Wednesday, August 02, 2006
Daddy, you donยt have to say yes to everything
I was due to speak at Greenbelt, UK, later this month. My seminar was titled:
Spiritual takeways – Christianity Lite or Discipleship Extreme? We live in a 24/7 world, yet so often our community is public in worship 1 hour per week. This seminar will explore the relationship between contemporary spirituality and the emerging church, with a particular focus on what it means to be a visible presence in a transient community. It will explore practices such a spirituality postcards, tactile takeways and spirituality of life resourcing.
But I am tired of airtravel. And I needed a few more speaking gigs to make it worthwhile and things were not really clicking. So over the weekend I wondered aloud about the wisdom of going and my 9 year old set me straight; “Daddy, you don’t have to say yes to everything.” Sorry Ben and sorry Greenbelt. Maybe next year.
)
Without trying to actually say anything, what would be your responce to “it appears that the emerging church seems to spend a lot of time talking about the emerging church”?
I’m not pointing fingers, because I don’t know, but sometimes I get this impression…
Comment by Andrew Brown — August 3, 2006 @ 10:58 am
i can’t (and won’t) comment on this nameless entity that has called “the emerging church.”
In terms of me – the emergentkiwi – what is this “emerging” person talking about; I have done 9 posts in the last 2 weeks;
3 are about the Bible
3 are about my life in general
2 are about my church community
1 is about computers/IT/writing.
So there we are – the emergent kiwi is talking about … the Bible and the local church church and his life.
are you still too busy to have that coffee I suggested a while ago so we can get to know each other as humans face-2-face as well as this blog chat?
Comment by steve — August 3, 2006 @ 11:18 am
If it’s during the week then yeah I’m always at work ๐
Maybe sometime though.
And sorry, now that you point it out, I realise I was only thinking of certain posts and not including others. Why did I do this? We will never know. ๐
Comment by Andrew Brown — August 3, 2006 @ 12:27 pm
If you go to greenbelt next year then let me know… then we can also fly you to beautiful scandinavia and let you have a few gigs here… It is just in the neighbourhood of UK…:-)
Comment by Thomas Willer — August 4, 2006 @ 10:51 am
When I saw the title I expected something like,
“Daddy, you donยt have to say yes to everything, but please can I have a pony?”
Oh well, such are the thoughts of a father with a young daughter.
Anyway, take time to recharge the batteries so what you do give to your family, students, congregation, groupies, and yourself is life-giving – not stretched thin.
Comment by Stephen — August 4, 2006 @ 11:39 am
what a wise choice! way to go!
Comment by jonathan — August 5, 2006 @ 8:24 am
thanks Thomas, i’ll definitely be in touch next year. one thing i am learning is that
a) it takes a lot of energy to be my own booking agency and bring disparate groups together in Europe, all while i am in NZ;
b) there is a big gap between the “hey, we’d love to have you” email and the realities of schedules and airfares etc.
c) but i’d love to do time with you if it’s possible;
steve
Comment by steve — August 5, 2006 @ 10:54 am
Shame for us… but good call mate! If you do come next year we will have to look at some more dates… maybe a tour like Karen and Ryan have just done? of course you’ll have to write a new book first ๐ Maybe oneday we’ll get over there!
Comment by Mark Berry — August 7, 2006 @ 6:50 am
to your point b). Yes airfaires and schedules can be tricky but hopefully it can work out…
Comment by Thomas Willer — August 7, 2006 @ 5:58 pm
Mark, you’re a character, on your blog you are blowing off about the link between books and celebrity Christian sub-culture and now you’re asking me for a new book ๐
i do actually have a 1st draft mss for a book on the bible in the emerging church, and am currently awaiting the beautific smile of a publisher ๐
Comment by steve — August 7, 2006 @ 8:00 pm
LOL… I know Americans don’t do irony… but I didn’t realise Kiwi’s didn’t either ๐
Comment by Mark Berry — August 8, 2006 @ 8:59 am
gotcha mark, sort of like you a -bakerblah- tour? (baker a deliberate pun in at least 2 ways)
Comment by steve — August 8, 2006 @ 11:49 am