The basic core values, as well as having a commitment to the Christian community on the campus, is a desire to learn more about the Spanish language as well as the learn more about the cultures that speak Spanish. One of the rules is that they can only communicate with one another in the house in Spanish. They also watch a movie or television program once a week in Spanish. The hope is to watch a movie that is not just an American movie dubbed into Spanish, but movies filmed or produced in Spanish speaking countries so that they get a greater cultural understanding as well as language help. They also have dinner together one night a week in which two of the girls will make the dinner and they all attend. Each person must block off 2 hours for dinner so that they can eat together, have one member lead them in devotions (in Spanish) and then clean up together. In addition they meet with their advisor twice a month about the house. Finally, they establish a regular relationship with a Spanish speaking church in the area and attend at least monthly. One more thing they do is to travel over spring break on a mission trip to a Spanish speaking country, this year they went to Guatemala. It seemed as though, other than the advisor’s role, the leadership responsibilities were shared by the participants. One of the girls had more natural leadership qualities and seemed to be the natural leader within the group, but she had no formal responsibilities different than the other members. I think for these girls the experience in the house served a number of purposes. First as a house of Christians on a Christian college campus it was very beneficial for their faith development. The quality of their relationships definitely helped encourage them in their faith. In addition, the structure and stretching of the shard experience does seem to be very helpful as they have a shared experience. I also think the intentional nature of their living experience will have a tremendous effect on their academics, as well as increasing their confidence and helping shape their worldview.
2. What are the core values, rules, and rituals of your group?
3. How do leaders function in your group?
4. What purpose or need does your group fulfill in your life?
For my interview I phoned a college student (at a college I previously worked) that was a member of an intentional community, or a living and learning community known as the Spanish house. As a Spanish major, Jennifer was aware of the Spanish house and was friends with a number of the girls that were going to be a part of it for the school year. Because Jennifer lives on a residential campus it is pretty normal to consider living options for the following year. She was familiar with it and the advisor, one of her Spanish profs, and some of her friends got together with her and they did it. The basic core values, as well as having a commitment to the Christian community on the campus, is a desire to learn more about the Spanish language as well as the learn more about the cultures that speak Spanish. One of the rules is that they can only communicate with one another in the house in Spanish. They also watch a movie or television program once a week in Spanish. The hope is to watch a movie that is not just an American movie dubbed into Spanish, but movies filmed or produced in Spanish speaking countries so that they get a greater cultural understanding as well as language help. They also have dinner together one night a week in which two of the girls will make the dinner and they all attend. Each person must block off 2 hours for dinner so that they can eat together, have one member lead them in devotions (in Spanish) and then clean up together. In addition they meet with their advisor twice a month about the house. Finally, they establish a regular relationship with a Spanish speaking church in the area and attend at least monthly. One more thing they do is to travel over spring break on a mission trip to a Spanish speaking country, this year they went to Guatemala. It seemed as though, other than the advisor’s role, the leadership responsibilities were shared by the participants. One of the girls had more natural leadership qualities and seemed to be the natural leader within the group, but she had no formal responsibilities different than the other members. I think for these girls the experience in the house served a number of purposes. First as a house of Christians on a Christian college campus it was very beneficial for their faith development. The quality of their relationships definitely helped encourage them in their faith. In addition, the structure and stretching of the shard experience does seem to be very helpful as they have a shared experience. I also think the intentional nature of their living experience will have a tremendous effect on their academics, as well as increasing their confidence and helping shape their worldview.
Sessions 8 & 9
1) Describe the benefit and pitfalls of intentional communities like the NM movement.
I think there are many benefits, and some pitfalls. I would say that the benefits of the community revolving around a believer getting a more accurate view of themselves and the Kingdom of God. While this may present many difficulties for a believer, it does not mean that those difficulties are bad. Life in community offers a tremendous amount on interdependence. So often in life we think we are given the choice between some level of dependence upon others and independence. Neither is correct for the Christian. I believe a healthy level of interdependence is appropriate. This means that each person does need to rely on others at times and must also be relied upon by the group. Inevitably, there are going to be times that everyone is let down. We are flawed beings and the more we interact, the more those flaws are exposed. The benefit is that the more these flaws are exposed, the more often we have the opportunity to learn how to deal with the process of working through one another’s sinfulness. It is a greater opportunity to practice forgiveness and reconciliation. I believe this to be a tremendous benefit, especially in today’s society. Look at how many relationships are destroyed, not by some mistake, but from the poor handling of the mistake. People are not continuing to learn how to reconcile and genuinely unaware of how to forgive and/or work through problems in relationships. A close community provides many opportunities for that to happen. Another benefit is the clear expectations and structure that can help people to fully embrace their life in Christ. This type of community can be a type of cocooning as well. People could use community as a way to isolate and insulate themselves from the outside world. I think the motive of living amongst the broken and the spirit of the community would keep that in check, but it is still possible for a person to use a community like this primarily to hide.
2) Reflect upon Miroslav Volf's (he is considered by some to be the brightest contemporary theological star in the cosmos) brief comment (p. 45) on his primary theological maxim--hospitality-->the God who welcomes. [In the OT, hospitality is a sacred rite, the NT also reflects this theological principle in community life. Jesus turned the water into wine in a little Cana town as an act of hospitality; he invites his followers to table fellowship--communion, at the marriage supper of Lord--and we are again invited to table fellowship-->come! Generous hospitality is based upon grace and invitation that are organic to our new nature that reflects God heart.]
I think that hospitality is tremendously important in the life of the church. I love the idea of representing God in my ability and capacity to welcome and make others feel welcome. I would say that this is one of the things that my wife and I enjoy the most in ministry and in life. My wife comes from a family that is very large and very close. They have spent a lot of time together at weddings and funerals, graduations and birthday parties. They know how to get together, but there are a handful of people within that crowd that know how to genuinely make people feel welcome. It is through situations like this I have been able see how God uses hospitality to really express heartfelt and genuine feelings of welcoming. It is more that good food, or a big house. My wife may be the best at it. She may not always like big groups, but many times within a larger group she can key in on one person and extend a level of tender welcome that is awesome to watch. I too love the opportunity to make other feel welcomed. In work with International students, it has been a blessing to help them and just do a few thoughtful things in order to make them feel welcome. Their appreciation at such a crucial time is overwhelming and rewarding.
3) What does it mean to lament as God's people (p. 62)? Describe a lament experience in your church life.
I have a difficult time separating lamenting from grieving in my experience. As I think it applies here recently there has been a degree of lament in regards to our local teenagers. In the last few years there have been a number of suicides in the local schools. While there have certainly been a number of families grieving and suffering from the losses of these young lives, none are directly connected to our church. The result however has been a general feeling of hurt for these young people and the things with which they struggle. Unfortunately, there hasn’t been much action to address this by people individually, but there has been a level of support for ministries that reach out into the local schools and a movement of prayer within the city.
4) Consider the discrepancy between the novitiate in a NM and the local church. Discuss your insights regarding how you would design the formation of disciples in your church, contrast with what presently utilized.
I think the major difference is simply time spent. In the NM all of a person’s time is spent in a new structured environment. I like the description by Tom Roddy (p. 80-81) of when he first entered into the monastic movement. There is a distinct change of lifestyle associated with this change. I do not believe we have anything even close to the same for new believers. We expect them to see the world around them differently and to behave differently without changing any of those surroundings. I think is some ways it also makes the act of conversion easier. What if, at a youth rally, we made it perfectly clear that if you came forward and accepted Christ as your Savior, you would be leaving for a three-month summer camp for discipleship. It sounds crazy, but what if parents and families were on board. What if denominations had retreat houses set up all over the country that were prepared for a three-month spiritual boot camp of sorts? These places could have an endowment that would cover people’s bills etc. for these times. Would something like this really be necessary for long? Imagine a second generation whose children were faced with this opportunity. They might not be too surprised because maybe they were already living similarly to this at their home with their parents. Bottom line is that the home structure must be changed so that children are raised in a home that is radically different than society. The greatest thing impeding genuine discipleship and transformation is the lifestyle of the family in which they are raised. Sorry, I may have moved into personal rant, but the reality is that in a church setting we spend three or four hours with the really involved kids, and are lucky enough to get them for a week at camp or missions trip. Unfortunately, the structure and lifestyle at those special weeks doesn’t leak into their ‘normal’ lives.
5) Reciprocal living in koinonia is the nature of the NT church with harbingers of this kingdom community foreshadowed in OT Israel. Reflect upon the concept of church covenant with annual membership renewal.
I love the idea of annual church membership renewal. I think there can be a different class for genuinely new members versus returning members. In my current ministry situation there is a tremendous gray area around who actually who is or is not a member, as well as what each member’s responsibilities actually are, and where those responsibilities are grounded in Scripture. It just seems to me like there is a fear of losing people and so everyone is able to define their own roles within the church. I think this great to a degree, but people push it to the point where they feel like they are a regular part of the church in their own minds, but we hardly know them. Where this becomes difficult is when they are in need of some sort help and they expect people to be there, especially the pastoral staff. The difficulty here is in perceptions. Some people think they are a part of the community, but people that are really involved in the church community don’t even know the other people. I think some sort of regular membership meeting and renewal could really confront people with the truth of their commitment. I have a different philosophy in that I would rather make it challenging and raise the bar for membership or involvement, rather than make it easy for people. Each of these meetings provided the opportunity to renew and remind members of the mission of the church. Right now they don’t.
6) The Rutba and Las Abejas stories can provide a backdrop for this question. How can we work for peace and justice to be signposts of the kingdom of God-->prophets in our context?
I love the way that these communities live it in the necessary context. I think that with the overload of information available there are too many people talking about stuff and not living it. Recently I read somewhere in a criticism of the NA church because we mistake talking about something for actually doing it. I was very convicted and agree with it. Living it in the proper context may not expose you to millions at the time, but the effect upon a small number of individuals is profound, and if done over a number of decades will be extraordinarily profound.
7) How does any of the NM 12 Markers connect with your experience and church life as a community of the kingdom of God?
In my present ministry experience there are elements of some of these markers, but not all are included unfortunately. I can also see how some of these markers had been a part of our community historically, but have eroded. I think the highest for our community is possibly geographic proximity to community members, as well as Hospitality to strangers. However, the more I look at these I would certainly not give us a passing grade. I think we do have hospitality, but not necessarily to strangers that often. The geographic proximity does happen, but not necessarily for the specific reason of spiritual development, more out of convenience. I think there are small elements of these things within out community, but they are a long way from being our community standards.
I think there are many benefits, and some pitfalls. I would say that the benefits of the community revolving around a believer getting a more accurate view of themselves and the Kingdom of God. While this may present many difficulties for a believer, it does not mean that those difficulties are bad. Life in community offers a tremendous amount on interdependence. So often in life we think we are given the choice between some level of dependence upon others and independence. Neither is correct for the Christian. I believe a healthy level of interdependence is appropriate. This means that each person does need to rely on others at times and must also be relied upon by the group. Inevitably, there are going to be times that everyone is let down. We are flawed beings and the more we interact, the more those flaws are exposed. The benefit is that the more these flaws are exposed, the more often we have the opportunity to learn how to deal with the process of working through one another’s sinfulness. It is a greater opportunity to practice forgiveness and reconciliation. I believe this to be a tremendous benefit, especially in today’s society. Look at how many relationships are destroyed, not by some mistake, but from the poor handling of the mistake. People are not continuing to learn how to reconcile and genuinely unaware of how to forgive and/or work through problems in relationships. A close community provides many opportunities for that to happen. Another benefit is the clear expectations and structure that can help people to fully embrace their life in Christ. This type of community can be a type of cocooning as well. People could use community as a way to isolate and insulate themselves from the outside world. I think the motive of living amongst the broken and the spirit of the community would keep that in check, but it is still possible for a person to use a community like this primarily to hide.
2) Reflect upon Miroslav Volf's (he is considered by some to be the brightest contemporary theological star in the cosmos) brief comment (p. 45) on his primary theological maxim--hospitality-->the God who welcomes. [In the OT, hospitality is a sacred rite, the NT also reflects this theological principle in community life. Jesus turned the water into wine in a little Cana town as an act of hospitality; he invites his followers to table fellowship--communion, at the marriage supper of Lord--and we are again invited to table fellowship-->come! Generous hospitality is based upon grace and invitation that are organic to our new nature that reflects God heart.]
I think that hospitality is tremendously important in the life of the church. I love the idea of representing God in my ability and capacity to welcome and make others feel welcome. I would say that this is one of the things that my wife and I enjoy the most in ministry and in life. My wife comes from a family that is very large and very close. They have spent a lot of time together at weddings and funerals, graduations and birthday parties. They know how to get together, but there are a handful of people within that crowd that know how to genuinely make people feel welcome. It is through situations like this I have been able see how God uses hospitality to really express heartfelt and genuine feelings of welcoming. It is more that good food, or a big house. My wife may be the best at it. She may not always like big groups, but many times within a larger group she can key in on one person and extend a level of tender welcome that is awesome to watch. I too love the opportunity to make other feel welcomed. In work with International students, it has been a blessing to help them and just do a few thoughtful things in order to make them feel welcome. Their appreciation at such a crucial time is overwhelming and rewarding.
3) What does it mean to lament as God's people (p. 62)? Describe a lament experience in your church life.
I have a difficult time separating lamenting from grieving in my experience. As I think it applies here recently there has been a degree of lament in regards to our local teenagers. In the last few years there have been a number of suicides in the local schools. While there have certainly been a number of families grieving and suffering from the losses of these young lives, none are directly connected to our church. The result however has been a general feeling of hurt for these young people and the things with which they struggle. Unfortunately, there hasn’t been much action to address this by people individually, but there has been a level of support for ministries that reach out into the local schools and a movement of prayer within the city.
4) Consider the discrepancy between the novitiate in a NM and the local church. Discuss your insights regarding how you would design the formation of disciples in your church, contrast with what presently utilized.
I think the major difference is simply time spent. In the NM all of a person’s time is spent in a new structured environment. I like the description by Tom Roddy (p. 80-81) of when he first entered into the monastic movement. There is a distinct change of lifestyle associated with this change. I do not believe we have anything even close to the same for new believers. We expect them to see the world around them differently and to behave differently without changing any of those surroundings. I think is some ways it also makes the act of conversion easier. What if, at a youth rally, we made it perfectly clear that if you came forward and accepted Christ as your Savior, you would be leaving for a three-month summer camp for discipleship. It sounds crazy, but what if parents and families were on board. What if denominations had retreat houses set up all over the country that were prepared for a three-month spiritual boot camp of sorts? These places could have an endowment that would cover people’s bills etc. for these times. Would something like this really be necessary for long? Imagine a second generation whose children were faced with this opportunity. They might not be too surprised because maybe they were already living similarly to this at their home with their parents. Bottom line is that the home structure must be changed so that children are raised in a home that is radically different than society. The greatest thing impeding genuine discipleship and transformation is the lifestyle of the family in which they are raised. Sorry, I may have moved into personal rant, but the reality is that in a church setting we spend three or four hours with the really involved kids, and are lucky enough to get them for a week at camp or missions trip. Unfortunately, the structure and lifestyle at those special weeks doesn’t leak into their ‘normal’ lives.
5) Reciprocal living in koinonia is the nature of the NT church with harbingers of this kingdom community foreshadowed in OT Israel. Reflect upon the concept of church covenant with annual membership renewal.
I love the idea of annual church membership renewal. I think there can be a different class for genuinely new members versus returning members. In my current ministry situation there is a tremendous gray area around who actually who is or is not a member, as well as what each member’s responsibilities actually are, and where those responsibilities are grounded in Scripture. It just seems to me like there is a fear of losing people and so everyone is able to define their own roles within the church. I think this great to a degree, but people push it to the point where they feel like they are a regular part of the church in their own minds, but we hardly know them. Where this becomes difficult is when they are in need of some sort help and they expect people to be there, especially the pastoral staff. The difficulty here is in perceptions. Some people think they are a part of the community, but people that are really involved in the church community don’t even know the other people. I think some sort of regular membership meeting and renewal could really confront people with the truth of their commitment. I have a different philosophy in that I would rather make it challenging and raise the bar for membership or involvement, rather than make it easy for people. Each of these meetings provided the opportunity to renew and remind members of the mission of the church. Right now they don’t.
6) The Rutba and Las Abejas stories can provide a backdrop for this question. How can we work for peace and justice to be signposts of the kingdom of God-->prophets in our context?
I love the way that these communities live it in the necessary context. I think that with the overload of information available there are too many people talking about stuff and not living it. Recently I read somewhere in a criticism of the NA church because we mistake talking about something for actually doing it. I was very convicted and agree with it. Living it in the proper context may not expose you to millions at the time, but the effect upon a small number of individuals is profound, and if done over a number of decades will be extraordinarily profound.
7) How does any of the NM 12 Markers connect with your experience and church life as a community of the kingdom of God?
In my present ministry experience there are elements of some of these markers, but not all are included unfortunately. I can also see how some of these markers had been a part of our community historically, but have eroded. I think the highest for our community is possibly geographic proximity to community members, as well as Hospitality to strangers. However, the more I look at these I would certainly not give us a passing grade. I think we do have hospitality, but not necessarily to strangers that often. The geographic proximity does happen, but not necessarily for the specific reason of spiritual development, more out of convenience. I think there are small elements of these things within out community, but they are a long way from being our community standards.
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Session # 12 Shenk: Rock Daddy
1. Basically Shenk is telling us that in countries with political freedom there is less passion for religion. How many times have we heard stories about a church in a third world country or a country with government restrictions and the congregation is simply flourishing, with people coming from miles around just to attend. Whereas there are 70+ churches in Chambersburg and yet I doubt not a single one of them has the attendance or devotion that a church in Korea or India has. As Americans we take freedom of religion for granted, just like we take other freedoms for granted.
2. Luther's 7 characteristics I think adequately describe the church at Antioch. Every single point can be seen in the scriptures in Acts. I also think that our churches should strive for those characteristics. Just as we as individuals look to Jesus as our perfect example to exemplify, we as the church should look to the church at Antioch as an example to exemplify. The stumbling block, however, that all churches will face is the fact that society or culture is constantly advancing and progressing. In doing so it becomes more and more complicated and complex. Thereby, adding barriers and layers which the church must now overcome in order to follow the 7 characteristics.
3. When I break it down, basically Berger is saying that because secular culture restrained the knowledge beyond the limits of experience, people began to participate in super natural influences. Or in other words, if you tell someone they can't have or do something, then they will want that all the more and will go to great lengths to obtain it. This is best illustrated by looking at a child. If you tell a child they can't have a cookie because it will spoil their appetite, then they are going to want the cookie that much more. Hopefully, they obey, but if the temptation is too great then they will inevitably either obtain their goal of getting a cookie without your knowledge or as the saying goes, "be caught with their hand in the cookie jar".
4. In a regular fire you need three things for it to burn:
1. fuel
2. oxygen
3. ignition source
If you remove one of the three the fire dies. Now if we translate that to Brunner's maxim:
fuel = church body
oxygen = mission
ignition source = Bible
Again just like in the fire, if one of the three is missing the spiritual fire goes out. Brunner's point is that if the church doesn't have missions then it can't "catch fire and burn".
5. The "autonomous self" is merely another way of saying the independent or self contained self. That is a perfect description of society and the younger generation now a days. Today's youth are all about "what makes me feel good"; instant gratification thru high speed Internet, on demand movies, Blockbuster rentals in the mail with exchange at the store ("so you never have to wait for a movie"), pod casts, etc, etc. This mindset completely goes against the church and what it is striving to be: community, selflessness, compassionate, caring, loving. The challenge is before us. We as the church need to lay down our ideas and ways of thinking of old and figure out how to connect with unbelievers of today and tomorrow. Once we make that connection its then about building relationships and demonstrating through our actions, what Christ has done in our lives. If we can do that sincerely, then, maybe then they will ask about it. Once they ask, we can then share what Jesus means to us.
2. Luther's 7 characteristics I think adequately describe the church at Antioch. Every single point can be seen in the scriptures in Acts. I also think that our churches should strive for those characteristics. Just as we as individuals look to Jesus as our perfect example to exemplify, we as the church should look to the church at Antioch as an example to exemplify. The stumbling block, however, that all churches will face is the fact that society or culture is constantly advancing and progressing. In doing so it becomes more and more complicated and complex. Thereby, adding barriers and layers which the church must now overcome in order to follow the 7 characteristics.
3. When I break it down, basically Berger is saying that because secular culture restrained the knowledge beyond the limits of experience, people began to participate in super natural influences. Or in other words, if you tell someone they can't have or do something, then they will want that all the more and will go to great lengths to obtain it. This is best illustrated by looking at a child. If you tell a child they can't have a cookie because it will spoil their appetite, then they are going to want the cookie that much more. Hopefully, they obey, but if the temptation is too great then they will inevitably either obtain their goal of getting a cookie without your knowledge or as the saying goes, "be caught with their hand in the cookie jar".
4. In a regular fire you need three things for it to burn:
1. fuel
2. oxygen
3. ignition source
If you remove one of the three the fire dies. Now if we translate that to Brunner's maxim:
fuel = church body
oxygen = mission
ignition source = Bible
Again just like in the fire, if one of the three is missing the spiritual fire goes out. Brunner's point is that if the church doesn't have missions then it can't "catch fire and burn".
5. The "autonomous self" is merely another way of saying the independent or self contained self. That is a perfect description of society and the younger generation now a days. Today's youth are all about "what makes me feel good"; instant gratification thru high speed Internet, on demand movies, Blockbuster rentals in the mail with exchange at the store ("so you never have to wait for a movie"), pod casts, etc, etc. This mindset completely goes against the church and what it is striving to be: community, selflessness, compassionate, caring, loving. The challenge is before us. We as the church need to lay down our ideas and ways of thinking of old and figure out how to connect with unbelievers of today and tomorrow. Once we make that connection its then about building relationships and demonstrating through our actions, what Christ has done in our lives. If we can do that sincerely, then, maybe then they will ask about it. Once they ask, we can then share what Jesus means to us.
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Sessions 8/9: Tammie
1) Describe the benefit and pitfalls of intentional communities like the NM movement.
Living in an intentional community would bring with it the benefit of accountability, especially, for example, for singles who may not have the traditional family structure to help provide that accountability in everyday situations. Yet, this could have the potential flip side of people taking an unhealthy interest in each other's lives. Similarly, the communities as described in the book would have ample opportunity for service to both those inside the intentional community and those in the community outside the walls, a structured approach to worship and spiritual formation and fellowship in a more real sense than experienced in most churches today.
It seems the great danger for a community would be balancing the need for structure to keep such a community viable with the need for allowing its members a little space. It would be easy to fall into the trap of legalism in requiring the members to do certain things at certain times. Personally, I think just being around that many people would be problematic. There would be personality differences, food preferences, light sleepers or heavy sleepers, night owls and morning people, etc. that could arise into conflict at any given moment.
Another danger for the community could be that of pride. I sensed it just slightly in a few of the essays in the book, but not enough to be detrimental to their message as a whole. For example, I sensed it in the second essay which discussed sharing economic resources. It seemed the author disparaged such things as making donation to ministries already at work in the field or taking short-term mission trips to such ministries while proclaiming some of the activities his group had undertaken. An intentional community has to be careful that it doesn't begin to cultivate a sense of pride that its way is superior to that of Christians in other contexts who are trying to live out the mandates of Christ in a different way.
2) Reflect upon Miroslav Volf's (he is considered by some to be the brightest contemporary theological star in the cosmos) brief comment (p. 45) on his primary theological maxim ...
Hospitality isn't the first trait one thinks of when naming the characteristics of God, but, upon further thought, it makes perfect sense to name it alongside the others. God's relationship with man started on the footing of hospitality as he created the Garden and walked there with the first man and woman,. They soon rejected his hospitality, but that didn't stop God from continuing to offer the invitation to people in the thousands of years that followed, culminating not in the cross (though that was the moment at which the invitation was extended with nail-pierced hands) but in the coming marriage supper of the lamb. When we think of humanity and the crazy ways in which it has rejected God or taken advantage of his hospitality, it leaves us with no real excuse to not practice hospitality as his followers.Of course, we can't practice hospitality as perfectly as He did (and does), but that shouldn't stop us from trying as none of us can follow the example set by Christ perfectly. When I was thinking about this chapter, I kept wondering, "What about people like me?" You see, I seem to have a limit for the amount of time I can be around people before I need to get away on my own. As I thought about it, I realized that Jesus even modeled that as he interacted with the crowds but would withdraw on occasion for some time alone.
3) What does it mean to lament as God's people (p. 62)? Describe a lament experience in your church life.
As the people of God, to lament is to recognize the wrong (whether racially or otherwise) and to take the hard, but necessary steps, to reform the system that caused the wrong and to heal the wounds that have occurred as a result of the wrong. As far as the second part of the question, I have been trying to think of such a time, but am coming up blank. I wonder if that's because nothing churchwide has ever happened or because it is too quickly glossed over for the sake of stability and unity.
4) Consider the discrepancy between the novitiate in a NM and the local church. Discuss your insights regarding how you would design the formation of disciples in your church, contrast with what presently utilized.
First, I have to consider what our definition of forming disciples would be. If we are grooming young people for membership in a specific local church, that process may be as simple (and often is indeed as simple) as having classes that cover the basics of the faith and (to add a point that is often missing in our churches) a little bit about the history of the church. I add the latter because not understanding where the people of the church have come from makes it easier to inadvertently cause problems especially with the older members of the church. While I am not (as you may have gathered) a big fan of continuing to do things as they have always been done just for the sake of traditions, it is valuable to retain certain traditions, but only if the people have a clue why. For example, in our church, the youth who lead at the contemporary worship have been asked to not clap or raise their hands as they lead. Frankly, I don't see what problems that may cause, but our church has a history of being established as a non-charismatic church and there are those who believe that doing these things fly in the face of that tradition. Their reaction may blind them to the good that is being done in the service just as the younger generation not understanding certain traditions blinds them to the value of those traditions.
If we are talking about forming disciples in a more general sense for service in the church where ever they may find themselves someday, the program, as I would design it, would be less formal and more relational. It would make great use of mentors who would guide either individual students or very small groups of students through hardcore Bible studies and discussion on issues facing individuals and the church as a whole. I would want the youth to gain knowledge, skills and understanding that will serve them and the church in the future. This approach comes a bit closer to the novitiate in the NM than the pattern that we have in the local church which more closely resembles the description in the paragraph above. Either way, I think both scenarios need to involve something that churches and individuals have been more reluctant to do ... that is, to invest greater amounts of time in the training of the disciple.
5) Reflect upon the concept of church covenant with annual membership renewal.
Personally, I like the idea of a church covenant versus an annual membership renewal (which is something my church actually doesn't do - membership is something you formalize just once). Covenant carries with it a certain weight not just in the word itself but also in the responsibilities assigned to both the member and to the church. It strikes me that the churches would be strengthened by members who voluntarily enter into such a covenant as opposed to simple memberships that can be held loosely and at arm's length. Maybe it's just the optimist in me, but I believe people would take a covenant more seriously before and after it is entered into whereas a membership is something that is as simple to dissolve as quitting your gym membership. We want to have people in the churches who will take an active role and perhaps a covenant is the way to do that.
6) How can we work for peace and justice to be signposts of the kingdom of God-->prophets in our context?
OK, everything I am reading is running together these days so it may be that I am repeating what was said in this book or it may be that I am echoing the words I heard somewhere else, but one very simple way to work for peace and justice is to carefully consider what we consume on a daily basis. I once told a couple of the girls in the youth group to whom I am particularly close that if some man ever comes around talking about marrying me, they should question him on what sort of ring he would give me because I said long ago that I would never own a diamond unless it could be absolutely guaranteed that the mining and manufacture of the gem didn't finance one of the wars that seem to constantly ravage Africa. That's not a big, earth-shaking deal, but it is one decision that, when shared with others, results in a raised consciousness about one issue affecting peace and justice in one area of the world. Likewise, the youth in the youth group know that I am an absolute coffee addict and that the coffee I drink is fair-trade coffee which assures that the farmers are paid a fair wage for their labor. Making decisions such as these fly in the face of a culture that wants to save a buck all the time, but, again, it is a small measure that sends a signal to others as it is put into practice.
In many other ways, being an advocate for peace and justice - or taking on the role of prophet in our context - can be, and maybe should be, an unpopular and difficult undertaking. Some of that difficulty comes from the timing of the prophet's message. Thinking of Iraq, it was highly unpopular to be a prophet for peace in its initial stages when the Christian Peacemaking teams were acting as human shields. At the time, the mission as expressed to the public was clear as Saddam Hussein posed a clear and present danger. The Christian Peacemaking teams were prophets, of sorts, speaking out against the war before it became a good thing for your political campaign as we are now seeing with some of the candidates for president. We limit the role of the peacemaker and those who seek justice, however, if we see it simply in terms of anti-war activism. Prophets will also point to suburbia and call into question a set of priorities that puts three cars in the driveway, children in every imaginable activity, televisions with cable in every room of the house and laptops on the desk of every person in the family. Prophets will also question a culture of death that approves of abortion and of euthanasia for terminally ill. These positions won't be popular in our politically correct culture, but no one ever said being a prophet was a guarantee to win a popularity contest.
7) How does any of the NM 12 Markers connect with your experience and church life as a community of the kingdom of God?
Though, as I mentioned in the answer to question 1, I had a slight issue with the tone of what he said, I felt most connected to chapter two which talked about sharing economic resources with the poor. I like the idea of a theology of enough. I remember hearing the story once (and I forget who told the story anymore) in which someone was praying and asked God what he was going to do about the poor. This person heard a clear response from God, saying, "What are you going to do about the poor?"
God created us to be his hands and feet and to shine a light in the broken world. Part of the brokenness lies in the unequal distribution of resources. I have found over the years that I have felt closest to God and to his mission on earth when I have been involved in some activity that assists people in need whether it be repairing the house of an elderly resident of Pittsburgh, painting a church in New Mexico, playing with children in Tijuana or rebuilding a home destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. I find in such activities another of the marks - that of hospitality and fellowship in the truest sense. When people are stripped of their normal surroundings, hospitality and fellowship come more easily as you are united in a common purpose experiencing the same conditions.
Living in an intentional community would bring with it the benefit of accountability, especially, for example, for singles who may not have the traditional family structure to help provide that accountability in everyday situations. Yet, this could have the potential flip side of people taking an unhealthy interest in each other's lives. Similarly, the communities as described in the book would have ample opportunity for service to both those inside the intentional community and those in the community outside the walls, a structured approach to worship and spiritual formation and fellowship in a more real sense than experienced in most churches today.
It seems the great danger for a community would be balancing the need for structure to keep such a community viable with the need for allowing its members a little space. It would be easy to fall into the trap of legalism in requiring the members to do certain things at certain times. Personally, I think just being around that many people would be problematic. There would be personality differences, food preferences, light sleepers or heavy sleepers, night owls and morning people, etc. that could arise into conflict at any given moment.
Another danger for the community could be that of pride. I sensed it just slightly in a few of the essays in the book, but not enough to be detrimental to their message as a whole. For example, I sensed it in the second essay which discussed sharing economic resources. It seemed the author disparaged such things as making donation to ministries already at work in the field or taking short-term mission trips to such ministries while proclaiming some of the activities his group had undertaken. An intentional community has to be careful that it doesn't begin to cultivate a sense of pride that its way is superior to that of Christians in other contexts who are trying to live out the mandates of Christ in a different way.
2) Reflect upon Miroslav Volf's (he is considered by some to be the brightest contemporary theological star in the cosmos) brief comment (p. 45) on his primary theological maxim ...
Hospitality isn't the first trait one thinks of when naming the characteristics of God, but, upon further thought, it makes perfect sense to name it alongside the others. God's relationship with man started on the footing of hospitality as he created the Garden and walked there with the first man and woman,. They soon rejected his hospitality, but that didn't stop God from continuing to offer the invitation to people in the thousands of years that followed, culminating not in the cross (though that was the moment at which the invitation was extended with nail-pierced hands) but in the coming marriage supper of the lamb. When we think of humanity and the crazy ways in which it has rejected God or taken advantage of his hospitality, it leaves us with no real excuse to not practice hospitality as his followers.Of course, we can't practice hospitality as perfectly as He did (and does), but that shouldn't stop us from trying as none of us can follow the example set by Christ perfectly. When I was thinking about this chapter, I kept wondering, "What about people like me?" You see, I seem to have a limit for the amount of time I can be around people before I need to get away on my own. As I thought about it, I realized that Jesus even modeled that as he interacted with the crowds but would withdraw on occasion for some time alone.
3) What does it mean to lament as God's people (p. 62)? Describe a lament experience in your church life.
As the people of God, to lament is to recognize the wrong (whether racially or otherwise) and to take the hard, but necessary steps, to reform the system that caused the wrong and to heal the wounds that have occurred as a result of the wrong. As far as the second part of the question, I have been trying to think of such a time, but am coming up blank. I wonder if that's because nothing churchwide has ever happened or because it is too quickly glossed over for the sake of stability and unity.
4) Consider the discrepancy between the novitiate in a NM and the local church. Discuss your insights regarding how you would design the formation of disciples in your church, contrast with what presently utilized.
First, I have to consider what our definition of forming disciples would be. If we are grooming young people for membership in a specific local church, that process may be as simple (and often is indeed as simple) as having classes that cover the basics of the faith and (to add a point that is often missing in our churches) a little bit about the history of the church. I add the latter because not understanding where the people of the church have come from makes it easier to inadvertently cause problems especially with the older members of the church. While I am not (as you may have gathered) a big fan of continuing to do things as they have always been done just for the sake of traditions, it is valuable to retain certain traditions, but only if the people have a clue why. For example, in our church, the youth who lead at the contemporary worship have been asked to not clap or raise their hands as they lead. Frankly, I don't see what problems that may cause, but our church has a history of being established as a non-charismatic church and there are those who believe that doing these things fly in the face of that tradition. Their reaction may blind them to the good that is being done in the service just as the younger generation not understanding certain traditions blinds them to the value of those traditions.
If we are talking about forming disciples in a more general sense for service in the church where ever they may find themselves someday, the program, as I would design it, would be less formal and more relational. It would make great use of mentors who would guide either individual students or very small groups of students through hardcore Bible studies and discussion on issues facing individuals and the church as a whole. I would want the youth to gain knowledge, skills and understanding that will serve them and the church in the future. This approach comes a bit closer to the novitiate in the NM than the pattern that we have in the local church which more closely resembles the description in the paragraph above. Either way, I think both scenarios need to involve something that churches and individuals have been more reluctant to do ... that is, to invest greater amounts of time in the training of the disciple.
5) Reflect upon the concept of church covenant with annual membership renewal.
Personally, I like the idea of a church covenant versus an annual membership renewal (which is something my church actually doesn't do - membership is something you formalize just once). Covenant carries with it a certain weight not just in the word itself but also in the responsibilities assigned to both the member and to the church. It strikes me that the churches would be strengthened by members who voluntarily enter into such a covenant as opposed to simple memberships that can be held loosely and at arm's length. Maybe it's just the optimist in me, but I believe people would take a covenant more seriously before and after it is entered into whereas a membership is something that is as simple to dissolve as quitting your gym membership. We want to have people in the churches who will take an active role and perhaps a covenant is the way to do that.
6) How can we work for peace and justice to be signposts of the kingdom of God-->prophets in our context?
OK, everything I am reading is running together these days so it may be that I am repeating what was said in this book or it may be that I am echoing the words I heard somewhere else, but one very simple way to work for peace and justice is to carefully consider what we consume on a daily basis. I once told a couple of the girls in the youth group to whom I am particularly close that if some man ever comes around talking about marrying me, they should question him on what sort of ring he would give me because I said long ago that I would never own a diamond unless it could be absolutely guaranteed that the mining and manufacture of the gem didn't finance one of the wars that seem to constantly ravage Africa. That's not a big, earth-shaking deal, but it is one decision that, when shared with others, results in a raised consciousness about one issue affecting peace and justice in one area of the world. Likewise, the youth in the youth group know that I am an absolute coffee addict and that the coffee I drink is fair-trade coffee which assures that the farmers are paid a fair wage for their labor. Making decisions such as these fly in the face of a culture that wants to save a buck all the time, but, again, it is a small measure that sends a signal to others as it is put into practice.
In many other ways, being an advocate for peace and justice - or taking on the role of prophet in our context - can be, and maybe should be, an unpopular and difficult undertaking. Some of that difficulty comes from the timing of the prophet's message. Thinking of Iraq, it was highly unpopular to be a prophet for peace in its initial stages when the Christian Peacemaking teams were acting as human shields. At the time, the mission as expressed to the public was clear as Saddam Hussein posed a clear and present danger. The Christian Peacemaking teams were prophets, of sorts, speaking out against the war before it became a good thing for your political campaign as we are now seeing with some of the candidates for president. We limit the role of the peacemaker and those who seek justice, however, if we see it simply in terms of anti-war activism. Prophets will also point to suburbia and call into question a set of priorities that puts three cars in the driveway, children in every imaginable activity, televisions with cable in every room of the house and laptops on the desk of every person in the family. Prophets will also question a culture of death that approves of abortion and of euthanasia for terminally ill. These positions won't be popular in our politically correct culture, but no one ever said being a prophet was a guarantee to win a popularity contest.
7) How does any of the NM 12 Markers connect with your experience and church life as a community of the kingdom of God?
Though, as I mentioned in the answer to question 1, I had a slight issue with the tone of what he said, I felt most connected to chapter two which talked about sharing economic resources with the poor. I like the idea of a theology of enough. I remember hearing the story once (and I forget who told the story anymore) in which someone was praying and asked God what he was going to do about the poor. This person heard a clear response from God, saying, "What are you going to do about the poor?"
God created us to be his hands and feet and to shine a light in the broken world. Part of the brokenness lies in the unequal distribution of resources. I have found over the years that I have felt closest to God and to his mission on earth when I have been involved in some activity that assists people in need whether it be repairing the house of an elderly resident of Pittsburgh, painting a church in New Mexico, playing with children in Tijuana or rebuilding a home destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. I find in such activities another of the marks - that of hospitality and fellowship in the truest sense. When people are stripped of their normal surroundings, hospitality and fellowship come more easily as you are united in a common purpose experiencing the same conditions.
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