February 28, 2005
inside a story
My early experiences of Christianity were in what I now call a “point” faith. Testimonies were framed around the conversion moment and the emphasis was on a decision to follow Jesus.
My recent reading of Scriptures has moved to a greater desire to indwell the story. Rather than preach for the “point,” rather than worry about who is in and who is out, I want to tell the story of the amazing grace of God and the radical ethical implications of this grace for our lifestyles.
This seems to me to open everyone to the challenge of the gospel. All of us need to hear and re-hear grace and ethics. It allows people to explore their actions from within, rather than be told what to do. It honours the fact that most of us live our lives by the story/ies we tell.
I was talking with a person on last week. A year ago, they were nowhere near church. In the process of a pastoral conversation we talked about the implications of Genesis 1 and 2, and God as Trinity for a specific area of their life. Rather than give advice, a list of “how tos”, we explored the story and made application. As they talked I suddenly realized they were inside the story. At some time in their year, at a point probably invisible to them, they had moved inside a story by which now guided their life and actions. I was seeing new life, without ever witnessing the moment of conception.
February 27, 2005
how far should I go?
OK, so I am back in the west coast of USA April 27-29. And so is U2. So, is it worth me arriving early, and flying up to Seattle (April 24-25), to say "Hi"?
Or do I wait, and hope they come to Melbourne, Austalia (still a 3.5 hour flight from Christchurch, New Zealand).
Update: I booked. I am not chasing U2. I fly into LA on Sunday 24th April and leave Friday 29th April.
February 25, 2005
repackaging Jesus
Back before Christmas, I got interviewed for a national magazine as part of an article on "re-packaging Jesus." Just noticed the article is now up on the web.
Some of my favourite quotes:
So, if you're expecting what Rev Dr Steve Taylor at Opawa Baptist Church in Christchurch calls "a Mr Bean experience" – a mumbled sermon and badly sung ancient hymns, with people dozing off around you – think again.
And:
Back at Opawa, Taylor says that each church has to be like a DJ, sampling from a range of texts and traditions – the Bible, culture, ancient rituals. Whatever it takes to get people dancing. Different cultures, generations and churches will come up with different rhythms and God's big enough for that. "When you mix these tracks together, new mixes emerge, new sounds."
February 24, 2005
where is the gospel in film?
Last nite I kicked off teaching in gospel and film. It struck me in preparation that 50 years ago, Christians weren’t even allowed to attend films, let alone have them taught on at a theological College.
Why a gospel and film course? I suggested 5 reasons;
1 - New Dialogue partners: In the words of Douglas Hall, "Who is telling the worlds story?" For many years theology turned to philosophy to listen to a telling of the world’s questions and dreams. Today the world’s story; conversations about meaning, life, God, spirituality are occurring everyday on our big screens. Theology needs a new dialogue partner.
2 - Looking closer: The film American Beauty invited us to look closer at the life of suburban America. What happens when you look closer? Well in one scene, as the hearse drives past, the invitation "look closer, becomes spiritual dialogue, "God is looking right at you … you can look right back." It is interesting that in the book of John, Jesus plays in a similar way with the metaphor of looking closer (John 1). Will we take the challenge of Jesus, and the opportunities provided by film, to "look closer" at our world?
3 - The First shall be last: We might be evangelised. How seriously will we take the gospel as presented by a movie maker like Spielberg in Amistad?
4 - Tell me a story: Film allows us to explore stories together. Around coffee, amid plot and interpretation, comes the time to consider the narratives of culture and the narratives of Christ.
5 - Funding a new cultural imagination: "Gospel and film" is more than how film might shape the church. A Kingdom vision will also want to ask how the church can influence film. We need film industry people who are Christians. Note the words are chosen with care. We need not Christian film makers (ala Left Behind), but film makers who are Christians.
We then had a great discussion around R-rating the Scriptures – plenty of sex and violence - and WWJW (What would Jesus watch)?
February 22, 2005
hearts
Sunday's worship was focused around hearts: Click to view image
you got a red heart as you came in;
and we read Ephesians 1 to each other - how God see's our heart
you were invited to lay your heart at the cross
as we sung O love that will not let me go
you were invited to pick up a heart as a prayer for growth through hospitality; after I preached on growth through hospitality; Jesus and food and the gospels, with Emmaus Road text - full sermon here). You aren't sure which heart you'll get, which of course is part of Jesus challenge to growth thru hospitality
wireless
the church has just got a wireless network.
so i am showing off by posting from outside the men's toilet.
wierd place to show off from isn't it?
people get arrested for showing off in such places.
i should go.
February 19, 2005
a spring spirituality
Last September (Southern hemisphere spring), I gave out sunflowers, and invited people at Opawa to plant them as a sign of spring hope. Opawa has had many years of winters, and I suggested the seeds could embody our prayers for hope.
Last nite, a church family popped around with this photo. The sunflower stands over 3.6 metres tall.
February 18, 2005
February 17, 2005
touchstone and emerging
Just had a very pleasant lunch with the New Zealand Methodist denominational magazine, talking emerging church. They are doing a major feature. The conversation ranged over midwives, soteriological entrepreneurs, institutions and motivations.
author purgatory
I visited Manna Book shop today, to work on details for a local, Christchurch book launch of my new book. On the way out the door, I was shown the specials table. "That's where the books that die end up." I move to my car contemplating author purgatory, the slow wait before that dreadful day when you see your book remaindered for $3.
February 16, 2005
out of sync
Warning: real honest blog post: Most of us have deeper needs that shape our movement in, and into, ministry. It can be the need to help or the need to explain. Such needs are neutral, but remain open to a warping into good or evil. So the need to help can lead to burnout, while the need to explain can lead to poor listening.
My need is to prove myself, to take up every challenge thrown at me. It was a huge insight to discover this in seminary. And as a flow on, to realise that every challenge sent my way need not be responded to. In response to my need, I have often returned to Luke 1 and 2, the sheer unexpected gift of God's encounter, which stands against my need to respond, to justify, to explain. (Those who know me well, will want to comment that I am still in process on this issue).
But it means that when someone from outside my headspace asks me to prove myself, or my ministry, they are syncing with some pretty big personal and formational needs and desires. My reluctance to provide measures of fruit for the emerging church could be construed as avoidance. For me, it is about an awareness of what drives me, and a desire to be increasingly thoughtful about what issues I need to prove.
This does not mean I will remain silent, but it is an honest reflection on who I am at this moment in my life.
on the plane again?
It looks like I will be back in Los Angeles, April 27-29, for a leadership consultation in relation to the emerging church. I am sick of travelling, but this looks worth easing my butt back into an airline seat again.
February 15, 2005
Displacement
We have our annual church meeting this week. I've been here a year now and so the AGM is undergoing a radical re-shape. It's trying to be more like a family time - with food, with comedy and live music, with sharing of what's going on and talking about the future. There will still be motions and agendas, but the dominant image will, hopefully, be framed around the metaphor of family gathering. We have written to any and all our non-members to tell them about the changes and invite them along.
In preparation, I have been out and about shooting video. I made a list of all those new around Opawa since the last AGM and have been videoing them saying who they are and what they appreciate about Opawa.
Anyhow, I added up the list, and blow me down, there are nearly 60 new people. It's been quite a year.
But then my thoughts jump. I wonder how it is for the long-timers. When 60 new people arrive, how do they feel? What are the pastoral issues associated with this sort of change? After all, the dominant metaphor is family.
February 13, 2005
reading for all its worth
We have started reading Walter Wangerin's The Book of God, as part of worship at Digestion, our interactive Sunday evening service.
The nominated reader comes and sits on our "Hot text seat" - a gorgous red chair, and away we go, listening to the narrative of God in history. When we feel done, we put it aside for next Sunday. It's a bit like a bed-time story.
In evangelical churches, the Bible is usually reduced to a tiny bit that someone explains. My hope is that reading the Book of God promotes the story, unexplained, uncommented on, reminding us of the big sweep of God through history.
February 11, 2005
the wanton pleasure of idle wondering
I fly to Auckland for the day tomorrow (Saturday), catching a 6:30 am flight, returning at 8:30 pm. I am part of the Virtual Theology Colloquium 2005;
Purpose: to gather a group of Trans-Tasman scholars to explore and discuss themes related to doing theology in the context of an electronic world: the implications for these disciplines of the cultural and epistemological changes being brought by electronic media (hypertext, digital technologies, electronic publishing, mobile telephony and the internet) and their cultural formations and applications.
I have titled my paper - P2P theology: the potential of everyday practices, as enscribed in virtual internet communities
I am presenting some research analysing attempts at community on the internet, specifically open source theology, blogs and grid blogs, assessing their potential in enabling a P2P theology. In so doing I am arguing that theology today is best viewed not in terms of historical beliefs, but in everyday practices.
Part of this week has been in preparation, and it has reminded me again of how much I enjoy research. So much of my life has an essential praxis; a preparing to preach or teach or write or speak at a seminar. While invariably much of my research does end up as praxis, there is something profoundly re-creative - excessive, wanton even - about taking time to follow the research muse and chase down questions for the sheer sake of idle wondering.
growth questions
We are ringing people around church at the moment, asking them;
In what ways do you see people your age grow/develop/change for the better?
Are their any other ways people your age can grow/develop/change for the better?
Age range?
February 10, 2005
G X E = spiritual growth
While debate still rages over the extent to which we as humans are shaped by our gene pool (G) and/or our environment (E); many people now suggest we are a mix of both.
So apply this with regard to spiritual growth;
G = (a mix of our "made in the image of God" + "being transformed into the image of Christ through the power of the Spirit.")
E = (our communities; disciplines; growth coaching; practices; spaces).
Churches can't do much about G; but they can do a lot about E. How to maximise our churches and relationships as E-growth-zones?
February 09, 2005
postmodern lenten resources: It's pilgrimage with Jesus, Jim, but not as we know it
Today is Ash Wednesday, the start of 40 days walking with Christ toward Easter. Lent often disappears behind a religious cloak. It needs to be re-habiliated into the culture.
I have started Faith Odyssesy: A Journey Through Lent, by Richard Burridge.
(The UK cover, above, looks heaps better than the US cover as shown on Amazon)
Burridge's book offers a daily reading through the eyes of Science Fiction and popular culture. "It's pilgrimage with Jesus, Jim, but not as we know it."
February 08, 2005
a wierd joy
Just got my first email from someone;
who I have never met,
who has brought my book,
who found it helpful,
and who was asking me mission questions - how to connect with their poorer, multi-ethnic community.
It is such a joy for me to know that the result of reading my book was thinking about mission and finding God in spaces new and other. Yeeha!
February 07, 2005
International traveller
relationality
ripped adrift
brain slurred and tired
self stays and self goes
where is earth? who is person?
blog link
clicks to human
ethnocentricity enorbed
mine
yours
ours
slow bass beat, as
rhythm, of
God, self, other
in accented space
