We all have a perspective. I've been thinking about this recently. There are a few theological ideas that I keep bashing my head on and all I end up with is a bruised head but no clear answers. For example the question of the role of women in leadership of the church. What does God want his church to do? I can honestly say I have looked into it about as deep as one can and still don't have a clear answer. Also recently a situation came up where someone stood very strong on a specific stance on baptism and I was trying to explain that that was only one way to look at it and that there are other valid ways to view baptism that also do not negate scripture. He would have none of it and posited that his way was the one true way to view baptism. I was frustrated and it really got me thinking how so much of the strong views we take we need to be careful about thinking that we have the best hold on God that there is.
It is frustrating b/c with some of these issues, i.e. women in leadership in the church, how one comes down on the issue affects a whole lot of people- not a great time to be ambiguous. But, I do think it is worth remembering that there are many God-fearing, Bible-loving people out there who come down on different sides of numerous issues. I just like to remember that. I was thinking that maybe this is healthy for the church in some ways b/c it helps keep church orthodoxy well within its bounds. One strong bible-believing group believe one way, another come down on the opposite side. Therefore one can look on that and figure out that orthodoxy is found somewhere between the two. I can see how that can be good for the church.
After thinking about it a lot I decided that we should contribute to this by taking a stand on certain issues b/c it can help contribute to keeping church orthodoxy strong. But, we also must realized that what we believe is only one perspective and there could be other valid perspectives that are not Biblically outside the realm of orthodoxy. It seems that all was can do is to respond to the Holy Spirit and the Bible and if we take on a belief that goes against what either are telling us- we sin. We must believe in accordance with what the Bible says and with where the Holy Spirit is leading us.
People have been trying to get a hold of God forever. Moses tried to ask God's name, possibly as an act of manipulation. God would have none of it, responding, "I'll be whoever I'll be." It is important to seek God to figure out who He is, but we should be wary when if we feel we alone have it truly figured out with no mystery.
Note: In this post, I'm not speaking about big Truths like Jesus is God, but more of the smaller stuff like mode of baptism, women in leadership, the stuff that people passionately believe in but may not have any direct link to salvation.
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Friday, October 26, 2007
Openness and Communication are Key
To quote someone I know, "I like to think about church-to a point." I like questions like "What do I want a church I plant to look like?" and "How do I make people feel part of it?" I can sit all day and draw pictures in my head of what church should look like.
I can read things like this: "On the Day of Pentecost the Jerusalem congregation grew to more than 3,000 multicultural, multilingual Jews (Acts 2:41). Several thousand more were added in the days that followed (Acts 4:4, 5:14, 6:7). The church was multicultural and multilingual from the first moment of its existence. [United by Faith by Curtiss Paul DeYoung, Michael O. Emerson, George Yancey, and Karen Chai Kim]." I get excited by that.
I can read all our blogs since July and be overwhelmed (in a smiling, face hurting way) by how some of the ideas evolved through discussion. I think honest, open, sometimes even just stream-of-conciousness writing has really fleshed out some ideas, and I think that needs to be translated from a small group environment to a church-wide one. Not necessarily the back-and-forth aspects of the discussion, but the openness and honesty about church vision, mission, values, events; basically everything.
Let me be honest for a second. When I first joined Here Today in 1999, I was very suspicious of Christians because sometimes I didn't feel like I was involved in their circle because I felt I was being judged. I wasn't being judged, which I know now, but that suspiciousness developed because people weren't always forthcoming with what was going on. It would be like, "Hey we're going to play a show at a church." Then, we'd arrive at a church and have to participate in church-stuff before we played. I'd be there like, "What the heck?" It's not even that I minded the church stuff, and ultimately, it changed my life more than playing bass ever did, but if everyone had been forthcoming with me, I wouldn't have felt like I'd been tricked into going to church. I could have just gone and soaked it in without bitterness.
Especially if a church is going to unite people in their faith, I think a "cards on the table" approach is wise. Again, let me be honest; a lot of people don't naturally trust the intentions of people of other races. I was thinking about this a lot a couple days ago, and I know that my current openness to diversity is only through a years-long effort to be open and is not something that was necessarily passed down from my parents. Not that they are racist; they are status-quoists, and that's not good enough for me.
If nothing is hidden from people, and if the mission, vision and values are openly and often shared, then there will be no mystery. I have seen how suspisciousness can develop even where you feel it never could and cause division in the body. The more open and the more people know what is going on, I feel the less would have to be suspicious about. Obviously, in our world, division is going to find a way to crop up, but I feel like this would be one way to hellp protect against Satan and his plots to divide and devour.
Look at our country and how suspisciousness has arisen because nobody feels politicians are forthcoming and trustworthy. Transparency, love, and grace could help the church avoid becoming like the government and help church leaders avoid being seen as politicians.
I can read things like this: "On the Day of Pentecost the Jerusalem congregation grew to more than 3,000 multicultural, multilingual Jews (Acts 2:41). Several thousand more were added in the days that followed (Acts 4:4, 5:14, 6:7). The church was multicultural and multilingual from the first moment of its existence. [United by Faith by Curtiss Paul DeYoung, Michael O. Emerson, George Yancey, and Karen Chai Kim]." I get excited by that.
I can read all our blogs since July and be overwhelmed (in a smiling, face hurting way) by how some of the ideas evolved through discussion. I think honest, open, sometimes even just stream-of-conciousness writing has really fleshed out some ideas, and I think that needs to be translated from a small group environment to a church-wide one. Not necessarily the back-and-forth aspects of the discussion, but the openness and honesty about church vision, mission, values, events; basically everything.
Let me be honest for a second. When I first joined Here Today in 1999, I was very suspicious of Christians because sometimes I didn't feel like I was involved in their circle because I felt I was being judged. I wasn't being judged, which I know now, but that suspiciousness developed because people weren't always forthcoming with what was going on. It would be like, "Hey we're going to play a show at a church." Then, we'd arrive at a church and have to participate in church-stuff before we played. I'd be there like, "What the heck?" It's not even that I minded the church stuff, and ultimately, it changed my life more than playing bass ever did, but if everyone had been forthcoming with me, I wouldn't have felt like I'd been tricked into going to church. I could have just gone and soaked it in without bitterness.
Especially if a church is going to unite people in their faith, I think a "cards on the table" approach is wise. Again, let me be honest; a lot of people don't naturally trust the intentions of people of other races. I was thinking about this a lot a couple days ago, and I know that my current openness to diversity is only through a years-long effort to be open and is not something that was necessarily passed down from my parents. Not that they are racist; they are status-quoists, and that's not good enough for me.
If nothing is hidden from people, and if the mission, vision and values are openly and often shared, then there will be no mystery. I have seen how suspisciousness can develop even where you feel it never could and cause division in the body. The more open and the more people know what is going on, I feel the less would have to be suspicious about. Obviously, in our world, division is going to find a way to crop up, but I feel like this would be one way to hellp protect against Satan and his plots to divide and devour.
Look at our country and how suspisciousness has arisen because nobody feels politicians are forthcoming and trustworthy. Transparency, love, and grace could help the church avoid becoming like the government and help church leaders avoid being seen as politicians.
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Retreat Observations.
I want to be part of a church filled with Guerilla Lovers...not to be confused with Gorilla Lovers.
I went to a men's retreat this weekend and we talked about how Christianity is supposed to be a revolution rather than a religion. Christianity is supposed to be something that hopes to strangle out evil in the world, but not by frontal, accusatory assault, but rather through wild, crazy acts of love. The speaker called us to be Guerilla Lovers. Love where it is not expected. Show love where to do so is unusual and even crazy.
Life is uncomfortable so often, so often love will be, but love can cross all boundaries and there are nearly no defenses against it.
I went to a men's retreat this weekend and we talked about how Christianity is supposed to be a revolution rather than a religion. Christianity is supposed to be something that hopes to strangle out evil in the world, but not by frontal, accusatory assault, but rather through wild, crazy acts of love. The speaker called us to be Guerilla Lovers. Love where it is not expected. Show love where to do so is unusual and even crazy.
Life is uncomfortable so often, so often love will be, but love can cross all boundaries and there are nearly no defenses against it.
Consistency of Movement...Belonging to Discipleship.
There is something to the clean-cut, intentional-seeming (hopefully more than just seeming) Sunday service, but even the most organized revolutions are going to have unexpected events. A power cable isn't going to work. The speaker is going to flub a word and say something funny, though unintentional. The projector is going to flash out for a second as the operator inhales so sharply those near him are afraid he'll suck all the air out of the room.
I think there is something cool about the feeling of "Anything Can Happen" when it comes to Sunday Morning. I think people are drawn to that. It makes them feel in on something; part of the experience; part of something.
How do you make people feel like they belong without making others feel like they don't belong? First, things need to be consistent. If you have a rough graffiti style look to your graphic design work, then you should consider having an unrehearsed feel (which is much different than "unrehearsed") to your service. I think churches should make more effort to include attendants in Sunday service.
Now, as I type this, I think an unrehearsed feel (while still having the readiness of rehearsal) can create camaraderie.
My friend, Mike Doornbos, likes to know where the rubber hits the road. Here are some ideas for creating an atmosphere that could lead to ad-libbing and community:
1. Just by getting them out of their chair. This can be done through communion things or calisthenics (which CG used to do with great success and laughter).
2. Just by getting them to laugh at something live. Laughing at a video is great and should by all means continue. However, laughing at something live creates a sense of being on the inside of an inside joke which builds community, I think. An example at CG is how Sean, Kevin, and I tell harmless jokes about each other on stage (i.e. Sean's love of food or Kevin's crazy hair)
****
In one of my wikipedia journeys (which started with X-men and led me to gang warfare), I read the unsurprising news that gangs are attractive to youth (and I think older people, now, too) because they build a sense of family. Why aren't churches doing that? Where is Acts 2:42-47?
****
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Business and details
I had to post about something I learned this summer.
We had an ice-cream truck project, where we rented an ice-cream truck and passed out ice-cream to neighborhoods. It was great.
Well, there was this one family that seemed to have problems with me. It seemed like our every conversation had disdain in it- for me. They didn't feel communicated with during the project. Anyhoo, after the project I wanted to sit down with them to debrief the feelings I was getting from them. They flat out refused. After a long, long while, and a specific phone call from Dan- they decided they would meet with me. The conversation was fine, but they didn't really hear what I had to say and any time I said anything that admitted guilt they only seemed to use it to fuel their ultimate rightness.
So, I was thinking about what I learned from this situation. One thing is that both the man and his wife are business professionals. They are very detail oriented. They do a lot in the business world, and bring that experience to the church. It got me thinking about people like them in church. It really reminded me why it is so important to do everything we do professionally and not with a "whatever" mentality. In their job they spend a lot of time writing e-mails and being scrutinized over the detail they use in e-mail. To them the detail matters. In working on a project and giving out directions, I need to remember people like them. If we are going to serve people in the business world, then we must be professional. The things we do must be professional.
On the other hand, I also made a big note that sometimes people in the business world don't "get" church. They don't get that imperfect people are volunteering their free time to accomplish church. In a job a boss can order his workers to do whatever- but they get paid for it. Church is made of volunteers. A business person should not be allowed to complain unless they are willing to help make it better using the skills they have. There is a big difference between an organization made up of volunteers and one made up of paid workers. We do need to remember t hat. We can still accomplish a lot and do awesome stuff, but it is worth acknowledging.
So that's my story.
We had an ice-cream truck project, where we rented an ice-cream truck and passed out ice-cream to neighborhoods. It was great.
Well, there was this one family that seemed to have problems with me. It seemed like our every conversation had disdain in it- for me. They didn't feel communicated with during the project. Anyhoo, after the project I wanted to sit down with them to debrief the feelings I was getting from them. They flat out refused. After a long, long while, and a specific phone call from Dan- they decided they would meet with me. The conversation was fine, but they didn't really hear what I had to say and any time I said anything that admitted guilt they only seemed to use it to fuel their ultimate rightness.
So, I was thinking about what I learned from this situation. One thing is that both the man and his wife are business professionals. They are very detail oriented. They do a lot in the business world, and bring that experience to the church. It got me thinking about people like them in church. It really reminded me why it is so important to do everything we do professionally and not with a "whatever" mentality. In their job they spend a lot of time writing e-mails and being scrutinized over the detail they use in e-mail. To them the detail matters. In working on a project and giving out directions, I need to remember people like them. If we are going to serve people in the business world, then we must be professional. The things we do must be professional.
On the other hand, I also made a big note that sometimes people in the business world don't "get" church. They don't get that imperfect people are volunteering their free time to accomplish church. In a job a boss can order his workers to do whatever- but they get paid for it. Church is made of volunteers. A business person should not be allowed to complain unless they are willing to help make it better using the skills they have. There is a big difference between an organization made up of volunteers and one made up of paid workers. We do need to remember t hat. We can still accomplish a lot and do awesome stuff, but it is worth acknowledging.
So that's my story.
Disicple?
We are supposed to go make disciples.
But, what does a mature disciple look like?
I think it's worth thinking about b/c churches often exist to create disciples and help them to grow- but towards what? We could say- to be like Jesus- but what does that mean?
But, what does a mature disciple look like?
I think it's worth thinking about b/c churches often exist to create disciples and help them to grow- but towards what? We could say- to be like Jesus- but what does that mean?
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Some Dudes.
You can't start a church with just some dudes. I mean, you probably could, but it probably won't turn out right and in all liklihood, the church will just end up another statistic in the "failed church plant" column. Just some dudes are going to cause frustration, no matter how organized they are unless they have "heard" the voice of God and taken the time to think things through.
Have you seen the "you think of everything" commercials for Smirnoff Ice? Some dudes are at a poolside bar, and in one of the commercials, a gigantic catapult is in the background containing a equally gigantic tennis ball. Dude 1 says, "What's with the catapult?" Suddenly a HUGE dog steps over the fence and sweeps a person up in its mouth. Dude 2 hits a button and the catapult launches the tennis ball. The dog drops the person in the pool and chases the ball. Clearly, Dude 2 thinks of EVERYTHING.
The Boy Scouts taught me a thing or two before I got "too cool" for them. The Boy Scouts' motto is "Be Prepared." My wife sometimes jokes me about my desire for preparedness. I LOVE sponteneity, but I want to be prepared for it. I want to have back-ups and people who can take care of my dogs if I want to hit the road out of the blue.
So...Let me advance the situation. Eventually some dudes are going to listen carefully and hear the calling God has placed on their life. This kind of falls into the Tension category from the blog below. How do you prepare for a church while still leaving space for the Holy Spirit to move?
Let's be honest. No dudes can prepare for every eventuality, but a lot of us will try to control everything. How does this work in an environment where God is supposed to be in control?
When some dudes try to control every aspect of the church and sanitize things, what will people think? I've seen first-hand peoples' reactions to a church that makes no bones about life being easy with Jesus. Life isn't easy. Living is easier with Jesus because you have hope. You have purpose. Hardship, however, isn't going to automatically disappear. Most people latch onto this, but some people don't. Some people want church to look like Joel Osteen's church; clean, well-dressed, HUGE.
I think if some dudes want to start a church, they need to make the transition from some dude to servitude (it rhymes, that's why it's cool). They need to prepare for the things they can prepare for (which are too numerous to list here). They need to get on the same page. Then they need to get out of the boat and live on faith.
How can a pastor teach people about faith without living it out himself? Part of faith is mystery and certainty in God beyond the conventional, worldly view of certainty that is based on the promises of fallen men. Pastors have accepted a calling which requires them to be role models in and teachers of what it means to be faithful.
People are looking up to CEOs, sports-stars, musicians, actors, and politicians; role models who are inherently incomplete and lead to a path that won't necessarily help find completeness. This is across racial boundaries. Stereotypically, persons of different races look up to different people, and this is just a barrier that needs to be addressed (prepared for), then broken down. Like I've said many many times, people want something to fight for, but they need to have an example of what that looks like. It looks like Jesus, and that is where the prepared, yet living by faith, pastor comes in. It is is that dude's job to live in servitude, faithfulness.
The tension is learning to be a prepared Boy Scout while walking on water.
I have posted a brief description of my trip so far from some dude to servitude in the comments section of this post.
-Matthew-F-Murphy-
Have you seen the "you think of everything" commercials for Smirnoff Ice? Some dudes are at a poolside bar, and in one of the commercials, a gigantic catapult is in the background containing a equally gigantic tennis ball. Dude 1 says, "What's with the catapult?" Suddenly a HUGE dog steps over the fence and sweeps a person up in its mouth. Dude 2 hits a button and the catapult launches the tennis ball. The dog drops the person in the pool and chases the ball. Clearly, Dude 2 thinks of EVERYTHING.
The Boy Scouts taught me a thing or two before I got "too cool" for them. The Boy Scouts' motto is "Be Prepared." My wife sometimes jokes me about my desire for preparedness. I LOVE sponteneity, but I want to be prepared for it. I want to have back-ups and people who can take care of my dogs if I want to hit the road out of the blue.
So...Let me advance the situation. Eventually some dudes are going to listen carefully and hear the calling God has placed on their life. This kind of falls into the Tension category from the blog below. How do you prepare for a church while still leaving space for the Holy Spirit to move?
Let's be honest. No dudes can prepare for every eventuality, but a lot of us will try to control everything. How does this work in an environment where God is supposed to be in control?
When some dudes try to control every aspect of the church and sanitize things, what will people think? I've seen first-hand peoples' reactions to a church that makes no bones about life being easy with Jesus. Life isn't easy. Living is easier with Jesus because you have hope. You have purpose. Hardship, however, isn't going to automatically disappear. Most people latch onto this, but some people don't. Some people want church to look like Joel Osteen's church; clean, well-dressed, HUGE.
I think if some dudes want to start a church, they need to make the transition from some dude to servitude (it rhymes, that's why it's cool). They need to prepare for the things they can prepare for (which are too numerous to list here). They need to get on the same page. Then they need to get out of the boat and live on faith.
How can a pastor teach people about faith without living it out himself? Part of faith is mystery and certainty in God beyond the conventional, worldly view of certainty that is based on the promises of fallen men. Pastors have accepted a calling which requires them to be role models in and teachers of what it means to be faithful.
People are looking up to CEOs, sports-stars, musicians, actors, and politicians; role models who are inherently incomplete and lead to a path that won't necessarily help find completeness. This is across racial boundaries. Stereotypically, persons of different races look up to different people, and this is just a barrier that needs to be addressed (prepared for), then broken down. Like I've said many many times, people want something to fight for, but they need to have an example of what that looks like. It looks like Jesus, and that is where the prepared, yet living by faith, pastor comes in. It is is that dude's job to live in servitude, faithfulness.
The tension is learning to be a prepared Boy Scout while walking on water.
I have posted a brief description of my trip so far from some dude to servitude in the comments section of this post.
-Matthew-F-Murphy-
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