Knowtown…

Not too long ago I spoke of my “selfish prayers“. Now I am asking anyone who reads this blog to join me. I am hoping and praying to make some vocational changes in the near future. I have been applying for some positions. I would ask that you all pray that I be tuned in to God’s leading in all of this stuff.

Thanks.

Today I had a really good conversation with a friend of mine that has me looking forward with hope. In a way, it felt like the first meaningful contact with an unchurched person as an envoy of Missio Dei. In my mind this is the first person to connect from “outside” the conversation. This short interaction was a wonderful precursor to what I dream Missio Dei will become.

I’m still working some things out that I am not ready to blog about but I think the next few months are going to be really good. For those who are wondering what “clicked” for me I am still putting words to it. I will post more in the near future.

What a small world we live in. I received a comment on the last post from someone with a very familiar name. Turns out that we went to the same church together many years ago. She is now blogging at Best and Worst. It is a beautiful blog from a wonderful person. Go check it out! It is nice to reconnect after all these years and find that God is still moving through us. It gave me better understanding of the part of the creed where we affirm that we believe in the holy Catholic Church. Time and distance where not able to separate us when we are both within this wonderful family of God.

p. A few days ago I read this story in Keith Moon’s biography that I am currently reading. This story takes place after may years of Keith living the desrtuctive life he was living:

bq. Alcohol, everyone agreed, was at the come of Keith’s problems. If he didn’t drink, he didn’t seem to need the drugs, and if he didn’t do either, he was sweet, generous, and kind. But still, drugs had definitely become a major factor: on the the last American tour, for the first time the others had become aware of Keith’s fondness for cocaine.

bq. Calling Kieth Moon back to London ahead of the upcoming European shows at the end of February, the Who as a unit, though with Pete Townshend very much to the fore, sent him to see Meg Patterson, the Scottish-born doctor who had cured Eric Clapton of his heroin addiction. Moon was not given a choice in the matter, but he didn’t seem to want one. In his sober moments, he seemed every bit as keen to rid himself of his addictions as they were.

bq. Meg Patterson worked out of Harley Street. She had seen many rock stars over recent years, some of them in very bad shape, particularly those with heroin addictions. But still Keith, who never went near the needle, stood out.

bq. They had a lengthy conversation in which Keith talked in detail about his problems both physical and emotional. When he had finished, Patterson said something to him that she had never said before in a first interview with any patient.

bq. “You don’t need my treatment,” she said. “What you need is Jesus Christ.”

bq. To her astonishment, Kieth looked right back at her, and said, “I absolutely agree with you, but how do I find Him?”

Today is the year anniversary of my first blogpost. What a long strange trip it’s been…

Over the past year my ecclesial dream has slowly been going through a transition. In the last three weeks it has completely turned over. Something has finally “clicked” for me. I think its time I finally realize that I have been chasing the wrong thing for too long. It’s way past time for a change. It will be interesting to see where the next year leads.

A friend of mine gave me this book to read. Since I was between books and was somewhat looking for something a little more recreational than theological, I thought this biography of Keith Moon (drummer for the rock band, The Who) would be a good option. As far as biographies go, this is one of the most well written books I have ever read. The only down side to the book so far has been that it is extremely depressing. Moon’s life is tragic. I am more than half way through the 580 pages and my heart is already broken for this man who I don’t even know.

So in an attempt to clear my head of ecclesial things this book has actually brought me right back into it. How can we, ambassadors of reconciliation, bring the redemptive power of the gospel into lives as tragic as Kieth Moon’s? How can we, the Church, embody the love and re-creative redemption in the lives of those who seek these things in the destructive things the world has to offer?

I think the first thing we have to do is be willing to enter into their contexts instead of expecting them to enter into ours. The greatness of the kenosis and incarnation is that God became one of us. My friends Dwight and Rebecca are talking about some of this on their blog at the moment. I don’t know what all of this will look like but after reading through Keith Moon’s life I do know this– we who claim to follow the Triune God of the Bible are entrusted with the greatest story ever told. We need to find ways of taking that to people who have never heard it.

I tend to go through strange cycles. I occasionally find myself completely out of gas and require some introverted time of reflection to catch up with myself. I find myself in that part of my cycle at the moment. I have been having a hard time finding anything of value to post lately. Every feeble attempt I make ends up looking remarkably similar to a post on my old blog. Maybe I’m just tired. Or maybe it’s something more than that. Whatever it is, the geography of my reality is beyond my ability to navigate right now.

But not to worry. This is not a bad thing or a pity party. Just a normal part of my life. I’ve been here before, but it’s been a long time.

It’s not every day you hear a political figure give a speech in which they openly share how their faith intersects with their political vocation. I though this speech, The Ethical Responsabilities Of A Christian Politician, from Tony Abbott, a politician from Australia, was pretty good. Here is an excerpt:

I have been following the various discussions about the recent Emergent convention around the internet and blog world with great interest. Even though I was not able to go this year it sounds like this year was a lot like last year based on what I have been hearing and reading. Some people loved it, others hated it. Last year my pendulum swung between these two extremes often. To be perfectly honest, it’s not to hard to find fault in any convention if that’s what your looking for. “Too much talking head”, “Not enough time for dialogue”, “So many people who ‘don’t get it’”… The list goes on and on.

Although this year’s list has a few new items thrown in, the foundational issue is still the same. You can’t please everyone. Even still, I wish I could have been there for myself. Last year I was fortunate enough to make it to San Diego and Chattanooga. I had criticisms of both and I think that’s OK. I hope we never get to a point where we cannot voice honest critiques and express honest opinions. But I do hope I learn to voice my complaints in a way that respects the great people and the hard work that goes towards making these events even happen. We could just drop the EC altogether and all attend the NPC next year.

While there will always be things to complain about in the format or content of sessions at a convention of this magnitude I can honestly say that I have not had a bad experience with any of the people who plan, coordinate and pull off the event. I pay my money and show up. The conference is almost like a retreat or vacation for me. The coordinating group, on the other hand, spend countless hours planning before and then have to work there asses off to pull it all off. In between sessions they are hounded by well intentioned folks (like me) who simply want “one minute of their time” and they have always graciously given me more.

One thing I have heard a lot this year is that Emergent needs to figure out who they are. Are they only for white, evangelical males? Are they going to do this or that the way we want them to? Are they going to finally define for us what they are trying to do or be? I think that is the wrong question focused in the wrong direction. It sets Emergent up for a no win answer. I think a better question is “who do we want them to be? This puts the burden where it belongs, on all of us. Perhaps if we ask this question we will discover that some of our expectations of what we want them to be are unrealistic and undesirable. Do we really want them to come to a definitive answer of “what makes a church ‘emergent’?” Do we really expect them to come up with a globally absolute doctrinal statement of the atonement, ecclesial leadership, or authority of Scripture? Or would we rather have them be a group of people who continue helping us find our voice in the conversation among friends? I believe there is a beautiful harmony out there waiting to be heard but we are all too busy criticizing and competing for the melody to sing it.

Is the structure of a national convention the best venue for that? Maybe not, but if we can’t learn to respect the work of the people involved at all levels and air our complaints in a more faithful way I doubt any venue will suffice.

I found this great article, Removing not the ancient Landmark, by James from the Paradosis blog through a link from Felix at the Leaving Munster blog.

This is a great read.