metanoeo

MY POSTMODERN SPIRITUALITY CAN KICK YOUR MODERN CHURCH’S BUTT

     I’m glad you could join me for the second installation. You belong here. This could potentially be a very large post, so let’s dive in quickly.

     How is a postmodern, post-Western, post-Christian transition being dealt with in the church? Let’s first examine what the younger, generally more postmodern generations are doing. Because the shift to postmodernism has begun fairly recently, the majority of postmoderns are young; this is not to say there is a postmodern generation - there isn’t (Kimball, “Emerging Church” 61). We can actually find a great deal of modern youth, as well as plenty of older postmoderns (Ibid 62). The postmodern culture is emerging - it isn’t happening all at once - so it is generationally scattered. Nevertheless, as postmodern parents teach their children postmodern values, postmodernism will become more and more prevalent in the younger crowd (that means us). What we find when we examine our generation is that young adults are dropping out of conservative and liberal churches at alarming rates (Street 10). 3500 churches close every year; 80% of churches in America are plateued or declining (Driscoll, “Emerging vs. Emergent” ) and church attendance in Europe is at a historically low level (Street 5). Brian McLaren observes, “Some of the most hard-core unchurched here [in the Northeast] are the sons and grandsons of hard-core evangelicals” (qtd. in Kimball, “Emerging Church” 40). The church is not doing well.

     But these are just numbers, and we all know that numbers don’t tell the whole story. What I find more interesting is what is actually happening in the field. Dan Kimball, working as a youth minister in the mid-90s, noticed a peculiar change in the attitudes of his youth. Concerned that he was doing something wrong, he began making calls to youth ministers all around the country and here’s what he found: “I was not alone; the same thing was surfacing all across America…From coast to coast, many of the nation’s largest and most successful churches were experiencing the trend we’d been observing” (Kimball, “Emerging Church” 33-34). What were the trends? First, non-Christian youth and young adults weren’t responding to formerly successful evangelism methods. Next, young adults were not connecting with the contemporary, modern church service. And last, young adult ministries didn’t know how to respond (Ibid 34). Indifferent unbelievers, disconnected Christians, and confused ministers. Postmodernism had struck its first blow.

     No matter the spiritual background - Methodist, Baptist, Catholic, Charismatic, or whatever - this new worldview was breeding full-blooded postmoderns. These emerging generations all seemed to share a common spiritual/religious gene: a deep disdain for blind dogmatism (Kimball, “Emerging Church” 76). In Christian circles, this resulted is a disillusionment with the conventional church institution; George Barna explores this phenomenon in Revolution. Elsewhere he predicts that in the next 25 years, only a third of believers in America will express their faith in a conventional church environment (Barna). As Dan Kimball discovered in his research on emerging generations, the “contemporary seeker-sensitive methodology goes against what connects with them most deeply.” (Kimball, “Emerging Church” 36).

     Yet even here I miss the heart of the matter, because we all know that the church is here today for mission. How are emerging non-Christians responding to the message of Christ? Let’s take a look at the story of Leslie Newbigin. Mr. Newbigin was born and raised in England before moving to India as a missionary in 1936. For almost forty years, Mr. Newbigin lived among the Indian people developing relationships and sharing the message of Christ with exceptional love and compassion. In 1974, he returned to England, thinking he had left the mission field. Much to his surprise, Mr. Newbigin discovered that Western Europe had become a mission field in itself. He has been ministering to the Brits ever since, and he’s learned that it is “much harder than anything I met in India. The cold contempt for the Gospel is harder to face than opposition” (qtd. in Kimball, “Emerging Church” 68). Mr. Newbigin left a Christian England, arrived in a pre-Christian India, and returned to a post-Christian England. We should be concerned that Mr. Newbigin found it easier to do ministry in a pre-Christian nation with state-sponsored persecution than in a free, post-Christian nation. Why should this concern us? America is on the same road to becoming post-Christian.

     The “cold contempt for the Gospel” is not a geographical characteristic, but an epistemological one. Emerging postmodern generations are being taught religious pluralism from the cradle, and this pattern is only going to escalate (Kimball, “Emerging Church” 75). Amidst the growing religious diversity, our world needs to see Christ lifted up in his wonder, yet the attitudes and examples of some Christians demonstrate to emerging postmoderns that Jesus is judgmental, angry, exclusive, unkind, pro-war, and so on (Street 6). In fact, surveys show that emerging generations are interested in Jesus, but it’s Christians that get in the way (Kimball, “Emerging Church” 80). Tim Keller, pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in downtown New York City, notes, “There’s an awful lot of evangelical churches where a non-Christian comes in, they can’t understand the jargon. They see an enormous ‘us-them’ mentality. . . Honestly, I think most non-Christians when they see…what Christians are obsessed with, they can’t even begin to relate to them” (Keller, “Characteristics”). The “cold contempt for the Gospel” is arriving in America not because people aren’t interested in God - interest has actually gone way up (Kimball, “Emerging Church” 87) - but because Christians are living ungodly lives. As Mahatma Ghandi said, “I like your Christ, but I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ” (Kimball, “Emerging Church” 79).

     The danger is responding with apathy. Years ago, young people left the faith frequently, especially in high school and college, for the sake of rebellion and experimentation. Later in their lives, they returned to their roots, turning back to God, and began what many of us call the seeker-sensitive movement. The point is that they rebelled and later returned to their roots. In discussing emerging postmodern generations, many people say that the exodus of young people from the church is following the same pattern. Students are rebelling, playing with liberalism, experimenting with different ideas, but when they grow up and settle down they will return to their roots.

     What roots?

     We had the luxury of defaulting on that excuse in generations past because America was a Christian nation, but as we’ve already discussed, America is not a Christian nation anymore. America is religiously pluralistic, it encourages syncretism, it marginalizes Christians, it is positively tolerant, and so on and so forth. Emerging postmodern generations are growing up in a post-Christian society; the majority of them have no Christian roots to “return” to. If we are going to reach this emerging world we cannot wait for it to come back to the church; waiting to see what happens with this postmodern thing is the most irresponsible stewardship of the Gospel that we could possibly choose. Postmodernism is here to stay, and we need to rethink the way we approach this culture. As Dan Kimball discovered, “Postmodernity and the spiritual relativism it brings completely pull the rug out from under most of our current, modern ministry strategy and methodology” (Kimball, “Emerging Church” 55).

RETHINK CULTURE

     “We must think about the emerging culture because too much is at stake” (Kimball, “Emerging Church” 13). Culture matters. But how does it matter? What should be our proper response? Should we really care at all? I want us to explore for a moment our perceptions of culture and how it informs our faith. In Part 4, I am going to delve into the church’s role in culture, but for now I just want to take apart our presuppositions. Hopefully, it will be quick and painless.

     “Culture war” is one phrase plastered all over our media and all over our churches. “The culture war escalates,” “Another win in the culture war,” “A setback in the culture war,” “Don’t lose hope in the culture war.” Traditionally, the image is of the church on one side of the ring and the culture on the other. The rounds are fast and fiery, but neither opponent seems to lose its resolve. The culture is itching to free itself from religion and the church is eager to be rid of worldliness.

     Is this a biblical picture?

     I believe it is unhealthy to parallel worldliness with culture. If we win this culture war (which there is a war happening, I might add), what then? This is where war terminology betrays us; in an actual war, you kill your enemies and take their land. But if we win, our “enemies” are still here. If we win and stop the violence and sexuality in Hollywood, pass marriage amendments in every state, open up schools for religious expression, and end abortions nationwide, the people who oppose us will still be in our midst. What then? Will we really have the utopia we’re striving for? If we win the culture war, do we really think that the people we defeat will be eager to hear about Jesus?

     Our job is not to fight the world; it is to redeem the world. Yes, we are to fight worldly influences, but who are we fighting? Hollywood execs? Liberal politicians? “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against… the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (NIV Ephesians 6.12). We are combating spiritual forces. So let’s drop the assumption that the culture is evil. Culture is culture. There is something deeper going on than what is shown on the screen.

     Here is the indisputable fact: every Christian is a part of culture; we have to live in it - there’s nothing we can do about it. A problem occurs when we begin to say that the Christian culture is good and that the world’s culture is bad because in reality there is worldliness in both. Take these two examples: pride and freedom. Both the world and the Christian culture tell us that it is good to be proud of your work, yet this is unscriptural. The world and Christian culture emphasize personal freedom, yet we are instructed to be slaves to Christ. It is presumptuous of us to believe that our Christian culture is superior to the world’s culture. Culture is culture. Just because something is labeled “Christian” does not make it biblical.

     You see, when we come to the Bible, we are going to read it as an inhabitant of our culture (Keller, “Culturally Conditioned”). “The minute you start asking a series of questions [about] the Scripture, you’re asking it out of a cultural context. . . I’m going to ask a different set of question than a Japanese person is, than a Scottish person is” (Keller, “Scripture as Foundation”). The entire idea that we can escape culture is ludicrous. This can be seen in the many ways that modernism shaped the church, despite church leaders’ warnings concerning it (Kimball, “Emerging Church” 49). Our worldview shapes our wants, our desires, our needs, our way of thinking, our entire world and, “We cannot assume that everyone is going to learn, relate, and think the same way” (Ibid 63). My point is that culture matters.

     We cannot say that the church will not become postmodern. The church is made up of people, people are becoming postmodern, and therefore the church will become postmodern. It is going to happen whether we like it or not. The legacy we are going to leave is whether we teach the emerging postmodern generations how to take apart their culture with a biblical grid, because cultural values cannot be allowed to dictate the substance of the church. We cannot capitulate to culture. We can accept some aspects of culture because they won’t be incongruent with Scripture, but other aspects will have to be points of contention. We shouldn’t get angry with the emerging postmoderns on these points. Dan Kimball notes, “We cannot blame emerging generations for believing what they believe. Remember, this is the only world they know… Instead of blaming them for what they believe, our hearts should be breaking for them” (Kimball, “Emerging Church” 63). You see, are we willing to go to postmoderns on their turf, bring them to Jesus Christ, and teach them to live as his disciples within their culture?

     The question we need to ask ourselves is: What aspects of the culture (Christian or otherwise) are incongruent with Scripture? If we are not wise and discerning and if we do not take apart our cultures with a biblical grid, we will find ourselves swallowing lies with our eyes closed. We must remember that Jesus never changes (NIV Hebrews 13:8); he is not surprised by cultural changes. If we rely on His words alone to examine and dissect the worlds in which we live, I believe that we will be able to live as authentic Christ-followers within the postmodern culture.

     Postmodernism isn’t the end of the Way of Jesus. Frankly, I am more optimistic about emerging postmodern generations than former modern ones; these people actually crave to experience God (Kimball, “Emerging Church” 36). Remember that the early church was birthed into a culture riddled with gods, goddesses, sorcerers, sex cults, and many philosophies and religions. We aren’t experiencing anything new. I am convinced that the Holy Spirit can move just as effectively through the church of the emerging postmoderns. The only problem is how we are going to reach them.

REAPPROACH METHODOLOGY

     “To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some” (NIV 1 Corinthians 9:20-22). In what ways are we willing to bring salvation to postmoderns? Where should we draw the line? After beginning the research for this series, I was introduced to a remarkable man who I had never really examined too closely; upon further inspection, I have found that his insights are incredibly applicable to the situation we find ourselves in today.

     Hudson Taylor established the China Inland Mission in the mid to late 19th century in a move that paved the way for the Gospel to expand across mainlandChina. However, his methods were highly controversial for the day. He had a passionate conviction that no missionary could carry on effective work without taking on the native dress, manners, and customs of the culture in which they lived (Taylor 89). He said, “So living as to be an example to them of what Chinese Christians should be, requires the adoption not merely of their costume but of their habits also to a very considerable extent. Merely to put on their dress, and act regardless of their thoughts and feelings, is to make a burlesque of the whole matter…” (Ibid 89). He received heavy backlash from others within his mission board for rejecting the “English way” of missions (Kimball, “Emerging Church” 65). In response, Mr. Taylor drew a comparison of his mission strategy with Jesus’ mission strategy: “In language, in appearance, in everything not sinful He made Himself one with those He sought to benefit” (Taylor 90). Hudson Taylor criticized the “English way” because it placed barriers between the Chinese and the Gospel; he said it gave the Gospel so much of a foreign flavor that the Chinese would have nothing to do with it (Ibid 90). “And why should such a foreign aspect be given to Christianity? The Word of God does not require it; nor, I conceive, could sound reason justify it” (Ibid 90).

     We have already pointed to surveys conducted by Dan Kimball’s church which show that emerging generations have great interest in Jesus, but Christians get in the way (Kimball, “Emerging Church” 80); Mr. Kimball even remarked, “Jesus and his teachings will not seem as strange or repellant to non-Christians as will the Christian subculture we have created” (Ibid 82). Our conventional, modern approach to ministry is getting in the way of postmoderns coming to Christ. Our “conventional way” puts barriers between postmoderns and the Gospel. We have given Christianity a “foreign aspect” that is far removed from the culture we are trying to reach. And as Hudson Taylor noted, there is no Scriptural basis for which to justify it.

     We must employ the same strategies for doing ministry in an emerging culture as a missionary does in a foreign culture, because we are, in essence, living in a foreign culture. Part of being a missionary, I would even venture to say a large part of being a missionary, is immersing oneself in the culture of one’s mission field. Rick McKinley, pastor of Imago Dei Community Church in Portland, Oregon, says, “If you protect yourself from the culture, you lose your voice” (McKinley). He is not saying that we should drop our guard when we enter culture; we still need a biblical grid to fight worldly influences. However, he is saying that we need to be participating as members of our culture because if we don’t, we will lose our ability to communicate the Gospel effectively. When we become active participants in postmodern culture, we will discover that ministry methods for postmoderns are going to look much different than those for moderns (Kimball, “Emerging Church” 63).

     The danger voiced, and rightfully so, is that in the rush to adapt to culture we will abandon core standards and principles. This is a valid concern, based on many examples across the centuries where core beliefs were abandoned for accommodation, and the Gospel suffered for it. This is why I’ve emphasized the biblical grid so much. Everything we do must be grounded in Scripture; there are no exceptions. While God gives us a lot of freedom in our methodologies, He has also given us the mistakes of Israel as examples for what happens when God’s people accommodate anti-biblical values. The church must be countercultural in many respects. But there is no easy way around this: followers of Christ cannot be intellectually lazy. Biblically, we are not allowed. We cannot simply accept Christian culture, nor can we broadly reject outside culture. We must be missionaries to this culture, which means we must constantly evaluate our ministry methods against the Scriptures.

     Mr. Kimball says, “I am not saying that we shouldn’t preach about homosexuality or moral standards. Of course we need to. We need to speak about these things more than ever today. We need to be opening our Bibles and exploring what the Scriptures say about all types of ethical and moral standards. We need to know what it means to be holy. But we need to rethink how we preach about it. I am convinced that we can effectively preach and teach the same conclusions if we change our approach” (Kimball, “Emerging Church” 74). Are you convinced that we can effectively preach and teach the same conclusions even with changed approaches? Are you convinced we can be all things to all people?

     What is unfortunate is that many Christians aren’t convinced. Alex McManus points out, “The church feels no urgency, no compulsion to change because it doesn’t care that the world is in deep trouble” (A. McManus). Until we recognize the depths of hopelessness and sin in which emerging generations find themselves, we will never be motivated to reach them. Until we begin to take on the cross of Jesus Christ and live his mission, we will never feel obligated to befriend sinners. The unchurched population of the United States is the largest mission field in the English-speaking world; it is the fifth largest globally (Kimball, “Emerging Church” 14). How are we being missionaries to these people?

     Emerging leaders recognize that something needs to change if we are going to reach the emerging culture. What changes are they suggesting?

      Check back next time.  

THE INTRODUCTION THAT YOU ABSOLUTELY MUST READ BEFORE GOING ON

     Following a heated discussion with a professor a few weeks ago (which some of you may have witnessed and enjoyed in a twisted sort of way), I decided to rewind two years of my spiritual and mental development and rediscover exactly what is this movement known as “The Emerging Church.” It is difficult picking up old books and reviewing them like textbooks, searching the archives of countless blogs, and tracking down articles which have since been removed from the web. But in another sense, it’s been like a warm family reunion: seeing shining velvet faces, hearing those sorely missed voices, and enjoying timeless stories. In the process, I have been introduced to new companions and have reinvigorated my love for old ones. All in all, I want to begin by saying that this has been a most enjoyable search these last two or three weeks and I do not feel them wasted.

     On the other hand, I do not want to minimize the ardent passion with which I write. I consider myself a part of this “emerging church” (as defined in my post “Why I Am”), and as a result I find myself constantly questioned and even berated by people who have simply not done their research. So I have lost sleep, put off class assignments, and turned away social invitations in order to present, to the best of my ability, a clear explanation of the “emerging church” in the following five posts. I ask you, if you have ever heard the words “emerging church,” to take some time over the next week or so to examine these posts and wrestle with the ideas therein. Do not simply dismiss the “emerging church” as a fad or as something “dangerous” (or so you’ve been told). I ask you to seriously consider the questions the “emerging church” asks, search the Scriptures, and embrace the answers the Bible reveals - whatever they may be.

     I also want to address those of you who do not consider yourselves followers of Jesus; these five posts are not very relevant to you. I hate for it to be this way; I have some of my best conversations with those of you who aren’t Jesus-followers! You are welcome to read the posts as you wish, just know that I am writing under the assumption that my audience is already convinced that Jesus is the Way. I plan on posting more general spiritual discussions about God, Jesus, and humanity following this series, but I believe that I need to address some issues among my spiritual family so that I do not become a stumbling block to a brother or sister’s faith. But neither do I want these posts to be a stumbling block for you coming to faith. So while I do not discourage you from having a taste of the discussion, I would suggest that you pass the plate and wait for the next entrée.

     For all of you - followers, non-followers, almost-followers, not-really-but-kinda-followers, don’t-know-yet-followers - I encourage you to leave comments, send messages, and type emails. I can’t promise immediate responses (just ask some of my friends and family who email me!), but I will attempt to answer your questions as fast as I can. I don’t have a degree in any of this, but it is a subject I absorb deep down in me; I promise that I will not spit out pat answers. It is too important to do that. I apologize up front for my frequent use of second-hand sources; the truth is that I’ve done the majority of my research in the last 9 days so I couldn’t follow up on every source. Part Five will have a full bibliography and suggested reading list so that you can check out some of the materials for yourself.

     So with the starting blocks set and the gun raised, let us begin Part 1.

MY VISIT TO THE TEMPLE

     About a thirty-minute drive north of downtown Chicago, a grassy mound of earth rests on the frigid toes of Lake Michigan. Linden Avenue hugs the grassy mound, encircling the campus with streaks of red, yellow, and green until arriving at an entrance of pious granite. From my position at Linden Avenue, a stark white sheet of concrete flowed up the hill like a carpet unrolling. Dark wooden doors, solid and heavy, were opened towards me. The doors were enclosed by a stone frame, the dazzling rock appearing as a waterfall reaching upward and curving gently to a smooth peak. This gave rise to a towering wall, one of nine that enclosed the building. A gleaming silver crown perched atop these walls; frosted patterns of trellised twigs intertwined the cap of the temple dome, reaching as cold fingers toward the tiny precipice hanging over the heavens.

     The tour guide burst into the vista with an interesting comment about the structural design. She was chirpy and answered questions with modesty and delight. Walking my group through the history of the Bahá’í faith, she glossed over pictures of other temples and portraits of the founding Bahá’í fathers. She spoke not as a dogmatized observer, but as an enthusiastic participant. I could see by the way she talked and by the way she treated us, her guests, that she loved her religion. Her sincerity and graciousness are to be commended. At the end of the tour, she ushered us to the doors of the temple and encouraged us to enter and pray.

      Silence weighed down the building with a soft presence. The deep wood of the doors echoed in the multitude of chairs orbiting the center of the building. A pathway split their orbit into two belts, and along this way I circled the temple. Corresponding with the nine walls were nine banners which each overhung a section of chairs. As I walked, a banner would emerge from behind a great stone pillar, and I would pause to read it.

     One mighty pillar passed, and a banner read, “The purpose of religion as revealed from the heaven of God’s holy Will is to establish unity and concord amongst the peoples of the world” (Bahá’í Topics).

     Another pillar, and, “The progress of the world, the development of nations, the tranquility of peoples, and the peace of all that dwell on earth are among the principles and ordinances of God” (Bahá’í Topics).

     A pillar again, “The peoples of the world, of whatever race or religion, derive their inspiration from one heavenly Source, and are the subjects of one God” (Bahá’í Topics).

     All this, found in a quiet suburb of north Chicago.

MY POSTMODERNISM CAN KICK YOUR MODERNISM’S BUTT

     My visit to the Bahá’í Temple of North America was an experience which pried open the clamshell of my Christian subculture. Two elements of that experience were particularly unique to my history with people of different beliefs; both the tour guide and the banners proved highly influential to my understanding of this new world I found myself in. The sincerity of the guide, the warmth of her smile, coupled with the directness and eloquence of the banners broke the husk of my assumed world and introduced me to what I now know as postmodernism. I came to the realization that other people exist, and these other people are different from my one another people. The epistemological shift to which these other people belong had only begun to dawn in my world, but its influence would soon unfold before me.

     Epistemological movements (that is, widespread changes in a society’s worldview) are not new. From about A.D. 1500 to the mid-20th century, the worldview of modernism reigned supreme. In terms of worldviews, postmodernism is relatively young (Kimball, “Emerging Church” 44). It is within the context of postmodernism that the “emerging churchâ€? has been birthed, so in order for us to understand the “emerging church,â€? we must first understand postmodernism. I would like to spend this post focusing on postmodernism, particularly its influence in America.

     The movement of postmodernism is a reaction against the modern world just as modernism was a response to the medieval world (Ibid 44). So let’s first examine the structural design of modernism. Modernism was supported by two pillars: the rejection of authority and the reliance on reason (Piper). Reason was the god of modernism; because conventional authorities were not to be trusted, the “autonomous self” was given the responsibility of discovering truth through reason. It was assumed that reason was the only unbiased approach toward truth; reason alone would lead us into all knowledge. As Descartes said, “I think, therefore I am” (Kimball, “Emerging Church” 44). Power and faith were in science and logic; nothing was to be believed apart from empirical evidence. And while this worldview has many shortcomings (none of which I plan exploring here), modernism was king for 400-500 years, from the 16th century to the mid-20th century (Ibid 44). From the modern age sprouted naturalism, materialism, baconism, darwinism, pragmatism, and a host of other isms. However, modernism wasn’t thoroughly corrupt; the modern world carved out great advances in medicine, technology, and science (Ibid 49). In some aspects, modernity even lines up with biblical principles (Ibid 49). So while modernism brought many obstacles to the Way of Jesus, it also cleared trails for advancing the Gospel in other arenas. It is necessary that we understand this two-sided character of modernism because postmodernism has a similar nature.

     The simplest way to understand postmodernism is to return to the image of the edifice of modernity. Modernism stood on two pillars, rejection of authority and reliance on reason. Postmodernism, in reaction to modernism, rejects the pillar of reason (Piper). With what postmodernity will replace this pillar is unknown; because we are still transitioning into the postmodern age, an exact definition is impossible to determine (Kimball, “Emerging Church” 47). However, there are some characteristics of postmodernity that don’t seem to be changing any time soon. While postmodernism does believe truth exists, it also believes that truth is unknowable; therefore, conflicting beliefs are accepted (Ibid 44). As John Piper says, “There’s now a very radical and pervasive relativism far beyond what the modernistic relativism once had” (Piper). Truth will no longer be accepted on the basis of reason; the question is not whether it makes sense but whether it “works.” While the modernistic era held a deep disdain for faith, postmodernity is making room for mysticism and spirituality (Ibid). It is a very spiritual society, not grounded in logic but in personal experience (Kimball, “Emerging Church” 44). “The new spirituality is now a quest for what would satisfy my privatized, autonomous self so what’s okay for me is okay for me and what’s okay for you is okay for you” (Piper).

     Now in the same sense that modernism had a redeeming quality to it, so does postmodernism. Postmodernists have a very high regard for authenticity and sincerity; Jesus also valued these qualities, as shown in his confrontations with the religious rulers of the day (The NIV Student Bible, Matthew 23). And while the lack of concern about what one believes is problematic, the emphasis on living out your beliefs with honesty and humility is certainly biblical.

 UNCLE SAM WANTS YOU TO FIND WHAT WORKS FOR YOU

     Postmodernism is not a fad. Modernism held sway for almost 500 years; the medieval world had control for longer than that. Postmodernism is not a catch-word which will lose its flair in a few years; it will be here for a long time. So what should we expect to see happening? What will America look like in this new postmodern world? What is our role in it?

     Expect to see the emergence of a post-Western society. What I mean is, much of what we call “Western” is going to give way to something else. What that something else is I can’t say; there are a million theories that suggest hyperrationalistic societies, Islamic fundamentalist societies, or even post-human societies will replace the West. However, it is apparent that we stand between two world-changing events: the advent of global communication and the fusion of Arabic society with the West (A. McManus). These two revolutions will reshape the West in ways we can barely imagine.

     Demography shows that most of what we call Western society will not survive the century. Societies live and die on one number: 2.1. That is the Replacement Fertility Number (RFN), and it means that in order for a society to maintain a stable population, women must give birth to an average of 2.1 babies. How is the West doing? The U.S. is reproducing at a rate of 2.07, just barely below the RFN. Ireland reproduces at a rate of 1.87, New Zealand at 1.79, Australia at 1.76, Canada at 1.5, Germany at 1.3, Russia at 1.2, and Spain at 1.1 (Steyn). The West is dying faster than it can replace itself. I can’t help but be eerily reminded of what I learned in high school world history class: the Roman Empire fell apart not because it was conquered, but because of a variety of slow, seemingly insignificant factors that ate away its foundations. In 2050 there will be 100 million less Europeans than there are today (Ibid). As Tony Blair told Congress in 2003, “As Britain knows, all predominant power seems for a time invincible but, in fact, it is transient” (qtd. in Steyn).

     Now I know this seems very unimportant to the discussion we are supposed to be having, but trust me, I’m getting there. Let’s come back across the pond and examine what this means for America. I mean, even if Western Europe collapses, we will still have America. Right?

     Well, what if the America we know today doesn’t exist tomorrow? What if everything we are familiar with gradually disappears? What if we learn that our way of life is, in the words of Tony Blair, only “transient?”

     Not only is this possible, it is very probable. If current patterns continue, America will be a post-Christian nation within the next twenty years. Some would argue less than that. “The UK, Western Europe, Australia, and Canada have been post-Christian for a couple of decades now. The states are just now postmodern,” says Mark Oestreicher, a leader in youth ministry (qtd. in Kimball, “Emerging Church” 69). You see, since 1970 Europe has welcomed over 20 million Muslims - the equivalent of the populations of Ireland, Belgium, Denmark, and Estonia combined (Steyn). In the United Kingdom, more Muslims attend weekly religious services than Christians (Ibid). We must realize that this influx of religious diversity is happening on our shores, too, as multitudes of faiths enter mainstream culture (Kimball, “Emerging Church” 70). This change in religious landscape is happening at a rapid pace, but few Christian leaders even recognize it (Ibid 71).

     So there are two major shifts happening: modern to postmodern and Western to post-Western. Amidst this transition is an emerging culture formed largely in a post-Christian context. Postmodernism has blurred the lines of spirituality (Ibid 53) and introduced so many new religious and philosophical ideologies that America can no longer be called a Christian nation (Ibid 67).

      The world has changed. America is changing. But what is happening to the American church?

      To find out, you’ll have to wait until next time.

so i have this explanation of myself on facebook that i would like to explain (it’s funny - explaining your explanation). for those of you who recognize the format and even some of the phrases, you probably need no explanation. i apologize to you for my lack of creativity and originality; the reason i assembled this explanation in this way was to show the bits and pieces of truth i have sifted out along my journey. so i permit you to call me an unoriginal spud; i would even agree with you. but for those of you who have no idea what i’m talking about, this post is for you.

so this is what facebook endearingly calls “about me”:

i am a missional + postmodern + evangelical + artistic + moderate + biblical + emerging + poetic + environmental + compassionate + radical + intentional + post-logical + metaphorical + depressed/hopeful + mushroom-eating + heretical + questionable + insignificant/meaningful + purposeful + visional + experimental + orthodox/non-Christian + post-Western + romantic/doubtful + expressive + broken + rescued + unfinished follower of Christ

the only way i could make this the slowest and most painstaking process would be to break down each descriptor one by one.

that is exactly what i am going to do.

missional = [adj, place of origin: leonard sweet] while maintaining a commitment to truth, missional believers are striving to make the Truth relevant to modern society. in a very real sense, they see themselves as missionaries to the american culture, and they have committed themselves to learning its language. i identify with this church movement.

postmodern = [adj, place of origin: pruitt-igoe building, date of origin: 3:32 pm, march 16, 1972] i label myself postmodern for one reason only: i live in the postmodern age. i don’t indentify with all of the ideas and beliefs of postmodernism, but i cannot deny the fact that i am living in the postmodern historical period. christians have been senselessly fighting postmodernism for years. the fact is that the postmodern age is not a religion or even necessarily a philosophy. it is a historical period following the modern era (which followed the romantic era, which followed the enlightenment, and so on and so forth). the postmodern era holds certain core ideals just as the preceding eras held certain core ideals, but you do not have to accept these ideals in order to be a postmodern. all you must do is live in the now. unfortunately, the pattern among christians has been to live in the past. in light of that tendency, i wonder who is going to reach all of those postmodern souls.

evangelical = [adj or noun, place of origin: first-century palestine] this word brings up many negative connotations today, but i identify with its most basic, historical tenets. God is on a mission to rescue the world and He desires to use undeserving human beings to accomplish this. i am striving to be one who brings this love and hope to the world.

artistic = [adj, place of origin: unknown] one of the ways i express my creativity is through the visual aesthetic arts.

moderate = [adj, place of origin: john mccain] i don’t align myself with any one party. as a follower of Christ, i find myself in conflict with many ideas of each party so i find it my responsibility to reflect the ideals of the One i love with my vote. i’m not interested in the creation of a christian nation; this is why you won’t find me picketing abortion clinics or gay bars. the greatest hope for our world is not conservative (or liberal) politics. the greatest hope for our world is the One who gave it all for us.

biblical = [adj, place of origin: ancient palestine] realizing that many other pieces of literature are considered sacred by various religions, i choose to embrace the hebrew and christian scriptures as the ultimate authority on life and faith. i make this choice on the basis of the historical veracity of the scriptures and genuine life experience - not on the basis of dogmatic belief. i believe it is wrong for a person to flippantly and arrogantly dismiss the religious convictions of another person. however, i believe it is just as wrong for a person to declare all religions leading to the same place - this expresses the same level of arrogance as the first person, for it says, “i don’t care what you believe, as long as i am still right.” i cannot agree with this because i have too much respect for the human ability to choose. my high regard for human intellect tells me that every human being has the capacity to investigate and decide what is true and what is not; to relativize this area of life is to demean the character of people who disagree with you and to selfishly and arrogantly raise yourself above scrutiny. therefore, i choose to embrace the bible as salvation history preserved by God Himself, and i choose to engage in dialogue concerning these scriptures.

emerging = [verb, place of origin: “the emerging church” by bruce larson, date of origin: 1970] a few years ago i would have identified with the emergent church, but as the movement continued to evolve i began to see several problems. i believe the questions that the emergent movement poses are important to the Church but many of the movement’s answers stray too far from the historical understanding of God. so when i say that i am “emerging,” i am referring to the ongoing process happening within me as i discover what being a missional, authentic, and relevant believer looks like.

poetic = [adj, place of origin: unknown] another way i express my creativity is through my writing - be it prose, blog, or even poetry.

environmental = [adj, place of origin: eden, date of origin: unknown] knowing that God commanded the first humans to take care of the world, i take a unique stand on environmental issues. protecting God’s creation is not always the cheapest or most convenient route to take, but it is essential if we desire to realize God’s dream for our world.

compassionate = [adj, place of origin: unknown] people matter to God, therefore i desire for people to matter to me. i haven’t perfected it, but i am constantly seeking to identify with the struggles of people around me and offer them the hope i have found.

radical = [adj or noun, place of origin: Jesus] i advocate the creation of a new world founded on faith, hope, and love. this world is not forced on others - people choose to be a part of it. in this world people are free and whole; humans find themselves unleashed to become who they were created to be. this new world is not my idea; in fact, it has already begun to take root. the ancient hebrew prophets called it the “day of the LORD” or the “day of YAHWEH.” the early christian writers called it a new heaven and a new earth. Jesus simply said it was the kingdom of God. no matter its name, this new world is upon us. it is calling us to change.

intentional = [adj, place of origin: barry darnell] being part of this new world does not come naturally; in fact it is in conflict with my natural inclinations. therefore, i must be intentional in seeking to make choices founded by faith, hope, and love.

post-logical = [adj, place of origin: myself] faith in Jesus seems to have delineated into two extremes in western society. one extreme claims that faith in Jesus should be explained on rational grounds. this view claims that people simply don’t understand Jesus, and if they understood him logically, they would agree with us. the other extreme claims that faith in Jesus should be explained on mystical grounds. this view claims that a relationship with Jesus is unexplainable and can’t be proven - it is only an alternative that may work for you. i can’t identify with either views. i understand that Yahweh’s salvation story of humanity is grounded in history so it can be proven logically. i also understand that a relationship with Jesus is incredibly personal and communal so it essentially mystical. therefore, i call my faith in Jesus post-logical: grounded in reason but expressed through spirituality. it is a paradoxial union explained only by divine design.

metaphorical = [adj, place of origin: erwin mcmanus] part of leadership involves the creation of cultural metaphor, and i commit myself to learning this art.

depressed/hopeful = [adj, place of origin: “a generous orthodoxy” by brian mcclaren] while depressed at the state of the western church, i find hope that God is moving to bring change and renewal.

mushroom-eating = [verb, place of origin: “the barbarian way” by erwin mcmanus] spiritual leadership is not forged by early adopters but by innovators - those who do not fear the risk of being mushroom-eaters.

heretical = [adj, place of origin: Jesus] the status quo is meant to be challenged.

questionable = [adj, place of origin: i don’t know] i don’t always know where i am going, but i follow His lead anyway. uncertainty is what makes faith an adventure.

insignificant/meaningful = [adj, place of origin: ancient palestine] while Yahweh is and i am not, i have incredible value to Him.

purposeful = [adj, place of origin: “the bible according to rick wa, i mean, “the purpose driven life” by rick warren] i am created with a purpose.

visional = [adj, place of origin: “visioneering” by andy stanley] i enjoy dreaming about the future and envisioning what could be.

experimental = [adj, place of origin: erwin mcmanus] i am willing to try something in which the outcome is uncertain.

orthodox/non-Christian = [adj or noun, place of origin: erwin mcmanus and/or rob bell] the stories of the past 2000 years of christian history inform my present expression of faith. i do not agree with every decision made by those who followed Christ, but i cannot ignore them or deny they ever happened. at the same time, i do not call myself a christian. history shows that the early followers of Christ did not call themselves christians (which means “little Christs” ) but “followers of the Way.” also, christianity today is no different than any other world religion: to become a christian, one must only agree with a list of beliefs. the goal of christian churches is to remove sinful behavior and make more christians. nothing about this sounds very unique. i do not require anyone to follow me in my decision, but i no longer identifiy with christianity. i am a follower of Jesus Christ - and none other.

post-Western = [adj, place of origin: alex mcmanus] the world is changing and the traditional lines of cultural division are giving way to a multicultural society. for the Church to be a light, we must create communities that unleash the uniqueness of every follower of Christ rather than standardize them.

romantic/doubtful = [adj or noun, place of origin: western europe] i fear that the western church will not change. however, i am a romantic in the sense that i do not give up hope.

expressive = [adj, place of origin: unknown] i am not afraid of expressing myself.

broken = [adj, place of origin: eden] i am broken and in need of God.

rescued = [adj, place of origin: jerusalem, date of origin: A.D. 30] my brokenness was healed because Jesus was broken in my place.

unfinished follower of Christ = [noun, place of origin: “a generous orthodoxy” by brian mcclaren] i am not complete. i don’t have it all together. i am unfinished. yet i am whole and free as i follow Christ and am transformed into a new person.

missional + postmodern + evangelical + artistic + moderate + biblical + emerging + poetic + environmental + compassionate + radical + intentional + post-logical + metaphorical + depressed/hopeful + mushroom-eating + heretical + questionable + insignificant/meaningful + purposeful + visional + experimental + orthodox/non-Christian + post-Western + romantic/doubtful + expressive + broken + rescued + unfinished follower of Christ = me

i’ve spent several nights downtown the last few weeks, building relationships with people and getting a feel for the ethos of this city. so i want to dive right into what has been on my mind. do we really see how messed up humanity is? i’ve written about the brokenness of the human race before, but now it has become so real. it’s easy to talk about poverty and human suffering while sitting in panera sipping coffee. but last thursday night i spent an hour talking to usef. usef is homeless. a couple of weeks ago i had lunch with vincent. vincent sleeps at the bus depot. it is easy to talk about poverty in africa and elsewhere because it is so far removed from our personal universe. yet we are blind to the suffering we brush by every day. suffering that strains the very eyes of our neighbors.

 

there is a church in oklahoma with a website at http://www.lifechurch.tv/. i bring them up because they have begun a very unique thing revealing the infusion of suffering today. it is an anonymous blog for people to post the secrets they are dying to get out. here are a few posts from http://www.mysecret.tv to give you a picture of the world we live in:

 

 

“Alcohol. I love red wine. I get up in the morning and think of when it will be socially accepted for me to have my first glass. Many nights I go to bed having had 2 or more glasses and wanting more. The hangovers suck, but are worth it when I know that I can wake up and in a few hours have another glass of wine. I drive under the influence. I lie to my spouse about how much I have had to drink. I avoid my children when I drink. I don’t want to be bothered. I just want to enjoy.â€?

 

“i think about anorexia multiple times a day. i’ve gained weight the last couple of years…even tho im still under the “normal” weight for my height. it makes me mad i cant stop myself from eatingâ€?

 

“I am a single woman addicted to maturbation. Just typing that is humiliating. I can’t seem to tell anyone because I am a woman and it always seems like masturbation is a “man’s” sin. Women just don’t ever talk about it. I had an accountability partner once, but she moved away and I can’t bring myself to tell another person again.â€?

 

“I always seem to say one thing and do another. I tell people that I’ll get something done, and then won’t. Some people seem to think I really have my act together, but in all reality, I don’t. I just want to walk the talk…â€?

 

“I am struggling because although I love my wife, I am not in-love with her and really don’t even like her. I am confused, for my children and our family.â€?

 

“I pretend that everything in my life is perfect but the truth is that I hate myself and most days wish I would die. My family and friends don’t have any idea.â€?

 

â€? I have done just about every drug that was available in the 1990’s. I even sold drugs at a college football game. I was stoned out of my mind - I had no idea I was doing anything wrong. I have often wondered what happened to the people that bought drugs from me that night.â€?

“I was given a sexually transmitted disease by my husband. He was the only person I had ever slept with. He did not tell me he had this. I feel if people knew this about me they would think badly of me but at the same time people don’t talk about it enough so you feel as if you can’t talk about it.â€?

“When I was a little boy I was molested by a teenage boy. I didn’t realize what was happening at the time. It stuck with me. I have never told anyone.â€?

 

there are literally thousands of stories listed on this blog. all posted by real people. let me say it again: this is all REAL. real people you sit in the cafeteria with. real people you are in class with. real people you share a dorm with. real people who you pass on the street. real people.

real people suffer.

i don’t know how to describe the way i feel. it just seems like there is something desperately wrong. for instance, today i was praying with some friend that my school would be moved toward compassion to the poor and homeless in the city. yet a question was burning in my mind: why doesn’t anyone care? i’ve been inspired by eric (one of my ngu friends) as we talked last thursday; he vented his intense frustration that people could be so apathetic toward the suffering of humankind. how could people who have so much be unwilling to give just a little to those who have nothing? how could people be so indifferent toward suffering?

i think it’s because we believe God is indifferent toward suffering.

yes, we know all the right things to say about God working things together for good and blah, blah, blah, but if we’re really honest with ourselves, we really don’t believe that. so many of us have despaired at the silence of God that we have concluded either He doesn’t care or He doesn’t really exist. you see, when the pain is up close and in our face, we just want to get out. we just want to be rescued. however, for many of us, God never shows up.

this begs the question of whether God is really out there in the first place. so many of us have suffered under the pain of a relationship, an addiction, a disappointment, an abuse that we declared, “Since God didn’t step in, He must not be real.�

but if God doesn’t exist, is there still human suffering?

sadly, yes there is. i guess the better question is not “Does God exist?� but “Does God care?� because it would be pretty useless to believe in a God who doesn’t care. human suffering exists whether God does or not. so we must acknowledge that human suffering is our fault.

here are some startling truths:

 

There are 6 billion people living in the world today

Americans comprise 5-6% of the world population.

Americans consume 40-50% of the world’s resources.

1.2 billion people do not have access to clean water or sanitation.

Over 1 billion people live in extreme poverty (extreme poverty is defined as having no access to food, water, shelter, or medicine so that death is a real possibility)

Some estimate that it would take $20 billion dollars to cure extreme poverty. For $20 billion dollars we could give every person on earth access to food, water, shelter, and medicine.

Incidentally, Americans and Europeans spent $20 billion last year on ice cream.

 

i don’t mean this as a guilt trip. i just want you to see where you live today. humans suffer because of human indifference. while we will defend our personal freedoms with blood and sweat, we still beg God to come and stop us from choosing to inflict suffering. but God has too much respect for our freedom to do that. this is what hurts my brain: God wants us to choose the way of life. He wants us to choose the path of compassion. because He values our dignity and character, He will not choose for us.

so this is the dilemma we find ourselves in. we are broken human beings who hurt each other. we are torn apart on the inside by addictions and failures and abuse. we are told that we are meaningless accidents. we are told that this life is all we have. if this is all we have, nothing really matters, does it? why then does it hurt me to see another human starve?

America is the most medicated country in the world. we have so many resources to bring healing to the world, but instead we use it to numb our fears and insecurities. war is rampant. ethnic cleansing is happening. people die each day because they can’t find clean water. something is wrong here. is there any hope?

it comforts me to know that God is not indifferent. while it may be our move, His heart is broken, waiting to bring healing through us. the biographies of Jesus repeatedly paint the picture of his heart being troubled, him being deeply saddened. One writer simply says, “Jesus wept.� He shed tears. God is not indifferent. He has heard the cries of the suffering and He has come to save with a strong and mighty hand.

but He will not do it alone.

Jesus invites you: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself daily, take up his cross, and follow me.� we must lay it all on the line. that is our calling. for those of us who are hurting, those who are shamed, those who are violated, those who are in pain, Jesus says, “Behold, I make all things new.� our past does not have to control our future. Jesus describes the choice to follow him as a rebirth. all of our history is wiped away, and we can start all over – brand new. the secrets can be forgotten. the scars removed. the sin erased.

and we can join God in his rescue mission. we can change the course of human history. we can redeem this broken world. we can be a light in the middle of utter darkness.

we can be free.

i challenge you today to choose to follow Jesus, to choose to embrace a God who cares.

i challenge you today to answer your calling to bring healing to the world, realizing that as we give ourselves away we become more whole.

i challenge you to refuse to sit by idly while generations are being lost.

i challenge you to follow Jesus in a revolutionary movement to rescue the world.

i challenge you to change history, beginning with the cashier at the cafeteria

            beginning with the janitor in the hallway

            beginning with the homeless man at the bus stop

            beginning with the single mom at your workplace

            beginning with person in the dorm across the hall

 

what are you waiting for?

hey, just to let you all know, i have not disappeared off the face of the blogging world. my transition to college here in SC is finally complete, so i’ll be posting at least once a week from now on. i was going to make a post last week, but i lost my internet connection in the middle of writing it and i didn’t feel retyping it all. so this week i promise to have a thoughtful (i hope) post.

i also will be removing my story “My Letters to You” from thecaleb.voxtropolis.com. it will still be available upon request through my email. i decided to remove it because my vox is tied to my facebook; i don’t want christians here at NGU to get the wrong impression of me or for my story to be a stumbling block to others’ faith. so on account of the language and content, i decided that it would be best for me to create a buffer for those wishing to hear my story. it is still available, but just through a longer route.

if you have any questions let me know. if not, i’ll see you in the blogging world.

the caleb

http://thecaleb.voxtropolis.com

http://www.xanga.com/thecaleb

FACEBOOK: The Caleb

i need to get to sleep. tomorrow, corporate headquarters is inspecting the store and i have to be there early to prepare it. i really should wait on writing til later. i really should go to sleep.

but i’m not.

i can’t contain everything i’m feeling. i returned this past saturday from ecuador, and i’m still trying to decide what actually happened inside me. i’ve felt so frustrated the past few days because i’ve been trying to explain to people what the trip was like, but i can’t. the experience was so unique and so personal, for every one of us, that i’m finding it impossible to get anyone to understand what i’m talking about. i know it was life-changing, i just don’t know how. i don’t know what is changing. sometimes, everything changes so quickly that you don’t realize what’s going on until it’s completed.

i’ve never seen God move the way He did. everyday, it seemed He had interrupted our average lives and done something extraordinary. it was amazing, to say the least. each day, we went out in groups giving people bracelets to remind them that God loves us, that He sent Jesus to prove His love for us, and that He desires to rescue us from our hopeless lives. in four days, we saw over five hundred people ask Jesus to rescue them, placing their lives in His hands. unbelieveable. and i saw it happen.

and although we went there intending to change ecuador, i think ecuador also changed us. i will never again doubt God’s compassion for humanity. Jesus paved the way for every human being - even the dirtiest, ugliest, nastiest one. no matter how broken we are, He desires to heal us. God envisions a world filled with dreamers; listen to what God tells us: “I will pour out my Spirit on every kind of people: Your sons will prophesy, also your daughters; your young men will see visions, your old men dream dreams. When the time comes, I’ll pour out my Spirit on those who serve me, men and women both, and they’ll prophesy.” (Acts 2:17-18 The Message). Jesus has incredible expectations for us. He believes that we can see the future the way God sees it and follow where God leads and walk and talk as He does. Jesus really believes it. The only person standing in our way is ourself.

i’ve been praying for four guys(you know who you are) from the trip. these are men with unreal potential to change the world. i’m serious. in these guys i see so much promise for spiritual leadership in their churches and familys and campuses. i’ve engaged in countless discussions, written many notes, and even given away a book just to communicate to these guys that i don’t just believe in them, God does. He could use them to change the world if they’d let Him. i’ve been praying they will place their futures in His hands and choose to obey and serve Him alone. i want them to know that God has huge plans for them, plans that they haven’t even dreamed of, plans so exciting and dangerous that He won’t even reveal the complete picture. He has HUGE visions for their lives. I’m praying they will see these visions. i’m praying that no amount of ritual, formula, or social obligation will interrupt their journey with Him. and i’m praying that you will be watching, so that when the time comes, you will witness His Spirit poured out in their lives and God’s vision realized in them. what an amazing day that will be.

ecuador was also God’s dream given to me. God envisions His children to be as loving and as intimate as we were in ecuador. God envisions His children to be as sensitive to His Spirit as we were in ecuador. God envisions leaders rising up to the challenge as we did in ecuador. God envisions life-change to be as dramatic and authentic as it was in ecuador. God envisions a whole new world just like the one we saw in ecuador.

i wish you could enter into that experience with me and witness the tears, feel the hugs, hear the trembling mountains. but there is a gulf of time and space between us, and no matter how hard i try, i will never be able to communicate just what this trip to ecuador was like. believe when i say that it was unlike anything i have ever experienced before in my life. indescrible. the best i can do is leave with these song lyrics:

Did you feel the mountains tremble?
Did you hear the oceans roar?
When the people rose to sing of
Jesus Christ the risen one

Did you feel the people tremble?
Did you hear the singers roar?
When the lost began to sing of
Jesus Christ the risen one

And we can see that God you’re moving
A mighty river through the nations
And young and old will turn to Jesus
Fling wide you heavenly gates
Prepare the way of the risen Lord

Open up the doors and let the music play
Let the streets resound with singing
Songs that bring your hope
Songs that bring your peace
Dancers who dance upon injustice

Did you feel the darkness tremble?
When all the saints join in one song
And all the streams flow as one river
To wash away our brokeness

And here we see that God you’re moving
A time of Jubilee is coming
When young and old return to Jesus
Fling wide you heavenly gates
Prepare the way of the risen Lord

so i have this thing i’m getting ready for. i’m at panera right now, about to begin a meeting with several friends of mine. we’ve had a couple of weeks together just discussing life and the book “stand against the wind” by erwin mcmanus. it’s funny; i’ve known most of these people for years, yet i find it so difficult to carry on any meaningful conversation with them. i know that it’s not just us - it’s an entire societal thing - but i feel like i’ve been thrown out in the water without knowing how to swim. i believe in my friends so much, and i see so much divine potential in them. how do i help them see to it? how do we move from just “hanging out” to truly engaging in spiritual conversations? i say that i don’t like religion; i claim to have no interest in it. but even here among the irreligious, i find it so hard to live out faith free from the expectations of ‘religion.’ God has called me to this, and in the long-term, God has called me to reaching the irreligious and the cynics of faith. but i never knew it would be so hard. it’s easy to talk about what God has called me to, but when i’m in the midst of it, it’s not easy.

~~~~~~~

the small group meeting went great! there were four of us, and we began with a little bit of small talk. we saw someone that looked like bill gates, and we started talking about how much money he had. that led to discussion about greed and poverty and humility and all sorts of other issues. we discussed Jesus, and what he had to say about not only these issues but our own lives. we had such an incredible conversation! and it was fun! it was so enjoyable to sit down with my friends and have a discussion like that. i can’t describe what it was like.

it disappoints me that so many people within the Church seem to miss out on moments like this. i think that many of us believe that the “unchurched” or “irreligious” have little interest in God, faith, or Jesus. but i’ve found the exact opposite to be true. the irreligious seem to be more interested in finding God and discovering who Jesus is than many church members (who are content with being told what to believe). people outside the church don’t mind being talked with; they just don’t like being talked at. if we are not constantly pursuing genuine relationships with not-yet-believers, we are missing out. but it’s not even that, because i don’t think it’s possible for someone to retreat so far into the christian bubble that they don’t have one friend who doesn’t follow Jesus. those relationships already exist in our lives. you see, it’s time for us to shift our understanding of - pardon me for using such an old-school word - evangelism. evangelism shouldn’t start with being friendly; it should start with being friends. there is a clear difference between being friendly and being friends, one that i think the church overlooks way too often. sharing our faith must happen within the context of sharing our lives. this involves our problems, our struggles, even our own questions about the Bible and about God. if we are open and honest with others, they will be open and honest with us. and in a relationship like that, we can most fluidly share the love of God. even in moments which are scary and confusing, we can find comfort that we are surrounded by friends (including God) and not strangers. this is the way that the dream of God can be realized in our world. this is how we can see our friends and family enter the story God is telling.

so i changed the name of my vox. metanoeo (pronounced met-uh-know-”A”-oh) is the greek word for repent, or, in our language, the changing of one’s mind. i think it goes more with my theme of “the ongoing translation of Christ in me” than the previous title “re-wired” which suggest a change that is already complete. i’m in the midst of a stretched-out process, and i think this reflects my experience more accurately. i promise i’ll put up a thoughtful post soon, but in the meantime i have posted a kind of autobiographical story under my list of pages.

check it out below.

so i’m doing something i’ve never done before. i’m prepping myself for the one49 meeting at school tomorrow by typing up the talk. i don’t know if it will help. getting a full night’s sleep would probably be better, but oh well.

 

i was doing some leisure reading the other day and came across a passage in john that i have never noticed before. it always gets me how i can read a certain thing over and over again but always seem to miss something so pivotal. it’s all related to the moment in history when Jesus brought lazarus back to life after he’d been dead for four days. it was this little paragraph in chapter 12 that got me:

“Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there and came, not only because of him but also to see Lazarus, who he had raised from the dead. So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, for on account of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and putting their faith in him.” (John 12:9-11 NIV)

we tend to treat the story of lazarus like a fairy tale. we focus so much on Jesus and his power and how he wept(which are important things to note, by the way), but when it comes to lazarus, we reduce it to some childish explanation, like he was drinking tea with moses when all of a sudden he was beamed out of heaven.

but what was it really like? you see, here was lazarus, free from everything wrong in the world. the pain, the darkness, the brokenness - all foreign to him. he was in perfect union with the heart of God. he was in the intimate realm of the goodness and beauty of the living God. this was complete and total satisfaction. he was fulfilled.

then he was taken away.

no one ever asked him if he wanted to leave. he was simply taken out of this perfect realm of existence and placed back into his smelly grave clothes. if it had been me, i would have been ticked. why would Jesus take me away from such an incredible place? why’d he drag me back here? if i couldn’t trust God in heaven, why should i trust him here on earth?

but that is exactly what lazarus didn’t do.

we have those moments in our lives, and sometimes those moments even turn into seasons, where we just feel like things couldn’t get better. we still have challenges and problems, but at the end of the day we are satisfied. we are comfortable in the situation we dwell in. we even serve God with a remarkable level of passion and confidence.

but then things change.

a relocation, a change in schools, losing a job - sometimes it’s even things we had nothing do with, things that we had no say in. parents divorce, friends separate, leaders betray us. we find ourselves caught in a situation where we realize that all that we were familiar with will never be the same. and it becomes so easy to become bitter, so easy to distrust God.

the dilemma is that we concentrate so much on what we don’t have that we miss out on what we do have. see, lazarus appears to have every right to be angry with God, but he isn’t. in fact, it amazes me to see just what lazarus doesn’t do. he’s doesn’t become bitter, he doesn’t become stagnant waiting to return to heaven, he doesn’t even become self-righteous for having seen the glory of God. no, instead he starts directing people toward Jesus.

when life is shaken, when a change-bomb is thrown in the story, it’s natural for us to want to elongate our grief. we just want things to be back the way they were. but what we fail to see is that things won’t be the way they were. and i think it was meant to be this way.

while God was being perfectly glorified by lazarus in heaven, His heart was on the many souls who had never felt His touch. it is not unusual at all for God to sacrifice our comfort for greater purposes that could be accomplished through our lives. when that moment occurs, our character will be revealed by whether we choose the path of bitterness or begin to embrace the potential of our new situation, no matter how dark it may seem. it’s natural to sink into the pit of grief and maintain a status quo life. but change is inevitable and it is inevitably painful. we don’t choose change, only the way we react towards it. when we strive for more than average - when we strive for more than above-average, our lives will reflect the life of Christ. the masses will flock to us as they did Jesus because we are uniquely creative and loving and humble. and the religious crowd will feel threatened.

may we be people who do not fear change, people who focus on our purpose rather than our comfort, and who live lives of such radical passion and clarity that we are loved by sinners and hated by Pharisees, just as Jesus was.

 

 peace.

originally published @ www.xanga.com/thecaleb

 

so here i am, two in the morning and i want to write. 

  

i hate how that happens. 

  

i don’t know what to say. i’ve really been in this strange kind of trance these last couple of weeks, always trying to catch up. i hate that feeling. like you’re always behind. i know my calling is to be moving forward, pushing ahead, but i’m not and that bothers me. 

what do you do when you want something that you know you cannot have? you see, i have built a little cage around myself. now i’ve noticed someone, but i realize that she can’t through this cage. i’ve made it too difficult. i’ve made it too difficult for everybody. even God. and i don’t know what it feels like to be really free. i haven’t felt the wind of freedom wrap around me in so long that i’ve forgotten what it means to truly live. just spending that little time with her today made me even more aware of my own learned helplessness. i want to have that barbarian spirit, the life that advances forcefully without hesistation - but i don’t. and that disgusts me. i know i have potential for so much more. but i don’t know what to do. i don’t know what to do. 

i feel so inadequate. 

small. 

insignificant. 

incapable. 

i haven’t heard from God in a while. i think it’s because i’ve been putting off some of the things He already asked me to do. i just don’t have the time. i don’t have the time to do the things i love. 

those thoughts remain unresolved. 

a friend asked me the other day how i would define salvation. and i didn’t know how to answer. 

sure, i know all the religious talk about it - “redemption, reconciliation, . . .” and whatnot. but at its very core, what is salvation? 

. 

. 

. 

i think its simply freedom. 

the world is broken, drowning in its own self-infatuation. we humans suffocate day by day; the choices that we freely make actually lead to our personal enslavement. we are creatures of habit and creatures of brokenness. we exist in a ghostly state-of-mind; we aspire to be different, better, or more-improved but we constantly collapse onto the mantle of average. it’s like there is this part of us that propels us downward. a millstone is tied around our necks and we are sinking, sinking through a sea of mediocrity. we inhibit ourselves from becoming the person we’ve always dreamed of being - the person God has dreamed of us being. but God takes the millstone for Himself and finishes the downward journey for us so that we never hit rock bottom. then, He lifts us up. when we choose to hand over our lives, our futures, our souls - our millstones - to God, our spirits reverse their movement. the spirit force in our lives is suddenly awakened and we experience our first breath of fresh air. the first inhale of crisp, cold wind that fills and satisfies the aches of our hearts. and then we are lifted up to fly with God. He walks on waves, He runs with clouds, He paints the sky. and we are invited to join Him in His movement, His mission, His advance against the downward pull of brokenness. we are invited to not only fly, but to rescue others who are drowning. salvation, at its very core, is choosing to run with God; it is abandoning your own life and participating in a mystic relationship with Jesus Christ. it is not easy. it is not safe. but nothing is more freeing than this. i think maybe i’ve gotten out of touch with the freshness of this concept the last couple of weeks. the words of an ancient God-follower seem to jump out to me: 

“I tried keeping rules and working my head off to please God, and it didn’t work. So I quit being a “law man” so that I could be God’s man. Christ’s life showed me how, and enabled me to do it. I identified myself completely with him. Indeed, I have been crucified with Christ. My ego is no longer central. It is no longer important that I appear righteous before you or have your good opinion, and I am no longer driven to impress God. Christ lives in me. The life you see me living is not “mine,” but it is lived by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” 

i need change. i know that i can, because God’s life swells inside of me. i hope that all of you could choose this path. not my path, but the one Jesus has for you. it isn’t always easy, it isn’t always fun, and it is never certain. but no life is worth living that isn’t running with God. 

rest easy.