sustain:if:able kiwi

bruised but

A blog break = no abuse from nameless punters … no emails to wade thru … no complex and ethical decisions about what to blog and what not to blog … no feeling like I am a baby in the matrix energy factory, with nameless people sucking me dry.

I have really enjoyed the break and have been very tempted to keep enjoying it. I found out one of the people who emailed on my stuff was a person I had helped in cyber and that was more bruising that finding out it had happened in the first place.

But then, a blog break = no meeting you … no expansion of my world … no interesting comments that open my mind … less public processing of God in my life …

OK, OK, so I will return … I will need a few more days for the bruising to die away and to put in place some lessons learnt.

At this stage I am working on 2 blogs: a publishable blog and a conversational blog.

One, the publishable blog, you can take what you want and use it to power your matrix.

The other, the conversational blog, well, if you are willing to sign up to tread carefully, speak clearly and take nothing with you, then I can throw you the keys to the front door of the conversational space. I keep your “email” promise on file and if you flog my stuff, I throw away your keys, or worse throw you to the lawyers. Sort of like a private dinner party where we all work together to enhance the conversation. We give energy and in exchange we go away richer.

You get the keys by requesting so in my publishable blog, which remains pretty much its usual self, just a bit lighter at times cos the real oil is in the conversational space where I can trust ya.

What do you think?

test

just playing with some possibilities. you should not be able to access this download. if you can, PLEASE, let me know.

Download file

a break

i am taking a break from this blog in order to process some stuff. i set up this blog to be a conversational space. if, as maggi has commented, it is in reality a publishable space, then i am forced to rethink my energies.

i would love, in the kingdom, to be able to give all my work away. that was my dream in the creative commons license. but it appears i am required to be more careful. i am not sure i want a “careful” blog. appreciate your prayers.

the publishing week that was

Friday 5 March 3 pm :: I blog some brief thoughts about art and Mel.

Saturday and Sunday :: I work on an article on creativity and spirituality for Reality magazine. This is unpaid. This diverts time from my book. But I have been asked to do it and I am passionate about the topic. I send the article to reality late Sunday evening.

Tuesday 9 March 1:30 pm :: I got to see Mel’s passion.

Tuesday 9 March 2:00 pm :: Reality ring to discuss the creativity and spirituality article with Lynne. Lynne mentions I am at the Passion and Reality ask what I think.

Tuesday 9 March 5:00 pm :: I suggest Reality should do a feature edition on the movie.

Tuesday 9 March 10:00 pm :: I draft an initial 500 word letter to Mel. This is for my own benefit, as it helps me process my thoughts and extends my blog thinking.

Wednesday 10 March 1 pm :: Reality ring and ask for a 2000 word article on Mel. (This means they will shunt the article I have spent all weekend writing, to a June edition). I have been deeply disturbed by the Mel movie. I am aware that my feelings are out of step with much evangelical fervour surrounding the movie. I am concerned about how my thoughts might be perceived. Do I want to be cast as grumpy? Reality promise to edit me carefully. On this basis I say that if an article emerges, I will submit it.

Wednesday 10 March 5 pm :: The keyboard taps and I have some coherent thoughts. I am still very concerned about my thoughts. I am not sure I want to publish. I put my thoughts up on the blog, asking for feedback. In my mind this is a draft piece and I am, as my blog says “a work in process”.

Thursday 11 March 5 pm :: I have had 4 appreciative comments. Encouraged by this, I decide to submit the piece. I make some changes. I send the piece to Reality. Reality is primarily a print based medium, but they also publish work on their website. If Reality accept the piece, then I can take the draft piece down. I have a church AGM to run that evening, so I leave the office in a hurry.

Friday 12 March 9 am :: It has been a big Thursday evening and another night away from my family, so I drink a slow morning coffee with Lynne and Kayli.

Friday 12 March 11 am :: I arrive at the office to find messages on my home phone, work phone, cell phone and email from Reality.

By the time Reality have cleared their email, and received my piece, that Friday morning, they have already received two copies of my draft post, emailed to them, cut and pasted from my website. I am totally unaware of this. No one has told me they are cutting and pasting from my website and sending it on to other people. This is a draft piece of work. I am angry.

Technically my creative common license makes this OK, although it does cut across my statement on the blog that this was a piece in process, and my request for feedback.

Reality say they like the article and want to print it. They are, quite rightly, concerned that by the time their print based medium has printed my article, lots of people in New Zealand, might have read by piece by email. So I can either publish (unpaid) with them, or publish (unpaid) on my blog. However, since they will put my piece on their website, I can get the best of both worlds, just at a slower pace. I pull the draft piece of my blog.

Friday 12 March 3:00 pm :: I am now under internet pressure to put the piece back up on my blog.

I (think) I have learnt
1. The internet moves VERY fast.
2. Print based medium is under huge pressure from internet media.
3. That I cannot trust the internet, including other Christians. Anything I put up on my blog, can and will be, cut and pasted and sent without my knowledge.
4. That unless something changes in either writing medium or the way people use the internet, that my print writing and internet writing career are incompatible. I can no longer use my blog as a place to process work.
5. That this is sad, and I would love to find another way forward.

whats the internet point 3

I continue to ponder the ethics of the internet and the personal implications for me as a thinker and writer. I have been informed that my Open Letter to Mel was cut and pasted from this website and emailed to people around New Zealand, without my knowledge.

I struggle with this. I put the letter up. I asked for feedback. There were 2 comments and 2 emails, yet I find out via a friend that via email it is flying around the internet.

I think aloud. The blog is great for that. I want to be read. I am honoured that people would cut and paste it. But why, oh why, couldn’t you pay me the courtesy of telling me. I feel quite exploited on this one.

Perhaps I am just too naive for this internet game.

missiological encounters

that new pastor, bit of a wag.

open letter to mel gibson

Dear Mel

I went to your film today. I am a Christian and so want to be part of the Kingdom extended. I am a pastor and so have a certain interest in Jesus. I am a theologian, who did a Masters on the atonement in contemporary culture, and so have a certain professional interest in how Jesus death is portrayed.

So today I went to your film …letter continues under headings of
my movie of disbelief
the framing
the framing of violence
the over-hyped
evangelism by art

I would love feedback;

PS I have taken the article down. Reality magazine want to print my Open Letter to Mel. Due to the legalities of print vs www, I have taken the letter of this website. The Reality issue is due out April 19, and at that time you can read it.

Leadership exercise

“Modern-day pastors work, whether we know it or not, out of a reservoir of received images of Christian leadership… long list of American leaders… Every time I enter a pulpit or a hospital room as a pastor, for good or ill, I bear memories of those who lived out this vocation before me. Knowledge of their sacrifices and achievements, their stumblings and mistakes, can help inspire and encourage me, correct and judge me in my ministerial work today.” – Willimon, Pastor.

So who are the ministry models that shaped you, for good or ill? How are they inspiring and encouraging you?

PS. This prompted excellent discussion and prayer at our Opawa team meeting today.

words, words, words

Bozone :: the substance surrounding stupid people that stops bright ideas from penetrating. The bozone layer, unfortunately, shows little sign of breaking down in the near future.

Beelzebug :: Satan in the form of a mosquito that gets into your bedroom at three in the morning and cannot be cast out.

Dopeler effect :: the tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly.

from Washington Post’s Style Invitational 2003

Kiwi bloggers

Two new Kiwi bloggers who have survived the initial “post” and are now up and running regular. The other, the better, emergent kiwi is here. My friend Marion whom I am marrying in April, is here.

(No jokes about multiple partners please.)

book of the month: the heartbreaker

Confession. I love Susan Howatch. Her latest novel, The Heartbreaker, continues my affair of the heart. Sure it’s long. Sure it’s not a thriller. But I’d buy it because
1 – It’s fiction. And in the world of my imagination is where God most often sandbags me.
2 – It offers a superb contemporary contextualisation of Luke 15
3 – It offers some very interesting insights on sexuality, particularly the complexities around homosexuality. This book will satisfy neither liberal or fundamentalist, but it might make both more sensitive and less dogmatic.
4 – It offers a pastoral model of the “long haul”, in which God works deeply through sustained listening, committed Christian behaviours and the desire for sustained integrated lives.

If your world includes people or ministry, then reading Howatch will be time well spent.

the postmodern in 1 sentence

A story in response to Tim’s comment: in three words (i.e., “Postmodernism is _____”).

So it is 9 am on a Sunday morning late last year. Barely awake, barely functioning, I am doing a workshop, with Mark Pierson from Cityside. The prescribed title (NOT our choice) was “Postmodern communication.” The prescribed audience is New Zealand Bapist Assembly.

In true postmodern style, Mark and I have prepared a deck of cards with a different topic on each card and an egg timer. An audience member will choose a card from the deck and we have “egg timer” time to answer. It will be participatory, interactive, audience-driven, random, chaotic, fast moving … (not that I am defining the postmodern in 1 sentence).

Before we start a hand shoots up. I am not sure I am in right place. Can you define postmodernity for me in 1 sentence? This man might be looking for the right place, but suddenly I sense I am in the wrong place.

blog heaven

theyblinked
linked
(enigmatically
helpful)

i am on coops frontpage blog roll.

this blog can now retire happy. thanx for calling.

meeting mels Jesus

there’s a lot of talk in cyberspace and cafe table about The Passion. I get an allergic rash at some of the way’s evangelicals are responding. I mean, Mel puts millions into the movie and we respond with a few tacky tracts. Why can’t we let art be art?

Yet having watched the art, the questions are raised. They hang there, waiting. I am pondering preaching on these questions.

meeting Mels Jesus
– Why the levels of violence?
– Who did kill Jesus?
– What about before and after the 12 hours?

Letting art be art, while reflecting theologically on the cafe table questions. What do you think about the approach? Am I scratching where people are itching?