More than a few of my recent conversations with fellow pastors and Christian thinkers have been focused on the subject of humility and mystery, of acknowledging the "I don't know" in things.
Many of these conversations have focused on a fairly new development in the Church known as the "emerging" or "emergent". Some describe emergent as a movement, others as a conversation. Recent books have been written attempting to nail down a specific theology and doctrine of emergent churches. This has proved quite impossible.
This is because what makes a church "emergent" is only one characteristic in many. It's like asking what a sad person's views on the environment are or trying to discern what Democrats like on their pancakes. It isn't the summation of something. The term itself means different things to different people.
I am most comfortable with the term "emerging" referring to a conversation rather than a movement. The defining characteristic of the emerging churches, it seems to me, is a willingness to admit that we don't have all the answers. A bit of humility, a bit of mystery, a bit of the "I don't know."
In fact, the major complaint against the emerging conversation (of which I would consider myself a part) is that those of us taking part in it don't believe anything, that we're impossible to nail down, that we won't just come out and say what we mean.
So let me just say to our critics, in some cases, that's true.
The emergents work sort of the way postmodernism works -as a corrective (to fundamentalism or modernism) they're great, on their own, they're much weaker. The problem with fundamentalism and modernism is that they both claimed to have all the answers. The way that the emergents and postmodernists act as a corrective is by admitting they don't even know all the questions.
However, both emergents and postmodernists can get so keen on humility and mystery that they become cagey and overly ironic. Everything could be true, no one really knows anything for sure. This is the complaint of the fundamentalist and the modernist against the emergent and the postmodernist.
The problem with the fundamentalist and modernist is that they think they know everything and they're sure they can prove it. The emergents and postmodernists were a welcome and necessary response to such an arrogant and outlandish stance.
However, the emergent and the postmodernist too often avoid any talk of anything true. We can get quiet and even shifty when asked about what we know. This is the mistake the emergents can make. We've overcorrected as correctives almost always do. We make the mistake of acting like we don't know anything simply because we don't know everything.
I love my wife.
Now, imagine the integrity I would lack if I took the approach that stated that I not only have never doubted our love for each other, I can prove, on paper, that we love each other. It would be absurd.
Now, imagine the hope I would lack if I took the approach that stated "well, I think I love my wife...I'm pretty sure she loves me...although how can you ever really know?"
What we need is another alternative, one that acknowledges the moments of doubt and has the faithfulness to push through them. One that has enough history to say with confidence "I love my wife" and know that it is true.
I know that God is real. I know that Jesus died and then rose up from the dead. I believe that forgiveness of sins and a new way of living are available to all who follow Christ. I can't prove it and I have moments when I question it, but I believe that it is reasonable, based on evidence and experience. It's faith, which means it has mystery, but it isn't blind faith. And I don't have to pretend that I don't believe what I do believe and call it humility. It wouldn't be humility if we were talking about anything else, why is it humility when we're talking about God?
The fact is, I'm not interested in a modern doctrine or a postmodern doctrine, a fundamentalist theology or an emergent one. I'm interested in being a Christian. As naive as it may sound and as trite as it may seem, I'm interested in continuing to discover who Christ is and what it means to follow him. I'm interested in a faith and a hope that can speak into every context but isn't defined by any of them. I'm interested in the "I don't know" and the "this I know", because they both play a part in what it means to be a Christian. And that's all I want to be.
Friday, August 31, 2007
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Monday, August 20, 2007
I Love To Tell The Story
Last night was one of those events that help to define the experience that is Immanuel. The past few weeks our house church has been filled to capacity, anticipating our birthing of a second house church. Last night, we all met at our second house church location to eat together and celebrate a sort of "birthday party".
Given the number of new folks we've had just over the past month, my intent had been to share a bit of Immanuel's story, how we got started in 2006 and a bit of what has happened since. It was meant to be more informational than transformational, but ended up being more of the latter.
As I began to share the short story of this small church, others in the room began to jump in and share about when they entered into the story. Those who had been a part of the core team were the first to speak up and others soon followed. Over an hour later, everyone in the room had not only shared information about when and how they had come to Immanuel, but the difference it was making in their lives.
By the end of it, I was a complete mess. I had no idea the impact this small church was having, even on those who have only been visiting for a few weeks or have come more to ask questions than because they think we have any answers.
And it occurred to me why we at Immanuel speak in terms of "levels of commitment and involvement" and not in terms of membership. Membership is about belonging, and every person there, Christian or not, newer or older, made it clear that they felt they belong. One of our newer folks grinned as she shook her head and exclaimed, "I never thought that I would be a part of a church!"
We ended in a time of communion, a time when we offer the bread and the wine to any who come seeking Jesus Christ. A time when we remember Christ's sacrifice, give thanks for his offer of salvation, and celebrate the bond that we share. We ended the night the way we began it, by telling our story and participating in it. It was an amazing thing.
Given the number of new folks we've had just over the past month, my intent had been to share a bit of Immanuel's story, how we got started in 2006 and a bit of what has happened since. It was meant to be more informational than transformational, but ended up being more of the latter.
As I began to share the short story of this small church, others in the room began to jump in and share about when they entered into the story. Those who had been a part of the core team were the first to speak up and others soon followed. Over an hour later, everyone in the room had not only shared information about when and how they had come to Immanuel, but the difference it was making in their lives.
By the end of it, I was a complete mess. I had no idea the impact this small church was having, even on those who have only been visiting for a few weeks or have come more to ask questions than because they think we have any answers.
And it occurred to me why we at Immanuel speak in terms of "levels of commitment and involvement" and not in terms of membership. Membership is about belonging, and every person there, Christian or not, newer or older, made it clear that they felt they belong. One of our newer folks grinned as she shook her head and exclaimed, "I never thought that I would be a part of a church!"
We ended in a time of communion, a time when we offer the bread and the wine to any who come seeking Jesus Christ. A time when we remember Christ's sacrifice, give thanks for his offer of salvation, and celebrate the bond that we share. We ended the night the way we began it, by telling our story and participating in it. It was an amazing thing.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Making Online Community Into Real Community
So, let's face it, myspace can be creepy. Yourspace can be too. All our space are belong to us, but that doesn't mean that they aren't regularly invaded by some imaginary girl whose name has an "i" where a "y" should be. Facebook isn't quite as bad, but it still has stalker potential, and I'd still be policing it like a hawk, if I had a 15 year old daughter (note to parents with 15 year old daughters, please police their use of myspace).
That said, I am a part of both (though less and less of myspace) and have gained something from it that runs counter to its whole asthetic...making real friends.
See, occasionally, I'll get an add request (someone who is also online will ask to be your "friend") and will (unless the person is clearly imaginary and trying to sell me something) grant said request. However, I quickly want to get to know the person and find out why they wanted to know me. This serves to weed out the weirdos. It also serves to create new and lasting friendships.
Martin is just one example. Martin and I met through facebook and a common interest in social justice. Martin and I went to grab a cup of coffee at Dominican Joe. Now Martin and I (and a group of like-minded folks) go grab a beer together every Tuesday evening at the Dog & Duck. Say what you will about facebook, I wouldn't have met Martin without it, and I like Martin.
It seems that I regularly hear people having conversations about what a strange thing online communities can be. This isn't my plug for online community. However, it is my suggestion that we can turn online community into real community. People become a part of a myspace or facebook because they're looking to connect to other people. Those of us who value real community can see online community as a chance to reach out to people. People who need people (OK, I'm kidding...really, that was a joke).
If you're wary of online communities, you probably have valid objections and I won't try to talk you out of them. However, if you are a part of online communities, let me encourage you to take them out into the real world, to gather them together over a beer or a cup of coffee. It can be an amazing thing.
That said, I am a part of both (though less and less of myspace) and have gained something from it that runs counter to its whole asthetic...making real friends.
See, occasionally, I'll get an add request (someone who is also online will ask to be your "friend") and will (unless the person is clearly imaginary and trying to sell me something) grant said request. However, I quickly want to get to know the person and find out why they wanted to know me. This serves to weed out the weirdos. It also serves to create new and lasting friendships.
Martin is just one example. Martin and I met through facebook and a common interest in social justice. Martin and I went to grab a cup of coffee at Dominican Joe. Now Martin and I (and a group of like-minded folks) go grab a beer together every Tuesday evening at the Dog & Duck. Say what you will about facebook, I wouldn't have met Martin without it, and I like Martin.
It seems that I regularly hear people having conversations about what a strange thing online communities can be. This isn't my plug for online community. However, it is my suggestion that we can turn online community into real community. People become a part of a myspace or facebook because they're looking to connect to other people. Those of us who value real community can see online community as a chance to reach out to people. People who need people (OK, I'm kidding...really, that was a joke).
If you're wary of online communities, you probably have valid objections and I won't try to talk you out of them. However, if you are a part of online communities, let me encourage you to take them out into the real world, to gather them together over a beer or a cup of coffee. It can be an amazing thing.
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Thursday, August 9, 2007
Shakey
I am a sucker for biographies, especially music bios. My favorite is Cash by Johnny Cash, but a close second is Shakey by Jimmy McDonough. It is the authorized biography of Neil Young and has everything that a biography that isn't an autobiography should have -revealing interviews, insightful critique, apocrypha and anecdote, and just the smallest bit of the author himself. McDonough's access to Young is stunning, given Young's reputation for being a bit of a recluse. McDonough understands that we come to this book from different angles -love of the music, love of the man, love of a good story- and he gives us lots of each. Whether Harvest is your favorite album, Young is your favorite artist, or biography is your favorite genre, this will be one of your favorite books. The chapter on the making of Tonight's The Night alone is worth the $15.
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
Jesus Has Left The Building
You know that Christendom has "succeeded" when even those who aren't a part of it (or are antagonistic towards it) accept certain "truths" that it has created.
Few of those "truths" are more accepted by churchgoers and non-churchgoers alike than the idea that church is defined by place. More specifically, church is defined by ownership of space.
If you don't have a place of your own to hang a sign, how can you be a church?
Today at work, one of my co-workers asked about Immanuel, how it was going, and so on. He had heard that we were "doing something different", but wasn't sure what that meant. I did my best to relate the differences in our approach, spoke about house churches, our concept of "belonging before believing", and so on.
When I talked about our commitment to never purchasing property, he seemed confused. He isn't the first.
I should step back for a minute and explain here what I explained today. Immanuel is a community of Christians that meet in various houses. When the regular attendance at these weekly house church meetings gets to be about 25, the group births another house church. This was something different than what he had imagined.
These house churches also gather for a time of worship every week. This was beginning to sound more like church. Except that we gather at someone else's building. The idea is to never have to own our own space.
But what about when we max out the space we're using? At that point, we apply the same birthing concept to the larger worship gathering. When we get to be about 200, we send 50 folks to worship in a second location. We can use other church's buildings, or music venues, or schools. The possibilities are endless. It allows the Immanuel Austin church to exist throughout Austin without ever having a building and a sign that says Immanuel Austin is here. It allows us to be defined by the people and what Christ is doing through them and not the space and what Christ is doing in it.
That isn't to say that we don't think gathering together is important. If we didn't, we wouldn't meet together at least twice a week (a group of us also gathers with friends at a local pub on Tuesdays and to serve at a local food pantry on Saturdays). We just think that we're the church when we're in our homes and at the pub and at the food bank and at the building. As Christ himself promised "whenever two or more are gathered in my name, I am there."
The universal Church has known this for centuries, but Christendom has often made that knowledge more theoretical than practical. Of course the church isn't the building, we say, but we still hold up a specific hour in a specific space as our defining moment. The problem is that by making the space particularly sacred, the event ceases to define us outside of that space.
Every church has its stories, Biblical and otherwise, that it points to for meaning. One of those, for Immanuel, has been the tranfiguration (see my previous blog entry on the transfiguration for more complete thoughts on this). The transfiguration was that moment on the mountain when Christ was revealed in all his glory to a few of his disciples. One of them, Peter, responded by suggesting that they build a place on the mountain in order to remain in the moment. Jesus' response is to go back down the mountain and heal a young boy.
All of us need the time for mountaintop experiences, a time for Christ's glory to be revealed and celebrated. But we must not fall into the trap that Peter suggested, of remaining on the mountain. If he had, he might have been able to continue to dwell upon the experience for some time, but he would have missed the fact that Jesus wasn't there.
As churches, we need an increasing awareness that Jesus has left the building. Not that he isn't present in our times of worship, but that he isn't confined by them. His desire isn't that we simply worship in a specific time and space, but that the experience of worship would redefine us and push us out the door and down the mountain. Our mission isn't to get people to "go to church" it is to be the church and go to people.
Few of those "truths" are more accepted by churchgoers and non-churchgoers alike than the idea that church is defined by place. More specifically, church is defined by ownership of space.
If you don't have a place of your own to hang a sign, how can you be a church?
Today at work, one of my co-workers asked about Immanuel, how it was going, and so on. He had heard that we were "doing something different", but wasn't sure what that meant. I did my best to relate the differences in our approach, spoke about house churches, our concept of "belonging before believing", and so on.
When I talked about our commitment to never purchasing property, he seemed confused. He isn't the first.
I should step back for a minute and explain here what I explained today. Immanuel is a community of Christians that meet in various houses. When the regular attendance at these weekly house church meetings gets to be about 25, the group births another house church. This was something different than what he had imagined.
These house churches also gather for a time of worship every week. This was beginning to sound more like church. Except that we gather at someone else's building. The idea is to never have to own our own space.
But what about when we max out the space we're using? At that point, we apply the same birthing concept to the larger worship gathering. When we get to be about 200, we send 50 folks to worship in a second location. We can use other church's buildings, or music venues, or schools. The possibilities are endless. It allows the Immanuel Austin church to exist throughout Austin without ever having a building and a sign that says Immanuel Austin is here. It allows us to be defined by the people and what Christ is doing through them and not the space and what Christ is doing in it.
That isn't to say that we don't think gathering together is important. If we didn't, we wouldn't meet together at least twice a week (a group of us also gathers with friends at a local pub on Tuesdays and to serve at a local food pantry on Saturdays). We just think that we're the church when we're in our homes and at the pub and at the food bank and at the building. As Christ himself promised "whenever two or more are gathered in my name, I am there."
The universal Church has known this for centuries, but Christendom has often made that knowledge more theoretical than practical. Of course the church isn't the building, we say, but we still hold up a specific hour in a specific space as our defining moment. The problem is that by making the space particularly sacred, the event ceases to define us outside of that space.
Every church has its stories, Biblical and otherwise, that it points to for meaning. One of those, for Immanuel, has been the tranfiguration (see my previous blog entry on the transfiguration for more complete thoughts on this). The transfiguration was that moment on the mountain when Christ was revealed in all his glory to a few of his disciples. One of them, Peter, responded by suggesting that they build a place on the mountain in order to remain in the moment. Jesus' response is to go back down the mountain and heal a young boy.
All of us need the time for mountaintop experiences, a time for Christ's glory to be revealed and celebrated. But we must not fall into the trap that Peter suggested, of remaining on the mountain. If he had, he might have been able to continue to dwell upon the experience for some time, but he would have missed the fact that Jesus wasn't there.
As churches, we need an increasing awareness that Jesus has left the building. Not that he isn't present in our times of worship, but that he isn't confined by them. His desire isn't that we simply worship in a specific time and space, but that the experience of worship would redefine us and push us out the door and down the mountain. Our mission isn't to get people to "go to church" it is to be the church and go to people.
Sunday, August 5, 2007
One word. No explanations.
1. Yourself: trying
2. Your spouse: faithful
3. Your hair: gone
4. Your mother: strong
5. Your father: determined
6. Your favorite item: bible
7. Your dream last night: forgettable
8. Your favorite drink: water
9. Your dream car: affordable
10. The room you are in: messy
11. Your ex: friend
12. Your fear: failure
13. What you want to be in 10 years: Christlike
14. Who you hung out with last night: Rachel
15. What you're not: anxious
16. Muffins: mooses
17: One of your wish list items: i-pod
18: Time: flies
19. The last thing you did: typed
20. What you are wearing: clothes
21. Your favorite weather: grey
22. Your favorite book: bible
23. The last thing you ate: cracker
24. Your life: marvelous
25. Your mood: sedate
26. Your best friend: encouraging
27. What you're thinking about right now: you
28. Your car: steady
29. What you are doing at the moment: typing
30. Your summer: busy
31. Your relationship status: taken
32. What is on your TV: nothing
33. What is the weather like: humid
34. When was the last time you laughed: today
1. Yourself: trying
2. Your spouse: faithful
3. Your hair: gone
4. Your mother: strong
5. Your father: determined
6. Your favorite item: bible
7. Your dream last night: forgettable
8. Your favorite drink: water
9. Your dream car: affordable
10. The room you are in: messy
11. Your ex: friend
12. Your fear: failure
13. What you want to be in 10 years: Christlike
14. Who you hung out with last night: Rachel
15. What you're not: anxious
16. Muffins: mooses
17: One of your wish list items: i-pod
18: Time: flies
19. The last thing you did: typed
20. What you are wearing: clothes
21. Your favorite weather: grey
22. Your favorite book: bible
23. The last thing you ate: cracker
24. Your life: marvelous
25. Your mood: sedate
26. Your best friend: encouraging
27. What you're thinking about right now: you
28. Your car: steady
29. What you are doing at the moment: typing
30. Your summer: busy
31. Your relationship status: taken
32. What is on your TV: nothing
33. What is the weather like: humid
34. When was the last time you laughed: today
Saturday, August 4, 2007
9 years
Every year I say it, and every year it's true- I praise God for my amazing wife and the blessing that she is to me, to my son, and to everyone she comes into contact with.
Every year I say it, and every year it's true- I praise God for showing me what faithfulness and unconditional love look like and for helping me to have a bit more of each.
I haven't been able to say it every year, but I said it last year and it is true again- this has been the most exciting and rewarding of my nine years married. I am as close to my wife as I have ever been, as in love with her as I have ever been, as proud to be her husband, partner, and friend as I have ever been.
And one thing we agreed upon at year 5 that we've agreed upon again at 9- we'd like to have a baby.
Your prayers of thanksgiving and of blessing are appreciated. Your support and encouragement through these 9 years has been as well, and continue to be. Love you all.
But not as much as I love her. Love you, Rach.
Every year I say it, and every year it's true- I praise God for showing me what faithfulness and unconditional love look like and for helping me to have a bit more of each.
I haven't been able to say it every year, but I said it last year and it is true again- this has been the most exciting and rewarding of my nine years married. I am as close to my wife as I have ever been, as in love with her as I have ever been, as proud to be her husband, partner, and friend as I have ever been.
And one thing we agreed upon at year 5 that we've agreed upon again at 9- we'd like to have a baby.
Your prayers of thanksgiving and of blessing are appreciated. Your support and encouragement through these 9 years has been as well, and continue to be. Love you all.
But not as much as I love her. Love you, Rach.
Thursday, August 2, 2007
My Top 5 Top 5
This week I’ve been listening to a lot of Neil Young. Today I realized something that I’ve known for years, but have never really taken in: my favorite Neil Young albums were all recorded back to back. Not only that, they were recorded within a 5 year time span. It got me thinking of other songwriters/bands in that upper echelon who created 5 near perfect albums in succession (I know, it’s a strange criteria, but this is how my mind works). These are my top 5:
The Beatles
Beatles For Sale
Help!
Rubber Soul
Revolver
Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
Bruce Springsteen
Born To Run
Darkness On The Edge of Town
The River
Nebraska
Born In The U.S.A.
Bob Dylan
The Times They Are A-Changin’
Another Side of Bob Dylan
Bringing It All Back Home
Highway 61 Revisited
Blonde On Blonde
Elvis Costello
My Aim Is True
This Year’s Model
Armed Forces
Get Happy!!
Trust
Neil Young
After The Goldrush
Harvest
On The Beach
Tonight’s The Night
Zuma
OK, music nerds, make your lists. They must be five near perfect albums released in back to back to back to back to back order. You don’t get to list Radiohead and skip over Amnesiac. Live albums can be excluded or included. EPs and rarities albums as well. However, if an album was studio recorded and available to the general public, it cannot be skipped over, your list must be 5 albums in succession and must be limited to the best 5 (of course John Wesley Harding is an amazing album, but not, in my opinion, as amazing as The Times They Are A-Changin’). Go.
The Beatles
Beatles For Sale
Help!
Rubber Soul
Revolver
Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
Bruce Springsteen
Born To Run
Darkness On The Edge of Town
The River
Nebraska
Born In The U.S.A.
Bob Dylan
The Times They Are A-Changin’
Another Side of Bob Dylan
Bringing It All Back Home
Highway 61 Revisited
Blonde On Blonde
Elvis Costello
My Aim Is True
This Year’s Model
Armed Forces
Get Happy!!
Trust
Neil Young
After The Goldrush
Harvest
On The Beach
Tonight’s The Night
Zuma
OK, music nerds, make your lists. They must be five near perfect albums released in back to back to back to back to back order. You don’t get to list Radiohead and skip over Amnesiac. Live albums can be excluded or included. EPs and rarities albums as well. However, if an album was studio recorded and available to the general public, it cannot be skipped over, your list must be 5 albums in succession and must be limited to the best 5 (of course John Wesley Harding is an amazing album, but not, in my opinion, as amazing as The Times They Are A-Changin’). Go.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)