Padawan Pastor

From Temples to Tents

"A growing number of people are leaving the institutional church for a new reason. They are not leaving because they have lost their faith. They are leaving to preserve their faith." R. McNeal, "The Present Future"

The Lord is moving His people out of Temples and into Tents. Tents can be taken down in an instant. They can be transported to other places. A small group of people in a Tent can move quickly when the cloud of God’s guidance moves. A large group in an established Temple have too much to protect, like mortgages and salaries.

We now live in a culture where authentic faith is marginalized. Christianity is simply one option in a long list of options, and Temple priests have lost their voice in the culture.  As fear and uncertainty increase, and as the Temple priests feel threatened, their isolation increases. Priests don’t know how to operate without a Temple. Priests don’t like Tent spirituality, although sometimes they secretly long for it.

“A church which pitches its tents,
Without constantly looking out for new horizons,
Which does not continually strike camp,
Is being untrue to its calling …
We must play down our longing for certainty,
accept what is risky,
live by improvisation and experiment.” -Hans Kung

For all this change we need a spirituality of the road, a Tent spirituality. This is a spirituality that is decentralized, personal, creative and incarnational.

Tent spirituality is decentralized. All are priests, all are sent. God is God of the journey. Moreover, God is at work all around us on the road. Every place is potentially sacred space.

Tent spirituality is mobile and incarnational. God is with us and in us; He is not limited to a Temple where we must bring others. Rather, we pitch our Tent among the people.  Temple religion relies on invitation. Tent communities rely on infiltration (like salt, light, and leaven). A Tent community lives and does their work “undercover” where the world lives and breathes.

Tent spirituality is creative and innovative. We can't rely on fixed forms. We become careful observers and listeners.

Human beings don't naturally embrace insecurity and change. When Moses led the people of God out of slavery, their strongest inclination was not to go forward but to go back to the familiarity of slavery in Egypt.

How do we survive the transition from Temple to Tent, from the center to the margins? How do we become a people free from addiction to the Temple culture, out on the open range, a people comfortable with the insecurity of freedom?

Jim Peterson comments that, "Our temples are territorial. They cause us to ask questions about "who is in" and "who is out," and to worry about the other Temple down the road lest they gain more adherents than us. They support competition and division in the Body. They cause us to dwell in fear and to regard people as our possessions instead of the Lord's." (NAVPRESS: Church Without Walls)

Let's face it, this journey from Temple to Tent will involve pain and struggle. We aren't going to get there if we are still sitting in a traditional Sunday gathering, smiling at the back of other heads week after week.

Change will not come from the Temple priesthood, who have a vested interest in maintaining the life of the Temple. Change will come in small ways, but like leaven in a lump, it will grow in force and in power. It will be a bottom-up, grassroots movement.

We need leaders who will sacrifice their personal advancement to inspire the risk and sacrifice necessary to bring change. These are people unafraid to risk moving against the tide, who aren't tempted by the rewards offered by the Temple life. We need dreamers and visionaries who understand how dangerous a dream can be. We need people who are comfortable with the margins, with smallness, with ambiguity, and with obscurity.

As Temple religion dies, and as believers increasingly mix with unbelievers in outside-the-walls contexts, conversations and conversions will happen. The church will expand, and will increasingly move from Temple religion to Tent communities.

Difference between church and missional community

Perhaps a good way to further understand the missional community is to illustrate some of the myths that it does not subscribe to:

1. Church as a place: For many people, church is a place you go. It is a facility, a campus or a building.  The common phrase, “I’m going to church” summarizes this view.  When a person is at the building or facility, they are at church. The implication is that when they are not at the building, they are not at church.
 
2. Church as an event.  For others, church is something that happens. Church is defined by worship services, Bible studies, prayer meetings or other ministries. Again the implication is that when one is not engaged in one of these events or activities, they are no longer “doing” or “having” church.
 
3. Church as associated with a person. For others, church is an organization associated with a pastor or Christian leader. For example, people often say things like, “I go to Joel Osteen’s church” or “I attend Ed Young’s church.”
 
4. Church as offering programs or services. For others, church is determined by what the organization offers to meet needs such as youth programs, music programs, marriage groups, fellowship, discipleship, mission opportunities, etc.
 
However, in a missional community, the church is God’s sent people. That means when everything is stripped away – the building, the events, the activities, the leaders, and other identifying markers for the church – the people are the church and church is the people.

The modern church is not that much different from the American culture: marketing, promotion, advertising, consumerism, selfish materialism.  Church has become a place of consumerism. People come to get their needs met. The church is about giving people what they want – making them comfortable. Maybe we’ve reached more people, but have we really participated in the transformation of lives?
 
A missional community is not a product of culture. Rather a missional community embodies, demonstrates and announces a new way of living under God’s reign. The task of a missional community is to explore and rediscover God’s countercultural call to represent the reign of God in our culture.

Deep Thoughts

Came across some good "deep thoughts" the other day (reminds of the SNL from the 80's):

1. I can picture in my mind a world without war, a world without hate. And I can picture us attacking that world, because they'd never expect it.
2. A man doesn't automatically get my respect. He has to get down in the dirt and beg for it.
3. I hope that someday we will be able to put away our fears and prejudices and just laugh at people.
4. Whenever you read a good book, it's like the author is right there, in the room talking to you, which is why I don't like to read good books.
5. How come the dove gets to be the peace symbol? How about the pillow? It has more feathers than the dove, and it doesn't have that dangerous beak.
6. Even though he was an enemy of mine, I had to admit that what he had accomplished was a brilliant piece of strategy. First, he punched me, then he kicked me, then he punched me again.
7. I hope that after I die, people will say of me: "That guy sure owed me a lot of money.''
8. One day one of my little nephews came up to me and asked if the equator was a real line that went around the Earth, or just an imaginary one. I had to laugh. Laugh and laugh. Because I didn't know, and I thought that maybe by laughing he would forget what he had asked me.
9. To me, it's a good idea to always carry two sacks of something around. That way, if anybody says, "Hey can you give me a hand?" you can say, "Sorry, got these sacks."

Services on Christmas

The media frenzy over the decision of churches throughout the country to close their doors on Christmas day doesn’t seem to by dying down, and numerous articles are framing the action as unprecedented. But is this accurate? Is it really unprecedented, or do we just not know our own history?  Although likely unaware of it, the churches that are closing on Christmas Day may actually be more in line with Church tradition than those who choose to keep their doors open.

Few seem to remember that America’s Puritan ancestors were vehemently opposed to the celebration of Christmas. They saw no Biblical support for the holiday, and believed the festival was a pagan Roman ritual. Even as late as 1855, newspapers in New York reported that Methodist, Baptist, and Presbyterian churches would be closed on Christmas Day because “they do not accept the day as a Holy One.”  The Puritan disdain for Christmas had such a hold on American culture that by the 1860s only 18 states officially recognized the holiday."  In many states, you could face a fine and/or imprisonment for doing any of the following on December 25:  taking the day off, putting decorations in homes or businesses, exchanging gifts, or singing Christmas Carols (the latter would land you 6 months in jail).

Perhaps the media is going crazy over this because they smell hypocrisy.  They hear the Church making two supposedly contradictory statements:  (1) the Church insists on Christ being reinserted into Christmas (we will sue businesses that say “Seasons Greetings” or put up a “holiday” tree) and (2) the Church will not be having any services on Christmas.

Strangely, the historic outcry of the Church over the materialism of Christmas seems to have been reversed. The Church used to be upset about the rampant greed associated with December.  Now it appears that the Church is upset that the businesses hosting the materialism don’t have “CHRISTmas” on their signage—how times have changed. Perhaps the values guiding the American Church this Advent need to be visited by the ghost of Christmas past.

Our church will not be having services on Christmas day, but if your church does – consider encouraging everyone to wear their pajamas and requiring everyone in attendance to bring the pastor’s kids gifts (since their dad will not be home with them for their family Christmas).  Just a silly thought!

Come to think of it, getting outside of the church walls and celebrating Christ's birth with family and friends (especially friends outside of the church) sounds quite missional to me!

"Christian"

A couple of years ago I quit referring to myself as a “Christian.”  Now before you call me a heretic let me explain why.  The term has pretty much lost its meaning in our culture today.  You stop 10 different people on the street and ask them what the word “Christian” means and you will get 10 different answers.  Also, about 8 out of 10 would refer to themselves as being "Christians."  They describe themselves as Christians often by default – it’s not their identity, it’s simply what they would check on a census survey instead of Muslim or Jewish or whatever. They are a Christian because they are Americans, or because their parents were, or because they were christened as a child, or because they were once a member of a church, etc.  So, to avoid being lumped into the blur of the word “Christian,” I now refer to myself as a “follower of Christ” – which is really the essence of what pagans were describing the first “Christians” in the early church. I want to love Christ, follow Christ, obey Christ, and dwell in Christ.  Our society's various understandings of the word "Christian" just doesn't capture the essence of living the Christ-life.  In referring to myself a a "follower of Christ, it often sparks curiosity and conversations - and it differentiates me from the default.

I don’t like to use the term “Christian” to describe myself, but I really don’t like to use the term “Christian” as an adjective – it needs to stay a noun if we are going to use it.  Today, we have “Christian” music, TV, jewelry, bumper stickers, shirts, etc.  “Christian” is a noun describing someone who follows Christ (although our society has lost that meaning), not an adjective used to describe everything under the sun that we create in our own religious subculture.  Music cannot be Christian, but a singer of music can be.  Clothes cannot be Christian, but the person wearing them can be.  A nation cannot be Christian, but some of the founders or citizens can be.

Yep.  I said it.  We are not, nor were we ever a “Christian” nation.  We are a nation that was founded by some great, courageous men (many of whom were Christians and Deists) – who created a free nation.  Today, we continue to be a free nation that is populated by some Christians (and even a few “followers of Christ”).

happy ramahanukwanzmas!

Should we be more passionate about a company’s semantic responsibility or social responsibility?  For example, Walmart can say “Merry Christmas” until they are blue in the face, but I will not shop there as long as they continue to practice their business in unjust ways (such as the way they drive out every competitor in every town in America and now they are doing the same in poverty stricken Mexico – forcing local business owners out of business, reduce benefits and pay for their workers – 60% of which qualify for Medicaid because of their minimal wages, purchase inventory from countries that still use slave/child labor, etc.).  I’d rather do business with a company that is socially responsible than a business that is merely seasonally appeasing to the demands of the Religious Right.

The way of Christ is not to wage war (or lawsuits) against culture (whether it be Roman or American or whatever times we find ourselves in) as a militant religious machine, but rather to engage culture as a missionary called to be salt, light, and leaven (the 3 metaphors that Jesus used to describe His followers – each of which involves penetration, not domination).

Appreciation for Napoleon

It appears the state of Idaho has passed a referendum showing appreciation to the creators of Napoleon Dynamite for how the show has benefitted the state.

http://www.snopes.com/movies/films/dynamite.asp

Very funny!

Aslan

Saw The Chronicles of Narnia with the fam over the weekend.  There’s been plenty of talk about it in the blogosphere, so I will not add much from this “Monday morning” director.  I will say that all in all, it was a good movie.  The actresses that played Lucy and the White Witch stole the show.  I would have done a few things differently (more true to the book), but I give it a thumbs up.

What is very telling is that this whole story centers on this issue:  what would the incarnation look like in a different world, a world of talking beasts?

We ourselves are to incarnate (to embody, to personify) the gospel in our world (our culture, our times).  No, we are not Aslan, but are his “paws,” his eyes, his voice, his “mane,” his ambassadors, his co-laborers in the effort to free Narnia and release those frozen by the White witch.

What does the incarnation look like in your section of Narnia?

Holiday Fiasco

This question of "Happy Holidays" is the next big religio-political controversy. Some Christian leaders have been ranting about retailers toning down the Christmas message is another example of how people (liberals, atheists, ACLU, etc. are most often accused) are "attacking religion." In fact, such individuals have no legal say in the matter, as businesses are not state institutions. But, they do speak with their dollar. And THAT is why businesses are toning down the Christmas message. Wal-Mart, for example, is trying to appeal to other religious groups in order to increase their own profits this season. Keep in mind that retail sales have been on the decline in the past few Christmas seasons.

That said, if stores don't want to recognize Christmas, I really don't care one way or the other. Have we as followers of Christ became so frail and victimized that we need the mall to validate our faith?

Much of the push from groups such as the one trying to hold on to the Christmas tree (ala Falwell) stems from the neo conservative movement to try to reclaim and make America Christian. One would have to argue as to when exactly this was a Christian nation?  Was it when we murdered and stole the land from millions of native people (New Worldversion of a holocaust)?  Was it when we imported and exploited millions of slaves from Africa?  Was it when we refused to give women the right to vote?  Was it when we lynched thousands of blacks in the Bible Belt of the South?

So now we consider ourselves to be victims.  Since we are victims, we take a posture of aggression, anger, and retaliation.  It’s embarrassing and quite pathetic.  It’s a posture that is so unlike Christ.

Instead of being salt, light, and leaven in our culture like Christ commissioned us to be, we’re seen as bullies who want to force our culture into submission.  It is disturbing to see so much time, money, and energy being spent by these groups on intimidation rather than influence.  It’s embarrassing to have to explain to my friends who are outside of the church that these groups do no represent me.

The reality is that we live in a different world, one that resembles the first century culture with respects to pluralism. This type of a response to the shifting culture is known as retrenchment.  It’s where we attempt through lawsuits and legislation to impose a way of life on our culture.  It lacks the faithfulness of genuine biblical witness.  Christianity at its best assumes a subversive posture that seeks to propose the Kingdom. Christianity at its ugliest is a political machine with an agenda to take over.  Even the followers of Christ during His earthly ministry wanted Him to pursue political power, overthrow the evil pagan Roman Empire, and set up a Zion state.  But He refused.  It is not the way of the gospel.  History shows us that Christianity shrivels and faith is polluted when we try to take charge (consider Constantine in the 3^rd century).  History also shows that persecution WITHOUT FAIL purifies faith and multiplies evangelism like wildfire.  Should we be so surprised and angry when pagans act like pagans?

It is sad to see the way that many of these groups try to assert action.  It is actually quite revealing of how, particularly in America, much of the mainstream Christian movement has wrongly tied the gospel together with nationalism, political parties, and the values of the American dream, rather than the Kingdom of God.

If anything, we should be relieved. Christmas is the most severely abused religious holiday I’ve seen when it comes to marketing and retail---I see far more greed and selfishness manifesting in people during this season than I do peace or hope.  Just think of those men who got into a fistfight in Wal-mart over a couple of cheap computers or the 73 yr old lady that was trampled on Black Friday by the onslaught of consumers when the doors opened. It’s insanity!  The more Christ is distanced from the mass commercialized feeding frenzy, the better.

And if we want to get real technical, the orthodox church always celebrated the birth of Christ on January 5.  The only reason we celebrate on December 25 is because the pagan’s celebration of Saturnalia (worship of the son god pleading for him to come back in the spring to nourish crops) was so popular that the church decided to join in and make it a combined holiday.  Maybe if we went back to January 5 we could distance ourselves from the greed and commercialization of Dec 25.  Just a random thought while I’m typing.

Let’s take it down to another level – from the macro to the micro (a level that Jesus preferred to operate in).  Instead of focusing on corporations, school districts, and political parties, let’s talk about our neighbors.  I have one neighbor who is an atheist, one who is Jewish, one who is Jehovah Witness, and one who is from Africa.  None of them celebrate the birth of Christ like I do.  What should I do?  Do I sue them for not having a nativity scene?  Do I force them to sing Silent Night in their home?  Do I reprimand them for telling me to have a “happy holiday?”

Or should I invite them to a block party?  Connect in conversation?  Show respect?  Listen to their story and share my story?  Engage them in how they observe the holiday and explain how I observe and why?

Which set of actions would alienate?  Which would build barriers between me and my neighbors?  Which would build bridges leaving the door open for future influence, conversations, and relationship?  Which set of actions would Jesus take?  Why do we not do on the macro level what is so clearly the right thing to do on the micro level?

Interestingly enough, Jesus never told us to celebrate or remember His birthday.  Nothing is inherently wrong with it; it’s just not something Christ asked us to do.  So if we are going to observe Christmas, shouldn’t we do so in a way that honors the teachings of the God-Man whose birthday we celebrate.

I'm not very concerned, in fact I'm glad. Anything the separates Christ from that materialism of the American culture is fine by me. No one I know has ever decided to become a follower of Christ because they were granted a Merry Christmas as opposed to Seasons Greetings.  When I tell my Jewish neighbor “happy holidays” out of respect for his religious views, I’m not abandoning my own.  I’m simply being polite.

"straw poverty"

Bono recently told Rolling Stone magazine, 'I believe in the poetic genius of a Creator who would choose to express such unfathomable power as a child born in "straw poverty".