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.
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Session 10 & 11 Van Gelder: Rock Daddy
1. The church as defined by Paul in Eph 5:23b "Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior." (NIV), is the body or group of believers. That is all that it is. Anyone who believes that Jesus is Lord and accepts him as their savior is a member of "the church". The definition of the church is so simple because that is how God intended it to be. It is no different than when Christ walked this earth. Time and time again, the Pharisees tried to complicate things and bring up their man made laws and rules. And time and time again Christ chided them on that. Christs whole goal is to bring the lost back to his Father. Period.
Having said that, the nature of the church is that it is made up of believers both old and new; dead and alive; from all over the world. The mission of the church is to go, make , baptize and teach as given by Jesus. As far as the structure goes, God is the Father, Christ is the Son and intercedes for all believers and then everyone else is part of the family. There is no hierarchy. No one is above anyone else. In 1 Cor 12:12, Paul tells us "the body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ." (NIV) This tells us that not everyone is the same, but we all serve an important part of the church. Just as no one part is more important than the other, no one person is more important than anyone else.
Unfortunately, man, who is flawed, has decided to take what God has given us and improve it. Thereby creating denominations and separation and division. By dividing our efforts we actually weaken our ability to reach out to the lost instead of strengthening it.
Think of it this way, if you had a pane of glass, and took a handful of marbles and threw them one at a time at the glass you more than likely wouldn't break it. You might get lucky, but the probability if very small. Now, if you took that handful of marbles and put them in your sock and tied it tight so they were all together and then threw that against the glass you would most definitely break it. It is the same with Christians. As individual churches we are going to get some nonbelievers, but think of the impact we would have if all the churches in our towns would join together.
2. I think the church struggles with this task, especially in this postmodern world we live in. PMs don't believe in one truth, so as the church if we are presenting the "unmasking of the powers" as an absolute, we will more than likely be rejected which in turn, turns those unbelievers away before we can even really begin to tell them the Good News. I like the adage"people don't care about how much you know, until they know how much you care." To me that means that we as the church need to create, build and maintain those relationships with unbelievers and continue to show them what God has done for us and how because of his Son the "created powers, though fallen, are themselves now disarmed." (pg 134) In doing this we will create in others the desire to learn more about the one we call Savior.
3. Out here in PA we have quite a few dairy farms. When you drive by one you typically see these little white sheds lined up, and inside each shed is a calf. These sheds serve as a starting point for the young cow. It provides shelter, protection and an area where they can grow and not have to worry about being trampled on by the other adult cows. This is due to the fact that the dairy farms main goal is to produce milch so they can sell it. As much as they like to increase their herd size they can't very well let the calves wander around and get in the way of the others, besides the calves aren't ready for dealing with the entire herd. Their sheds allow them to grow and make mistakes and prepare to join the herd. This is similar to the purpose of Mobile Missional Structures (MMS). They are designed to bring in new believers and feed them spiritual milch, until they are ready for something more. Then they either send them out to start something new or they send them to join an existing church. Existing churches do bring in some new believers, but the MMS are designed to reach out to the unbelievers in such a way while at the same time not creating dissension and strife amongst the believers.
Having said that, the nature of the church is that it is made up of believers both old and new; dead and alive; from all over the world. The mission of the church is to go, make , baptize and teach as given by Jesus. As far as the structure goes, God is the Father, Christ is the Son and intercedes for all believers and then everyone else is part of the family. There is no hierarchy. No one is above anyone else. In 1 Cor 12:12, Paul tells us "the body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ." (NIV) This tells us that not everyone is the same, but we all serve an important part of the church. Just as no one part is more important than the other, no one person is more important than anyone else.
Unfortunately, man, who is flawed, has decided to take what God has given us and improve it. Thereby creating denominations and separation and division. By dividing our efforts we actually weaken our ability to reach out to the lost instead of strengthening it.
Think of it this way, if you had a pane of glass, and took a handful of marbles and threw them one at a time at the glass you more than likely wouldn't break it. You might get lucky, but the probability if very small. Now, if you took that handful of marbles and put them in your sock and tied it tight so they were all together and then threw that against the glass you would most definitely break it. It is the same with Christians. As individual churches we are going to get some nonbelievers, but think of the impact we would have if all the churches in our towns would join together.
2. I think the church struggles with this task, especially in this postmodern world we live in. PMs don't believe in one truth, so as the church if we are presenting the "unmasking of the powers" as an absolute, we will more than likely be rejected which in turn, turns those unbelievers away before we can even really begin to tell them the Good News. I like the adage"people don't care about how much you know, until they know how much you care." To me that means that we as the church need to create, build and maintain those relationships with unbelievers and continue to show them what God has done for us and how because of his Son the "created powers, though fallen, are themselves now disarmed." (pg 134) In doing this we will create in others the desire to learn more about the one we call Savior.
3. Out here in PA we have quite a few dairy farms. When you drive by one you typically see these little white sheds lined up, and inside each shed is a calf. These sheds serve as a starting point for the young cow. It provides shelter, protection and an area where they can grow and not have to worry about being trampled on by the other adult cows. This is due to the fact that the dairy farms main goal is to produce milch so they can sell it. As much as they like to increase their herd size they can't very well let the calves wander around and get in the way of the others, besides the calves aren't ready for dealing with the entire herd. Their sheds allow them to grow and make mistakes and prepare to join the herd. This is similar to the purpose of Mobile Missional Structures (MMS). They are designed to bring in new believers and feed them spiritual milch, until they are ready for something more. Then they either send them out to start something new or they send them to join an existing church. Existing churches do bring in some new believers, but the MMS are designed to reach out to the unbelievers in such a way while at the same time not creating dissension and strife amongst the believers.
Monday, April 9, 2007
Session #12, Shenk
Welcome back from Holy Week, we had a meaningful week of worship, reflection, and celebration. Some reflections from our week, does our society care about death and resurrection? I have been pondering this question for a long time, why the big deal about Christmas (Incarnation) and minimal focus upon Easter (Resurrection)? All of this was floating around while Shenk's thin, dangerous little book prodded me on.
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.
2) What do you think of Luther's 7 characteristics of an ideal church (p. 36)?
3) Intriguing statement about transcendence by Berger, explain this phenomenon (p. 40).
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?
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?
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.
2) What do you think of Luther's 7 characteristics of an ideal church (p. 36)?
3) Intriguing statement about transcendence by Berger, explain this phenomenon (p. 40).
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?
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?
Sunday, April 1, 2007
Interview: Rock Daddy
I utilized the questions Dr. J. posted, however, being in a small town the only intentional communities I could come up with were Mennonites and an Elderly Care Facility. It was interesting to note that the Mennonite lady I spoke with commented on how they believe in a simple life, however, they do accept technology and realize that it is necessary for business. She commented on how the Internet is used in stores and such but that the elders of the church are really struggling with this new technology. I shared with her that I found it interesting that even with their simpler life and such that they too have struggles and issues that create tension and possible splits in the church. We had a very nice conversation and in the end we both agreed that the message of Jesus must remain the core, but that everything else needs to adapt and change in order to reach out to the lost. As far as the resident of the assisted living center goes, she really didn't add much of note. I think I would like to talk to one of the nuns up at Our Lady of the Pines this summer and see what their thoughts are.
Friday, March 30, 2007
Sessions #10 & #11, Van Gelder
[To focus time and energy for the class, I will be combining the multiple sessions of discussion on the course texts in one post.]
Missiological Ecclesiology is the focus of this text. Bringing together these two theological loci and disciplines requires a vision of the intrinsic, organic, and spiritual nature of the church. I want to make this discussion as effective and concise as possible, in light of Holy Week and your busy schedules. Van Gelder discusses core issues of this course, what is the church and its mission in the context of a culture.
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).
2) Unmasking the powers was interesting discussion (p. 135), how does the church engage in this messy ministry in a broken world?
3) If the church is to be missional, why do we need Mobile Missional Structures? (p. 169)
Missiological Ecclesiology is the focus of this text. Bringing together these two theological loci and disciplines requires a vision of the intrinsic, organic, and spiritual nature of the church. I want to make this discussion as effective and concise as possible, in light of Holy Week and your busy schedules. Van Gelder discusses core issues of this course, what is the church and its mission in the context of a culture.
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).
2) Unmasking the powers was interesting discussion (p. 135), how does the church engage in this messy ministry in a broken world?
3) If the church is to be missional, why do we need Mobile Missional Structures? (p. 169)
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Sessions 8 & 9: Rock Daddy
1. The obvious benefits of living in an intentional community stem from the word community. Which means, "a group or class having common interests." (The American Heritage Dictionary). So, if everyone who is part of the community is there because they want to be, then everyone will be working toward the same goal. However, the pitfall occurs when the communities governing body begins to become too strict and instead of encouraging freedom for its inhabitants, it imposes restrictions. This pitfall can be seen in most any homeowners association. Every home owner is part of that community because they chose to be there and when the association was first established it was created to ensure positive outcomes for the community. However, as time wore on there were certain people on the board who began to loose sight of the reason why the association was created and in turn used it to benefit them and not the community. The next thing you know they are making up laws stating that you can't have more than 2 cars in front of your house for more than 24 hours. And if you do then they will tow them and charge you for it. Never again will I live where there is a home owners association!
2. Volf's comment truly captures Matt 5:38-40 "You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.' But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well." God is viewed as a father figure an so Volf's comment demonstrates God's perfect example for us to follow. The word "reception" in his comment implies that God knows that we, as hostile beings (sinners), are coming and therefore he is prepared for us.
3. I'm sorry, but I really struggled with this chapter and in particular this author. It just seemed to me that he droned on and on and on, but never seemed to get to his point. I got more out of the title of the chapter than I did in reading the chapter. I wholeheartedly agree that there is still segregation in the Christian world. I have personally seen it. When we lived in NC, we were trying out different Church of Christ churches. One of them turned out to be an all black congregation. Reflecting back now I realize that they showed my wife and I more of Jesus' love than any of the white congregations we visited. Naturally, we felt out of place but after our initial reactions, we worshipped right along with them. However, when I was in Iraq, I saw the exact opposite in the Gospel service I attended. True there were a lot of blacks, however, one of the preachers was white and several whites and other ethnicity's attended and I truly believe it was because of the love of Jesus that flowed from the people of the church.
4. In regards to being a novitiate in a NM, I think you run the risk of isolating that newbie in such a way that when they do return to the real world they are set up for failure. I think churches should take the culture and environment they are currently in and train their disciples, which should be everyone who is a member of that church, on how to interact and over come the world. In the Bible we are commanded to be in the world and not of the world. This means that we are to be reaching out from our churches to purposely interact, touch, come into contact with the people of our community. Anyone in our church who is not willing to learn and continue to grow should be treated the same way Jesus treated the Pharisees and scholars. They felt they were too learned to learn anything from Christ, but in reality even the most learned man has only begun his journey of life long learning.
5. I disagree with your comment that koinonia living is the nature of the NT church. I think that koinonia living is the nature of the EC, the church at Antioch and beyond, but not the church at Jerusalem. Yes the believers in Jerusalem spent time together, but they were more worried about the rituals (circumcision) and acts than allowing the Holy Spirit to flow thru them. At Antioch, the church was truly living in an intentional community. They fellowshipped together, they sold off their possessions and used that money to provide for those in need. And they didn't limit or restrict the Holy Spirit(Pentecost) but allowed it to work thru and with them in order to accomplish God's plan of bringing the lost back to him.
6. I really struggled with this chapter also. Having been a part of the military and having actually spent a year in Iraq, I just really struggle with some of the views. In fact I am dealing with a major struggle in my mind right now. My training and background tells me that what I did was right. Jesus himself commended the Centurion, so to say that military service is bad, is wrong. However, I think about a story about my step dad. He drives tour buses and occasionally semis for a little extra cash. One trip he was driving a semi and sees a hitchhiker and picks him up. Now my step dad is definitely non-violent, he was raised Mennonite. He is also a very devout Christian and always has his Bible with him no matter what. So, he gives the hitcher a ride to where he is going and it was only later that he found out that the hitcher was armed and had been avoiding the law. My mom was extremely upset and shaken but my step dad just told her that she didn't need to worry because he was "packing". When she asked him what exactly he was "packing", he told her his Bible. He said that before the guy got in the truck he placed his Bible on the seat between them. He said the guy looked at it and just sat there until they reached where he was going. Upon learning that story, I think of how much faith my step dad has, and hope to some day have the same.
7. All in all the Rutba book looks at good, wholesome, Christ like acts that we should try to emulate. However, the fact that people are involved inherently dooms any NM community. Why? Because we are all imperfect. Therefore, by bringing other imperfect people together only compounds the problem. I am not putting these ideas down, but rather saying that we have to keep in mind the reality of things. In the last chapter the author talks about being in Iraq and what a great experience he had. What he failed to tell us was, that when the wind kicks up over there you can't hide from the blowing sand. And when it finishes blowing you find you have sand in places you didn't think you could have sand. Or he didn't talk about having to share sleeping quarters with other men and praying that you fall asleep before the guy next to you, because his snoring is so loud and disruptive.
All I am saying is that if an intentional community masters some of these ideas then they should consider themselves blessed. But to think they are going to master all of them is unrealistic.
2. Volf's comment truly captures Matt 5:38-40 "You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.' But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well." God is viewed as a father figure an so Volf's comment demonstrates God's perfect example for us to follow. The word "reception" in his comment implies that God knows that we, as hostile beings (sinners), are coming and therefore he is prepared for us.
3. I'm sorry, but I really struggled with this chapter and in particular this author. It just seemed to me that he droned on and on and on, but never seemed to get to his point. I got more out of the title of the chapter than I did in reading the chapter. I wholeheartedly agree that there is still segregation in the Christian world. I have personally seen it. When we lived in NC, we were trying out different Church of Christ churches. One of them turned out to be an all black congregation. Reflecting back now I realize that they showed my wife and I more of Jesus' love than any of the white congregations we visited. Naturally, we felt out of place but after our initial reactions, we worshipped right along with them. However, when I was in Iraq, I saw the exact opposite in the Gospel service I attended. True there were a lot of blacks, however, one of the preachers was white and several whites and other ethnicity's attended and I truly believe it was because of the love of Jesus that flowed from the people of the church.
4. In regards to being a novitiate in a NM, I think you run the risk of isolating that newbie in such a way that when they do return to the real world they are set up for failure. I think churches should take the culture and environment they are currently in and train their disciples, which should be everyone who is a member of that church, on how to interact and over come the world. In the Bible we are commanded to be in the world and not of the world. This means that we are to be reaching out from our churches to purposely interact, touch, come into contact with the people of our community. Anyone in our church who is not willing to learn and continue to grow should be treated the same way Jesus treated the Pharisees and scholars. They felt they were too learned to learn anything from Christ, but in reality even the most learned man has only begun his journey of life long learning.
5. I disagree with your comment that koinonia living is the nature of the NT church. I think that koinonia living is the nature of the EC, the church at Antioch and beyond, but not the church at Jerusalem. Yes the believers in Jerusalem spent time together, but they were more worried about the rituals (circumcision) and acts than allowing the Holy Spirit to flow thru them. At Antioch, the church was truly living in an intentional community. They fellowshipped together, they sold off their possessions and used that money to provide for those in need. And they didn't limit or restrict the Holy Spirit(Pentecost) but allowed it to work thru and with them in order to accomplish God's plan of bringing the lost back to him.
6. I really struggled with this chapter also. Having been a part of the military and having actually spent a year in Iraq, I just really struggle with some of the views. In fact I am dealing with a major struggle in my mind right now. My training and background tells me that what I did was right. Jesus himself commended the Centurion, so to say that military service is bad, is wrong. However, I think about a story about my step dad. He drives tour buses and occasionally semis for a little extra cash. One trip he was driving a semi and sees a hitchhiker and picks him up. Now my step dad is definitely non-violent, he was raised Mennonite. He is also a very devout Christian and always has his Bible with him no matter what. So, he gives the hitcher a ride to where he is going and it was only later that he found out that the hitcher was armed and had been avoiding the law. My mom was extremely upset and shaken but my step dad just told her that she didn't need to worry because he was "packing". When she asked him what exactly he was "packing", he told her his Bible. He said that before the guy got in the truck he placed his Bible on the seat between them. He said the guy looked at it and just sat there until they reached where he was going. Upon learning that story, I think of how much faith my step dad has, and hope to some day have the same.
7. All in all the Rutba book looks at good, wholesome, Christ like acts that we should try to emulate. However, the fact that people are involved inherently dooms any NM community. Why? Because we are all imperfect. Therefore, by bringing other imperfect people together only compounds the problem. I am not putting these ideas down, but rather saying that we have to keep in mind the reality of things. In the last chapter the author talks about being in Iraq and what a great experience he had. What he failed to tell us was, that when the wind kicks up over there you can't hide from the blowing sand. And when it finishes blowing you find you have sand in places you didn't think you could have sand. Or he didn't talk about having to share sleeping quarters with other men and praying that you fall asleep before the guy next to you, because his snoring is so loud and disruptive.
All I am saying is that if an intentional community masters some of these ideas then they should consider themselves blessed. But to think they are going to master all of them is unrealistic.
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Sessions 6 & 7
1) Reflecting on Dryness (is this a Freudian slip..Dry?), how does our view of culture, church, and Christ impact our theology and practice of worship?
Our theology and practice of worship are directly affected by our view of the three. As Dyrness discusses the group cannot be separated, but instead each offers understanding of the other. We can see the thoughts and feelings of a group towards Christ reflected in the style of their worship and certainly their theology. I think by definition our thoughts on culture, church and Christ is our theology. Dyrness I’m sure would agree that worship being a form of art reflects our thoughts on these three. I guess all this to say that our theology is informed by these three things and it seem as though Dyrness would agree.
2) Reflect on the art presented on pages 110 and 112.
I think, like much of modern art, this period of time was a reaction to the mainstream in society. This is represented in the apparent absurdity of Pollock’s Convergence, or in the exaggeration of Warhol’s Campbell soup pictures. There is always an element present in artists that wrestle with the tension of submitting to the common cultural norms versus blazing a new trail. If the timing is right, and the artist persistent enough, he/she can develop a very simple idea into a living. Artists need to have an identity in the art world, something that becomes their style. This doesn’t need to be great by a number of standards, but it does need to be unique. The splattered cans of paint with multiple colors that taxes a canvas with its weight is Jackson Pollock’s. That’ his thing, and no one can imitate it without his name being mentioned. From some perspectives he beat that horse to death, but it also made him famous and wealthy. I think what makes these artists notable is their timing. They, through their art, raised a question about something mainstream in society, and they did it in a different way.
3) Why do think modernism is collapsing? Or do you think that modernity will survive the onslaught of PM? (I work with philosophers who do not like PM and avoid teaching it. They can't argue with a system that has no presuppositions to argue (That actually is a presupposition.).
I think modernism is collapsing because one of the major foundational concepts supporting it was proving things factually. I think today there is much effort to disprove things and as a result there is less and less information that is true without a doubt. A professor in college would use the “invisible goat” theory. He would point to a spot in the room and tell us to look at the invisible goat. We all thought he was crazy, and eventually someone told him there was no invisible goat. He told them to prove it didn’t exist. Someone else (I wish it was me) told him to prove that it did exist. Thus the situation, the only thing we proved is that there was no actual way to prove whether or not the invisible goat existed. We are in the same situation with PM. Because the scientific method is based upon repeatable experiments, there is always a point where things cannot be proven or dis-proven. We are at an impasse. I’m not sure if PM will change, but rather morph into another form of itself in which the presupposition that things cannot be proven with 100% accuracy will continue. I think in the future it will evolve into probabilities and percentages.
4) How do you envision and/or practice utilizing the arts in your ministry?
I like to use the arts to focus interaction with people. It is great to use to create a starting point among people. For example, a photograph, painting, movie, song, etc. can be used just to get people on the same page for a discussion. Then depending on how the time is structured it can expose feelings and emotions, sharing and vulnerability that might otherwise not have been revealed. It is much easier for a person to talk about which movie character they relate to most and why than it is to ask a person to tell you about themselves. I would envision using the arts in two ways in my ministry in the future. The first would be using it as I have been talking about; a centering focusing agent that fosters better interaction. The second would be as a type of measuring device that might help me to learn about someone. The first initiates and controls a situation, and the second allows the other person to control. This would be asking a person about their favorite movies, etc. and also connecting teachings to what is already popular.
5) What arts are emphasized in your church, family, and local community?
Currently, music is really the only art that is really valued in our church community. There is some appreciation for the performing arts, but not much. Even movies are not really appreciated all that much. I think there is still a lingering idea that art is a superfluous part of life. It tolerated in small doses, but can often be a distraction from the really important parts of life.
In my family, things are a bit different, but not much. I think my wife and I appreciate the arts more than most, but my extended family isn’t all that interested. My parents really enjoy music, but that is about the extent of it.
In the local community (Bowling Green) there is a considerable amount of emphasis put on the arts, at least compared to a non-college town. While there are certainly a number of people that are not involved at all in the “artsy” community there are a number of people that are very active. The art community is pretty strong and perceived and chic and sophisticated in a college town.
6) Explain the value and emphasis of word, sacrament/ordinance, and the arts in your life and ministry?
Tough question. I guess I would have to put these things at about an even level in my life as far as time and involvement. Although my study of the Word is probably more in depth (because of preparations for teaching times, and school) I don’t think that there is a tremendous difference between the time I might commit to these three things. Often during the week I am reading articles, watching movies/videos, listening to music, and noticing art in such a way that I hope it inspires me or affects me. I wish that the quality of the “art” I viewed during the week was more classic and less pop culture. I think the value of observing art and pop culture is simply a way to keep in touch with what people are faced with during their week. It is also valuable so that I caan be informed in such a way to show people that there alternatives out there to just gulping down the “art” that is served to us by the media.
7) Reflect on pages 151-154, Does art play a role in discipleship? Have you died to self and allowed your life's work to take on a life of its own? Can you kill a dead person?
I think the most value here is in his comparison to living the life of an artist and the life as a Christian as being a process. There certainly is value as an artist to the process of struggling with passion and pressure. There is value to the process of expressing yourself or your feelings through something. These are valuable things. It is also true that often times the value of the process is on the other side of difficulty and hardship. In these ways I believe the process of being a artist is similar to the process of being a Christian. I am a bit concerned though because I think this is a very inclusive definition of artist and one that would surely bother “real artists”. Of course the snobbery of “real artists” is relative to where you live and the art community there, but that same snobbery can exist amongst Christians. A true artist is one that totally sacrifices themselves for the art. They might live in poor conditions and struggle financially even resisting conventional success for fear it might corrupt the artistic process. However, I do not believe this is the only definition for a true artist. I know plenty of true artists with health insurance and 401K’s. It is the same for Christians, or true disciples. While outward appearance may offer clues about the condition of his heart, we must be careful not to judge a book by its cover. I think the driving question here is whether we are engaged in the process of dying to self. As soon as I say I have died to self I can think of a handful examples in my life that illustrate otherwise. However, the real question is whether or not I am committed to the process of dying to self. Much of that is allowing God to handle the results of ministry. I wish I could say I had a real handle on this, but I don’t. I still find myself trying to control and influence results. I think it will be something that I struggle with for some time.
Our theology and practice of worship are directly affected by our view of the three. As Dyrness discusses the group cannot be separated, but instead each offers understanding of the other. We can see the thoughts and feelings of a group towards Christ reflected in the style of their worship and certainly their theology. I think by definition our thoughts on culture, church and Christ is our theology. Dyrness I’m sure would agree that worship being a form of art reflects our thoughts on these three. I guess all this to say that our theology is informed by these three things and it seem as though Dyrness would agree.
2) Reflect on the art presented on pages 110 and 112.
I think, like much of modern art, this period of time was a reaction to the mainstream in society. This is represented in the apparent absurdity of Pollock’s Convergence, or in the exaggeration of Warhol’s Campbell soup pictures. There is always an element present in artists that wrestle with the tension of submitting to the common cultural norms versus blazing a new trail. If the timing is right, and the artist persistent enough, he/she can develop a very simple idea into a living. Artists need to have an identity in the art world, something that becomes their style. This doesn’t need to be great by a number of standards, but it does need to be unique. The splattered cans of paint with multiple colors that taxes a canvas with its weight is Jackson Pollock’s. That’ his thing, and no one can imitate it without his name being mentioned. From some perspectives he beat that horse to death, but it also made him famous and wealthy. I think what makes these artists notable is their timing. They, through their art, raised a question about something mainstream in society, and they did it in a different way.
3) Why do think modernism is collapsing? Or do you think that modernity will survive the onslaught of PM? (I work with philosophers who do not like PM and avoid teaching it. They can't argue with a system that has no presuppositions to argue (That actually is a presupposition.).
I think modernism is collapsing because one of the major foundational concepts supporting it was proving things factually. I think today there is much effort to disprove things and as a result there is less and less information that is true without a doubt. A professor in college would use the “invisible goat” theory. He would point to a spot in the room and tell us to look at the invisible goat. We all thought he was crazy, and eventually someone told him there was no invisible goat. He told them to prove it didn’t exist. Someone else (I wish it was me) told him to prove that it did exist. Thus the situation, the only thing we proved is that there was no actual way to prove whether or not the invisible goat existed. We are in the same situation with PM. Because the scientific method is based upon repeatable experiments, there is always a point where things cannot be proven or dis-proven. We are at an impasse. I’m not sure if PM will change, but rather morph into another form of itself in which the presupposition that things cannot be proven with 100% accuracy will continue. I think in the future it will evolve into probabilities and percentages.
4) How do you envision and/or practice utilizing the arts in your ministry?
I like to use the arts to focus interaction with people. It is great to use to create a starting point among people. For example, a photograph, painting, movie, song, etc. can be used just to get people on the same page for a discussion. Then depending on how the time is structured it can expose feelings and emotions, sharing and vulnerability that might otherwise not have been revealed. It is much easier for a person to talk about which movie character they relate to most and why than it is to ask a person to tell you about themselves. I would envision using the arts in two ways in my ministry in the future. The first would be using it as I have been talking about; a centering focusing agent that fosters better interaction. The second would be as a type of measuring device that might help me to learn about someone. The first initiates and controls a situation, and the second allows the other person to control. This would be asking a person about their favorite movies, etc. and also connecting teachings to what is already popular.
5) What arts are emphasized in your church, family, and local community?
Currently, music is really the only art that is really valued in our church community. There is some appreciation for the performing arts, but not much. Even movies are not really appreciated all that much. I think there is still a lingering idea that art is a superfluous part of life. It tolerated in small doses, but can often be a distraction from the really important parts of life.
In my family, things are a bit different, but not much. I think my wife and I appreciate the arts more than most, but my extended family isn’t all that interested. My parents really enjoy music, but that is about the extent of it.
In the local community (Bowling Green) there is a considerable amount of emphasis put on the arts, at least compared to a non-college town. While there are certainly a number of people that are not involved at all in the “artsy” community there are a number of people that are very active. The art community is pretty strong and perceived and chic and sophisticated in a college town.
6) Explain the value and emphasis of word, sacrament/ordinance, and the arts in your life and ministry?
Tough question. I guess I would have to put these things at about an even level in my life as far as time and involvement. Although my study of the Word is probably more in depth (because of preparations for teaching times, and school) I don’t think that there is a tremendous difference between the time I might commit to these three things. Often during the week I am reading articles, watching movies/videos, listening to music, and noticing art in such a way that I hope it inspires me or affects me. I wish that the quality of the “art” I viewed during the week was more classic and less pop culture. I think the value of observing art and pop culture is simply a way to keep in touch with what people are faced with during their week. It is also valuable so that I caan be informed in such a way to show people that there alternatives out there to just gulping down the “art” that is served to us by the media.
7) Reflect on pages 151-154, Does art play a role in discipleship? Have you died to self and allowed your life's work to take on a life of its own? Can you kill a dead person?
I think the most value here is in his comparison to living the life of an artist and the life as a Christian as being a process. There certainly is value as an artist to the process of struggling with passion and pressure. There is value to the process of expressing yourself or your feelings through something. These are valuable things. It is also true that often times the value of the process is on the other side of difficulty and hardship. In these ways I believe the process of being a artist is similar to the process of being a Christian. I am a bit concerned though because I think this is a very inclusive definition of artist and one that would surely bother “real artists”. Of course the snobbery of “real artists” is relative to where you live and the art community there, but that same snobbery can exist amongst Christians. A true artist is one that totally sacrifices themselves for the art. They might live in poor conditions and struggle financially even resisting conventional success for fear it might corrupt the artistic process. However, I do not believe this is the only definition for a true artist. I know plenty of true artists with health insurance and 401K’s. It is the same for Christians, or true disciples. While outward appearance may offer clues about the condition of his heart, we must be careful not to judge a book by its cover. I think the driving question here is whether we are engaged in the process of dying to self. As soon as I say I have died to self I can think of a handful examples in my life that illustrate otherwise. However, the real question is whether or not I am committed to the process of dying to self. Much of that is allowing God to handle the results of ministry. I wish I could say I had a real handle on this, but I don’t. I still find myself trying to control and influence results. I think it will be something that I struggle with for some time.
Monday, March 26, 2007
Sessions 6 & 7
1) Reflecting on Dryness, how does our view of culture, church, and Christ impact our theology and practice of worship?
First, my confession. I found this book to be the toughest going - not on the basis of anything Dyrness wrote, but (in a strange irony for a book on visual arts) in the physical makeup of the book. I had issues with the type and the page size which made the reading seem rather like trudging through molasses in January. I kept feeling like I was getting no where with it. Of course, it may be my background as a page designer that brings that criticism to the table.
In a sense, it is analogous to the relationship between our view of culture and how it impacts our theology and practice of worship. The physical layout of the words on the page were an impediment to my understanding of what the author was trying to communicate. Likewise, the way we worship can sometimes be an impediment to someone seeking Christ. I do not, and will never, advocate diluting the gospel or dumbing it down. Quite the contrary, I found working with the youth that they rise to the challenge of difficult material and, more often that not, prefer to be challenged. As it stands, I think effective teaching as it exists as part of the worship service will take its culture into consideration. Perhaps in our culture that means visual elements.
2) Reflect on the art presented on pages 110 and 112.
This will (no pun intended) paint me somewhat as a traditionalist, I suspect, but I have seen similar "art" to the Jackson Pollock piece on the drop cloths left over from a work project with my youth group that had far more meaning to me (especially when I think about how the drop cloth was created and who created it) than this piece. Perhaps it would have been better in color, but, as it stands, it means nothing to me. It's chaos. It's unbalanced. Having read the material around it, I understand that process was a vital component, which actually accounted for more in the mind of the artist than did the end product. All the same, it does nothing to bring me into the painting. I have as much desire to look for the meaning behind it was I would to look for meaning behind the Spaghettios smeared on a high chair tray by a toddler. (Hmm ... maybe I am being a bit harsh, but I suspect that makes my point.)
Now, as far as the Warhol piece, I think this loses something in being in a photo rather than seeing it in person. The text tells us it was a large model of the Brillo box. It would be interesting to see a picture with some sort of spatial reference in it. As it stands, it's just a piece of household history. But, if I were to see it in person or see that it is truly an oversized box, I would at least wonder what possessed Warhol to create it. In that sense, it pulls me in much more than the Pollock piece. Actually, even in the photo in our book, I still at least wonder about it a little bit.
3) Why do think modernism is collapsing? Or do you think that modernity will survive the onslaught of PM?
Modernity as we now know it may not survive the onslaught of postmodernism any more than mindset of the medieval period survived the coming of the Renaissance or the Renaissance survived the modernity. Vestiges of each previous philosophy remain as the new takes hold, but it does not remain as a dominant force. So, we will see elements of modernism in the culture in the foreseeable future, but it, too will gradually give way as even postmodernism becomes passe.
I think one reason modernism is collapsing is that people can feel the rug being ripped out from under them. The presuppositions that supported modernism - science can provide answers, society can take care of its members, peace can be achieved, etc., etc., etc. - are ringing false to a culture that has seen two World Wars, a Cold War, diseases that remain incurable as new incurable diseases emerge, poverty continues to ravage communities, etc., etc., etc. Now, terrorism has even come to our shores, taking away what I think many saw as the last safe refuge in a crazy world. The old adage of "question authority" has taken on a totally new life in this culture that questions everything as if they were fooled once and won't be fooled again.
4) How do you envision and/or practice utilizing the arts in your ministry?
In the past, I have done a "digital gallery" by asking artists to submit slides or photos of their work which we put into a PowerPoint presentation set to music. I also have a student who is rather talented at drawing. In a study of Isaiah 6 one night, she showed an interest in the seraphim and I suggested that she could try drawing one from the description given there. I also suggested that she could draw scenes from the Bible as a form of journaling. We're also talking about having her do drawings to accompany the messages for the contemporary service at our church. I realize the answer thus far really focuses on one student, but my interaction with her is indicative of how I watch for a student's talent and try to find ways to incorporate it into the ministry.
As far as future endeavors, some of the students are talented musicians who would like to try writing their own music so we plan to get together this summer to see what transpires. I would also like to have a gallery of art open as people are coming in for the contemporary service (and maybe expand it to other times). I like using videos and other visuals in my talks, so I would also like to find students who are interested in creating such things and work with them to make such visuals.
5) What arts are emphasized in your church, family, and local community?
All three place quite a value on music. At church, we have choirs for the youngest children to the teens to the adults in addition to a fledging "praise team" which at present consists of four girls - one pianist and three singers. In the summer, the adult choir, which typically sings during the morning worship service, takes a break and a sign-up sheet is posted to allow members of the congregation and their friends or family to provide the special music for the services.
At home, I grew up with music playing in the house frequently, if not constantly. That, however, was back in the days before televisions were in every room as is the case in most families today.
I am blessed to live in a community that places a fairly even emphasis on the arts. Music and drama productions - as well as independent films - are featured at a local theater. There are galleries here and there. There are colleges nearby that open their doors to the public for musical events, theater productions and art exhibits. To be honest, I have often thought that I need to pay more attention and take greater advantage of these opportunities.
6) Explain the value and emphasis of word, sacrament/ordinance, and the arts in your life and ministry?
All three have a particular value in my life, but each in a different way. That is, one is not more valued than another, necessarily, but that are valued differently. The word - and the Word - have been important to me since I was a child. I don't remember ever not knowing how to read - family legend says I could read by the time I was 18 months old, but that's anecdotal evidence from my mother. I learn best from reading. I read voraciously. I love writing. I love agonizing over just the right word to convey a meaning just as I cringe when I see poor word choices. These characteristics become most evident in my teaching and in my blog (which I believe to be a new form of ministry, but that could be a discussion for another day).
Yet, as previous answers acknowledge, there is a visual side to my life and ministry. I rarely do a talk that doesn't include a visual element and have found that to be effective. For example, I freely admit that I talk with my hands. It's so apparent that the students have asked me never to wear one of my tops with wide sleeves when I speak because they are terrified that I will swing an arm too close to a candle and go out in a blaze of glory. One night, I wore handcuffs during the entire message to accentuate how the choices we make can be like wearing these handcuffs. The students could see clearly how much that restricted my usual form of expression. The students still talk about that night. On a personal, devotional level, I love to take scenic pictures that reveal the wonders of God's work.
Sacrament and ordinance represent connection for me. Connection to the followers of Christ who have come before me who also took of the bread and the wine and connection to the people in my church who are taking the bread and the wine in the same communion service in which I am participating. More importantly, it is a tangible connection to Christ.
7) Reflect on pages 151-154, Does art play a role in discipleship? Have you died to self and allowed your life's work to take on a life of its own? Can you kill a dead person?
Art absolutely has a place in discipleship. Of course, the easy way to see that might be in the artist who draws, paints or takes photographs that reflect creation in all its forms as it celebrates and seeks to understand the One who created it all. It's also easy to see in the writer who reflects on the Word of God or on what she sees in the created order and conveys it through written forms - or the musician who combines the words with music to convey those same thoughts. It's harder, but no less true, to see art in other areas of life, but it is there nonetheless.
Part of me wants to say that I have totally died to self and allowed my life's work to take on a life of its own, but I can't say that I believe it has. Let me say it this way. I know one thing. I'm with God. I want to do what He wants me to do. I just pray that He will give me a willing spirit to follow Him when and as He reveals his will to me. Am I running from a call? No, but in some ways, I still wonder what my life work is. I worked for an art professor once who said that the artist can't not create (which I thought was a lovely use of the double negative). I'm still discovering what passions consume me to the point that I can't not do them - that is what I consider to be ultimately dying to self. Clearly, youth work and writing are two options at work in my life right now, but I haven't "pulled the trigger" and become possessed by these activities to the point that they are anything more than side activities that are continually taking up more of my time (so maybe I am closer than I think). Though the free-spirited artistic side of me is gaining strength daily as I write more and more and as I start to give way to the compulsion to write, there is still a side of me that remains utterly practical and somewhat afraid of what will happen if I do let that passion to write take over my life completely (and, no, my work at the newspaper doesn't count as that's not the kind of writing I am talking about).
Obviously I am posting this after Jason's post and agree with what he said about killing a dead person - except for one thing. I believe that once someone finds that all-consuming passion - it becomes their life. They become a dead person following that passion where it leads them. Take away that passion and you kill them or, at the very least, a vital part of their identity. They may continue to live, but they must do it as they seek something to fill the void of what has been taken from them
First, my confession. I found this book to be the toughest going - not on the basis of anything Dyrness wrote, but (in a strange irony for a book on visual arts) in the physical makeup of the book. I had issues with the type and the page size which made the reading seem rather like trudging through molasses in January. I kept feeling like I was getting no where with it. Of course, it may be my background as a page designer that brings that criticism to the table.
In a sense, it is analogous to the relationship between our view of culture and how it impacts our theology and practice of worship. The physical layout of the words on the page were an impediment to my understanding of what the author was trying to communicate. Likewise, the way we worship can sometimes be an impediment to someone seeking Christ. I do not, and will never, advocate diluting the gospel or dumbing it down. Quite the contrary, I found working with the youth that they rise to the challenge of difficult material and, more often that not, prefer to be challenged. As it stands, I think effective teaching as it exists as part of the worship service will take its culture into consideration. Perhaps in our culture that means visual elements.
2) Reflect on the art presented on pages 110 and 112.
This will (no pun intended) paint me somewhat as a traditionalist, I suspect, but I have seen similar "art" to the Jackson Pollock piece on the drop cloths left over from a work project with my youth group that had far more meaning to me (especially when I think about how the drop cloth was created and who created it) than this piece. Perhaps it would have been better in color, but, as it stands, it means nothing to me. It's chaos. It's unbalanced. Having read the material around it, I understand that process was a vital component, which actually accounted for more in the mind of the artist than did the end product. All the same, it does nothing to bring me into the painting. I have as much desire to look for the meaning behind it was I would to look for meaning behind the Spaghettios smeared on a high chair tray by a toddler. (Hmm ... maybe I am being a bit harsh, but I suspect that makes my point.)
Now, as far as the Warhol piece, I think this loses something in being in a photo rather than seeing it in person. The text tells us it was a large model of the Brillo box. It would be interesting to see a picture with some sort of spatial reference in it. As it stands, it's just a piece of household history. But, if I were to see it in person or see that it is truly an oversized box, I would at least wonder what possessed Warhol to create it. In that sense, it pulls me in much more than the Pollock piece. Actually, even in the photo in our book, I still at least wonder about it a little bit.
3) Why do think modernism is collapsing? Or do you think that modernity will survive the onslaught of PM?
Modernity as we now know it may not survive the onslaught of postmodernism any more than mindset of the medieval period survived the coming of the Renaissance or the Renaissance survived the modernity. Vestiges of each previous philosophy remain as the new takes hold, but it does not remain as a dominant force. So, we will see elements of modernism in the culture in the foreseeable future, but it, too will gradually give way as even postmodernism becomes passe.
I think one reason modernism is collapsing is that people can feel the rug being ripped out from under them. The presuppositions that supported modernism - science can provide answers, society can take care of its members, peace can be achieved, etc., etc., etc. - are ringing false to a culture that has seen two World Wars, a Cold War, diseases that remain incurable as new incurable diseases emerge, poverty continues to ravage communities, etc., etc., etc. Now, terrorism has even come to our shores, taking away what I think many saw as the last safe refuge in a crazy world. The old adage of "question authority" has taken on a totally new life in this culture that questions everything as if they were fooled once and won't be fooled again.
4) How do you envision and/or practice utilizing the arts in your ministry?
In the past, I have done a "digital gallery" by asking artists to submit slides or photos of their work which we put into a PowerPoint presentation set to music. I also have a student who is rather talented at drawing. In a study of Isaiah 6 one night, she showed an interest in the seraphim and I suggested that she could try drawing one from the description given there. I also suggested that she could draw scenes from the Bible as a form of journaling. We're also talking about having her do drawings to accompany the messages for the contemporary service at our church. I realize the answer thus far really focuses on one student, but my interaction with her is indicative of how I watch for a student's talent and try to find ways to incorporate it into the ministry.
As far as future endeavors, some of the students are talented musicians who would like to try writing their own music so we plan to get together this summer to see what transpires. I would also like to have a gallery of art open as people are coming in for the contemporary service (and maybe expand it to other times). I like using videos and other visuals in my talks, so I would also like to find students who are interested in creating such things and work with them to make such visuals.
5) What arts are emphasized in your church, family, and local community?
All three place quite a value on music. At church, we have choirs for the youngest children to the teens to the adults in addition to a fledging "praise team" which at present consists of four girls - one pianist and three singers. In the summer, the adult choir, which typically sings during the morning worship service, takes a break and a sign-up sheet is posted to allow members of the congregation and their friends or family to provide the special music for the services.
At home, I grew up with music playing in the house frequently, if not constantly. That, however, was back in the days before televisions were in every room as is the case in most families today.
I am blessed to live in a community that places a fairly even emphasis on the arts. Music and drama productions - as well as independent films - are featured at a local theater. There are galleries here and there. There are colleges nearby that open their doors to the public for musical events, theater productions and art exhibits. To be honest, I have often thought that I need to pay more attention and take greater advantage of these opportunities.
6) Explain the value and emphasis of word, sacrament/ordinance, and the arts in your life and ministry?
All three have a particular value in my life, but each in a different way. That is, one is not more valued than another, necessarily, but that are valued differently. The word - and the Word - have been important to me since I was a child. I don't remember ever not knowing how to read - family legend says I could read by the time I was 18 months old, but that's anecdotal evidence from my mother. I learn best from reading. I read voraciously. I love writing. I love agonizing over just the right word to convey a meaning just as I cringe when I see poor word choices. These characteristics become most evident in my teaching and in my blog (which I believe to be a new form of ministry, but that could be a discussion for another day).
Yet, as previous answers acknowledge, there is a visual side to my life and ministry. I rarely do a talk that doesn't include a visual element and have found that to be effective. For example, I freely admit that I talk with my hands. It's so apparent that the students have asked me never to wear one of my tops with wide sleeves when I speak because they are terrified that I will swing an arm too close to a candle and go out in a blaze of glory. One night, I wore handcuffs during the entire message to accentuate how the choices we make can be like wearing these handcuffs. The students could see clearly how much that restricted my usual form of expression. The students still talk about that night. On a personal, devotional level, I love to take scenic pictures that reveal the wonders of God's work.
Sacrament and ordinance represent connection for me. Connection to the followers of Christ who have come before me who also took of the bread and the wine and connection to the people in my church who are taking the bread and the wine in the same communion service in which I am participating. More importantly, it is a tangible connection to Christ.
7) Reflect on pages 151-154, Does art play a role in discipleship? Have you died to self and allowed your life's work to take on a life of its own? Can you kill a dead person?
Art absolutely has a place in discipleship. Of course, the easy way to see that might be in the artist who draws, paints or takes photographs that reflect creation in all its forms as it celebrates and seeks to understand the One who created it all. It's also easy to see in the writer who reflects on the Word of God or on what she sees in the created order and conveys it through written forms - or the musician who combines the words with music to convey those same thoughts. It's harder, but no less true, to see art in other areas of life, but it is there nonetheless.
Part of me wants to say that I have totally died to self and allowed my life's work to take on a life of its own, but I can't say that I believe it has. Let me say it this way. I know one thing. I'm with God. I want to do what He wants me to do. I just pray that He will give me a willing spirit to follow Him when and as He reveals his will to me. Am I running from a call? No, but in some ways, I still wonder what my life work is. I worked for an art professor once who said that the artist can't not create (which I thought was a lovely use of the double negative). I'm still discovering what passions consume me to the point that I can't not do them - that is what I consider to be ultimately dying to self. Clearly, youth work and writing are two options at work in my life right now, but I haven't "pulled the trigger" and become possessed by these activities to the point that they are anything more than side activities that are continually taking up more of my time (so maybe I am closer than I think). Though the free-spirited artistic side of me is gaining strength daily as I write more and more and as I start to give way to the compulsion to write, there is still a side of me that remains utterly practical and somewhat afraid of what will happen if I do let that passion to write take over my life completely (and, no, my work at the newspaper doesn't count as that's not the kind of writing I am talking about).
Obviously I am posting this after Jason's post and agree with what he said about killing a dead person - except for one thing. I believe that once someone finds that all-consuming passion - it becomes their life. They become a dead person following that passion where it leads them. Take away that passion and you kill them or, at the very least, a vital part of their identity. They may continue to live, but they must do it as they seek something to fill the void of what has been taken from them
Saturday, March 24, 2007
Sessions #8 & #9, Rutba House
Community is a vital concept in understanding and experiencing Christ in the cultural context where we live. The New Monasticism (NM) presents 12 Marks that define the core values that guide their community life. The humility, thoroughness, and visionary realism of these 12 Marks is encouraging to see the diversity of the 12 contribuitng authors. My critique is that these 12 Marks are not the same as the ordung or rule of a Catholic monasticism community which has been pruned and lived for many centuries. Nevertheless, these 12 Marks are refreshing and indicate that God is doing a new/old thing in this quest for community. John Michael Talbot's monastic community, Little Portion (I visited there last August), is recognized by the Pope and has many of these same 12 Marks.
[The Rutba book will turn the heat up; please feel free to interact, lament, critique the authors, me, or your class peers. The blog format is intended to foster interaction and generous debate and discussion.]
1) Describe the benefit and pitfalls of intentional communities like the NM movement.
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.]
3) What does it mean to lament as God's people (p. 62)? Describe a lament experience in your church life.
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.
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.
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?
7) How does any of the NM 12 Markers connect with your experience and church life as a community of the kingdom of God?
The following questions are suggestions for interviewing persons who live in some type of alternative, intentional society (Please adapt as you sense the need to change the focus and follow the flow of the 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?
Post a summary report for the class to interact with in the blog. Thanks!
[The Rutba book will turn the heat up; please feel free to interact, lament, critique the authors, me, or your class peers. The blog format is intended to foster interaction and generous debate and discussion.]
1) Describe the benefit and pitfalls of intentional communities like the NM movement.
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.]
3) What does it mean to lament as God's people (p. 62)? Describe a lament experience in your church life.
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.
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.
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?
7) How does any of the NM 12 Markers connect with your experience and church life as a community of the kingdom of God?
The following questions are suggestions for interviewing persons who live in some type of alternative, intentional society (Please adapt as you sense the need to change the focus and follow the flow of the 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?
Post a summary report for the class to interact with in the blog. Thanks!
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Field Research # 2: Rock Daddy
I interviewed several Christians, however, due to the smallness of my town, I was not able to find other faiths other than Judaism. I did speak with a Mennonite lady, however, since they don't have t.v. the question about her favorite commercial was a bit difficult. I used the questions that Dr. Nissley posted and modified them in that instead of just asking about commercials from the Superbowl, I asked what their favorite commercial was and why.
For the first question people responded with a variety of things that they enjoyed doing, however, when I probed further to try to understand why, the majority of the reasons were because it either involved their families or reminded them of their families. So family seemed to be a recurring them for people and their hobbies.
For question two it was a toss up between liking the commercial because it made them laugh and liking the commercial because it reminded them of family. So, again it seems that people associated with things that made them think about their families.
For the final question, practically everyone guessed what the painting was (including the Jewish person), so when I read the scripture, they didn't change their thoughts or what the told me the story was behind the picture. I did find it interesting that practically everyone made the comment of, "I thought Jesus was suppose to be a sleep in the bow". In the painting it looks like Jesus is in the stern teaching his disciples. Another comment I liked was when one of the interviewees, couldn't get over how violent the storm was. In his mind the Sea of Galilee was not that big, but the painting definitely made him think otherwise.
All in all I enjoying talking to others and liked the fact that people were able to discern different things about the painting. I thought it was an interesting way to incorporate art into talking to others.
For the first question people responded with a variety of things that they enjoyed doing, however, when I probed further to try to understand why, the majority of the reasons were because it either involved their families or reminded them of their families. So family seemed to be a recurring them for people and their hobbies.
For question two it was a toss up between liking the commercial because it made them laugh and liking the commercial because it reminded them of family. So, again it seems that people associated with things that made them think about their families.
For the final question, practically everyone guessed what the painting was (including the Jewish person), so when I read the scripture, they didn't change their thoughts or what the told me the story was behind the picture. I did find it interesting that practically everyone made the comment of, "I thought Jesus was suppose to be a sleep in the bow". In the painting it looks like Jesus is in the stern teaching his disciples. Another comment I liked was when one of the interviewees, couldn't get over how violent the storm was. In his mind the Sea of Galilee was not that big, but the painting definitely made him think otherwise.
All in all I enjoying talking to others and liked the fact that people were able to discern different things about the painting. I thought it was an interesting way to incorporate art into talking to others.
Sessions 6 & 7: Rock Daddy
1. Whatever is going on or influencing us at the present time in our life, whether it be a new fad in our culture, a revival going on at our church or where we are in our walk with Jesus it is going to impact how we approach worship and how we interact with others in regards to telling them about Christ. As human beings we are easily influenced by outside stimuli. For instance, say you are sitting watching t.v. before dinner, when a commercial comes on for the local pizza place. Suddenly, you have a craving for pizza and if you are lucky and your spouse hasn't started making anything yet, you will probably end up ordering pizza. It is the same with all the other aspects of our lives.
2. The Jackson Pollock piece is very appealing to me and makes me want to look at it more closely. It causes me to think about what the artist was trying to convey in his work. I find it interesting and would be something that I would not mind hanging on my wall in my house. The art work by Andy Warhol on the other hand is merely his rendition of a common place item during his era. It neither moves me or excites me. I acknowledge the fact that it is art in that he felt some urging to paint it, however, it is not something I would hang on my wall in my house.
3. I think that the cultural mindset is on a pendulum and that modernism is merely a part of the spectrum, just as PM is. Obviously, it is the different philosophies that the pendulum moves through and not necessarily the titles (modernism, post modernism, etc.). Therefore, because the pendulum continually moves, modernism is on it way out and PM is the next philosophy. No one can tell how long the pendulum will travel through a philosophy, but you can be certain that nothing lasts forever. For people to not recognize or accept that fact and think that they can hold onto the past are only fooling themselves.
4. In this day and age of instant gratification, I think that to engage and entice the unbeliever that is out there, you need to be able to relate to them. In my opinion this means showing video clips and tailoring your sermon to what is going on today. Still convey the message but present it in such a way as to connect with your audience. I envision using video clips, songs and pictures to help the audience connect with what I am telling them.
5. I would have to say that in my church, family and local community the prominent art method is music. My church is very much about their music and how it relates or connects with the congregation, based on which service they are attending (traditional/blended/contemporary). In my family my wife is part of the praise team, all three of my kids are in the children's choir and I personally love to sing and listen to music. In our town there is always some kind of concert or program going on that has music. The method that is probably the next prevalent would be theater. My church again likes to put on both adult and children's plays, musicals and dramas. And again my children are involved in those and in our town we actually have a theater where performances are being performed weekly.
6. In my life and what I hope to be, a pastor, the value and emphasis of words is very important. To me if you can effectively and efficiently convey your message then it is just a matter of the other person responding and going from there. I'm not saying that you have to use big words and sound overly important, but I am saying that you need to be able to communicate in such a way that the person you are talking to can understand what you are saying.
Sacrament to me is the act of communion. Growing up we took communion every week, the same way. At my current church we only take communion so many times a year and we usually incorporate feet washing along with it. Rarely do we share in communion in the same way as we did the last time we came together. For me communion symbolizes the sacrifice Christ made for me and it is my way of remembering that. Therefore, I greatly value and believe that communion is important.
The arts, are an expression of our souls and therefore our inner most desires. No matter what format of art you do and no matter how well you do it you are still sharing and giving of yourself. I feel the arts are very important in that if we didn't have them, then we would be no different than a bunch of robots.
7. I define discipleship as the act of making disciples. A disciple is someone who follows a master and believes in his ideals and then spreads them. Since art can be defined as any method of expressing oneself, I would say that art definitely plays a role in discipleship. Its role is to act as common ground, upon which you meet someone else. Once you are on common ground and create a meaningful relationship then you can begin to share and exchange ideas with them. Which in turn allows you to witness to them in order to help them become a follower also.
I feel that I have died to myself. Once I committed to becoming a pastor, I feel that I gave my life over to God. That is not to say that I don't on many occasions try to hurry along or change God's timing and action plan for me, but in the end I always come back to him, humble and bowed, offering up my life yet again.
Can you kill a dead person? That question has multiple answers and also sparks multiple questions. Such as in what sense are they dead? Are they physically dead? If so, then no you can't kill them. Are they spiritually dead? Then, yes you can physically kill them which in turn causes them to live eternally, albeit in hell. Are they emotionally dead? Again, you can physically kill them, but I feel that someone who is emotionally dead is merely going through the motions and is just waiting for their bodies to give up. If someone is emotionally dead I don't think you can kill them because they are already dead.
2. The Jackson Pollock piece is very appealing to me and makes me want to look at it more closely. It causes me to think about what the artist was trying to convey in his work. I find it interesting and would be something that I would not mind hanging on my wall in my house. The art work by Andy Warhol on the other hand is merely his rendition of a common place item during his era. It neither moves me or excites me. I acknowledge the fact that it is art in that he felt some urging to paint it, however, it is not something I would hang on my wall in my house.
3. I think that the cultural mindset is on a pendulum and that modernism is merely a part of the spectrum, just as PM is. Obviously, it is the different philosophies that the pendulum moves through and not necessarily the titles (modernism, post modernism, etc.). Therefore, because the pendulum continually moves, modernism is on it way out and PM is the next philosophy. No one can tell how long the pendulum will travel through a philosophy, but you can be certain that nothing lasts forever. For people to not recognize or accept that fact and think that they can hold onto the past are only fooling themselves.
4. In this day and age of instant gratification, I think that to engage and entice the unbeliever that is out there, you need to be able to relate to them. In my opinion this means showing video clips and tailoring your sermon to what is going on today. Still convey the message but present it in such a way as to connect with your audience. I envision using video clips, songs and pictures to help the audience connect with what I am telling them.
5. I would have to say that in my church, family and local community the prominent art method is music. My church is very much about their music and how it relates or connects with the congregation, based on which service they are attending (traditional/blended/contemporary). In my family my wife is part of the praise team, all three of my kids are in the children's choir and I personally love to sing and listen to music. In our town there is always some kind of concert or program going on that has music. The method that is probably the next prevalent would be theater. My church again likes to put on both adult and children's plays, musicals and dramas. And again my children are involved in those and in our town we actually have a theater where performances are being performed weekly.
6. In my life and what I hope to be, a pastor, the value and emphasis of words is very important. To me if you can effectively and efficiently convey your message then it is just a matter of the other person responding and going from there. I'm not saying that you have to use big words and sound overly important, but I am saying that you need to be able to communicate in such a way that the person you are talking to can understand what you are saying.
Sacrament to me is the act of communion. Growing up we took communion every week, the same way. At my current church we only take communion so many times a year and we usually incorporate feet washing along with it. Rarely do we share in communion in the same way as we did the last time we came together. For me communion symbolizes the sacrifice Christ made for me and it is my way of remembering that. Therefore, I greatly value and believe that communion is important.
The arts, are an expression of our souls and therefore our inner most desires. No matter what format of art you do and no matter how well you do it you are still sharing and giving of yourself. I feel the arts are very important in that if we didn't have them, then we would be no different than a bunch of robots.
7. I define discipleship as the act of making disciples. A disciple is someone who follows a master and believes in his ideals and then spreads them. Since art can be defined as any method of expressing oneself, I would say that art definitely plays a role in discipleship. Its role is to act as common ground, upon which you meet someone else. Once you are on common ground and create a meaningful relationship then you can begin to share and exchange ideas with them. Which in turn allows you to witness to them in order to help them become a follower also.
I feel that I have died to myself. Once I committed to becoming a pastor, I feel that I gave my life over to God. That is not to say that I don't on many occasions try to hurry along or change God's timing and action plan for me, but in the end I always come back to him, humble and bowed, offering up my life yet again.
Can you kill a dead person? That question has multiple answers and also sparks multiple questions. Such as in what sense are they dead? Are they physically dead? If so, then no you can't kill them. Are they spiritually dead? Then, yes you can physically kill them which in turn causes them to live eternally, albeit in hell. Are they emotionally dead? Again, you can physically kill them, but I feel that someone who is emotionally dead is merely going through the motions and is just waiting for their bodies to give up. If someone is emotionally dead I don't think you can kill them because they are already dead.
Thursday, March 8, 2007
Sessions #6 & #7, Dyrness
[In order to catch our collective breath, I am combining some session posts. This term is flying by.]
Visual Faith and the brief history/theology/art interpretation that Dryness provides has many insights into worship/culture/PM missiology in EC ministry. The arts are an expression of worship that proclaims the beauty and glory of the Triune God in creation. Our view of creation/matter/stuff impacts our theology/ecology (care of the good earth)/holistic view of life and ministry.
1) Reflecting on Dryness, how does our view of culture, church, and Christ impact our theology and practice of worship?
2) Reflect on the art presented on pages 110 and 112.
3) Why do think modernism is collapsing? Or do you think that modernity will survive the onslaught of PM? (I work with philosophers who do not like PM and avoid teaching it. They can't argue with a system that has no presuppositions to argue (That actually is a presupposition.).
4) How do you envision and/or practice utilizing the arts in your ministry?
5) What arts are emphasized in your church, family, and local community?
6) Explain the value and emphasis of word, sacrament/ordinance, and the arts in your life and ministry?
7) Reflect on pages 151-154, Does art play a role in discipleship? Have you died to self and allowed your life's work to take on a life of its own? Can you kill a dead person?
Interview prompts that you can adapt:
1) What is your favorite recreational activity, hobby, or craft?
2) What is your favorite Super Bowl commercial? Explain why you like it.
2) Use a picture of Rembrandt's Storm on the Sea (I have one in my office.) or print a copy or use your laptop to display this photo: http://www.allposters.com/-sp/Storm-on-the-Sea-of-Galilee-Posters_i798795_.htm Then ask, what is the story behind this picture? Then read Luke 8:22-25. Now, ask them what does picture mean to you? (I can e-mail a file of the picture if you need it.)
Monday, March 5, 2007
Question time ...
At the risk of being forever labeled as the student who told the teacher he forgot to assign the homework, did I miss the posting of Session 6?
Session 5: Tammie
Hunsberger
I'm not sure that the church as a whole challenges, questions or critiques the culture although certainly the individual within the church and teaching both from the pulpit and in the Sunday school classes may on any given day accomplish any or all of the three. There have been messages and lessons that I can recall off the top of my head that challenge, for example, the cultural notion that it's all about me and getting everything I can for me. There is one Sunday school class, in particular, that makes it a point to discuss contemporary issues from a Christian culture. More often, challenges, questions and critiques even within such teaching settings comes as through discussion between the teacher and the students as assorted topics are brought up because that it what the student is facing in school (and, yes, I am referring primarily to youth in this instance).
Generally, it seems we challenge and critique the culture without asking the questions first. We say this thing or that thing is wrong without asking why it is happening or looking for an underlying cause. When that happens, we really have no basis on which to begin a conversation with someone or to engage the culture because we begin from a place of antagonism rather than understanding.
Hendrick
One verse alone - Acts 2:42 - shows a striking similarity to the model Hendrick describes in a missionary church, but the similarities grow as you begin to take the history of the early church as a whole. For example, in Acts 2:42, we are told that the early believers devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching, a devotion that easily falls under Hendrick's point that the missionary church must provide opportunities for the members to reflect on culture from a Biblical view. Granted, we don't know precisely how the apostles taught, but we have to remember that this was a fledging movement in a fairly turbulent historical period. They undoubtedly had to learn how to reflect on their culture from a Biblical worldview just to survive. And, let's not forget that the early church - especially, perhaps, the church at Jerusalem - grew out of the Jewish tradition which already looked at the culture of the Romans, who occupied their land, from a Biblical viewpoint that ran counter to Roman sensibilities. In addition, we read in Acts 2:42 that the New Testament church devoted itself to prayer. Again, this fits with Hendrick's point that the missionary church prays for and seeks its own transformation.
When we start to look at the New Testament church throughout the rest of Acts and in the letters of Paul, we begin to see how it understood its existence in a cross-cultural situation. Paul's address to the gathering on Mars Hill is a brilliant example of Hendrick's first two points - understanding that the church exists in a cross-cultural situation and entering into a dialogue with its context and culture. We also see the church accepting its marginal position as the early believers are scattered in response to the persecution following the martyrdom of Stephen as the believers took the gospel with them wherever they went.
Junkin
Honestly, I don't think I ever participated in a long-term "f-4" community although there are various times in my life that I can pinpoint as short-term "f-4" communities or (in one case that is in no way a means of trying to score extra points, as will be demonstrated in a few lines) an "f-4" community that comes together on a periodic basis.
First, the short-term communities. Almost every mission trip in which I have participated has been an example of an "f-4" community as we were a small group of people banding together to perform certain tasks that grew out of our faith in Christ and a belief that he has called us to work on behalf of "the least of these." Those projects were infused with faith as there were prayers, devotions and worship services involved in the planning of the trip and on the trip itself as well as in the post-trip report to the "senders;" that is, the people of the church.
Now, the community that meets periodically. That would be the MACD cohort. During our times in the intensive classes, we study, we pray, we eat together, we play card games, we drink a lot of coffee, we talk, we sit in silence and basically do life together for that week.
Roxburgh
I find it interesting that on the traditional and renewal models the world seems to be on the outside looking in almost as if to accentuate what is too often reality (at least as perceived by those outside the church) - that is, that you have to figure out what's what, get your act together and fall in line before coming into the church. The difference, perhaps, is that in the renewal model the world seems to be putting the pressure on the church to change its ways while in the traditional model the church seems to be putting pressure on the world to change so that it may enter the fellowship. The missional model, however, seems to point to the world as a target. As Roxburgh describes this model, it also plays to the strengths of the individuals within the church as those individuals find discover their gifts and their role in bringing the gospel to the world. It also seems to allow the pastor a little leeway. In the first two models, the pastor is either expected to be all things to all people, but the third seems to acknowledge that the pastor, too, is a human with talents in some areas and not so much in other areas. It seems this model also engages the people more and gives them a stake in the mission. If there's anything I have learned working with youth, it is that they become more committed to a project if they have taken ownership of it in some manner by taking on roles of responsibility. For example, the contemporary service at our church, while proposed and started by the youth leaders, has now become the domain of the youth. If the worship team doesn't get it together, there's no music. If the tech crew doesn't get it together, we're all in the dark and no one can hear what's happening. The youth have become so committed to it that they now are often pushing us!
Hunsberger
First of all, I almost cheered on the StairMaster at the gym when I read the sentence on page 344, "We are being committee-ed and council-ed to death in our churches." It really does seem that we spend quite a bit of time talking about things rather than actually getting it done. Even if it is not on an official committee, there is usually no shortage of people willing to offer suggestions of what ought to be done and what should be done. Sometimes they follow up on these things and sometimes they just remain as ideas floating on the wind somewhere. The idea of moving from program to embodiment is also one that struck a chord with me as I see every week that the youth (especially as they get older) are less concerned with flashy programs and more concerned with the way we as leaders are modeling the gospel and learning the ways they, too, can be models to their peers. It also seems to me that the shift to laity-oriented relieves the pastor of the burden to do and to be everything. There are, however, people in the church who, for example, expect the pastor - not an elder, not an associate - to visit them while they were in the hospital or shut-in.
Dietterich
The church is not defined by the walls of the building in which it holds its meeting, but by its shared vision of bringing to the world a taste of what is to come when Christ returns and restores the earth. It's a community that opens not just its doors but its hearts to the broken, hurting and imperfect people of the world to bring them into an authentic community that gains strength from each other as it lives and grows in the freedom and knowledge of Christ. The people of the church individually and collectively recognize God as creator and provider of all things, leading to worship as it celebrates the redemptive work of God through Christ. This community also recognizes the uniqueness of each individual as one of God's creations.
I'm not sure that the church as a whole challenges, questions or critiques the culture although certainly the individual within the church and teaching both from the pulpit and in the Sunday school classes may on any given day accomplish any or all of the three. There have been messages and lessons that I can recall off the top of my head that challenge, for example, the cultural notion that it's all about me and getting everything I can for me. There is one Sunday school class, in particular, that makes it a point to discuss contemporary issues from a Christian culture. More often, challenges, questions and critiques even within such teaching settings comes as through discussion between the teacher and the students as assorted topics are brought up because that it what the student is facing in school (and, yes, I am referring primarily to youth in this instance).
Generally, it seems we challenge and critique the culture without asking the questions first. We say this thing or that thing is wrong without asking why it is happening or looking for an underlying cause. When that happens, we really have no basis on which to begin a conversation with someone or to engage the culture because we begin from a place of antagonism rather than understanding.
Hendrick
One verse alone - Acts 2:42 - shows a striking similarity to the model Hendrick describes in a missionary church, but the similarities grow as you begin to take the history of the early church as a whole. For example, in Acts 2:42, we are told that the early believers devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching, a devotion that easily falls under Hendrick's point that the missionary church must provide opportunities for the members to reflect on culture from a Biblical view. Granted, we don't know precisely how the apostles taught, but we have to remember that this was a fledging movement in a fairly turbulent historical period. They undoubtedly had to learn how to reflect on their culture from a Biblical worldview just to survive. And, let's not forget that the early church - especially, perhaps, the church at Jerusalem - grew out of the Jewish tradition which already looked at the culture of the Romans, who occupied their land, from a Biblical viewpoint that ran counter to Roman sensibilities. In addition, we read in Acts 2:42 that the New Testament church devoted itself to prayer. Again, this fits with Hendrick's point that the missionary church prays for and seeks its own transformation.
When we start to look at the New Testament church throughout the rest of Acts and in the letters of Paul, we begin to see how it understood its existence in a cross-cultural situation. Paul's address to the gathering on Mars Hill is a brilliant example of Hendrick's first two points - understanding that the church exists in a cross-cultural situation and entering into a dialogue with its context and culture. We also see the church accepting its marginal position as the early believers are scattered in response to the persecution following the martyrdom of Stephen as the believers took the gospel with them wherever they went.
Junkin
Honestly, I don't think I ever participated in a long-term "f-4" community although there are various times in my life that I can pinpoint as short-term "f-4" communities or (in one case that is in no way a means of trying to score extra points, as will be demonstrated in a few lines) an "f-4" community that comes together on a periodic basis.
First, the short-term communities. Almost every mission trip in which I have participated has been an example of an "f-4" community as we were a small group of people banding together to perform certain tasks that grew out of our faith in Christ and a belief that he has called us to work on behalf of "the least of these." Those projects were infused with faith as there were prayers, devotions and worship services involved in the planning of the trip and on the trip itself as well as in the post-trip report to the "senders;" that is, the people of the church.
Now, the community that meets periodically. That would be the MACD cohort. During our times in the intensive classes, we study, we pray, we eat together, we play card games, we drink a lot of coffee, we talk, we sit in silence and basically do life together for that week.
Roxburgh
I find it interesting that on the traditional and renewal models the world seems to be on the outside looking in almost as if to accentuate what is too often reality (at least as perceived by those outside the church) - that is, that you have to figure out what's what, get your act together and fall in line before coming into the church. The difference, perhaps, is that in the renewal model the world seems to be putting the pressure on the church to change its ways while in the traditional model the church seems to be putting pressure on the world to change so that it may enter the fellowship. The missional model, however, seems to point to the world as a target. As Roxburgh describes this model, it also plays to the strengths of the individuals within the church as those individuals find discover their gifts and their role in bringing the gospel to the world. It also seems to allow the pastor a little leeway. In the first two models, the pastor is either expected to be all things to all people, but the third seems to acknowledge that the pastor, too, is a human with talents in some areas and not so much in other areas. It seems this model also engages the people more and gives them a stake in the mission. If there's anything I have learned working with youth, it is that they become more committed to a project if they have taken ownership of it in some manner by taking on roles of responsibility. For example, the contemporary service at our church, while proposed and started by the youth leaders, has now become the domain of the youth. If the worship team doesn't get it together, there's no music. If the tech crew doesn't get it together, we're all in the dark and no one can hear what's happening. The youth have become so committed to it that they now are often pushing us!
Hunsberger
First of all, I almost cheered on the StairMaster at the gym when I read the sentence on page 344, "We are being committee-ed and council-ed to death in our churches." It really does seem that we spend quite a bit of time talking about things rather than actually getting it done. Even if it is not on an official committee, there is usually no shortage of people willing to offer suggestions of what ought to be done and what should be done. Sometimes they follow up on these things and sometimes they just remain as ideas floating on the wind somewhere. The idea of moving from program to embodiment is also one that struck a chord with me as I see every week that the youth (especially as they get older) are less concerned with flashy programs and more concerned with the way we as leaders are modeling the gospel and learning the ways they, too, can be models to their peers. It also seems to me that the shift to laity-oriented relieves the pastor of the burden to do and to be everything. There are, however, people in the church who, for example, expect the pastor - not an elder, not an associate - to visit them while they were in the hospital or shut-in.
Dietterich
The church is not defined by the walls of the building in which it holds its meeting, but by its shared vision of bringing to the world a taste of what is to come when Christ returns and restores the earth. It's a community that opens not just its doors but its hearts to the broken, hurting and imperfect people of the world to bring them into an authentic community that gains strength from each other as it lives and grows in the freedom and knowledge of Christ. The people of the church individually and collectively recognize God as creator and provider of all things, leading to worship as it celebrates the redemptive work of God through Christ. This community also recognizes the uniqueness of each individual as one of God's creations.
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