Travis and I started talking about counter-cultural living today and ended up at this deeply troubling (at least to me) question – "As followers of Jesus are we called to be counter-cultural or to engage the culture?" The two ways of life seem contradictory at first, but can they be? I think the answer to the question is "yes" – Yes, we are to live counterculturally as citizens of a kingdom that is counter-cultural to our present world AND yes, we are to flesh out this faith within the culture we find ourselves in.
There is much to say here, but I want to let it brew a bit. In the meantime….I would love to hear your thoughts.
Often I get asked the question, "Zack, what is the emerging church?" in which my answer is often, "You know, I am not sure how to define it." I usually tell the askers of such a question that I am not so sure I am comfortable with the label "emerging" applied to myself.
But…have no fear. Scot McKnight (blog) has recently come up with a definition for those of us who aren't sure they qualify as proper experts on the "emerging church". This is a great read. It's about 30 pages and in it he tackles D.A. Carson's critique of the emerging church, the different streams of the emerging movement, and the distinctions of this movement frommpast church movements.
I just posted some initial thoughts about a book I am reading called, The Complex Christ by Kester Brewin over at The Revolutionary Life. In hopes of creating some conversation and to give some exposure to good books, I am going to try to post a bit more about what I am currently reading. I plan on posting mostly at The Revolutionary Life since most of the books I read are centered around the focus of that space – community/faith/creativity/justice. The books that don't fall neatly into the definition of the revolutionarylife will find space here.
BTW: If you want to discover some reviews of some good books, fellow blogger and friend, John Chandler seems to do a pretty good job of posting book reviews often.
The best show on TV starts another season tomorrow. If you're a fan, you've been waiting all summer for this event. Kelli and I are fans and we've decided to make it a party every Wednesday night for friends and fellow fans. Shows like these are always better watching them with others (as long as "that guy" who talks throughout the whole show doesn't come – we won't invite him).
So tomorrow night @ 8pm (come earlier if you want) stop on by and watch the season premiere of "Lost" with us. It is in HDTV – did I mention that? Everyone's invited (minus the guy mentioned above), and bring something to share with the crew – drinks, popcorn, gummy worms whatever.
I have been thinking a lot about my envoironmental responsibility and ecological footprint lately. I wanted to pass on some of the concepts that have been challenging me. Ignorance is bliss on these issues, but it's still ignorance 🙂
Bottled Water –
My friend Justin posted this article months ago about the ecological effects and realities of bottled water production that got me started thinking on the subject.
Treehugger.com (I know it sounds cheesy, but it's a great site for ideas/products to live more green) posted this article on this church in Canada that decided to boycott battled water for theological reasons. Not sure I am ready to go as far as to make it a black and white theological issue to make water a commodity, but it challenging none the less. And I appreciate their conviction (even if they are Canadian).
Kelli and I have decided to go "tap" instead and except for a recent case of "flavored water" (what in the hell is that all about anyway) that mysteriously appreared after our last trip to the grocery, we have been fine without the luxury of bottled water.
Air Conditioning –
In California, Kelli and I never used the AC in our house, we had it, but never needed it (I miss that beautiful place). But here in Arizona, the story is a bit different. 120 degree summer days make it really hard to not bathe yourself in super-cool AC. Kelli and I resist as much as possible and try to keep our AC set at 85 degrees as much as possible. I will admit this is for financial reasons more than it is for environmental reasons, but I have been realizing that our thriftyness benefits the planet quite well.
Kester Brewin, a British teacher, author, and faith practicioner I recently met and respect a ton, recently wrote on his blog about the US's use of AC as a way of life. You can find the article here. It is interesting to hear a non-American's perspective on the American need for such cool surroundings. The bottom line is that we use WAY more AC than the rest of the planet (which I guess isn't all that surprising, but it is embrassing). Kelli and I recently returned from Mexico where most homes, stores, and public places are sans Air Conditioning. It was hot and humid while we were there and we found ourselves running back ot our hotel daily longing for the rush of ice-cold air that met us as we opened the door to our hotel room. The locals must have thought we were insane, spoiled, and definitely American. Gotta think through this AC thing a bit more.
Anyway – just some rambled thoughts on being more responsible with the planet we call home.
Friends and fellow travellers – Kelli and I are back in the states. Mexico was amazing as usual, but we are glad to be home. Looking forward to catching up with you and dreaming about the future.
Kelli and I are having a great time down here in Mexico. We met some good friends of ours down here and it's great to catch up. We are in the most beautiful part of Puerto Vallarta – old towne. Cobblestone streets, very European-feeling shops lining the streets, the sound of the ocean around every corner. I will have some pictures soon.
Wny most of the time do we have to get so far away to remember to "slow down". Yesterday we laughed at ourselves when we got frustrated at our waiter for taking so long with the food. We were literally sitting in the sand 15 feet from the waves waiting for tacos and shrimp. The waiter had already brought the Coronas and Pacificos. Why were we so ansy, so impatient? I am convinced it's because we are Americans, it's in our blood.
So from here on out I am going to try to forget how to be an American and re-learn the Mexican way of life – where people seem to be far more important than time.
Kelli and I leave today for a MUCH needed getaway to Mexico. We have been way too stressed lately and we both feel it. Time to relax, refocus, rethink, relove, re-eat and drink, re-explore, our favorite country – Mexico. We will see you in a week. Did I mention the kids are staying with grandparents?
By the way, if you want details about what the next week will look like for us think of the Corona comercials that play so often on TV. Us, the beach, good books, and maybe even a Corona or two.
Last week I started a new book called "Simply Christian" by one of my favorite author/theologians, N.T. Wright. Wright has challenged my thinking in so many ways and that has made me a huge fan. So While I was killing some time recently at our local B&N, I picked up this book. I have heard this book described as similar to C.S. Lewis' Mere Christianity – which is a bold claim.
As I read the introduction, I became more excited than I have ever been to read a particular book. As Wright is explaining his purpose in this book, he explains that he has broken it into three parts. He starts by describing the first part. Here's the passage that hooked me:
"First, I have explored four areas which in today's world can be interpreted as "echoes of a voice": the longing for justice, the quest for spirituality, the hunger for relationships, and the delight in beauty. Each of these, I suggest, points beyond itself, though without in itself enabling us to deduce very much about the world except that it is a strange and exciting place."
Community/spirituality/beauty/justice are aspects of the Kingdom, but are also as Wright calls them, "echoes of a voice" that the world hears and longs for, but doesn't understand. To help them understand is what Kelli and I do. That is our profession; our calling.
This book is so exciting to me because we for over a year now have felt these exact things. Check back for updates on this book as I finish it this week.
This weekend, the community of faith I am a part of had a community garage sale to raise money for a friend of ours in need. It was a LONG weekend, but a really good one. In fact one of the best in the six+ months our little band of friends has been gathering. It was a good one because the garage sale was a beautiful glimpse into what the early church must have been like. Here we were, a group of friends committed to each other, hawking our junk for a small profit all in the names of compassion and generosity. It wasn't easy – we must have spent at least 15 hours or so together (most of that in the 100-degree heat). But it was good. In fact it was probably more fulfilling that any other church experience I have ever had. And for the past 24 hours I have been trying to figure out why.
The best answer I can come up with is that I experienced a deeper committment than I have ever experienced before from those I "church with". See, I have seen a deep committment to each other before inchurches I have been a part of, but usually that committment was really to the institution of the church. People committed themselves to the organization, much like they would a country club, a home owner's association, a political party, or a fraternity. In our community, there is no formal organization to commit ourselves to – no institution to make sure "survives" year-after-year, no "we-will-do-anything-to-make-sure-we-succeed" organization to buy into. Our community is a bunch of friendships connected to each other by a collective interest in the ways of Jesus. Our committment is to Jesus and to each other. We are discovering the beauty of such a thing.
I wonder if that is a major reason that the church seems to be impotent in America. I wonder if we are leading people to commit themselves – their finances, their talents, their time – to an organization. I wonder how the average American must view that. I wonder if the average American misses Jesus in the church because he's clouded by organization. I wonder if giving is perceived as dues. I wonder if "congregational meetings" are seen as council meetings. I wonder if evangelism is seen as recruitment. I wonder if meeting community needs are seen as dutiful philanthropy.
We wonder why Americans have trouble finding passion about their faith.
