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Thursday, July 31, 2003
I am studying today - I am studying prayer and the devotional life - along with community and I stumbled across this quote -"To neglect prayer as a priority is treason against the proposals of God. And what is more audacious is that the sin is always compounded by the fact that once we neglect i, we must install our own flesh-born programs in its place." - Jack Taylor
I believe that is the common occurence of the church - whatever flavor of "-driven" it is purpose-driven, worship-driven, willow-driven, housechurch-driven etc. We don't do prayer - we don't pray as a community - the church does not grow and spread because we are not spiritual. (yikes did I say that?)
Here is an entry on a blog that is a great read - a fellowship in palm beach that is doing what we are doing - mike bishop wrote it - I wanted to put it on here because this guy describes me exactly - I resonate with him being a sofa preacher. - here is the entry
"Conversation
Jordon Cooper has quite a nice little rant on technology and the church, one of his favorite subjects. Mixed in there was a quote worth posting here:
"This hits at what I think is the root of why the church fears the web. Many churches generally won't allow individuals the freedom to create compelling content and enter into a conversation. Churches aren't friendly to conversation. The worship is lead from the worship leader. The sermon is prepared and presented by the pastor. The congregation watches. It is one way communication."
Early on in the life of our community I made a decision to become an excellent sofa preacher. To this day, that decision means I have sacrificed pulpit preaching in favor of creating spaces for conversation. It's not that I think one-way communication is evil and I'll never preach in that way again, it's just that I recognized exactly what Jordon was referring to and made a decision for the health of our community.
The fact is, there are many times I would love to have a pulpit. I go to churches occasionally on Sundays, listen to sermons and think, "Does anyone ever have a new thought?" I hear the same rehashed evangelical party line over and over and over. "Read your bible, pray, and tithe and everything will be peachy keen." Strangely, no one actually seems to be able to live the party line. Hence, my desire to begin a conversation with people who are actually trying to live with God at the center of their lives and not just have the "right answers."
I'm sure in many Christian circles, the idea that creating a conversation is to be valued over "preaching the Word" would label me as a heretic. I'd be labeled as a shepherd that does not care for his sheep...that I am allowing my congregation to be susceptible to all sorts of strange doctrine. Fooey! Is preaching supposed to be mind control, thought police? No way! The last time I checked, preaching, or kerygma, was "the apostolic proclamation of salvation through Jesus Christ." Proclaiming the good news that the kingdom of GOD is here! Is the kingdom to only be proclaimed behind a pulpit on Sunday morning? WOE TO US if that is so.
I look forward to the day when the church's hierarchical "command and control" structure is dismantled to the point where the preaching / teaching gift can claim its proper place amongst the other gifts. This is going to take far more than a re-thinking of preaching style or allowing technology to broaden the conversation. This will require A LOT of transformed leaders and congregations together subverting a coercive system and choosing the narrow road of submission to the Spirit of God.
by: mike bishop
Here is a great article on community that I thought I would post on here as my contribution to the discussion today. I am posting the entire thing and not linking . Enjoy.It came from a great site - nextwave
The Intangibles of Community and Kingdom
by Len Hjamarsonl
Many people are either unwilling or unable to suffer the pain of giving up the outgrown which needs to be forsaken. Consequently they cling, often forever, to their old patterns of thinking and behaving, thus failing to negotiate any crisis, to truly grow up and to experience the joyful sense of rebirth that accompanies the successful transition into greater maturity.
M. Scott Peck
I'm a detective searching for something I have never seen. I'm a hound sniffing for a scent that is only a memory of heaven.
I hear others talking about the object of my search; I know its the same object, because they have that same look in their eyes. And sometimes we use the same language.
The language we use is often technical descriptive language... we use the term "missional community." Those who have been on the journey for a while know what these things mean. And most of us are fairly articulate about the definition.
But even while we strive for understanding, we know that we won't reach it because we can define it. Sometimes we wonder if the opposite is true; that to define it is to lose it forever. We know that there is a danger in definition -- we can think we have attained to something because we can describe it. Even more frustrating, the questions we ask determine the answers we will find. Margaret Wheatley notes that,
"We often tend to limit our explorations of what's possible by surrounding ourselves with large amounts of information that tell us nothing new. These measures lock us into learning about a predetermined world. They keep us distracted from questioning our experience in a way that could create greater possibilities.
"There is an important humility associated with trying to direct our activities by setting goals or measures. Every act of observation loses more information than it gains. Whatever we decide to notice blinds us to other possibilities. In directing our attention to certain things, we lose awareness of everything else."
The intangibles grip my heart. It’s the intangibles in the dance of word and Spirit, things that defy description that empower the journey. We are going to a city we have not seen, but we pray, "Thy Kingdom come on earth, as it is in heaven."
Lately I've been using the word "ethos" to describe these intangible elements, because I haven't found the right word yet. It may not have been invented. It may not matter.
MORE - I decided to link to the rest because it is so long.
Monday, July 28, 2003
"The nature of our meal and it's purpose are explained by it's very name. It is called Agape, as the Greeks call love in it's purest form. However much it may cost, it is always gain to be extravegant in the name of fellowship...The participants do not go to the table unless they have first tasted of prayer to God. As much is eaten as is necessary to satisfy the hunger. When satisfying themselves they are aware that even during the night they should worship God. They converse as those who are aware that God is listening...After the hands are washed and the lights are lit, all are asked to stand forth to praise God as well as each is able, be it from the Holy Scriptures or from his own heart. In like manner the meal is closed with a prayer. After this we part from one another...pusuing the same self control and purity as befits those who have taken in a truth rather than a meal. This is the way the Christians meet." -from Tertullian's Apology
Here is a great article about home churching - My Gripes About The House Church Movement
Just thought that everyone may like to read it if you get a chance.
I am reading more of "Life Together" by Dietrich Bonhoeffer. In it he says many interesting things about community. Let me share some of them.
"Christianity means community through Jesus Christ and in Jesus Christ. No Christian community is more or less than this."
"What no man is in himself as a Christian, his spirituality and piety, constitutes the basis of our community. What determines our brotherhood is what that man is by reason of Christ. Our community with one another consists solely in what Christ hs done to both of us."
"Christian community is like the Christian's sanctification. It is a gift of God which we cannot claim. Only God knows the real state of our fellowship, of our sanctification. What may appear weak and trifling to us may be great and glorious to God. Just as the Christian should not be constantly feeling his spiritual pulse, so, too, the Christian community has not been given to us by God for us to be constantly taking its temperature. The more thankfully we daily receive what is given to us, the more surelyand steadily will fellowship increaseand grow from day to day as God pleases."
He says (and I agree) that Christian community is pneumatic or spiritual - created by the Holy Spirit. He also warns that we must be careful not to try to manufacture it through psychic (soulish) human means.
I agree with what he says however being more practical (and maybe he will later in the book - he is known for his practical "real' spirituality) we are not possessed into becoming a community. We have to be deliberate to be together. This is especially hard in a culture that values its "privacy" and individualism. I do believe that once we participate in the means of grace of fellowship - that striving will not take place and true community will develop. But I will add this caveat for one who is part of a group and not experiencing community, chances are you (or whoever) are not growing in relationship with Christ by the Spirit. That is the bond that unites.
Sunday, July 27, 2003
I guess if I type this real fast I can make it before tommorrow (july 27)
Scott brought up some very interesting items in his entry about community ;
What is community?
Why is it so important?
What are the "marks" so to speak of true community? I know that the historical "marks" of the church that theologians
have passed down are
1) word preached 2) sacraments given 3) discipline practiced
or
1) one 2) holy 3) catholic (little c - not roman catholic) 4) apostolic but marks of community involve more than just these things.
After we define what true community (or common-unity) is - how is it achieved?
Here is great quote by Dietrich Bonhoeffer : It is from his book Life Together
Life Together, by Dietrich Bonhoeffer - After his martyrdom at the hands of the Gestapo in 1945, Dietrich Bonhoeffer continued his witness in the hearts of Christians around the world. His Letters and Papers from Prison became a prized testimony to Christian faith and courage, read by thousands. Now in Life Together we have Pastor Bonhoeffer's experience of Christian community. This story of a unique fellowship in an underground seminary during the Nazi years reads like one of Paul's letters. It gives practical advice on how life.
"Many people are looking for an ear that will listen. They
do not find it among Christians, because these Christians are
talking where they should be listening. But he who can no
longer listen to his brother will soon be no longer listening
to God, either; he will be doing nothing but prattle in the
presence of God, too. This is the beginning of the death of
the spiritual life, and in the end there will be nothing left
but spiritual chatter and clerical condescension arrayed in
pious words... never really speaking to others. "
This is part of the gist of community - I also found a page that goes into more depth about Christian community
dealing with the insights that Bonhoeffer and others have glean from the scriptures
Here is the site .
So anyway here is some meat to chew on.