What is church?

This thought has been brewing in mind for the last couple years. What exactly is church. What is the function, purpose, goal, etc. This past week I have been reading Emerging Churches. In the appendix it has 50 stories of emerging leaders. The interesting thing about all the leaders is how they felt alienated by the church or came to a crisis. This required a rethinking of church.

I resonate a lot with the vision given by these leaders. But, this naturally brings me to a question what is church here for. Too often, I have heard that your life will be better if you are with a church. However, the sad fact is that in church I feel I encounter people who wear masks, but when I am outside the church I meet honesty and authentic people. I find this odd. What is it about the church that requires being fake. Many of these churches sprung up merely by a couple people connecting, because they are asking many of the same questions. What happened to the church. Often, the church is an organization like a business. This is a terrible fact. Have we given away the church to capitalism? Is church a product we sell? Like a salesmen trying to trick someone into a product and its benefits?

Church is a passion in my life, but also a cause for pain and frustration. Why is that the most authentic people i know do not feel at home at church. Why is working on a cruise ship, known for its hedonism, has a more authentic community than many churches. This is sad. Most of the beautiful people from the ship, would not be accepted at church due to not abiding to the 'rules' of church.

One thing that I am wondering, can the church be the church with 200 members? I am growing in my skepticism. Can we be authentic with so many people, while small groups do work, they seem forced. Like we need to get along and share stuff because we are Christians.

I have often wondered, this year every since i started attending St. Benedict's Table (http://www.stbenedictstable.ca/). The most revealing things i have realized this year is that i feel more at home at a church where i have no real relationship with anyone there than i do at a church I've attended for almost 12 years. Not that I don't have friends, which i cherish. Rather, I get a sense that whatever St. Benedict's has or their ethos that is what church is meant to be. Broken people running to God, living life together, answering questions, not hiding living life together. When did church become an institution that one can no longer be honest and real.

Well that is a bit of a rant, sorry. Maybe it is because church is so important to myself that it is frustrating to see it selling out.

First Session....

Well i went to my first counselling session Friday afternoon. I think it went well it was more a get to know you ..why are you here? stuff like that. I am hopeful to see how i will be able to have a place to talk things through with my counsellor...well hope everyone is having a good week...

Pagitt on Creeds

Well I just listened to Doug Pagitt's podcast. The topic was basically a 3-4 minute rant on creeds. More specifically on what creeds are: They are not summation of Christian faith..creeds are understanding within a certain contextual context.

I think that is one of the better understanding of creeds that i have come across.

Children of Men

In the last couple years I have lost hope in finding great movies. I am typically disappointed with movies or maybe my standards have been on a decline over the years. However, recently I heard about Children of Men. I am not a Sci-fi fan, but the premise of a world that has become mysteriously infertile. I found the movie to be very creative, which is very rare in this age. The movie took a interesting look at 'political activist' that becomes a form of terrorism. The scene that continually runs through my head is when the main characters attempt to escape a battle scene between the army and political activist while holding a baby. What is profound of this scene is that when each group encounters the baby(hope) they stand in awe, but as soon as the baby passes them they have this gut reaction to continue killing. I found this scene very truthful. That the reason people are fighting is often forgotten( or unknown). If you've got a chance check it out, trust me you won't be disappointed.

Who is Peter Rollins?

Well as those close to me know I am a pretty big Brian McLaren fan. However, McLaren has gotten so popular that he gives recommendations/forewords to many books. This has made it hard to distinguish between the good and ordinary books. A little while back my good friend Joey(http://www.joeyroyal.blogspot.com)mentioned that many in the Emergent friendship were raving about 'How (Not) to speak of God' by Peter Rollins. So i figured I'd check it out. In reading the foreword by McLaren, I am amazed at the praise McLaren gives. McLaren states, "I would say this is one of the two or three most rewarding books of theology I have read in ten years." So needless to say McLaren is becoming a huge fan of Rollins. McLaren takes it further "Peter's effective and creative use of parables comes as an added surprise, evoking the practice of a communicator who, many of us believe, spike of god as no other person ever has, to such a degree that he himself was named the Word made flesh." So, Rollins tells stories like Jesus. That is a bit hard to take. But, after reading Rollins introduction I am very excited to see what I am in store.

Here are some of the gems from the introduction.

"they balked at the presumption of those who would seek to colonize the name 'God' with concepts."

"they(Christian mystics) wrote elegantly concerning the limits of writing and spoke eloquently about the brutality of words."

"the Word of God has mystery built into its very heart."

"Against the idea that we can speak of God I argue that we must embrace an a/theological approach that acknowledges the extent to which our supposed God-talk fails to define who or what God is."

Well that is just a taste...happy reading.

An Interesting week.....

Well, it has been a hard start to the semester. I think good for the long run, but hard in the short term. Hard to be in right now. Well how do i start...Well I got back from Korea pretty sick and drained. Not the way one should start a semester. Maybe i have been running from stuff going on in my life. Well, I think my journey to do this youth stuff has been a long one. I think i've had a lot of questions regarding leadership and teaching gifts. I think these questions have been abound since i've come to Prov. So i've been rethinking lots. It hasn't been a fun week. I've been struggling with being very heavy and even somewhat depressed about my situation. I think i am in a better place right now, but i still have issues with where my life is going.

I think i get down a lot about my weakness in ministry and also a lot of weaknesses in regards to my social skills in the public space. I think a lot of these questions have led me to aknowledge that unless i change as a person I won't work in a church in the role of youth pastor. i think a lot of questions about having a passion, but not having the gifts to work in the church. So I am questioning a lot of things...which i think is fine, but it is hard working in a church and coming to these realizations.

So i am doing my best to make my semester as good possible. So, next friday I am beginning to go to counselling to work out these problems i am having. well that is my life in a nutshell. Not so fun, but I feel God is in this process. I find that God is the source i rely on more, reading my Bible gives me hope and peace. Just some thoughts on the journey. I am still finding that it is hard to work a lot on my days off.

well hope your life is filled with a little less stress then mine...all the best

A further thought on redemptive stories....

As I've been working through the idea of being involved in redemptive stories, i find that these stories are hard to hear. I think that is because they sound similar to the kingdom of God. A kingdom that for the most part is foreign to our world. So when we hear these stories we do not recognize them for what they are: Redemptive stories. Sort of till we tune our ears to this different world we will not hear God in these stories.

I wonder if we are not all or have the opportunity to be involved in redemptive stories. I think we all have the opportunity to be involved in the kingdom of God on earth. Often when i listen to Rob Bell, i feel that Mars Hill Bible Church is focused on being involved in redemptive stories in their community. It is truly beautiful the vision of this church.

Just a further explanation of redemptive stories...

Just when you thought it couldn't get worse....

Well, when i heard that George Bush had called a news conference to describe a new strategy for Iraq, I was hopeful. Finding out his plan, I now realize that my hope was very naive. I am saddened by his response, not surprised but saddened. Jim Wallis(http://www.beliefnet.com/blogs/godspolitics/) does an excellent job in summarizes why people around the world should be scared of Bush. Bush exemplifies a belief in redemptive violence. Very sad day. All I really can do is pray for the situation..I am at a loss for words in my fear of this 'just war'.

What's in a name....

So the last little while I have been watching some football movies. I must admit I have a weakness for football movies, mostly due to my high school football days. Maybe it is a form of reliving my past. Anyways the theme i find in these movies is what i am called 'redemptive stories.' Not sure if that is a phrase, but in post-modern/emergent fashion one is able to simply make up words.

In watching these movies(Gridiron Gang, Invincible, and We are Marshall) I am constantly brought to tears, which seems a bit messed up since they are fairly cheesy and the acting is not great by any stretch of the imagination. But I think redemptive stories are at the core of these movies...and to add to that is that my blog is called 'Another World is Possible.' This phrase I became aware of in reading The Irresistible Revolution by Shane Claiborne, which is basically a testimony of Claiborne. The phrase 'another world is possible' comes from a project Claiborne is involved of exposing some of the justice issues in the world such as war, poverty, etc. I think what this phrase has grown to mean to me is stories that show a redemptive power in this world. I by no means believe these redemptive stories are only for the church. I find the Holy Spirit is at work in many ways in this world and many of those place are beyond the walls of the church. I imagine some would be uncomfortable with this idea, but I feel this is glaringly true in our age. Or maybe there are redemptive stories taking place, like those stories we find of Jesus redeeming people, in place that do not fit into the categories of agendas of the church.

Brian McLaren touches on what I mean by redemptive stories in his story of what it means to be a worker for the kingdom of God. In The Secret Message of Jesus, McLaren talks about a taxi driver that is not your normal taxi driver but a taxi driver with a kingdom purpose. I find forms of redemption are in these stories. In the Old Testament I get the sense of a cycle of people calling/crying to God and God responding. I wonder if God would limit a working to the people of God who are crying or finding a creative way to make the world better or shall i say find a way to redeem a broken people.

I think in the story of Invincible the city of Philadelphia is redeemed,given hope in a time of despair when many people were on strike and losing their livelihoods. These people are given hope when one of their native sons joins the team and gives the people hope. While that might seem like a stretch of a 'redemptive story.' I would suggest that possible our idea of redemption has been put in a straight jacket by the North American Church. The redemption is something to do with sin. Well i find this having to do with social sins or as Walter Wink calls them The Powers That Be. The city is involved in a sin of capitalism of dehumanizing the people working at plants arguing over money. But I think the movie Gridiron Gangs reveals a stronger story of redemption in the lives of people.

Gridiron gangs is about social workers working at a youth detention centre realizing that their method are not really reforming the youth since almost all the youth leave the detention and fall back into their lifestyle that brought them to the detention hall. The social workers feel that maybe forming a football team would give them a better chance to reform and teach these youth that seem to be caught in this cyclical life of living in poverty leading to crime leading to prison and thus leaving their kids to a life of poverty and so forth. This team by the end of the movie have learnt to live for something better. People who were forever called 'losers' are given a chance to be something different. This chance that i sense a lot of us feel is a right in a 'democratic' country, but is lost due to the life sucking force of poverty. These youth are transformed and 75% of the youth actually go onto a higher education or some kind of part of society. I find that these stories of youth brokenness being restored or given hope in a life of despair. If that isn't redemption...then i don't know what redemption is.....

I think while I watch these movies on a plane recently...I wondered if the glaring truth of these stories were not ordinary people acting extraordinarily. I know that may sound like a form of romanticizing on my part. While, I acknowledge truth in this statement I think the deeper thing is that Jesus is involved in giving people another way of doing things. Anyways it is late and i am drained...but God is good and faithful. Amen!

The Greatest Truth Ever!!!!!

So I am still listening to those emergent podcast and just heard the greatest truth ever. I found such truth in this sentence...i am still thinking it through..but felt a need to share it with you (and by you i mean the maybe 4-9 that actually read this).

The saying is from David Wood:

You cannot possible be theologically orthodox if you are not first a friend.

Wow!!! Such a great phrase! I am just gonna let that idea sit with you...what do you thing??

A day with Miroslav Volf.....

So over the past two days I have been catching up on listening to some pod casts. So I am in the stages of listen to the Emergent Theological conversation from this past February ( I know that I am almost a year behind, sorry). But, I have found these discussions to be helpful. This past year, probably the most difficult, thought provoking, mind changing book I read was Exclusion & Embrace by Miroslav Volf. Well he is the speaker at last years theological conversation. I am finding these conversation to be beyond helpful in working through his ideas of exclusion and embrace. I think this is one of the most important books that encompass a lot of the struggles of community in our world.

I am constantly amazed at his honesty, insights, respectfulness of other religions. I am almost giddy as i listen and inhale all the wisdom Volf and the others at these discussions give. What is particularly interesting is a discussion on homosexuality as how that fits within the idea of excluding people from the church. Jesus is often seen as including everyone into the body, but this seems to exclude homosexuals. If the church is inclusive this seems odd. I think the church has falsely adopted a purify yourself first attitude to those who do not fit within their moral understandings of what is required of the church. I find this is flawed and rooted in making us 'accept' Jesus to be saved. I find it interesting if salvation is a free gift of grace from God to humans, why does the church require people to do something? Is this not reverting back to a work based system pre- Martin Luther. Does the protestant church really want to reject the most fundamental reason for their formation. I imagine Luther rolls over in his grave every time the sinners prayer is said at a summer camp.

Has anyone listen to these podcast? if so please feel free to tell me your thoughts on them or anything on miroslav volf...

Thoughts on Walter Wink....

I don't think I am a very violent person. Actually, if anything I find I very passive in nature. I've never punched anyone. I would say pacifism is a natural way of life. However, pacifism as a way of life that avoids parts of life that requires force or violence is not really a pacifism that Jesus talks about. I think my thinking on pacifism have evolved to a thinking that Jesus wasn't a pacifist in a passive sense. Rather, in a very proactive sense. In reading The Powers That Be by Walter Wink, I have been mulling over what does it mean to act non-violently in a world that seemingly blindly accepts what Wink calls "The Myth of Redemptive Violence." What this myth deals with is the idea so violence brings peace. That when we confront problems of justice that we are able to use violence since our ends are valid.

However, Gandhi always said that if your end is a good end your means must be equally good. In this I find the truth that reveals the inherent sinfulness in any form of 'just war theory.' While some may say this is merely my pacifism shining through. I acknowledge this however Gandhi is by no means a pacifism but merely recognizes the lie that is found in the myth of redemptive violence. Gandhi even said that violence is preferred to cowardice. The fact that any kind of peace can come through violence is void and our world is a glaring example of this truth. Wink give countless examples of how in World War 2 how there were people within this war resisted to fight through violent measure and many were saved from concentration camps through these kind of non-violent methods.

Winks words still haunts me. How violence is so easy to give into. Wink however gives a quite good argument to that Jesus came to die for the worlds sins and this idea of redemptive violence is something of the world and the Powers are holding onto this lie of violence with all its might. However, that the cross exposes the lie of violence in its most dehumanizing form of cruxifiction, and reveal that it hold no real weight.

A question that I continually struggle with is the seemingly shift of talk of violence between the Old Testament and the New Testament. While the Old Testament, almost canonizes violence as God's ordained way of working through problems and Jesus, talks about violence as have no power in the Kingdom of God. Wink gives the idea that this violent God of the Old Testament is merely due to that the people of the Old Testament was violent. While that may be the case, i find this conclusion a bit escapist. Then how can these violent stories be part of the christian story, if they are mere people being violent thus inferring violence on God. I struggle with the conquest narrative in Christian Canon as merely a form of inferring violence on God. It seems that there needs to be a deeper discussion on this. Just a thought....

Thoughts on Rodney Clapp...

Well the last little while there have been many things going on in mind. I am not sure if that is always a good thing. I am in a time of questioning many things in life. Particularly the next step in life. This is mostly done by what I read. One of the books I just finished is A Peculiar People by Rodney Clapp. As I was wondering about the book I was struck by the sense that this book is 10 years old, but spoke so deeply and profoundly to this journey I find myself on in a post-modern age.

The idea that Clapp often works on is how the Church ceased being the Church when Constantine made Christianity the state religion. This thought seems so prevalent and truthful to me and our age. I often cringe at how the church in America and to a lesser extend in Canada feels they are the morality police. I find that simply makes the church more irrelevant(sorry i can't think of a more precise and less trite term). The way Clapp describes why some believers feel the need to be morality police or in a post-Constantine age becoming more distant from speaking anything pertiant or valuable to the world. I find this more true in very 'Right' sectors in the states. I find this solution not a real solution. I believe that the world has truth in it, and by the church attempting to distance them selves and showing others their faults of others is somehow not helpful in the journey of many people trying to understand what it means to live faithfully to God in a post-modern time.

I think Clapp gives me hope. He seems to make church important in this age that no longer sees anything the church/bible/ Christians believes as normative . I believe we are the first age that is confronting these issues since the early church. I believes these times are confusing and frustrating, especially for myself when we have certain sectors wanting to hold onto a Constantine worldview. When I read Clapp I just want to stand up and say 'Amen'! It lets me breath in the midst of my former evangelical worldview crumbling apart. Not that this crumbling is a bad thing, but i seem to have a hard time having conversation what i can do to restore hope or someways that all this crumbling isn't a bad thing.

Clapp and a lot of emergent dialogue give me hope. The only problem is that i find this dialogue to be almost exclusively American. Its funny i go to this 'emergent' type of church in Winnipeg. Ever week it seems that i run to that service every Sunday night at 7, since I need God and what this service holds that every week i need it to sustain my life. Maybe that is due to my ever evolving theology of communion. But I find that i enjoy dreaming of a post-Constantine church, because i sense that what the church gave away to Constantine, we can now take back.

Lastly, a bit of a radical thought( i think at least). In the last chapter, Clapp proposes that what the church/christian are meant to be at the most fundamental level is to be friends. I find this to be beautiful, true , and simple. I think we are all friends or have the capability of being a friend. I assume that many would reject the notion that being a friend can be the root of the christian life. But, somehow i believe it is true. I am sure some evangelical that would want to suffocate me with some misguided notions of pieity(sp?) as the root of authentic Christians.

I often find that we hear notions that people feel alone in this time. We are all looking for a group of people to share life with. This sounds simple/profound. But I feel that friendship encompasses what the world needs. I get the sense that is what Jesus did, he made friends giving them life in the process freeing them from the bondage of the purity system. Just a thought. If we struggle to be christian in these post-modern times maybe beginning at being a friend without an agenda to evangelize other would bring some beautiful that doesn't need more people pushing agendas.

Korea.....

So I got back from South Korea on Saturday. I sort of had a 'odd' experience. So how shall I say this...I hope I never step foot in that country ever again!

I'm not sure what it was about Seoul and S. Korea, but it rubbed me the wrong way. First off..the pollution in Seoul is disgusting. The worst part is that it effected my mind so i couldn't think straight...or even be outside walking in Seoul for more than 5 hours before my mind would get really foggy. I remember talking with Trisha in her apartment and I had a hard time even putting sentences together..without hurting.

Secondly, I was surprised at the materialism. It makes the US and Canada look like poor countries with there emphasis on having the name brand stuff. I know we have that in N. America, but not to the degree as the Koreans have it.

Thirdly, I feel bad for women in Korea. I got this overwhelming sense that women's top priority is getting married. A lot of the women I meet were obsessed with this fact. Also the way people talked about marriage is that the men choose the women. I was often congratulated on my 'choice' of Trisha. Since, Trisha had no say in the matter it was my mere choosing of her. That really rubbed me badly.

Well those are just a few of the things I didn't like about the Korean culture. All in all I am glad I don't have to live there. I think I'd kill myself. Canada Rules!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!