Interview / Dialogue with Ed Cyzewski author of "Coffeehouse Theology"

Thanks for taking the time for this interview and dialogue Ed!

As I mentioned before, feel free to post additional comments, or respond to comments. The nature of this medium is great for this sort of fluid exchange.



me: What was your main purpose in writing Coffeehouse Theology?

Ed: I took a swing at this one at the Emergent Village blog, but I'll swing again here. You don't have to read a lot of theology books to know they're not accessible for average people in the church, even the emergent books that claim to be easy reads. So I set out to pull together the various ideas out there for theology, but to also make them as accessible as possible. In addition, I wanted to help Christians move toward greater unity in the midst of theological diversity because we are united in our common love for Christ our Savior.



me: As a means of knowing God, Scripture isn't minimized in your book, it's given primacy. In postmodern times, where authority in general is seen with suspension, why do you posit to view Scripture with such authority, over experience, and other means?

Ed: Ha! I'm glad you asked the question that way. I use the word "primacy" to avoid the word authority. Scot McKnight just gave a great talk at Biblical Seminary on October 10th where he spoke about scriptural authority contrasted with the centrality of relationship, stating that God wants us to obey out of relationship, not out of authority. So scripture is primary, but it's primary because it leads us to a relationship with God. As we discover the love of God and love God as well, we'll obey scripture and we won't need an authoritarian view of scripture because it's leading us to obedience through a relationship with God.

I start theology with God at the center because the Holy Spirit is the one who teaches us from scripture. So we ultimately look to God, though scripture is primary over our traditions and other Christians. Our traditions and fellow Christians provide insights to guide our readings of scripture, meaning that scripture is primary and connects us with God, but we always need to interact with perspectives outside our own. As we interact with other perspectives and the Holy Spirit empowers us to live in the truth of scripture, we are better able to stand up under the suspicion of postmodern times.



me: Your take on lived out theology seems to be that a number of factors play into how we live out our belief and knowledge of God, and that’s it's important to see several things well to love God, understand him better, and live out our calling. How do you think we should rate their importance? (i.e. Scripture, culture, tradition, church, and so on.)

It's hard to really rate these things since it's an ongoing dialogue where we're always learning, interacting, shaping, and then reshaping our theology. I begin the book with culture not because it's most important, but if we don't understand culture and how it influences us and how we need to fulfill our prophetic calling in the world, then we are severely limited in our theology. So I wouldn't say culture is more important, but it can be a problem if not understood. Having said that, I'd say that we being theology with a relationship with God, then follow that with scripture, and then the traditions and global church.

me:
I appreciate your perspective about an "ongoing dialogue" which is involved in continually reshaping our theology. It seems these are dynamic, not stagnant, factors, and their interplay is what causes growth and lived out faith.

One common view of our times is that we can't arrive at truth solidly, (this occurs in Christian circles too). As we live out our theology (with the factors you’ve mentioned) what can we know?

Ed: As far as truth goes, we can know quite a bit. However, there have been shifts in the way we know, and the amount we think we know. Instead of digging into the Bible with an ahistorical approach seeking out absolute principles that are always true (I'm painting with broad strokes for the sake of brevity), we face the challenge of entering the Bible as participants in a theological conversation over 2000 years and across continents. We're not the only ones doing this, and our perspectives face the limitations of our context. Therefore, I'm interested in understanding my context, and the ways it shapes me so I am prepared to be relevant and prophetic, but also so I can seek out the perspectives of Christians throughout history and the world in order to bring balance and help sharpen my ideas. Perhaps my take on the truth will change, maybe it will not.

All that to say, to say we need to be humble about our take on the truth is not giving up on truth. If anything, I'm affirming what the Bible says about seeing only in a glass darkly and God's ways being higher than what we can conceive. God sees the big picture of truth, and so we seek out the Holy Spirit's lead within our Christian communities as we seek out God's life-changing truth. We don't give up because we can't be 100% certain, but rather we live by faith and continue to read, study, converse, and embody God's revelation.


me:
Can you explain briefly what you mean by "global church" how this plays into contextual theology?


Ed: [I mean] Christians throughout the world who offer different perspectives that we should consider for our theology. For example, Christians throughout the world opposed the Iraq War, while many Christians in America supported it. That strikes me as a situation where Christians in America need to ask why Christians throughout the world didn't support the war.

me:
To you, what things determine integrating global church perspectives to our own?

Ed: We look to Christians outside our own context because we'll never get the whole picture of the truth on our own. They will inevitably see things we will not. For example, in the book I talk about a study of Christians in Eastern Europe who made some striking observations about the famine and xenophobia in the parable of the prodigal son, points that Americans missed. I could read that story over and over again, but probably miss out on the nuances picked up by these Christians. Now I can see that Jesus is addressing fair wages, our treatment of foreigners, and feeding the hungry. How I live out my theology changes radically once I interact with these Christians, even if the core of Christian orthodoxy has not.

However, as we interact with Christians outside our own perspective, we should be careful to keep our central creeds in mind and always run our findings by trusted Christians who can help us process these perspectives. It's not a matter of simply dropping the evaluations of another context into our own, but rather comparing our theologies and letting these other theologies sharpen our own beliefs. Perhaps they'll merely affirm some of our beliefs, while in other cases we'll find ourselves needing to broaden some of our understandings or narrow them. This is always a matter of conversations, not a matter of making American theology win over Asian or Latin American theology. We all have limitations and have something to teach one another.

me: What one nugget of wisdom or vision would you hope to pass along from your book, if nothing else?

Ed: I think we can't overestimate the importance of making God the center in our theology. Jesus said the scriptures testified about him, so while scripture is important and even essential, scripture's main role is leading us to Christ. However, many churches make the Bible their foundation or starting point, which means disagreements on the Bible can divide churches. It's been this emphasis on pure doctrine derived from scripture over the person of Jesus that has caused so much division--we have a hard time dealing with doctrinal diversity because we have made the Bible our foundation, not Christ. While doctrine is important, and I would never leave behind the doctrines passed down throughout history in the creeds, it is the triune God we meet in the Christian faith. That means we cannot have any other starting or ending point than Christ Jesus.

me: Thanks for expounding a bit more on your book, and some ideas about knowing God. I hope the dialogue continues.

UPCOMING -Exclusive Interview with Ed Cyzewski on "Coffeehouse Theology"

I'm really enjoyed going through Ed Cyzewski's ideas in Coffeehouse Theology", and I think you would too.



Ed is open about his vantage point as being post-conservative and emerging. He approaches the topic of the lived-out knowing of God, or as he puts it contextual Theology (i.e. Coffeehouse Theology) not with the pre-fab answers Christianity, (read: evangelicalism) has grown accustomed to. He understands the post modernity cultural purview, admits the vast mystery of God, but also appreciates and unpacks the vehicles helpful for greater understanding and growth in Christian spiritually.

A graphic he uses called "a web of theology" illustrates how interconnected the sources of Christian sources and context are. They comprise, God (as a revelatory source and guide), Scripture (the primary source of God's revelation), Tradition (informs and add insights...), and the global church (informs and add insights...), and these resides within the cultrual/context and also within the purpose of the Mission of God. The Mission is the reason we do theology.

I may argue that the primary source of revelation is Jesus, the Incarnation, and scripture is the revelation revealed through the Holy Spirit, and the record of the revelation of God's revelation, and primary only in the sense that we access in this way, and not Christ in flesh. But this minor point is hardly an area of contention.

Ed gives us a lot to think about, and a ton of further reading resources. For those with little understanding of how culture effects belief, his book can be eye-opening. It also helps to better know and use the various spheres that enable us to better understand what is difficult to fully know-God. Surely we can love and know God, but fully comprehending him, that is a life long journey that won't end until the veil is gone. This entire effort is our practical theology that builds the framework for our life and mission when we are lovers of God aware of his love for us.


Instead of just typing up a review of this book, or a fully-orbed summary, I thought if I could actually pick Ed's brain with some questions, it might be more fun and interesting. If you have questions about the topics, the book, or anything discussed, chime in.

Stay tuned for the interview!

Object of affection

Even love unrequited has an entity of affections. A beloved in fantasy and imagination, though supposed, is still an object that is other.

We can never forget that to love, we cannot be alone. God, then must be One and also three persons. Before creation, the One could be recipient as lover and beloved as such. And with creation that love could continue should the creation be aware of love bestowed, and indeed, even better, give it back.

Is love the greatest thing? Yes. St. Paul says... "The greatest of these (faith, hope, and love) is love." It may be the single thing that proves we are not alone.

It is the sole thing of communal relationship-unity and harmony.

In the case of God, TRI-UNITY.

brief thoughts on theological/philosophical matters

Given, of course, that God created us and exists:

If God is bad, then we are here for badness-sake.
(who, but the pathological, think we are here for that?)

If He is good, then we are here for goodness-sake.

If He is ambivalent, then it shouldn't matter why we are here (for what sake). And we shouldn't care either.
(but it does, and we do)

If He is absent (to our experience), then we are the ones who are lost.
So, if he is good but absent (to our experience) then we will become found.

life is like a prayer

lifted

breath

offering

beautiful

painful

sweet

bitter

transient

life

... back to God

Catherine of Siena

She said discernment helps to perceive self not as central, but as a gift we can abandon to love others properly. The learner is the "light" for the eye, needed to illuminate so we love with God's love, and not be blinded by our self love.

It's an idea of ministry not in keeping with our times.

-Edited from "discernment and truth" , Mark McIntosh, herder & herder 2004

Five things MANY Christians would HATE to admit

1. Jesus MIGHT have not looked too much like a guy.

Yikes. Don't freak out. I know this could be hard to take. But let's think about this for a second, okay. He might have looked like his mom, Mary. Joseph wasn't his dad, correct? Everyone was really short back then, but depending on the genetics the Spirit used, (maybe the Spirit mirrored her genes). Jesus could have had all her genes, and then just add the needed Y chromosome. If so, then he was REALLY short, and maybe sort of girly, and maybe he couldn't even grow a good beard.

Granted, his hands would have had calluses from hard labor, and he could have been wiry! We don't know for sure, but it's possible. (Is this a let down for wildman John Eldridge, oh, and macho Mark Driscol? He's still God though, maybe that will soothe any wounded manly pride on this issue.) No worries.

2. Jesus wasn't a Christian. He was Jewish. (Remember that came later. Sorry, it's just history, people.)

3. Jesus wasn't Republican, and didn't run for political office. (He didn't have that kind of social standing or money! Oh, and it wasn't his MISSION. He was here to die for us.)

4. Jesus wasn't an American, a Boy Scout, a Freedom Fighter (or warrior), a Passivist, or a Police Officer (We'd like to think he would have been, or that he likes those things. But, let's stick to the, um, you know, facts. Narrative. Official stuff.)

5. Jesus wasn't white skinned. (He was brownish. Think about the area of the world we are speaking about, the Middle East. It's actually gotten lighter skinned in the last 2,000 years.)

philosophy and political debates

I watched the first obama/mccain debate....

First I should say, I'm under-whelmed this election cycle. There have been ups and down, yes. But my faith in politics and the "system" just doesn't hold the glow form. People are flawed (often drunk or twisted from power too) and it takes cooperation to get things done, not just a President (with bad or good ideas).

So, let's just say the idealistic me from youth is gone. Yes, I vote. I vote every time. But I'm not so concerned anymore, and so vocal about particular people, by way of promoting them, etc. That is how to embarrass one's self, I think. Or worse become distracted by thinking politics actually solves many things. People, in the trenches, are usually the people who do that.

Now that I've said that preliminary stuff, I wanted to point out that I noticed that neither candidate articulates his core values, philosophies all that well. It's really about strategy. It's a shifting thing. It's two men, from shifting places, speaking in vague terms about assuming a concrete job position in troubled times. McCain has said the place he lived the longest in his life growing was prison camp-5 years, and Obama, moved all over the place too from Hawaii, to Kansas, to elite school after elite school, then ended up, after a bit, in Chicago. I've never seen anything like it. It's really weird, and it doesn't inspire my confidence.

It seems in the quest for the "big title" there has been a misplacement of something very important.... MEANING.

We all need it. It isn't enough to have a goal. We have to have the undergirding in and through the framework of our efforts. This might be true somewhere under the mess of the electoral campaign, but it didn't come out when you would wish to see it the most. The first debate is the plug toward the undecided voter-the commercial. And it underlined the lesson for each of us just how vacuous even the most important of pursuit can look without a sound framework.

It looks like unsightly ambition, grasping... or floating, vanity, even silliness. I'd like to see some meaning.

Brief insights from the desert

Reading the desert Abbas and Ammas I've learned something profound, that the desolation of our deserts illicit from within anything that which God needs to purify. Here many battled demons. They ate little. They owned nothing. They lived alone.

These people would seek the empty places searching for wisdom and union with God. They as saints would find it, not easily. Through prioritizing, renunciation of the world and its values, obedience to God and their spiritual guides they became revered. They had purity in heart, simplicity, and a true centrality of a life devoted in prayer.

I don't suggest we transform into ascetics, but giving heed to what the desert can call out of us will change us into something much better. It may refine us quite well into single-minded, unencumbered devotees of the Savior. It seems being stripped down to only us and God draws out our dependency to God in ways we cannot know otherwise; in ways where we cannot so easily hide, among our things and habits and self-aggrandizing obligations.

Perhaps this is why -silent retreats and prayer retreats- are gaining in popularity and priority, and perhaps we'd do well to make way for one, at least a mini one.

My free book - Coffeehouse Theology

Okay, I admit it, I love getting free books.

NavPress sent me one, and it still smells lovely, right off the press. It's called Coffeehouse Theology, by Ed Cyzewski. So far it looks really solid, very applicable, and and I'm really glad to have it nearby.

It's fantastic timing as I'm in the middle of my Christian Theology class right now. We are really unpacking how theology PLAYS OUT. This book speaks to just that. Kevin Vanhoozer in his Doctrine of Drama presents Theo-drama, and it's very inspiring for those of us who believe God is not just the scriptwriters but the star of this created world. The trouble is reading Vanhoozer, which I love, is like swimming through pudding. Not many will last through it, or want.

I'll be commenting more on Cyzewski's book here periodically as I piece through it. If you pick up a copy, chime it! What has stood out to you so far? Let me know.

How a "President Palin" would reform Evangelicalism

I have a thesis in mind, and here is the short version.

The fact is Evangelicals have no idea how much culture they bring to their hermeneutic. They way they understand Scripture and the roles of women. as women have gained respect in american culture, women have gained more responsibility in the church.

Is this because God's word says so? It's because they find it in there. They mine the text for truth.

All Evangelical women should vote for Palin as VP if they want more prominence in the church then, because the visibility and stature of of Sarah Palin, will have a ripple effect for them.

What is the truth? how does God feel about it? What does the Bible REALLY say?

It's not, I believe hammered out in perfect detail by Paul for women in the year 2008 in America. It seems God settled in back in a garden, when two people still had fruit juice on their lips. He sewed them leather garments. He redeemed them both. He did not have to. He covered BOTH their shame. He made it right. consequences happened, and yes, blame started, but God redeemed women. Man just forgot, conveniently. God reminded humankind in his Laws. Man forgot, conveniently. Women forgot too.

How strange for secular culture to remind us of the rightness of things, and that women are not less than men.

Redemption vs. punishment

I had the chance to press charges today. I didn't.

I'm hoping to redeem a neighborhood situation. And not just a situation either. It's about investing, I hope, in healing, which sometimes looks like letting people get off the hook. Redemption ---working it out-- can be an ugly process, too, until it's through.I'm praying more, too.

Many people don't take the chance when they have redemption given to them. They just opt for the corruption.

Is undertaking all this community organizing? No, not really. But building bridges is the redemptive work for every Believer, and yes, this can be community organizing. Those words are buzz words, that will play out in terrible ways too soon, and used to sledgehammer, when a tweezer would do better.

It's all a work in progress. We can't give up. We can't hide in our Christian bubbles.

Amusements

Recent politics shows me how wrapped up so many get in amusements. Since this is a BIG ONE, and it carries a lot with it-- power, control and all the rest.. it makes for great spectators sport. Everyone has such strong opinions. Everyone thinks they are so very right. Everyone has to be heard and wants their team to WIN!

It's just an amusement. When the roar tones down, many will go back to their lonely, uninteresting, and self-centered lives. They will think about their futures, their wants, their love life, or (even) their appearance.

They will forget the Drama of Redemption, and that God is there, so close. This is really because they never saw life that way in the first place. They have only been seeing that the world was about them. A dream world where they win, or at least they want to win. They can't seem to wake up... into a new story.

For those people, the election won't last long enough. They will need another amusement, and soon.

I'm getting very tired of politics. It is very shallow to me, it's spin. I wish it was about important issues, for real. But too many chefs are in the kitchen, and important work is done in backyards, coffee shops, hospitals, and across tables, in ordinary life. Not on the stages, or within the amusement, and amid solipsistic dreams.

Suffering Broken Theology? what about Verification?

What about life.

What has meaning.... many ask. Many sort. Christians too.
More so all the time.

Does God seem distant? sleep at the wheel? unconcerned in your life?
Do you suffer from functional theologies that don't match your theoretical theologies Biblical or otherwise?

What do you use as a reference for your beliefs...which are in fact your Doctrines?.. yikes what a word.
Everyone is afraid of the word DOGMA... but every one ends up functioning on some kind of one, like it or not.

If we use ourselves --really our experience-- as a gauge for verification of our theology, our beliefs, we end up stranded. Eventually. Well, how could we not, really.

It's amazing how many Christians start with themselves to figure out life, and then feel so desperate, and still have no idea why. It's not entirely their fault. Christianity has been co-opting with modernity for its theology for a while, making it human centered and increasingly futile to sort out among the pervading view on ontology and millions of competing messages bombarding us. So many Christians feeling miserable, or something like it. That is a vapid life, and no wonder.

Some time tested spots for verification are-
Scripture
Devotional Classics
Church History (tradition)
Wise/trusted counsel of honorable friends or ministers
Propositional theology combined with Narrative theology

more to come on this . . .

Jr Church and seeing Christianity Lite

I got a chance to see why Christians don't influence culture much anymore. I mean Christians are seen as harping on things, (naughty movies and books etc) but as far as being redemptive ambassadors for God's loving Kingdom on earth in the U.S., those are days of long ago...well not sure that happened in the U.S. like it did in the 1st century, or ever will. It is a myth that this is a Christian country. This is a Consumer country. Pop culture wins the day.

Our segmented lifestyle chops off God and spirituality into a bitty section and keeps it there.

Also- It seems like this happens by fourth grade. I found that out as I taught Jr Church today. I would suspect to find this among secular (unchurch kids). And why not? They've been raised on a diet of tv. They haven't been imbued with the Scriptures and so many hours of Vacation Bible school, church camp, Bible teaching, and biblical values and at home. How wrong I was!

I taught the kids a short and fun (I hoped) lesson about "God's math" being that it was a back to school theme. All the kids begin school tomorrow. I told them that we would make backpack tags with their names on them and the math formula 1 + 1 = 3, because when we are with someone else who loves God, Jesus is right there with us. If they felt sad about something at home, or nervous about a test, they could ask a friend to pray with them or for them. They understood the concept, but they really balked with the idea of the tag. I got a lot of lip! They told me this plan wouldn't work for all kinds of reasons.

They couldn't have anything with Jesus on it at school, said one girl, (not that the tag had that on it anyway). Writing that on a tag wouldn't be the correct math answer said a fourth grader, and it would make her look stupid. She wasn't interested in telling others that Jesus was with her anyway. School was school after all. They weren't allow to have things hanging from their bags anymore, said someone else. Those were the rules several piped in. I had a lot of resistance to the idea of taking a spiritual idea outside church. These responses were all from children whose families had brought them to learn about God since they were babies. You would think being a Christian, outside church, would be a high priority, but in reality spirituality just fit into a little box saved for Sunday, as it may for their parents, and for so many people in contemporary life. It's not so surprising how it trickles down.

What is really informing them in a week? How much time and money is spent on secular video games and entertainment compared to their spiritual formation to integrate their christian worldview?

How much television is educating them, internet diversions, ipod, etc. POP CULTURE wins and so Christians make little difference in their surroundings.

I guess I knew it, but it was surprising to see it so well-formed so early on!

Emerging Christianity and back to school

Are we ever done learning and growing?
It can not be!

Our dogma--beliefs-- are never really (whether we are aware of it or not) fully explored, or vetted.

If we feel so certain we have come to a good spot, then either our eyes are closed and our ears are plugged, or we have a bumpy road ahead, perhaps even a crisis of faith to traverse around the bend.

God pulls our hand into deeper water where we cannot touch bottom and must try to swim,(doggie paddle) and then when we think we are so good at swimming, he will show us how to give up and float. It was, in fact never about swimming. Our energies fail-they are suppose to-and he alone can rescue us. Our energies will fail us and he will be right there being God, should we let him, and become truly mature, in any real way.

We can always go back to school. Many Christians are dropouts, but I really believe in life-long learning!

Winning!

I love the Olympics!

I love men's diving, gymnastics, swimming volleyball, water polo. (well, fit men. I like sports too.) All these great sports feature excellence, beauty, strength, and show people (both genders) who sacrificed SO much to do their very best in the world arena. I find it very enjoyable.

There is a lot to be proud of when watching the Olympics. I don't mean just for the home country one roots for, but for humanity. It's a joy to see people try and do well.

But what about not winning? We prize winning, and we REALLY REALLY don't show up to lose. If we were going to just show up to give up, what would be the point? Right? Very silly.

What if instead of coming to be King and kicking butt, some One just came to be misunderstood, falsely arrested, and executed? Anti-climatic? What if we had new eyes to see losing? Weakness? Mental Retardation? Illness? Dying? It can turn our world up side down.

Stuff Christians Like- see Jon

The previous post was meant to be funny. Not sure if it came off that way. Jon's got the snarky thing down pat, and it's funny enough that you keep coming back for more.

Check out stuffchristianslike.net

Things Pastors Like

Top Five for 2008
The winners are. . .

1) Business Cards with good info on them. Lots of info. Even if it has to be in 5 point type to fit on the card.
AND -
Title designations by their names, so there is no confusion. Which there would not be because the church name is there. The custodian doesn't get a card, who else would have one? But these thoughts come to their minds---that confusion could set in---for outsiders. Maybe "the lost". It should say at the least "Pastor" by their name. "Rev." or Reverend if possible. But, if that designation has not been earned at school. "Pastor" can be used, because it's "general". M. Div. is a craved add on by some. PhD if qualified, and so forth.

2) Glitch-free power point visual aids. After all the trouble they went to finding their stuff online, sermon illustrations, graphics, photos, quotes, sermon topics, heck, sometimes even sermons themselves, they can get really stressed when the power point doesn't cue right on, or worse, genuine software bugs and projector problems crop up!

3) Testimonies. It shows God is at work. Sometime people shoot a compliment their way. It's especially helpful if they massage the folks ahead of time to speak on how great it is to tithe!

4) Vacation to an exotic place that looks like it's a missions trip. Let's face it, these folks are judged by how busy they are, not by their quality of time spent with people--their relationships-with God or people, to be honest. That stuff that takes time. They truly need Sabbaticals and real rest. Who can blame them for burning out and wanting to escape the flock. They may plan a getaway how ever they can, even if that means dressing it up a bit, right?

5) Enough church attendance to go to a second morning service, but not enough to go a third service, (unless the congregation is willing to pay for another pastor to help out and share the load.) What starts out as a cool ego rush as the numbers jump, quickly turns into a bummer of a burden. . . .. . . [daydream sequence] Wow we could see real growth here... will the funds match the turn out? Will it work to get them on board for that leap of faith for more good help? Doing the same sermon three times every Sunday. That might STINK! Maybe I should tone things down. Talk about sin more, that sort of thing. Um. It's not all about numbers, I'll just tell them that. What we need is quality not quantity. . . .

: )

The tale of two Prison Guards

I've had the strange, but interesting, life experience of meeting two professional federal prison guards, and hearing their worldviews, up close and personal. Both men worked the tough job of watching some of the most wretched men behind bars, but their takes couldn't be more opposite.

One saw the men with contempt. Him versus them. His job, at the local Federal prison in Frackville, was to treat them like the animals, for he saw them as--subhuman. If they served their time, and stayed out of his way, they could count on decent treatment, but they probably wouldn't because they were, of course, scum--low life losers. To him, that's why they got there in the first place. Thinking he was upstanding, he saw himself as an agent of God's wrath. (This mentality is secular obviously. The God of his mind was a false god, a manmade idol, of course, but that's for another post.) He mentioned some stories of the inmates who wouldn't appreciate the privileges given to them, the ones' who would act like perverts and children. They would do the obscene. They would trash their cells. As punishment, he and the other guards would fill the cells with water and plug their cell doors with towels, to teach them a lesson. They would continue filling the cell until the prisoners would have to climb up to the top bunks together to escape the water. They would leave the cells full for a while, because to him it was important to give them what they deserved. They should know who was in charge.

Recently, I met another former Federal prison guard from Camp Hill. His work and life was redemptive enough that later when he ran across a former inmate, the man said, "Do you remember me? I was your inmate." He had been changed by this guard and the love of God flowing through him. Soon they began a ministry together for the purpose of changing lives and discipling others, in the way of Jesus. The redemption could continue, and pour into others. Healing, growth and change could flourish. Ego wasn't part of the equation. God could be glorified instead.

What are you doing with your life? Are you trying to prove a point, and letting ego drive your decisions? Do you think you are better than "low life types"? Or are you making difference by leading a redemptive life like Jesus did? People are not temporary, but almost everything else is. What a joy to impact the the world for eternity. I implore you to please make your life a sweet fragrance that draws others into the way of Jesus.

A Joy to be With

Tony Snow died at age 53 a few days ago. One of the things I read that was both inspiring and memorable was that his colleagues said he was a joy to work with, even when his was ill.

It made me wonder if Christians you know are like this? Do people in general think of Christians this way? According to Dan Kimball, in general, no. There are a bunch of adjectives--most of them are really negative--and "joy" doesn't make the list.

If I went to interview the colleagues of first fifty people to read this, would they say you were a "joy to work with". Would someone say of me? (I hope so. Yikes.)

Joy can be the endangered specie character quality in our day and in our culture, and with the luxuries we've come to have as ordinary, it is a bit odd. I can begin to figure out, and elaborate on all the reasons why this is so, but if we can access more joy and express more joy, and be more of a joy to be with, like Tony Snow was in his short life, then how nice!

At his word?

If what we originally know about Jesus comes from the Bible, and he is recorded as saying, "take up your cross and follow me," and also, "narrow is the way," it's a wonder why we ever think his way will be whatsoever easy or that heaven will heavily populated.

It's a wonder he had followers at all. However he did, so they thought his words were accurate, and his ways were worth it. They, as first century christians were eaten by lions, and they could have changed their minds.

How is it that we put this way on par with other spirituality? Are all faiths the same? They share some common themes, but some claims diverge quite sharply as one dips the toes in to any one of them for very long.

Holding on to "unkowning" is still believing as a certainty. However that "certain" uncertainty seems to be the kind that may cause a great sinking feeling after a while. It seems we all we to be sure of something, even if that means we are sure that we are not sure. But, too much of that is just vertigo. I've tried it. It felt like I had to throw up. Once in a while I did.

So, what things can we be sure of?
What things are you sure of?

Things don't resolve too easily

Searching people (may) notice:

It seems truth can be found within, yet we need an outside reference point to determine it . . .

Truth seems universal and unique. . .

If everyone is equally valid, there is no point in searching (for something "more valid"). . .
But searching goes on.

If personal truth alone is enough, another person cannot help you through their eyes, in a sense, because their perspective is arbitrary. . .

The higher the source the better the reference point, but each person is clouded, and yet the only entry point for individual experience. . .

The questions don't bother me. It's the expectations of speedy answers that do.
: )

Free devotional Classics

So many devotional classics--so little time.

I did not know about this.

You, yes you can read writings from many leaders and figures throughout church history. ccel.org
It's free. If you haven't read from primary sources for yourself, there's no excuse now!
St Gregory I, Kierkegaard, Luther, just about anybody. Browse by author, title, or subject. Quite interesting!

Helping in Secret

If you've never helped someone in secret before... it's a great idea.

Start it like a habit, I say.

It's biblical. That's a plus. It's spiritually formative. Here are some reasons why.

It keeps you humble.
It blesses others.
It answers prayers.
It rewards the giver as much as the receiver, (or more.)
It makes one's life a ministry.
It makes us the hands and feet of Jesus, God's kingdom.
It helps a hurting world.
It lives on, (and doesn't end with recognition.)
It makes you want to do it again.
It takes on its own lives as it inspires the same.
It harbors and shoots off goodness.
It's old fashioned, in a good way,
(ever notice how old time Christians in your church, or elsewhere, were delighted or were expert in this behavior?)
It gives, or points, the glory to God for good things.
It makes the Kingdom come, here on earth as it is in heaven.
It makes life about "not us," but rather about the good life, (goodness), giving, and God.

Will you do it?

If you do, leave a comment just to say so, (but, of course, don't say "what".) : )

My Rescuer

So, a man was on a ship and the captain grabbed him as they were passing another ship and he said, "I have to show you a wonderful man. There, he is, the most honorable, wonderful man I know." And the man said, "Why do you say that?" And the captain said, "One night my ship was sinking and this man and his ship were nearby, and this captain jumped in with no regard for his own life and saved me. Now every time I see this man, I make sure I find whoever and I point out my rescuer, the one I owe my life to."

I heard a version of this story on Sunday, and how I should point out my Rescuer Jesus, and it made me think. I suppose I don't much think about Jesus in the term "Rescuer". That is an urgent term. Maybe urgent isn't an adjective I distinguish with my walk with Jesus. I suppose I would encounter people differently if I bore this story in mind.

It is not too old fashioned to remember we are rescued from ourselves, our sin, the maladies of our culture, our future alone without the glory and goodness of God, without the precious Rescuer of our soul - Jesus Christ. Does the pride of thinking "Rescuer" is over the top back us down from this simple and humble following path of disciple in this way?

Each day, rescue us, Lord Jesus!

Truth, Justice, Independence, and the America way (?)

How important to remember that american justice, and democracy and capitalism was not, and is not, and could never be something handed to us from God-- a gift from above. What we have is a secular system. It is mainly based on a "violent ontology" according to John Millbank. "Justice" so-called, relies on power and overpowering someone else. What is one person's justice is another's imperialism, today.

Most often we say want want justice, and "retribution" is what is truly wanted. This is secular. Social justice involves a peaceable centrality of hope and healing. All justice is social justice.

God's justice is one of healing, restoration, and reconciliation with him and within his Bride, the church. Apart from community, justice is not found. We only have alienation, isolation, further greed, or sickness of soul.

The church's call then is to be the beacon for and bastion for justice in all realms. True justice. That of God, not man. The America way is the secular way. We've held up democracy and capitalism as our virtues, but these virtues apply justice with an violent ontology as they impose a self, rather than other centered focus. God's message is love centered. God applies his mercy. His worship and reverence comes first in a worldview that keeps him central. As American consumers, most tire of a God in this form, and shop around for something more to their liking. The American way is to change the channel, and make God, or church, and church community disposal, like last year's fashions. Secularized capitalism mentality is but no means just, and does not lead to justification, or spiritual formation.

After all Jesus saved us TO something-- the church as a body. As individuals we can devote ourselves, of course, but it is the church universal that is saved, not the individual merely. Americans have too far been made to think independently to the point of silliness. Our idea that we each choose, or ever should choose, all sorts of spiritual things as individuals is perilous, if not in grievous error. It is in the midst of community that we are safer kept from our tendency to self-deception, and invigorated with the Spirit among us, and well as within us.

America- the un-Christian nation and the way of Jesus

If we look at the words of Jesus, and we don't gloss over them, Jesus he spoke of his way--the way to God--as a "narrow path." Few would find it. Also, it he said it was a path that a rich man couldn't get to without a miracle from God. With a rich man's wealth, he would be so satisfied and distracted with himself, and with his possessions he would not be able to, would want to, or would find the Kingdom of heaven.

Sound like an American predicament? A bit.

"We" think we are a Christian nation. Funny, to think. But we are not. If anything, we are post-Christian. But were we ever "Christian"? Debatable.

Americans who like to think they are Christians, often shop for Church and for "jesus" or a spiritual pick-me-up, like any other consumer good. Sadly, the material and the holistic human creature don't fair well with a consumer capitalistic approach.

The way of Jesus (Christianity) is not fire insurance, it is a way of life. It is also view of the world through the Reality of the one who designed life-- with the Designer in mind, at the center of life. HERE and NOW. Not later.

Many Americans think they are in fact Christians, (in a sense following Christ). This is because they would say they are not Muslims, or Buddhists, or something else. But do they love Jesus? Are they devoted? Is he their prevailing Reality apart from which they cannot be? Um nope. But, if not, they are not true disciples.

Jesus' way, according to his teachings, is about true love for him and the Father. It's about first love, sustained love. It's not about getting a fix. It's not about making the right connection, to scratch the right itch. The Jesus way can be very humbling and painful. Uphill, with a cross daily, no less. It's also the way of dignity, and love filling us from the inside out. People forget that without God as center, we can only borrow dignity from another spot, it cannot be inherent. The way of Jesus is one of immense purpose, freedom with responsibility, justice within a reconciled, restored, living, and growing community. And too, hope of new life beyond the tumult and ills of this present world.

Jesus is the light and glory of the Greater Story, the one beyond the images and words we can muster, to the truest Reality we only begin to fathom, and more joy than we can tolerate.

Here is the invitation to the very narrow path. It is not where you think, up-for grabs or "purchase" at church. It is not the easy way. It comes when we forget ourselves to be found in God, and Jesus. It is not part of our American heritage, authentically, but it we can be authentically recreated and known.

Is God KNOWABLE?

Can we know God?

Yes and no. For one thing we can't even know people that well. We can live with a spouse for years and find out new things about them. People are deep wells of information, experiences, natures, and characters... but through time and devotion, we can get to know them....

BUT- what about God. God is SO different, right? He is UNFATHOMABLE. He created everything, and is everywhere, all-knowing, all-powerful, says Julie Clawson (at the emergent women website, thanks Julie) and says the Bible, right? How can we REALLY REALLY possibly KNOW him, right? He is beyond language. Correct? Well, the short answer is "yes, kind of."

God made it possible for us to have an amazing book in our reach called the Bible which talks all about him. It can't capture him fully with words, but certain language can loosely give a good contour. We can't sketch a sunset with pencil, but we can get some shapes down. We can't use words to describe what tasting coffee is truly like, but with words, we can outline a bit what the aroma is like and how good a warm cup tastes and feels when it is drank. One can imagine well what it is REALLY like based on a word description. So too with God. The reality of him can be known, but not fully grasped. He is knowable, but not fully comprehendible. It is limited knowledge, but entirely useful.

Let us not dismiss some of our best ways to encounter God by calling them shoddy when we use and trust language for so much else. It is on the basis of language, words, and propositions, that we first encounter all our initial ideas before they are incorporated into our lives. They are a starting point, not the end all be all to knowing God.

Do you know God? How have you encountered him? Feel free to leave your comments.

God, and various perceptions

Perception does not equal reality, only individual reality. What is verifiable reality? This is the question we search for in discerning truth. We can determine that God is the source of truth. Not just truth, but goodness, love, perfection, and joy. God is, in reality, Reality and ultimate Truth. Centering on him gives life meaning. Abandoning him voids meaning. We don't just add him to our life like adding flour to a cookie recipe. We seek him out to make him our everything, the very essence of our reality... not just a part of our perceptions.

Sometimes, it may be tempting to think of God as an "idea". He is not that. God is a "personable" Being. One we can KNOW him. We cannot comprehend him fully, because he is God, but one can become acquainted with him, and his is the One who draws us to himself relationally and theologically. Allowing His Spirit, in our hearts, free reign to speak through the power of Scripture, we may have a sumptuous life with him. When we read the Psalms, for instance, we see the wonders the Creator God. We don't have to trip on the details to realize who the Words are about, and what the essence of them are. The Word of God, the weight behind the scripture has authority to tell us what is meant. God is Almighty! The God of the passage, and the God behind the passage comes out, and we encounter him.

We are known, and become aware of his knowing us. And surely we know him better too through it. Is this perception reality?
God is GOD. What more can one say?

Unsettling findings about church (likely yours and mine)

- Shallow "Folk Theology" held by followers

- Very limited growth spiritually speaking

- Limited discipling/mentoring taking place for people to become like Jesus

- People seeing church as a place to "be fed" and not pursuing God with spiritual hunger on their own (and not knowing how to do that)

- Spiritual life and daily life (or work life) seen as separate live or domains

- Directionless growth or a meaninglessness to spiritual nature of things (spiritual things are experienced and one bounces from experience to experience)


I think we can improve here.
MORE TO COME . . .

evil, suffering, and pain

It seems the most common tendency in the human experience is for people to equate pain and suffering with something negative or even something evil.

What if it were one of the only ways to a kind of lucidity? What if pain where a kind of grace?

What if the question of suffering didn't have an answer except that it lead to another question about reality itself, and choice, and what the human heart decides to do with what happens in this world?

Not being able to account for great suffering has turned many away from God, but also from sense, eventually. And that is not to say suffering is pleasurable in itself, or we should dole it out, or hunt it down... but nevertheless, it will come to us. It will find us anyhow.

I doubt whether what we cannot reason about suffering ever makes God unreasonable, but it certain makes us finite-unable to grasp. And I think it's the part out of our scope that we hold the grudge about. It's no sin to ask "why?", only to say "God, you are not good" which is at the core of the blame of suffering, and pain.

There are things I'm upset about, and I wish God had intervened in. There is suffering around far too much, and I'm not in on the why of it. I use to be far more upset about it. It seemed mad. I still have my bouts of frustration, but I think also I have to put it all down again too, and in some way say, "I just don't understand. I'm going to have to concede this point, but in trust not doubt you, because you have revealed yourself. And You have laid yourself out too.

Hospital

Dallas Willard calls on Christians to see their church as a hospital, a spiritual hospital. It should be a place to care for other people. Some are hurting. Some have been wounded by the world, and by others. Some need medicine and all need good refreshment and rest.

Hospitality... the share root word of hospital also. . . that's where we can gain our inspiration from the culture of church and church fellowship and community.

If we've lost our sight as people of God in community... we have to gain it here first I think. It is time to get well.

Really Real reality

In a world where all things are considered equally truth nothing can be false.

In that world everything is negated.

Negation voids value.

Without value we lose meaning.

Not just meaning of truth,but of reality. Reality as we have known it.


Now it is time to find out what is really real.

Reality as you like it or as it is?

Neitzsche (1844-1900) defined truth as a "mobile army of metaphors" and it seems this the way we have "deconstructed it" or perceived it. However if this is truth, or actual reality, it is a moving not a fixed point. If that is true than you or anyone can pick a point for truth arbitrarily. If truth is arbitrary as Neitzsche believed, a train plunging into a dark tunnel never to emerge, then meaning itself is arbitrary and meaningless. Life is pointless and absurd. It has no set value. Philosophers should stop their work and we should all kill ourselves, right? This mindset's verdict claims truth and reality is meaningless. But doesn't it seem like there must be more to it than that?

Beauty and goodness point to something more. Our dreams, hopes, and stories beg for more. Our songs, arts, histories and epics have heroes that triumph over villains. We must ask why? It cannot just be vain hope. That's too simple an answer. Reality seems to have an ideal, and an ideal indicates a fixed point, not mobile army of metaphors. The mobile army explanation is helpful for cynics and a way to band-aid one's despair, but it takes us literally nowhere. It does not take us to reason because it doesn't really make sense. It does not take us to reality.

Deconstruction can be very helpful, but we've hardly attempted to deconstruct the history and culture that has deconstructed the nature of our current perceptions of reality and truth. Most of the time we take these paradigms and beliefs for granted like fish in a bowl who do not know they are wet. After we notice how we have been reduced and were we have been carried by our mobile army we may discover Socrates is closer to the truth than we are.

lectio divina

I will be studying Lectio Divina for my 8 week personal and research project. If anyone is interested in learning more about this spiritual disciple of the early church, we can journey together. You can write and let me know.

This has been wonderful discovery of focusing on a scared text of a few lines and reading it while allowing God to speak into it and through it. There are 4 movements to it. And the prayer life that happens from this communion with God I've found very intimate and restful.

I'll keep you posted and add details soon.

what if shopping has replaced community?

I wondered something as I went to the mall with my family for the first time in a few years. We all went together this Saturday and walked around-- and we ended up without making a single purchase fortunately.

Since then, I've wondered if we believe, somewhere inside, that something outside, something we can purchase is going to fill up that empty spot. Something shinny and new will make us shinny and new. As if the activity of shopping makes us more not less "human".

As social creatures we are hoping for connection. Not just hoping--we must have it. We were made for it. The sales adverts reach out to us, they offer something alluring. They offer prestige, better associations, sex appeal, and other things. They make promises.

On Saturday, each store had ceiling to floor banners, window graphic, manikins, decor, monitors, or music to seduce, or combination thereof. Business is business after all. It's a pseudo-social activity if you think about it. You can be alone and feel like you've been with others. Why should we bother sitting down and connecting with people when we can just shop? We can bargain hunt and we can pretend we aren't trying to numb something.

Or we can be face-to-face for a while and start being real.

Community starts with admitting what idols really are, and where they turn up. Culture is bent to push the NEED to consume (acquire goods), but the this is a false assumption. The true need is to connect in loving and honest ways, and been known and truly loved.

community

The strengths of community are also its weaknesses. Since the journey is our lives and the destination is the evermore how do we harmonize consistently with what is essential for the journey?

As much as I want to and as much as my heart is there I sense the drifting of the church body to become like me academic, closed off, theoretical, and become weary of or discouraged about the shortcomings of their brothers and sisters (other human beings) ... which is so terribly ironic, and really sort of sad.

I don't believe their is a formula here, a quick fix, a button in the mind to simply tweak. It seems a reorientation about community that lasts beyond a few rounds of Bible studies, and a sermon series, has to transform our hearts so we see each other differently.

Is this possible?
If so, How has it happened before?

moving beyond experience

After experience, what's left?

If times get dry, if he seems not to answer, we are left with the feeling that feelings are just feelings. So we have to know that knowings are what has been part of the balance. And the balance will ground us. The experience will enrich us and the moorings will sustain it.

rob bell's video

I saw a quick video of Rob Bell's new book "everything is spiritual" and it was great. he explained how the physical and the spiritual cannot be separated. What is "non spiritual" is actually then misnomer. Hebrew language has no word for spiritual. People by nature are fused with spirituality. In modernity we tend to fracture ourselves into different "lives" sections, arenas, natures... very unnaturally it seems.


I don't know much about Rob Bell. I know he's polarizing. He shakes things up. Some scream he's a heretic. Some think he's just what we need. Some think he's too much of one certain thing. I'd like to meet he, chat for a while, and see for myself, his brief video was though 100% true. We are Gods. We are spiritual in physical shells.

FACEBOOK- spencer burke and out of the ooze

To those of you who clued into Facebook, you are invited to join the group there called "Out of the Ooze Volume 1" The contributing authors are there and will entertain questions. Spencer will likely be traveling the country fostering discussion about many emerging voices in Christianity, and the work his website TheOoze has been engaged in.

Christmas SURPRISE

In the paper I'm doing now, that I hope to pitch to publishers, I was fascinated to learn the Jewish people were not expecting a virgin birth. This is one of the reasons to believe the Gospel are true in fact. Matthew and Luke didn't need to fit a mold when writing their conception narratives. This would be a shocker to the readers of their texts, and likely a detail that came from Mary as a detail of the unusual way her first born came into the world. Though Isaiah wrote "the "virgin" will conceive" he was predicting the birth of Hezekiah the heir of King Ahaz. They did not know this was a double prediction and thought the Messiah would be born to normal parents in a normal way.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

pulse in and beyond the pews

the new website that goes with the book has a blogspot that promises to be an engaging spot for those in and outside the Christian community.

outoftheooze.theooze.com/

Mark as Sermon- time to listen

The Gospel of Mark can read read as a sermon... performed if you will, in about 45 min. This gives credence to the notion that it came by way of writing down Peter's oration of his personal testimony of Jesus by John Mark. The language and tone of the text has immediacy. It is action oriented. It has dramatic flare unlike the other gospels which makes sense if you are hearing versus reading the words. This gospel is probably one of the best records of what first century preaching sounded like, and perhaps the next time you read mark, you hear it differently.

Out Of the OOZE!

Just got my free copies of o"Out of the Ooze"... it's fun. I had no idea some ramblings and on the fly emails would get published. Now that they are, it's a bit WEIRD!!!

technology

In the times of King David, the Philistines had the advantage. The reason? Technology. Iron, and mastery of its use in warfare made one’s culture gain superiority. Was David was on the run from Saul and gained favor with the Philistines, he was given a wife and a city. It’s possible he brought the technology of iron with him. Once these secrets and skills were in the hands of Israel, the Philistines domination rapidly declined.

When we’ve found Love to be the answer, we have to master the technologies of our cultures to affect them for the powers of good.

on being human . .

South Africa's Archbishop Desmond Tutu : "Ubuntu is the essence of being human [...] we say a person is a person through other persons. You can't be a human in isolation. You are human only in relationships. [...] So we say that 'I need you to be all of who you are in order for me to be all that I am.' Because no human being is totally self-sufficient. In fact, a self-sufficient human being is subhuman." [...] If you want to be human, we are not going to be able to be human in isolation. It will be that we are human together."

Anger: Car horn or warning light

Anger is normal and not unspiritual. It is an expression of hurt, frustration, or fear. An angry person suffers from one, or more of those three things, which is a rather sad thing. Angry people are hurting people. Do you struggle with anger? If so, you have pain you need to deal with. I have pain I need to deal with, so I know how you feel. Part of writing this is part of my healing process.

Anger, though a reasonable feeling, makes us unreasonable as we hang on to it. We get unreasonable very quickly. Anger ferments and becomes a poison and gets ugly and hateful. (We find out we’re indeed sinners.) Acknowledging the reasonable feelings behind anger (hurt, fear, or frustration), and giving anger up sets us free–from the poison anger becomes to us, and the consequences of hurting others by vomiting this poison out in some way.

Maybe we have felt our feelings are inappropriate or unchristian. Feelings themselves are not right or wrong, just like knives in a kitchen are not in themselves wrong or unsafe. It is simply how knives are used that is appropriate or inappropriate, safe or unsafe. Using feelings incorrectly is very unsafe. Using knives incorrectly is unsafe. Chopping vegetables for soup carefully on a cutting board–good. Chucking a butcher knife at your husband–bad. Angry words and deeds are the same way.

Anger, like dairy products, spoil and become useless–so please, don’t let it stink up and ruin your life. When you feel anger rear it’s head, locate its source: Are you hurt, frustrated, or fearful? And why? Be honest with yourself, and grow from your findings. Then, let your anger ease. Give it to God. Lay it at his feet. It’s too much for you to bear and you weren’t meant to carry that burden. Life is painful enough. We really don’t need to make it harder on ourselves. Abandoning our anger quickly will spare us pain and give us more freedom to forgive, love, and be loved.

convincing vs. ?

We think convincing someone of God as we see him to be is more important than loving them as we see that he loves.

Behavior, being so very good

"Witnessing" isn't just showing others our religion is elaborate behavior modification system. I've seen so many try to SHOW "the world" they are DIFFERENT. They try to protray the --do's and don'ts list. -- the "I'm a good girl, or good boy role" This they think proves something. Something big must be going on, surely "the world", or sinners will wnat some.

Love trumps this. True love for them (the world), and true love of God too. The kind of love that is unaware of itself, because it is enraptured with such a great and gracious God. It speaks volumes. It's just rare to see it in the religious, and in "good girls" and "good boys".

Our behavior will follow, but it's not the place to start. Love is the thing. Compassion.

Emerging beyond 40 days - my guest writer gig

Hi there,

I was asked to be a contributing writer to a porpoise diving life for the month of September. My article is called Yahweh and Grace.

Here is the link:

http://theporpoisedivinglife.com/porpoise-diving-life.asp?pageID=40

visiting a sour church

We visited a church. It makes me glad we attend the church that we do. At this one, God seemed sneakier. He was going to be checking up on people A LOT. He was seeing if we were being good girls and boys. Seeing if they were being naughty or nice, checking a list, twice. WAIT A MINUTE!!!!

Maybe that was a false god! I think we were learning about Santa, and it was being presented as the coming Christ. That's the trouble with dogmatic prophetic teachings. You have to do gymnastics to make them all work out, and God comes off looking like a total jerk in the process.

I just kept thinking, if this was my first time at church, I would NEVER return. How sad that God is depicted as such a bad guy, or a sour fragrance.

It is the message of grace that is transforming. The message of "checking up on you" is already covered by speed trapping police hiding in the bushes. That sort of thing is nothing NEW. It doesn't bring people to repentance-- it brings them to resentment. On the contrary, it is the message of amazing love, abounding grace, and reconciliation that melts the hardened heart. It changes the command center of a person to wish to unite with acceptance and love, and feel connected and free for the first time ever.

I think as followers of Jesus, we have to pour out THIS fragrance to an unbelieving world.

logic and argumentation

I have often wondered whether our propensity for logic is rather terribly wasted on well-reasoned arguments, that get us nowhere, but closer to smugness, rather than logic used as a springboard to become lost in the wonder of the genius of the Creator. Were we really made to debate? Perhaps somewhat. But I don’t know anyone who was converted to something new by debate. On the contrary, I have met plenty who were further ensconced into their already cementing preconceived notions. To be won over, one must be moved by something beyond reason. Don't believe me by my argument, trust your past experience to know. And too, sometimes love and passion do the job right well enough more than logic alone ever could alone!

turning love inside out!

I've been asked to be on the rotation for blogging at Turn Love Inside Out.

turnloveinsideout.com. Hope you can check it out!!!

hawking the Kingdom

I was perusing a Christian site today, and I noticed the ads by Google. I realize anybody's ads can be plopped there, but this one said, "How strong in your faith? Take our test." I was curious. How would they base this test. On belief without sight? On overcoming struggle with continued loyalty for Jesus? On persevering upstream within a culture or country that despising them or persecutes them?

So I clicked on the link. I was greeted with schmaltzy music, and green scenery. My four year old daughter asked if I got to the Shrek site. I said "no".

The first question said, “How often do you attend church? Weekly? Molnthly? Yearly? I can’t remember? The second question said, “How often do you pray? Daily? Weekly? Monthly? Yearly? I can’t remember?

Just when I thought they were basing faith, the inward journey and personal walking hand and hand with God on a few random outward measurements, they asked for my cell phone number to text me bible quotes, to help me. They were reeally for a bible quote resource service for $5.99 per month.

I doubt this would bolster my faith. This thing only tears away my faith in Christians for sure. Why the sales pitch to make a buck using God and finding wholeness as the bait?

They did test my faith like they promised, but only by their lack of godly scruples. “How strong is your faith?" was their opening pitch line. Well, it’s strong enough to know I don’t need bible quotes sent to my cell phone to help me out of a jam, for $5.99 per month.

I know Jesus didn’t come to make a religion like the one I so often see before me. He wasn’t a gimmick. He wasn’t hawking God, or peace and security with him. Are Christians who are hawking the Kingdom really interested in anything Jesus had to say, or what he was about? It's a giant misadventure by missing the point.

5 sacrifices -

God instituted 5 animal sacrifices for Israel.... these things were tokens.....
Most of them feed people - none of them atoned for anything but ritual infractions of the tabernacle, and the others paid tribute to God.

We keep propagating the idea that we have to buy God off. He never set it up that way. Getting right with God has always involved repentance, not a person's sacrifice.

what time?

I was thinking about when was the last time someone you didn't know realized that you were a creature who was in eternal being, put here for jsuta short while. I wonder if we show this to the ones we encounter much. Does the supermarket clerk get even 15 extra seconds of our time? Do we know how many grandkids the mailman has? Are we mostly just concerned with those in our bubble, moving from one urgency to the next?

outside in

Today I've been thinking about all the times we let the outside determine the inside, instead of the reverse.. when Jesus said "the Kingdom of God is within you." what did he mean. It sounds kind of new-agey . . . . or does it? What is our source of Truth? God. Once reconciled to God, where does he reside? Within us, our spirit with His.

So why do we seek so many external validations?

Are not many largely unnecessary, when Truth is within us?

Have we grown to, or been taught to distrust this truth, to second guess it?

Probably.

What would happen if we opened the door to trust again? If we said, “Speak to me Lord, from within me”?

from around the world- other voices

From Sherman YL Kuek, OSL
Sherman is an itinerant minister and an Adjunct Lecturer in Christian Theology at Seminari Theoloji Malaysia (STM). He spends much of his time journeying with his friends in reflecting on faith, life, and culture in a profoundly theological and yet simple way. Sherman blogs on www.ShermanKuek.net.

In speaking of contextualisation, there are (rather simplistically) two trends of thought:

1) The gospel consists of a "static universal core", a series of articulations which is time insensitive and perennially unchanging. The contextualisation project is simply about enfleshing this core with a cultural facade for the facilitation of communication and understanding. The core, essentially, does not change.

2) The gospel consists of a "dynamic universal core", a series of articulations which is time sensitive and perennially changing with the development of our theological understanding. The contextualisation project, whilst being about the cultural expression of this "dynamic universal core", is also about allowing the enfleshment process to provoke us to re-examine the legitimacy and relevance of the universal core. This means that the universal core, by its sheer dynamic nature, is vulnerable to being modified, changed, eradicated, retained, or reaffirmed in accordance with that deemed necessary.

I suspect that the "emerging" people are those who are more ready to embrace the second of the two approaches, and not anyone is willing to sit well with this methodological vulnerability.

But anyone who is seriously going to engage his/her context authentically would almost immediately see that the second of the two is probably the only way by which one can be authentically contextual in his/her theological methodology.

II
This section dwells on some further sustained thoughts pertaining to the "dynamic universal core". If we posit that the dynamic universal core is "time sensitive and perennially changing with the development of our theological understanding", what reasonable sources possess legitimate ascendancy over the dynamism of the core?

It is open knowledge that the emerging people are serious about engaging with the dominant culture confronting the Christian gospel (in the West the postmodern culture, and in Asia perhaps the postcolonial ethos). First and foremost, this engagement is about the vulnerability of allowing the dominant culture to challenge the Christian gospel with serious questions regarding the adequacy, accuracy, and even the absolute rightness of the latter.

But it is probably a misunderstanding beyond proportions that these people engaging with culture are actually permitting the culture to redefine the core. It is most likely that culture raises questions which shed doubt on the perennial universality of the core, but not necessarily that culture redefines the core.

In my observation, it seems to me that whilst culture is permitted the role of the "interrogator", the contextual thinkers are going back into the Great Christian Tradition to seek solutions for these problems raised by culture. They do not claim that culture itself provides the answers. They seem to have an implicit understanding that the Great Christian Tradition itself possesses more than a sufficient wealth of wisdom to provide plausible solutions for challenges posed by culture. The Great Christian Tradition causes one to expand and deepen the core such that one realises that his definition and demarcation of the core may have been overly limited and unnecessarily fossilised.

Thus, it is not uncommon for contextual thinkers to move beyond the boundaries of their own limited traditions (i.e. their denominational / traditional boundaries and familiar scope of theological positions) towards other even older traditions in search of responses to the problems posed by culture. This explains the openness of the emerging people towards the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox traditions and their willingness to listen to other ecclesial voices beyond that with which they are familiar. Again, this is not something deemed acceptable to every Christian thinker of every tradition. Some traditions are, by their sheer nature, implicitly closed to conversations which challenge the rudiments of their all-familiar categories.

The Christian faith is more than 500 years old. In fact, the memory of the Christian Church goes back beyond 2,000 years. The contextual thinker holds on to this wealth of ecclesial life and therefore understands that there is no need for theological insecurity, for he has a long, long history - a Great Story of which he is a part - consisting of multiple voices of wisdom who have come before him and who would be able to infuse wisdom and impart solutions in his endeavour to be a relevant voice within the present scheme of life. This is the reservoir of ecclesial jurors for the contextual thinker which many others fail to observe or choose to ignore all together.

For him, the challenges posed by cultural confrontations do not cause him to pander into a state of intimidation and self-preserving defensiveness, for he looks beyond himself and his restrained traditional familiarity; and behold, a world of endless possibilities is open before him as he gleans from the voices of his many Fathers who once treaded the path on which he now finds himself. Someone aptly comments (and the contextual thinker certainly mirrors it well): "It's not about the old ways, it's about the much older ways".

Maybe it doesn't matter

Maybe the check list of do's and don't doesn't matter like we've been taught. Maybe God isn't shaking his head in disapproval when we miss ' quiet time". Maybe someone sitting in a wheel chair, helpless means as much to God as Billy Graham, or some other Christian big name. Maybe we trying for all the wrong things.

Trying isn't what it's all about, but we keep doing it. Can Christians emerge beyond the feeble religion they've created to satisfy themselves?

misunderstood

I heard a guy at seminary conclude that emerging church was great for bringing younger people into the church, but they have some doctrine and things wrong. It was as if he thought some concrete idea was agreed upon. Most people are only contributing to a conversation. They are takinga crack at things in their own way. It's all a work in progress, and each experience varies from case to case. But that's not the perception.

How do you convince people a "movement" is a movement unlike any movement they have ever seen, with different rules and looks?

POWs

edited from Spiritual ethoughts Monthly installment lisadelay.com

Sometimes I wonder if non-believers think that Christianity is “no fun”, or in most ways unappealing, because instead of living the abundant life Jesus brought from heaven to earth, Christians have become Prisoners of War in our battle of Good and Evil. Do Christians seem a bit dull? Do they seem sort of nasty? Do they seem like whiners? Do they pick on each other? Do they, and do you, down deep in your heart secretly wish for more? We’ve sort of been captured.


It’s not that we’ve become prisoners because our enemy is more powerful, but we’ve willing walking into a prison camp of sorts. Or more likely, we’ve subtly slipped into a cell of lethargy. For some, this happens in the same way a coal chills as it is separated the warmth of live briquettes. It boils down to authentic accountability. The masks stay on, and so no one knows the real struggles. Sometimes we are simply prisoners in a chamber where the doors are already wide open. We merely stay where we are most comfortable.


Regardless of the manner in which it happens, from time to time, the abundant life is not the life we live. Troubles crowd in, doubt sways us, business steals us away, illness plagues us, sin besets us, people hurt us, or in some other ways we lose focus. Some way we miss that our source of life abundant is the only sate for our thirst. Jesus, our Living Water, is the Fountain we must ingest frequently, daily. We don’t do it to satisfy a checklist, but to quench ourselves. To live.


It’s no wonder so many Christians are Missing in Action, or Prisoners of War. We strive so hard to keep a grip on all the moving parts of our lives, and the whole time, we slip into the dehydrated, mundane, un-abundant, and too-thirsty-too-soon-life without the best water.


I know this is the bigger war at stake. It is the more common one. The one between Good and Evil is fought in the skirmishes on the battlefields of Self firstly, and most frequently. These often-overlooked tussles lead to the bigger theaters of combat, which are the powerful choices, the ones that can bring true destruction or restoration in one's life. Victory in the small continual contests are really the only way we can avoid having to fight and lose the worst wars. We were never meant to be prisoners. Jesus came to set us free. We can be free indeed.

fingers of God

What if today, you thoughts of your fingers as God's figures, and what them type for him?

read my article!

check out my article about materialism at simplejoy.org

excerpt... (my article at theooze.com

As we get to be true friends, we start to know each other. Let me tell you, no one is normal. The next phase of a deepening friendship is the “reality phase”. It’s when you realize the friend you have has problems. They have a terrible temper or jealousy troubles. They are way too sensitive, or inconsiderate, or gossip, or get annoyed at trivial things. Or they have the worst problem of all– they see you as having problems. Which, of course, seems impossible at first. You start to resent them or become confused. It’s frustrating and increasingly complicated. The illusion of the perfect friendship begins to die or become real, which in this world is the same thing. The dream is dying, but like a seed dies and births new life the dream of idealized friendship dies and give birth to a flesh and blood relationship. And then you have a choice to make.

You have to decide if you want to be gracious or selfish. That is harder than it sounds, and most of us don’t even realize that it is this particular choice at stake. Many of us go for it. We try to work with what we’ve got. Some of us, who have more mistrust, or have been wounded, well, we get scared. Some of us, at this point, sort of run off. Or we disconnect a bit. They might not notice it, but we know what we’re doing. It’s a built in safety feature. It doesn’t give us any practice at grace, but it makes us feel better for a while.

It makes us feel better until we realize what we’ve given up. We’ve forfeited something that the core of our heart desires so badly. We yearn deep from that place to be known and loved. We hunger to experience grace. We’ve given it up because we don’t think it’ll work out right. We’ll get hurt again. Things will go badly. So we get stuck.

The “reality phase” is a real bummer. But if we push through it suitably and determine to learn something, we can end up better than we started. We can have deep friendships so long as we can regularly negotiate a gracious environment. If we are intentional about it, things will go so much better. Again, easier said than done.

Beyond our close friendships, I believe, we can have a couple “core people” that we let in even closer. I don’t think these “core people” should just be anybody. This group should be small in number, fairly mature people, mostly kindhearted, and worthy of our trust, but we can’t think they’ll be perfect either. Nobody will be that.

I didn’t have this all thought out at the time, but in the concert line with my friends, I thought it was worth the risk to reveal what they would be getting into. Finally, after a good bit of internal angst, I said to them, “If you really got to know me you wouldn’t like me.”

This, of course, was met with what I expected. “That’s not true.” And “That’s really sad that you would think that.” And “We already know you, and we love you.” And “There isn’t anything that would make us not like you.” And all the things people say before they realize they’ve been friends inadvertently with "the Devil". I didn’t believe them for a second. But I wanted to.

I didn’t believe it, I think, because I know how much of a wreck people are. I know how flawed I am. And in life people leave. They move away or go away. They move on, get fed up. They were hoping you’d be pre-packaged good times, and easy to deal with. They want the perfectly healthy friend, just like I hope to have. The friend that is always there, and always kind, and always supportive. Just like the person you barely know is. The people we don’t know make the best friends, right?

This of course is a lie. A person who barely knows you is an acquaintance. They make only a certain kind of friend. They can be helpful, and nurturing, but a friend, is someone who knows all about your crap, and is still okay with you. They love you and speak truth into your life. They help correct you in a very loving way, not to get you back, or hurt you, but to make you a better person. They are selfless like that. And if you don’t change when and how they want you to they still accept and love you. And you, being a person who is their real friend, do the same.

An acquaintance doesn’t need to operate in an environment of grace. Grace is medicine for desperate times. Grace steps in when illusion and superficiality ends. It’s the thing we need most in the “reality phases” of our lives. Grace defined as unearned favor, is really what deep friendships are all about.

This is why I think it’s much easier to read someone the Four Spiritual Laws and coach them in the sinner’s prayer than actually get involved in their life and be Jesus to them. We have enough trouble doing this with our best friends, doing that with the lost? Are you kidding? That would take the Holy Spirit. Who has time for that? I’m exhausted– show grace? Please!

Isn’t it funny, that this is exactly what we are to do? Not funny, just ironic, I guess. We are supposed to be letting the Spirit heal us, and function through us. We are created to be, or become, gracious and non superficial. When weren’t not,things get messed up. They feel unloved. We feel unloved. And we both feel too overwhelmed to be embodiments of grace. So much of the time, we spend our own energy to work this all out. But God’s power is right at our disposal.

Article in March

Check my article on materialism at simplejoy.org

EMERGING INTERVIEW

Hear my interview with Jim Palmer on his show at wiredparish.com.

Audio online

My website now contains a good sized audio excerpt of my upcoming book.(visit wit4life.com)

Interest from a good number of big name publishers is beginning. More deatils will be forthcoming, when prudently appropriate.

article on The Ooze

Out FEB 15- visit theooze.com for my article "Grace-filled Relationships: Yuck What a Mess"

Get wired

I'm in development talk to host my own podcast show on wireparish.com. What a great outfit they have. You can hear lots of authors, professors, thinkers, and pastors cheaper than buying a book. I'm hoping to be the MP3 Oprah of my generation.

Missional Church or just churchy?

Does your church pray for the lost?
How does it show the community God's love in a tangible way?
Is your congregation more concerned with maintaining its programs and budgets for things church members can enjoy, or is the heart of your church all about sharing the love and message of God.

Most churches lack greatly in the missional department. That is, they become insular, incestuous if you will. They keep to themselves a good deal. Far too much, really.

Becoming a family with other Believers means we're a different kind of family. We're strange in that we want more family members, and outsiders are just PRE-family members. Sometimes this idea gets lost on us. Sometimes we have our sights on other things, churchy things. Member privileges.

I really enjoyed the podcast about starting to be a more missional church through prayer and community prayer opportunities by Reggie McNeal from wireparish.com. Hope you can hear it too.

Tribes

It occurs to me, so much recently, the need for the tribal in postmodern culture and interactions, and therefore a must in Christianity. This need seems to be true despite varied personalities, and dispositions. One doesn’t merely need a tribe because one is gregarious and outgoing.

Tribe is meant here as Dictionary.com describes it in the 8th, but more like the 9th definition.
8. a class or set of persons, esp. one with strong common traits or interests.
9. a large family.

Whether persons possess introverted or extroverted qualities, the need for tribal-style belonging is incredibly strong. Social interactions are increasingly dependent on this cultural binding, like a kind of glue in the fabric of new societal norms. It’s “the café factor” if you will. The pub, the water hole, the hub, of cultural life. But not merely to be a commons area, but in fact, a “home”. In my observations, family or tribal elements are qualities of emergent-like groups springing up around the country, and within subgroups in certain mainline churches.

It’s important to realize what “needing a tribe” means. It is not merely an association, or fraternal tendency. The need for tribal belonging is what a generation babysat by the television, shuffled from parent to parent, and picking up and moving every few years in modern society, craves. They crave family as it is intended to be, for humans existing as relational creatures. I contend it is crucial for spiritual maturity, and even belief. More than any other recent era, the need to belong before one believes is a prevailing experiential phenomenon.

If our bodies of Believers cannot or do not make tribal belonging available to outsiders, they will end up in a generation or two, as part of the history of Christendom. The history that involves an imploded city on a hill that became only an incestuous (if you will) fortress against any outside it’s wall. These will cease to be desirable to the spiritually thirsty. Those who offer tribe, then, offer life. The life is perhaps then, family life.

More on what trbial belonging is coming soon...

Emerging Christmas Traditions?

This year retails stores will see a boost in sales. Folks will purchase many gifts for the season. PlayStation 3 game systems will sell for over a grand, but how are we doing as Christians at Christmas? Are emergent Christians, and other authentic Christians, making a dent in any social causes, local, national, or international? Do Christian even give a crap? Or do we just care about what finds it way under our trees- The lovely blood diamond jewelry, or the kitchen appliance we don’t really need. Or, are we thinking about if the kids are getting what they asked Santa for?

It’s really sort of sickening that we are consumed by stuff, and our many resources are used to get more stuff, when people down, in Darfur, for instance, are dying in the worst genocide since the Rwanda ordeal.

Where are the Christians in these things? Are they all shopping? Does George Clooney have to do this “dirty work” for us? There’s nothing like gratuitous excess to get some bah humbug out of me at this time of year. I’m not saying gifts are bad. I’m just saying, when will enough be enough. When as Christians we can start caring about the hurting and dying people out there, more than the self-righteous movie stars seem to care about them? The “least of these” don’t even get a second thought, as we scarf down cookies, tear open gifts, and conduct our shopping marathons for Jesus’ birthday. Yuck.


If you’ve helped the poor or hurting this season, drop a comment and tell us about this kind of MEANINGFUL holiday tradition, I’d love to hear about it. If you haven’t, why on earth not?

Pa satellite broadcasts

Hope Community E.C. Church, Fogelsville, invites you to share in the following CCN.tv satellite broadcasts:

Tuesday, December 5, 7:30-8:30 p.m., “Non Commercial Thoughts on Christian Spirituality” with Donald Miller, author of “Blue Like Jazz” – this broadcast examines the ways commercial culture affects Christian spirituality
Thursday, December 7, 11:30 am-1:00 pm, “Off-Road Disciplines: Spiritual Adventures of Missional Leaders” (Dr. Earl Creps, Assemblies of God Theological Seminary director of Doctor of Ministry program shows how God reshapes the interior world to form a missional heart (pastors and ministry leaders should attend)
a very special broadcast, part of a once a month series, Thursday, December 7, 7:30-8:30 pm, “Beyond the Cosmos: Origin of the Universe”, with Dr. Hugh Ross, as he shows how discoveries in extra-dimensional realities support some of the Bible’s paradoxes, i.e., how God can listen to all our prayers at the same time, how can God be both singular and plural, and how can God foreknow and yet grant free will.

church site: www.wearehopechurch.org
phone 610-285-6967

Pastors are invited, and for appropriate broadcasts, so are lay participants from area church to share in these broadcasts freely. If you know you are coming, please give us an idea, so we can “turn the lights on and have the coffee ready.” For further detail about the broadcasts, check the CNN.tv website for further information about the broadcast schedule.

Quick thought

The amazing thing about Jesus, and therefore God, it that he was always taking human contrivances, and turning them upside down to show us the Higher Way.

Humility is oddly that higher way.

The sooner we get this the better. Possibly, the less we are in the mold of what the world values... being gorgeous or macho, having money, being independent, having a awesome job, etc., the more likely we are to “get it”, that is, understand what Jesus main message was… “be like me”.

Why do we worship?

I'm writing an article right now about prayer and the tempests of life.

It strike me in our postmodern world, the excruciating selfishness of our paradigm. So often we pray for needs. How little we tell God who he is. He is more than worthy of our worship and praise. We worship him in prayer, song, and just living with him in the forefront of our minds, because, to put it simply, HE IS GOD.

Here is a wee excerpt of an upcoming article. (read in progress)

Prayers of worship, praise, and thanksgiving are not something we do just to make ourselves feel better. They are done because God is worthy of these prayers. The beautiful byproduct of these messages to God, are blessing he pours out on us. At the very least these blessings bestow a correct perspective. And what a gift that is. God is the center of the universe– we are not. Our problems may seem to be the prevailing reality. In fact, they are merely a facet of our existence. The transcendent reality of our eternal God overarches all our storms. All is under his dominion. Prayers of worship, praise, and thanksgiving, place God is his rightful place in our mind, setting all the seas of our lives in proper order, and perspective.

culture clash

I was just reading the futurewatch blog. There was an interesting case study of sorts. An evangelical event was received poorly by unchurched attendees. The sad thing was that this came as a surprise. Well meaning Christians with a modern mindset and mode, seem to have a disconnect understand post-modern people and what Christianity looks like from the outside. The key I believe to reaching post-moderns isn't a "tent event" or camp meeting. It's not a attractional thing...like a cinema does.... The way use use to running things in the evangelical movement. Those things can have some success, but the crucial point that is missed is the integral element of authentic RELATIONSHIP. I talk about this is my upcoming book "I Love You, (in Theory): The misadventure of Christian grace" ... which is being reviewed by Thomas Nelson at the moment. I hope a deal goes through soon. There is a great need to understand the unchurched, and relate to them in a way that makes sense and is meaningful to them. It DOESN'T change the Good News message, but like Paul on Mars Hill, the delivery must be re-created. Not like window dressing, but as living breathing dynamic and organic relationally focused friendships that lead others to God through Jesus.

Brian McLaren gives me a "thumbs up"

Lisa - good to hear from you. Sorry for the delay in responding. I'm
in the middle of a really hectic travel and writing schedule, but as
you contact publishers, you can let them know I have expressed
willingness to be an endorser for the book. The book looks really
good!

When you have a publisher and have been through the editing process,
have the publisher send me a hard copy, with as much lead time as possible ...

You're obviously a gifted writer with a needed message. I look forward
to hearing more from you in the future, and to meeting someday. Keep
up the good work! - Brian

--
Brian McLaren



---
I'm just in AWE. This whole this has been quick and surreal journey. It's not over yet.

I'll keep you posted.

endorsements coming in!

Good news.
For some background, I've completed a manuscript as my attempt to contribute to the emerging Christian conversation. The book's working title is I Love You, in Theory: The Misadventure of Christian grace see - iloveyouintheory.com - My message isn't expressly to women, but certainly it comes through my lens of experience (female).

Jim Palmer is graciously agreed to do my Forward. He is the author of "Divine Nobodies". Pastor Doug Pagitt said he'd give me an endorsement as well as Pastor Andrew tallskinnykiwi Jones. Tony Jones National Director of Emergent Village asked to read my manuscript, which is very exciting. Hopefully more good things will come. I pray that God's name be glorified and that his loving character will be made further know the message he put into my heart. May I be less so that God is more.

oozing insghts- a letter from reader and response

Hi Lisa,

I really enjoyed your article, especially the way you join your words and heart with scripture to bring alive your message. A good reminder for me. I laughed when you referred to yourself as a married with children, writer/speaker/artist without an MDiv or PHd, because my gifts and situation are similar. although you are a bit farther on your journey. I am curious what experiences you have had been left out of the emerging conversation, or your observations about this dynamic in general. Do you think men are reticent to hear from women or that "normal gals" are intimidated by men who speak eschatologicalese and hold fancy degrees?

Also, I think practicing humility must be balanced with working toward inclusion and justice for our sisters and daughters. Jesus was willing to suffer, but he was not willing to accept the status quo. How do we practice humility, grace and justice in the name of Jesus?

Blessings, Jemila Monroe

www.quirkygrace.blogspot.com

Posted by Jemila Monroe | Posted at 10/24/2006 7:18 AM

Hi there, Jemila, You ask some good questions.

I don't suppose I've felt "left out" in a sense that there has been some overt message that says, “Stay away”. Prominent “Leaders” if you can really called them that specifically, of the emergent movement, are noticing the dearth of divergent voices in what is suppose to be a dynamic and diverse conservation about Christian spirituality. There is some effort to be more accommodating as well, which is nice to see. One disappointing and paradoxical aspect is a movement (emergent) that is by nature, nurture and period in history, more egalitarian, is also solidifying into an unilateral one.

I have come from a background of subjugation not grace from most of my church experiences, so the emergent movement seems sweet and filled with the presence of the Holy Spirit and Christ’s character in comparison. The reluctance of men from many mainline denominations and backgrounds, marginalizes female points of view, and teaching, and stiff-arms insights of spiritually mature women I believe has been heavy-handed enough to be in error. I've noticed even in contemporary circles men strongly favoring the spiritual insights of men over women as been the norm, except in “liberal” churches. This seems to be to a waste of gifts and resources for the body of Christ.

I think many men, and nearly all mature and spiritually grounded men in my daily interactions are willing to hear my insights. Whether they value them on par with men is hard to quantify. I don't think it's important to know, because it's not edifying. It probably depends on both the manner in which I present insights/ideas, as well as the individual's bent, or even the mood, of the male listener.

I personally don’t feel intimidated by fancy degrees, (et. al.) (I can just speak for myself. Other women may feel intimidated.) ---but I DO believe knowledge most often puffs up. The Bible is true after all and it makes mention of this potential and common trapping. It’s a trap I can succumb to also, even without a fancy title, trust me! (If we’re honest about it, we can ALL fall prey!) I’ve learned we must be in continual Spirit-led awareness and submission to God to avoid a posture of pride. It's our "default setting."

My message is-- the approach to “be heard” mustn’t be how we would-- typically-- try to attain it. It must emulate the paradox of Christ’s servant ministry when it’s done with his “model.” To answer your other question: (How do we practice humility, grace and justice…) I think we practice humility, grace and justice as Jesus did. It has nothing to do with the status quo, but everything to do with patience and grace. He did NOT think of himself first, but became of no reputation, took the form of a servant and loved and sacrificed. We can’t count on people to be fair and noble and gracious, but we CAN work on our response to them and being the embodiment of grace. I hope you’ll keep your eyes peeled for my book, hopefully out next year, where I tackle some of these things, and I invite you to sign up from my articles “ethoughts weekly” at my wit4life.com website, for further contemplations on these and other matters. You seem to be a kindred spirit, my sister, and I pray God will continue to use and bless you. Good Thoughts!

A fresh voice in the conversation

It seems the emergent conversation is dominated by Caucasian, male clergy, or liberal female clergy. I am endeavoring to lend a new and fresh voice to the conversation as a non-liberal, female, writer, lay-leader. My first published contribution will appear this week (Oct 24) at TheOoze. (theooze.com) in the Faith section. Please experience the article and feel free to submit comments. They are part of the message of my upcoming book "I Love You, in theory: The misadventure of Christian grace.

Culture shift means earning the right

I think the tendency within people of church is to see the Christian way as the standard others should follow. "come to us for truth" come to us to find God" Come to us for answers to life" These ascertains, though truth, if acted on as the motivating tool for building the Kingdom, fail to realize the massive culture shift that by in large does not value what the church does.

In modern times folk churched their children whether they believed in God or not. It was good for character and ethics and proper social behavior .. Being good and all that. Now we live in times where people find equal value from talking to wood elves, Buddha or Jesus. Or worse "Christianity" is see as a belief system that oppresses people with absolutes and suppresses versions of "truth" and valid ideas. The church culture and the social culture are now opposed again as they were in ancient times. Outsiders want to know you are authentic and love them before they want to hear what you have to say.

Christians in post-modern culture must endeavor to earn the right to be heard, not because we don't have the truth of the Bible, but because merely saying it's the truth is worthless to people of this culture. Logical arguments, well-thought apologetics, and facts often will not sway non believers. Friendship however -- the genuine kind -- will develop trust, the key ingredient in
"earning the right".

I am writing about this in my upcoming book. See wit4life.com

Tell me what you think about what I've said!

Is Christianity following Jesus?

This is the title of one of the sections in the book I'm writing, "I Love You, in theory: The misadventure of Christian Grace".... With the Christian sub-culture so insular, so churchy, can we really reached the unchurched? Do they really want to be a part of an odd sub-culture with it's own bumper stickers, t-shirts, catch-phrases and formulaic solutions for the "God shaped hole in all of us" ? While most of us realize we are on a spiritual journey, the "Super-sized" McDonald's style version of Christian compete with political pigeon holes, pious regulations, and strange sub-culture, is not something to which we entirely hope to belong. A journey with Jesus is a much richer story than the typical Christian sales pitch would lead us to believe. I have more thoughts on this at www.wit4life.com. Please visit and weigh in on anything you read here or there.