A Holistic Gospel

Here are some links I mentioned at the worship gathering on Sunday.
From Scot McKnight:
http://www.christianvisionproject.com/2008/03/the_8_marks_of_a_robust_gospel.html

From our denominational website:
http://wcg.org/lit/gospel/goodnews.htm
While you are there PLEASE take time to read a new (online) booklet, “A Brief Introduction to Trinitarian Theology.”
http://www.wcg.org/lit/booklets/theology.htm

A good podcast from Jonathan Pennington, a professor at Southern Seminar, about the Kingdom in the gospel.
http://extendingthekingdom.org/?p=175

Great books on a more vibrant and holistic gospel include:
“Secret Message of Jesus”, Brian McLaren
“The Lost Message of Jesus” Steve Chalke & Alan Mann
“Storm Front-The Good News of God” Brownson/Dietterich/Harvey/West
“Kingdom Come” Allen Misuo Wakabayashi
“The Tangible Kingdom” Hugh Halter & Matt Smay
If you really want to read any of these, let me know and I’ll gladly lend it out.

Living the Gospel,
Mark

 

Between Worlds

4/23/09 evening

Not yet in San Diego!  I am in the DFW airport.  A lay-over.  That nether-world in between realities.  I am not in my departure city where I had connection with the world, nor have I reach my destination (home) where I will reconnect with the world.  Oh I’m “connected” to the world in DFW – I have a cell phone and internet access.  I can eat, drink, talk with people, catch up on the NBA Playoffs (currently Celtics vs. Bulls) and/or the news (CNN).  I can sleep if I find a quiet corner.  There is even a Starbucks (can you say quad espresso)  But this space (DFW) is isolated and insulated.  Is it real? I can’t wait to get home to the ‘real world.’

I have several pages worth of notes and thoughts that I want to post from my experience at the Exponential 2009: National New Church Conference.  The conference was bookended by two dynamic, motivational, inspiring and authentic people. Erwin McManus started off the conference and Francis Chan closed it out.  I’ll write a few quotes from them.

I also took pretty good notes from all of my workshops – something I don’t usually do.  Anne and I are typically together at meetings/seminars/conferences and she takes the notes. So without her I had to break out the pen and paper.  Then there was some time I had to write some reflections based on a poster / advertisement at the First Baptist Church of Orlando where the conference was held.  The poster was advertising a Saturday night service.  It read, “Church is not just on Sunday anymore.”  It got me thinking.  Is our gathering (whether on Sunday or Sat. night) even church anyway.  Why is church defined or confined to a day or meeting time?  What is “church?”  What do you mean “church?”  What did Jesus mean or what was he referring to when he said “church” in the text, “I will build my church?” (If you know me, I have been asking those kinds of questions for some time now and things are rounding into focus.)  We’ll enough introduction.  I don’t want to take up anymore space in this post when I’ll be posting on the subject at length later. 

I wonder though, if I’m stuck ‘between worlds’ in how I view and do church (and other missional, eclessiological, theological issues) - just as I am between worlds here at DFW.  I’ve left where I was but I’m not quite at my destination, where I want to be.  The journey is so wild.

They are beginning to pre-board my flight to San Diego.  I better go.

Family – Here I Come!!

 

1/2 a Day to Go

I missed blogging yesterday.  My computer was not working well with the wi-fi here at the hotel.   

We’ll, this is the last day – 1/2 day really. 
The conference is inspiring, informative and fun.  I can’ t wait until the plane ride home and the subsequent days and conversations with my wife to distill it all.  Church planting, missional church, incarnational mission, community involvement, leadership development, helping others change – subjects of many sessions/workshops – what does it all mean for us?  What pieces do we implement.  When do we start? How?

One of the take-aways from the conference I have is this: connection  to Jesus.  I think that is a factor that in everything.  My connection with Jesus is paramount.  Why even ‘do’ ministry if I’m not connected to Jesus.  Why would I want to do it if I wasn’t?  How could I do it if I wasn’t?  And when it comes to equiping leaders, making disciples and helping others – connect them to Jesus.

See ya back in San Diego.

 

Sweaty Fingers in Orlando

I just got back from a run here in Orlando.  My fingers are sweating.  It is 10:10am local time.  I’m not used to running so early.  But it is warm – and humid.  I have to get used to the humidity again.  The sweat won’t stop.  Even my fingers are sweaty.  It’s hard to type with sweaty fingers.

I do enjoy the flatness here. At least where I am there are not any hills.  I run hills a lot at home.  In a way I miss the challenge.  I’m sure my challenges lie ahead in this conference.  I do hope my assumptions, ideologies and thinking patterns are challenged and confronted.  It’s easier to run, though. Run from the changes, challenges and conflict.  But it is part of life and it is how we grow and become more than we once were. 

Time to clean up and go ‘run the hills.’

 

Greasy Fingers in Orlando.

I have greasy fingers.
Getting a Big Mac w/ large fries at 10:00pm in Orlando, FLA without a napkin is a mistake. I’ll file away the experience for future reference. Always get a napkin.
It’s been a month since I last posted. Let’s see if I can post with more regularity. (It’s hard to type with greasy fingers.)
I’m sitting in an atrium of a Hyatt that is connected to the Orlando airport. There is a beautiful fountain here, with water splashing loud enough to drown most of the distracting noise. I like it. Plants. Water. A bench. Bromeliads in planters. Mickey Mouse waving “hello” outside a Disney World shop. The only thing missing is my family. I miss them already. Life is so much better with them. Just their presence is a balm to my soul, making every moment enjoyable and worth savoring. Hello Anne – my bride. And Megan and Camden my pride and joy.
It is a amazing to be able to communicate with them (and the whole world)from this one bench in an atrium between the Hyatt and the airport. (With greasy fingers.)
Why am I in Orlando? I am attending “Exponential: 2009 National New Church Conference.” I got invited. I don’t know why. But I am excited. I love Jesus and what he is doing here on earth. I am tired of the old, hardened, inflexible ways of the “traditional church.” It doesn’t take a long look to see that we are doing the same things, the same ways that churches have done for hundreds of years. Same systems. Same hierarchies. Same “reach out and drag ‘em in” programs. The world has changed. The culture has changed. The church has changed very little. So I guess that is why I’m here. To learn a bit more about how to be a redemptive Jesus movement in the world today. Call it church, call it emerging, call it a movement, call it missional. Whatever the label, it has to be different than what we see predominate the religious and ecclesial landscape today. (I just had to wipe my fingers and mouth with the paper sack my fries and Mac came in. Note to self – always get a napkin.)
I am excited. I am excited because I am beginning to realize that maybe I am much less a pastor than I thought I was (see future post later this week titled “Why I’m not a Pastor”) – which allows me to explore, become and fulfill what I really am.
I will endeavor to post every day. I know that for some, you don’t care what I have to say. That’s okay. But for others, I know I say stuff at our worship gathering that needs explanation and further clarification. The shaping ethos, language, culture, thought and practice of Cornerstone needs to be expressed on more levels and more venues than just at the worship gathering and worship gathering collaborative. Our DNA code needs to be formed – and I hope this blog is one way to assist in that process.
My ride will be coming soon. Signing Off – with greasy fingers – from Orlando airport. And don’t forget the napkin.

 

Authentic Community

The Bible describes in many places the working and relating together of God as Father, Son and Spirit. These descriptions easily lead us to see that the nature of God is one of community – a community of oneness. God is presented in a tri-unity of divine entities existing as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, the eternal community of oneness from whom all other communities derive life and meaning. (We could spend a long time – and maybe someday we should – looking at the various ways God is depicted and characterized as being in complete oneness – a community. But for space and time sake, I think we can all agree that God is one. (Dt. 6:4) This triune community is not selfish and closed. We are included to be a part of that community. That is why we were created – to expand God’s community of love. Jesus himself invites us into their oneness. “I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us . . .” (Jn 17:21) As we can see he calls and desires us to be one as well. Not just individual, solo Christian single-entities at one by ourselves with him – but us living in and experience a community of oneness together with each other AND with (in) him. Wow!

God values community. And since he is God then the community he is a part of can be no other than authentic. Real, open, organic, not manufactured or forced. It is true to his own personality, spirit, and character – fully trustworthy and it implies his actual character, not counterfeited, imitated, or adulterated. We also value authentic community. Though as humans our community will have flaws, foibles and faults. It will have lesions, occasional misguided motivations and a certain amount of dysfunction. But we are on an ever-moving, maturing, developing path toward wholeness. And in the midst of our struggles we will have the joy and victory of healthy life lived in community. We will experience the amazing reality of the relationship and oneness of community of the holy trinity. We seek to participate in the life of the triune God. And we are able to do that by living together – intentionally and purposefully. Let their be no doubt, we can experience relationship with God as individuals. Only we – by ourselves – can decide and make the choice to follow the way of Jesus and accept the invitation to our already prepared place in God’s family. However, we exist in the midst of people, families, society, towns and communities. No man or woman is an island. We affect and are affected by others. The focus of Jesus was always about the “other.” We can’t (nor should we) avoid the “other.” So how are we to exist with one another? The best way is as an authentic community.

At Cornerstone we value authentic community. We seek to discover what it means to “do life” together and share in one another’s faith. We often display the beautiful traits of authentic community and our fellowship is genuine, real and welcoming to others. We really want to live out the amazing relational reality that we see in God. But we also struggle. Even in this technologically advanced and connected society we actually may be more disconnected relationally than ever before. We can communicate in so many ways without really being with each. There is real value in sitting down with someone to talk, share a meal, take a walk, laugh, cry or just plain be with them. At Cornerstone we seek to be open, vulnerable, honest, real, accepting, sincere, loving and forgiving. We want to help each other (and the “other’) through the struggles of life (financial, health, social, emotional, etc.) and celebrate the victories. But I think we are just beginning to learn what all that means and what it looks like. It is not easy. But it is worth it. Let’s be an authentic community – not just 2 hours a week on a Sunday – but every day of the week as we journey together with Jesus.

 

What Are We Looking At?

I couldn’t think of a better photo to use for my blog header than one of my family. I can’t thank Mary & Paul Bauer enough for taking us on a photo shoot at the James Scripps Bluff Preserve in Del Mar in October of ‘08.

I try to be humble. But when it comes to my family, I am damn proud. We look good together. (Still not convinced? Go to my facebook page (page 3 and 4 of the photo album) or at my myspace page (http://www.myspace.com/a_sacred_space) and click on “my pics” and then “tagged photos”. Yes, I am shamelessly saying I have a great looking family. But it’s more than the shape of our flesh and the the way our skin is stretched over it.  It is what is on the inside of us that makes us who we are.

So what are we looking at? Kind of a weird family photo isn’t it?  All spread out looking far away and away from each other - not a typical group shot. (Though we took some of those, too.)

What are we looking at?

Expanse;
possibilities.
Horizon;
dreams.
Endless;
love.
Ocean;
of mercy.
Powerful;
waves of grace.
Sunset;
beauty.
Water;
refreshing.
Current;
cleansing.
Wide;
forgiveness.
Deep;
relationship.
Soothing;
rhythm.
Constant, forever, committed, generative;
teaming with life.

Maybe a better question isn’t so much “What are we looking at?” but “What are we sensing?” “What are we feeling and experiencing?” And maybe, the ultimate question about ourselves, “Who are we being?” Hopefully, prayerfully, gracefully we are matching the description of the ocean. More significantly we live to match the image of God as displayed in Jesus.
Trinity – Community – Harmony.

I love my family.  We may not be “together” in the photo but we are more connected than any family I know.  The ocean is itself an organism, working as a symbiotic, living thing to sustain all that lives inside.  Our family  – we know each other.  We live, work, play, laugh, cry, dream, struggle and hope together.  We are connected not only by blood and DNA, but by the Spirit of Life who gives life and we realize – if even dimly – that we, too, are a part of God’s plan, purpose and  pleasure to sustain life – each other.  Our family and the world. 

I love my family.

 

New Year’s Resolution Twist

I receive many email newsletters, devotionals, e-zines, updates, etc.  I don’t read them all but try to at least skim each one. Periodically, one will catch my eye and I dig deeper into the articles and such.  One weekly devotional I get is called, “Monday Memo” from Steve May.  Steve also provides content for aboutsunday.com, offering resources for preachers and teachers. The text below came from todays “Memo”.

“Charles Lamb said “New Year’s Day is every man’s birthday.” We’re just a few days away from changing the calendar, so we’ve all got a birthday coming up. This gives us a chance to reflect a little bit on the past 365 days and, hopefully, focus a lot on the next 365 days.

If we choose, we can wipe slate clean from yesterday and begin a new day. There’s nothing special about January 1, of course, but there is something special about the decision to break away from old habits and develop new ones. It can be done any day — January 1 is as good a day as any. The important thing is to devote oneself to doing better and trying harder.

It was said of Hezekiah: “In everything he undertook in the service of God’s temple and in obedience to the law and the commands, he sought his God and worked wholeheartedly. And so he prospered.” (2 Chronicles 31:21)

A decision to seek God more and serve him without reservation — this a great way to begin the New Year, or any new day.”

–Steve May

  As you can see, it tracks with what I wrote last week and what we talked about at our worship gathering this past Sunday.  Reflecting back and focusing on the future are very important.  How else do we expect to change if we don’t do something different?  Where are you – who are you – today?  If you are happy with where and who you are, then perhaps you are making good choices and have developed a deep relationship with God.  If you are not happy with where and who you are, then choice changes, decision making processes and relationship builders are called for and necessary.

Making New Year’s resolutions – or resolutions any day of the year – are important. But making the resolution is the easy part. Sticking with it and following through is more difficult.  What is the best way to accomplish our resolutions and see them come to pass?  Maybe a better question – going beyond simple resolutions like wanting to exercise more, loss weight or advance on your job – is, “how can I have a more meaningful life?  How can I have a greater, generative, constructive, loving impact in the lives and on the world around me?

One phrase I may differ with Steve May on is where he writes “doing better and trying harder.”  There are many areas in our life where this may work.  When one is training for a race or sport competition or trying to improve a skill or talent, then “trying harder” may accomplish something.  But what about when it comes to being really content and full of joy?  What about when it comes to feeling loved and accepted?  And when we begin to talk about taking on and living out the character of Jesus – being the embodiment of the love of God, well, that ’s when just “doing better and trying harder” fails.  I can’t just work myself up and try harder and harder to like or be nice to someone.  My outward actions my look okay – but has my heart changed just because I tried harder?  I don’t think so. 

Steve May does hit it at the end, however.  He says a great way to begin the New Year (or any new day) is the decision to seek God and serve him.  This is the key.  When we seek after the heart of God, when we seek to live the way of Jesus, when we truly realize that we are loved passionately and unconditionally by God, then old nasty habits (the kind that go deeper than just picking your nose), and destructive ways of being with self and others begin to melt away.  But we have to really want Jesus. We have to really live in his love and move and breath in his presence.  To constantly seek him, talk to him and depend on him.  The best and greatest changes in our lives – the best year we could ever have – will occur when we let Jesus dwell in us and we dwell – abide – in him.

Continually live in the love and communion of the Trinity and this will be the best year yet.

 

Furthering Mission

2008 is moving at a rapid pace toward 2009.  There are only a few days left in the year.  Now would be a good time to reflect on the past 12 months and look ahead to the next 12. Christmas Day is a good time to do this. Hopefully most of us had some time on last Thursday to relax, reflect and spend some quality time with the one whose birthday we were celebrating.  New Year’s Day is also a common juncture where we examine our lives and, after reassessing it, resolutions are made to change – something – for the upcoming year.

 

That’s a shortcoming I know I struggle with – and maybe we all do, I think. We don’t reflect often enough or take time to make an assessment on where we’ve been and how we got to where we are now. What decisions, choices or circumstances lead me to where I am today?  Nor do we look to the future enough to envision all the possibilities, hopes, dreams that can come true.  What choices do I need to make to get to where I want to be?

 

It’s easy to simply churn out each day, plowing through what is just in front of us.  It’s nice to get a view from a “higher altitude” every once in a while.  And for us at Cornerstone, we like to do this a few times a year – especially now as the calendar changes from ‘08 to ’09.

 

As individuals, as families, as a community of faith, what has made us who we are?  What choices will we make that will shape what we are to become?  How have we lived out our faith, our beliefs and our values?  How will we live them out in the year ahead?

 

We will end 2008 with a worship gathering discussion called, “X Marks the Spot” – taking a look back, marking where we are now and projecting into the future. 

On the first Sunday of the year, Jan. 4^th, we welcome Dr. Jeb Egbert who will share his passion, experience and expertise on youth and family issues.  After our worship gathering he’ll present a workshop titled, “Grace Based Parenting”. Don’t miss it!  He will undergird and expound on Cornerstone’s vision – it’s purpose to live like Jesus, love like Jesus and lead people to Jesus  in ministering to youth and their families by offering love, support and guidance in their spiritual growth and development.

 

The following weeks we will continue where we left off in I Corinthians 13 – the love chapter.  Remember, we are in a series on what Cornerstone values and all of our values are to be birthed from a place of love.  So what better place to be than right in the middle of a description of who God is and what his love looks like and what our love is to become.  (For more info on Cornerstone, visit us at: cornerstonecommunityonline.net)

 

Over the last few years, and especially in 2008, we have been laying a foundation, grounding and rooting our community of faith in the love of Jesus.  So many visitors and people who call Cornerstone their home have told us that they feel loved, accepted and free to be themselves in our midst. Of course, it is an environment created and sustained by the Holy Spirit. We love joining our triune God as they exist in an ever-loving relational flow of mutual submission, humility and grace.  As we enter that communion, those who crave the same thing (whether they know it or can identify it or not) and come close can’t help be feel it and be drawn into the mystical, beautiful and amazing dance.  That’s where we’ve been and it brings us to today.

 

As we approach 2009, we want to expand who and what we are.  God did not create us to only build little enclaves and closed warm, fuzzy circles. I believe he wants us to share our love “out there.”  I’ve been reading a book titled, “The Tangible Kingdom: Creating Incarnational Communities” by Hugh Halter and Matt Smay.  They speak of wanting to create places of “inclusive belonging where God’s alternative Kingdom can be experienced.  New places of belonging, benevolence and blessing . . .”  That is Cornerstone.  But they also talk mostly about being missional and incarnational.  (These are two terms we’ll become more familiar with as we continue our Values sermon series.)  Here is an introduction to missional  and incarnational. 

 

“Missional, at its essence means ‘sent.’  The idea is the exact opposite of waiting for others to come to us (come to our church.)  It’s the antithesis of trying to ‘attract’ them to us, our programs, our buildings, or our gatherings.  The most challenging concept is found in Mt. 28:19, which reads, ‘Go and make disciples . . .’  In the past, we might have focused on make and the responsibilities associated with discipleship.  But today the challenge set to the first faith communities returns to us: . . . Go!

 

Missional has an inseparable twin. It’s called ‘incarnational.’  The root meaning of incarnation means ‘any person or thing serving as the type or embodiment of a quality or concept.’  Specifically it means to ‘embody in the flesh.’  John 1:14 gives us the picture: ‘And the Word (Jesus) became flesh and made his dwelling among us.’

 

The missional part was Jesus leaving his Father’s side in the heavens and coming to us in the form of a human.  The incarnational part was how he took on flesh and lived with us.  Said another way, missional sentness is focused on leaving and everything related to going, but incarnational represents how we go and what we do as we go.”¹

 

As a part of the body of Christ, the Church, we are sent.  And just as Jesus embodied the love of God in the flesh, we are to go and embody the love of Jesus.  As the Father sent Jesus, now Jesus is sending us.  So often, Christians think of ‘mission’ as a tool of the Church when really God is on mission and he uses the Church as his tool.  (I am not very fond of the idea suggested by the phrase or others like it – “God using us as his tool.”  It makes it sound as if we are like a hammer or a wrench and God treats us as inanimate objects, laying us aside when he’s done and forgetting where he put us the last time he ‘used’ us.  Rather, he asks to join him.  He wants to fellowship with us and for us to commune with him as we fulfill our purpose.) We are to join God on his mission – to redeem and restore the world – the whole earth and its inhabitants.  Being missional is following Jesus into the world. 

(See: http://www.brianmclaren.net/archives/blog/dr-david-dunbar-gets-it-right.html)

 

In 2009 may we continue to make Cornerstone a place of love, humility and service.  May people feel inclusive belonging, acceptance and benevolence.  And may we take that tangible environment out from behind the church walls and create many more places and experiences of blessing in our families, neighborhoods and communities.  The Kingdom of God is at hand.  Live, Love, Lead.

 

 

¹ Hugh Halter & Matt Smay. The Tangible Kingdom: Creating Incarnational Communites.  Jossey Bass, San Franciscio, CA ©2008, pp. 38-39

 

Thoughts on “Mission”

I am reading a book titled, “The Tangible Kingdom” by Hugh Halter & Matt Smay. I resonate with their thougths on creating incarnational community. They bring together important terms when it comes to being followers of Jesus, the body of Christ, the Church. These terms are: ssional and incarnational. I will post a few quotes from the book in another blog. It will help us as we continue our sermon series on values and look ahead to what Cornerstone will become as the year begins and progresses.

On the same note, I received an email update from Leadership Magazine. (12/16/2008). They highlighted an article by Alan Hirsch where he just what a missional movement is and isn’t. Here is the link:
http://www.christianitytoday.com/le/communitylife/evangelism/17.20.html.
Just copy it into your brower.
Antoher article is by Tom Sine called “Small Wonders: Mustartd Seed movements that are reshaping the church.” It can be found here:
http://www.christianitytoday.com/le/currenttrendscolumns/culturewatch/18.15.html

Both are short but very good reads and well worth it.

Another link is to Brian Mclaren’s blog site at brianmclaren.net. His blog that I would like to point you to (though longer to read) is called, “Dr. Dunbar got it right.” You scan down on the right side of the site and click that blog title. (Or alternatively, enter this web address: http://www.brianmclaren.net/archives/blog/dr-david-dunbar-gets-it-right.html

Brian mentions Alan Hirsch’s article and expands on it.

These all are thinkers, theologians and practitioners that I resonate with and are helping steer and guide the direction I’d like to go. Of course, the Holy Spirit is leading and directing my heart first and foremost – that’s why these articles and thoughts from these individuals pique my interest so much. Our denomination is geared up and moving on the same path. Anne and I learned so much at the recent Renewal Church Conference a couple of weeks ago that we’ll be sharing in blogs and at our Advisory Council summit meeting at the end of January. As such, I believe this is where Cornerstone is to go and who we are to be. So I ask that you do read these articles/blogs – or at least skim them. It contains ideas, thougths, language, terms, theolgoy and ecclesiology that will be very helpful to be familiar with.

So I hope whoever reads this and considers them a part of the Cornerstone community will also take a few moments to click on over and peruse . . .

Till next time,
mws