One of the most precious aspects of the human experience, I feel, is listening to each others' stories. Were you to compare my sister's memories to mine, you might question that we were even raised in the same house...but we were. In like manner, I welcome all comments from all backgrounds and hope, as the church, we may do more to validate each others' voices and not discount those who don't fit safely into any preconceived molds. So, thank you, out there, for your reading and your responses.
{Although, unfortunately, I don't feel it best to publish those from "anonymous", not because I don't find them valid or interesting, but because it pretty much closes the door to any more discussion or availability.} (by the way, to my last anonymous comment....please expound a bit more so I can understand more clearly your intent, if you don't mind...Thanks!).
Anyway, it is my understanding that Tim Schwamb is also blogging and covering the ZOE conference...so I can't wait to read and hear his impressions. The keynote speaker, Scott McNight, spent quite a bit of time on explaining why twenty million 20 & 30 year old "somethings" like Jesus but not the church, and ten common principles of their philosophy. If you're interested in that, give me a call & I'll gladly share. He also had an interesting talk on "why read the Bible". Is it to supplement theological arguments? Is it for the feel good verses at the top of our calendars? Is it to dutifully get through a chapter a day? He came to the conclusion that it is to listen to God.
Other nuggets I jotted down: "the cure for spiritual weariness is spiritual intimacy"
Truth goes through three stages: 1) it is ridiculed 2) it is violently opposed
3) it is accepted as self evident
"When a person's comfort level in worship is worshipped more than God, than true worship is threatened".
and finally, "Real freedom is doing what God has called you to do."
So, how free are you feeling these days? :)
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Thursday, October 9, 2008
ZOE
It felt like a rather different conference this year than in the past. There was a huge emphasis on being a missional church---which I appreciate---however, the job of the worship minister generally falls under the camp of being the "attractional church". So, the age old question of "Do we in any shape or form resemble the church Jesus established?" becomes even more problematic to the wearied worship leader who is spending 6 hours a week on powerpoint slides that people only notice when they're missing. Even the scripture stating "they who have a new song or scripture, have them bring it..." seems only plausible for a house church size. Which throws us right back into the structured "institutionalized" worship time for large congregations, which (hopefully) does its prayerful best to be relevant, connecting, and honoring. [the only option to that is to be irrelevant, disconnected, rote and boring....which I believe to be also dishonoring].
Some of the ministers I met felt they had done much more ministry before they were paid ministers. But, as Bruce noted, no matter where you put your emphasis, "somebody's got to mow that grass". The most comforting illustration I heard was, "yes, we all need to be soldiers in the field--but somebody's got to be at the camp when it comes time to refuel."
I also found the class on gender & church to be very educational. The couple teaching were very humble and gracious, and some of their examples were extremely enlightening. They had worked as missionaries to Uganda. In that culture, women are generally topless, but what is worn below the waist (in the villages) is extremely important to their concept of modesty. Meanwhile, a couple of hours west in the larger city, things are very different. A young lady from the city wore jeans to church in the village, and the new congregation almost imploded. The missionary wrote a letter to them: thanking them for their good works, praising them for their new found Christian lives, etc. etc. Then he also urged the older women to have patience with the "changing" times and dress of the younger women. And then, he asked the young lady not to wear jeans. Obviously, that directive was not meant for all cultures of the world for all times...but suddenly this modern day missionary understood what it was Paul must have gone through. The critical question is this: does (whatever behavior) hinder the spread of the gospel?
Which, considering OUR area of being in the politically-correct- nation's- capital, how does the exclusion of women in the worship service look to our culture? We can have a woman vice-president but within our four walls they not allowed to read out loud or serve communion? Does it help or hurt the cause of the gospel? Worse, how are we then labeled...and how does our four walls become a barrier to spreading the message of Jesus Christ? Stuff to think about.
Some of the ministers I met felt they had done much more ministry before they were paid ministers. But, as Bruce noted, no matter where you put your emphasis, "somebody's got to mow that grass". The most comforting illustration I heard was, "yes, we all need to be soldiers in the field--but somebody's got to be at the camp when it comes time to refuel."
I also found the class on gender & church to be very educational. The couple teaching were very humble and gracious, and some of their examples were extremely enlightening. They had worked as missionaries to Uganda. In that culture, women are generally topless, but what is worn below the waist (in the villages) is extremely important to their concept of modesty. Meanwhile, a couple of hours west in the larger city, things are very different. A young lady from the city wore jeans to church in the village, and the new congregation almost imploded. The missionary wrote a letter to them: thanking them for their good works, praising them for their new found Christian lives, etc. etc. Then he also urged the older women to have patience with the "changing" times and dress of the younger women. And then, he asked the young lady not to wear jeans. Obviously, that directive was not meant for all cultures of the world for all times...but suddenly this modern day missionary understood what it was Paul must have gone through. The critical question is this: does (whatever behavior) hinder the spread of the gospel?
Which, considering OUR area of being in the politically-correct- nation's- capital, how does the exclusion of women in the worship service look to our culture? We can have a woman vice-president but within our four walls they not allowed to read out loud or serve communion? Does it help or hurt the cause of the gospel? Worse, how are we then labeled...and how does our four walls become a barrier to spreading the message of Jesus Christ? Stuff to think about.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
off to ZOE
Wow...I guess September must have been a blur. I'm off to the ZOE conference in the morning so I won't type long...just wanted to say that I'm proud to have the DAVID CAIN link associated with my blog. We hope to include several hymn stories with our release-of-the-Everpraise-II CD on November 16. That tells you one place my time has been spent lately. We also plan to have a whole new SOURCE available by then...400 copies strong...in the auditorium with about 100 songs in it!!! I also somehow was put in charge of organizing the block party this year (which tells you how serious our understaffing problem is !!!) so....time will tell (in exactly 4 days, in fact) how that will turn out! Anyway, several have asked about our Christmas production this year-----it's all being focused on Christmas Eve this time. So stay tuned and make sure you show up for that. Anyway, it's late & my plane leaves early...so I promise to tell ya all the latest real soon. Enjoy the fall weather!
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