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14 posts tagged Culture

“A church that lives within its four walls is no church at all”

Morgan Chilulu, African Pastor

Do we pursue a rewards based theology?

…this may deal more with motivation than with result.

Matt 6 begins…

1“Be careful not to do your ‘acts of righteousness’ before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.

2“So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 3But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

So, my first question is ‘what is our motivation for serving and giving to the poor?’

Is it to receive rewards in heaven, or is to receive rewards here on earth? It sounds like the answer to this question then sits within the context of how we served (either out in the open or done in privately).

Honestly, with the work we do within the Cobblestone Project, this question has been put to us from time to time (and fairly so). It’s a question we all have to answer and reconcile within our hearts and minds as to our true motivation.

However, before I continue, I think it is interesting that Jesus pairs this message of serving and giving to the poor publicly with prayer in public.

5“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 6But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him

and then Jesus goes on to instruct us how to pray.

I return to my earlier question, ‘what is our motivation for praying this way?’, and I again return to context. Is it to receive rewards in heaven or here on earth?

Honestly, within the work we do within the Cobblestone Project, the question of why we don’t pray in public has come up from time to time (and fairly so). It’s a question we all have to answer and reconcile within our hearts and minds as to our true motivation.

Side note: it is interesting to me that it is typically the people who question why we display our ‘works’ who are also the same people who question why we don’t pray.

I believe this is where I have personally settled, and I believe it is quite simple.

I don’t pursue or subscribe to a rewards based theology.

Think about the consequences of me pursuing a rewards based marriage or a rewards based friendship. It simply doesn’t work in that context, so why would I assume that it would work in the context of my relationship with the Creator of the universe?

I am simply pursuing to love, to serve and to pray out of the excess of my heart and only because of what our Father has already done for me. I simply do not know what else to do.

If God is the great “accountant” in the sky who keeps track of my works and prayers here on earth, I guess I am wrong. However, at the end of the day, I truly know who I am. I am an adopted son of the Creator of the universe because of my faith alone, and it is because of this that I know that I have already received everything.

I simply have nothing more to gain.

…let me say that again.

I simply have nothing more to gain.

I not sure that our culture largely understands or believes this issue of identity, because if we truly know who we are, we don’t have to be told what to do. Would love your thoughts and observations. Grace & Peace.

Make art and give it away. Un-numb a culture. by Amber Haines

…this is just beautiful

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…Lent & Preparation the Christian tradition of Lent is underway and I’m really pleasantly surprised to find so many of the “less traditional” Christians I know who are returning to this very traditional practice. However, for them this is not just a return to a tradition or a practice for the sake of simply doing it. This is a return with incredibly deep & very personal meaning. If you are not familiar, Lent is a time of preparation for a believer. It is a season of penance, reflection, self-denial and fasting in order to prepare us for Christ’s Resurrection on Easter Sunday. And, I’ll be honest. For most of my life, I wasn’t really someone who thought “tradition” was really very useful. My family wasn’t one that attended a traditional church where Lent was practiced, so I didn’t really understand it either. As the relationship between some people within faith communities has intersected with the world around, it has caused tradition to sometimes be set aside in the name of trying to be relevant (true I am guilty of this, but don’t get me started - that’s a post for another day). As a result, seasons of life and traditions within the Church, like Lent, have fallen from importance. Today in our culture, I see this changing. I once heard Shane Hipps describe how elements of self-denial (a tradition within a Christian faith community) can be practices to help move one’s heart closer to God. He explained it through a short story from his childhood when he would ride his bike to the swimming pool in the summers. However, there was one very large & busy road that had to be crossed in order to reach the pool. As a boy, he would become angry at those cars because they caused him to wait and prevented him from reaching the pool He didn’t see their value. However, when he turned 16, these cars suddenly became of great value. These cars that once seemed like a barrier were actually now a great way to get to the swimming pool in the summers. His analogy was this - as we grow and mature, those things that don’t seem to have value at some point become valuable.  The things we once thought were barriers can actually be the vehicles that take us to where we desire to go. But they don’t have value for what they are, but for what they can do. In Joel 2:12-18, I found this story of a time of preparation by the nation of Israel as they sought for their God as a community of people. “Even now,” declares the LORD, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.” Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity. Who knows? He may turn and have pity and leave behind a blessing— grain offerings and drink offerings for the LORD your God. Blow the trumpet in Zion, declare a holy fast, call a sacred assembly. Gather the people, consecrate the assembly; bring together the elders, gather the children, those nursing at the breast. Let the bridegroom leave his room and the bride her chamber. Let the priests, who minister before the LORD, weep between the temple porch and the altar. Let them say, “Spare your people, O LORD. Do not make your inheritance an object of scorn, a byword among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’ “ Then the LORD will be jealous for his land and take pity on his people. Today, for me, these ancient practices we find in the liturgical calendar are becoming alive again. Not for what they are, but for what they can do in my heart to cause me to move closer to the heart of God. Not for the sake of the tradition, but because the tradition began with people just like you and I. People who were seeking a car and not a bicycle. ?

…Lent & Preparation

the Christian tradition of Lent is underway and I’m really pleasantly surprised to find so many of the “less traditional” Christians I know who are returning to this very traditional practice. However, for them this is not just a return to a tradition or a practice for the sake of simply doing it. This is a return with incredibly deep & very personal meaning.

If you are not familiar, Lent is a time of preparation for a believer. It is a season of penance, reflection, self-denial and fasting in order to prepare us for Christ’s Resurrection on Easter Sunday.

And, I’ll be honest. For most of my life, I wasn’t really someone who thought “tradition” was really very useful. My family wasn’t one that attended a traditional church where Lent was practiced, so I didn’t really understand it either.

As the relationship between some people within faith communities has intersected with the world around, it has caused tradition to sometimes be set aside in the name of trying to be relevant (true I am guilty of this, but don’t get me started - that’s a post for another day). As a result, seasons of life and traditions within the Church, like Lent, have fallen from importance.

Today in our culture, I see this changing.

I once heard Shane Hipps describe how elements of self-denial (a tradition within a Christian faith community) can be practices to help move one’s heart closer to God. He explained it through a short story from his childhood when he would ride his bike to the swimming pool in the summers. However, there was one very large & busy road that had to be crossed in order to reach the pool. As a boy, he would become angry at those cars because they caused him to wait and prevented him from reaching the pool He didn’t see their value. However, when he turned 16, these cars suddenly became of great value. These cars that once seemed like a barrier were actually now a great way to get to the swimming pool in the summers.

His analogy was this - as we grow and mature, those things that don’t seem to have value at some point become valuable.  The things we once thought were barriers can actually be the vehicles that take us to where we desire to go.

But they don’t have value for what they are, but for what they can do.

In Joel 2:12-18, I found this story of a time of preparation by the nation of Israel as they sought for their God as a community of people.

“Even now,” declares the LORD, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.”

Rend your heart and not your garments.
Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity.

Who knows? He may turn and have pity and leave behind a blessing—
grain offerings and drink offerings for the LORD your God.

Blow the trumpet in Zion, declare a holy fast, call a sacred assembly.

Gather the people, consecrate the assembly; bring together the elders, gather the children, those nursing at the breast.
Let the bridegroom leave his room and the bride her chamber.

Let the priests, who minister before the LORD, weep between the temple porch and the altar.
Let them say, “Spare your people, O LORD. Do not make your inheritance an object of scorn, a byword among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’ “

Then the LORD will be jealous for his land and take pity on his people.

Today, for me, these ancient practices we find in the liturgical calendar are becoming alive again.

Not for what they are, but for what they can do in my heart to cause me to move closer to the heart of God.

Not for the sake of the tradition, but because the tradition began with people just like you and I.

People who were seeking a car and not a bicycle.

?

“If we’re not disturbed by the world in which we live, we will be consumed with the trivial, the insignificant and the temporary”

Kay Warren

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Addition by Adoption:  Kids, Causes & 140 Characters… I had the honor of receiving an advance copy of Kevin Hendricks’ book “Addition by Adoption:  Kids, Causes & 140 Characters”, and, I must say… …well done. I had the opportunity to connect with Kevin last summer through our mutual friend Mark Horvath, and despite our “hardly normal” beginning it has been a joy to follow along with Kevin’s journey and glean the wisdom of a father whose heart beats for justice and mercy. Kevin’s collection of life’s little moments along the road of adoption has been captured in such a unique way that I found myself unexpectedly drawn back into my own story of adoption.  I was drawn back into those moments when life is normal, and then into the very next moment when the reality of a child half way across the world is waiting for me as the only thing I could focus on.  Kevin’s story is full of life’s little moments that we wish we could hold onto forever.  It was in these moments that I found myself bursting out in laughter and sometimes holding back the tears.  It was a true gift to hear part of their families adoption journey through the mind of his daughter Lexi.  Through out this book she tries to capture the essence of what was really happening a world away; however, I think Lexi’s answer to one very profound question wraps up the metaphor of adoption very well. Lexi:  “I want to go see Jesus.”  Mom:  “Where do you think he is?” Lexi:  “Jesus is in Ethiopia!” Yes.  Yes he is. It’s in those words we find a truth that shines through the heart of adoption. Kevin’s commitment to work towards “an ideal world [where] adoption wouldn’t be necessary” doesn’t stop there.  He’s putting action to his commitment and a portion of the proceeds will go to charity: water in the hopes of building a clean water well in Ethiopia.  Because in Ethiopia, a water well can be the key to saving lives and creating opportunities for families to thrive together making adoption a last resort. Don’t miss the book & don’t miss the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of a child. Limited Pre-order:  April 13-20 (cheaper & more money to charity) Official release:  May 11 (available on Amazon.com) More:  http://www.KevinDHendricks.com/books/adoption Kevin, thanks for your heart and for sharing your journey with us.  Grace & Peace

Addition by Adoption:  Kids, Causes & 140 Characters…

I had the honor of receiving an advance copy of Kevin Hendricks’ book “Addition by Adoption:  Kids, Causes & 140 Characters”, and, I must say…

…well done.

I had the opportunity to connect with Kevin last summer through our mutual friend Mark Horvath, and despite our “hardly normal” beginning it has been a joy to follow along with Kevin’s journey and glean the wisdom of a father whose heart beats for justice and mercy.

Kevin’s collection of life’s little moments along the road of adoption has been captured in such a unique way that I found myself unexpectedly drawn back into my own story of adoption.  I was drawn back into those moments when life is normal, and then into the very next moment when the reality of a child half way across the world is waiting for me as the only thing I could focus on. 

Kevin’s story is full of life’s little moments that we wish we could hold onto forever.  It was in these moments that I found myself bursting out in laughter and sometimes holding back the tears. 

It was a true gift to hear part of their families adoption journey through the mind of his daughter Lexi.  Through out this book she tries to capture the essence of what was really happening a world away; however, I think Lexi’s answer to one very profound question wraps up the metaphor of adoption very well.

Lexi:  “I want to go see Jesus.” 
Mom:  “Where do you think he is?”
Lexi:  “Jesus is in Ethiopia!”
Yes.  Yes he is.

It’s in those words we find a truth that shines through the heart of adoption.

Kevin’s commitment to work towards “an ideal world [where] adoption wouldn’t be necessary” doesn’t stop there.  He’s putting action to his commitment and a portion of the proceeds will go to charity: water in the hopes of building a clean water well in Ethiopia.  Because in Ethiopia, a water well can be the key to saving lives and creating opportunities for families to thrive together making adoption a last resort.

Don’t miss the book & don’t miss the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of a child.

Kevin, thanks for your heart and for sharing your journey with us. 

Grace & Peace

The New Face of American Evangelicalism

ABC News: The New Face of American Evangelicalism

Discussion with young Christians (Jon Tyson, Shannon Sedgwick Davis, Gabe Lyons, Tyler Wigg Stevenson, Nicole Baker Fulgham) on changing face of the movement.

Dave Gibbons talks about Third Culture

CNN.com interview with Gabe Lyons, author of the Next Christians

Title: “Unmasking the Facade”
Series: the Burbs
Speaker: Dave Gibbons
Date: January 9, 2011
Location: Newsong Irvine

“If the cultural language speaks in contradiction to the message of Christ, then we not only have to evaluate it and weigh all our decisions corporately, methodologically, and spiritually, but we also need the courage to counter the culture.”

Jason Locy & Timothy Willard, End Veneer

The Black Girl Project

The Black Girl Project is a documentary film which asks pretty much one question: who are you? Of course that question morphed into other, follow-up questions, but that singular question lies at the heart of the film.

In a culture where Black women and girls are either venerated for their saintly accomplishments which strips them of any other character attribute except that of martyr/mammy, or demonized and used as the fall gal to explain away all that is wrong with the Black community and society-at-large, it is important to hear and see Black girls speak their truths.

In this film, we hear from nine ethnically diverse  young African American women between the ages of 18 and 21. They speak of hope, triumphs, education, sex, relationships, abuse, love and more. Through them, we see the diversity of Black girls’ and women’s lives that we are often not privy to in the mainstream.

Traditional media continues to have a problem with realistic, multi-faceted portrayals of Black women and girls, and for that matter, all females of color. It is our hope that the film adds to the discussions about Black women and girls across the country and that it will contribute to a paradigm shift in how they are seen by others and how they see themselves.

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