#dechurched

[pastorhogg]

The Great DeChurched

Jim Davis and Michael Graham knew something was up in their hometown of Orlando, Florida. But they couldn’t put their finger on it. At the time, both were pastors at Orlando Grace Church, an evangelical congregation, and saw a study showing their community had the same percentage of evangelicals as less traditionally Christian cities like New York and Seattle. Their city also ranked low on a…

View On WordPress

[lambsharbinger]

Q&A: How Do We Avoid the Draw toward Toxic Power, to Institutionalize Egalitarian, Organic Faith Community?

Another way of asking thos question is, “What does egalitarian, organic faith community even function; and how do we keep it that Non-institutional?”

“I was involved in a study group for about 15 yrs and one rule we had was everyone at the meeting was equal and not welcome if they felt they had to be shown more respect or importance than any other. It worked well….

— Lamb’s Harbinger…

View On WordPress

[craigtowens]

A Church With A ♥able Reputation

A Church With A ♥able Reputation

Demographers report that there are upwards of 70 million people in America that are unchurched. In my own experience, I have found that the unchurched people I have met are really dechurched people. At one time they were a part of a church community, but finding nothing of value there, they left. 

The way the first-century community responded to the Church—the historian Luke says “everyone was…

View On WordPress

[jacobbalint]

The Discussion, The Dialogue, The Dance.

As a fundamentalist I was scared of the Bible. When asked for a prayer request by fellow brothers and sisters, I would usually respond with desiring more Bible time, and it truly was something I wanted to desire. Lying about how much time I spent in the word was common, and truthfully that amount of time was very little. I believed in the literal, inerrant translation of the Bible. That the words in this magic book were actually the very words of God, and every word was to be obeyed to the “t”. No mistakes, no questions asked. Looking back on it now, that way of thinking makes it look very much like an idol.

When I did read it I didn’t get it. It seemed like a daunting task to try and decipher the very words of God. And I didn’t want to feel like a failure or something was wrong with me when I didn’t hear from God. I was taught that when you read the Bible, if you were open, and willing, and repentant, and spirit filled that you would see things. God would speak to you. And that did not happen more times than it did, so I avoided it. There were very few times that the words did jump out of the page at me like I was told they were supposed to. It wasn’t fun. It wasn’t life giving. It was stressful.

I used to see the bible as something to study. That all the answers of the universe and the road map of my soul were hidden somewhere within the pages. If I could just put this verse together with that verse, while remembering the old testament story over here, than it would equal the answer I needed. Or If I just had enough faith in the words, it would all work out and I’d be at peace. Within the pages of the book I could figure out the exact beliefs I needed to have to be considered a “credible” believer. Even if the words seemed so backwards or contrary to what I was experiencing in daily life.

Also, I felt like my theology had to be exact. But the bible is a big book and diving in to over a thousand pages of history and confusion, and coming out with a tightly wrapped theology, seemed not only boring as hell, but way out of reach. And even if I did attempt that there was a chance I’d get something wrong, and I’d be found out. Reading the bible and seeing things was hard because what if I shared my insight and someone disagreed. Or what if God showed me something, but it didn’t fit into my neat little theological box, or the one I was supposed think inside of. Was I than crazy? Or a heretic? Would I be seen as a fraud? So much fear.

So I didn’t share much. I kept quiet. Yeah I was insecure, and part of unhealthy understanding. It was so much easier to just listen and try to learn by osmosis. I believed every word from the pulpit, putting my complete trust in my church’s stance or my pastors theology. I spent countless hours listening to podcasts and reading books of “acceptable” preachers who my peers and pastors deemed “safe”. If I could just learn enough from them or memorize the right answers, I could come off as authentic. The fear of blowing my cover and not knowing every last detail handicapped me. I came off as shy, reserved, or busy for fear of getting into a real conversation with someone and being exposed. Messed up I know.

Somewhere within the last year or two my views changed. I can’t quite pinpoint when or where, I think it was gradual. But through studying its origins, prayer, opening myself up to other views, getting out from under certain doctrine, and following what makes more sense to me, I now view the Bible in a more liberating and fascinating way. I view the Bible as a collection of books written by humans who were trying to find language and understanding of their experiences of God. Inspired?… yeah sure. Inerrant?… not so sure.

With a new perspective on the scriptures, I’m more in love with it than I’ve ever been. This collection of books, stories, poems, historical documents, and prophecies resonate with me in a way that is relatable. I actually long to open my Bible and read the insights, wisdom, struggles and questions they were wrestling with. Because it’s the same things I wrestle with. The bible isn’t a problem to be solved, but a beautiful and captivating book of humans struggling to put language to the same things I struggle to put language to. It’s alive to me.

I’m way more relaxed now. Conversations come easier. I’m not afraid of people, or exposing myself. I’m not locked and loaded with a perfect theological explanation or answer that could come up if I engage someone. I don’t have the answers. I have way more questions now than answers, and I find so much peace in that. I talk more openly about my journey, my struggles, my faith. It’s why I can now write this blog. Three years ago I could never start a blog about faith because I would be afraid of being found out as a fraud amongst my community for not having my shit together theologically. “I don’t know” or “Yeah, I struggle with that too”, are now my go-to answers. I’m not afraid anymore.

The Bible isn’t a set constitution of laws, or a fact based document to blindly obey. It’s chalk full of mystery, craziness, ups, downs, thoughts, truths, mistakes, emotions, ideas and stories to discuss, ponder, glean from, challenge and wrestle with. I don’t try to make it all make sense because I don’t think that’s the point of it. It’s power and brilliance come through the discussion, the dialogue, and the dance.

[jacobbalint]

Breakfast on a beach.

At the end of the gospel of John there’s this scene on a beach where Jesus cooks the disciples breakfast. After they had polished off the last of the hashbrowns and egg mcmuffins, Jesus pulls Peter aside to have a little chat. With coffee in hand Peter breaks away from the crowd, nervous of the conversation Jesus wants to have, but knowing it necessary.

If you’ll remember the last time they were together, Jesus told Peter he was going to deny him three times, and Peter did just that. I imagine a sort of awkward tension and casual conversation over breakfast. Peter knowing he had denied Jesus, and Jesus waiting to reconcile the unfortunate events that he had predicted. As Jesus pulls Peter aside I wonder if Peter was expecting a rebuke, or an “I told you so. You disappoint me.”

Instead Jesus asks Peter, “Do you love me?”

“Yes Lord, You know that I love you”, Peter answers with head hung low.

"Feed my lambs” Jesus responds.

Again Jesus asks, “Do you love me?”

And again Peter replies “Yes Lord.” Peter lifting his eyes to make contact with Jesus’s eyes.

“Tend my sheep”, said Jesus.

He goes on to ask him a third time the same question. When Peter, a little frustrated, says he does, Jesus again tells him to “Feed my sheep”.

Peter was a man of many words, passions, and energy. He was the first one to stand up and proclaim, “You’re the Messiah!” He was the only one who dared step out on the water and try to walk on it like Jesus. Peter once tried to kill a guy in the garden when they came to capture Jesus. He swung his sword, missed, and cut a guy's ear off. Than he was the one who said, “I will lay down my life for you”, just hours before denying he ever knew him. In some ways Peter probably felt like a failure. He had tried so hard in so many ways to say and do the right things but always seemed to fall short. One of the main things Jesus was doing here was restoring that relationship. Peter denied Jesus three times, three times Jesus gives him the opportunity to say, “Yes Lord I love you.” To the same extent that Peter failed, Jesus restored.

Now I need to do a drive by on the meaning behind the lambs and the sheep. That is another topic for another day but just to clarify it has nothing to do with herding sheep. Basically it has to do with serving others. What I see when I read this story is Jesus moving Peter from one way of understanding to another. I read it something like this.

“Do you love me?... Do something.”

“Do you love me?... Take action.”

“Do you love me?... Okay cool, we’ve got a lot of work to do.”

Jesus seems to be moving Peter from one way of talking-trying-following, into a new way of doing-trying-following.

To wrap-up the conversation on the beach a few verses later Jesus tells Peter, “follow me.” Three years prior, probably along the same shores Jesus calls his first disciples. The scene is similar. Jesus approaches Peter and his friends who are fishing on the lake and says, “follow me.” This “follow me” was a physical “follow me.” They were leaving their home, work and family to follow this Rabbi and learn from him on a day to day basis.

The second “follow me” at the end of John is a little more ambiguous. This was not a physical- “come with me as we go into out into the land and do miracles and learn what I do”- type of “follow me.” Jesus is not going to be there anymore, he’s about to go to heaven and leave them to continue the work he had started. Jesus is calling Peter into something new, deeper, and that which requires more faith. It’s a type of “follow me” that is about action, and doing, and putting words into practice.

In the same way Jesus moves Peter into something new I believe Jesus has been calling me to do the same thing. For most of my life I have talked a big game and studied hard to get my theology right, without much action. I’ve been more interested with “the best way to do church”, or, “what is the literal meaning of Revelation” type stuff. I sense a new chapter. One that transitions learning from knowledge, to learning by doing.

In the Jewish culture they say that you don’t know something until you’ve done it. In our culture we gain knowledge through understanding, and consider it known. I spend a lot of time thinking on God, but have a hard time getting out of my head to see opportunities right in front of me. I read a lot of theology books, but putting those ideas into action requires so much more. I talk a lot about love, but I rarely love.

For Peter, it probably would have been easy to spend out his days with his boys fishing on the boat. Passing the time by debating the teachings of Jesus and discussing how his life impacted them. He could have written books on theology or maybe even retired to teach others the things he learned from Jesus. But he hadn’t yet done anything Jesus taught him. He hadn’t yet “known” the teachings as the Jews would say.

Jesus told his disciples that they would do greater things than him. He said over and over that they had the same exact authority and power that he had. So Peter stepped out. He tapped into that authority and way of life that Jesus had taught him. Peter left the temptation to sit back and be the guy in the bar talking about the good ol days when he and his friends used to run around Israel doing crazy things with a Rabbi named Jesus. As foreign and scary this new way of following Jesus was going to be, he did it. He put beliefs into action and the story of Peter continues. In Acts we see that Peter goes on healing, preaching, starting churches, and living a life of adventure.

So this “follow me,” this move from words into action, is scary. It’s unknown. It doesn’t have all it's beliefs in order. It doesn’t have Jesus physically by it's side providing an example. It is us jumping out of our safety nets into the unknown. It is trying and learning and trying again. It is acting now, and learning as you go. It is faith.

[tomtesblog-blog]

Restoring a Damaged Faith

'Restoring a Damaged Faith,' by Mary Tuomi Hammond After reading this fascinating article about people who grew up in a churchgoing tradition only to leave it as adults because of the abuse they suffered within organized religion, I'm starting to realize that it's a much more serious issue for myself and others than I'd previously let myself imagine. I come from the perspective of someone who has been in the church all my life. Unlike many, I've tried many different forms of Christianity, because I've always been looking for something from church that I've never quite found. Despite a regular history of church attendance, the church has, to varying degrees always disappointed me. To varying extents I've always felt like an outsider. As I look back on it, what I've been looking for is twofold: 1) I'm looking for worship through which I can experience God (something where I perceive myself as being connected with God), and 2) I'm looking for a safe environment in which I can undertake spiritual exploration with others. In my experience, I can find number 1. That's probably what keeps me in the church. However the church stinks at number 2. I think the problem is that the church only provides a "safe" environment on its own terms, and woe be unto those who don't meet those terms! Here are some example "terms," from a church that I attended in the past. This church would only provide a safe environment for spiritual exploration with others if you fall into or agree with the superiority of these categories, and the extent that you step outside these categories is the extent that you are labeled, ostracized, held suspect, and encouraged to leave: White, Straight, Biblically-inerrant, (male) Authority-driven, Capitalist In the church I attend now, I've exchanged these terms for a somewhat different list of terms: Gentile, Straight, Evangelical, Volunteer-driven, Sacramental While before I would have congratulated myself on finding a place that had terms within which I could explore my faith while avoiding the wrath of my peers within the church, after reading the article on a damaged faith I'm realizing what a dismal vision of church this really is. Is it healthy to have any sort of terms or conditions like these? I don't think so. On the one hand it's a straight-jacket for people like me who are within the church --I'm confined to only exploring my faith in community within this box. If I hear God calling me outside this box (a call I have heard already with regards to evangelicalism) I'd better not act on it in the church, or talk about it with anyone in the church, or I'm just asking to be spiritually abused. On the other hand, these categories are even more of an insult to people who fall outside them --the church is saying, by the existence of these categories, that it has already pre-decided that anything that lays outside them --including people-- is not worthy of respect, or contains anything of value that could enrich the church. I don't think that the church actually believes that it is abusing anyone, but through the use of standards of inclusion and exclusion abuse is taking place. The church needs to wake up and recognize what it's doing before any healing can begin to take place. I don't think Mary Tuomi Hammond goes far enough when she seems to imply that using a few different words (like "reconciled to God" instead of "saved," and "sharing one's faith" instead of "witnessing") is going to stop people from experiencing hurt in the organized church. Maybe we need a church where the only criteria for taking the faith journey is the desire to take the faith journey, trusting God to take care of the rest, and not worrying about what ground we may cover or what boundaries we might cross along the way. PUBLISHER: The Other Side, May-June 2000, Vol. 36, No. 3. (source: http://www.theotherside.org/archive/may-jun00/hammond.html)