Last Sunday, I got to partake in worship at my church in a way that I never have before; I got to help lead with the worship band. I don’t sing or play any instrument, though. Instead, I got to read.
Now, that may not sound innovative or different or special. I mean, I’ve read scripture before in services… pastors usually read quotes and what not… but this was a little bit different. It was more of a spoken word piece, where the band played music and I read along, integrated into it. For example, I read this piece while the band played the song “Breathe Me” by Sia (and was sung by my wife… which was awesome to get to partake in leading worship with her, btw). Integrating the two just… worked.
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With a flair for the dramatic and emotional, former soldiers recall their battle stories. The feel of an enemy gun. The discomfort of the dark where they hid, waiting. Waiting for you. You’re not just a soldier. It’s not even simply about being a hero. It’s about being a savior...
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This post will set the tone for the next two years of my life.
But first, I have to say how much I appreciate the team over at threadsmedia.com. They are doing a great ministry over there, trying to be honest about faith and life and trying to sort out what it means to be a Christian in today’s world. They’ve let me play in their sandbox as an almost “adjunct” team member going to (some) team meeting and posting my thoughts on the blog. I always want to add to the conversation and add to their ministry, never detract from it. And that’s why I’m OK with this:
A blog post of mine was recently taken down.
The official reason is that it was off-topic from the direction the blog has been heading. I’m ok with that. The post (which we’ll get to in a few lines) was definitely an experiment and, honestly, not my best work. It is more the kernel of an idea… the thoughts that I’m struggling with right now.
The intent of the blog at threadsmedia is to talk about our reactions to things that happen in life. My post was my reaction to something I read that really hit home with me and I thought would be a great way to open up a new conversation for the readership of threadsmedia to discuss.
Ironically, I did not put the post on this blog for two reasons:
1) I wanted to start diversifying my writing between what goes on here, threads, and my readingthebible blog.
2) The post was written with the threads audience in mind, introducing them to my struggles in life with a topic that most people who know me personally (i.e. the readership of this blog) probably already know.
Without further ado, the lost post of Aaron on threadsmedia.com:
*** May I talk about Robots? It was recently announced by Tennessee Congressman Zach Wamp and Pennsylvania Congressman Mike Doyle that, starting in September, there will be a congressional caucus to learn about robots. This… could be big. As robots get more and more pervasive in society, it’s important that we begin to try and figure out what the ethics and morals are for them. Eventually, their artificial intelligence will match/exceed our own. As robots move past being our vacuum cleaners or pets and become integrated into society, life as we know it will quickly change.So, now that the American government is waking up to the realization that there is something to discuss here, shouldn’t we as the church begin to sort out our thoughts? What happens to us, morally, if someone write some bit of code that gives robots true feelings? Are we morally obligated to them? What happens when some software is finally written that doesn’t need to be rebooted and can stay on forever, learning and thinking… do we have a right to take out its batteries? Are we to hold true to Asimov’s three laws… or does that essentially make these robots little more than slaves? I don’t have any kind of answer for any of this yet. But I want to explore it. Shouldn’t the church and all our visionaries begin to enter this conversation? Is this something that we need to be involved in, or do we trust that this is some subject the government can handle on it’s own? How do we as Christians begin to work through our morals and spirits to something so absent of life yet so full of potential? ***So… it’s not my best work nor is it a fully-realized document at all. To me, the ideas presented there are more like saying “hey, there’s a thing called an iceberg” moreso than studying what’s a mile or two deep into the iceberg… let alone 100 miles deep.
This conversation, however, is so far off the norm for typical spiritual conversation that it looks odd and out of place on the threadsmedia blog. Like I said – I’m not at all upset, wounded, or disappointed with the choice to take it down. I get it. I understand the reasons and fully support it. I’ll keep on writing for the blog and be honored and amazed that they even let me have a login.
My struggle is coming down the line, though. I’ll be seeking people to have these kinds of conversations with and I’m not sure where to have them. I’m genuinely concerned for the Church of America that is blind to what’s happening around us in regards to science, biology, culture and, well, the future.
And so, this August, I will begin working through the University of Houston’s Studies of the Future Master’s Program under the tutelage of Dr. Peter Bishop. I hope to join the conversation of contemporary futurists and help shape culture there. I hope there’s a place for me in the conversation of the Church to figure out how we are to react to changes in culture that are coming. I pray that I’ll still be loved an accepted by my Southern Baptist brethren as my words and ideas might be new.
I know that there are struggles coming for me. It’s going to be hard to walk the line between being informative and helping change lives with my studies and not sounding like an eccentric sci-fi author. Taking this new knowledge and translating it into some kind of text or study will have to be prompted by the Holy Spirit because I don’t know how to approach it.
I want to talk about synthetic life and what it means for Creation. I want to talk about gay bomb warfare and what it means for sexuality. I want to talk turning off DNA, installing auditory nerve implants and I want to talk about whether or not turning off robots is morally ok for a Christ-follower.
I’m excited to start the futurist program at UH as it will give me an opportunity to have these conversations and, just maybe, gleam some insight as to what it means for us spiritually. Maybe one day God will grant me some nugget of wisdom worth imparting so some listening audience, somewhere. And perhaps, just by chance, I might get to talk about robots.
originally published on threadsmedia.com
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One of my best friends, James, got engaged earlier tonight. I’m excited for him and his soon-to-be-bride and all the memories that life together will bring them. As a friend I get to share in their joy and be happy for them; they found the one they want to spend this life with. In that same breath, I remember being in college and James and I being jealous as our friends married off and found some woman to love on. We wanted so desperately to love and be loved. We wanted a “successful” relationship.
Now, just a couple years later and very happily married, I have learned a little something about relationships:
Every relationship can be a success. Every relationship should be a success.
As a young Christian growing up in youth group, I automatically assumed that every relationship was supposed to end in marriage. I would think that if I dated a girl and wasn’t thinking about a ring then I was wronging her and dishonoring myself. My perspective, and the goal or a relationship was wrong.
Every relationship can be a success; every relationship should be a success. I all depends on what you define as a success. My definition now?
Success in a relationship is determined by one little thing: Did I answer the question?
We befriend someone to answer the question: Should I date this person?
Now, that’s not to say the only reason we befriend someone is to figure out whether or not we should date them… instead, that before we decide “I want to date this person” we should at least befriend them. We should know some basics – do they have the same beliefs as me? Do we get along? Am I attracted to this person? Can I control myself around them? Do they let me be me?
If something happens here, if you aren’t compatible – it’s ok. We obviously shouldn’t be trying to date all of our friends – people perceive that as just being creepy and/or desperate. But look – if you decide that this person is not for you your time wasn’t wasted; it was a success! You answered the question and you are both wiser for it; and hopefully, you have a new, real friend.
If you do decide to date them… then you’re still successful! You answered the question. But after that success comes and even more important question…
We date to answer the question: Should I be in a relationship with this person?
So we’ve gotten the basics out of the way. You know you like each other, you get excited when they call and their sneezes sound cute. But now you’re asking something a little more serious. Being in a relationship is tying yourself to someone else. You begin to see them through rose-colored glasses. Because you want them to be right for you, because you want your time investment to be worthwhile, it’s easy to amplify the positive and pardon the real issues that are there. There are so many important things to still be discovered… do your friends like each other? Do your parents/mentors/guardians approve? Do your moral values line up? Is it comfortable to pray together?
If along the way you decide that no, I shouldn’t be in a relationship with this person that’s ok. It’s still successful because you answered the question. You were just dating, right? It wasn’t a commitment and hearts don’t have to be shattered. But if you answer the question and decide that yes – this is someone I want to be in a relationship with…
We are in a relationship to answer the question: Should I marry this person?
One of the most important decisions you will make in your life; is this the person I should marry? How do you even begin to decide this?
If you never had a clear answer on whether or not you should date this person, if you never had a clear answer on whether or not you should be in a relationship with this person… the ideas and thoughts in your heads are going to be so muddy that you won’t be able to answer this question clearly.
The relationship was a success if you answered the question “no” and ended the relationship. The problems come when the answer should have been “no” but you never decided the answer… or tricked yourself into thinking the answer was yes.
What makes you decide, “should I marry this person”? I think it’s different for everyone; you have to know what priorities are. If one of the pair has been called to international service work but the other doesn’t want to ever leave the country… there might be a problem there. If the girl has always dreamed of being a mom but the man can’t stand the idea of children… there might be a problem. Those are just surface issues.
Perhaps even better are the opposite questions: why should I marry this person? Can we do ministry together? Does he make you smile in the morning? Do your friends see the love you two share? Does she make you want to be a better man?
And if the answer is no; if you decide somewhere that you shouldn’t be married to this person… then the relationship is still a success. Why? Because you answered the question. Yes, it will hurt and your heart will be broken. But you answered the question and – ultimately – you can look back on the relationship as a success.
The goal isn’t to be married; the goal is to discover who you should be married to. Once you find that, the rest is easy.
Congratulations, James and Heather. I’m glad that each step along the way you answered the question. I’m honored that I got to pray with you and can’t wait for you two to discover all the joys, struggles, smiles and tears that marriage will bring. I’m excited that you discovered who you should be married to; I’m glad you had the courage to ask and I’m she already knew she’d said yes.
originally published on Reading the Bible in 90 Days
Wow - can I just say that I'm loving Job. The raw humanity, the reverence for God yet the desire to have a relationship with Him.... this might be my favorite book so far. A few quotes that stood out to me in tonight's reading:
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19 Will You ever look away from me,
or leave me alone until I swallow my saliva?
20 [If] I have sinned, what have I done to You,
Watcher of mankind?
Why have You made me Your target,
so that I have become a burden to You?
21 Why not forgive my sin
and pardon my transgression?
For soon I will lie down in the grave.
You will eagerly seek me, but I will be gone.
Job 7:19-21 (HCSB) You will eagerly seek me, but I will be gone. So God, instead, just love on me? Please stop being so powerful and distant and terrifying... and just love on me. Job... I love your uncensored emotion and heart. Oh, come on! That's beautiful. Amazing. Job is so passionately trying to get his head around the idea of God. Job is trying to figure out this whole sin and forgiveness thing. He's begging God to just give a little grace...32 For He is not a man like me, that I can answer Him,
that we can take each other to court.
33 There is no one to judge between us,
to lay his hand on both of us.
34 Let Him take His rod away from me
so His terror will no longer frighten me.
35 Then I would speak and not fear Him.
But that is not the case; I am on my own.
Job 9:32-35 (HCSB) If that's not a man begging for the Messiah, I don't know what is. I can't imagine living in a time when one didn't know how God was going to redeem His people. I can't imagine being lost, trying to figure out why the world is set up this way, with failable humans, an infailable God, and sin and punishment and forgiveness and grace being all scattered about. That might be one of my new favorite sets of verses. One more from tonight:Only grant [these] two things to me, [God] ,
so that I will not have to hide from Your presence:
21 remove Your hand from me,
and do not let Your terror frighten me.
22 Then call, and I will answer,
or I will speak, and You can respond to me.
23 How many iniquities and sins have I committed?
Reveal to me my transgression and sin.
24 Why do You hide Your face
and consider me Your enemy?
Job 13:20-24 (HCSB)
Chris Seay’s talk was on consumerism. I’ve heard his name spoken around here and there; I know my pastor is a big fan. I’m not sure about why he was chosen as the expert on consumerism… not against it but just not sure why. His talk was much more pastoral than the others; it was needed as it was a much more familiar style of talk.
Seay started out by talking about how commercials have been telling us a counterfeit story. This flowed really well out of Donald Miller’s talk. Seay stated that the counterfeit story we’ve been told is that “when we get what we want we will be happy” – and it is this lie that diverts our attention to consumerism.
Seay used the interesting analogy of how, when playing Sims, buying things make your Sim’s comfort level go up. We’re being trained that buying things simply for the sake of buying things is going to make us feel better. That we’re trained to want more.
Seay sees that in the history of scripture, Israel is always asking for more. There is always this human need to want more. Now, in America, the richest people in history are obsessing over what we don’t have.
In response to all this, Seay lets out the major point here: We were made to create, not just consume.
Some interesting stats he laid on us:
Americans spend:
$18 Billion on makeup
$15 Billion on perfume
$17 Billion on pet food
It would cost:
$5 Billion to eliminate illiteracy worldwide
$10 Billion to solve the water crisis for everyone in the world
$19 Billion to eliminate hunger worldwide
Seay also charged us to not spend so much on material gifts for Christmas, but instead use that money (Q attendees together spend an estimated $344,000 on gifts in 2006) to help change the world.
For me, this talk reminded me of one my ongoing threads of thought as of late: the role of the church in America is to be the pocketbook of the global church. Our money is worth such an average amount here to by above-average material items. Even a small portion of our money redirected to another country can literally save lives every day.
It’s hard because we have been so uneducated and inexperienced. Even at church we talk about all the new gadgets and gizmos and ways we can stay connected to build community… but don’t think to build community by changing lives across the world by giving $5 here and there. America doesn’t help us either, as – just as Seay said – the story has been made into a counterfeit consumerist one. We don’t get the news or see the images of our human brothers and sisters struggling while we try to decide what temperature to set the room we’re in.
Seay’s talk was a tough one because I feel like I should be moved to do something great and give away more than I already am. But we’re stuck in debt and can’t seem to do much until we get out of that. There are things I can sell and clear out my “space”… but are we called to have little? Or are we called to have wisely?
While I’ve been reading through the Old Testament I found that having things isn’t bad… it’s an honorable thing. I think the important thing is that we can “have” – but that we shouldn’t have in such excess that the people around us have so dramatically less. It’s ok to have a large house… but have people living with you. It’s ok to have toys… but make sure that the kids you know (and some you don’t know) have toys too.
Is that being too easy on myself? Should we live in poverty for the sake of poverty? It’s tough, strange line. Probably will be something we’ll all be dealing with as we live in America and spend on one meal the amount that could feed a child else where for a month. It’s probably something we’ll always be thinking and processing through.
And maybe that’s a good thing.
Jeff Johnson educated me. He took us through the ins and outs of the history of hip-hop culture and its effect on global culture in 18 minutes. I don’t really feel at all adequate to go through and try to detail that history… but wow. He knows his stuff.
He talks about how in other countries, where they don’t even have MTV, where they are in the midst of civil war, you can find G-UNIT written in graffiti or purchase Eminem posters. How has hip-hop gotten to a point where it is spread across the world, even where the music isn’t supposed to be available?
Hip-hop came out of a post-civil rights movement; the integration was happening, but the economic benefits had yet to reach the black youth of the day. They were disenfranchised and had no voice; so they created the voice of hip-hop. Suddenly they had a voice.
The problems came first when someone realized they could make a product of that voice and sell it.
The problem now is that, as Johnson puts it, hip-hop is being created by a “post-soul generation.” It used to be that someone in the family had a spiritual influence on the youth; the parents, the aunt, the brother – someone. But now there are people growing up with no one to reel them back in. Now, as Johnson describes it, you have 40-year-old grandmas clubbing with their daughters.
I understood Johnson’s challenge to the church to be to stop excusing and ignoring race and the cultures of the diverse races. We are more comfortable saying Jesus wouldn’t see color instead of dealing with the realities that differences make us great. Johnson suggests there is still racism in the church –that a black person isn’t a “black” person when they’re a part of your church.
The point of hip-hop in our conversation is that it’s an example of how it transcends ethnic and cultural communities without shedding who “I am”. Instead, when we can create together, our diverse backgrounds can add value. Unfortunately, we most often get “urban ministry” that is, and I quote, “suburban ministry in blackface.” The white church needs to “remove the fakeness” – a young black man will see it, because “I am us.”
I really enjoyed this session. Johnson is obviously passionate about his craft and how it creates culture. It was also good to have just a completely different style of speaker than I’m used to. Johnson just oozed with passion and you knew that in those 18 minutes he was telling us the most important things he knew to say to us.
For me, the best thing out of this was the reminder to not ignore race. I need to always remember that other people come from different memories. How I remember church growing up is not how my brother who is Asian remembers it. How I remember celebrating Christmas is not how my sister who is Black remembers it. How I remember my first day on the job is not how my Hispanic neighbor remembers it. There are deeper stories and deeper disconnects there than I might expect. Instead of being afraid of them, we’ve got to rejoice in them; and your story can make my story a better one.
Donald Miller was the first of the second session presenters. The second session was decidedly different from the first. Whereas the first seemed to be experts who set the tone for the key points of our conversation at Q, the second session felt much more pastoral. Perhaps the better was to synthesize it is that the first session was “here’s the story” and the second session was “here’s what my part of the story could be.”
Donald Miller did a great job at setting the tone for the following presenters, talking specifically about narrative and how stories effect us; specifically, how our personal story effect us.
Miller began by telling the story behind on of his yearly rituals: every year he spends time to sit down and literally decide what he’s going to spend the next year doing. What is your next year going to be about?
This past year he was struggling, however, as he couldn’t decide what it was he wanted to do for the first time. While he was still trying to figure it out, he received a call from a friend he’s known for years. He had once sent her a letter that described the things he wanted to accomplish in life. They talked about that letter and he discovered why he no longer knew what he wanted to do: he had accomplished all the he had once dreamed of. He needed a new story to take part in.
We as humans identify most with a three-act, single protagonist story. We are the single protagonist, and we need an antagonist. A few things he points out from this idea:
· The story becomes as important as the dream. If the protagonist dies, their dreams die. What is lost if the dream dies?
· If your ambition is evil, you are the villain.
· If your ambition is apathetic, you are a background character.
The problem he describes for the church today is that our story has been hijacked by a lesser story; the story of secular culture. For all the time we spend on “sacred” entertainment, we spend hours more on “secular” entertainment. We need to be a part of a better story.
Miller describes a friend whose daughter was dating a… less that appropriate suitor. Her life was going down a path the father did not approve of, but he didn’t know how to help her. When the family stumbled into an opportunity to help build and fund an orphanage in another country, the family rallied around the idea. The suddenly found a better story. Saving lives was such a better story to be in than rebelling against her father. The family found themselves in a better story, and better for it.
I think the psychological implications of story and narrative can run deep. I find myself agreeing greatly with Miller – I wish he had taken the ideas further. I don’t think that the church has been simply hijacked by a lesser story; I think most churches don’t have a story.
In Kevin Kelly’s presentation he made the “controversial” statement that we have to consider the possibility that Armageddon won’t happen in our lifetime. That there are other options for what will happen in the year 2100, 2200, or even 3100. So many churches have grown lazy because there is no greater story; they don’t know about social injustices like slave trading or environmental issues that will affect their children’s children. And so, the biggest story their church is caught up in is the color of the carpet.
So many churches have dissention because their pastor has not given them a better story to be a part of. Every story needs an antagonist; if the church isn’t aware of opportunities to change culture for the better, if they aren’t aware of the movements of Satan, they can easily lose sight of who their antagonist is. In a culture where the greatest antagonist is “the man,” then if the church has no other antagonist the first, and easiest, person to see as the villain is the pastor.
If the pastor hasn’t given his church a better story to be a part of, his people will turn on him or leave.
Big churches can get by on the story of being part of something big. Church plants can get by on the story of being part of something new. Aging churches can get by on the story of being a resting place before they die.
Or, we can have a better story. What is your church’s story?
Kevin Kelly. I took three pages of notes from this man. His talk steamrolled through the future.
Some of you might know that I’m in the opening stages of writing a book. There are so many things he said that fall right in line with the stuff that I’ve been working on, that it was a huge encouragement that I’m heading in the right direction. The hesitation for me is to question how my voice can even begin to matter when someone like Kevin Kelly is saying similar things… he’s going to do it bigger/better with a larger audience… so there is this fear of why should I even try?
I think for me the key here is that while I ate up his stuff, while I thought it was phenomenal, while for me just hearing this one session was worth the cost of admission… looking around I saw a lot of people that just didn’t “get it.” The issue is a matter of what voice do you bring to these conversations. I may not have as much experience as Kelly, but I have my own, unique voice. Perhaps people might resonate with my sentence structure and vocabulary more than they can with Kelly. Perhaps have do have some new and unique perspectives. Perhaps there is room for me at this table of conversation. But after listening to this man just throw out idea after idea that each are so revolutionary that (in my opinion) Fermi needs to consider having a full-fledged futurist conversation, it’s a bit intimidating. But I digress.
I could spend 10,000 words pouring through the wisdom that Kelly spilled onto the Tabernacle floor. I think these notes will be something I return to several times. Let’s just try to get through a couple of the more “key” concepts and things that really set off stuff for me.
First of all, the future is not that far away. By looking at birth records, Kelly finds that we need only go back 13 generations to reach 1000AD, 30 generations to reach Christ, 60 to reach Moses. That means thinking about Christianity in 1000 years really means thinking only 13 generations out.
13 generations ago, the church was dealing with these hot issues:
· Catholic Indulgences
· Is the Holy Spirit from the Father or from the Son (people were killed over this argument)
· Marriage for Priests?
· Can we take a leavened Eucharist?
· Will there be an Emperor Pope?
· The Crusades
That was only 13 generations ago. How will 13 future generations look back on our struggles? Will things like musical style be that important then?
We’ll reach 2040 in one generation – or, really, ½ of a generation. The social issues we’ll be dealing with in 2040:
· End of the Boomer generation
· Shrinking world population due to currently falling fertility rates in every country
· Age-lust; youth is precious because it cannot be regained
· China will be largest economy, outgrowing America
· 30% of China will be Christian
Perhaps one of the more interesting ideas is that of discerning what possible futures exist and what are impossible. Kelly makes a great (and EXTREMELY controversial) point: every interpretation of the apocalypse has been wrong so far. It simply hasn’t happened yet, but every generation interprets the scriptures to say that it will happen in their generation. Kelly suggests that we realize that the apocalypse happening in our timeline is just a possible future. And that it happening in the next 1000 years is just a possible future. But that it hasn’t happened yet… so we need to think past it.
Denominations are growing and splintering at a rapid rate. The number of denominations:
· 1800: 500
· 2007: 40,000
· 2100: 260,000
The current fastest growing denominations are Mormons, Jehovah’s Witness, and the Amish. If current trends continue, the future “Christianity” will be a para-Christianity.
The last thing I’ll hit for now (I’ve skipped like half of his talk) is the dangers that a falling world population bring. The world has always been growing in prosperity and the population has always been growing. Futurists fear this dip in world population because they’ve never seen it happen before; the human race has always previously replenished itself. The U.N. charts on fertility predict the human population will peak in the year 2050, and then dip down. And that’s a conservative estimate, based on fertility rates alone – no major famine, war, etc is taken into account.
In the talkback session with Kelly later, he talked a little more about this issue, and the cause of it: People are having smaller families because of TV.
The U.N. conducted studies in Indian counties, tracking what the effect TV had on the population as it entered the areas county-by-county. They found that as TV entered a county, the fertility rate dropped dramatically. The culprit? Soap Operas.
It was found that soap operas have changed women’s perceptions of their role in society and what they want for their children. Previous to TV entering a county, a woman would want for her daughter to have a large family. Once they began to watch soap operas, however, they same the glamorized life that smaller families had. Smaller families meant more money, which meant better opportunities for the children. Thus, the mothers wanted fewer children so that their children could have a more glamorized life. TV is the best birth control, doing for countries what planned parenthood and laws couldn’t.
And yeah, I skipped a ton of stuff. I think the key thing to glean from his talk, if none of that stood out to you, is that we must be thinking about the future generations. They aren’t that far off. We also need to be observant of future trends. If a Christian publishing house is based in America, they must be actively seeking entry points into the growing Chinese economy. We don’t simply need to be hiring Spanish-speaking employees and a Hispanic marketing expert… that’s the sort of things we should have been doing 5 years ago; America is already there.
We need to be researching the market in China. We need to figure out how house churches utilize materials. Do they even have a budget? Do we even produce materials that make sense to their culture? How do you produce a Bible study that doesn’t contain the Bible, since we don’t want out customers to die simply for having purchased our materials?
…are American Christian publishing houses, these great institutes of wisdom, these treasures of gifted writers and designers and managers who help America better understand the scriptures, our lives and our culture… are American Christian publishing houses even thinking about China? Should they be?
And after the most pleasant presentation came the most emotional: Catherine Rohr.
Rohr is the founder of the Prison Entrepreneurship Program. She uses business as a tool to love inmates and help them succeed in life – and stay out of jail – once they leave. As part of her program she takes in the top gang leaders and drug dealers – the people who are already naturally leaders and entrepreneurs. In the program all the inmates spend four months in a business plan competition (and doing the chicken dance). When the are released from prison, Rohr picks them up at the gate and will already have housing arranged for them and planned interviews with companies.
In three years, the PEP has had 256 graduates. There have been no active participants who have gone back to prison; and only 2.8% of the people in this program have been kicked out. Rohr believes this huge success rate is because of one simple thing: she and the PEP staff love them.
When prisoners in Texas are released they are given one outfit of clothes, $100, and a bus ticket to the city they committed their crime in. Rohr tells the story of one graduate who, when she picked him up, immediately handed her $10 (of the only $100 he had to his name). He wanted to tithe. He currently makes $9/hr and tithes 10% to his church and then gives another 5% to the PEP.
Rohr reminds us that prisoners – even murderers – can be role models. She questioned why the church won’t have faith in former convicts, but will allow grace for the “old-school” murderers in Moses, Paul and David.
This was, without question, the most emotional time of the day. The guilt that comes from being cleansed from the stereotypes we have of people so foreign to us like prisoners. They’re criminals… they must be evil, right? Is it safe to have a former convict as a church attendee if we have a preschool program? Can they ever really change? Why should we bother even trying to help?
And in telling her story, Rohr lavishes love on these people we have sought to de-humanize. My first reaction is to simply think – “well, I don’t interact with that culture. My life doesn’t intersect with them… that’s why I’ve never thought about it that way. I don’t know any ex-cons.”
Aaron, Aaron, that is the point! I don’t interact with that culture; I never have… and there’s too large of a chance that I never will. Why do I refuse to lavish love on them? If I don’t, if my peers don’t, if this body of Christ doesn’t intercede and pour love on them… what kind of life are they going to have off of $100 and a one-way bus ticket? If we who claim that “love wins” don’t bother to love them… who will?
Next up was the surprise speaker, Rick Warren. I believe he was a replacement for Rick McKinley. Warren spoke with the poise and confidence of some kind of elder statesman of the community, granting his blessings on the event. The guys behind me just kept saying “wow” over and over again during his talk. He was able to capture the audience’s attention and hold it effortlessly. This was the first time I’ve had any interaction with him or his ideas; I was pleasantly surprised.
But where to start with his talk..?
His opening ideas: It is easy to be relevant, if you don’t want to be Biblical. It’s easy to be Biblical if you don’t want to be relevant. We must balance the two, but the greatest temptation for a leader is to be in imbalance, because it’s so very much easier.
Relationship needs to be personal, not programmatic. We need to be living a lifestyle, not following a strategy. We don’t need innovation, we need incarnation. And, most importantly: you ARE the message.
The secular culture offers three major temptations:
· Lust of the Flesh: “I want to feel good.” This is hedonism.
· Lust of the Eyes: “I see it, I want it.” This is materialism.
· Pride of Life: “I want to be…” This is secularism.
Warren suggests that we haven’t engaged culture because of our arrogance. We need, instead, humility. Humility is teachability.
In thinking of the future, we need to not simply be looking at what is going to change, but also what is NOT going to change. People will always need love. People will always feel guilty, will always hold on to resentment, they will always feel lonely. People will need meaning and purpose. One hundred years from now, people will still need to be loved.
I love that here, less than an hour into our week, and Warren breaks everything we’re talking about down into one simple phrase that should be on our minds whenever we’re talking about changing culture, or culture being changed: 100 years from now, people will still need to be loved. That’s the core of everything, really.
Warren’s message was definitely the most pastoral message today. It had the most “nuggets” that you can easily take away. As he himself said about his book, Purpose Driven Life, however, he didn’t say much “new” – he just said it in an easier way to understand. Looking back on his talk, I think it resonates with us because we can easily get the points he was making. We can hold on to them and they have this great big stamp-of-approval because they came from Rick Warren’s mouth. I am NOT saying this is a bad thing.
Looking back, his talk was one of the easier ones to deal with. He nailed it on some very important concepts, but he articulated his ideas with such warmth and clarity that they hang on the tip of your mind.
In 100 years, people will still need to be loved. Even me.
After Andy Crouch spoke, we were presented with the following question for discussion:
What is the cultural good that God has called you create?They only gave us five minutes to process and discuss. I haven’t fully processed this, but I think it’s important to attempt to answer. I think I’ll let these questions percolate and try to answer them better after I’ve digested the conference.
Our second speaker was Andy Crouch, editorial director of ChristianVisionProject.com for Christianity Today and author of the upcoming book, Culture Makers. Andy was a great choice for the first presentation after Gabe Lions because his topic really began to set the stage for where we were going to be going for the week.
Crouch essentially had two major points: the difference in life between postures and gestures, and the ideas of culture being cultivated versus created.
Crouch finds that in recent history the cultural channel of the church has had four major postures. The first was the Fundamentalists, who chose to condemn culture. The next were the neo-evangelists, who sought out culture to critique it.
His next major movement resided with the Jesus Music Movement, using the example of Larry Norman. At this point in time the church chose to copy culture. Take the sounds of the surrounding culture, sanitize it for our ears, and then call it new. Finally, we are currently caught in to posture of consuming culture. To quote a later presentation (there are several concepts and theme that are being woven throughout the speakers – it seems unintentional, but it’s happening), for every hour of Christian music we listen to, a Christian will watch two hours of Lost or Borat.
The biggest issue with these postures is that humanity (specifically, the human body) is not meant to live in postures and stay in that pose. Instead, if you have good posture (back straight, no slouching and all that), you have the ability to use a full range of gestures in better ways. There are reasons and times to use these different gestures:
1. Condemn – Things that we just know are wrong don’t need to have a committee meeting. We shouldn’t need to dialogue whether or not the Nazi actions of oppression should be condemned.
2. Critique – Much of art is made to interact, not simply be consumed. The creator wants a dialogue with those who view his/her art. They want the art they created to create thought, not simply be consumed.
3. Copy – By copying, new ideas can be infused into the forms that are available, creating new opportunities.
4. Consume – Some things are made simply to be enjoyed. Bread is infused with leaven so that it can be eaten.
On top of these postures/gestures we have to also look at two other concepts: cultivating and creating. Gen 2:15 reads:
The Lord God took the man and placed him in the Garden of Eden to work it and watch over it. (HCSB) The key here for Crouch is that Adam was placed in a garden; not the wilderness or a desert. The garden already was there – it was already cultivated. Culture is already available and there – it’s already cultivated. However, Adam is then charged with the responsibility to name the animals. He is called upon to create. Crouch suggests that whenever we create, we attempt to create in a team of 3. He’s found that a core group of 3 will spread influence to 12 committed people. Those 12 committed to the idea will then spread to a community of 120. Whew. That’s a lot to take in. I like that Crouch takes these negative “postures” we’ve adhered to and turns them around to how they can be powerful, creative gestures. I think we as a society have forced ourselves to believe that we must be in some kind of posture – we must identify ourselves in some way as having some sort of position on subjects. That “this” is what I’m all about. More so, if we change our posture on a subject, we are seen as weak because we didn’t stand true to our beliefs. That somehow, if we change an opinion once or twice or – God forbid – thrice, then we are an indecisive person. I’m not sure what posture I’m stuck in, if I truly am. I would like to think I have good posture and can react and engage with a full range of gestures. It’s hard to tell from my own perspective, though. There are definitely things that I simply consume and don’t worry about how it fits into my worldview of life. And… that’s the end of only my first page of notes.I feel like I have been attacked by a machine gun full of ideas.
Normally when you go to some kind of conference there are a few ideas that you pick up, a few nuggets of wisdom that you enjoy. But the Q Conference? I’ve just been pelted with truth and idea and concept and story and dream and vision. This is day one. I’m not sure my little head can make room for the presentations on Thursday. Or Friday.
So, I’m going to attempt to pour out some of these ideas into written word so I can hopefully remember some of what hit me today. I have 14 pages of notes… on day one… and I am NOT a note taker.
We arrived right before 10, got registered and found a seat in the balcony, and then the event began. The first presenter was Gabe Lewis, the organizer of the Q Conference and the Fermi Project. Their goal is to put focus on four things:
culture | future | church | gospel
On the subject of culture:Culture is everything around us, broken down into 7 channels. In no particular order: media, arts & entertainment, business, education, government, church, and the social sector.
Without having much time to think it through, I’m able to accept these 7 channels as a basis for the conversation we’re having this week. I’m not sure what I would add to it off the top of my head… but we’re moving at such a velocity that this is something that we almost have to accept for the week. If these are the channels of influence, it would be interesting to explore how they intersect in my life, my church’s life, and the life of my workplace.
On the subject of future:Great quote from one of the slides: “Your actions today actually create the future.” Lewis uses this time to introduce the idea that everything is going green. As such, to save paper waste, they have provided us with water bottles.
I agree that every business is becoming more and more green. This is import to my generation, and they seek out companies that aren’t green – even Apple is a major target of protestors. I’m curious how long it will be until churches and Christian organizations will be hounded by protestors upset that we’re supposed to be the example of gardeners in the land God has given us, but we waste so much paper with bulletins and energy keeping empty churches warm.
I thought it was good of Lewis to move on this subject quickly; Kevin Kelly was presenting only an hour or so later and he would more than supply some conversation for the future.
On the subject of church:According to Lewis, when the church is operational, it has the most potential to shape culture.
I think the key here is that we as church leaders and influences understand and acknowledge that there is this concept of other cultural “channels.” I like that Lewis is not at all afraid to say that the church has the most potential to shape culture, and should be shaping culture. It’s good to hear some positive words about the potential of this Bride of Christ, instead of the continual deconstruction of it. I think it’s also good to that he puts on the requirement that for the church to have that potential, it must first be operational and healthy.
On the subject of gospel:One of the prevailing themes of the Fermi Project is that we have diluted the Gospel into an individualistically-focused half truth. We are getting half the story, not the whole story. In the half-story, it’s all about us and our sin. In the whole story, it’s about the cycle of sin and the redemption of the world.
And that, my friends, was only the first 18 minutes.
written in 2000
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I wrote a simple praise for my Savior
One that said how good He’s been to me
It talked of love and grace and favor
It talked of how He died on a tree
I wrote a simple praise for my Savior
One that said how good He’s been to me
It talked of how He died on a tree
I wrote a simple praise for my Savior
It talked of how He died on a tree
It talked of how He died on a tree
Why did I make Him die for me?
written in 2000
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“Godspeak”
Jesus: I have stayed here for forty days, forty nights. I have not eaten, not rested. I have wandered these woods as I made the Israelites wander for forty years. I am ready, Father. You know I am yours, you I am prepared. From here, I begin my ministry, from here, I step forward.
(Satan crawls out from offstatge) Jesus: I am hungry. Satan: Hungry are you? Jesus: I knew you would come. Satan: I’m glad you were thinking of me. We haven’t talked in a while, you and I. How are things in the Silver City. Jesus: The happenings there do not concern me now. Satan: That’s right, you’re still trying to get used to this thing these humans of yours call time. You never thought it would be so hard, did you? These frail bodies you created… so close to the image of you. Never thought forty days without social contact would be so hard. No food to eat, no place to go, not even an angel to comfort you. Poor would-be king. Look what you’ve become. Jesus: You know why this had to be done, now get on with it. Satan: My word!!! I thought love was patient. No, no, Jesus. I’m not going to make this hard on you, don’t worry. It will be over soon enough. It’s just that I miss being in your presence. Since you’ve been down here, I’ve been so busy I seldom even get a chance to think about the City. Do you miss it as much as I do? Jesus: What I long for concerns you not. Satan: I’m just trying to catch up on old times. Open up to me. You used to. Jesus: Yes, I used to. You also used to love me. Satan: Don’t let my hate fool you, Jesus. I’m still highly interested in you. Jesus: Only for your own foolish desires and manipulations. Satan: Picky, picky. Of course I’m only interested in you for my own plans!!! But that doesn’t mean that I’m not interested. C’mon, now Jesus… would it be so bad to let me know just a little bit about how you’re feeling. (Satan begins eating a fruit) Jesus: Your servant, the snake. He was fond of fruit. Satan: That plan was almost too simple. The poor reptile never thought about anything… the wretched old thing crawling around on his stomach all the time now. He still thinks I owe him something. Jesus: You owe many people many things. Satan: And even more owe things to me. Would you like a bite? Jesus: How like you, Lucifer. Using the very fruit that the snake used to tempt Eve against me. But I won’t give in that easy – I thirst for no more than the living water and bread of life. Satan: No Fruit of Knowledge for you? Jesus: What need would I have for such a thing? I am the Word, I am knowledge. There is nothing that escapes my grasp. Satan: There are some things. How can you know everything? You have no idea what sin feels like – unless things have changed in my favor. Jesus: I have no need to know what sin feels like. That would defeat the purpose of me. Satan: Might I inquire into your infinite knowledge, oh master of the cosmos? Jesus: And what, please tell, would you admit to not knowing? Satan: Tell about the bread of life. Jesus: I am the bread of life. Whoever eats of me shall live forever. Satan: Make a morsel then. Jesus: Excuse me? Satan: For old time’s sake. Make us something to eat. Make some bread, that’s simple enough for you, isn’t it? There – those rocks. Tell them to become bread. I hunger. And, I am sure, after forty days with nothing to eat, you are too. Jesus: Forty days, and no food. Satan: Nothing to fill the shrinking human stomach. It’s ok – you never expected it to be this hard. You never had to work one of these skins before. There is so much about them you never got to experience. Starvation isn’t fit for a king. Make those stones into bread. Jesus: A simple task. Satan: Not even a simple task!!! It’s a mere thought! Just for a second, just for a moment, think that you want some bread to eat. You are Lord of the Universe!!! Surely, they would be willing to serve you at a moment’s notice! Go on Lord, make them comply to your will. Jesus: A mere thought. A mere thought, and light arises from darkness. A mere thought, and the waters are told where to stay. A mere thought, and fire reigns down on Sodom and Gomorrah. A mere thought and an ass speaks. A mere thought, and the most beautiful of all angels is created. A mere thought and my human hunger, vanquished by the service of these rocks. Satan: Just one, measly thought. Jesus: Leave my hunger to myself, Satan. It is written, Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from God. It is written, and so shall it be. This hunger is for me to endure, not for me to end early. My hunger is for God – not for a piece of simple bread. Leave my hunger to myself, Satan. It is my burden, not yours.written in 2000
God’s Monologue II
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It’s not that hard to explain, really. Lucifer was the first, the most beautiful of my angels. Even I, at times, was swayed by his suggestions. I gave him authority over all my creations – only I was more powerful than him. I thought it wise at the time. In a way, I still think it wise.
He brought to me Gabriel. He was to be the next in command. I never took notice of their familiarity with each other… they were the only angels who did not use their whole and given names to speak with each other. I should have realized that something was happening in Lucifer’s mind. But I trusted him.
Just as I knew Adam would betray me, just as I knew Judas would betray me, I knew that Lucifer would betray me. I knew that he would come to fight me. I knew that he was meant to rule hell – why else would I have made a kingdom but not make a ruler for it. I knew he would lose. But I still trusted him. I still trusted Judas. I still trusted Adam.
I knew all this, and I let him do it. I have let him play his games with my children and my world because I hope. I hope for him to one day say “I’m sorry. Please forgive me.” I hope to one day hold my finest creation in my arms again. I had hoped that my own treasurer would have meant the kiss. I had hoped to find man naked before me.
I know it won’t happen. I know he’ll continue to destroy the lives of those I love. I know he’s destroyed the wisdom of the serpent. I know he’s destroyed the mind of my disciple. I know he’s given them all forbidden fruit.
I’ve sacrificed my own son in retribution to the messes he’s made. Instead of destroying him and being done with it, I wait and I hope. I know one day I’ll lock him up and hold him there for years upon years. But even after that I’ll let him go, because I’ll hope that the beast will come back to me. I’ll hope he stops playing his games. I’ll hope he stops betraying me. I’ll hope he stops playing in the garden. I’ll hope he stops.
written in 2000
Gabriel’s Monologue
We are angels. We are messengers of God. We live to serve him. We have no other choice, for there is no other choice
There was a choice we had to make, once. A beautiful stranger came to me once. I say stranger, even though I had known him all my existence. We had been paired together to learn from each other. He handpicked me out to be the next in command of all the angels. There was the creator, then him, then me. And then he came to me as a stranger.
He whispered strange things in my ear. Odd incantations, ideas that I couldn’t comprehend. He seemed so distant, unlike the angel I had known… but even in this odd state I could see the power of host upon host of angels who were supporting him and his strange ideas. And, even though I couldn’t understand why I would want to follow him, why I would want to be one of his… I felt an urge to go with him. I felt an urge to leave my position as Gabriel, and follow this false god.
I saw him next during the war. Things had occurred quickly, its amazing I even remember them happening. The name Lucifer was not allowed to be said in those times. He was merely referred to as “The Enemy.” I believe you humans pronounce it Satan. I found myself commanding the angels, I was the new one in charge. I saw angels battle angels. I believe Walken had it right when he said that we had one wing dipped in grace with the other dipped in blood.
It was not a surprise that we had one. The Great Mystery had predicted as such. I think even Satan himself knew. But he still fought.
I saw him once on the battlefield - he was a long distance away from me, but I believe he saw me. I believe he paused when he did. I don’t think he wanted to go further. I don’t think he wanted to fight anymore. And I don’t believe I’ve seen the one named Lucifer since then. Only Satan comes to visit now. Only Satan.
written in 2000
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Lucifer’s Monologue
The worst way of missing someone is to be sitting there, next to them, elbows almost touching, breathing the air they breath, observing the same things they observe – to be the only one that could ever be considered their equal – and yet be completely alone and know that they will never, ever, ever extend a hand out to you.
Go ahead – tell me you wouldn’t have done the same thing I did.
Go ahead – tell me that maybe, just maybe you wouldn’t get tired of knowing that everything, everything was going to work out His way.
Go ahead – tell me that it wouldn’t kill you to know that no matter what you did, no matter how hard you tried, no matter how much you cared, nothing was going to change and everything you could accomplish was meaningless because the one who made even you is always whispering in your ear.
I knew what He had planned for me from the beginning. You ever think about it? Your Master’s Son is called the “Prince of Peace” but you’re the commander of His armies. Kind of ironic, isn’t it?
So I did the only thing I could do – lash out at the one I loved.
Heh.
And I made a difference. I made a change. I took his perfect Heavenly kingdom, his beautiful Silver City, and introduced Chaos into it. For myself and those around me, His Word was finally out of my ear. For once – I wasn’t told what to do, or how to do it. The excitement filled us all – we didn’t know what was going to happen. We had made a change – we did more than we were supposed to do!!! We were free thinking – we broke free from the limitations. We had a choice.
A slave to the Heavens, or a ruler of Hell. For me, it was a simple choice.
Go ahead – tell me you wouldn’t have done the same thing I did.
Then, maybe, just maybe, I’ll tell you that you already have.
Heh. Heh. Heh.
It's nights like these where it seems possible to read the Bible... and to truly enjoy it!
I finished up Judges, read through Ruth, and stepped into 1 Samuel. It was a great read; I had been growing weary of all the rules and regualtions. However, I found that reading all the rules and geneolgy really helps out with the rest of the readings. Knowing who the tribes are and how close they should love each other made it so much more tragic when Isreal goes to war against their very own brothers, Benjamin. How far apart had these tribes grown! Oh, they were supposed to be this beautiful nation, an example... but now they are fighting and slaughtering one another.
Knowing the rules help with a taste of the life of the times; how Ruth knew that if she didn't take care of Naomi, Naomi would have no place in society.
I really liked Judges, though. After all the rules and regulation and such, Judges just comes at you with a bunch of different action movies. Seriously - they could do a whole epic series of movies just based on the Judges. (Hmmm....) Even Ruth would fit in to the series, as her story is almost like a sidenote to the Judges [During the time of the judges... Ruth 1:1 (HCSB)].
It's interesting reading these former Sunday School stories come to life with new understanding and different perspective. As a child, I never questioned why Isreal was fighting these battles. I think I always thought that Isreal was being attacked, and they were just trying to defend themselves. It never dawned on me that they took the battle to Jericho. I never wondered why Gideon had to take over a town.
But now, with political concerns and such, it's almost a shock to be rooting on this little nation in decimating other people groups, taking over the land of their inheritance. I have friends who are severly against gentrification... would they be against Isreal fighting other people groups to take over their lands of milk and honey?
It seems this fighting has never stopped, with all the troubles and stories that come out of the Middle East even to this day. Isreal is always defending itself from some foe; I simply don't think that those lands were meant for peace.
Ah, and Samson. Seriously... why did you tell Delilah your weakness? Three times she sets you up, and you don't figure it out? The Bible says: Because she nagged him day after day and pled with him until she wore him out... [Judges 16:16 (HCSB)]. Oi; the power women have over us men.
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