The Bleeding God :: Thoughts on Daniel Bell’s “God Does Not Require (or Demand) Blood”

In February 2009, The Christian Century featured Daniel Bell’s article, “God Does Not Require Blood” on their cover.  The imagery found there was as evocative as the title, showing two band-aids placed in the form of a cross.  The article itself was adapted from a chapter of the same name in God Does Not…, a 2008 resource published by Brazos Press challenging not only the demand for blood, but also conceptions of God as matchmaker, entertainer, cure-all, or as one in a hurry.

Bell’s article begins with an accurate statement concerning the Christian aversion to blood sacrifice.  Christians have not killed animals, or their firstborn, in worship of God, and have found such forms of sacrifice abhorrent and unnecessary.  But despite the rejection of blood sacrifice as a Christian practice, Bell declares, the logic of blood sacrifice significantly influences first how Christians think about God, and then subsequently how they act.  Herein lies Bell’s concern.

Bell knows that we live in a violent culture, and he is deeply concerned that Christians, far too often, have allowed the notion of redemptive violence inherent  in “the logic of blood sacrifice” to reinforce and perpetuate such violence.  As examples of where such logic fails, he points to any Christian defense of capital punishment, Martin Luther’s encouragement to peasants to “endure their affliction” and remain in their station, and pastoral counseling to battered spouses advising them to remain in those relationships.  As far as the theological implications for such forms of redemptive violence, Bell states quite plainly, “All of this is wrong.  God does not demand or require blood to redeem us.  God neither inflicts violence nor desires suffering in order to set the divine-human relation right.  In spite of its pervasiveness in Christian imagery, the cost of communion, or reconciliation and redemption, is not blood and suffering.”

Bell further illustrates redemptive violence as the concept underpinning our national response to September 11, 2001 as well as the basic plot lines of most television action dramas, in which bad guys commit violence only to be overtaken by good guys who commit “good” violence.  He notes government initiatives to wage war on drugs, disease, or obesity, and how most popular video games “revolve around apocalyptic levels of violence” as further evidence of our deeply ingrained propensity to seek blood.  

But redemptive violence is not the only problem for Bell.  On the flip side of the same coin, Bell names redemptive suffering and the associations made with Christian life and practice as equally troublesome.  Bell is concerned for those that might suffer unjustly.  As one example, Bell recalls how Martin Luther King, Jr. was urged to forestall his work by a group of white clergy, and thus prolong the suffering of both he and the African-American people.  He would not wait and suffer redemptively.  King understood that the time demanded action.  In response, those clergymen received the now famous “Letter from a Birmingham Jail.” 

From here Bell turns to the cross and the atonement.  He asks, “Wasn’t this the supreme act of redemptive violence?  Isn’t it the case that in spite of our visceral reaction against blood sacrifice, Christ was the ultimate blood sacrifice?”  Here, of course, we meet Anselm, the medieval theologian charged with most clearly articulating the substitutionary or satisfaction theory of the atonement.  Bell also introduces the governmental theory of atonement to cite an second example where Christ’s death on the cross satisfies the payment for either our individual sins or our corporate transgressions “in order to uphold the integrity of the moral order of the universe.”

It is at this point that Bell wrestles with the choice many have faced in wrestling with these dimensions of the atonement within classical Christian theology.  He acknowledges that some, in their desire to reject the notion of a God who demands blood, have also had to reject the cross.  He notes that this leads to a rejection of the cross as redemptive or central to God’s redemption, an appeal to the love of God that renders a focus on sacrifice an error, or declaring Christ’s death on the cross as some form of divine child abuse.  After recognizing these pathways, Bell surprises the reader by refusing to accept them.  He says, “I believe any effort to make the case that God does not demand blood cannot simply skip over the cross but must pass right through it.”

Bell states:

I believe that Christ’s work of atonement, when rightly understood, demands the rejection of blood sacrifice and the logic of redemptive violence.  Christ’s work on the cross is not about satisfying a divine demand for blood, but about showing us that God does not demand blood.  Christ’s work on the cross is the divine refusal of blood sacrifice, as well as any notion that suffering violence is or can be redemptive.

Bell goes on further to say that “This love of God expressed in Jesus saves us.  It is the love that would rather die on the cross than give up  on us.”  As we are joined to Christ, we then are “transformed (sanctified) and live our lives according to another logic.”  We love our enemies, forgive, and renounce violence.  In the process we may suffer, but only “because suffering is the cost that humans in their sinful rebellion impose on other humans.”  Bell rejects the notion that such suffering could in itself be redemptive.  It is simply a consequence of living in the world.

Bell’s account is interesting, for it is challenging.  But it does not seem right.  The terms do not seem correct, as the idea that God “does not demand blood” counters an equally opposing idea that “God does demand blood.”  

I have listened to enough preachers (particularly Reformed and neo-Calvinist voices) whose rhetoric from the pulpit gives this impression, so I do see where such an idea might come from.  And I believe Bell does support his claim by examining governmental and substitutionary examinations of the atonement.  But as I consider the story of Christianity and Judaism found in the New and Old Testaments, to designate God as one who “demands” or “not demands” blood seems wrongheaded.  The term “demand” appears to be misplaced.

I will state first that the commandments as they were given to Israel were regarded as gift and responsibility, not burden or obligation.  Israel was given “teaching” or “instruction” to offer sacrifices to their God, and that practice included the shedding of the blood of animals.  Any reading of the Old Testament account would find that sacrifice was not regarded as meeting the demands of a blood thirsty God, but was rather a way of remembering those narratives that were foundational for the constitution of a people called Israel.  Through sacrifice, the people of Israel are reminded of God’s holiness, otherness, and purity.  As God is somehow distinct from his people, the people of Israel are to be distinct from the nations.  In a sense, Bell is right in saying that God does not “demand” blood, but this does not mean that the shedding of blood does not have a place in telling the story of God.

When we turn to the New Testament, Bell’s account of Christ’s shedding of blood seems insufficient.  Stated plainly, it is missing the eschatological claim that in the cross God put violence to death and constituted a people called to be God’s peace.  While in the Old Testament the people of Israel may have met their responsibility in their worship of God through the practice of blood sacrifice, in the New Testament we see God taking the sins of the world upon himself in the person of Jesus Christ, suffering crucifixion, and in the process declaring an end to violence.  In Christ’s death, we do not see Jesus of Nazareth meeting a demand for blood, but rather declaring victory over the powers through the gift of his obedience.  In the New Testament as well as the Old, the language of “demand” does not fit the narrative.

Of course, who am I to question a professional theologian?  My own understanding of the atonement needs strengthening.  I have found the approach taken by Scot McKnight in A Community Called Atonement more helpful, as McKnight argues that the various theories are all necessary for a robust understanding of what happened in the cross.  Bell’s effort to dismiss substitution or governmental theories of atonement in favor of what appears to be a moral influence approach, in my opinion, fails because it is undertaken on the wrong terms, does not adequately fit the biblical narrative, and lacks the eschatological dimension necessary for any account of atonement.

Thinking about the atonement is important, and Bell’s concern that accounts of Christ’s death that depict God as a blood thirsty tyrant can have negative repercussions for how Christians think and act is valid.  We would do well to heed his warnings, but must move beyond his account, I believe, if we are to speak of the atonement in a robust manner, a manner which includes regarding Christ’s death as a sacrifice which does away with our sin, justifies us before God’s throne, and inspires us to greater acts of love and sacrifice.  Such a vision is possible, and, I believe, indicative of Christ’s blood flowing through the heart of his body, the Church.

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Cultural Adaptation = Loss of Gospel Culture?

Over the past few years I have been fortunate to hold subscriptions to both Christianity Today and Christian Century magazines.  I don’t always do the best job staying on top of my stack of publications, but over the past two weeks I have carved out time during my day to browse through my collection and learn more about the current state of Christian world.  Over the next few days I’ll be commenting on a few of the articles I found intriguing.

First among the articles I found of note was a Christianity Today piece in the August 2009 (current) issue entitled, “Mega-mirror: Megachurches are not the answer or the problem.”  I grew up in a large church in an East Texas town, and have served as a volunteer or staff person in three different large churches since college.  The CT article briefly captures the ethos of the American megachurch, references recent studies that have grabbed headlines from major media outlets (such as this Hartford Institute For Religion Research report, “Not Who You Think They Are: The Real Story of People Who Attend America’s Megachurches”), and draws parallels to the ways overseas missionaries adapt themselves to the culture in which they minister so that they might share Christ.  In the same way for megachurches in this country, the CT article concedes that, “In corporate America, it may be necessary to use the ethos of marketing to gain a gospel hearing.”

This proposition has been, and continues to be, quite seductive.  In an effort to make inroads into the world of suburban, middle to upper professionals, church leaders have adapted the best techniques of the marketplace to build a constituency.  Most churches who have implemented marketing techniques have appealed most to the power-brokers of our communities, and, as the CT article acknowledges, have yielded success.  And I concede that this is a good thing.  But along the way, I have questioned whether such techniques, or means, in the end, can be justified by the type of person (Christian) that they produce.

After acknowledging that American megachurches have achieved some good by adapting themselves to the culture, CT issues a challenge.  CT returns to those missionaries working overseas, who, in cultures where polygamy was practiced, were willing to tolerate such an idea for the first generation, but by the second generation were working to teach fidelity between one husband and one wife in marriage.  The piece raises the question as to whether the cultural adaptations made by America’s megachurches to reach the masses have resulted in a loss of “gospel culture,” and challenges megachurch leaders to consider how their second generation ministries might shift away from business and consumer language.

CT cites a number of familiar but disturbing findings from the “Not Who You Think They Are” study (sponsored by Leadership Network), highlighting that megachurch attenders are:

• younger (young and single adults are more attracted to megachurches than to smaller churches);
• transient (nearly two-thirds have been in these churches fewer than five years); and
• passive (45 percent of them never volunteer at church).

CT states, “Spiritual consumerism is clearly one reason the megachurch attracts so many–and one reason many wonder what type of faith people are being discipled into.”

The CT article then takes an interesting turn.  The editors chose to cite that, when the data is analyzed more closely, it can be demonstrated that the megachurch is “more like a megaphone,” amplifying the reality of the American church as a whole.  The article states that most medium-sized and smaller churches “are not that much different in demographics,” and even goes so far to say that “many a small church chases after ‘strategies and programs’ that can ‘meet spiritual needs’ and ‘multiply effectiveness.’”  Stated differently, CT simply believes that “business culture” is far more dominant than “biblical culture” in our churches, and those pointing a finger at megachurches as either the problem or heralding them as the solution have failed to recognize systemic shortcomings that plague us all.  After challenging the reader to admit that all churches fall short of God’s glory, the article ends by saying, “Once we all admit that, the Spirit can start working with us to create a gospel culture in our churches.”

In response, I have to ask, “What exactly is a gospel culture?”

While the CT piece borderlines on being prophetic, in the end I was disappointed.  The reader was told that “business-like” and “consumer-driven” megachurch ministries are problematic.  But in the final three paragraphs it seemed as though those ministries, who in their second and third generations should be shifting toward a new ethos in ministry, are simply let off the hook underneath the umbrella of “we are all broken.”  It seems as though the CT article points to the reality that there is another way to think of ourselves ecclesiastically, and that there is another way for us to exist as the church in America that is in greater accord with the gospel, but, in the end, does not provide us with even a hint of how that might be accomplished.  We are only given the vague appeal for “gospel culture.”  I understand that there is an appeal to the Spirit, but the writer(s) also say that the Spirit will “work with us.”  So, what are we to do?

When I have engaged in discussions with large-church leaders (and even smaller church leaders) who are extremely market-driven I have found that the greatest limitation to their ability to move beyond the “salesmanship” mentality is either that of imagination or that of faith.  Many leaders do not believe that a message that is unsensational or lacking in hype will result in the growth of the church.  Without cool graphic work, excellent promotional videos, or email marketing heralding the next thing at the church as “the most exciting and best thing we have ever done,” there is a fear that people will be bored, they will disengage, and they will be lost forever, as though the work of bringing people to Jesus had everything to do with the leader and their ability to manipulate the environment, and little to do with the power and grace of God.

If the CT article is right, that “Each American church in its own way has been co-opted and fallen short of the glory of God,” I pray that we as leaders would have the imagination and the faith to dream that things can be different, and rather than throw up our hands in despair, continuing on in our old patterns, I pray that we would begin to work toward what a gospel culture might truly be, acknowledging that a result resembling that dream would not be to our own glory, but to the One who called us and sustains us.

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Calvin, Calvin.

My friend Kaci Porter, who I know from my days growing up in Tyler, Texas, was recently featured on the homepage of Austin Seminary.  Why?  She loves John Calvin, and she wears the mark of that love on her lower right calf.  The world is celebrating the 500th birthday of this great theological mind, who was also a pastor and a church planter.  Whether you love or hate the 5 points of Calvinism, you cannot deny that in our time we could use more men and women like this great Protestant reformer.  Here is the picture from Austin Seminary’s website (Click for an enlarged image):

When I first saw the pictures on Kaci’s Facebook page, I couldn’t believe that she did it.  But then reality set in.  Along with Kaci, I wish Calvin a happy birthday.  May we not forget his witness and contribution to our thoughts about God.

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Precision, Truth, Humor, and Conviction :: Thank You, Stanley Hauerwas

It is no secret that among my favorite theologians Stanley Hauerwas stands tall.  My closest friends who have read Hauerwas’s “work” recognize how my theology has been influenced by his thought, his cantankerousness, his wit, and, most importantly, his love for the church.  I am not just a “fan” of Hauerwas.  I have done my best to read his writings carefully and mine from the riches found there those things which ring true and bring them to expression in an actual lived life–my own.  I have learned from Hauerwas that to be Christian we must undergo training that teaches us how to see, and we learn how to see through saying, or liturgy.  We are trained as we participate in the life of the people called “Church.”  There we are taught how to be God’s peace in the world through the power of the Holy Spirit, the telling of the story of Scripture, and the witness of the saints.

This week I have been reading A Cross-Shattered Church: Reclaiming the Theological Heart of Preaching.  The book is a collection of sermons written on various occasions.  Some are written for weddings or other special life-happenings, some for worship in local churches, and others for those gathered as part of the Divinity School at Duke University.  This morning this quote gave me pause:

We are well schooled as Christians.  We know that we are not to identify with Judas.  Yet we cannot help but think, thief though he was, Judas was right–the costly perfume should have been sold and the money given to the poor.  If we are honest we cannot resist the conclusion: Judas is appealing.

Moreover, if any conviction characterizes what it means to be Christian in our day, it is surely the presumption that we ought to be on the side of the poor.  No longer sure we know what it means to believe that Jesus is the Son of God, we at least take comfort that to be a Christian requires that we care about those less well off.  Of course that means for us–that is, for the moderately well off–to care for the poor usually extends no farther than our attempt to make the poor like us, that is, moderately well off.

Given the world in which we find ourselves, a world that thinks what Christians believe must make us doubtful allies in the struggle for justice, the Christian concern for the poor can win us some respect.  The cultural despisers of the church at least have to acknowledge that Christians do some good in spite of our reactionary convictions.  So it is good that we burn with a passion for justice.  The only problem with such a passion is that it can put us on Judas’s side.

-Stanley Hauerwas, “The Appeal of Judas”, A Sermon for Duke Divinity School, March 28, 2007 in A Cross-Shattered Church, 95

This strikes me as true.  For those of us that deeply burn for justice, our temptation is to sell out Jesus for a bag of silver.  Preaching Jesus as God’s Son, God’s peace in a violent world, who, in being hung on a cross brings an end to violence, an end to sacrifice, expresses the full measure of God’s grace, and there declares the forgiveness of sin, are peculiar truths in a world like ours.  It is much easier to say that we should be nice people with a concern for those who are monetarily less well off.

Hauerwas continues his sermon by reminding us that Jesus’s response to Judas is something we wish he would have never said, “You will always have the poor with you, but you will not have me.”  Hauerwas further raises excellent questions for the church, saying, “The church has glossed over Jesus’s response to Judas by not asking, ‘What if we did more than care for the poor?’ or, ‘What if we celebrated the poor?’”  He then follows by simply stating, “That such questions are not asked reflects a church that has forgotten that Christianity is determinatively the faith of the poor.”

Hauerwas’s reminder extends in two directions.  First, Hauerwas gazes across the span of church history and acknowledges the church’s buildings, liturgy, music and hymns, is a beauty for the poor.  In addition, “The literature of the church, her theology and philosophy, is distorted if it does not contribute to the common life determined by the worship of a Savior who was poor.”  This last quotation leads directly to Hauewas second point of emphasis–the Messiah Christians worship was poor.  Indeed, “The poor you will always have with you.”

I can only hope that my theology as it has been embodied among my peers and among the students I have mentored has reflected a celebration of those who are poor.  I also hope that I am not among those who are “no longer sure what it means to believe Jesus is the Son of God.”  I hope that my care for those that are poor is an extension of my belief that Jesus is who Scripture and the Church across time has proclaimed him to be.  

As I begin this day, that is my prayer.

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Home From Renovare’ :: Additional Reflections

After being delayed on the runway in San Antonio, redirected mid-flight to Waco for refueling, rescheduled on two different flights at DFW, eventually being bumped to a Thursday morning return flight, experiencing an unexpected layover in Dallas (thanks, Fitzhugh family), I’m home.  And it is good to be home.  I am thankful for what I have learned these past few days in the company of those in Christ at Renovare’, and return home with a renewed joy in my calling as a follower of the Jesus way.  What a great time.

My final day in San Antonio I heard from John Ortberg, Pastor of Menlo Park Presbyterian Church in California.  The best quotes from his talk were captured on my Twitter feed, so if you’re curious you can scour the content there.  We then engaged in a closing time of worship.  We sang hymns I knew and others I did not.  We celebrated what God had accomplished during our time together.  I witnessed impressive displays of humility from Dallas Willard and others, and was captivated by the sheer joy of Richard Foster during a time of closing conversation.  I was thankful that I was able to hear from both men and women who inspired me in my faith.  My admiration for them reaches beyond them to the source of what makes them admirable.  The life of “the saints” can indeed result in praise of the Almighty God who, by grace, has made them what they have become.  I do not worship the saints, but I am thankful to God for the saints whom I heard from during my time with Renovare’.

For friends and other readers of this blog, I can confidently commend the ethos, ideas, and practices spoken of at Renovare’.  These people are concerned with the spiritual life, they are concerned with growing the soul, they are concerned about holiness.  They are centered on Jesus.  And I believe they know from whence their “success” comes: from God alone, by grace.  As a means of response for my readers, I would encourage all to read and reflect on a document introduced on Tuesday of the conference: A Call To Spiritual Formation.  Think about the ideas presented here, and, if you find them compelling, commit yourself to them.  Here are the six headline statements from this document:

• God calls us all to become like Jesus.
• As we are rooted in Jesus and the kingdom he proclaims, we are progressively transformed.
• Our engagement with God’s transforming grace is vital.
• Spiritual formation happens in community.
• Spiritual formation is, by its very nature, missional.
• We invite all people, everywhere, to embrace with us this calling to be like Jesus.

For my Kansas City area friends, I would welcome a discussion of what it might mean to commit ourselves more deeply to these ways and encourage one another in holiness.  For my friends who are more distant, or are connected with me through this blog, I would also be interested to know if you are interested in this call and in these ideas.  I would like to foster a network of peers who are committed to these ideas and this kind of approach to spiritual formation, and perhaps creatively formulate some means to facilitate an ongoing conversation wherein we might inspire one another in ministry, in service, and in our journey to become more like the person of Jesus so that we might more accurately serve as signposts to his kingdom, his reign, his gospel, and the salvation found in him.

May you be a blessing to the One who gives you, by grace, life, breath, love, hope, and charity.

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Renovare’ :: Day 1

I couldn’t be happier to be in San Antonio.  Early this spring I stumbled upon Renovare’s 2009 Spiritual Formation Conference.  I cannot remember how my attention was drawn to this event or how I ended up at their website.  I can only remember sending a short email to my wife, Molly, with the link and a question, “Do you think I should go to this?”

 

Her reply: “Yes.”

 

I arrived on Sunday and proceeded to check in at my hotel, the Wyndham St. Anthony, which is across the street from Travis Park and easily within walking distance of the Hyatt Regency and San Antonio’s Municipal Auditorium–the two primary centers of activity for this conference.  The River Walk is nearby, which is a center of life in this city.  Within the first hour of being present at this conference I knew that I had made a good decision.  I’ll say more about this during my final thoughts.

 

Below you’ll find my observations, quotations, insights, and my own highlights.  Others at this conference will, no doubt, have other moments they believe more worthy of mention.  This conference intersects with my life at a time when the discourse I’m finding here is needed, and, thus, what I find edifying may be commonplace for others.  These people here are a blessing, and I’m thankful for the gift I am being giving these few days.

 

Check In and a Conferencing Tip for Social Media Gurus

 

For those organizing a conference (or soon attending one), if you haven’t considered what I’m about to tell you, I’d recommend pulling a page from the Renovare’ playbook and incorporating this idea into your next event.  What is it?  Enabling conference participants to easily broadcast what social media networks they utilize.

 

As I checked in, I was asked if I used Facebook or Twitter.  The answer: both.  Registration had been going on for about three or four hours.  I was the first person at that table to indicate I was fully wired (this should tell you something about where I fit demographically at this conference).  The check-in volunteers, upon learning I used these tools, supplied me with two icon stickers to place on my name tag so that when I connect with others we can further our connection through social media.  Renovare’ also had designated a hashtag for those using Twitter.  The problem: the hashtag was included in a line of text that was cut from their sign.  As a result, I’ve stuck with #renovare. 

 

Jim Smith :: Following Jesus

 

The Renovare’ Conference includes additional learning opportunities, or workshops.  If you’ve been to a conference you are accustomed to these.  I chose “How to Make the Jesus Way My Way” with James Bryan (Jim) Smith.  Jim is an Assistant Professor of Religion at Friends University and a member of a United Methodist Church in Wichita.  Day one was undeniably a blessing.  Here are a few quotes, funnies, insights, and observations from our first session:

• Based on the study of George Barna and Willow Creek’s Reveal study, we have concluded that the church is failing at discipleship.  Most of us, very likely, did not need these studies to tell us this.  However, the data is helpful, and commendable.  We need to be truthful, but there is hope.
• “‘Hurry sickness’ is the #1 spiritual illness in our day.”
• Definition of discipleship: “The process of being formed in Christ. (Gal. 4:19).”
• “We know we are moving toward success when we see Christ-like behavior.”
• A disciple is someone who spends time in the presence of a master, you are “with someone to be like them.”  ”You think like they think, do like they do.”
• “The A’s, B’s, and C’s” eclipse the D” <–Obstacle to discipleship: Attendance, Building, and Cash overtake Discipleship.  Jim called ABC a “Fallen Power” and “Oppressive.”  I agree.
• “Are you producing people who walk in step with Jesus?”
• “Why is it that church is the only place you have to come early to sit in the back?”
• Key question: “Does the gospel I preach naturally lead others to follow Jesus?”
• We need to change our understanding of success –> Making Disciples of Jesus Christ.  We must “Enroll people into the University of Jesus.”
• We must preach what Jesus preached, teach what he taught, “The Kingdom of God is available to you now.”
• We must fall in love with a God who is “Good, Trustworthy, Love, Holy, and Self Sacrificing.”
• We must work to build bigger Christians, not bigger churches.
• “We live at the mercy of our ideas.” –Dallas Willard
• We must precede the imperative with the indicative, telling people their status in Christ (the way things are).  The imperative follows–telling people what we must do.  Read Ephesians as an illustration of this.
• Your life is hidden in Christ with God.  (Col. 3:1)  You are safe and secure in the Kingdom.
• “We are people in whom Christ dwells and delights.”  Try that on as a core narrative, vs. “God loves you when you are good, and is upset with you when you are bad.”

There was more, but that is what I retained, wrote down, and dwelled with as I entered my evening.  Good stuff.

 

Counting Your Blessings

 

Among the exercises Jim asked us to complete, one was counting our blessings.  He asked for ten.  He told us that in the Apprentice curriculum, which he has brought to life alongside a team of others, they begin with fifty, move to one hundred, and then go on and on.  Here is my list of ten:

1. Molly
2. Home
3. Education
4. Ryan Fitzhugh
5. The Conards
6. Good Books
7. Family
8. Coffee
9. Computer
10. Vacations and Accompanying Memories

Try it.  Grab a piece of paper.  Name ten.  Then keep going.

Texas Culture

 

As I approached the steps of Municipal Auditorium I was greeted by the sound of a cowboy quartet singing “Ghost Riders in the Sky.”  These gentlemen were decked in full cowboy attire–hats, chaps, blue jeans, boots, and some sweet mustache action.  What do you get when you combine an upright bass, guitar, fiddle, and some great vocals playing a classic open range tune?  That’s right.  The feeling that I’m at home.

 

After entering the auditorium I received a double pleasure, as a large mariachi group navigated their way through the performance hall.  If I felt I was at home hearing cowboy music, the emotional impulses I experienced moved north and became knowledge–I didn’t feel I was home, I knew I was home–and I was glad.

 

Singing in Spanish, Singing the Hymns

 

Renovare’ has arranged for local church musicians/bands to be present during the General Sessions, and I appreciate this.  Instead of bringing in a headliner musician, we get to hear from partner churches in this area.  The music thus far has been very good.  Last night we sang a portion of “Open the Eyes of My Heart” in Spanish, which quickly brought to mind Rev. 7:9-10. I was also blessed in singing “Jesus Paid it All.”

 

Eugene Peterson and The Jesus Way

 

During our first general session we heard from Eugene Peterson, presenting on “The Jesus Way.”  Here are a few things I jotted down:

• “Using language on the Jesus way requires that we join the conversation.”
• “Idolatry is without doubt the most popular religion in town.”
• “You can’t hurry the mature life in Christ.”
• “There are no steroids in matters of holiness.”
• “Spiritual formation cannot be accomplished by mass marketing.”
• Paraphrase: You can’t rush a pregnancy, you must nurture it–just as Christ is born in us.

Peterson’s talk was great.  If you haven’t read The Jesus Way, check it out.  It would be worth exploring Peterson’s comparison of the adventures of Winnie the Pooh, Christopher Robin, and their quest for the North Pole to the spiritual climate of today.

Praying the 23rd Psalm

 

As a spiritual exercise, those in my workshop (around 185 people) were instructed to pray the words of Psalm 23 as we fell asleep.  I have worked at memorizing this Psalm, and after a couple of minutes of review was able to recite the text word perfect.  As I prayed the Psalm, I felt my heart expand in love for God and truly took joy in knowing that Christ was present.  Good stuff.

 

Some Final Thoughts

 

For the past five years I’ve been formed by the writings of Dallas Willard and Richard Foster.  Truthfully, I’ve been formed by Christ in them.  Their writings have been a blessing to me, have helped me reach a greater understanding of life as a disciple of Jesus, and encouraged me.  I’m so glad to be here–the others who are leading at this conference have been a blessing to me as well.

 

In the coming days I plan to add more to my blog in terms of reflection.  I have jotted down ideas to write about ministry and my calling, the state of my soul over the last four years, and what it means to journey through desert, wasteland, pause at an oasis, and then become confused when reaching a large body of living water.  The last two weeks I believe God has been at work in my life, teaching me in radical new ways and awakening affections in me that I have not felt for some time.  I also have a desire to name some of the deficiencies I perceive in my own community, and partner with those I walk with to bring about something new and life giving in Christ.

 

That’s all for now!  I’m about to head home, write more tonight, and bring you more in the morning!

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Speak the Truth to me. Don’t sell me.

Jesus is a person.  Not a product.  Introduce me.  Don’t sell me.

I’m quite accustomed to hearing Jesus presented as someone who can help me, lift me up when I am down, or solve my problems.  Through song and sermon I’ve become acquainted with “feel good” Jesus.  I’ve been told that I have needs only Jesus can address.  I have a problem, Jesus is the solution.   I have a question, Jesus is the answer.  Jesus will make me feel better.  Jesus is the missing piece in my life.

All of the above may be true.  Jesus might make me feel better about myself, about my relationship with others, and he will undoubtedly inspire my affections toward God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  But will he satisfy my intellect?  Are Christian convictions true?  And will you speak about them as if they were true, reasoning with me intelligently about things that matter, about the foundations of reality?  Or will you attempt to convince me purely through the affections, assuming “feel good” Jesus is sufficient?

I hope not.  I hope you will not only make me feel welcome, but satisfied in the knowledge of God.

John Wood Oman, in his 1931 book Grace and Personality, wrote:

There is only one right way of asking men to believe, which is to put before them what they ought to believe because it is true; and there is only one right way of persuading, which is to present what is true in such a way that nothing will prevent it from being seen except the desire to abide in darkness; and there is only one further way of helping them, which is to point out what they are cherishing that is opposed to faith.  When all this has been done, it is still necessary to recognize that faith is God’s gift, not our handiwork, of His manifestation of the truth by life, not of our demonstration by argument or of our impressing by eloquence; and that even He is willing to fail till He can have the only success love could value–personal acceptance of the truth simply because it is seen to be true.

Speak the truth to me.  Don’t sell me.  And through hearing the Truth, perhaps I will be set free.  Perhaps I will set my feet on the firm foundations of reality, and live on the basis of knowledge of Christ.  Stop talking about life in Christ as empty-headed and emotionally driven–purely a “leap of faith.”  As one entrusted with the gospel, preach it as though it were true, and suffer for it, if necessary (2 Timothy 1:8-12).  Appeal to my heart and my mind.

Fads come and go.  Jesus reigns forever.

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How will Social Media, New Technologies Change Church Ministry?

This question could be framed a bit differently, because social media and new technologies are changing church ministries.  I’ve experienced this firsthand.  Through my blog, Twitter, Facebook, and other forms of social media I have made connections with people unexpectedly, leveraged some of those connections, and engaged in conversations I would not otherwise have had.  As one qualification, I would not ever say that my online interactions constitute my ministry, but they are part of what I am doing as a disciple of Jesus.

I’m looking for resources on how social media and new technologies are changing church ministry.  I’m looking for blog posts, web forums, books, articles, as well as the perspective of practitioners who do not host a blog or other web forum but could comment on how church ministries have leveraged social media or some other form of technology in a way they find helpful and/or detrimental.

Please leave links, insights, references, etc.  This isn’t just for kicks–this is for a project.  And if you can help me out, I would appreciate it.

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Celebration and Reflection :: 40 Days of Prayer for The United Methodist Church

On the morning of March 14 God gave me a vision.  This was not a dream sequence or a moment I was taken up into the third heaven.  It was a moment where I was deeply impressed by a need for action–an action as simple as acknowledging through prayer that God is God and that Christians are called to be patient people.  I was impressed with the need to engage with God and with one another in the language of the church–prayer–and trust that if a new day were to dawn for Christianity within my neighborhood, my small town, my state, my nation, or my world, it would be because the Holy Spirit has already been at work in and around me.  It would be because the Kingdom of God is to be received.  It would be because God’s people had turned their hearts anew toward the one who had given them life, hope, love, faith, and salvation through Jesus Christ.  It would not be because of clever strategy or keen rhetoric.  God does not need us to accomplish his work, but we are wanted, and, indeed, invited to join in the work of the new creation.  

Being called to be part of the community called church, I wanted to invite others to engage God in prayer with and alongside me.  It so happens that at this time that community is called The United Methodist Church.

Thanks to all those who have given of themselves to bring together what is now a prayer effort uniting hundreds of people.  Thank you to Amy Forbus at the United Methodist Reporter, who mentioned us here, and to Interpreter Magazine, who has expressed interest in the UMYC website and the 40 day prayer effort.  Thanks to all the contributors, as well as the extended network of lay people and other ministerial leaders, including older clergy colleagues, who put up with my numerous email messages chronicling the progress of the work.  Thanks to those who have blogged about this effort, including those listed here.

Special thanks to Dustin Petz, Pastor of Goodland United Methodist Church in Goodland, Kansas, who’s request for advanced access to these materials for use on a radio spot led to this project being coalesced into booklet format.  Thanks to Victoria Hatterman as well for requesting use of some of these materials for her work in the Nebraska Annual conference.  Thank you to Jenny Smith for her tireless efforts in networking with her peers and friends to bring attention to this project on a larger scale, and for working closely with Chris Smith in developing the website and the prayer feed.  Thanks to Andrew Conard, a dear friend, who has encouraged me during this project, and who suggested the idea of publishing the work in book format.

Here are four ways you can join with us in prayer as we seek God’s direction for the people called Methodists:

 

• Join the Facebook Event.
• Download or buy a paperback copy of the Prayer Guide.  All profits will benefits NothingButNets (thus far we’ve sold 21 copies and raised enough money for 11 bed nets).  If you don’t want to buy a copy, go to their website and donate directly.
• Subscribe to the 40 Days RSS feed.
• Visit the UMYC website each day and pray with us.

 

I am not the first theologian to acknowledge that it is God who accomplishes all things in and through us by sheer, divine grace.  This work is evidence of this fact.  Thanks again to all who have helped make this project happen, and thanks and praise be to God for using me in this work.

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Big Vision. Thoughts on Renewal.

Andrew Conard recently offered this reflection on the future of The United Methodist Church.  Andrew is dreaming about renewal/revival for the denomination and how this might come about.  Quite frankly, I’m glad that he is.  I recommend reading his entire post and invite Methodists out there to add their voice to the conversation.

Andrew Conard is a friend, and as my friend he and I often talk about ministry, theology, Christian faith, practice, our local church fellowship, our read on the social landscape, and our hope for the future of the denomination.  I never find these conversations boring.  Andrew might, because no matter what subject we discuss, I always seem to bring up discipleship and Jesus and God’s humorous ways of employing me for his service and Jesus and discipleship.  At the root our desire is the same.  We want people to know Jesus, we want The United Methodist Church to be faithful, and we want to be part of a new, good thing within both the local congregation and the connectional system at large.  Andrew has a lot at stake, as he is on track to be an elder.  I have a lot at stake because my wife will be ordained as an elder, and I guess I’m part of this thing.  I want my children to grow up in a church that is alive-with-God and taking part in the work of the New Creation.  I want to be part of a church that preaches a rich, robust, gospel of grace, doesn’t shy away from the cross, and boldly proclaims the resurrection.  I want to hear about the particularities of the God named Trinity.  I want our life together to be compelling to my neighbors.

That won’t come about apart from God’s grace and our reliance on the Divine to do a good work in us.

From what Andrew and I have gathered, there are a number of movements among young clergy throughout the denomination.  There are more people than the two of us dreaming about tomorrow while working hard today.  There are a number of ideas for what is necessary if the church is to move forward positively.  For some this new future entails reformulating the appointment process or changing the candidacy process.  For some reshuffling the denominational polity or breaking down the “good ‘ole boy network” which exists within some conferences or districts is the top priority.  Others want a change in the Discipline on one matter or another.  There are a number of things people seem to think are really important and vital for the future of the denomination.

Sometimes I think our imagination is far too small.

We’re going to have to think about this.  There seems to be a lot of different ideas about the problems that face Methodism and the right solutions for our collective faithfulness.

As Andrew and I discuss movements, social media, and how the denomination as a whole might bring about change, we have discerned that it might not be the case that there must be one, singular, centralized movement pushing for renewal/revival within the denomination.  Rather, we thought that a more compelling idea might be that of mini-movements all headed in the same direction.  If a number of people are networked around common causes that are all pushing toward the same goal, a larger cause might emerge.  Andrew illustrated this idea with this napkin sketch:

To play a part in this, Andrew has suggested the following:

• Articulate a vision or align with the vision of another for spiritual revival and renewal within the United Methodist Church.
• Begin to take action toward that vision.
• Make your vision and action public through a blog, facebook, twitter, etc or share the vision and action of someone else whose story needs to be told.
• When you hear or read a story of vision and action that is producing fruit for God’s kingdom – share it with others.

Thus far, I’ve played a part in this by initiating a prayer movement.  I proposed the idea, and over 50 people have volunteered to pray.  You can think of the prayer initiative as one of the little arrows in the graphic above.

While I think the fruit of my conversation with Andrew is good and his articulation is helpful (little movements within one big movement), my biggest challenge right now is the current end goal.  I believe “renewal/revival” is too vague.  What are all the little arrows oriented toward?  What are the themes which will run through all of these movements?  If renewal takes place, why will people say the denomination has been renewed?  More people following Jesus?  More homeless being fed?  More people equipped with job skills in a difficult economy?  More churches being planted?  By what criteria will we measure whether “renewal” has occurred?

I’d like the little movements to be defined by the following themes:

• Public professions of faith in Jesus, declaring allegiance to Christ as “Lord.”  I want people to be drawn to Christ.
• Evangelism and Discipleship taking place simultaneously within local congregations.  People coming to faith and being closely instructed in the central tenets of the faith.
• Creative partnerships between the culturally powerful and powerless.  Rich and poor engaging in service together for the common good.
• Humble service on the part of our pastoral leaders.
• Creating a language of call in local congregations that challenges all people.  This includes calling people to pastoral leadership, but does not exclude the calling of all people to serve as priests in the business, home, education, or public service sectors.

We need to have an idea where we are going and what we can do.  And we need to have ideas that permeate multiple levels of the denomination.

If you’re out there working, serving, pastoring or leading, keep up the work, contribute your ideas, and let’s coalesce around some common ideas.  Renewal will take all of us.

Do something good.

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