i am paradox

Spiritual Direction in the 21st century

I was reading an article recently that spoke of why people leave churches. Speaking out of a pastoral care context, something leaped off the page at me: postmodern people don't respond well to the mental image of a shepherd.

Really? I have never really thought much about it before. Personally, I have struggled with that metaphor b/c the image that I have of sheep and shepherds isn't a good one. First of all, I have never been around sheep. Second, I have always been told in my church experience that sheep are the most stupid creatures in existance. Next, what comes to mind when I hear the word shepherd is someone who has to discipline the dumb sheep. So could this be something that is not just personal, but more generational?

I probably struggle with this b/c I am in ministry. And yes, I want to look out for people and to help them spiritually. But is there a more culturally relevant metaphor?

This season on Nip/Tuck, there is a woman who is a life coach. This thought really intringued me. I have heard these type of people are really growing in popularity. Its like a personal trainer, but they help you not only physically, but with parenting, finanaces and with people skills. Many people have talked about the re-emergence of spiritual directors in the 21st century. Perhaps this could replace the image of a shepherd?

Creation theology

Back at the Emergent Convention in San Diego in March, I took a class on church planting with Tim Keel and Doug Pagitt. They predicated that one of the most important areas church leaders will have to wrestle with in this decade is a theology of creation. This deals with the enviornment we live in, gender issues, sexuality and marriage. I believe they are totally correct. Check out the amazing dialogue happening over at Adam Cleaveland's blog:

Created for Companionship ?

Personal Saviour?

Over breakfast with some friends who are church planters and in the emerging conversation this week, this question came up: in this new paradigm with an emphasis on belonging before believing and loving and accepting everyone, how do we win people to Christ? In other words, how do we know who is a Christ follower and who isn't.

Someone said that we should have more of an emphasis on process than a one time decision. And many of them no longer felt comfortable giving altar calls. But the majority of my friends felt like we must have some way of knowing, as ministry leaders, when someone is a Christ follower. How would you respond?

I have really enjoyed reading a few recent posts from my friend and co pastor Chris. He did one on Heaven's Gates/Hell's Flames, and another on baptism as the sign.

So I have been thinking about this during the past week. Brian McLaren says something of great value in his new book A Generous Orthodoxy. The reason the need for a personal saviour theology came into play in America is b/c of our heritage. So much Christian faith was wrapped up in the forming of our nation that people just assumed they would make it into heaven if they were American. Thus the need for personal responsibility.

I have also been thinking about a person's relationship with God compared to two people falling in love. Let's assume 2 people meet, form a friendship, eventually start dating, fall in love and then get married. At which moment in time did they fall in love--can it be pinpointed down to an exact science? Perhaps this is a better way of thinking of evangelism and discipleship. Do we really need to know an exact moment in time when a person decides to follow Christ? Maybe they don't even know exactly when they chose to believe, they just realize one day that hey, I believe.

The changing face of worship Video

Back in March at the Emergent convention in San Diego, Doug Paggitt showed a clip of a video called The changing face of worship.

The whole thing is almost an hour long and was on ABC. It retails for over $20, but they were out when I tried to order. I was talking to a friend of mine on the East Coast today, and he gave me a link where you can get the entire thing for free! Its in real player format. You can stream it and watch it now, or download the entire thing for later. Here you go!

The Changing Face of Worship Video

PS--thanks Ryan!

100 year old Emerging Church

"7 months ago, as an emerging church pastor, I moved to a 94 year old declining conservative church in a poorer part of town. Many people thought I was mad. I was returning to what many in the emerging church are deconstructing and railing against. I was deciding to live in what many had dismissed as lifeless and immovable.

Over 7 months there have been some great encouragements;
a more open, questioning, relaxed, creative, relational approach to faith."

Transitioning church in contemporary culture

Post ?

Postmodern. Post Christian. Post 9-11. Post denominational. Post Evangelical. Post Cereal. Post Seeker. I could keep going. Seems like this is such a popular word these days that if you add it before any word, it automatically makes that word more cool.

Anyway, which of these words (or post something I left out) best describes yourself right now, or your culture?

Open Source Theology

Been digging this site lately.