[emergent southeast]

EVERYTHING MUST CHANGE - CHARLOTTE

2008-01-06T21:44:00.001-05:00

Carolina Cohort Gathering?

2007-02-25T22:16:00.000-05:00

Zach Roberts is proposing a gathering of the Carolina cohorts at the Franciscan Prayer Center in Stoneville, NC, in the fall. What do you think? Post a comment over on the Triad Emergent cohort blog.

Mainline Emergent/s

2007-01-27T10:14:00.000-05:00

Speaking of Presbymergents, the Mainline Emergent/s event is happening next week (Jan. 30-Feb. 1) at Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, Georgia. I'm not planning to go, but hopefully there will be some good blog reports to point to in the coming days.

Presbymergent?

2007-01-27T09:44:00.000-05:00

Adam Walker Cleaveland has launched a new community site for folks in the Presbyterian (PCUSA) world and the Emergent/emerging church world. It's called Presbymergent.org. One of the first churches listed on the site is Charlotte's Portico Church.

Tony Jones in Charlotte

2006-11-12T21:54:00.000-05:00

Hey ya'll,

I just wanted to give a "heads up" that Tony Jones, National Coordinator of Emergent Village, is going to be in Charlotte at the end of this month, and we're planning a "Learning Party" to just hang out with Tony, ask questions, discuss topics, and generally have fun with others who are engaging with the whole emerging church movement here in the Southeast.

Here's the link with all the details:
http://indieallies.meetup.com/27/calendar/5229718/

If you want to help promote this event (and I sure hope you will!), there's a full-page poster and a half-page flyer you can download (as PDF) and print off here:
http://indieallies.meetup.com/27/files/

I hope to see you on Saturday, December 2, in Charlotte! Give me a shout at knightopia[at]gmail.com if you're planning to come out (or just RSVP on the Meetup site). Definitely let me know if you have any questions.

we can help

2006-10-12T23:52:00.000-04:00

the aleutian & pribilof peoples of alaska have decided not to take citgo' offer of free, or reduced heating oil. these people, because of where they are located, pay between $5 and $7 a gallon for heating oil, their average bill could run hundreds of dollars a month, and in a culture that does not have much this is hard.

i am not interested in the politics, but i care about the people - we should all care about the people. they need our help - and you can give directly to them, and go through no middle-man.

to help, visit this site - they truly need us to help as we can. please share this with your community of faith and see how they can also help.

up coming stuff

2006-09-07T15:10:00.000-04:00

our bud steve k, the co-organizer for the charlotte emerging cohort, sent out this very impressive list of this happening in and around our area - some of these might be worth attending.

date: Saturday, September 9
what: 9/11 Memorial Service As the promotional flyer for the event states, ?Come be with the Gaston community as we remember the tragedy of 9/11/01, and pray for a better and peaceful world. The hope for a brighter future begins with us?please join us, and help us make it happen!?
where: New Hope Baptist Church, 2024 Redbud Drive, Gastonia, NC, starting at 10 a.m.

date: Tuesday, September 12
what: Emerging Church Discussion Group Meetup for September I think we're going to have a new conversation partner with us (Rev. Sean LaBat from St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church in Columbia, SC) so don't miss it!
get info: [click]

date: Sunday-Tuesday, October 1-3
what: Emerging Women's East Coast Gathering: "A Seat at the Table" Becky and I are tentatively planning to attend (with our kids), so if you're interested in going, ladies (and gentlemen), give us a shout!
where: Sandcastle Oceanfront Resort, Virginia Beach, VA ($49/night conference rate)
cost: $50 ($25 for students)
get info: [click]

date: Tuesday, October 10
what: Emerging Church Discussion Group Meetup for October Come out and talk about what you've been reading/thinking/feeling, ask questions, engage in this dialogue and develop friendships!
get info: [click]

date: Saturday, October 14
what: ConvergeSouth Blog Conference FREE conference on blogging in Greensboro. I wish I could go this year (I missed it last year), but I'll be out of town. Somebody please go and rub shoulders with the glitterati of the blogosphere and bring back lots of cool ideas for blogging and communication, OK?? Please!?
get info: [click]

date: Tuesday, October 24
what: "Emerging Church Conference" with Brian McLaren This day-long conference will be a fantastic opportunity to hear "the Godfather of the emerging church" speak on "the historical, philosophical, and theological background to the concepts of paradigm shift and postmodern transition." If you haven't heard McLaren speak on this before, I highly encourage you to take the day off and drive up there with me to attend this! I've heard it before, but I'm looking forward to a refresher course. Even if you can't go for the whole day, Brian is speaking in a FREE session in the evening as well (starting at 7 p.m.).
where: Wake Forest Divinity School, Winston-Salem, NC
cost: Registration for Full Conference: $50 (includes lunch)
get info: [click]of for the ["FREE" Evening Session"]

date: Tuesday-Thursday, January 30-February 1, 2007
what: Mainline Emergent/s: Conversations in Theology, Hope, and Practice Diana Butler Bass, Brian McLaren, Doug Pagitt, Nanette Sawyer, Karen Ward, Tony Jones, and Troy Bronsink will team with Columbia Seminary and the Atlanta Emergent Cohort to provide three days of stimulating conversation and dreaming about the nexus of emerging church life and the mainline Protestant church in America.
where: Columbia Theological Seminary, Atlanta, Georgia
cost: $275 (online registration begins mid-September)
get info: [click]

also, steve added this: FYI -- I'm talking to Tim Conder about coming down to Charlotte (from Durham) to meet with us again sometime (possibly in November/December) and talk about his new book "The Church in Transition"!

The World I Dream

2006-07-28T10:10:00.000-04:00

On the way to the Mt. Juliet Panera Bread, where I sit now, I was reflecting on an interesting conversation I had with some friends of mine on Wednesday evening at the Panera in Hermitage. (I work from these two Panera's alot) As soon as I got here, I brought the notebook out of hibernation and got on Merriam-Webster online and this is what I found:

In searching for "reality", the number one definition is, "the quality or state of being real." So, logically, I search for "real", who's number one entry is the adjective (most commonly used) form of the word, who's number one definition is, "of or relating to fixed, permanent, or immovable things."

This begs the question that was among the conversation this past week. What things are permanent? Let me say what things are not. In the metaphysical sense, human bodies, buildings, trees, cars, coffee, computers, etc, etc, etc. ANYTHING that has a beginning and an end is not permanent, hence is not real. Only that which exists in the spiritual realm are eternal, hence, real. It's fascinating how many things we feel exist in the spiritual realm, but really, do not. Take evil, for example. Evil has a beginning an and end. It has not always been and will not always be, therefore, it isn't real. Though evil isn't real, guess what IS...Love. Hmm, fancy that.

Does anyone else feel a little bit like we're in the Matrix?

Tags: real, reality, love, evil, the matrix

Megachurch Pastor Braves Emerging Church Cohort Meeting in Atlanta

2006-07-27T09:54:00.000-04:00

Megachurch pastor Andy Stanley recently "braved" the Emergent Village cohort group meeting in Atlanta. Adam Walker Cleaveland has all the details. As Adam explains, it's "a perfect example of two people from very different backgrounds and theological trajectories coming together through friendship, with an eagerness to know the Other more and learn from each other." Good on ya, Adam!

Hi, I'm Steve K.

2006-07-27T09:50:00.000-04:00

Hi, I'm Steve Knight, co-organizer of the Charlotte Emergent Village cohort group. You can read all of my thoughts on my personal blog, if you're so inclined. I want to thank John O'Keefe for inviting Anthony Smith and myself to join in the conversation on this blog. I'm excited to see greater community develop regionally in the emerging church of the Southeast U.S.A.! Shalom.

The Truth I Knew but Didn't Know I Knew

2006-07-08T11:19:00.000-04:00

As of late, some friends and I have been discussing the reality of perfect love and what the world would look like if all humanity lived in and through it.

Anyway, my buddies turned me on to a book called Love Trumps Karma by Karyn Henley, a local Nashville girl. In LTK, Karyn too explores what such a world would look like.

Anyway, this morning as I was reading a few chapters at Starbucks in Hermitage while eating my two cinnamon cake donuts and sipping on a tall banana coconut frappucino, God revealed something in my spirit that leaves me utterly dumbfounded as I wonder at how I have not yet seen such a simple Truth. So here it is...

In 1 John 4, verses 8 and 16 say that "God is love." Genesis 1:26 says, "Then God said, 'Let us make man in our image...'". If God is Love, that is perfect love, then that is His image. So the fact that God made humans in His image means that deep in our hearts He wrote into all humanity the image of Himself, of His Love.

Traditional thought and teachings imply that somewhere in the course of time, probably as a consequence of "the Fall", humans somehow lost or at least corrupted that image. However, I cannot recall or find any scripture(s) in the Bible that would indicate such. What more accurately happened is that humans, Adam and Eve, chose to disobey God in eating of the tree of the knowledge of good AND evil (when they had only previously, the knowledge of good) and in so doing, allowed themselves to be governed by knowledge, fear, reason, and the like. It was not God that hid from them, but they that hid from God--fearing the assumption of His wrath on their actions. (Where they came up with the concept of His wrath or anger is mind boggling--since they had only known Him in as Love before this time.)

So the reality remains that the whole of humanity has written into the very deepest fibers of our being, at our very core, perfect Love. The problem is that our awareness of such a gift has been lost in centuries and generations of hate, fear, and greed. The quest, therein, is to discover how we might be reconnected with and consciously aware of such love within us, that we might live in it.

Tags: love, spirituality, christianity, perfect, humanity

Grace-What a Concept

2006-07-07T09:25:00.000-04:00

"At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. [emphasis mine]" That's verses three through seven in Titus, chapter 3.

Titus 2:11 also says, "For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men."

Something drastically stands out to me in these passages...they're in past tense. "...has appeared...", "...kindness and love of God our Saviour appeared...", "...saved us through washing...by the Spirit...", etc.

Hmm, I wonder why? Actually, its more than wonderings, its personal speculations and inclinations at the moment, but both interesting and perplexing nonetheless.

Tags: Grace, Titus, Bible, Questions

new voices

2006-07-07T01:58:00.000-04:00

i just sent out an invite to steve knight and anthony smith. it will be great having them part of the team :D

Divine Nobodies: Shedding Religion to Find God

2006-04-27T15:17:00.000-04:00

...and the Unlikely People Who Help You. This is the title of a book written by my mate, Jim Palmer. [Oh, wait a second, that is "mate" in the way that the English and Aussie's use it, not in the way Americans tend to think about it. Yikes, sorry Jim.]

Anyway, Jim is a great thinker, writer, and friend. If you'd like to know more about him and his book, he blogs over at Divine Nobodies.

Tags: Divine Nobodies, Jim Palmer, Christianity, Church

shock evangelism

2006-03-23T17:08:00.000-05:00

over the past few days i have been processing an event that was so different for me, it kind of freaked me out. one friday a month we bring in a few bands for a concert at 247connection. we do it because fridays are what we call "the asylum; a safe place for crazy people." it's a time when we open the doors and let the local teens hang out and drink free coffee - and share relationships. this last friday, along with the bands, we had "visitors" across the street, and they were not the friendliest group i had the pleasure of meeting.

they where six men, all over 6' tall, 250lbs between the ages of 30-40. now, i add this because you need to remember that on friday we can get some 100-200 teens coming in and out of any concert we host and this was not exception. these men were from a local missionary baptist church. they desired to "share the gospel" from across the street. their "idea" of the gospel was to shout that all the teens were going to go to hell because they were wearing black and listened to "evil rock music." the teens started to get a bit upset, and they asked if we knoew what was happening and why these men where souting at them. so, me being over 6' and 250lbs, i decided that i would venture across the street to ask why they felt it important to insult the kids. my intention was to invite them over to 247connetion and we could have them speak with the teens without shouting. well, as i got their and introduced myself to them i was shouted down and insulted on levels that would make a truck driver weak in the knees; needless to say they did not want to visit with us. one, even tried to accuse me of "assault" because i touched his arm as he was walking away from me - when i explained that we were a church, and that i was the pastor and all i wanted to do was talk - they continued to shout and called me names i would have never believe would have come from a fellow follower.

this got me thinking, do they truly think people are listening to them? i mean, all the teens kept away from them and the police asked them to move on [they said they were being "oppressed" because they had to keep moving]. all i was able to get from them is a self-righteous drive to prove they were right and everyone else, who thinks different, was wrong. i could not find a single thread of kindness, of humility, or grace, of love, or care in anything they were sharing. they did not desire a conversation, they simply wanted to shout down anyone with a question. being from the southwest, this was new to me - i am sure they are around in the soutwest, but i never ran into anything like it. it is hard for me to understand a monolog when it comes to faith, because i see so many conversations.

i think there is something counter to "sharing good news" by insults and fear. i mean, good news is good, by it's nature - right? as i walked back to 247connection, after being insulted on levels unknown, one of the teens came to me and asked, "why do they hate us so much?" wow, was that a shock. the men thought they were doing good, but the teens saw it as hate. i replied, "i don't think they hate you, they are doing what they think is right. it is not our style, but it is theirs." with that the teen walked away, and as she did i heard her say to her friend, "that is why we like coming here, they don't shout at us."

the idea of "beating people into jesus" is so not where we need to be as a church. jesus loved people, and so should we - we need to love people unconditionally, without shouting at them. when we love, truly love - without placing conditions on that love - people truly desire to know us and our faith. they open the conversation, they seek to know what we believe and they desire to learn from us - but when we shout, we only share how closed we are and how out of touch we are with the needs of people - people need love, not fear.

the funny thing about all this is that several people in the congregation was surprised it took them so long to getting around to doing what they were doing. i tried to get the name of the church they were from, but got noting but "kjakhdfkhsd missionary baptist church." hopefully, i will be able to get it the next time - and i am assured there will be a next time - and i will try to speak with the pastor - and i will post the results of that.

new dictionary

2006-02-15T12:50:00.000-05:00

ginworld.net and songevolution.com have joined forces [as powerless as that is :) ] to form a new "wiki" based project called "ginktionary" [untill a better name is selected - and all ideas are welcome] - here is how it works, or is supose to work:

ginktionary is an open dictionary of emerging terms - we are looking for people to write definations to terms that are meaningful to the emerging church. sure, we have wikpedia and it's a great thing - this is just like that, except for terms that are used in the emerging.

being that it is new, just launched today, we still have some tweeking to do - but come on by and add definations, ideas and expressions. at ginkworld, and at songevolution, we believe that all people should have an active voice in the emerging. here is a way of getting your voice heard, and your views expressed - free, open and real.

pax
john o'keefe - ginkworld
stephen miracle - songevolution

Reflecting on Alabama Church Fires

2006-02-08T08:32:00.000-05:00

It is no mistake that the burning of nine church buildings in Alabama over the past couple of weeks is a tragedy. However, it has spurred some reflections that follow closely to the line of thinking from my previous post here (and at my other blog).

If every church building (note that I did specify "building") in the Southeastern US, since that's what this blog is devoted to, were to burn to the ground, how do you think it would affect the Church (void of the term "building")? Do you think we could just brush it off and say, "Oh well, that was just bricks and mortar; merely a place where we gathered..."?

What is this dependency we have on "a building"? We are not ancient Israelites who must go to a specific location to meet with God or worship together. Why is it so hard to understand that the very life God has given us is to be itself a tapestry of worship?

Sorry, it's early, I've only had about 3/4 a cup of coffee, and I tossed and turned all last night, so you get my semi-stream of consciousness thought process. Nevertheless, any thoughts?

"So What Now?" "Uh, I Guess We'll Go to Church"

2006-02-05T17:33:00.000-05:00

Perhaps that is what went through the minds of the disciples shortly following Jesus' ascension into Heaven. Well actually, they wouldn't have used the phrase "go to church" they would have probably said something more like, "gather at the temple". At any rate, I've been thinking about the possibility of that conversation for several months now, and a conversation I had Saturday morning rekindled the somewhat dormant flame of that idea.

I wonder if our 21st century dependency on the weekly corporate worship gathering (or worship service, as you may call it) is nothing more than 12 Jewish guys lack of creativity and thought regarding what it means to now be the Church. What if the systems that shortly followed his ascension were in no way what Jesus had in mind for us? What if God had a more holistic idea and plan for us as the Church? What if there is more to this disciple's life that we live than to study stories of how God communicated with and moved in other people's lives and to depend on weekly "feedings" as we congregate in close proximity with (but not necessarily in unity with) other believers?

I realize these questions may not be a place you choose, or even need, to go on your spiritual journey right now, but it's just where I am at the moment.

I wonder, what do we specifically here in the Southeastern USA think about these questions?

alternative worship

2006-01-09T11:44:00.000-05:00

WARNING: this blog entry contains raw emotion and verbiage.

at first i was "postmodern" - and while that is what "we were" i lost interest in the term fast, because it seemed to say what i was not. it started to define me by being a "not" thing, "post-modern" [being "post" modern and "not" being modern] and i decided i just did not desire to be defined by what i was not, so i looked for another term.

than along came "emerging" - and while that seemed to last longer than "postmodern" it again, defined me in a way i was not happy with. it seemed to define in as "i was, and others were not," and i am not healthy with that - and to be honest, like most of us i can fall into the trap of thinking myself better than others because of how we define things and use terms - so, i have been growing very uneasy with this term. i found myself living in the crap of "being emerging" and not "being me, a follower of christ." to me, it felt like the same shit other churches have been heaping on me for years, "this is how you need to think, and if not you are not one of us." i tend to see this as a very unhealthy and a very misguided way of thinking. i see that as being more destructive to the "kingdom on earth" than anything you could think about; and i fell into that hole, and soon found myself up to my ass in mud.

it could be:
it could have a great deal to do with the whole "emerging, the great whore, sell it while it's hot and say we do it for jesus" mentality that seems to be alive at many of the "emerging gatherings" [there was a disclaimer here about certian events, but if you feel this way about the events you have gone too the disclaimer had no value] that turned my stomach over the years. i was once asked by a small gathering, why i did not go to many of these events and speak at them [i'm actually asked to speak at some]; and i shared that i felt like a slut every time i went. i felt like i was selling out and spreading my legs for money, fame and site hits. i was becoming what i find so offensive in our culture - and that was not my desire. i found that the events cost too much, and they pay their speakers too much, and they do it all for the sale of books, and not for the bottom line of the sponsors, though they will claim they do it for the kingdom.

every time i go to one of those "sales meetings" [let's be honest, the book people see this as a ripe market for the sales of books and authors us it to pimp their books and fame] i feel like i am standing on the strip in las vegas and people are handing me porn rags. the pimps are standing behind tables and hawking there best ladies, and they get pissed when you don't care to take part in thier version of hell. the last "big event" i went too, i was expecting jesus to come running through tipping tables and calling us all to a better life. i have nothing against making a reasonable profit, and i have nothing against selling books - but when a "national" event costs some $500 [excluding hotel and meals] and there are over 15,000 people striving to learn, how does that benefit anyone but the people putting on the event? think about it; sitting in a "small session" of 500 people there is very little interaction. one event has a special, "for an additional price of $100 you can have an intimate lunch with the author [limit, 200 people]." 200 people is not very intimate to me, that's like sitting in a restaurant and trying to ease drop on the conversation from across the room.

or it could be:
it could be the idea that many denominstions see emerging as a "quick fix" to the current state of the church and a "tool" or "program" to "outreach" to a "younger" group and bring them into the church. if i had a dollar for every time i talked with a denominational person who simply saw the emerging as a way to keep the funds flowing into the denominstion, and to keep asses in the pews i would be a very rich man.

in all my time in talking about the "emerging church" with denominstions and the "powers that be" i can honestly say that the episcopal church was the only church that was interetested in it for what it was, and not for what it could "do" for the church. it seemed that they cared less about "filling the pews" but they did care about "filling the hearts" of the hurting in this world. sure, we can all pick out individual church "leaders" who see it as a heart thing and not a member or money thing but that means very little in the big picture. in the "big picture" i found the episcopal church to be a very different animal in the jungle.

i can remember sitting with one person, from another denomination, that looked at me and straight out asked, [when i was the lead pastor at praxis and looking for a 'covering'] "if we 'let you in' what can you do for us? how does this church benefit us as a denominstion?" my reply was, "i don't know." the idea they had, was that we help them "reach a younger group" and "if you are going to join us, how can you reword our doctrines so it can be understood by 'an emerging mind'?" never once realizing we do not desire to "reword" but we do desire to "rethink."

it could be either of those, but most likely it is, both. in any case, i am tired of it all.

in either case:
it seems to me that "we in the emerging" have become what we have said we did not desire to be - we sold out, we became what we saw was so "wrong" with the modern church. we sell our "programs" and "canned" worship services to others to "help them become like us." we put our crap on line so others can buy it form us, we charge outrageous fees for speaking, we hawk books and seek better book deals, we talk different but the words mean the same thing, we created "you pick the number" ways of being an "emerging church" and think we have defined what it means - we have not truly become anything different, we have not "emerged" and we are not "emerging" - we are a clone of the modern church except a bit younger. sure, we use cooler music, and have cooler clothes, and cut our hair much cooler - but cooler is not what i want to be, nor is it what we need to be.

this is why i would rather be seen as "alternative worship."
i love the way steve collins puts it over at the alternative worship site. i think i like this so much because in the "emerging" we might express it, but we sure do not do it. this may have to do with the fact that we are driven by our american capitalist desires and our hollywood images, while other parts of the world are not driven by the same reasoning. here is what steve shares as what "alternative worship" is:

Christians reinventing faith expression for themselves within their own cultural settings
a response to postmodern Western society and cultural change
faith expression within culture not in a parallel 'Christian' culture
reconsideration of all inherited church forms and structures, including recent modernizing ones
rediscovery of ancient and alternative Christian traditions as resources for the present and future
paradigm shift from centralized into networked forms of church

i love those, they speak to me like nothing i have read or seen in america. they tell me that we, in america, need to realize we are not "doing it right." we have to remember that what works in new york, will not work in charollet, and what works in charollet will not work in san jose. there is no "this is the emerging" - we need to dump that idea. to me, being a follower of christ is so very important, so center to who i am, that all this crap that formed around the emerging is crap i do not desire to claim.

i know i tend to be the radical, the one willing to question everything, the one willing to open mouth and insert foot, but can i be the only one who feels this way?

a video look

2006-01-06T16:49:00.000-05:00

here is a video look at what we are doing at 247connection. i like the way they put it together, but i think the sound could be better and the pictures make me look fat :) but other than that, i love this slice - it's from the charlotte observer, and they will be putting out a paper story this sunday in the "catawba county section" - very cool stuff

here is the link

Derek Webb - Mockingbird

2005-12-30T12:55:00.001-05:00

If there is one thing I appreciate more than anything else about Derek Webb it's his unwavering love for the Church. Christ's body has become the central theme in most of his songwriting. At times it could seem that Derek is heavy handed, but it's all a part of his personal call to wake up and be the Bride we were meant to be and not the whore that we sometimes become. His first 2 solo albums could be seen as both a beautiful homage to the body while at the same time challenging her to make a few course corrections.

Along comes Derek's new CD Mockingbird. I had read a couple of interviews and prerelease reviews so I knew a little of what was coming. On this record he gives quite a bit of time to poverty and social justice, politics and even war. Some Christians will be very upset over some of things Derek writes in these songs, but I hope that others will be challenged. I doubt that many of these songs make it to Christian radio and that's too bad. I hope I'm wrong. I just don't see many CCM stations wanting to play these lyrically deep and controversial songs in the place of the 'Jesus is my boyfriend' type songs that are all the rage or the 5th incarnation of a particular worship song.

I will quickly tell you what this album sounds like (to me) and then highlight a few of the songs. This album is very easy to listen to and while the instrumentation is not groundbreaking or experimental, it is tight and well put together. I read that he went back and looked at the Beatles Magical Mystery Tour while putting this effort together. It shows. This album is very Beatlesesque if for no other reason the production is very similar to the Beatles later recordings. It makes for a great sound and an enjoyable listen.

In A New Law, Derek writes:

don’t teach me about politics and government
just tell me who to vote for

don’t teach me how to live like a free man
just give me a new law

This resonates with me because I am so weary of politics and politicians. As Christians we are pretty much told who to vote for and for many they go ahead and do it without being fully informed. I know I used to. And only the last couple of years have felt like I've been taught to live like a free man.

A King and a Kingdom. I love this song. And here we see the chorus:

my first allegiance is not to a flag, a country, or a man
my first allegiance is not to democracy or blood
it's to a king & a kingdom

Most people will read this and say "well, duh?" But how many folks really live their lives this way? Wanna test it? Make a comment to a hyper-patriotic Christian about how the flag shouldn't be in sanctuary or on a church building.

Later in the song:

there are two great lies that i’ve heard:
“the day you eat of the fruit of that tree, you will not surely die”
and that Jesus Christ was a white, middle-class republican
and if you wanna be saved you have to learn to be like Him

That last line will make people raise an eyebrow if they don't pay attention the line just before. Republican party does not equal salvation.

Rich Young Ruler is another strong offering:

poverty is so hard to see
when it’s only on your tv and twenty miles across town
where we’re all living so good
that we moved out of Jesus’ neighborhood
where he’s hungry and not feeling so good

come on and follow me
but sell your house, sell your suv
sell your stocks, sell your security
and give it to the poor
what is this, hey what’s the deal
i don’t sleep around and i don’t steal
i want the things you just can’t give me

So I guess he is saying that just being good isn't enough for us Christians. All you have to do is follow the rules? I like that he is challenging us to go past that.

From My Enemies are Men Like Me:

peace by way of war is like purity by way of fornication
it’s like telling someone murder is wrong
and then showing them by way of execution

This kind of thing will stir some folks up.

This post is getting long, so I may do a part two. I just wanted to give you guys a good introduction to this album. Hope you get it and enjoy it.

Derek Webb - Mockingbird

2005-12-30T12:55:00.000-05:00

In A New Law, Derek writes:

don’t teach me about politics and government
just tell me who to vote for

don’t teach me how to live like a free man
just give me a new law

A King and a Kingdom. I love this song. And here we see the chorus:

my first allegiance is not to a flag, a country, or a man
my first allegiance is not to democracy or blood
it's to a king & a kingdom

Later in the song:

there are two great lies that i’ve heard:
“the day you eat of the fruit of that tree, you will not surely die”
and that Jesus Christ was a white, middle-class republican
and if you wanna be saved you have to learn to be like Him

That last line will make people raise an eyebrow if they don't pay attention the line just before. Republican party does not equal salvation.

Rich Young Ruler is another strong offering:

poverty is so hard to see
when it’s only on your tv and twenty miles across town
where we’re all living so good
that we moved out of Jesus’ neighborhood
where he’s hungry and not feeling so good

come on and follow me
but sell your house, sell your suv
sell your stocks, sell your security
and give it to the poor
what is this, hey what’s the deal
i don’t sleep around and i don’t steal
i want the things you just can’t give me

So I guess he is saying that just being good isn't enough for us Christians. All you have to do is follow the rules? I like that he is challenging us to go past that.

From My Enemies are Men Like Me:

peace by way of war is like purity by way of fornication
it’s like telling someone murder is wrong
and then showing them by way of execution

This kind of thing will stir some folks up.

This post is getting long, so I may do a part two. I just wanted to give you guys a good introduction to this album. Hope you get it and enjoy it.

marry christmas

2005-12-25T01:01:00.000-05:00

marry christmas

[at least in my time zone]

some questions:

2005-12-19T12:39:00.000-05:00

over at our ginkworld blog i answer a question given to me by a friend on the postmodern theology egroup - but this has lead me to sme other questions i think i will ask over at the ginkworld message board. and it seems, some tentions we need to work out in the emerging.

are we called to do anything as a follower of christ? let that one run your processor for a while as you read some of the other questions.

are we to do more the "care" for the hurting? this one seems to be less in your face, but it still needs to be worked on.

are we called to sit on our collective ass and do nothing? this one seems to bring out the most debate - because i think the word "ass" in in the question and christians freak out when words like "ass" are used.

how should we balance the idea of "giving" money to a ministry, and actually giving our our time to the ministry? this one assumes that, like most good evangelcial churches people are taught that the ones who give the money get a special deal from God to not have to do anything.

i think that we need to truly to go past the evangelical theology some seem to be raised on [i love not having a church background, i dont carry all the garbage others seem to carry]. i am not suggesting we "change evangelical theology" - but what i think i desire is that we start, in an open process, develop a "emerging theology" which is always in process.

for me, and i think for many, our faith is one that requires we do stuff - and if as a collective people we actually got togther and did things we could truly change the world.

the curve

2005-12-02T17:06:00.000-05:00

sometimes i am amazed at how far behind the learning curve i can be; truly amazed. take for example "myspace." ok, everyone in the whole world had a myspace account but me - why? because i had no idea it was even around.

think of it, ever not get invited to a party you found out about three weeks after the party took place? ok, that happened once and it was a long time ago and i know i should let go - but hey, this experience is nothing like that, i just felt it would help if i vented :) well, one thing good came from it all, i did get a myspace account :)

if you are interested, and what to join and "be a friend" - here is the link [link]

also, the church i am the lead pastor at has a myspace as well - it helps us bring in bands for the asylum and 247unplugged - here is the link for that space [link]

check it out and connect as a friend :) it's cool building community.

the southern image

2005-11-24T09:38:00.000-05:00

a nice article recently in The State Newspaper of South Carolina about what it means to be "southern." They ask if the southern image is blurring and consider some statistics about religion and military..interesting read..

"Church attendance figures compiled by David Olson, director of the American Church Research Project, show Southerners are much more likely than the average American to go to church — though, as a region, their Midwestern brethren have a slight edge. The Arbitron broadcast rating service finds Southern dwellers are 48 percent more likely than others to listen to religious radio programming.

And what of the closeness of extended families associated with the South?

Six of the states in the top 10 for highest divorce rates are in the South. And the Census Bureau recently reported the South is home to seven of the top 10 states with the highest percentages of out-of-wedlock births. (The Census counts Delaware and Maryland as Southern states.)"

who do you worship?

2005-11-22T15:23:00.000-05:00

over the past, from when i wrote that "iam no longer a christian, but i am a follower of christ," people seem to be a little "off" on that. while ihave not recieved death emails, or people sending me chicken parts in the mail, there have been some interesting emails.

one person said, that i said, "christ is great, but christians suck." well, that was not what i said, but i think it is a very valid point to say "christ is cool, but christians suck" because i think that is something the church needs to know - even if you disagree with it, people think that way because experience tells them that it is a reality they live with. one may not like it, but it is the reality of the way they see the world. one of the things i strive to be in my life is more like christ and less like a christian - because i believe that they seem to be exclusive of each other. it seems that this idea that "christians are off limits" develops from a very distorted "christology" and one we need to get a grip on.

i am not seeking to have a "high christology" because i think it leads us to a place where jesus did not want us to be. instead of a "christology" focus i am seeking to walk closer to God. now, some may say that they are one in the same, a "christology" is equal to "walking closer to God" but i wonder if that is the case. what we must remember is that jesus never said "worship me" - jesus said, "follow me" [matthew 8:22; matthew 16:24;matthew 19:21;mark 8:34;mark 10:21;luke 9:23;luke 9:59;luke 18:22;john 1:43;john 10:27;john 12:26;john 13:36;john 21:19;john 21:22]and then he told us to "worship God."

i believe, that when we seek to walk closer in christ and know the path we are to follow we naturally get closer to God. i seek to follow jesus and walk in his path, that path leads me to a closer relationship with God - but if i worship Jesus, then i miss out on the path and the teachings to walk in the way. no place in scripture are we told to "worship jesus" or "worship christ" - so, that becomes a very interesting starting point in our walk of faith. the starting point, i believe, is that we see christ as our path to God and follow the teachings of jesus to the face of God.

keep this in mind, it is easy to spot the difference between a christian and a follower of christ - because as jesus told us, "they will know you are my disciples by your love." when we strive to follow jesus and worship God, love will be a product of our lives and we will see the truth expressed in the life, words, deeds, and sacrifice of our lord jesus the christ.

the value of...

2005-10-25T10:05:00.000-04:00

My blog is worth $6,209.94.
How much is your blog worth?

"a conversation"

2005-10-15T23:35:00.000-04:00

we are in the planning stages at 247connection about hosting a day long learning event [called "a conversation"] for emerging planters, partners and others interested in getting involved in the emerging church. we are praying over the direction and focus of this event. we are planning on a one day event, with labs and breakout sessions dealing with worship, structure [or lack there of], design, servanthood, and other areas we think are needed to help others in this process. we desire it to be practical, informative, connective and supportive.

while we know where God is leading us in this, we also know that we need others to help give us ideas and lift us in prayer. so, i think the question is, "what do you want in such an event?" longer? shorter? connections? a different time? do you have an idea you would like to see expressed at such an event? we have very little set in stone, but we do know we are looking to form a positive conversation with people. we are not looking to bash, or be bashed. we are striving to stay close to Christ, and seek God in all this; our goal is not to tell you what you must do, but rather to share with you our failures and sucesses, our ups and our downs, but mostly to let you know that it can be done - if you have an idea, let us know and we will look into making it happen.

[re]understanding prayer - a great book

2005-10-12T22:27:00.000-04:00

it has been a long standing "idea" [not into policies] of mine not to write comments on books - i tried to do it on ginkworld, but that fell apart quick - because we kept thinking we were "judging" others, so that is not our style. but i have to say, it is books like the one i will share with you that make me break my "long standing idea."

kyle lake emailed me a week or so ago and asked if i would read his new book, and let others know what i thought - kyle lives dangerously, because one never knows what i will think - not even me :) but i have to give kyle props - the book is great, and one i think everyone should read.

the book is called "[re]understanding prayer; a fresh approach to conversation with God" and is put out by relevant books - it should be out very soon - BUY IT [see, i like it so much it got me to use the cap key :) ]

why do i like the book? not being raised in the church, and having all the baggage that come with being in a youth group - this book expresses pray as a natural conversation with God - not a "follow this pattern" or "do it this way" approach to prayer. kyle "gets it." his idea that prayer is simply talk with God without the dram is refreshing and expressive.

the part that grabbed me the most, and several parts definitely grabbed me and made me think, was the section on "avoiding autopilot." when i read that i was shoved back to my days when i first started in ministry and the senior pastor of the church would spend time looking over my prayers to see if i had "the right words" in them. kyle's approach is to break the "secret language" of the church and simply express a love for God that is real, open and honest.

i think you will get a great deal out of this book, so i am going out on a limb and suggesting you buy it, read it and see how it will effect your prayer life. i know it is helping me figure it all out.

The Evolution of a Conversation:

2005-09-26T23:29:00.000-04:00

All conversations evolve, that’s a given. I mean, everything evolves so it stands to reason that a conversation should also evolve. But I think the question is, “what do we evolve too?” If we look at the “natural” evolution of the Christian faith do we see a model of what the evolution of a conversation is, or should be? Let me explain how I see it.

Christianity started as a conversation in Bethlehem, moved to a movement in Jerusalem, developed into a philosophy in Greece, became an institution in Rome, organized as a tradition in America, and truly needs to return to the conversation and not to the movement stage.

Let’s Talk:
When Christianity was a conversation, Jesus was the key spokesperson for that conversation. Others, while having a voice, were not the guiding force of the faith. Others spoke, and even added to the conversation, but all eyes where on Jesus. Then, after Jesus left, the conversation stopped and the movement started. You see, while Jesus was alive, the movement could never happen – once Jesus left, then a movement could be formed. I fear that if we become a movement, we will no longer seek to see Christ as the center of what we talk about – we will turn to the voices of others to guide us.

When the conversation turned to a movement, the voice of Christ was filtered thought the voices of others. We no longer look at Jesus as the core teacher, and we started to look to people [like Paul] for our faith walk. We took the words of Christ and filtered them via Paul, as opposed to taking the words of Paul and filtering them through the words of Jesus. But movements do that, they replace the founder of the conversation with others who they see as “just as important” and we are on the verge of such action, and that frightens me greatly. Because one of the next steps is to become a “philosophy” and then an “institution” and I am not at all willing to head in that direction.

The Nature of the Beast:
No matter the intentions of the people involved, moving out of the conversation means we will move to becoming an institution. When I look back at the institutional church in my life I see flash back of hurt, pain, greed, selfishness, oppression and judgment. That is a norm for an institution. It must have “guidelines” and if one does not fit, one is not welcomed. If we look at “why” the emerging needs to be a “movement” we see that it’s because of the need to keep things more “centered” and “easier” to get out the word. But is that a reality? What I see is a gathering that sees itself as “The Emerging Church” and others who see themselves as “the emerging church” and how does a movement bring those together? Becoming a “movement” will not bring unity, and moving to an institution will never cause unity. So, how does it happen? I think it happens because it must happen, and I believe that the way it happens is we stay a conversation.

Keeping the conversation as a conversation is the only way it can happen. I think it is done, not with big national events that are smoke and mirror designed to sell books and “programs” aimed at an emerging people. Rather small gatherings of people in areas where the emerging is taking hold – and then spreading to the world around. Small, regional events, not designed to sell book, hype an author, or make money – but rather gathering where people can connect, make friends and learn from each other. When we have rings of interconnected, organic, and self developing small groups we connect with each other a core levels. we have an opportunity to truly be what we are claiming the church needs to be, relvant, organic, connective, group center and expressive.

Possible? Impossible?
I am certain that some would say, this is impossible – and for them it is. Yet, many will say that it is very possible – but how does one do this without people to “put it together?” I think it is simple, and that is usually the best when we think in terms of “organic.”

Vintage 21 in North Carolina is hosting a lunch and is asking people from about a two hour drive to come and talk – no program, no speakers, no “sales pitch” – just voices, sharing vision. 247Connection [the church I am the Lead Pastor at] is also willing to do the same. Now, all we need is another willing to do the same and the process begins.

The Turn Out
While I am certain that this will not make people any money, and the book publishers will not have big gatherings to hawk their wears at – but I could care less. I am not in this to make money, or sell books – I am in this to share Christ with others, and the way that is done in via an honest, open and organic network of conversations – no “guideline” no “definitions” of what it means to belong, or who is and is not emerging – just a gathering of people wanting to share Christ in a relevant way with others.

I truly have been praying over this idea that we “centralize” the emerging church, and I am very uncomfortable with what seems to be the way it is going. I am one voice, loud sometimes, but still one voice. I can only speak for myself and no other – I strongly desire to remain a conversation, and I am fearful of the idea that we become a movement. One thing those who desire a movement need to know, many of us who are in the emerging do not do well with movements and we have been kicked out, ignored or shoved aside in movements. Me in a movement is like a geek in the middle of a jock convention, not going to work :) – we have a very clear and real dislike for the idea of a movement [because it always leads to an institution] and it will not fit for many of us. It seems that we are selling out our vision and call to meet the needs of the book sellers, the organizers, and those who are striving to bring us “back” to the evangelical movement.

The Struggle of Motive

2005-09-13T09:36:00.000-04:00

Hey what's up, I'm Jeffrey. I'm a "church planter" (though I abhor that term) in Mt. Juliet, TN--just east of Nashville. Seemingly built into this adventure of being formed by God into a community of faith, however, are many dangers such as relying on "misplaced dependencies" (to quote a couple of friends), using alterior motives, falling prey to control issues, etc, etc, etc. The struggle that we've most recently been involved in is that of our motives.

Here are some questions that are bouncing around in our heads and in our conversations lately. Why is it important to invite people to be a part of this community of faith identified as "the Gathering"? When we do invite people to hang out and join with us, is it because we truly care about journeying with them as God brings about spiritual formation in all of our lives, or is it because we just 'want more people' to be a part of "the Gathering"? If the answer is the latter, then why? What is the obsession that "churches" have with the number of people they claim as their "members"? And truly, what do "numbers" represent or prove that is of worth or value???

Many more thoughts in that line of questioning have and are sure to arise still, but that is the basic trajectory that they have set out on. I sincerely hope that as God moves us to invite people to journey with us as "the Gathering", that we will do so because we genuinely believe that living in connectedness with other follower of Jesus is an important (but still merely one) facet of spiritual growth and formation; and that perhaps a community of faith will be able to more greatly impact and befriend the communities in which we live our daily lives. I do so dearly hope that this is our motivation, not that we are subconsciously obsessed with building yet another structure, another organization, or another kingdom of our own...

Just a little afterthought: This post wasn't meant to imply or hint at anything specific. It wasn't meant to say we have it right and mega-churches have it wrong. It was simply meant to be an open and authentic musing of "the struggle we find ourselves in"...

a slice of what?

2005-08-31T00:39:00.000-04:00

well, it is not secret that i am the lead pastor at connection church in hickory, nc - and i might add that i love it :) i got a email from a bud, bob hyatt over at evergreen at the other side of the world [in portland] letting me know that "ingrid" was dogging connection church again - because we have a picture of a girl sitting between two guys on the front page - she thinks it has "sexual over tones." well, i did post a comment on her blog, and i guess we will see if she posts it [she approves all "first time comments" to her blog]

but now here is the dilemma i find myself in. with a new lead guy [me] and a new building, we are developing a new site - and that picture is not in the mix - but if we keep it off the mix, will she then claim it was her voice that changed our minds? do you see what i mean? do we do as we were doing, and just be who we are? for us, the picture expresses community and relationship - nothing sexual at all. then, if we do not use that picture do we look at every picture we then desire to use and think "could this be sexual?" - man, this can be a mind-blowing and weird experience. what is a off centered, connective, relational, loving, accepting, forgiving community of faith to do?

i know, while we encourage her to have her own thought, we accept the fact that her thoughts do not drive us as a community of faith. we will design the site as we desire, and use the pictures we believe best express our community. if we worry about what every person will or will not like we will be placed in fear and never move forward. we encourage her to continue to express her voice, but we also stand that we do not have to agree with her - or allow her to determine the path of connection church -

moving can shake the crap out of you

2005-08-17T00:10:00.000-04:00

it seems the best way to get a new look at life is to move cross country. now, i am not sure if it because i spent the better part of the day team driving with my wife; or that we had to deal with three kids and a dog; or if it was the fact that we were not connected for over a month - we did not have lap tops at the time of the move; or if it was just that i got to see some amazing things on the drive and spent a great deal of time talking with the women i love - who knows, all i can say is moving sure does shake the crap out of a person.

on the trip i came toa realization that living on the edge is f fun, but rather hard to deal with at time. but more, i even think that what we see as the "edge" is simply a bad spot to be in. so, one says, 'welcome to the edge.' keep in mind, being on the edge means you have people behind you wanting to push and people in front of you wanting to pull - and it takes all you have to simply hold onto the ropes and find a place to stand.

i think the idea is to just be the one God called, and let the others be the others, and let them flap all the gums they desire. for awhile there i was concerned with what cason and others say - and i found myself "picking sides" - and soemtimes i did not agree with the side i picked, but i picked it because it was against the side i did not want to belong too; or felt i should not belong too. then, i drove cross country and took a new position - i think it was all the time away from the "in your face emerging" that changed me and mellowed my thoughts - but for me, the "edge" is not the radicals on either side; they are simply voices that hold no meaning to me, so i let them go; they are the ones with the rope. for me, the edge is a place where God moves us to be and see the vast open spaces before us - and share his vision with us. it is a place where we come to the realization that who we are is based more on our standing with God, then with what someone else thinks. i have come to the conclusion that in that stance i need not defend, define, or explain my views - they are what they are. some will agree, some will not- but all in all i am the one God made and called to this path - and God is the only person i am accountable to.

man, moving can truly shake the crap out of a guy :)

lunch with vintage21

2005-08-16T17:48:00.000-04:00

i got a letter fron tyler jones over at vintage21 telling me about a "gathering/luncheon" on october 5th - it runs from 12:00 noon to 2:00pm and sounds like a great start to a connection we all should be taking. the idea is to pull people from the area and help make connections and develop community. i am going to go, and i will try to bring others from 247connection with me - it should prove very cool.

date: october 5th
time: 12-2pm
location: raleigh, nc
phone number: 919.696.9615

are you looking to pastor a church?

2005-08-13T20:27:00.000-04:00

i got an email from a church looking for a lead pastor, and i know some of you are looking so i figured i would pass on the info.

the church is "dogwood community church" located in "decatur, alabama" - the "contact" person is elaine gill. here is how it was sent to me:

"We need a lead pastor and have an ad that needs to be placed everywhere possible. Can you help?

If you're a leader . . . really a leader, looking for an opportunity. . . a real opportunity to join a core group of people serious about reaching the unchurched . . . really serious, contact us at egill@charterinternet.com

All others, don't bother."

if you are interested check out their site, and email to see if you are a "fit" and if not, pass it along to others in the emerging world and see if it is something they would like to hook into.

made it home :)

2005-08-09T22:52:00.000-04:00

well, we made it to hickory - and all is so very cool. the community of faith that has formed is just great and creative - we feel blessed being here. i will be posting more over time - and if others desire to join this little community just email me and i will send out the invite - peace

busy busy busy

2005-08-03T22:08:00.000-04:00

sorry for the whole not posting here thing. it's the busiest time of the year. school is starting next week in these parts and all the summer stuff still isn't over. the fall schedule is coming up and the leaders of our church are meeting weekly to be very deliberate in the way plan for the coming church year. do we keep doing what we've always done? do we look for new ways to do the same thing? do we scrap it all and start over. i am going to assume that very little will change. that will be fine for some, not so fine for others and the rest won't mind either way. please pray for our body as we leaders look forward...

2005-07-13T16:11:00.000-04:00

My apologies for posting immediately after John's new beginning post, your in my prayers bro (they are envious prayers, but they are still prayers ;). I just wanted to say that this is, in my opinion, a fair assessment and constructive criticism that I welcome. He is definitely a voice worth listening to. Here is his blog.

the adventure begins

2005-07-13T14:50:00.000-04:00

today is the day we pack the truck and send it on it's way. we will be leaving behind this chapter of our lives and moving to a new chapter. as we close out the california chapter and open the north carolina chapter i have a great many things to be in praise over, God has blessed me in many ways -

my family; my wife tina, a great and supportive lady whom i love dearly. she supports me, reads what i write and even will help me work out ideas. she cares about what i do, and is a very supportive part of my ministry and my walk. our children, heather and steve, veronica and lauren - three bright spots in a day :). the rest of the family, mother-in-law, brothers, sisters, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, aunts, cousins and more - a large and supportive ring around me as we move into a new phase of life.

our friends; people who are willing to go out of their way to help us see the possibilities of what community is and can be. the people of connection church and their hearts and spirits.

over the next year i will be growing as a husband, father, friend, pastor, person. i will be looking deep into my personal walk of faith as i seek to start a dmin in 2006 [over at george fox with len sweet] and pastor with the people at connections. this adventure marks a great point in my life and my walk. i thank God for all the blessings he has given to me over this year - as i seek to hold those blessings with respect and grace i ask that all keep us in their prayers.

we will be "off-line" for a while as we have a family time trip across america - we will post as we can [family over posting ;)].

pax

following?

2005-07-12T21:55:00.000-04:00

i ran across this story, and it got me to thinking about "following." to follow - to allow another to lead, and simply follow behind them. what does it take? what does it mean? trust? grace? friendship? what does it take to cause you to follow? are you willing to do it all? are you willing to take the "leap" and follow the leader? here is a very interesting story i ran across that might get you thinking...link

a letter from a friend, and a possible reality:

2005-07-11T12:14:00.000-04:00

i think this thing of the "emergent southeast" is a very good and very cool thing. it seems that the news is getting out, and people are emailing me about it. here is an example of one such email [and a great site] from one of the people who i think has some very cool ideas:

camp is a place i have grew up in and now a place I am attempting to rethink and reimagine. i've been doing some alt worship (form and theology) during various retreats and camps and have gotten some fascinating feedback from the mostly small, conservative churches that attend. camp is such an important part of the south's religious experience, part of its very foundations back in the 19th century revival meetings.

For a while, i've been dreaming about the possibility of a southeastern emergent gathering and would like to suggest the possibility of a camp setting..the intimacy, community and historical significance would serve as an interesting background to such a gathering..just throwing out a feeler to see what some others think..of course there is the possibility of our camp in SC, but there are plenty that would seem to facilitate such a gathering..

obviously, emergent in the south (especially the rural south) is going to have its own characteristics and theological directions. Thank you for setting up this blog as a way of letting many of us come together to continue the conversation in a very specific way..

well, i think that is a great idea. to see an emerging event that is dealing with the needs of the people is great - there are a great many "small" towns and suburban centers in the south that are very different from those on the west cost, or the midwest. our needs are different, and at some level our "historic starting point" is different. as a person who grew-up in the west (nevada and california) i can attest to this reality. many of the emerging events that are taking place are designed for the urban centers, and they all focus on the same things.

if, the idea of an "emerging gathering" is something that will be useful, i am all for helping getting one off the ground. we need to spread the word of this blog, and let people know we need voices - no emerging gathering can be formed if we do not hear the voices of the people we seek to hear.

if we get the word out, connect with other voices, and seek to know where God is leading, then i think we can get something happening by the summer of 2006. the possibility is to have a "ochlos" [one of the greek words for a 'gathering' {ock-los}.] it is used by mark [and others] to describe gatherings and crowds as they came to here the teachings of Jesus, "then Jesus went again to walk alongside the lake. again a crowd came to him, and he taught them."

who knows, the possibility is endless :) pass the word.

Adjusting our lens and hearing aids

2005-07-10T15:32:00.000-04:00

I have a few foundations that I hold for myself, not in creedal, dogmatic, or systematic form but more in a flexible, magnanimous, and sporadic form. They are more like virtues of life, if you will, that I try to follow. One that I have is, seeing beyond categories. I apologize if this comes off harsh but I am vehemently opposed to the injustice that is done to individuals and groups that are generalized and then marginalized because of whatever lineage, category, party, context, race, religion, etc that they are in or resonate with. Great example, what if I were to say "all conservative are tight asses." That is simply not true. Not all conservatives advocate or hold the same beliefs. There are extremities within each category and the pendulum swings on both sides. What I am saying here is: Southeast Emergent has to see beyond labels and categories. We have to be the people of GOD who see people for who they are in GOD's lens. My professor and mentor guided me in this. He taught that we have to move beyond the categories that determine who's in and who's out. The categories that reinforce schismatic behavior and exclusive mindsets. In our pluralistic culture we have to see the mosaic of the kingdom and call out and affirm the things of GOD. I think the initial course of this is with our speech. What is our speech and communication conveying and articulating to those that are within the kingdom and those that we are inviting? I think a gem for me has been Nancey Murphy's book. Our pluralistic culture is eradicating these predilections and compartments that we love to create and making it more and more difficult to know and confine people and knowledge. I think this is the chemotherapy that we need now seeing in retrospect what we have done with comparmentalizing people into groups and labeling them "good and bad." Guess what? Both sides think they are "good" and the other is "bad", so what progress can we get from that? None. We need to see beyond the labels and categories that we find them in and see what GOD is saying and doing through them. We need to see them not as different from us, but very similar to us. We need to see them through GOD's lens. I often hear people equate Islamic fundamentalism to murder and terrorism. This is syllogism that is very deceptive. Not all within Islamic fundamentalism believe everything everyone believes, so how can we categorize them? Not all blacks listen to hip hop. Not all are like all. We just need to listen harder and see deeper. We have to refrain from labeling, stamping, boxing, and writing people or groups off as a mass production and saying "they are all the same." We each have something to say and something GOD desires to be heard in liberals, conservatives, democrats, Hindus, bisexuals, and so on. There is something beyond that surface that GOD is whispering and we have to be willing to hear and search for it attentively. We are part of great misunderstanding that is hindering the kingdom of GOD, not ushering it in. When we draw a line in the sand we pick sides. When the GOD-man draws a "line" in the sand, we all are on one side. To emerge, we need to move beyond our categories that have only split the people, and that involves making alterations to our vocabulary and how we articulate. The old or new seeds that are coming to fruition have to be aware of what garden they are in and be sensitive to that context. The garden we are in now, has not tolerance for senescent labels, and they must be dismantled. I leave with this quote from Leopold von Ranke "Every age is immediate to God, for in every age the Divine desires to realize itself, and is unable to show itself in it's entirety in any single era." Not only do I believe that to have relevance and significance in eras (time periods), and stages of our individual development, but in people other than ourselves. We just need to adjust our lens and hearing aids to the focus and tune of GOD.
Peace

Good Ole Jerry

2005-07-09T14:42:00.000-04:00

I think a friend subscribed me to Falwell Confidential. I know I didn't sign up. Anyway, here is a snippet from the latest email.

In announcing its formation, the Christian Alliance for Progress unveiled what it called its “Jacksonville Declaration,” an open letter to the political and church leaders of the religious right, which “challenges and invites them to return to a Christian foundation of compassion and justice, values that Jesus passionately taught and lived.”

First, the sole purpose for Jesus’ ministry on earth was stated in His own words: “… for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:30). Any organization that deems to calls itself “Christian,” simply must have as its basis the reality that Jesus asserted that salvation could come only through Him.

I wonder if the leadership of the Christian Alliance for Progress would state that Jesus Christ, who conquered death following His crucifixion, is the singular avenue to eternal life in heaven? If not, how can the name Christian be suitable for this organization?

Back for Round 2

2005-07-08T11:12:00.000-04:00

Let me preface this post by saying that I love the church. If I am being very honest, and you give me a little room to possibly be silly, I am bonkers over the church. I love her people and anything I say, both good and bad, about Christ’s bride is motivated by my love for her. It is my love of the church that set me on my current journey to find out what is going on with the church, where it is headed, and where I fit in. No matter what form they choose to take on in the way they do church and be the church, I have more love than anyone could know.

In my post yesterday I explained a couple of tension points for anyone interested in emerging church ideas in my part of the southeast. There are many, many more and I am sure I will be adding to the list as I post here. Today I want to talk about the church culture here in my corner of the region. It’s where I was born and raised. Church and church culture has been a part of all 33 of my years. So what is the church community like in my neck of the woods?

Most churches in this area are 200 or less in attendees. They are normally filled with people they have gone to church with all of their lives and their parents and grandparents went there as well. This causes most churches to be tight knit groups and inwardly focused. Mega churches are a fairly new thing here and surprisingly, do well. I would have thought that their seeker friendly models would turn folks off in this area, but they do get good responses. This is an encouragement to anyone looking to different models whether emerging or some other expression. There are a good number of people, like myself, looking for something different.

As stated before, there are over 1000 churches in the area. One reason for the large number of churches is a direct result of a problem this area struggles with mightily. Church splits. It is one of the issues we deal with here that both saddens and angers me greatly. It is almost a way of life here. If you do not run the pastor out, you leave and take a large number of people with you to start another church. A joke around here has been that the SBC doesn’t have to spend any money in the state of Tennessee for church planting because they only need to wait for their churches to split.

For the most part you will find the area to be very conservative and lean towards fundamentalist expressions of the gospel. This is a direct result of Southern Baptists being the biggest part of the church at large here and another sizable portion being made up of other types of Baptists and Pentecostals. Politically, you are looking at a heavily republican area and that translates into the church being republican for the most part. Or it could be the area is republican because the church is. That is how much the church and the community at large is intertwined. It’s hard to see where one ends and the other begins at times.

What are the issues outside the church that most people seem to focus on? Abortion, gay marriage and other homosexual issues, and the Ten Commandments being posted in public and government places are ones you will hear the most about. If you do not believe that, go to Timesnews.net and read the letters to the editor on a daily basis. Social justice issues such as poverty (either here or overseas), racism, or gender bias are either not given attention or are not viewed as problems we need to be dealing with. (Adding a personal note here, I think all of these things are important and that it is a mistake for any side to drop them. Especially if you are dropping them because it’s an issue that someone not like you is championing. An example if the way some would not be a part of the Make Poverty History campaign because they view it as a liberal issue not be associated with. Another example would be an emergent steering clear of the Abortion issue because they wouldn’t want to be associated with fundamentalists.)

Ending on a positive note, the church in this area is very generous and generally looks to impact the community around them in a positive way. A great number of Christians in this area truly wish to reach people for Jesus. I have personally been cared for by folks in the local church all of my life. My grandparents were part of the local church and my family has benefited from their guidance. As much as the church in this area can frustrate and upset me, it was a factor in my coming to Jesus. That brings us full circle and explains why I am so interested in the Emerging Church conversation. I love the body of Christ and I know there are other, maybe even better ways, to be the body. I know that we do not have all the answers or the perfect expression of being the church and I am finding many good ideas and questions in the conversation.

Till next time…

the baker parable

2005-07-07T23:41:00.000-04:00

I just recently resigned from a church in Alabama. A lot of 'old world' issues there, and very religious. That is NOT why we left, God really did release us, but we would like to share with you some of what it is like to be at a church in 'the south'. This is a great parable written by the Sr. pastor there, whom we still love and adore, and would have given anything to stay on staff with him.

the baker parable

first shot

2005-07-07T18:05:00.000-04:00

Since John invited me last night (Thanks John!) to post here I have been thinking about what I would write in my first post. Having been born and raised in East Tennessee I think my experience is fairly unique as this emerging conversation is concerned. So for starters, here are some observations about where I live and what emergents might face. I’ll post a couple of my observations in this post and continue in another.

First, if you use words and phrases with church folk in this area like emerging church, missional, or reaching out in a postmodern world, the responses will range from ‘what is that?’ to ‘you are out of your mind’. These are strange and/or scary terms to Christians of the south. If you talk about Jerry Falwell or James Dobson, people understand you. Mention names like Brian Mclaren or Stan Grenz, and you can expect that they will not know who they are or what they are about. This in itself is not a huge problem. Where the problems arise is when you start explaining who they are and what they are saying. In a heavily fundamentalist conservative evangelical community, these ideas and those who are talking about them are a threat. Anyone who agrees with any or all of the emerging conversation risks being labeled a liberal or heretic. To question the way the church operates and lives out its calling is a no-no here. Why? Because everyone already knows the right way to do it.

The next thing that comes to mind is the war on culture and the divide between secular and sacred. For the most part, anything not directly tied to the church is not accepted as something a good, God fearing Christian should involve themselves in and enjoy. The secular culture and those in are the enemy and need to be beaten back. A personal example here would be music. Many of the Christians that I know would have a real problem with some of the music I enjoy. Many folks in this area even have a problem with Christian music that sounds like secular music. Anything related to secular culture should be shunned and not given a place in a Christian’s life. This leads to great misunderstandings of the people that we say we want to reach out to. I’ve personally had heated debates with family members concerning secular culture and how I think we MUST understand it. The person debating with me thought it mattered little if at all.

Next time I’ll give a run down of church culture and where we are compared to other parts of the country…

WGW 2005

2005-07-06T21:57:00.000-04:00

here is what it says on the site promoting the event:

W2G 2005 is a gathering of like-minded leaders who face the same kind of challenges that you face. It is a conference designed to turn up the volume on your effectiveness for the Kingdom.

Join hundreds of other leaders (staff and lay) from the east coast Oct.18.05 in Burlington, NC and get the most recent tools, insights, networking and inspiration to help your church be its most effective in growing in today's context.

The day of learning will include
Check-in from 8:00 - 8:30
Worship @ 8:30
Session 1 with Ron Martoia
Session 2 with Gordon MacDonald
Lunch (included if you register before 8/30/05)
Session 3 with Ron Martoia
Session 4 with Gordon MacDonald
Session 5 Q&A with Ron and Gordon, ending @ 4:00

Online registration is now open, and an Early Bird Rate of only $25/person is available through June 15. register

if you need a place to stay click here: LINK
places to eat, click here: LINK

interested in connecting?

2005-07-06T16:09:00.000-04:00

i am in the process of moving to north carolina. in that move, i would love to get this blog rolling and focus on issues that are facing us in the southeast. if you are connected to an emerging ministry in the southeast, i would love if you added your voice to this new collaborative blog.

the idea is to be a place where people can find out what is happening in our area. conferences, gatherings, events, new churches, new expressions - what ever it is - we can be a collaboration of people looking to be a light to those seeking a way in this crazy thing we call emerging - if it's you, cool - join. if you know of others, cool - spread the word :)

if you want to be a part of this - email me at jxpxus [at] yahoo [dot] com