The Failing Economy of Church

Jason, Chris, and Aaron have all been chatting recently about this issue and I believe it to be a critical lesson for all those who are looking into “simple church” or “missional church” or whatever you want to name it all.

One issue I see is that we (the church) have created a non-sustainable economy. While since before the beginning of “the way” there was an idea of pastors who received their pay via the gifts brought into the temple, what we’ve done with that notion has puffed it up beyond our ability to maintain it. I remember rambling on about this five years ago when I was still a youth pastor. (I’m sure you can find it somewhere online) Back then, I was asking the question of how long the average church could sustain this idea of a paid, professional youth pastor. It is still a relatively new concept, and I continue to doubt it. When I am paying $3.69 per gallon, rice is being rationed, and the mortgage industry has bottomed out – we better buckle up. The truth is, those seminary trained (myself included) lot may not be ready to make the changes that are coming.

I proposed on J’s blog that I believe that those of us who’ve made the choice to live out church in a different way need to be re-trained to better serve our communities. I believe that one answer lies with learning new skills to network with non-profits, businessmen and prayer leaders in our neighborhoods. (hence, why I am partnering with Kingdom Causes) I see this as a way for me to fulfill my missional call, and allow me to provide for my kids via transforming and creating a new sustainable way to benefit my community. Let the money go to mission, and stay in the community. One thing that Bush did right (maybe the only thing?) is opening up non-profit grants to faith-based initiatives. One thing we’ve done in Tapestry is offered a class to train others on how to write grants for community projects. Again, this isn’t “the” answer – and I don’t believe that there is one answer.

The bottom line is that people are weary of churches, I mean “normal” people are. The idea of giving money to pay for a person to preach isn’t flying in most missional contexts. People will give to mission. That’s why we have made our budget reflect this. At tapestry, 90% of all money received goes right back to the local mission of their community. The other 10% pays for book-keeping, planning, paperwork, technology and less than 5% goes to eric and I for some housing help. That’s it. That’s all we are ever going to do. I want to add that I don’t think that every community, church, or network can or should adopt this budget plan. It’s just what we’re called to do.

So, what happens to all these paid clergy? How are all the seminarians going to get re-trained? I don’t know. I don’t think it’s possible to know. But, after getting forced out of a mainline church and thrown into the deep end of missional church in 2003 I can say this: a) God has always provided b) when you have to, it’s amazing how quickly you’ll adapt to a new type of income source. while I hated my role at Citi bank, without it I couldn’t have gotten the type of disability insurance we know partly live on.

*Point of clarification: I still believe that it is a healthy, and necessary part of our call as God’s children to keep all aspects of what we are entrusted with in balance via stewardship. Money, the highest failing for most people, is perhaps the single most transformative balance that we can learn to be stewards of. We fail when we begin to believe that it is our money that we give to God (or the church), it’s better understood that all we have has been entrusted to us by God, and a way we live holistically and in balance is through giving to one another, especially within the context of a jesus community. Let it be the black eye of the church where there’s one person in its midst going hungry, not being able to pay their bills, or get gas. Just because we live in a horrible economy does not mean that I advocate people to look out for #1. If we learn ANYTHING from Jesus’ life and ministry it is that we are called to be the church, broken and spilled out for others. If we can’t take care of one another, than is our news still good?

Windy City here I come

Tomorrow afternoon, I’ll be heading to Chicago with Carlos and Sarah, and a bunch from Mosaic Way to attend the “Everything Must Change” conference w/ Brian Mclaren. I haven’t seen Brian since last October, and it’s always refreshing to be with him. I think Tim Keel is coming up as well, and I can’t wait to heep on praises to him about his new book. In any case, I’m sure it will be packed with memories as road trips always are…especially when traveling up 80 to Chicago and getting stuck in the inevitable traffic.

Mel is going to drop me off, and the Avrard’s daughter is coming over to spend the night with my girls. They can’t wait!!

We are heading out to our quarterly Parent/Teacher conferences at our kids school. Depending on the girls grades (which have always been good up till now) we typically take them out for dinner to celebrate their achievements. In all honesty, we are going to go out anyway because Mel was gone all day at work making up for two co-workers calling in and I’m not up for cooking tonight.

Then, I’m heading to Lowell at 7pm to hang out at Voyage’s coffee shop with Ben. He and I’ve been talking/praying about hosting a new community there. Pray that God sends some people who need this type of community in their lives.

Living Like Jesus is Alive

So I began to read the book, ” Living Jesus: Learning the Heart of the Gospel ” by Luke Timothy Johnson today. In the opening of the book, Johnson proposes that Christianity in its essence dares to believe that Jesus is alive. Not alive in the sense that his teachings live on, not alive in the sense that modern Christians carry his like-ness but actually alive. Yet, not alive as He was before, but something other.

It’s a beautiful reminder to me. While the claim of the resurrection is difficult to believe, it appears as though the writers of the first texts after Jesus time on earth all fervently believed that Jesus had indeed come back to life. Yet, not like a corpse who was dead and has returned to life (like others in the Bible text) but one who conquered death and became Spirit/Live. One who continues to inform who we are, and guide where we go.

If we follow someone who has died, we simply read the Word of that person as if it is all past-tense. Some new information comes along and we think, “oh, that’s interesting. that’s what he/she was thinking at that time” and other post-thoughts. If we interact with a live person, that person changes, that person can move, that person isn’t thought of as past, but as present and future. Is this how we interact with Christ still? Do we live as though Jesus continues to live?

I admit that I fall into the trap of post-life Christ Christendom. I tend to look at Scripture as an inspired book that is more historical rather than what I truly profess – that it is part of God’s revelation that we too play an ongoing role. I admit that I will look at the historical Jesus more than I do the present Jesus. I have focused more on his life as a finished work than a work in progress…making my faith-life a finished work rather than a work in progress.

I have some very intelligent friends who disagree with my faith in a living Jesus, and respect and love them dearly…but, the living Christ is a deeply personal faith to me and I need to re-center my life on Him. Not that I’ve abandoned Jesus in my current life, but feel like I should make an effort to keep my eyes focused not just on what Jesus did, but on what he is doing, and going to do.

Does Resurrection Still Matter?

It’s easter, the day we celebrate Jesus’ coming back from the dead. I remember being so moved as a child hearing Keith Green singing “Jesus rose from the dead, but we can’t even get out of our bed.” The majesty, love and awesomeness that comes with resurrection was palpable. In college, I remember hearing a speaker in chapel say that everything in Christendom hinges on Easter…for if Jesus simply died it would not be enough. It is the empty tomb that solidifies our “Good News.”  But here’s the question, is the news still good? Does it still matter to people that Christ rose from the grave? Many Christians see this event as the sole purpose for Jesus’ life (a statement uttered many times yesterday at my in-laws – after me trying to tell my mother in-law that in fact devilled eggs have nothing to do with the “devil).  But, I don’t buy that. I mean, for me Jesus life was more than a series of events that were meaningless other than his death/resurrection. There was a lot that happened in between his birth and his death, and we seem to ignore most of that. Look at our Apostle’s Creed: “He was born of the Virgin Mary, Suffered under Pilate was crucified, died and was buried.” Did you catch it? Basically, we affirm he was born then skip 33 years and go right to death. And yet, while I believe that there is significant meaning we can learn and mimic our life after – I still believe that His resurrection still matters. Why? For me, it means that death can be defeated. It means that God indeed loves It’s creation and longs to see it re-created into one-ness with  Itself (see marko’s post on why he’s trying to stop using masculine pronouns to describe God). I believe that it is indeed a significant part of our news, and it does make it good. So, if nothing else, it matters to me. I choose to believe that it happened, even though it doesn’t make sense. I choose each morning to still follow this rabbi, this revolutionary prophet, this poor carpenter from Bethlehem, this miracle man, my Christ.  

Break

I’m posting today amid my semester break. Four more days!!

Today here in mid-michigan is COLD with a chance of snow. So, that means Chad is in bed with an electric blanket around his legs living on vicodin.  I’m not complaining, just telling you the reality of my life.

It’s been a good week though. Sunday I turned 36, yes that tipping point between thirties and forty. I spent the day with Mel and the kids. We went out for burgers at Red Robin (I thought the girls would like it, turns out I was right), then Mel and I went to see the new Will Ferrell movie “Semi-Pro” (funny, I think funnier than the first time I saw Talledaga Nights or Blades of Glory) and the girls went to see “Horton Hears a Who” with their Grandma Farrand. Then, Monday night I drove back to Lansing and my mom took me out to dinner at PF Changs! I love that place.

My mom takes each of us kids out on our birthday’s, which has become a dear tradition to me. Afterwards, mom and I went back to her place and just talked for two hours. We rarely get time anymore to just sit and talk, but it’s always worth it.

Tuesday, rain….see above to get an idea of my day.

Then, I kept waking up in pain throughout the night and have pretty much been unable to move yet.

Tomorrow, we kick off our Greenhouse in Holland. I’m really looking forward to that. I’d be just happy to sit and drink some tea with Brian, Chad and Eric if nothing else. These guys are really a blessing to have in my life, and I look forward to widening that circle tomorrow!

Anyway, grace and peace to you today.

Deiter Zander Update

The people at Deiter’s church in CA have created a blog to keep us all up to date on his condition.

http://zanderupdate.wordpress.com/

Please continue to pray for him and his family.

Pray for Dieter

I just heard that Dieter Zander had a stroke last night and is now in an induced coma. If you don’t know who Dieter is, he founded “Axis” back in the day over at Willow Creek, then went on to launch “Re-Imagine” in San Francisco, then recently joined forces with another local church in the bay area.

He’s a great guy with a great family. If you think of it, pray for Dieter.

Scenes from a church conference

It’s a cold, rainy day in San Antonio. We woke up a little late, and I in pain from the rain. So, we got ready, got some Starbucks and waited for lunch. We just went out to lunch back at “The Original Mexican Restaraunt” (which I believe could ACTUALLY be the original), where we ate yesterday. The Classis people took us out for lunch so it was fun. I had a good taco, enchillada combo with some good beans and rice. Now, we are sitting in a seminar which I’m not paying attention to.

We had a pretty terrible experience with our airline, that I will be posting about shortly.

Talk to you soon,

Chad

a star in the west

Christmas is almost here. People are bustling with excitement, stress, anticipation and peace (?). We just got back from going to the outdoor nativity performed at Pennway Church of God in Lansing. At one point, there was a mention of the “star in the east” and then the “wise men” came in.

That got me thinking, why is the star named “in the east?” The men who came with gifts (and yes, there were probably more than three, just three gifts) came from the east. That would mean that they followed the star in the western sky right? Maybe I’m wrong, wouldn’t be the first time. It just seems if they CAME from the east and followed an eastern star, they’d end up in China.

But that’s really not the point of the story. It’s all about God showing up on the scene in his relentless pursuit of a wayward Creation. Walter Bruggeman once said that we should re-name the “Old Testament” to “The Story of God’s Wild Pursuit of Mankind.” I like what he’s saying there. No matter how you celebrate this season, I pray that you find yourself pursued by a God that loves deeply, forgives graciously, and is so creative as to send part of himself to earth in the body of an impoverished tradesmen in the early mid-eastern Bethlehem during Roman occupation.

Merry Christmas.

Why I Can’t Create Community

I have come to a realization that I, nor anyone, can actually create community. We can become a part of a community, we can add to community, but no one person may “create” community. At best, we can step back and watch a community emerge from the fertile soil. It’s all God. God creates the soil, we tend it. God directs souls to bloom in the soil, we make sure that the blossoms are able to grow naturally. God pulls back and lets community disolve, and we must be able to accept that.

There’s much buzz going on in Christendom that talks about creating community. I believe that these people mean well, and truly believe that they can create something. I also believe that God gives us gifts to nurture and tend the fertile soil but we must start out understanding our place, as gardeners not as soil makers.

There isn’t an easy system to follow, so don’t look for it. No one can give you 5 easy steps to creating community…and perhaps you should be weary of someone who tells you there are. Only humility, grace, listening, and fierce obedience can help.