Mike Frost wrote a book with Alan Hirsch called ‘The Shaping of Things to Come’. This book put into words and pages what my heart felt. Here’s an encouraging/valuable/challenging/long/insightful clip of Mike talking about the missional Church. Make a cup of coffee or tea and spend some time watching this and let it sink in. Thanks to Alan for posting this on his blog for me to steal:)
Monthly Archive for November, 2007
I was just reading this article on BBC and there was a stat toward the bottom that caught my attention. It said:
In the US, 1% of the population control almost 40% of wealth
Now, I’m no economist, but this just seems a bit out of proportion. There is something about the way that the middle-class adores celebrity…therefore fuels and funds celebrity…that seems odd. The TV was on at our place tonight and ‘Entertainment Tonight’ was on. I was amazed how this show seems like an obvious worship of celebrity and a promotion to ‘us’ of how we can really learn a lot from famous people. Because for some reason famous peoples’ obesity or drug-addiction is more horrific and shocking…and the subsequent recovery…is more glamorous. I just wanted sit back and say, “Yeah, for her that she was able to get gastro-intestinal bypass surgery…I’m so happy that she has a new Christmas CD coming out.” I don’t think we do anybody any favors by elevating others’ to idol status.
I also found it so coincidental that this story of a D-list celebrity is talked about just as her new CD is hitting stores…Earth to us, People…we are being inundated with marketing, and they are good, and they are winning.
I just took a nap…I hate naps…
But I think I had a dream about Paris. Not a day goes by that I don’t miss it.
…Photos that is. I love pictures because the catch and freeze a memory and share a viewpoint. They communicate more than words and stain our brains. Here are 100 of them that Life magazine say changed the world…I would say two things about them first.
1. Most of these pictures revolve around US history or US involvement. I don’t know how I feel about the reality that all of them changed the world, but they do present some defining moments.
2. Some of the pictures are graphic in nature…so you’re given the heads up.
Ursula’s, the Edwards’, Mimi’s, my parent’s, and now Christine’s…these are the places we’ve lived over the past 92 days. 92 is the number of days it has been since Jen and I have lived in our own place. 92 is the number of days that we’ve been living out of suitcases. 92 is the number of days that Maisie has been shuffled from dwelling to dwelling. 92 is the number of days we have been displaced as a family.
But these things aren’t what is starting to get to me. They do take a toll, but they aren’t THE big thing. The big thing is that we haven’t been consistently serving in one place for 92 days. While I have loved hanging out w/ friends and supporters over the past few months, I really miss being in ‘real life’ and getting to know ‘real people’. I am realizing the extent to which my spirituality is greatly influenced by being engaged with mission. Sure, I still pray and read the Bible, but something is missing when I am lacking a real outlet for what God has been teaching me. Let’s just say…I am so looking forward to landing in a place again where we’ll be actively engaged in some form of consistent service.
If you’ve never heard of Steven Delopoulos then you’re missing out. bottom line. Probably my favorite songwriter and an amazing guitarist. This Thanksgiving I am thankful that his new album is for sale on his website…not a free gift, but a gift nonetheless to hear his new stuff! Here’s a video from his site too:
Today I was talking with a friend about church stuff…I’ve been thinking of this analogy for a while, but hadn’t really processed it much.
I’ve been thinking a lot (a lot) about what sustainable movements look like and what it takes to be sustainable. In the process I’ve been thinking about what sustainable isn’t. The image that came to mind was of seedless grapes. A seedless grape is convenient, tastes the same, and looks the same…but there is one major difference: it can’t reproduce. If a seedless grape is the last grape on the planet…it has no chance of reproducing. If a seedless grape falls to the ground and dies…that’s all there is to it.
A grape with a seed has all the DNA tucked inside of it to create more grapes. If a grape with seeds dies there is a chance that many more grapes will be able to grow.
The critical difference is that a seedless grape is missing the part that can actually make a difference to the sustainability of the fruit…it’s missing the DNA. A movement cannot be sustainable if the DNA is lost. This is the biggest threat to Christianity not being sustainable for generations to come…becoming seedless grapes.
My prayer is that we as a movement will rediscover the DNA of following Christ that makes faith in Jesus so potent and culture changing.
If you are curious as to thinking more about this subject I would check out the book The Forgotten Ways by Alan Hirsch. He does a great study of the first century Church and the underground Church in China; two movements that have possessed this radical DNA.
I just finished reading a book called ‘The Shack‘ by William P. Young. It’s a novel about a man who has a family tragedy that leads him to an encounter with God.
I don’t want to explain too much of the book because I would recommend giving it a read. I’ll say this about it…it gave me great insight into how God relates with his people in order to restore things to the way He intended. This book is part theology, part spiritual devol0pment, and part first-aid kit for people frustrated with God.
I especially appreciated the dialog about forgiveness, how God’s judgment is described, and how clearly God desires reconciliation…good stuff.
I say check it out…I’m going to be reading it again for sure.
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