January 30, 2009

Three Dramas that Drive Us

by Skye Jethani

At any given moment we are each engaged in three dramas, but only one of them ultimately matters.

First, there is the drama of the practical. These are the events and measurable conditions that surround us every day. For many church leaders the current drama of the practical involves the economic crisis and keeping their ministries solvent. At other times the drama of the practical is about increasing attendance, launching a new program, or financing a building campaign. Those men and women who learn to master the drama of the practical are often the most revered and celebrated. They know how to get things done so we buy their books, attend their conferences, and listen to their advice.

But there is a second drama that many practical actors ignore - the drama of the theoretical. While we are busy living our lives and doing our ministry, there is a deeper drama informing and guiding our decisions. This drama of the theoretical is where our assumptions and beliefs are at play; where our often unspoken philosophy of ministry is behind the scenes pulling the levers and pushing the buttons - what we believe about the church, mission, culture, and theology. Those with more reflective faculties are able to speak and identify this drama of the theoretical in a way many practical dramatists simply cannot. For this reason, as my college professor used to say, they often find themselves writing about the world rather than running it.

Most pastors and church leaders, as well as the resources created to help them, are primarily concerned with these two dramas - the practical and the theoretical. What should I think and what should I do? For this reason we often ask secular experts in the practical and theoretical to help us lead our churches. But we deceive ourselves if we believe these two dramas comprise the bulk of our life or significance. Because behind the drama of the practical, and far deeper than the drama of the theoretical, there lies a third drama more powerful than either and whose outcome controls them both - the drama of the eternal.

The Quaker missionary and scholar Thomas Kelly wrote about this deeper drama as World War II was escalating:

Out in front of us is the drama of men and of nations, seething, struggling, laboring, dying. Upon this tragic drama in these days our eyes are all set in anxious watchfulness and in prayer. But within the silences of the souls of men an eternal drama is ever being enacted, in these days as well as in others. And on the outcome of this inner drama rests, ultimately, the outer pageant of history. It is the drama of the Hound of Heaven baying relentlessly upon the track of man.

We are not merely managers of religious institutions with practical duties. Neither are we merely thought-leaders living on the rarified air of theory and vision. We are spiritual leaders called to shepherd the souls of women, men, and children. Of all people we are called to be most aware and sensitive to the drama of the eternal. And yet I hear so little about this responsibility among church leaders today because playing in the drama of the eternal is something secular leadership gurus and cultural pundits cannot teach us. But if we, the leaders of the church, will not take up this responsibility then who will?

Of course, before we can hope to see into the "silences of the souls of men" we must learn to discern the secret things that move within our own souls. For weeks on this blog people have debated the merits of missional verses attractional church models (an exercise in the drama of the theoretical). But can we see how our advocacy of one model or the other is linked to the eternal drama at play deeper within? What does attracting a crowd to hear me speak do to satisfy my insecure identity? How might an aggressively missional model fuel my need for accomplishment? We are na?ve to think the drama of the eternal isn't in some way impacting the drama of the theoretical.

Likewise, our energetic and often frenzied pace in ministry (the drama of the practical) also finds its headwaters in the drama of the eternal. Do our actions, even the busy ones, flow from a soul at peace in the presence of the Lord, or are we accomplishing objectives from an idolatrous desire to serve our ego? The resolution of this inner drama, as Kelly remarks, will ultimately determine the outer pageant of our lives and ministries.

Ted Haggard's step back into the spotlight vividly illustrates this truth. No one doubts Haggard's expertise in the drama of the practical - he grew a very large church. Many have celebrated his ability to engage the drama of the theoretical - he became a leader in the evangelical political and cultural movement. But it was the drama of the eternal in his soul that defined his destiny and leaves me to wonder - could the very same wound in his soul that led to drug abuse and sexual misconduct have been what fueled his celebrated practical and theoretical achievements as well?

When we take our gaze off the celebrity pastors (practical dramatists) and the ministry pundits (theoretical dramatists) and we fix our eyes once again on Jesus, we'll discover a spiritual leader with the wisdom to focus on the only drama that really matters. Jesus lived and served from a soul at one with the Father and an identity secure in his love. From this inner place he drew the strength to do might works (drama of the practical) and teach profound truths (drama of the theoretical), but more importantly he found the courage to endure outward failure, ridicule, and abandonment. The drama of the eternal, his inner communion with his Father, defined and determined the outward drama of his life. Unfortunately, too many of us in ministry have it the other way around.

At any given moment we are each engaged in three dramas, but only one of them ultimately matters.

Posted by UrL Scaramanga at January 30, 2009 | Comments (6) | TrackBack

January 29, 2009

Audio Ur: Jon Trott on Community and Ministry

by Jon Trott and Brandon O'Brien

On my bookshelf here at my Leadership office is a growing collection of books about intentional living--about new friars and new monastics and communes made up of multiple families under one roof. As with all such things, we wanted to get some perspective on the issue. So I spent an afternoon not long ago visiting with Jon Trott, a 30-year member of Jesus People USA (JPUSA) in Chicago. Since Jon has been living the communal life for three decades now, I asked him a few questions about life in community and for his perspective on the "new monasticism."

To hear more from Jon, check out the Winter 2009 issue of Leadership.

To download this episode of Audio Ur, click here.

Posted by UrL Scaramanga at January 29, 2009 | Comments (1) | TrackBack

January 28, 2009

Out of Context: Eugene Peterson

by Eugene Peterson

From "Having Ears, Do You Not Hear?" in the current issue of Leadership.

"As a pastor, I'm not a theology policeman...But if we are part of a community where the Scriptures are honored, I don't think we have to worry too much. The Spirit works through community. Somebody will have a stupid, screwy idea. That's okay. The point of having creeds and confessions and traditions is to keep us in touch with the obvious errors."

To read the rest, pick up the Winter '09 issue of Leadership journal.

Posted by UrL Scaramanga at January 28, 2009 | Comments (4) | TrackBack

January 27, 2009

The Gluttony of Time

by Bob Hyatt

A paradox has emerged in this new millennium: people have enhanced quality of life, but at the same time they are adding to their stress levels by taking on more than they have resources to handle. It's as though their eyes were bigger than their stomachs.

- David Allen, Getting Things Done

It's more than likely that you've heard a message, read a book, or done some thinking about "busyness" in the last year or two. Slightly less likely, but still entirely possible, is that you've heard a message, read a book, or done some thinking on "gluttony" during the same time.

It's highly unlikely that the two were connected. But maybe they should have been.

Why do we say yes to so much? Is it because we are guilt-ridden, co-dependent angst monkeys who lack the willpower to say no? No. We say no to a million things a day. Usually to things that are good for us, but still...when we want to, we know how to say no just fine, thank you.

Is it because we have a drive towards self justification that works itself out in our work and an ever-increasing load of commitments through which we seek to earn the favor of others and God? In part, yes...

But maybe it also has something to do with our appetites.

You know, our appetites for recognition and "importance." To be liked, appreciated, admired. Even our appetite to "get things done." And honestly, there's nothing inherently wrong with that. But like all things in this broken world, left unchecked by the Spirit and un-submitted to God, our appetite to be liked and our desire to achieve will run out of control.

I've been thinking about busyness as though it is a problem to be managed - increase my productivity and I could, of course, accept and keep more commitments, more on my plate... more to feed my ego.

Maybe the problem with busyness isn't it. Maybe it's me. Me and my ego and pride.

Conceived of this way, busyness isn't an issue of time management and productivity, it's an issue of desire. When is enough, enough? When am I doing enough good things through which that God-given desire to feel productive and useful in this world can be fulfilled? When do I cross the line between finding satisfaction in the good day's work I put in and trying to find my identity through an ever-increasing load of ego-enhancing commitments?

I spend a lot of time thinking about how people can be more productive in ministry. And don't get me wrong, I want to continue to work on productivity/time management and all the rest. But until I work through the inner issues of why I try to do so much, all the productivity hacks in the word really just add up to enabling.

In other words, most days I don't need any more help being productive or managing the stress of work. I think I need help in managing my appetite for applause and the stress of opportunity.

I fear my busyness is simply a sign of my gluttony.

Posted by UrL Scaramanga at January 27, 2009 | Comments (8) | TrackBack

January 23, 2009

Welcome to a Third Culture World

by Dave Gibbons

It's just the beginning. With the inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th president we are seeing what many consider a dream fulfilled. Of course there are still conflicts, and there still is racism, prejudice, and stereotyping - including in the church. But it is a new day when the most powerful political person on the earth is black. This is a historic moment for the world to celebrate, but before we simply see this as a race issue, or even just a political party's victory, we need to see it through the lens of culture - or rather cultures.

"Third culture" is used to describe the fusion of multiple cultures, the art of adaptation and dialogue rather than dictation. It's about diplomacy over strong arm tactics, and the embrace of discomfort as part of the journey toward real community. Barack Obama was born in Hawaii, to a White mother from Kansas with has Irish and English roots, and a father, from Kenya. He studied in Indonesia, Hawaii, California, New York, and Boston. His experience has both urban and surburban, he's engaged cities and villages, he been both rich and poor.

While the church is still talking about diversity or homogeneity, city or suburban initiatives, rich or poor, post-modern or modern, Gen Y or Gen X, attractional or missional, the world has changed the conversation. The focus is no longer either/or but both/and. We're seeing the emergence of people and leaders who can live in the intersections between divergent ideas; people who understand the fringes and the margins yet can weave in and out of multiple cultures, honoring each context yet without alienating those on the fringes.

It's a third culture world. How are your third culture skills? President Obama is just the beginning of a whole new wave of leaders who will have significant impact in a world where the rules have changed and are changing. Is your church, your staff, your team ready?

Check out a video about 3rd Culture produced by Dave Gibbons and his team here.

You can read more from Dave Gibbons and adjusting to a Third Culture world by subscribing to the weekly Out of Ur e-newsletter. Sign up here.

Posted by UrL Scaramanga at January 23, 2009 | Comments (15) | TrackBack

January 22, 2009

Ur Video: Sin City

Posted by UrL Scaramanga at January 22, 2009 | Comments (1) | TrackBack

January 21, 2009

What Rick Warren Prayed for a New President

Our previous post was Mark Labberton's reflection on how to pray for a new president. Rick Warren had the opportunity to do exactly that in a very public way as he offered the invocation at the inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States. Here's the text of his prayer.

Almighty God, our Father:
Everything we see, and everything we can't see, exists because of you alone.

It all comes from you, it all belongs to you, it all exists for your glory.

History is your story.

The Scripture tells us, "Hear, O Israel, the LORD is our God, the LORD is one." And you are the compassionate and merciful one. And you are loving to everyone you have made.

Now today, we rejoice not only in America's peaceful transfer of power for the 44th time, we celebrate a hinge point of history with the inauguration of our first African-American president of the United States.

We are so grateful to live in this land, a land of unequaled possibility, where a son of an African immigrant can rise to the highest level of our leadership. And we know today that Dr. King and a great cloud of witnesses are shouting in heaven.

Give to our new president, Barack Obama, the wisdom to lead us with humility, the courage to lead us with integrity, the compassion to lead us with generosity.

Bless and protect him, his family, Vice President Biden, the Cabinet, and every one of our freely elected leaders.

Help us, O God, to remember that we are Americans - united not by race or religion or blood, but to our commitment to freedom and justice for all.

When we focus on ourselves, when we fight each other, when we forget you - forgive us.

When we presume that our greatness and our prosperity is ours alone - forgive us.

When we fail to treat our fellow human beings and all the earth with the respect that they deserve - forgive us.

And as we face these difficult days ahead, may we have a new birth of clarity in our aims, responsibility in our actions, humility in our approaches, and civility in our attitudes - even when we differ.

Help us to share, to serve, and to seek the common good of all.

May all people of good will today join together to work for a more just, a more healthy, and a more prosperous nation and a peaceful planet.

And may we never forget that one day, all nations--and all people--will stand accountable before you.

We now commit our new president and his wife, Michelle, and his daughters, Malia and Sasha, into your loving care.

I humbly ask this in the name of the one who changed my life - Yeshua, 'Isa, Jesus [Spanish pronunciation], Jesus - who taught us to pray:

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name.

Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.

Amen.

Posted by Marshall Shelley at January 21, 2009 | Comments (13) | TrackBack

January 19, 2009

What to Pray for a New President

by Mark Labberton

There is no better time to renew our commitment to "pray for our leaders," than the start of a new presidential administration. Barack Obama needs our prayers and we should give them freely and eagerly no matter how we may have voted.

I know our president needs prayer, because I know I do. My own life and pastoral leadership depends on prayer. I am aware that much of the blessing in the life of our church unfolds because of the prayers of people united in seeking God's way. Blessings are not earned by prayer, nor should blessings be presumed because of prayer. But I do believe prayer increases our readiness to live humbly, wisely, and courageously.

These are also the qualities our new president needs. After a divisive campaign, an extraordinary economic collapse, a period of ecological vulnerability, and a time of war and global instability, our president and our nation need humility, wisdom, and courage. Wherever we or our congregations may be politically, these three qualities should guide our prayers for the leaders responsible for our nation and our world. Leadership that is lacking in any of these three will be far less constructive than these trying times demand.

Our president needs the humility to live and lead in dependence upon God, practicing a clear estimate of our human and national limitations. Few qualities are more characteristic of Jesus than his willingness to serve in dependency on the Father, "emptying himself and taking the form of a servant." Humble servant leadership is the essence of Jesus' power. Let's pray that as a new season of presidential leadership begins, Barack Obama will live before God with a clarified awareness of who he is and who he is not.

When we lead our people to pray for our national leaders, we are praying for them to be wise. That means that they will be men and women led by the truth, who will act with discernment and justice. We may be tempted to pray that certain policies or political ideologies are enacted by the government, or for the authorities to establish our own utopian vision. This kind of prayer mistakenly treats the United States as a theocracy.

Instead, we should be praying for leaders to have the wisdom to seek the shalom of the city, country, and world. This kind of prayer asks God to grant leaders the power and authority that allows people and communities to thrive. It is neither a prayer that overreaches nor under-reaches.

When we lead our people to pray for this new administration, we also need to pray that President Obama, and everyone in government, will have courage. Given the social, economic, environmental, and security threats today, we could accumulate a pile of fear-inducing situations to rival Everest. This is an exceptional time when our leadership needs the strength of character and will to seek, say, and do what is right.

When we pray for a pluralistic, conflicted, and divided nation like our own, we should recognize that we are not just praying for the church, for the community of God's people. Instead, we are stepping into our role as faithful exiles, surrounded by a widely varied people, who seek God's life-giving love, mercy, and justice, especially for the marginalized and for our enemies. We cry out to God for his shalom to be poured out upon others. That will be the evidence to the world that the blessing we seek isn't just for ourselves, but that we truly care for all peoples, tribes, and nations.

When we pray for these things - humility, wisdom, and courage - we are stepping beyond our own party affiliation or preference, beyond the bickering of the campaign, beyond the places where divisions are real and substantial. We are seeking instead to be prayerful partners of God's shalom that comes, at least in part, through governments, civic leaders, and even presidents.

Posted by UrL Scaramanga at January 19, 2009 | Comments (12) | TrackBack

January 16, 2009

Miracle on the Hudson

by Gordon MacDonald

This morning I took a few minutes to watch video of the remarkable rescue effort in the Hudson River yesterday. For a long, long time, this will remain in the minds of people as a highpoint in the American experience. It appears to have brought out the best in just about everybody. And it provides a dramatic contrast to those who, in recent months, have ripped off people for billions of dollars and cared only for themselves.

These themes come to mind from the so-called "Miracle on the Hudson River."

The way of an airline pilot (age 57) who has spent his professional life becoming an expert in safety. He is a glider pilot, a military pilot, and an airline pilot. It looks like there could hardly have been a better person at the controls. In the impenetrable mysteries of a providential God, does He nudge a man prepared like this into the pilot's seat for that flight? Just wondering.

Story-tellers will celebrate his quick decision-making. He had less than a minute or two to decide whether to try to land at Teterboro Airport in New Jersey or land on the river. No small decision. Made in seconds.

Some will highlight his courage in sticking with the plane, walking the aisles twice to make sure everyone was evacuated. Would you and I have done the same?

Then there's the co-pilot who, in the process of exiting the plane, took off his shirt and gave it to man who, apparently had taken off his coat, to give to a woman who had none. There's a Christian thought here.

And what of the flight attendants who prepared the passengers for the hard landing on the river and then directed the exiting from the plane. I wonder if any of the faculty at the training school for flight attendants are smiling in great satisfaction today.

Outside, on the river, were ferryboat captains, police boats, and Coast Guard boats who, within minutes, converged upon the plane and coordinated their efforts to rescue every passenger - from age 85 to age 9 months. Videos show divers jumping into the water from helicopters, boats positioning themselves to prevent the plane from sinking, boat-men slipping into the water to help hypo-thermic passengers into rescue craft.

At about the same time this was all going on, I was sitting in a meeting to discuss how we might teach DMin students to "collaborate" in learning issues and problem-solving. Collaboration is a word which describes how people work together like a team and accomplish what no one person could do by him- or herself.

Ironically, what we were talking about in the conference room - collaboration - was happening in the Hudson River during that very hour.

There are all sorts of lessons we can all take away from this "Miracle on the Hudson."

In the actions of the pilot we see what is possible when a person is trained and disciplined in advance to face the unexpected hour. Lives were saved because a person was prepared. Know any biblical examples that teach the same lesson? Anyone see the value of what happens on a campus like ours?

In the teamwork of all the rescuers (crew, boatsmen, et al) we are seeing a hint of the remarkable beauty in God's original design of human beings. We were made to work together in such a way. "It is not good for man to live alone?" "This is bone of my bone?" "The two were naked and unashamed."

God never intended for us to be lone rangers. It appears to have been his primary intention that we work in concert in much the same way that we see the Trinity doing its work together. When you see people reflecting this great capacity to collaborate - whether it's an athletic team, an orchestra, a seminary staff and faculty - you get a wonderful feeling in your soul. This is how it was meant to be.

One might see in the dramatic video on the Hudson the picture of redemption and its great work. "Rescue the perishing, care for the dying?" the old song goes. You get a picture of what that looks like when you see the assorted rescue efforts that surrounded that downed plane.

Oh, then there's this. One or two ducks (geese, whatever they were) apparently brought down a multi-multi million dollar airplane. Ducks - like the birds we see everyday on our campus! Just little birds with great destructive power. What's the message here when you liken those destructive ducks who refused to get out of the way to the tiny riffs of conflict, self-centeredness and envy (to name a few) that clog our spiritual engines? Just asking.

Finally, there is one back story of a passenger who, while evacuating the plane, insisted that she be able to take her carry-on luggage with her. That in itself offers some preacher a fun sermon illustration. Imagine being so tied to "stuff" that one is willing to risk the rescue of scores of others. In the midst of beauty, there is also a hint of self-centeredness.

It's a great story, this "Miracle on the Hudson." It speaks of our reverence for life, courage, discipline, team work. I hope we might reflect it in the church.

Posted by UrL Scaramanga at January 16, 2009 | Comments (7) | TrackBack

New In the Newsletter

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Instead of teasing you with a paragraph or two this week, let me tempt you instead with a table of contents. If you're not subscribed to the Out of Ur newsletter, here's what you're missing:

Currents
"Bible Society Supports Atheists' Ads"
(I think this is an exercise in reverse psychology.)

Editorial
"Redefining 'Pro-Life'"
(Skye Jethani wades knee-deep into troubled waters to ask the question, How are young evangelicals expanding the pro-life platform?)

Featured Article
"Lent and Leaky Vessels"
(Brandon O'Brien recommends a couple of novels for reading during Lent. Their both by Catholic writers and both a little depressing, but--let's be honest--that's sort of Brandon's style.)

If this buffet of media has whet your appetite, you can subscribe to the newsletter here. Seriously, it's free.

Posted by UrL Scaramanga at January 16, 2009 | Comments (0) | TrackBack

January 15, 2009

Memory Loss Plagues Wall Street and Christians

By Collin Hansen

Over the holidays, you probably relished how gas prices largely returned to "normal." Prices higher than $2, $3, or even $4 per gallon just seems so un-American. So why are national opinion writers so diverse as Charles Krauthammer and Thomas Friedman pushing for increases in federal gas taxes?

It seems Americans have returned to their old habits. Friedman notes that more Americans purchased trucks and SUV's than cars in December. This reverses a trend toward more fuel-efficient vehicles that extended back to February 2008. You should be able to guess by now how this scenario will play out. Bigger vehicles means more demand for gas, which means gas prices will eventually return to the levels we saw in the summer of 2008. But by that time, the momentum for alternatives to gas-powered vehicles may have stalled yet again, leaving American consumers and their government at the mercy of foreign oil producers. "Have a nice day," Friedman writes. "It's morning again - in Saudi Arabia."

Krauthammer observes that Americans pay 18.4 cents per gallon in federal taxes. Drivers in Great Britain, like those in many other European countries, pay nearly $4 per gallon in taxes. Americans would hardly relish a new tax whose effect they would feel so directly. So Krauthammer and Friedman each suggest an offsetting cut in payroll taxes. But what's the point, if the federal government will reap no new revenue from the increased gas tax?

The columnists believe higher gas taxes would permanently shift consumption patterns. The American government might as well take the lead in manipulating gas prices. Otherwise America's so-called allies will continue to offer the carrot and wield the stick in order to control the U.S. economy.

Why can't we just remember this destructive pattern and resolve to break it?

Why do we forget that we'll be kicking ourselves for buying a pickup truck we don't need when gas prices inevitably spike again? The answer must be intrinsic to human nature. Recall Israel's fits and starts in their efforts to obey God's commandments. Again and again they failed to remember how God had delivered them from Egypt and how he had punished their forefathers in the wilderness for their disobedience. Remembrance does not come naturally to us.

The capitalistic system is so effective because it accounts for human nature, namely self-interest. But the lack of memory is a thorn in the side of the market economy. Henry Blodget, a onetime Wall Street wizard, explains how in the cover story of December's Atlantic. Blodget argues that we will never be able to excise the pattern of boom and bust from the system, because investors who argue that "it's different this time" will always ride the boom's tidal wave to the pinnacle of their profession. Bears who deliver a prophetic word against the bull market, remembering previous busts, will lose their jobs for failing to maximize profits in the short term.

"Those are said to be the most expensive words in the English language, by the way: it's different this time," Blodget writes. "You can't have a bubble without good explanations for why it's different this time. If everyone knew that this time wasn't different, the market would stop going up. But the future is always uncertain - and amid uncertainty, all sorts of faith-based theories can flourish, even on Wall Street."

It doesn't help that top financial professionals rarely last in the industry past age 40, due to the intense pressures of performing on Wall Street. Thus, Blodget explains, surprisingly few top financial experts have actually lived through both booms and busts. He writes, "The bottom line is that resisting the siren call of a boom is much easier when you have already been obliterated by one."

There is no substitute for experience. Surely the economy would retain a steadier course if firms took the longer view and retained managers who were willing to buck the moment's conventional wisdom. But is there hope for avoiding the pitfalls even if you haven't experienced them? This was the challenge for the generations that followed the Israelites whom God delivered from Egypt. So when God delivered the Shema (Deut. 6:4?5) he also taught Israel how to remember his commandments. "You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates" (Deut. 6:7?9).

We could learn from fellow pastors who have taken this command to heart by implementing creative, tangible ways to help their congregations remember the gospel and apply it consistently. We need fellow members of the body of Christ who will preach the gospel to us when we forget God's sure promises. After all, God has initiated a new and better covenant with the church through Jesus Christ (Heb. 8:6?7). "For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall not teach, each one his neighbor and each one his brother, saying, ?Know the Lord,' for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more" (Heb. 8:10?12, cited from Jer. 31:33?34).

If we forsake this promise, we abandon God's recovery plan for delivering us from spiritual recession. Thanks to Jesus, it really is different this time.

Posted by UrL Scaramanga at January 15, 2009 | Comments (9) | TrackBack

January 13, 2009

Ministering to the Imagination

by David Swanson

The imagination calls up new words, new images, new analogies, new metaphors, new illustrations, new connections to say old, glorious truth. Imagination is the faculty of the mind that God has given us to make the communication of his beauty beautiful. –John Piper

I begin with two assumptions. First, John Piper is correct about the magnitude of the imagination to the Christian life. How else can we relate to our spiritual ancestors, distant in time and culture? The teachings of Jesus demand his hearers to imagine a different way of living; his parables draw us into worlds we’ve never experienced. Scripture is filled with the poetic, apocalyptic and prophetic along with nail-biting and head-scratching narrative. Imagination helps me participate in this active Word of God; it’s what moves me from an observer to an accomplice. Through a Christ-centered imagination history becomes my story, poetry becomes my prayer, and the coming Kingdom of God becomes my reality.

Second, Christian imagination is either stimulated or sedated by our surroundings. Having recently made the transition from the suburbs to life and ministry in Chicago, I’m convinced that our environment either hinders or stimulates this overlooked facet of discipleship. Consider a few generalizations from my previous and current zip codes.

Art
Music, theater, visual arts and film all prod us to consider the world in new ways. Chicago has dozens of small theaters, film festivals and galleries of all kinds. A woman from our church recently staged a series of one-person Bouffon clown shows; something I didn’t even know existed until she invited my wife and I to a performance. With few exceptions, suburbia’s artistic exposure comes from one place: the megaplex. The movies consumed at these theaters generally reflect Hollywood’s interest in the box office bottom line. The aesthetic quality of standard megaplex fare can be argued, but there is no comparison with the myriad of imagination-provoking artistic venues found in the city.

People
The suburb we moved from was 90% white, reflecting well my own skin color. Our new Chicago neighborhood is mostly made up of Polish and Mexican families. The ethnic and cultural diversity of city life exercises my imagination. I can’t help but wonder about my neighbors’ lives, customs and values. How does the priority of extended family held by some of my neighbors differ from my values of independence and autonomy? How does the immigrant experience of other neighbors affect their view of God?

History
Some friends and I once considered opening a coffee shop. While we wanted the shop’s name to connect with our suburb’s culture and history, it became clear that anything we chose would be just as meaningless as the brand names that would surround it. Why? Because suburban life is ahistorical. While an interesting story exists about any town’s beginning, that history has been covered with architecture and branding designed to blend in with every other suburb. In contrast, our American cities are famous for their histories. Chicago is know for the Great Fire in 1871, the world’s first skyscraper in 1885, the World’s Fair in 1893, years of racial division between the city’s north and south sides, the largest Polish population outside of Warsaw, and a cursed baseball team that hasn’t won the World Series in a century. Even a cursory awareness of this history is enough to provoke the imagination. Monuments to the Great Fire, buildings from the World’s Fair, Polish Catholic cathedrals and Wrigley Field all invite questions and stories.

I’ve made some big suppositions thus far, but let’s assume that in general the city provides more imagination stimuli than does the suburbs. (I’ll not comment on rural imagination since I’ve not lived in that setting.) One implication of this has to do with our preaching and worship. When preaching to our city church I assume that people bring with them a robust imagination. Their environment makes it easier to connect with such Biblical themes as grace, justice, sin, liberation and God’s majesty. More so than their suburban kin, these folks regularly interact cross-culturally making the leap into the ancient world of the Bible a bit easier. Songs about God’s coming reign seem slightly less abstract to those who regularly encounter their astonishing world through the arts and cultural diversity.

What then for those called to serve congregations with less vigorous imaginations? Here are two brief observations and I’m curious to hear your ideas. First, the suburbs are never as culturally barren as they appear. There is art, diversity, and history to uncover for those willing to look. Could a local congregation become adept at pointing these out to their suburban neighbors? The possibilities seem great for a church that is committed to understanding and validating these hidden gems. Second, in reference to the quote above, a church that enlivens the imagination will make God’s beauty beautiful in ways rarely experienced by those raised on a bland cultural diet. Instead of imitating the benign aesthetics of suburbia, what if churches preached, worshiped, and celebrated the Lord’s Table such that people’s imaginations were engaged in ways the surrounding cultures couldn’t hope to copy?

Our churches ought to be communities of imaginative people who celebrate God’s past faithfulness and wonder over his future victory. The challenge of enlivening these Christ-centered imaginations is great, and for those in the suburbs the challenge is greater still. But just imagine the possibilities.

Posted by UrL Scaramanga at January 13, 2009 | Comments (5) | TrackBack

January 12, 2009

Video Ur: Preview 2009

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January 9, 2009

Biblical Literacy Reaches New Low

by Brian Lowery

Today, Friday, January 9, 2009 - a date which will live in infamy - the United States of America has officially become utterly and inexcusably biblically illiterate. Let me explain.

Each Friday, over on the Preaching Today blog, I write up a weekly pop culture roundup. It's a way to help preachers know what folks are watching, reading, listening to, and learning about. I list the top-five movies, the top-five books, the top-five albums, the top-five songs, and the top-five search items on that particular Friday morning - all with a bit of hyper-linked commentary.

Of all the material I gather for the roundup, I'm almost always most intrigued by the top-five search items. I go to Google Trends, find the day's date, and just like that, I know what people are obsessing over as they begin their Friday.

Today's top-five list was a bit unexpected:

1. John 3 16
2. Mary Lynn Rajskub
3. Windows 7 beta download
4. All inclusive vacations
5. Ana Ortiz

You read number one right. As Friday, January 9th, was just getting rolling, the top search item on Google was John 3:16. Why? Oddly, because of last night's BCS Championship football game between the Florida Gators and the Oklahoma Sooners. Florida's quarterback, Tim Tebow, came out to play the game with "John 3:16" written on his eye black ("John" under one eye," "3:16" under the other - hopefully in the right order).

Now, there are two things that interest me about this one. First of all, according to the article linked above, Tebow did this because he "is the son of Christian missionaries and, with the opportunity to play before a national TV audience of millions and millions, he wanted to do his part in saving some souls." Of course, that's what the article says. I can only assume they've got their facts straight - which is a big assumption when it comes to today's journalism. If they are being factual about his reasons for doing what he did, I suspect most of us will immediately choose a side in the great debate of whether or not Tebow is Billy Graham with shoulder pads.

Some will argue this was one of the great apologetic moments in history. Millions were watching; maybe millions were saved. Others will say the only thing Tebow has in common with Billy Graham is that they've both given a shout-out to perhaps the most popular New Testament text in a packed stadium, arguing, "Really? A textual reference on eye black made someone sitting in front of their television set toss the Pringles aside, leap to their feet, and cry, 'What must I do to be saved?'" I suppose no matter where you land, you do sort of have to admit that Tebow's case for Christ worked - sort of. John 3:16 was the number one search item when the day began.

But then, I'm not entirely sure we ought to be offering an apologetic for or against Tebow's apologetic. There's probably something else we ought to think about. Isn't it awfully telling that people actually had to look up John 3:16 on Google to know what it says?

Before you think I'm an idiot, let me be clear that I know America is biblically illiterate. But have we reached a new low? It used to be that you could bank on people knowing at least a few biblical texts, and John 3:16 was one of them. It has, after all, been broadcast at pretty much every professional game long before Tebow smeared it on his face - often on poster boards, and usually by a guy wearing a rainbow wig. People saw it and thought, Yeah, yeah, yeah. 'For God so loved the world.' I get it. Now, was that a first down? But last night a good part of America saw the text and thought, What the heck does that mean?

I don't need a Barna survey to tell me we're in new territory here.

So what does it mean? We've talked about biblical illiteracy before. Entire books have been written about it, all for the sake of new ministry methodology and even a new homiletic. But I suspect most methodologies and theories still had a working presupposition - whether they would admit or not - that there was a line of understanding and knowledge that most people had already crossed - one that thought, Well, they don't know the complexity of soteriology and ecclesiology and pneumatology, but they probably know Noah and Moses and of course, Jesus. And surely they at least know Genesis 1?3 and Psalm 23 and John 3:16. But the line has moved. Again. And that's something to consider on this Friday, January 9, 2009, the day John 3:16 was the top search item at 8:00am.

Oh - and in case you were wondering about those other items: Mary Lynn Rajskub plays "Chloe" on 24 (new season starts Sunday!), Windows 7 Beta Download is a new program from Microsoft, we all know what "all-inclusive vacations" are, and Ana Ortiz is a television star (Ugly Betty) that's pregnant.

Posted by UrL Scaramanga at January 9, 2009 | Comments (48) | TrackBack

Video Ur: 2008 in Review

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January 8, 2009

Scot McKnight: Bible Maestros

The great Reformer Martin Luther famously found the letter of James to be a strawy epistle because, in his judgment, it did not teach enough Christ or faith or grace. It had too much law for him. Most of us have forgiven Luther for overcooking his confidence, but he illustrates how many of us often read the Bible. We fasten upon a "maestro" ? and Luther's maestro was clearly the Apostle Paul ? and make the rest of the Bible fall in line with our maestro's lens of interpretation. Let me trade a moment in a few stereotypes.

Protestant liberals, Anabaptists, and Red Letter Christians have all made Jesus the maestro of their Bible reading. Everything is seen through the angle of the words "kingdom" and social justice as "discipleship." We are tempted, of course, to forgive anyone who makes Jesus their maestro, but the wisdom of God in giving us a canon - a list of 27 books that included Paul and Peter and John and Hebrews and Jude - which renders making even Jesus the maestro suspect.

Conservative evangelicals and the (strongly) Reformed have made Paul their maestro, at times a bit like Luther. In their view the rest of the Bible either anticipates or clarifies "justification by faith" and "soteriology" and "grace." Paul's theology, it must be admitted, is gloriously rich and his categories breathtakingly clear and the implications profound. But the wisdom of God was to give us a bundle of books and a bundle of authors. A fully biblical approach to reading the Bible reads and accepts each author and each book.

Maestro Bible reading is an alluring temptation for a number of reasons:

-It is simpler to master one author and let the others chime in where they fit;

-It is safer to have it all figured out;

-It is more challenging to work out our faith when we invite multiple voices to the table;

-It is easier to fit into our church tradition if we just let the tradition shape what we believe, and many traditions are shaped by maestro Bible readings.

But we must guard ourselves against the temptation to make one biblical author our maestro.

In college my favorite Bible teacher was a man named Joe Crawford. He once told me that though Calvin was a Calvinist, when it came to his commentaries he let the text say what it said. Apart from a few lapses from this principle (and apart from the timeliness of his concerns), I have found my teacher's observation about Calvin to be true. And I would hope the same is true about us today.

Recently my friend Lincoln Hurst, a New Testament scholar, passed away too soon. His greatest contribution to biblical studies was an act of love for his teacher. Lincoln completed, when his teacher also died too soon, G.B. Caird's marvelous New Testament Theology. The genius of that volume was the imaginary invitation of each of the authors of the New Testament to the table to give an account of their understanding of the gospel and theology. (Except that the voice of James, under the influence of the Reformers, was rarely heard.) The genius of Caird's approach is to emphasize and relish the admirable diversity of New Testament theology. For Caird there was to be no maestro.

Two observations flow from avoiding the maestro approach and inviting to the table all the "theologies" of the Bible. First, language can only do so much and the one thing that it can't do is capture the fullness of God's truth in one set of images. As you can't describe a mountain from one angle, so you can't describe the gospel with one term ? Jesus' "kingdom" or Paul's "justification" or John's "eternal life" or Hebrews' "priesthood." It is an act of violence upon John to force him into the mold of Paul. The more voices the merrier, God must be saying.

Second, the diversity of the New Testament provides a model for us today: we need to invite more voices to the table than we have in the past. A colleague of mine who teaches across the street at North Park Theological Seminary, Soong-Chan Rah, has a book about to come out from IVP called The Next Evangelicalism. His contention is that there is a white, Western captivity of the evangelical church in America. If he's right, and I have no solid reasons to think he's wrong, we are in need of a G.B. Caird model for doing evangelical theology. If we can put away our maestro approaches long enough to invite others to the table ? African Americans, Latino Americans, Asian Americans, and both genders ?we might hear the gospel better and offer to our world a more complete depiction of what God is doing in this world. Call it kingdom or church or justification or eternal life. I suspect we might need each of these terms and more if we are to speak the gospel well to that next evangelicalism.

Posted by UrL Scaramanga at January 8, 2009 | Comments (13) | TrackBack

January 6, 2009

A Good Text is Hard to Find

Posted by UrL Scaramanga at January 6, 2009 | Comments (1) | TrackBack

January 5, 2009

Porn Again

The winter issue of Leadership is still a few weeks away from your mailbox, but the editors have already started working on the spring issue. They're still refining the topic, but it will be something about ministry in a culture of brokenness and addiction.

In a few weeks Skye Jethani and Brandon O'Brien will be traveling to Las Vegas to interview Pastor Craig Gross, founder of XXXChurch.com - "the #1 Christian porn site on the Internet." Craig has been on a mission to help the church talk more openly about the epidemic of pornography and provide support for those seeking to escape its grip. He's also recently relocated to Las Vegas to start a new ministry called The Strip Church.

Here's a video of Craig Gross being interviewed about his ministry to porn addicts and producers.

Jethani and O'Brien will be talking with Gross about how ministry needs to adapt to a culture where vices are becoming more prevalent and more acceptable. They may also connect with other pastors in Sin City to hear how churches are wading into these cultural currents. They'd like to know what questions you have for Craig Gross, and what the editors of LJ should ask churches on the front lines of the vice wars.

Posted by UrL Scaramanga at January 5, 2009 | Comments (20) | TrackBack

January 1, 2009

The Next BIG Things

I've been giving a lot of thought to the state of the church as we enter a new year. In these uncertain times we naturally look to reliable and wise voices to guide us through the fog. And who is more reliable and wise then yours truly? To help you plan ahead, I've compiled my list of the top five predictions to watch for in 2009.

The next BIG word: Post-Missional
There was a time when everything was "postmodern." Then we all "emerged." Now it's nearly impossible to find a ministry that isn't passionately "missional." But in 2009 I predict the truly innovative ministries will be "post-missional." No one will actually know what post-missional means but the word will become ubiquitous, finding its way into the subtitles of at least 34 percent of all ministry books published in 2009.

The next BIG outreach trend: The 30-Day Alcohol Challenge
A number of churches have gotten enormous attention for variations of the 30-Day Sex Challenge. These ministries have tried to attract the sexually charged unchurched by proclaiming that Christians have better sex and more of it. In this "more is more" philosophy of Christian liberty, I predict the next hot outreach trend will focus on alcohol as a way of deconstructing the church's teetotaling reputation. Pastors will challenge church member over 21 to drink everyday for a month - an expensive proposition for Lutherans who only drink imports.

The next BIG book: REVEAL 3: You Go, I'm Staying Right Here.
The Willow Creek Association published REVEAL: Where Are You? in 2007. Last year brought REVEAL 2: Follow Me. In 2009 I predict we'll see the publication of a third book in the series, REVEAL 3: You Go, I'm Staying Right Here. The new book will outline why changes to Willow's ministry strategy really aren't, and how it's more seeker-sensitive than ever.

The next BIG celebrity pastor: Rod Blagojevich
I predict that after the embattled, corrupt governor of Illinois is forcibly removed from office he will have a "come to Jesus" moment at the federal penitentiary. He will emerged with a new mission and one of the most marketable conversion stories since Stephen Baldwin. Because of his bountiful mane, Brother Blago, as he'll be known, will likely end up a televangelist.

The next BIG catch phrase: "Jesus is my bailout plan"
With the government issuing bailouts to banks, mortgage brokers, and the Big 3, I predict that the "bailout" language will quickly be adapted to Christian t-shirts and bumper stickers. Other possible phrases to be seen in '09: "My 401k is in Heaven," "Father, Son, and Holy Spirit: These Big 3 Don't Need a Bailout," and "SEC: Secured Eternally in Christ."

Posted by UrL Scaramanga at January 1, 2009 | Comments (18) | TrackBack