Revert to Foolishness

A story about Francis of Assisi goes like this:
Two men came to him with interest in joining his order. So Francis brought them both out to the garden and asked them to help prepare the garden for the friars' meals. He asked that the two men plant and work the garden as he did. He then planted a few cabbages upside down with the roots up and leaves down. One of the men went about his work reflecting Francis' odd styling. The other was critical at first before simply becoming resentful. "This simply is not the way you do this." He refused to imitate Francis' planting methods because they were foolish and a waste of time.

Francis said to him, "Brother, I see that you are a great master. Go your way! For a simple and humble Order does not need such masters, but rather simple and foolish persons."

This makes me think of a few people who were foolish and nearly mad in comparison to those who determine what should be 'normal' and 'acceptable'. I think of names like Francis of Assisi. Then I think of people like Ghandi and Martin Luther King, Jr. But I, of course, think of Jesus.

Jesus continually lived in ways seen as blasphemous, looney, and impure to everyone else. Jesus would do something which may be the most foolish and crazy thing ever. He dies a horrific death that would 'save' countless people from sin and disconnection from his Father God. That is crazy!!!!

But Paul also reminds us that faith in Jesus will be foolishness to the Greeks and those without the Spirit.

I think of Jesus reminding us in Matthew 18 that unless we embrace some level of foolishness, Heaven will be filed with five-year-olds.

In Matthew 11, he thanks God for hiding things from the master know-it-alls and revealing himself to the little and foolish children.

I want to know how to see God's true wisdom. I want to really experience the love, grace, and reality of God. But I have to come with a level of foolishness I am rarely willing to revert to.

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LISTENING TO: "Mean Everything to Nothing" by Manchester Orchestra

Why I'm Never At My Desk

Christians in Nazi Germany were tempted to isolate themselves into their own separate society. They would create their own little refuge away from the chaos ensuing around them that must have felt and looked like the end of the Christian world. They looked to escape the society and culture around them so they could discuss among themselves the salvation story and the faith it brings.

I am not entirely sure the Christian church is much different here in 'free' America. We have set up a model not only similar, but in light of our freedom may be further isolated than that of the Christian Church in Nazi Germany.

There is no overlooking the way our society and culture is heading in a rapid fashion. There is no debating that we live NOW in a post-Christian, postmodern society and culture. There is no need to deny or fight it.

But is our post-Christian culture much different than the PRE-Christian world?

More importantly, how will we respond? More importantly still, how did Jesus respond when the world around him created enemies of God? Did Jesus gather together in a cluster of Christians that were safe for the whole family? Did Jesus go about spending all of his efforts and time to create his own little 'holy huddle' of safe Christians who were sure to agree with him? (even his disciples would one day abandon him)

It seemed Jesus was more intent on NOT secluding himself from society, culture, and enemies of God. You constantly saw Jesus in the midst of his enemies. I mean after all, that was what he came here to do. He had a mission to fulfill.

He did not spend his time behind the desk with all the religious people who were in agreement with him unless of course the 'religious' people were not in agreement with him; he spend time with them. Jesus was with and amidst his greatest enemies.

What's more, Jesus had a crazy way of bringing peace to the lives of those who were enemies of God.

What are we doing!!

Christians! What are we doing in our own little clusters? We are commanded with MISSIONAL LIVES!!!

What is missional about our indoor programs? What is missional about our Christian music and various other things we share?

How missional are our 'evangelical events' at which 98-99% of the attenders are already saved?

Why are we locking our pastors in their offices doing paper work and programs? (Granted, many pastors lock up themselves.)

Martin Luther said it bluntly and well:
"O you blasphemers and betrayers of Christ! If Christ had done what you are doing, who would ever have been saved?"

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LISTENING TO: Disappointed by Candy (self-titled album)

And yet...

God, my Savior, my High Priest, I am in desperate need of atonement. I am continually in need of your mercy and your grace and your atonement. Each week you give me another opportunity to speak to your people. To shepherd. To pastor. I have no idea why! Nothing about me is worthy of filling any of these roles. Most of the time I wonder whether I really am qualified to do what you have allowed me to do.

Undeserving; that is a given.
Unqualified; that I am learning all the time with each opportunity you give me.

Your grace and mercy abounds in so many ways in my life; one of which is the fact you continue to open doors to speak to and care for your people. When I am so desperately in need of your grace, your atonement, your forgiveness. I need a high priest who not only knows my sin and struggle but who is also capable of canceling and forgetting it all so I can actually come closer to you. Daily I am reminded of just how depraved I really am.

Nothing about me makes me any better than anyone else. In fact, anything about me, the worst of sinners, makes me incredibly worse than anyone else.

And yet...

Those two words could sum up so much of my life.

And yet...

There are so many things, if left to myself, make me so much worse than anyone else, AND YET you forgive, forget, make clean, and use me to love your people; your church. I cannot believe it. I scarce can take it in.

Woe is me, a man unclean!

And yet...all this...

I can only respond in gratitude, because there is nothing else I could offer to repay you for all my "and yet..."

Thank you for your love, your mercy, your grace.
Thank you for the atonement.
Thank you for being bigger than me and being willing to use me with my inadequacies and undeserved "and yet..."

- St. PC of the Undeserving

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LISTENING TO: "100 Days, 100 Nights" by Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings

Notes from "American Church in Crisis" Lecture

Wednesday night I went to a lecture from Dave Olsen, the author or "American Church in Crisis". Here are my notes from that evening. (I would be VERY INTERESTED in your thoughts.)

DECAY - every organic entity diminishes and decays over time --> decay is often necessary for new growth to occur and appear
17% of population attending church on a given weekend (9% at evangelical churches)
Weekend attendance has stayed virtually the same over the last 16 years --> but our population has grown by the same number --> churches are not keeping up with population growth
There are always new people coming into our sphere of influence.
Young people are the critical group to reach --> churches who cannot reach them will steadily decline
We are in a decaying trend, and if focus or change doesn't happen, the trend will continue.
Christian ministry will get more challenging every year into the foreseeable future, which means ministry has to be better each year
Asian and Hispanic population grown is HUGE in Sacramento county in the last 7 years
Lowest evangelical attendance counties in CA are all (1-10) bay area counties in NORTHERN California
HIGHEST evangelical attendance counties in California are almost all inland (3- Placer 5-Kern 6-Sacramento)
86% of your neighbors are NOT going to a Christian church --> but Sacramento shows a high receptivity to the gospel
A lot less established religion and more and more "American" religiosity

FOREVER BUILDING
the only way to figure out what works is to experiment...maybe fail, yes...but nothing happens if nothing is done
Two important questions your church should ask --> 1. Are we willing to pay the price of change? 2. Are we willing to create new pathways for the work of God to advance --> old pathways aren't working anymore
Why are older churches declining? (40% of established churches grow and 60% decline)
Will your church grow or decline this year?
If your church is old, it needs to think and act young.
Each year, your church grows a year older and loses its vitality if new choices are not being made to be, think, and act younger....EACH YEAR
SMALL (growing) churches have the advantage of intimacy --> LARGE mega churches have the advantage of ministry excellence --> MID-SIZED churches have to do BOTH better (connect pepople...do fewer things better)

RESTORATION
Decay happens without us doing anything --> Building takes energy and work --> Restoration happens divinely...it has to come from the Holy Spirit
With change comes loss --> with loss comes fear
Our culture is NOW (not becoming but IS): Post-Christian, Postmodern, and Multiethnic
The two important words for established churches: HEALTHY and MISSIONAL
We got used to talking about Jesus in a secondhand manner --> we have to begin talking about Jesus in a real, engaging, FIRSTHAND manner
Speak of Jesus in fresh alive ways of his words and his actions

I would be VERY INTERESTED in your thoughts. These are notes on the lecture; not entirely my personal thoughts.

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LISTENING TO: "...And The Summer Pool Party" by Pigeon John

your music recomendations

Here is my present list of music I'm going to give a try. If you listen to any of this, give me your thoughts. You may also give me some recommendations if you describe your recommendations some. I realize some of these are bands I'm STILL trying out and others are bands some people have been listening to for years. Just let me know what you think.

Sleeping At Last
Unwed Sailor
Welcome Wagon
Page France
Matthew Perryman Jones
Greg Laswell
Bon Iver
Liars
Department of Eagles
Atmosphere
Common Market
Dagha
Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings
Appleseed Cast

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LISTENING TO: "The Singer" by Teitur

Facebook Church

WARNING: By no means am I condoning this or saying it is possible. This post is one giant question open to hopeful conversation.

In a social networking culture, I wonder if it is possible to see church happen via Facebook. When I read through Acts 2:42-47; I wonder how possible it is to do these things on Facebook with its different applications, groups, video posts, etc.

How possible (or impossible), on Facebook, is it to:

- hear and study the apostles' teaching
- fellowship
- break bread
- pray
- to be together with other believers with everything in common
- sell our possessions and goods and give the proceeds to those in need
- meet together
- break bread and eat together
- praise God
- see God add to our number those who are being saved

So....???? What say you?

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LISTENING TO: "Deliverance" by Quietdrive

Christians Ain't That Great

Spoke with a friend last night who informed me some common friends of ours are splitting up. This was a couple I had really admired. I admired them for their faith and their lifestyle of faith which looked so different and more engaging than most Christians I can recall knowing.

My friend and I continued talking about how surprised Christians are to discover things like divorce happen to even them. We are almost blindsided more by the fact it is even POSSIBLE for Christian couples to get to a point where divorce happens.

I began to think further on WHY that is.

I think it has something to do with the fact that Christians forget that they hold themselves to a higher...er...a DIFFERENT moral standard, but that far from makes them morally superior.

There is a common perception among Christians, false though it may be, that becoming a Christian brings them innate morality that exceeds that of non-Christians.

It is for this reason a common frustration non-Christians have with Christians is that "they think they are better than everyone else." We absolutely do!

Now matter how many 'Not Perfect; Just Forgiven' bumperstickers you put on your car, we cannot overlook the fact we have come to be convinced we are innately more moral than those without Christ.

Granted, we are a new creation, but we are not a perfect creation. We are still a new creation living in the same humanity that is prone to temptation, sin, and failure. All the more reason to stand firm in our faith, yes! But all the more reason to remember the commonality of fallen humanity we still share with Christian and non-Christian alike.

All the more reason God's mercy and grace should become more of our presentation.



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LISTENING TO: "Only By The Night" by Kings of Leon

Too Much Too Little

My time in Scripture this morning has been quite rich and yet poor. It has been quite telling of my heart and a challenge, once again, to my way of living. Here are a few notes from my time.

EXODOUS 35:4-29
Everyone's heart who was willing, gave. There is a question of my heart and my WILLINGNESS to give of my plenty and my skills and talents. The question is less about whether I will DO it and more about whether my HEART actually desires to.

2 CORINTHIANS 8:1-15
This may be the strongest point at which my heart was truly stricken. There is a great focus on generosity, but I cannot get past verses 13-15:

"but it is a question of a fair balance between your present abundance and their need, so that their abundance may be for your need, in order that there may be fair balance. As it is written, 'The one who had much did not have too much, and the one who had little did not have too little."

I cannot argue with the bluntness of scripture here as it relates to my considerable plenty compared to the poverty of the world. It is also a personal affront to how I spend my money. What am I wearing, and where does it come from? Is it made and traded in fair ways or in ways which more than demean but actually oppress the poor? What about the coffee I drink? The money I spend reflects my value or devalue of the poor and of God's command on my heart.

"The one with much did not have too much, and the one with little did not have too little."

PHILIPPIANS 4:10-23
vs 11-12: "Not that I am referring to being in need; for I have learned to be content with whatever I have. I know what it is to have little and I know what it is to have plenty."

As a child of single mom who had to live and raise her boys for a portion of life with food stamps and welfare, I also know what it is to have little, and I know what it is now to have plenty, but the question really is, "Have I LEARNED to be content in WHATEVER I have?"



LISTENING TO: "Hold Time" by M. Ward