I continue in my postings about The Irresistible Revolution, by Shane Claiborne. This first quote really hit me about the way we lead people to follow Jesus and then leave them there: “I came to realize that preachers were telling me to lay my life at the foot of the cross and weren’t giving me anything to pick up.”
[Tom, not Shane: In other words, new believers need to know what to do. I find that a great point. Just expecting people to figure it out on their own leads to people falling back into old ways. Let them know at the beginning that God has some special, life validating thing for them to do, like serving someone who needs it.]
He describes something he calls "Spiritual Bulimia" – [believers] consume large amounts of [spiritual] food but vomit it up before it has a chance to digest. [Ouch!]
“I used to be cool. Then I met Jesus and he wrecked my life.” (p.41)
“We decided to stop complaining about the church we saw, and we set our hearts on becoming the church we dreamed of.” (p.64)
“What would the world look like if we truly believed?” (p.84)
“Cynicism takes very little energy.” (p.100)
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Monday, August 11, 2008
Irresistible Quotes, Part 1
Yesterday was the introduction about Shane Claiborne's book, Irresistible Revolution. Here is the first set of quotes.
“There is a pervasive sense that things are not right in the world.”
“…most Christian artists and preachers have remained strangely distant from human suffering.”
“…rarely do we see that the sickness of the world has infected each of us.”
“This thing Jesus called the kingdom of God is emerging across the globe in the most unexpected places, a gentle whisper amid the chaos.”
“…the elephant and the donkey [think political party mascots] are the largest and the most stubborn of animals.”
“…the bear and the bull of Wall street are aggressive…”
“A pastor friend of mine said, ‘Our problem is that we no longer have martyrs. We only have celebrities.”
“Only God is awesome.”
“Dualism has infected the church, a dualism in which folks separate the spiritual from the political or social.”
All that, from the introduction.
To find out more about their community, go to www.thesimpleway.org
“There is a pervasive sense that things are not right in the world.”
“…most Christian artists and preachers have remained strangely distant from human suffering.”
“…rarely do we see that the sickness of the world has infected each of us.”
“This thing Jesus called the kingdom of God is emerging across the globe in the most unexpected places, a gentle whisper amid the chaos.”
“…the elephant and the donkey [think political party mascots] are the largest and the most stubborn of animals.”
“…the bear and the bull of Wall street are aggressive…”
“A pastor friend of mine said, ‘Our problem is that we no longer have martyrs. We only have celebrities.”
“Only God is awesome.”
“Dualism has infected the church, a dualism in which folks separate the spiritual from the political or social.”
All that, from the introduction.
To find out more about their community, go to www.thesimpleway.org
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Irresistible Reasoning and Thinking
I just finished Irresistible Revolution by Shane Claiborne. (I'll try to remember to add some links tomorrow. It is late.)
I have to admit I knew this was going to be a tough read from the get go, but it was a good tough. Challenging like crazy, but good challenging. Made me think, and pray, and meditate. Now, before I flip through the book and quote some of the underlined or corner folded down pages, let me just say that this book brings me back to some college days thinking. There was lots of radical thinking going on it the late sixties and early seventies. Some of it was awful. Some of it was thoughtful. Some of it was mournful. Some of it was meaningful. Some of it was biblical.
Thinking, especially thinking critically, is a scary thing, sometimes. It is much more comfortable to just assume that the way we do things is the way they should be done. This kind of assumption often gets Americans in trouble when they travel overseas. (Been there. Done that.) It also can be very uncomfortable for church people, ministers included. We just assume everything we do is rooted in the Bible. Yet, a lot of what we do has less rootage in the Bible than in tradition, comfort, and familiarity. Any believer that thinks their church is tradition-free needs to re-think that position. There are churches that would go ballistic if the Oak, Cherry, or Walnut pulpit were replaced with a shiny Plexiglas model, and vice versa.
Personally, I do not believe that everything we do has to have a biblical root. Some Christians think that there should be no instruments in church, but a pitch pipe is okay. Others think the piano and pipe organ only. Others would say that if it plays music, bring it on. (Funny thing is, I like all those kinds of music). But I digress.
What Irresistible Revolution does is make you think. Sometimes, the thoughts are, “Oh yeah. I can see that.” Other times, the thoughts are, “Woe is me (and us) for I (we) am (are) undone. He makes a strong — very strong — argument for his position, but, (thankfully!) seasons it with grace.
There is much to glean from this book. It should get a wider readership among people my age (58). The young are reading it. (I ask a friend recently out of seminary if he had read it, and he said, “No, but I think I am the only person who hasn’t.” In his age group and circle, he may be.) It will scare a lot of folks in my age group. It will make others mad… real mad… really, really mad! But too many folks are way too comfortable, having not entertained a critical thought in years.
Do I agree with everything he says? No, but I don’t know anyone I agree with on every possible idea or topic. What is important is thinking, getting into the Bible, and praying it through. You may come to different conclusions. But you may find yourself changing as well.
I have to admit I knew this was going to be a tough read from the get go, but it was a good tough. Challenging like crazy, but good challenging. Made me think, and pray, and meditate. Now, before I flip through the book and quote some of the underlined or corner folded down pages, let me just say that this book brings me back to some college days thinking. There was lots of radical thinking going on it the late sixties and early seventies. Some of it was awful. Some of it was thoughtful. Some of it was mournful. Some of it was meaningful. Some of it was biblical.
Thinking, especially thinking critically, is a scary thing, sometimes. It is much more comfortable to just assume that the way we do things is the way they should be done. This kind of assumption often gets Americans in trouble when they travel overseas. (Been there. Done that.) It also can be very uncomfortable for church people, ministers included. We just assume everything we do is rooted in the Bible. Yet, a lot of what we do has less rootage in the Bible than in tradition, comfort, and familiarity. Any believer that thinks their church is tradition-free needs to re-think that position. There are churches that would go ballistic if the Oak, Cherry, or Walnut pulpit were replaced with a shiny Plexiglas model, and vice versa.
Personally, I do not believe that everything we do has to have a biblical root. Some Christians think that there should be no instruments in church, but a pitch pipe is okay. Others think the piano and pipe organ only. Others would say that if it plays music, bring it on. (Funny thing is, I like all those kinds of music). But I digress.
What Irresistible Revolution does is make you think. Sometimes, the thoughts are, “Oh yeah. I can see that.” Other times, the thoughts are, “Woe is me (and us) for I (we) am (are) undone. He makes a strong — very strong — argument for his position, but, (thankfully!) seasons it with grace.
There is much to glean from this book. It should get a wider readership among people my age (58). The young are reading it. (I ask a friend recently out of seminary if he had read it, and he said, “No, but I think I am the only person who hasn’t.” In his age group and circle, he may be.) It will scare a lot of folks in my age group. It will make others mad… real mad… really, really mad! But too many folks are way too comfortable, having not entertained a critical thought in years.
Do I agree with everything he says? No, but I don’t know anyone I agree with on every possible idea or topic. What is important is thinking, getting into the Bible, and praying it through. You may come to different conclusions. But you may find yourself changing as well.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Crazy Love
I just finished reading Crazy Love by Francis Chan. Chan pastors Cornerstone Community Church in Simi Valley, California.
This book will, hopefully, rattle lots of cages within the ranks of American Christianity—at least it needs to. Radical? Yep. Biblical? Painfully so. There may be some divergence of opinion about his understanding of lukewarm Christians in Revelation 3:14-21, but don't let that side-track you.
This book challenges us to put our lives where our Christian mouths are. It isn't pretty. It isn't easy. But it is worth it. Chan calls us to put ourselves in a place where we have to trust God, the if-God-doesn't-come-through -I-am-toast kind of trust. He lives it and, and his church lives it.
Example (I paraphrase): "Jesus said to 'love your neighbor as yourself.' We decided, then, about a year ago, that it was logical to spend as much on our neighbors as we do ourselves. then our church should give away half of what it takes in."
Now this will resonate with young readers, but it gives great pause to those of us who have been a part of church forever (I am, see profile, late fifty-something, and my earliest memories include church). Most churches struggle to tithe their own income. That is only 10%. But 50%? I personally believe that churches need to tithe their income if they honestly expect their members to do it. I think if we give away to glorify God, then God will see to it that the income is there to sustain the giving away along with sustaining the church.
When I was a seminary student I served a small church in Southeastern Oklahoma on weekends as their youth guy. I remember being in a deacon meeting when one of the men said that "God began blessing our church when we decided that 5% of everything that came in would go to a benevolence fund for the poor." They still gave to other causes and to the denomination (Yes, they were SBC.) But here was a small church, on the corner of two section lines (a "section" is a square mile of land, I learned), situated six miles from "downtown." By the way, "town" had a population of 3200. The whole county's census was around 11,000. It had lots of sections. and plenty of poor people. It was so joyous to be able to give in Jesus' name to someone who needed His touch.
Cage rattled yet? Well, this thing about giving is just an example of a radical, Biblical, really Biblical faith. Check out the book. Pray over what you read.
Also, check out the videos on the crazylovebook website. Some of them are awesome. I haven't looked at them all, but I think you'll enjoy them, and maybe be challenged by them.
This book will, hopefully, rattle lots of cages within the ranks of American Christianity—at least it needs to. Radical? Yep. Biblical? Painfully so. There may be some divergence of opinion about his understanding of lukewarm Christians in Revelation 3:14-21, but don't let that side-track you.
This book challenges us to put our lives where our Christian mouths are. It isn't pretty. It isn't easy. But it is worth it. Chan calls us to put ourselves in a place where we have to trust God, the if-God-doesn't-come-through -I-am-toast kind of trust. He lives it and, and his church lives it.
Example (I paraphrase): "Jesus said to 'love your neighbor as yourself.' We decided, then, about a year ago, that it was logical to spend as much on our neighbors as we do ourselves. then our church should give away half of what it takes in."
Now this will resonate with young readers, but it gives great pause to those of us who have been a part of church forever (I am, see profile, late fifty-something, and my earliest memories include church). Most churches struggle to tithe their own income. That is only 10%. But 50%? I personally believe that churches need to tithe their income if they honestly expect their members to do it. I think if we give away to glorify God, then God will see to it that the income is there to sustain the giving away along with sustaining the church.
When I was a seminary student I served a small church in Southeastern Oklahoma on weekends as their youth guy. I remember being in a deacon meeting when one of the men said that "God began blessing our church when we decided that 5% of everything that came in would go to a benevolence fund for the poor." They still gave to other causes and to the denomination (Yes, they were SBC.) But here was a small church, on the corner of two section lines (a "section" is a square mile of land, I learned), situated six miles from "downtown." By the way, "town" had a population of 3200. The whole county's census was around 11,000. It had lots of sections. and plenty of poor people. It was so joyous to be able to give in Jesus' name to someone who needed His touch.
Cage rattled yet? Well, this thing about giving is just an example of a radical, Biblical, really Biblical faith. Check out the book. Pray over what you read.
Also, check out the videos on the crazylovebook website. Some of them are awesome. I haven't looked at them all, but I think you'll enjoy them, and maybe be challenged by them.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Crazy Radicals
I know. It has been awhile since I posted. Yet, "somehow," as Rat spoke to Pig in last Sunday's edition of Pearls Before Swine (Comics Section) "the world moved on. "
This one has been floating around in my brain for a couple of weeks. I am still not sure it is "done."
I have been thinking about Christ-followers who have figured out that Jesus' word to "Go" was not reserved for a few select people, but for everyone. Most of us, even those in the church, see these people as fanatics, or crazy radicals.
They don’t look like radicals. Yet, they have gotten a vision very different from what most of us see as Christianity. They have figured out that real Christianity is experienced through complete obedience, not just showing up at church once a week. They view life as a mission. Most are neither obnoxious or offensive in what they do. The love they feel for the people of the world is not natural, but put in their hearts through a relationship with their Creator.
Some of them are twenty, thirty and now forty-somethings. Some are "older" adults like myself. Some of them are college age. Some are High School kids. All are doing crazy stuff like spending a summer in service overseas, or in a difficult or remote setting in this country. They read the Bible imperatives about caring for the poor, for orphans, for outsiders. They believe Jesus was talking to them! Imagine.
They are a challenge to me, and at the same time give me hope for the future. They are willing to obey even if it means sacrificing comfort, security, wealth, etc., to impact cultures that range from “different” to “I-cannot-believe-you-are-living-there-like-that.”
They desire to not waste their life pursuing something that they will one day leave behind. Instead, they invest their lives in things eternal.
The Apostle Paul said... “We are fools for Christ’s sake…” 1 Corinthians 4:10
Crazy.
This one has been floating around in my brain for a couple of weeks. I am still not sure it is "done."
I have been thinking about Christ-followers who have figured out that Jesus' word to "Go" was not reserved for a few select people, but for everyone. Most of us, even those in the church, see these people as fanatics, or crazy radicals.
They don’t look like radicals. Yet, they have gotten a vision very different from what most of us see as Christianity. They have figured out that real Christianity is experienced through complete obedience, not just showing up at church once a week. They view life as a mission. Most are neither obnoxious or offensive in what they do. The love they feel for the people of the world is not natural, but put in their hearts through a relationship with their Creator.
Some of them are twenty, thirty and now forty-somethings. Some are "older" adults like myself. Some of them are college age. Some are High School kids. All are doing crazy stuff like spending a summer in service overseas, or in a difficult or remote setting in this country. They read the Bible imperatives about caring for the poor, for orphans, for outsiders. They believe Jesus was talking to them! Imagine.
They are a challenge to me, and at the same time give me hope for the future. They are willing to obey even if it means sacrificing comfort, security, wealth, etc., to impact cultures that range from “different” to “I-cannot-believe-you-are-living-there-like-that.”
They desire to not waste their life pursuing something that they will one day leave behind. Instead, they invest their lives in things eternal.
The Apostle Paul said... “We are fools for Christ’s sake…” 1 Corinthians 4:10
Crazy.
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