The broken record

A fifth danger in the attractional-invitational strategy is that when believers try to “invite, entice, coerce, or otherwise lure the unchurched to become involved in church life,” it requires an unbeliever to “take the first step and cross a cultural boundary in order to connect with God.” (Ortlip, “The 7 Languages of Culture”) Jesus did not seek the lost in this way; Jesus always took the initiative to cross cultural barriers in order to reach people. He entered their world. He did not require them to enter His world. DaveDV at Missional Challenge (here)

I seem to be reading everywhere the same message, get out of the building and back in the street! I think we're suffering from a broken record cos no-one really wants to listen.

Wisdom calls aloud in the street, she raises her voice in the public squares; at the head of the noisy streets she cries out, in the gateways of the city she makes her speech: Proverbs 1:20-21

Why are we lagging behind?

In the culture of late modernity many churches adopted a corporate model for leadership, decision-making, and planning. Pastors became CEOs, elders (or deacons) transformed themselves into corporation directors, and top-down, vision-driven planning became the order of the day.... It is a sign of biblical-theological health that this paradigm is being questioned in the missional church movement. Dave Dunbar

Dave Dunbar in an article (here) has raised this and other points.

More and more I am surrounded by groups and organizations still buying into this modernist vision thinking it is Christian and Biblical! They talk of image and branding and mission statements etc. This is all twentieth century stuff and we live a post-everything era. A lot of people don't trust politicians, religious leaders, institutions, in fact any form of leadership. Well that lot of people are mainly outside the church and outside very good reasons. Phillip Yancey writes strongly in Soul Survivor, a must read for anyone frustrated with church, "I came to realize that the church had mixed in lies with truth." We all adulterate the gospel with our culture. But even more importantly who really trusts their company or their boss/CEO anymore? We're now used, taken advantage of, company profits and shareholders are more important than me as a person. Why are Christians around me adopting corporate culture? Why are we lagging behind adopting something that we already know really doesn't work and we don't trust!

Dave Dunbar goes further with this issue:-

The point is that missional churches need to cultivate what for many of us is a forgotten art–the ability to discern what God is up to in our world (or neighborhood). This is best accomplished in a community of believers who are able to listen prayerfully for what the Spirit is saying in Scripture, in and through the voice of the congregation, and in the specific context where the church is located.

We all want things on our terms so we can control or manage them. So we can feel comfortable with them. Comfort is the operative word. We buy into McChurch whether it is Willowcreek or come other thing but we're in the wrong TV show. I think The Magic Schoolbus has better theology than The Apprentice.

Arnold: Please let this be a normal field trip. - All: With the Frizz? No way!
...
Miss Frizzle: Take chances, make mistakes, get messy.

It is a matter of being more and more attentive to God stepping out, taking chances making mistakes and having to deal with mess and things being untidy and not adopting a business control model. Lets get back to being children of God, rather than managers.

This resurrection life you received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life. It's adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike "What's next, Papa?" God's Spirit touches our spirits and confirms who we really are. We know who he is, and we know who we are: Father and children. And we know we are going to get what's coming to us—an unbelievable inheritance! We go through exactly what Christ goes through. If we go through the hard times with him, then we're certainly going to go through the good times with him! Romans 8:15 (The Message)

in the skies

What emotions are stirred in you watching and listening?
Why is the moon associated with mental illness?


(I shot this feb 2oth on a cold bitter night)

Sameness and difference

Creating a Home Together

Many human relationships are like the interlocking fingers of two hands. Our loneliness makes us cling to each other, and this mutual clinging makes us suffer immensely because it does not take our loneliness away. But the harder we try, the more desperate we become. Many of these "interlocking" relationships fall apart because they become suffocating and oppressive. Human relationships are meant to be like two hands folded together. They can move away from each other while still touching with the fingertips. They can create space between themselves, a little tent, a home, a safe place to be.

True relationships among people point to God. They are like prayers in the world. Sometimes the hands that pray are fully touching, sometimes there is distance between them. They always move to and from each other, but they never lose touch. They keep praying to the One who brought them together. Henri Nouwen -Bread for the Journey

As I reflect more about Nouwen's analogy of the hands, the more I am drawn to think about the hands are not the same, they meet because they are mirrors and it is a different meeting to a handshake that grasps and grips the other right hand. When a left and right hand meet they are complementary they are different and not the same. Surely this is more about koinonia and fellowship and community and church.

On the shore

The tension I feel with a horrible balancing act of being tired and trying to get things done and provide myself with sufficient self-care is total craziness. But I have been saying no to somethings which is a small miracle!

There have been some good glimpses of encouragement in emails etc. I cried with an email from my god-daughter by adoption, it was so special and honest. Tonight I felt good to talk to my god-daughter-by-baptism's parents as I finalized the first phase of my vacation next month.

The best perhaps is the chance to play cello for Good Friday, which will be the greatest self-care project before I take a rest next month.