Stage 1 Winding Down

I'm just 2 days away from my return to Denver, so I thought it would be good to use today's entry to reflect on where I've been the past 3 weeks. In that time I've connected with two worshiping communities, met with six pastors, supported 3 community outreach endeavors, and read 6 books. For those folks who think a sabbatical is just a fancy work for vacation, I would say, "You might want to re-think that proposition." As busy as I've been, I find myself increasingly spiritually revitalized. Let me share with you four reasons why I say that. First, I've reconnected with the reason I'm pursuing my exploration of emerging culture. I am NOT interested in exploring emergent worship simply to attract a demographic that is currently absent from the church (i.e. the twenty-somethings). Rather, I'm pursing the new worship experience to meet unmet needs - both inside AND outside of Mountain View United. Second, I've gained a clearer understanding about how some of the pieces of my ministry over the last five years fit together. I've realized that I am really a post-modern person who felt encumbered by the modernist constraints of the 20th Century church. Thankfully the people of Mountain View United have been AMAZINGLY patient and supportive as I've encouraged them to explore ministry from new perspectives (i.e. post-modern perspectives). Now that I'm beginning to have a better understanding of the post-modern movement, this will perhaps give me the tools to better explain myself and my vision to the people of Mountain View United. Third, I'm energized by the vast network of folks out there interested in emerging culture. I truly didn't expect a smaller community like Spokane to have many resources to sustain my sabbatical studies. I was blown away, however, by the group of individuals and communities I found who are passionate about exploring the ministerial possibilities that lie before us in the 21st century. This inspired me greatly! And fourth, I was excited to see the principles of the emergent culture work so efficiently and effectively right before my eyes. In just the span of three weeks, I was able to enter a city with which I had not been engaged for 10 years and establish networks across both denominational and traditional (evangelical and mainline) lines. I was also able to reach out into sub-communities that are almost NEVER engaged and establish some form of ministry presence. All of this is to say that after 3 weeks of my sabbatical, my explorations have led me to a place of new hope and energy. Since I'm heading into my last 48 hours in Washington State, I may not do another entry until the first of next week when I'm back in Denver. Thanks as always for journeying with me. Til next time...

Mission & Worship

I'm only 24 pages from the end of Conder's book this morning, but I had to stop and do my entry because I had already processed so much and needed to engage the material before I could finish his last chapter. Conder modeled his theological commitments by reserving the chapter on worship until the second to last chapter in the book. He did this because, using the analogy of the Venn diagrams many of us used in high school chemistry and math, "Worship is the universal set; spiritual formation, community formation, and mission are all subsets of worship" (194). This approach was consistent with Conder's philosophy since earlier in the book he noted "Changes in a church's worship service seem like the obvious place to begin a transition into emerging culture ministry. But, in most cases, it's precisely the wrong starting point" (96). After reading his book, I get it. By the time you explore the issues involved in spiritual formation, community formation, and mission you see that if a community embraces the emerging values the worship life of a community will naturally begin to shift. Let me use a few words of Conder's regarding Mission as an example. He notes that first of all we need to drop the word "missions" (which reflects a largely professionalized and programmatic approach to service) and replace it with "mission" (which - according to George Hunsberger - reflects our commitments as "a body of people which embraces God's mission and lives in perpetual commitment to [God's mission]" (169). The result of this transition is that a community begins to connect "with the understanding of mission as a life rule [which] complements and reinforces the transition [ from missions to mission]" (181). The result of this transition is that it allows us to "see worship as our posture before God, rather than just a series of events" (181). What a wonderfully holistic (and systemic) way of seeing the worship life of the community attached and connected to various expressions of the life of the church. Conder's understand of the purpose or function of worship? "Our worship is to be perpetual, holistic, and communal" (191). In terms of his approach to the structure of worship itself, Conder takes an approach that is much different than Dan Kimball's. In the 5 pages of the book devoted specifically to worship (Chapter 10), Conder writes "The emphasis [in Scripture] is on the totality & perpetuity of worship expression, rather than its forms" (192). This observation is in line with my own heart-felt convictions that as we at Mountain View United begin our own experience of emergent worship gatherings, our goal is not to replicate other models but produce something that is a deeply authentic express of our own spiritual lives. In the next 2 days (as I wind down the first leg of my sabbatical in Washington State), I'll spend some time pulling together my thoughts on all of the readings, appointments, and worship experiences into a reflection piece. I thank you for helping me process some of the initial resources I've discovered on my journey. Til next time...

Community Formation

Due to my schedule constraints today, I'll only be able to explore Conder's words on Community Formation. I'll have to explore his approach to Mission tomorrow. Some of the most wise - and powerful - words I've read to date regarding a community's ability to engage the emerging culture come at the close to Conder's seventh chapter. He writes, "The effectiveness of any church's entrance into the emerging culture will be characterized, at least in part, by its ability to moderate the impact of individualism in community formation" (163). I wish these words could be boldly imprinted on the front of every emerging culture resource as they capture a huge piece of the emergent experience. I've discovered to date that many folks wrongly assume the emergent experience was created as a temple for the desires and egos of the twenty-somethings. Conder's words put this assumption to rest. What I loved about Conder's chapter on Community Formation was that it blew away all assumptions folks would make about an elder who serves at a Bible Church (i.e. that they are conservative and exclusivistic). In talking about the folks in the pews at his church, Conder writes, "An advocate for the Defense of Marriage Act might be shocked to learn she was sharin a row with a gay couple that is currently seeking a civil union" (158). This was yet another reminder that post-modern faith communities bridge real differences in ways that modern churches (conservative OR liberal) could never even begin to do. How exciting!!!! Also refreshing was Conder's assertion that "the doctrinal approach to community formation doesn't work consistently" (149). He correctly - notes "there is great diversity in Christian doctrine" (149). I only wish more folks in our pews these days realized this. He then highlighted what is a foundational principle of emerging communities: "Authenticity in dialogue is an essential rule of ministry" (150). He then concluded with these words: "We must begin to develop community formation models based upon inclusion" (150). The more I read of Conder's work, the more encouraged I feel about our efforts to bring an emerging experience to Mountain View United for the principles he consistely refers to are principles that have been a part of Mountain View United's DNA from day one. In closing, I thought I would take a moment and share an experience I had last night. I was asked to speak to participants in the Odyssey Youth Group - a youth group for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgendered youth. They asked me to address issues of spirituality. The attendees were all between the ages of 16-20. They came from a variety of social locations (Goths, preppies, jocks, etc) and faith traditions (Wiccan, Lutheran, Mormon, Atheist, Jewish, etc). What was so encouraging was how effectively the emergent principles were in addressing a group of 40 individuals who have been so intentionally - and thoroughly - dismissed by the existing church. Several of the youth walked into the conversation with huge chips on their shoulders - ready to expose the hypocrisy and inconsistencies of the institutional church that are so often denied by folks invested in the status quo. It was such a humbling experience to be a part of a real dialogue that explored their hurts, fears, frustrations, and - yes - even hopes. My prayer is that it began to open some eyes to the fact that they are indeed loved and cherished children of God. We may not have passed an offering plate or sung any hyms, but that 90 minutes was - for me at least - church in ways that is unfortunately all too rare these days. Til next time...

Spiritual Formation & Leadership

I'll organize today's entry around what Tim Conder suggests are the first two pieces that existing churches need to address emerging culture: spiritual formation and leadership issues. I appreciated Conder's approach to issues of spiritual formation because he took an usual approach. Instead of defining spiritual formation as a set or practices or techniques, he instead associated spiritual formation with the value of hospitality. He does this because he suggests "the spiritual practice of hospitality begins with our openness to God" ( The Church in Transition 115). I love this core value because it shifts the cultural paradigm of a worshiping community away from consumerism; it defines our spiritual life as based upon the bedrock principle of openness to God. What a radical concept for our faith communities to reclaim. There were many, many things I appreciated in Conder's section on spiritual practices (i.e. his delineation of five dangerous assumptions we make about spiritual practices and his explanation of the four types of hospitality). As the pastor of a progressive faith community, however, the thing I most appreciated was Conder's quote of Henri Nouwen that suggests hospitality is rooted in a strong sense of individual and collective self. Nouwen wrote in Reaching Out: "When we want to be really hospitable we not only have to receive strangers but also to confront them by an unambiguous presence, nothiding ourselves behind neutrality but showing our ideas, opinions, and life style clearly and distinctly. No real dialogue is possible between somebody and a nobody. We can enter into communication with the other only when our life choices, attitudes, and viewpoints offer the boundaries that challenge strangers to become aware of their own position and to explore it critically" (113). What a wonderful call for all of us to consider in our ministries. I didn't draw as much from Conder's section on Leadership. This was because Conder focused primarily on issues of pastoral leadership. He rarely teased out the nuances of the challenges facing lay leadership these days. I did like how he emphasized that emerging culture calls for a model of leadership that is "more inclusive and participatory" (132). I'm hoping that our emergent worship team will model these values as we prepare to launch our fall worship experience. If they don't, the value of our efforts will be undermined before the first worship gathering even begins. I appreciated Conder's clarity about the values needed by an emerging leader. He wrote, "The emerging culture wants leaders who are vulnerable with their experiences and involved in the life of the community" (133). He suggests that the future of emergent churches points toward bi-vocational leaders whose lives are grounded in another profession beside ministry. I know this would scare many ordained leaders. I can see the value in this reality, however, in that it would further ground faith leaders in the lives of the people they are serving. It would also force members of the church who have depended upon pastors to do ministry for the to get more involved with various facets of the faith community. I also see this as a huge plus. I am really benefitting from Conder's awareness that starting an emergent worship gathering has ripples that spread far beyond just the 60-90 minutes of worship. Emergent experiences are about a way of being, not simply a style of worship. For that awareness I am grateful. Tomorrow I'll move forward and explore his perspectives on community formation and mission. Til next time...

I'm B-a-a-c-k!

Tonight's entry will be short as I'm heading to dinner with a local clergy person. As I head back into my studies, I'm still digesting Tim Conder's "The Church in Transition". I sense early on that this book would be particularly meaningful since's its purpose was to address issued involved in bringing an emergent worship experience into an existing community. As I continue to delve deeper into Conder's work, I appreciate his amazing honesty and candor (things that are foundational for emergent leaders - and all leaders who profess to follow Jesus). For example, Conder writes when communities are dealing with tensions between competing styles of worship, we need to stop and realize where a good portion of these tensions are coming from. He write, "the real cause of [these] conflicts is our culture of entitlement and the theological sanctification we give to our personal preferences" (96) Amen to that, brother! The second half of his book explores the four areas that he feels must be addressed by faith communities in ordre to welcome emergent experiences into their midst: (1) spiritual formation, (2) leadership, (3) community formation, and (4) mission. I've only just started the section on spiritual formation so I won't reflect on these areas tonight. Hopefully the list will capture your interest and invite you to return tomorrow for my initial reflections. Til next time...