Monthly Archives: July 2010

Disconnected Revival

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I haven’t had a good rant on my blog in a while and in an effort to write more of what’s on my mind, this is what gets published for the world to see.

I’ve been prepping for a conference this summer in which I’m leading worship for a few sessions. Worship leading was really never my thing before joining Christian Associates, but it’s now a part of what I enjoy doing. I love music and love seeking God. Singing worship songs is a combo of the two…

But during the process of reading about ‘the worship scene’ and learning new songs I’ve found myself disturbed. The word ‘revival’ is thrown out a there a lot…a lot. Certainly in some circles more than others. Groups talk about starting revival through singing and teaching, setting people’s hearts on fire, equipping people to be sent out, etc. I know that while money is being made, lives are being lived, people are producing mediocre music and selling the songs, and the consumers of the worship music industry are having spiritual experiences that there isn’t a lot of time or need to question what is being done. I don’t doubt that people are changed for a time. I don’t doubt that people are inspired. I don’t doubt that people are genuine and sincere. But I do doubt whether or not this is the foundation of a revival.

It’s fun to talk about revival. It’s fun to talk about movements. They are big. Larger than life. They are intangible and the ideas make us dream big. But I don’t think that surreal events are the places where Jesus really embeds into our DNA.

It’s the simple. It’s faith. It’s the small choices that we make out of love and gratitude that begin the revival within us. I love what Keith Green said in his classic song:

“I want to take your Word, and shine it all around

But help me first, just to live it Lord”

But here is where the disconnect is.

The world around us could really care less about our big plans for revival. In fact, I believe that the more they here us use Christio-spiritual-lingo-babble and then don’t seen us actually living lives that reflect Jesus clearly the worse off we are. People don’t want to meet an ‘on fire’ Christian. Or a ‘spirit lead’ believer. They don’t even know what that means. (What does that even mean? Who are we to say that some Christians or leaders are lead by the Spirit and some aren’t? I get that the intent is to say that some leaders talk about the Spirit or practice Spiritual gifts, but it really comes across differently than intended…)

What I believe people need is to see a people that are choosing to be like Jesus. The Jesus that invited the tax collectors out of trees and restored their humanity. The Jesus that touched the lepers…the outcasts. The Jesus that risked His own safety for the freedom of others. The Jesus that was human. The Jesus that cared. The Jesus that loved and interacted with people. The Jesus that turned water into wine to honor a poor couple. The Jesus that went out of his way to mourn a friend.

No amount of worship conferences could replace the influence of all of the people of the world who call themselves Jesus-followers actually following Jesus.

If you want to make a case that conferences bring glory to God, then I would say that I think it’s clear in the Scriptures that God cares more for one ‘lost’ (read: valuable) sheep coming to him than the 99 whom he already has. I think it’s clear in Scripture that God is most glorified when people live rightly under His ways.

So, is all this to say that I don’t think that worship has it’s place? Or is not beneficial? Or does not motivate people to closeness with God? Of course not! Otherwise I wouldn’t be leading worship at the conference in a couple of weeks.

But I do think that for our time we need to be clear that our talks of revival need to be a revival of our internal lives, our obedience to following Jesus, our trust in God…not just singing and more talk about God. Good orthodoxy leads to good orthoproxy…when we believe rightly about God, we’ll behave accordingly. Somewhere our orthodoxy is wrong…thus the talk of need for revival throughout generations.

I would say that within each of us lies the potential for revival, for a movement…it’s the true Spirit of God waiting for us to obey His voice and follow him into the real world.


The Next Ten Hours

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World Cup 2010: Spain’s success puts nationalists in the shade | World news | The Observer

This is a great article that gets at some of the tension in Catalunya in regards to being a separate independent country and in whether or not to support Spain’s national futbol team. There is a long and interesting history of why this is an issue, but I won’t go into that.

After the win over Germany the other night, I was surprised at how few people were out celebrating in Barcelona (To later find out that people were on La Rambla…which is also interesting because it’s a total tourist spot, but it would be cool if it were taken over with a city wide party!). It’s not crazy after a win here like in Madrid or other cities without separatist tendencies. But as this article talks about, we are seeing a change. And if Spain wins the match in a few hours, I’m wondering how many more steps people, especially the young, will be more ok with identifying with Spain as a whole. Spain has never been to a World Cup final. Had never won anything big until Euro2008 and the wounds that divide this country are still fresh…relatively speaking.

I think that this article is getting at something. There could be a change on the horizon. What if the young Catalans (think 18 and younger) are more ok with celebrating Spain than the generation before? Would a ‘Spain’ victory in the World Cup dull the edge of a historically separatist culture? Could it unite people?

There is a part of me that wishes that it would. One half of me would like to see people here more unified and less angry about the past. Just yesterday there was a massive protest by the Catalan Nationalistic Party (the group that wants Catalunya to be it’s own nation-state) on Passeig de Gracia. Hundreds of thousands of people were out with Catalan flags. On my walk home from a meeting I saw people burning a Spanish flag.

I thought, “That’s kind of disrespectful…” The atmosphere was intense. People were angry. At this point in the protest it was mostly 20-somethings with probably a bit too much angst. I wonder what they would be passionate about if they didn’t have this? If there was no more fight.

But there is another part of me that loves the revolution spirit of people here. It’s been within a generation that they’ve even been allowed to protest like this. After learning more about the history of the region, and it is recent history, I understand why they want to be separate from Spain. They are basically a people who were conquered in the past and no longer want to be captive to Spain now that we live in a different time.

It’s a very interesting and complex situation. I’m glad to be here during this time as I feel like it could be a breaking point…if Spain wins. So I’m understanding as to why the Catalans have a hard time supporting the national team (even though 7 of the team’s players are from Barcelona’s team).

But we’ll see what happens in the next 10 hours…it could shape the sentiment of the next 10 years.


A Different Kind of Demonstration at Gay Pride Parade

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My friend Dennis sent me this article and I really resonated with it:

A Different Kind of Christian Demonstration at Gay Pride | TimSchraeder.com

Reconciliation is at the heart of the Gospel. Reconciliation between once-opposed enemies is truly good news for all people. (What the angels spoke of to the shepherds in Luke’s gospel)

Even as a kid we are taught to say we are sorry. Even if we believe that we are 100% right, we were taught to learn that there must be something that we need to apologize for. That we at least have 1% of the problem to own…but honestly only arrogant people would claim a measly 1%!

Being able to say sorry first is a humble expression to move towards the issue or the people. I think that what our brothers in Chicago did is a great example of moving toward an issue that needs reconciliation.

May God give us all the courage to reconcile the ‘wars’ that wage in our lives. When we do, we model His movement towards us as humanity. When we don’t, we miss out…We miss out on the Gospel coming alive in our lives.

When you think of reconciling an issue in your life, what comes to mind? What issues might have you been too afraid of to move towards?

May God’s grace be with you as move towards these things…