My Monday morning blog post announcing my departure from Emergent drew far more attention than I ever expected! E-ver! Geesh, I’m just a 29 year old pastor/theology student from G-Rap who’s happened to blog for several years through my theological journey. This is one more iteration in that progression. Thanks to all those who gave encouragement and critique, questioned my motives and theological endeavor, and expressed solidarity. Your comments and interactions have given me much to think about and consider, comments I’m sure to carry with me over the course of the next several weeks.

I know I promised I would begin offering my bottled-up critiques, but I thought I should pause and clarify the obvious elephants: why? and how? Why did I leave? Why did I strap on the platform shoes and Christmas lights and strut myself down the blogosphere making my announcement. (How immature, right? How positively arrogant!) How did I come to the point in my theological/spiritual journey where I decided it was time to move beyond this conversation?

So, why? How?

First, I should clarify that I don’t want to cast aside my friendships and relationships in the conversation. In fact, Doug Pagitt and I had a great conversation yesterday about my change of heart where we reiterated our commitment to friendship, despite theological differences. My departure is much more theological than relational, so I hope similar relationships will still be preserved.

Now, in answer to the questions, here is some short context to my frustration and reasons for walking. Perhaps they will mirror some of your own. I know the comment section and my inbox is filled with similar stories, so I add this to the mix. On Friday I will begin explaining my theological frustration and perspective with some of the emerging church theology, beginning with interacting with Pagitt’s A Christianity Worth Believing through a 6 post series (Btw: I emailed him a copy beforehand of the original 30 page examination because I thought that would be fair.) Before then, here is some context:

As I explained a few days ago, I’ve been part of the emerging church conversation for half a decade but have grown increasingly uncomfortable and saddened by the theological trajectory of the project. Deeply saddened, actually. This isn’t disillusionment. This is a deep sadness and heartache over what is happening from the top ranks. And what is that? A departure (perhaps deliberate?) among the leaders of Emerging Church Inc. from the historic Rule of Faith and a fashioning together of a new, fresh version of Christianity built on “other forms” of Christianity that have been deemed foreign to that Rule.

That version questions God’s “clear and certain” self-disclosure/revelation;¹ minimizes actual individual culpability in rebellion;² ignores the deity of Christ; downright denies the exclusivity of God’s revelation in Jesus Christ;³ reduces the cross to simply an example of love;⁴ denies real judgment and universalizes salvation,⁵ among others.

It wasn’t always like this, though.

At the beginning, from what I remember back in 2005 when I entered the conversation it really was an exploration. Such sites as emergentvillage.org and opensourcetheology.net were catalysts for bursting and burning through the cobwebs and rickety structures of conservative evangelicalism. It tried to root itself in the more ancient, forgotten parts of our faith—like the Creeds—to moor itself while forging ahead with re-imagining the Church as centered around the teachings of Christ and the Kingdom He bore.

Theologically, it was a deconstructive tour de force with it’s crosshairs aimed squarely at conservative evangelicalism, and rightly so. Reconstructively (is that a word?) it helped construct a missional response to a real, genuine shift occurring within Western culture known as postmodernity. Most of the church was ill equipped to deal with the tectonic shifts our culture was undergoing, and Emergent helped navigate those shifts for church leaders as New Tribes Missions does for tribal missionaries. At the time I greatly appreciated and benefited from both, because it intersected with my own faith exploration.

Since late 2003, I had been ministering on Capitol Hill for a little known entity (The Center for Christian Statesmanship) of a more well known entity, Coral Ridge Ministries (run by an even more known entity, Dr. D. James Kennedy). During this season I became increasingly uncomfortable with the theology behind this thoroughly conservative evangelical ministry, especially their theology of the gospel. The gospel Story it told was rooted in Dr. Kennedy’s Evangelism Explosion, which started God’s Story of Rescue in the end and middle, at heaven/hell and sin. Jesus, we were told, came to inaugurate a cosmic transaction between me and Him in order to beam me outta here “some glad mornin’ when this life is o’r.”

The theology of the Story disturbed me, so did the methods methods we used to sell that Story and manner in which we did ministry in our context. You see, the mission context of Capitol Hill is thoroughly postmodern and young adult: at the time there were roughly 24,000 congressional staffers (an average age of 27) who were from the brightest liberal arts institutions this country has to offer. Missionally, we sucked because we were ill equipped to engage this  young adult postmodern culture. Theologically, God’s beautiful, majestic Story of Rescue was reduced to 5 talking points and Jesus was reduced to a product sold like a vacuum cleaner or set of kitchen knives sans nifty accessories. After my first year in ministry I began to wonder: is THIS what I’ve committed myself too?

Then along came Emergent.

My story follows others, me thinks. Many others have endured similar frustrations before wandering into the oasis-village of Emergent, finding solace, healing, and inspiration from a band of sisters and brothers making a similar trek. There I found what I needed at the time and am thankful for what Emergent was during those years. I absolutely appreciated the theological deconstruction and missiological reconstruction this conversation provided.

Over the past year or so, however, it seems like the later (missiology) has faded and the former (theology) has shifted. I have been struck in recent months by this: now that we’ve gotten the missional response to postmodern culture down, many believe the time for theological construction has begun; we “get” postmodern ministry, now we need an alternative Christian faith built on an alternative Christian theology.

So began this new era of theological construction.

Four books crystalize for me this progressive theological construction effort: Peter Rollins‘, How (Not) to Speak of God (2006); Doug Pagitt’s, A Christianity Worth Believing (2008); Samir Selmanovic’s, It’s Really All About God(2009); and now Brian McLaren’s, A New Kind of Christianity (2010).

While I sound way more conspiratorial than I actually mean, the conversation absolutely has moved from simply talking to sketching, especially the last few years. While I am fully aware (thank you very much!) that the emerging church is bigger than three or five voices, we all know it is intimately bound-up with them. Furthermore, those closely associated with the emerging church are by-and-large ensconced in their theological reflection. If I am wrong, please point me to someone on the inside of the conversation who has offered a proper, pointed theological assessment of Peter or Doug or Samir or Brian. I realize I could be wrong, but I am pretty sure it has yet to been done.

Now it will be.

It’s not personal. It’s academic.

Rather than reacting out of hurt or pain or woundedness (as some have annoyingly suggested) I am trying to provide space for an academic “airing of ideas” for the sake of healthy discussion and disclosure. I’m not blaming all things emerging for the problems of the church. What I am trying to do is live out of the person I have become through the past three years of academic training: I have a deep concern and passion for God’s Story of Rescue and for people to experience the rescue that Story provides through Christ; for theologically rooting the Church in Her faith by properly understanding the Story History and the Spirit has given us and seeing those outside the Church rescued from rebellion and put back together again in Christ. .

That’s why I wrote my first book. That’s why I’m doing this. That’s why I’m moving beyond Emergent.

Now, perhaps I am immature and petulant for bidding “au revoir” and “goodbye.” Perhaps that’s a fair critique. I don’t exactly want to leave my friends who identify with this conversation or invalidate my friendships in order to critique it. Goodness no! I just don’t know what to do anymore with the sad, devastating theological constructs being packaged and sold to thirsty, hungry, unsuspecting souls who long for rescue and re-creation and re-connection to their Creator. I can no longer sit idly by while said leaders fein innocence and drape themselves in “I’m just a mild-mannered guy” excuses in an attempt to ignore legitimate critique of their other faith.

In short: I’m tired of people being hoodwinked by the “different” theology being pushed and the hoodwinkers getting a pass, especially from those inside. Their version of Christianity isn’t different. It is other. We’ve seen this before, and I think something should be done about it. I guess someone should do something about it, so I’m stepping to the podium.

You may disagree with and decry my method, even my critiques. I’m sure both are flawed. Please grant me one request: deal with the ideas. The Emerging Church is an idea; it pushes ideas. In fact, how about those of you who think I’m whack actually deal with the ideas by giving a reasoned, intellectual defense for the theology that is pushed by Emerging Church Inc.

Yes, thats a direct challenge: Someone, anyone—Steve, Mike, Makeesha, Jonathan, Trip, or Julie, perhaps—please deal with the ideas by posting an 8-10 post theological series on both Doug and Brian’s book explaining why their theology is good and correct. I’ll even host it here, free of charge.

I myself am an ideas person. I’ve got plenty of them strewn about throughout novus•lumen, most having little to do with the emerging church and even less blasting it. The idea I am most passionate about, that is the impetus behind what I do as a pastor and theologian, is that Jesus Christ is both Lord and Messiah.

Lord. Messiah.

Both are ideas the New Testament is clear about. Unfortunately, evangelicalism all around seems incredibly confused about both, especially Emerging Church Inc.

Perhaps I can speak into the conversation (especially the Grand Rapids one) by pushing back against emerging church theology and help bring better definition to the contours of God’s Story of Rescue, for the sake of the Church. Perhaps I can follow in the footsteps of J. Greshem Machen, who wrote nearly 90 years prior: “The purpose of this book (blog) is not to decide the religious issue of the day, but merely to present the issue as sharply and clearly as possible.”

Perhaps.

Popularity: 1% [?]

1. Rollins, Speak of God, 46. [↩]
2. Pagitt, Christianity, 165 [↩]
3. Selmanovic, All About God, 9; 60-61 [↩]
4. Pagitt, Christianity, 194-195 [↩]
5. Pagitt, Christianity, 230-231 [↩]

  

I am live blogging the Rob Bell, Shane Hipps and Pete Rollins, event in Grand Rapids for Zondervan. New posts are at the top with content and commentary (my commentary in italics). Feel free to jump in with your ideas, reactions, and opinions. Read Sunday’s reflection HERE. Read Monday’s HERE. Today’s lineup: 9am-Rob; 11am-Pete; 2pm-Shane; 4pm-Rob
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5:03—All done! Thanks for following along. Hope it was fun

4:30—taking communion…

4:25—With forgiving we name the wound, call it what it is, explain why its painful…and enter into the wound and pain like death. If we can enter into that ‘death’ and experience/endure the pain…there is life/resurrection on the other side.

Tim Keller: the Christ pattern “is a death that leads to resurrection instead of the life long living death of bitterness and cynicism.”

Parker Palmer: “The cross says…’the pain stops here.’ The way of the cross is a way of absorbing pain, not passing it on, a way that transforms pain from destructive impulse into creative power. When Jesus accepted the cross, his death opened up a channel for the redeeming power of love.”

When you enter into the pain and forgive…you are prepared to give the gift of what you’ve learned to your people. And there is joy and freedom for the moment, instead of depending on the praise or comments from the people…nor are you hurt and pained by others.

Perhaps you need to write a name down…a moment and give it to God in forgiveness.

4:15—When talking about forgiving what comes up is: you dont know some of the people at my church! SHEEP HAVE TEETH. AND THEY USE THEM!

Prob 26:11—some people are toxic. they return to their vomit again and again. and we dont have to be there when they do. its ok to have appropriate boundaries who are toxic, especially if you are a leader. Some people plug in and just extract energy…and you dont know why you’re tired!

Titus 3:10—some people are divisive. We think we need to love everyone…BUT we are not an ecclesiastical punching bag hired to take the blows of the masses. You are a precious resource and gift to your community. Some communities take their collective problems and place them on a pastor…they think they are paid to JUST TAKE IT. NO!!!

Luke 12:13—the divine embodiment of grace, love and kindness says…”THAT AINT MY JOB!” It is OK to guard that precious resource to effectively point people to the resurrection! And you should never apologize for that…

…love your neighbor as YOURSELF!

With forgiveness NOT talking about: no boundaries, ignoring toxic/divisive people, or taking on every responsibility.

I love this talk because its so frank and vulnerable…here’s a guy who’s had to deal with everything that he’s talking about, but at a bigger scale. This talk is so permissive: I think it gives permission to pastors to simply say no! To give pastors their dignity, which is trampled on and sucked on so often by communities. It empowers pastors to say YES to who they are and the things they have been called to…and NO to the things that they are not called to, as a pastor and a human.

4:00—Over the years you get beaten down…relationships break apart. Like a whole group of people tried to set out to have his ordination revoked because he wasnt fit to preach the gospel.

And over time…the little THINGS get stuck: death by paper cuts.

Easy to name burnout, pain, exhaustion from the BIG things. What this can do is that it begins to affect us because its over period of years and seem trivial and superficial…but it adds up over years.

THINGS HAPPEN:

1) We hold back. In the early days we went for it and didnt care if you failed. We took criticism and some shots for going after the impulse. And then you feel less inclined to do…if you received those things for putting yourself out there. You back off on the prophetic. the creative.

2) you label/list to keep people away. We develop these things to protect ourselves. Often its perception, not necessarily reality. Sometimes the real truth is back there we got a paper cut and didnt name it and deal with it.

3) And then revenge. PASSIVE: I dont want to give my best today…punish people because I was hurt and we dont put in the hours or the effort. We withdrawl and hold back. or ACTIVE: we want to hurt or slander or gossip.

To stay in this game and have more and more to say, to be more and more filled with wonder and awe of resurrection and the Kingdom and the Church….the one thing he wasnt told that we must become masters of is TO LEARN TO FORGIVE. The actual people in your actual church.

Have to get good at forgiving THAT person. For THAT person. For THAT event. Have to get good at naming the wound and call it was it is.

I remember this talk from the National Pastors Conference in February. This is SUCH a great, needed session so I’m glad I can share it online. Hope it encourages!

3:37—THE ONE THING ROB WISHES SOMEONE WOULD HAVE TOLD HIM LONG AGO

He got a letter from a young man thanking him for his work. Some people on Facebook slammed him as Fluff and Irrelevance. The only thing he could think of was: Fluff and Irrelevance.

He calls that: a chocolate covered turd: first glace appears attractive and chewy, but then you take a bite. The intent of the encounter was appreciation, love, and support…what he took away was a mixed blessing.

Then he was frustrated he couldn’t just brush it off. His experience has been that it is difficult to shake the sorts of things that come pastors way…even with good intensions but then you walk away limping.

The nine and the one: 10 bits of feedback on something. 9 are GREAT and LIFTOFF and BLEW THE ROOF. But ONE has negative feedback…which kills the 99 great things that happened. Its just that one that you cant shake…and frustration builds about the fact you cant shake it.

Or you hear a rumor about yourself. He has heard such unbelievable things about himself…wierd things.

Acts 21 brings comfort: Arent you the Egyption who started a revolt and led four thousand terrorists out into the wilderness sometime ago?”

Not just content of rumor, but idea that we should just be able to blow it off…and you can’t. Still lingers 2 days later.

Random comments cause discomfort, pain, irritation…

When you are in a leadership role in a community, you open yourself up to all sorts of things.

Or maybe you have one of these in the church: The official committee for doctrinal purity, orthodox rhetoric and general theological correctness. Have ability to speak and give feedback at the right moment when you DONT need it.

3:34—Thanking his brother, Jon, for all the work he did. GREAT JOB JON!!!!

3:29—starting last session with Rob. with communion at the end.

Here was a twitter comment: DH Bromley—sorry, but Shane Hipps just lost me with his second talk. I’m pretty sure he’s wrong on the physical-energetic-essential distinction. I agree. Personally this was not my favorite session. I’m really curious how he knows any of what he said was true regarding our ‘bodies’ and the idea of Essence. Of all the things he could have talked about?! Odd.

3:11—PRACTICES OF ENERGY AND ESSENCE

1) Practices of Energy

First understand Physical is the conductor of Energetic body. Like copper conducts electricity. How posturing body kinks the hose…and hinders God’s divine energy from conducting.

Also realize that we are imitative creatures…so the energy you bring with you to the ‘pulpit’ will be sent to those in the community.

Can do exercises, yoga, ti-chi to retrain the body to unkink the energy.

2) Practice of Essence

Can develop techniques to uncover our essence. Most are silence and solitude.

Important to remember: the Essence is something you must eat and know…not read about and believe in. Big difference between believing and knowing.

Ways to taste our Essence: through breath. BREATH AND SPIRIT are one and the same…ancient language attests to this. We have separated two things never intended to be separate. Every time we see SPIRIT in the Scriptures we can replace with BREATH. If you want to know what God is really like, contemplate the nature of your breath…

In your Essence is a place of unending peace. You will always have it, no matter what happens, and you will always have it. It is the source of wisdom and compassion.

Our goal should be to cultivate our connection to our Essence in order to help people connect to God.

May we all continue to open ourselves, energy, and essence to experience God to better conduct God’s divine light into the world…

2:34—When you live in your essence is the gesture of the Spirit…waves on the same ocean. Wide open, free, unchanging, one with God.

Jesus developed mastery over the physical body through fasting, celibacy, carpentry; mastered energy by transmitting energy by healing, channeled anger to over turn tables, knew energy went from him when he was touched on cloak. Jesus also mastered ESSENCE. Had a commitment to develop access and aware of ESSENCE as us. His conviction Jesus essence and ours is not different…he just came to help us access it and be aware of it and develop it.

FATHER FORGIVE THEM FOR THEY DONT KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING. Deep mastery of his Essence. Why about Essence? Body is LAND…Energy is OCEAN…Essence is the SKY. Cannot pierce or stab the sky. Only dwelling from this ‘place’ can you dwell in infinite peace. When you dwell in forgiveness it is inevitable to be in the Essence.

2:28—THE MEDIUM IS THE MESSAGE

Who we are…you and I are as a person is ultimately the message. Not just words. Who I am is the message. We’re gonna explore the medium of the Human being.

First we have a body…dont under estimate the power of a body. God himself EMBODIED. Our bodies are a powerful medium…and have three different aspects of the Human Being: Physical, Energetic, Essential.

Physical: everything that’s…physical about us!

Energetic: this is the part cant measure and interact with our 5 senses. The sensation going on…warm, radient, open, expansive, vast of ANGER, LOVE, SADNESS, CREATIVITY, SEXUAL (which is connected to life, creativity, connectedness), MENTAL PROCESSES, PRESENCE, etc…And these energies need to be cultivate, because they can atrophy. People have varying ‘footprint sizes’ of that energy. (ie Rob Bell vs. me! ) People experience those energies differently.

Essential: Deepest part of who we are. Very different than the two. This one is UNCHANGING. It is also UNLIMTED. Open, boundless, always free. Nothing you can do to develop and expand. The only thing that changes is access to it. What changes is peoples awareness of their essence.

(WHAT DOES THIS EVEN MEAN?)

Example: Mother Theresa. Had an ordinary body, charisma/energy. But LIVED in this place of fearlessly, endlessly giving her life away. Lived with the same thing God was made of. Same DNA of the Divine. When you know you are made of the same stuff of God you are free.

(ummm…these statements appear to be incredibly panentheistic. no ontological distinction?)

Romans 8:11—The very spirit who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you…that is my essence.

2:03— Shane Hipps on stage

1:51—10 min till Shane Hipps.

I was thinking more about the Pete Rollins talk and was struck by how powerful it was for people here. After he was done there was a standing ovation…long clap. Then Rob came out with Pete and said we need a moment of silence. Some people were heard crying. Many different people I talked with felt the Spirit moved. Others tweeted that that session was worth the price of admission alone. Something happened.

I loved the passion Pete brought. It was obvious that he is in love with God, love with the Church, and with the Christian movement. And while I get annoyed sometimes the irony and clever turns of phrases and have some push back to things he says (ie. his comments on revelation), I can still call him a brother in Christ. Some will say he is not orthodox. What I saw, however, was a man who is deeply connected to the Text, knowledgeable of it and wrestles with it and interacts with it honestly. A man who loves God and interacts with and wrestles with Him. He is not afraid to speak frankly and provoke, and I respect that.

Thanks for a provocative, rupturing session, Pete! We are revolutionists! We are insurrectionists! And I want to be among the counted to lead the revolution and insurrection of Jesus in a world controlled by the dark powers and patterns of this world. May I myself seek to provoke the mind and rupture the heart in the same way…in the same way the the God-with-us-God himself did.

PETE’S NEW BOOK: “ORTHODOX HERETIC“

12:13—DONE…clapping and standing ovation. Prayer and lunch. See you back at 2pm for the final few session. BTW…I really didn’t capture this session as well as I could have, nor did I give it the due diligence it deserved. Pete is one tough cookie to blog!

12:12—What is revelation then?

Our knowledge is not like that of a physicist or biologist. We just cant know truth and not do it. Our truth is the kind that brings life.

Not a revealing. Has 3 features:

incomprehension—you dont get more information…your information is obliterated.

bedazzlement—experience of not knowing how the experience.

transformation—no longer the same again.

Revelation is that which both reveals and conceals…brings us into light and ever more darkness….where we are changed and reconfigured and changed.

When you go to church you should be bedazzled…and your presuppositions should be reconfigured. We are the revolutionists and the insurrectionists. Thats what parables are for: perform something, not describe something…they rupture the people. The parable cannot be simply heard, but done and incarnated.

The point is to rupture people…in order to transform them. To use words to provoke and inspire and change peoples understanding of God and Life and Themselves. His point seems to be that too often we play into our prepackaged, shrink-wrapped understanding of God, rather than blowing those presuppositions out of the water. He says that when we grasp God he whistles through our fingers. Which is all good….but my questions is: is there nothing we can say about God? Has God Himself not said something about Himself? And can we Humans not understand what God has said about Himself? Sure we are called to wrestle over and ruminate over what God has said about Himself…but is there nothing we can say? Is there nothing we can say to the world about what God has said about Himself?

I definitely appreciate the general direction that Peter is trying to go…the idea that sometimes we are too certain about what we say about God, in unbridled arrogance and no humility…but it seems as though Pete says we can’t say anything about God. In fact in his book (HOW NOT TO SPEAK OF GOD) he says exactly that: “When it comes to God, we have nothing to say to others and we must not be ashamed of saying it.” So…its unclear how poets, preachers, and preachers should talk about God in light if this thickly veiled ignorance!

But like he said at the beginning…sometimes he doesn’t even believe some of what he says…maybe this is one of them?

11:51—We need substantial change in the individual, not just surface change…

The violence of christianity is fundamentally violent…against the principalities and powers. Mother Theresa and Martin Luther King ruptured the systems. System is not that which you see, but that which you see through…these people doing something powerful.

Revelation not about revealing. We think revealing…God whispering in the year. A theologian talks about God like a biologist talking about bio-life. The question is not is Christianity true, but what does it mean when it claims to be true…we then just assume its like the truth of biology. Revelation does not mean we have information about God, like a biologist has something on bio-life.

The desire to speak of God is ancient. If you can name God you can have power. But is this idea of NAMING something that God plays along with? God exists in the mind and in reality. For alot of people God exists in the mind, but not reality. Or when Jesus shows up he shows up in reality and the mind. Or first God is seen anonymously

But possible to exist in reality and so majestic that it cant exist in the mind. God not anonymous. He is hypernonymous…don’t know something because there isnt access. God is not unknown because he doesn’t exist; he cannot be known because he cannot be grasped because of the excess…like the sun.

The Bible is divine because of the tension and problems and difficulties. Of course you are going to have a breakdown of words when you have the infinite entering into the finite. Of course we are going to blow up and combust.

The unnamable is omninamable…when confronted with the trauma of God not reduced into silence, but into poetry, prophecy, and preaching. As soon as you name God you create him in your image. Theology is like us trying to draw God. Jesus tears up our images of God, not paint them. As soon as we start putting words to God peoples God’s look like them…God is not the patch of meaning on the wind of our unknowing…he is the patch of unknowing we put on our wind of meaning.

Moses…Jacob wanted to know God’s name. But he didnt give it. We dont name God, he names us.

The point of incarnation is not God being revealed and we now understand it…its now the mystery is here and brought among us and lives with it. The mystery is deepened. The mystery touches us.

11:25—Pete wheeling on stage on a SEGWAY! NICE!

11:00—Zach Lind with Jimmy Eat World inteview…sorry, not recording that one!

10:46—Buckets grow into Chunks

Have folders, paper bags, whatever to collect ideas, things, notes, quotations, pictures, stats, verses, etc…and later after being struck you hear something that grows the fragment. Something takes root in you and works in you…so by the time you give the teaching you have ideas and you have something to say.

What if once a week you collected and idea/fragment/insight/sentence…and took 10 min once a week to look through the buckets. Be intentional and give attention to it. No pressure, no time frame when it comes to a series or teaching. SAVE STORIES…ask people to write down the stories you hear from people at church, on the street and get their phone number!

Certain things need time to soak…a sermon needs time to soak. thoughts on the Text need time to soak. the fragments from life need time to soak. illustrations need time to soak.

10:19—If I couldn’t use any biblical or religious language, how would I describe this? to a child? to a Martian? without words? using only drawings and pictures? using only actors? Many things can become crystalized when you ask how would a 9 year old hear this…how should I say this to a 9 year old. How describe this to my friend who doesn’t want religious language?

Some more questions: what’s the the thing behind the thing? the truth behind the truth? the mystery behind the mystery?

Example: What are you about to say about marriage…what are the things behind the ‘thing’ (marriage)? What about getting at patience, holding the tongue, gentleness, kindness…the things behind marriage.

Is there anyway to: enact it, perform it, show it, do it, ignore it, circle around it, hand it out….The point is to use to use anything to make a point, to do something and use something that is memorable. There are people in our congregations who are MORE than willing to give of their knowledge, resources, talents to help make this happen, too.

Can you see what happens when a preacher reads the Text, some commentaries, and starts typing?

10:00—Rob is taking random verses from the audience and running through the elements of EXEGETING to describe and ask questions of the Text.

I’m struck by how this guy really knows the Text…and everything that surrounds the Text. This session has reminded me of the special role pastors have in bring God to people through Life and the Text. What a sacred, special role that needs to be handled well…and needs to be deliberate.

9:52—The task of the Sermon Artist is to be hyper-sensitive to the world around us…to make connections to what’s been there the whole time, to help people wake up. Because the earth is humming…life is preaching the whole time.

EXEGETING LIFE. EXEGETING THE TEXT

1) EXEGETING LIFE

Something happens with LIFE…there is a moment: writes it, take a picture of it, save it, ask for it, get it, clip it, tear it out, story it, mark it, remember it….all with NO EDIT BUTTON. You dont know what it will mean and how it will fit in the sermon.

He didn’t mention it, but there is a SWEET program for iPhone and iPod Touch called EVERNOTE. Another handy tool for this sort of filing is a MOLESKINE, for those non-technophiles

This could be incredibly useful for this sort of filing thing. The idea is to soak in every conversation, moment, idea, object, movie, song, statement for the purpose of connecting the Story of Life to the Story of Christ.

2) EXEGETING THE TEXT

Memorize—just memorizing it is the beginning of exegeting…it roles around in your mind all day and your mind makes connections and finds insights. It frees you to focus on how to navigate it. It opens you up to all the other

Inhale—what have other people said for thousands of years? how have others interpreted it?

Words—any key words? Go right to the words…what are the key words and do the words have pictures behind them? How do the words connect to other things and other words and other ideas? How is it used,

Location, Culture—where does it take place…anything else take place there? It happened where? What are the people, places, smells, etc like in which the story takes place?

Concepts

Stories—how are the other versions of the gospel accounts said? what is different? what other stories does on particular story connect to?

Time—what time period did this happen in? what else is going on? what ‘technological’ age is it…what period of human history is it?

as a side note form him: much of the best scholarship on history, location, culture, time typically comes outside of the church…more conservative people tend to place the bible in a bubble. but from many different sources the world of the bible can be blown wide open.

Pictures—use a picture from where the narrative takes place.

Actions—does anyone do anything…anything happening? and how about acting that action out in the sermon…

9:18—PS-I love it that Rob’s been wearing the same clothes all 3 days!!

The CONTENT of the sermon…

Every preacher has started with “the blank screen.” How do you get to the place where you don’t start with a blank screen? Idea is to get to the place where you never come to a blank screen, where you are constantly marinading on a sermon or teaching series.

Hope is to move from having to say something to having something to say…Are there some everyday postures and ways to see the world where you have something to share. You are sick and need help if you try and work under pressure on Saturday night…or simply wait for the spirit to move. What if you give the Spirit 6 months to move instead of 14 hours. GREAT POINT!

Why can we only say it is all God…and also not human effort?

How about working really hard to communicate what God has already revealed? How about pushing oneself and studying and preparing a kick ass message that creates space for the love and grace of God to be dispensed through us and our mouths into the lives and hearts of our people?

What if there was something going on all around us, all the time, everywhere, in everybody….instead of simply Tuesdays at 9am? Rob begins with premise that wherever he is, whatever he is doing, whoever he is interacting with…the Lord is in that place (Gen 28). He’s invited to realize the Lord is in that place…and WE show up.

9:01—starting with a vid…

8:57—final day of sessions starting soon…

8:13—TEST…final live blog begins in 45 min.

Popularity: 19% [?]

  

I am live blogging the Rob Bell, Shane Hipps and Pete Rollins, event in Grand Rapids for Zondervan. New posts are at the top with content and commentary (my commentary in italics). Feel free to jump in with your ideas, reactions, and opinions. Read Sunday’s reflection HERE.
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9:33—prayer…DONE. Come back tomorrow at 9am for the last day (9am-5pm)

“That was for me.” That’s what should be said at the end of a sermon…

9:28—A sermon creates a picture, a space, an image, an experience, an encounter, a world, a place that allows people to find themselves in it. It is focused yet open, said and yet unsaid, defining and yet imagining, resolute and yet unresolved. The parables are like this in many ways…they create space in which people can enter and say: “THATS ME!” The beauty of a sermon is met where EVERYONE are in at the moment in their journey and invited to the next place in their journey.

Knowing, arranging the parts is creating space for ALL people to enter into the MOMENT, MOVEMENT, and MYSTERY in the Text in the place in their particular journey, in order to bring them to the next level in that journey. I like this!

9:15—Storyboarding is the next topic. Check out the pict:

There were 4 parts, 5 parts, 6 parts, a circle which led to God saying 3 things. He memorizes the sermon by breaking it down into it smallest parts. So a 40 min sermon comes down to the pieces. Encouraged to start naming the parts. Take each part of the sermon and use a physical prop to remind yourself of the next part.

WOW this is helpful! As I wrote below, when I was at Mars that white board was amazing! I remember he also used 11×14 sized paper to storyboard it out. At my early stage of the game seeing how other great communicators “do it” is so helpful. Again, its about preparation and deliberateness with the Kyregma Event.

9:06—As I’m listening to this I’m reminded of a session I sat in at Mars where I was invited to listen to a sermon series on forgiveness and give feedback with 10 other people. I was very impressed with the amount of detail that goes into Rob’s sermons. Lots of thought and care given to the Art of the Sermon. He takes the performance very seriously. I was struck then when I saw him map out the passage and sermon storyboard style and am also struck to day with the care he takes.

Though it all may sound manipulative and over the top…knowing the parts, the elements, etc….I think he is very serious about reclaiming the Art of the Sermon. I for one am sick of the Death Drum Beat of the preached message! Now I may have a vested interest because I’m and MDIV student, so I sorta NEED the Sermon Event to make a living (sorta kidding), but I do see a powerful place for Kyregma within the Church. We DO need to reclaim the Event of the Sermon…and while there are ways to contextualize that Event for our shifting, emerging culture, there is room for proclamation. And I see this whole exercise this evening is about pastors (ME!) taking Kyregma seriously.

This commentary on the practical elements of Kyregma with Shane’s is pretty powerful and leaves a lot to work through.

9:01—Also note these 7 elements, too: speed, intensity, tension, pacing, tone, posture, arc. The parts are handled differently…moments of the text and in stories and illustrations need these 7 things differently. Need to understand, know the parts and how they are affected by these 7 elements. All of the parts relate to the other parts, especially when the 7 elements are applied properly.

Take great care for the opening…and watch openers that overwhelm! Sometimes the sermon can’t recover from the opening. And realize that if you help answer the question: what is this about? at the beginning it keeps people engaged and interested. The first 10 min people are interested because its the next section of the service anyway…so share the things that need to be shared at the beginning to continue to keep interest…that leads into a story.

No rules to this Art of Sermoning and get it across than at least know what you are doing. Know how to start the thing and know how to recover from it.

8:45—Everything in a sermon is related to everything else in the sermon. We need to be able to: name the parts, know the parts, be aware of the parts, feel the parts, and step outside of the parts.

So when I approach the Text and craft a sermon…we ask these questions to move through the passage.

Parts and pieces of a sermon: reading the passage, information, story, question, picture, rant, action, insight, observation, statistics, declaration, invitation. But if either of these parts are exalted above any of the other then the sermon doesn’t work. If just information…people get bored. If just questions…people wonder if you know anything.

Examples—Observation…you just ask: what about this of life? Or statistics use to show how many people cant afford heat or dont have water or are unemployed…Declaration: here is what we are about and what God is doing and here is what God is about. Invite people to trust God with your grocery bill.

The idea is to use pieces of these parts…but know what you are handling. In order to use the parts you need to KNOW the parts and KNOW the piece of the Text. Know why using the parts and arrange them appropriately. And you move from Statistics to Information to Story to Observation to Invitation…as an example of how a sermon might “move”

8:35—Rob suggests 3 possible ‘things’ within a piece of the Text to ‘use’ to unpack the teaching.

1) While teaching he suggests to center on a MOMENT in the narrative, and build out from there the historical, cultural, etc…rings to explain the point of the narrative. Example given was when Jesus cursed the fig tree…so idea is to focus the MOMENT on the fig tree and explain out from there. A teaching with an idea just grabs and pops out at you. There is a MOMENT in the text that the text swivels on…and you move out from there, from that moment.

So the teaching centers on a MOMENT…which is really the BIG IDEA of the passage from what it seems like he is saying. Perhaps there are 2 or 3 or more moments? Do you just pick one and focus one it?

2) A teaching also focuses on a MOVEMENT…something is happening in the journey of a person of a narrative. And you follow the story of the person. Less a MOMENT but a MOVEMENT that unfolds.

There can also be a MOVEMENT of thoughts…a progression of ideas within a passage, like the Sermon on the Mount. All sorts of meaning and applications being to pop and crackle and progress.

As an example: Psalm 1(really all the Psalms are an example)….walk, stand, sit. There is a MOVEMENT to this text from walking to standing to sitting. He acted out the walking, the standing, and the sitting on an orange boxcrate to symbolize how sin works. A MOVEMENT in the act of Sin or the passage. And can use questions to provoke: is there anything you are waling in, standing in, or siting in?

3) Another thing to look for is MYSTERY. Comparison of Phil. 1:6 and Genesis 1 given as an example….the big words of Phil (began, good work, completion) compared with Gen (beginning, good, completed). When you open yourself to the God of the Universe you open yourself up to the same God who created and crafted the whole universe.

So in this example there isnt a MOMENT or MOVEMENT…there is a MYSTERY to the passage because it relates to the mystery of God. There is an insight within the piece of the Text which is simply mysterious…and there is a way to unpack that mystery and relate it to people’s lives.

Revelation 4 unpacked as another example of MYSTERY and related to worship. We gather to remind ourselves that we are not the center of the universe, that I am not on the throne…the power of the imagery in Rev. 4 can be unpacked with powerful, MYSTERIOUS language to relate back to corporate worship. It is a picture of infinite depth and MYSTERY that can be explored, explained, and related.

So as I explore a piece of the Text there is a MOMENT, MOVEMENT, and MYSTERY of that piece.

8:08—A sermon has an engine, an energy source. A sermon comes from somewhere.

Questions to ask about a sermon: Why are you saying this? Why do we need to hear this? Why should we care? Why do you care? In 30 seconds…what has compelled you to say certain things to this particular people at this particular time.

Idea is if I can distill what I am teaching on into 30 seconds then I am prepared well…I’ve done what I am supposed to do to prepare and study for the Sermon Event. I should be able to boil down the point of the sermon God has placed on my heart, that i have sensed is needed for my community, down to 30 seconds. Even more: I should be able to answer the WHY questions in 30 seconds…good mark for me as I prepare!

Now is the time to recapture the sermon, especially the preparation of the sermon and the ability to boil down the point of the sermon for the sake of the community in which I am ministering.

8:01—prayer and now Rob Bell on the sermon. Why some work and some don’t

7:48—comedy act…

7:39—finished a time of worship, now watching some vids before a Rob Bell talk.

Some recap: Shane’s commentary was very interesting for me….It seems like he made some broad brush strokes regarding the evolution of ecclesiastical culture. To pigeon hole the entire development of current ecclesiastical trends (ie moving toward Jesus from Paul) to an evolution from a word based to image based culture seems a bit of a far stretch…from my perspective that evolutionary shift is largely based on the cultural shift thanks to postmodern philosophy and postmodernism. Our current culture rejects more linear, exclusive, cerebral, rational theological monologue in favor of an ethical, dialogical, narrative approach to spirituality. Current pop-evangelical theological reflection seems to pit Pauls BELIEFS against Jesus’ ETHICS, which in some sense is a false dualism yet convenient categoricalization, but also perhaps more reflective of our cultures trend toward embracing many beliefs systems that hold to a basic, gut ethic…which Jesus seems (on surface) to hold, rather than Paul.

So perhaps, the shift has more to do with how the world interacts with spirituality in general, rather than technology.

I did appreciate his 3 fold SURPRISES. THAT made the biggest impact on me in his section. It really helped me think through how I walk with people through the Text and bring them to a conclusion and how I provoke people…or surprise people into seeing differently and dreaming about the Reign of God descending to Earth, right now.

I also am curious why The Story that Rob was encouraging us pastors to tell was missing an explanation of the Event of the Cross, the point at which God objectively dealt with the three objective realities of evil, sin, and death. While I absolutely applaud his emphasis on God’s original intent for Creation and provoked us leaders to begin the Story at the BEGINNING rather the MIDDLE with sin or heaven/hell (as I say in my own book), I dont understand HOW he understands God is returning all of Creation to the way he intended it. While he also emphasized the resurrection as key to the New Creation, I am confused HOW even the resurrection is made possible or actually does something for us without and emphasis on the Event of the Cross. I would have liked for him to unpack his understanding of the Life and Death of Jesus along side the Resurrection to explain how Rescue is made possible, and how God is restoring creation back to the way he originally intended it to be. Though I know he’s committed to Jesus and resurrection, this part of the story wasn’t exactly clear. But maybe my reaction is because I’m personally committed to understanding Jesus and the Rescue Event as the Victorious Obedient Substitute (a melding of Christus Victor, Recapitulation and Penal Substitution).

I was also struck with the absence of judgement in this Story. He seemed to allude that recreation, renewal, and restoration was for “all things”…was universal. Part of the Story that Jesus certainly tells has an element of judgement and separation of those who believe/act from those who do not believe/act. It is very unclear 1) if there is judgement in the Story we pastors are supposed to be communicating and 2) if we are supposed to talk about the reality of judgement in the Story we tell.

Again, I’m thankful for a ‘retooling’ of our communication of the Story, but the absence of the Event of the Cross and judgement was confusing.

Some thoughts along the way…

DONE FOR THE AFTERNOON…COME BACK AT 7PM!

READ MORE IN SHANE’S BOOK: Flickering Pixels.

4:09—Shane Interview

Rob: What about someone who makes some short films that you may know? Some of the warnings and realitiies?

Shane: Something happened to Rob when he put his image to film is he became a celebrity. Something interesting about celebrities. Before film we had heros. At the rise of the image is that a celebrity is a celebrity for being known. They are famous for being famous…not for doing something to contribute to the world like, heros. Rob has done things…but what he has done is lost. When he travels people ask about the scene he shot in LUMP…not the books he’s written. People started flocking to him because he was seen and recognized, and what he has done and written has been co-opted. Its just the reality. The NOOMA videos prevent him from having a normal life…because its an image medium he is branded.

Rob: Different between screen technology with rear vs front projection

Shane: TV is rear…light comes to you. Film is light coming on. In rear projection audience processes content in right brain ways. Images that are front light are processed in the left side of the brain. Studies have been done that are projecting the same thing to two audiences with different reactions…one laughed the other didnt. INTERESTING!

Rob: Sometimes in the church there is the NEXT THING and if you are not on that you are missing it. With you there isnt a judgement, but keeping a prophetic distance to speak into it.

Shane: To become prophets with both eyes open. Some are technophiles and technophobes. We know one eye close wont get us anywhere…we need to hold both in tension and at bay.

Like Twitter…some are trying to use it in worship. Twitter seeks to simplify everything. The prob is not simplicity itself. The prob is that those simple lines of a poem come after complexity. Two kinds if simplicity…on the front side and on the far back side.

Front Side—God loves you everything is going to be OK

Back Side—At the end of life, Great Depressions war, etc…God loves you everything is going to be OK

Twitter is the first…it is about fast and speed. NOT PROCESSING or complexity. When that happens in a community its: give me your best christian cliche and fill the whole space. Prevents us from getting to the profound things that should be simple. If we want to redeem it maybe get poets to do it…

Rob: What are the FOUR QUADRANTS of new technology

Shane: McLuhen found that every medium has 4 basic effects…book called LAWS OF MEDIA. Conviction always and only 4 laws…

1) Every medium EXTENDS Extends or amplifies a human function.

2) Every medium OBSOLESCES. Changes the function of a previous function…not get rid of but change the function of. Every medium will obsolesce another medium.

3) Every medium RETRIEVES a medium from the past. Internet retrieves the telegraph.

4) Every medium REVERSES on itself when overextended.

Every medium wanders in these laws.

DONE…and now an interview with Rob.

3:43—SECOND: THE ART OF LETTING GO.

Need to let go of the need to be affirmed of the message…and invested in the message. When you let people know you will speak truth and letting go to their expectations and impressions. The outcomes dont matter…its to offer my gifts and keep offering it fearlessly.

When you hit a home run not much more sweeter or a lame duck hurt far less. You just do what you’re supposed to do because God made you that way.

VERY CRUCIAL FOR ALL ARTISTS TO LEARN. The best ones are the ones who create because THEY HAVE TO, no matter how it lands.

MUST BE FREE FROM THE OUTCOMES…need to let go.

May we all learn the art of letting go…

3:38—As an example…WATER INTO WINE

He used a Rhetorical Surprise...It’s an odd miracle. The first miracle Jesus does is TURN WATER INTO WINE? Why? REALLY?! Effort to plant the itch…”yeah thats weird, I didnt think of that” sort of feeling.

Showed the way in which Wine means something different in the OT…without wine there is no joy. And everytime they talk about the Day of the Lord and the KoH they talked about WINE…the ABUNDANCE of the Lord. So it was symbolic for what they had already known…which resolves the rhetorical question: what an odd miracle to do as your first miracle.

Then found an exegetical surprise: Notice the container, not the content in John 2:6…John goes out of his way to explain what was used to hold the water. he was thinking why would John tell us about the ritual washing jars to hold the water. And made some discoveries about the types of jars…and shared them with his people. And he completely impurifies the purified jars of the religious tradition of the jewish people.

And his SO WHAT? Linguistic surprise: when Jesus comes into our lives he comes and bursts all of our expectation…how “limber” is our own soul to Jesus coming in and exploding our own religious and life practices.

2:33—2 practices to help become better at preaching.

MUST UNDERSTAND SERMON AS AN ART FORM! Primary before understanding the 2

FIRST: THE ART OF SURPRUSE.

In any age, especially ours, you need to keep them guessing. Surprise is what helps them stay with you…many ways to create ahh-haa moments.

1) exegetical surprise: archaeological dig…part where looking at culture, context, lit theory, and language to understand the world the text comes out of. Hard because of all the scholarship so hard to discover something new. Worth the effort because its gold and helpful for people. TWO COMPONENTS: begins with questions…what am I wondering and what is curious about the text; and then how do you get the answers…scholarly apparatus, meaning need to get into journals and commentaries to find the answers. When you get into territory so familiar (christmas and easter) move into…

2) rhetorical surprise: for TITANIC we knew how it was going to end but the WAY you get there can be a surprise…when you lead people into the desert, get them thirsty and uncomfortable, wait and wait, and then bring them back for water. About creating dissonance when there wasnt any…making something that was familiar unfamiliar…creating a tension that they didnt have and then resolve it.

3) Linguistic surprise: words are like stones at a bottom of a river…over time they become smooth and loose edge. THis is about mastering the art of language so you can recharge words and let them rupture the mind in new ways. Finding different words and language to describe ancient concepts.

3:13—Implication for preaching

Printing press transformed church from experiential, mystical environment to a lecture hall. Sacramental to Word oriented structure and service. Information and theology was now the importance of church. Sermons in the lecture hall/printing press era lasted 2 hours. Edwards would preach 4 hours…with a manuscript and read. These were sermons for the MASSES, not simply scholarship.

The people were moved to tears and repentance…says something about the capacity of the audience that was shaped by the power of the spoke word and the printed word.

After the print age was TELEVISION giving birth into the broadcast era. Church was now studio. Now authority to preach was on entertainment, practicality, and engaging, so was popularity.

After the internet invention it was changed again: church became the coffee shop. Authority in the coffee shop is ignored…multiple voices, not only one. Internet authority is not based on one but on conversation and multiple voices. More and more communities of faith will try and create a coffeeshop. Twitter gives the illusioin of massive amounts of people having a coffeeshop. Authority is diffused. Preacher is no longer the authority of the argument but the STARTER…community decides the flow of the sermon and where it goes.

In different eras this is what happens.

The coffeeshop is not the only good thing to do…because we live in an era where the options and complexity of MEDIUMS IS STACKED and VARIED.

because we no longer live in the print age…the capacity of an audience is shrinking enormously. because of that the preachers must find a way to bridge the gap. never been harder to preach…the demand of preachers is going up.

3:00—Warning to Christian culture…we are so quick to make judgements on twitter, facebook, iphones, internet…just step back take a deep breath and be aware of what’s happening. If we can first understand before we critique we are better off.

2:57—How image culture is shaping Christianity.

In the image age we move from churches that look like traditional pew based…to more experiential, relational, and communal candle-circle situations.

How we read the bible changes. The gospels have more of the images and stories of Jesus…the letters are of Paul and Peter. In Middle ages the letters fade and the gospels were primary. Difficult to depict Eph 2:8 in a picture. So the stories were communicated through images. When the printing press was invented and literacy rose the letters were embraced as primary. St. Paul was thought by Luther, along with John, to be more primary over Matthew Mark and Luke which are more concrete and image oriented. Pauls letters and Johns gospel are linear, abstract, and sequential. The reason they were thought to be better because they told the theology of Jesus over the stories of Jesus.

Something is happening now…the pendulum is heading back…Jesus is primary now because of the stories. The center of the faith is now Jesus because of the ethics and stories found in the gospels on jesus, and Paul is being reinterpreted and relegated to the back because of the concrete and word oriented nature. Image based culture is to thank for Jesus becoming primary again…this is what is happening. We become what we behold.

*this is a wild leap, from my perspective…perhaps there are other cultural and ecclesiastical reasons why ethics (Jesus) is being trumpeted over beliefs (Paul)…To simply say it is because we are becoming an image culture is an interesting presumption.

2:49—The west uses linear left brain oriented phonetic alphabet symbols to communicate…the east uses symbols that require intuition that read pictographs. The west uses syllogism and logic to communicate (All men are humans, all humans have brains, all men have brains)…the easy Yin-Yang to communicate the interdependence of life through image. We are progressively moving as an eastern culture as we move to an image based culture.

Even as we text and twitter and blog are creating a right brain literacy.

To the left brain a is a colon and a closed parenthesis…but to the right a smiley face.

to left brain : – d ~ is a colon, dash, D, and a squigly…to right brain it means smoking dope.

People are creating images out of former linear, logical and sequential alphabets.

Corporations are doing this….L means nothing on its own…its a letter that is designed to mean nothing on its own. But LEXUS co-ops the L as a brand and instills it with meaning: luxury, status, money, prestige, success.

Images ALWAYS WIN. You will remember what you SEE far more easily than words READ. It will highjack and capture your imagination. With an image you can replace all the images conjured through words to create a shared experience…the image always wins.

Why does this matter for pastors and people in the church?

Question we have to ask is: What does the image DO? What do words DO? Then we can ask should I or should I not use this…no good or bad, just what I want to accomplish.

If you want to unleash a persons imagination, then images a very poor…words should be used.

But if you want to cultivate a shared experience and impact…images are perfect.

2:38—Now the current digital age is a hall of mirrors that reflects endless mediums. We have to turn back some of the technologies and not explore the technologies in order to understand the age…instead of looking at 1996 we look to the 1850’s to understand what happened to the medium and technology in our currentish age.

The 1850’s we have a new electronic age which exploded the potential for communication. Starting at the electronic revolution we see how radically we’ve been altered. For instance one exceptional invention that shaped us: the Photograph. Recaste the world as an Icon. Retrieved elements of the Medieval world of images to communicate…but we change our capacity for abstract thought in an age of just images (perhaps having now?)

The boy is sad….is processed differently than a picture of a sad boy. A picture is worth a thousand word…a beautiful saying but misses the truths of the two mediums: assumes interchangeable…but different modes and communicating and discourse. THEY ARE DIFFERENT MEDIUMS, there for the MESSAGE and how the message is PROCESSED is DIFFERENT.

“The boy is dead” is ABSTRACT. The image is CONCRETE you see it and it represents an experience, a holistic experience. The sentence is rational and requires skills to decode…the image requires intuition. Left brain for the sentence and right brain for the image. Images pin the logical side of the brain to the back of our skulls.

2:28—We BECOME what we BEHOLD. Our thinking patterns actually mirror the things we use to think with. Gutenbergs printing press shaped how we also make cars and cookies and bottle Coke. Before the printing press there weren’t pews…so the sequential linear printing of words on page reshaped how we do life, without us knowing about it.

Even reshaped the gospel: Apologies for Sins + Believe in Jesus=Go to Heaven. Linear, sequential process is with most of the evangelistic tools….the bias against feelings in the age of Reason and printing influenced the revulsion to FEELINGS in the acceptance and communication of the gospel…

2:22—Used to work for Porche as a big marketing/advertising director. Then went to seminary and is now a Mennonite pastor. Had vocational whiplash. But while in advertising he had to inhabit the mind of consumers and figure out what influenced them.

Telling that Marshall McLuhan is the most important thinker since Einstein, Darwin, Pavlov. He revolutionized theory of communication and oracle of electronic age. Began to see what he was experiencing and exploring had greater implications for people of faith than those in the previous expression.

Reason: Christianity is fundamentally a Communication Event. A God revealing God’s Self to the world. He used a variety of mediums to communicate that event: fire, scrolls, people, Jesus…

We know this because we practice communication daily. We know: the METHODS always change but the MESSAGE stays the same. Translation of Greek/Hebrew into English is a new Method, but the Message hasn’t changed. Bedrock foundation of which we navigate the changes of culture and be faithful to the message God has been given throughout history.

BUT what McLuhan taught us is that the MEDIUM IS THE MESSAGE. The way you say something matters as much or more than WHAT you say. “Our conventional response to all media, namely that it is how they are used that counts…(is TV good or bad…YES…depends on how it is used) is the numb stance of the technological idiot. For he content of any medium is the juicy piece of meat carried by the burglar to distract the watch dog of the mind…” -McLuhan Our content is the slight of hand while the magician slips the watch from the wrist. Medium works beneath conscious awareness.

2:12—Rob and Shane Hipps on stage.

2:10—Thecommon.org introduction…by Rich Devos

Idea is that people want to help each other…and they make it easier. They let people who have needs and abilities within church communities to talk to each other online instead of coordinate it with a person. Not a social network…goal is to connect people of abilities to people who have needs (a person needs a pickup truck another one has a pickup truck to lend).

How it works: you give a need with a short name and a description…how many people, a specific time, and whether for someone else or me. Needs are matched by category. On the dashboard of those with abilities you get alerts based on your abilities (transportation, yard work, etc…)

Better facilitate human interaction. It also allows for the needs of the city to flow into the church.

Cost is $1 per active member of the church.

1:54—getting ready for Shane Hipps

END…LUNCH. Be back at 2pm

11:52—Christianity is a religion that critiques religion…it’s an institution that critiques itself.

Pyro Theology: the only church that illuminates is a burning one (a Spanish heretic quotation). The church should be in flames…consumed. What is the church that burns…burns down sometimes, burns with fire? He wants to create space to engage in Tranformance Art, encounter one another and a radical conversion movement.

When 17 had a moment when his substance changed. Was dead and then alive. Not a religious sense. Christianity promises substantive transformation…for a lucky some it happens in church.

11:46—Rob: We are not the Bread of Life but can create space to give people a wife of the Bread…to get people get a whiff of God. Talk about that.

IKON evangelism gets people the the space of not needing God…trys to convince God is not there nor needed in order for people to have space to find him. Get people to the point of not needing God…WE do not give God, God gives God (Augustine). They dont give people God at IKON, but create space in order for people to find him.

11:37—Preaching is not descriptive, but performative. Not primarily trying to convince this….but do something. Parables try to get beyond the head and rupture something in the heart. We are called to create ruptures. Preaching is not giving water to those thirsty…its about giving salt to naked thirsty people to create thirst.

11:31—Rob: You talk about the cognitive self…the center from you actually live. The sermon is about affecting the cognitive self…unless that center is violently rocked you can keep believing with the outer self. But how does rhetoric transform the cognitive self.

Pete: Often people believe through the minister…or with a band that plays an emotional self they cry on your behalf. In the church as long as Rob believes we dont have to take belief seriously ourself. That happened with his first book…where people affirmed doubt and irony and insurrection, but they continued to allowed the structure to believe on their behalf (ie singing songs that Jesus is your boyfriend).

We need to convince the structure to change…which leads to our own change. Rebirth: you dont experience birth it is what opens you up to experience. Religious experience is not an experience, God is that which transforms how I interact with all objects in the world. he isn’t an object in the world, but transforms how I interact with the world.

11:24—Preaching is a Transformational Art where you try to convince the social self the inner self.

The church is the site of insurection…that is not about convincing the mind but transforming the social self.

*there was a 12 min of stories and parables that was difficult to blog…

11:07—Rob: Had a meal with IKON (a once a month something else non-church gathering the Pete heads up in belfast.) Tell us about IKON. Examples of what has been done.

Pete: Sometimes you need to give up values in order to get new ones. That was IKON. Had drink with French teacher and said he wanted to do something in that Pub. Wanted to do something of spirituality and faith and poetry and music.

What does it look like: Have groups that meet around monthly gathering. non-membership course…not a member and do the non-membership course with a card that a non-memeber. Very key because they are trying to think for themselves and take responsibility for own beliefs. Role of a Christian leaders is to refuse to lead…a vital role. Someone has to refuse to lead and not take responsibility. Real role of the analyst is for the person to push back and refuse to be an analyst…we need people to refuse to analyze, but to put it back on people.

Last supper: 12 people meet over wine in upper room and invite a guest to share what they believe and why…if not like it its their last summer. Omega course…12 week course in how to exit Christianity (in response to Alpha course) Lots of people wanting to exit…its about exiting toxic religion and getting to a place to ask any questions.

Evangelism team: a group that waits to be evangelized and ask people to evangelize them in different religious groups. Powerless evangelism. Your ability to open up and listen creates good space.

Read great anti-christian thinkers to listen and learned and be transformed and changed by them during Lent.

Main gathering: Transformance Art—designed to facilitate a provocation, rupture and transformation.

10:51—Rob Bell’s good friend Pete Rollins. Interview style…

Prayer…END

10:15—A sermon is about helping people see this new creation with their own eyes.

Everything It brings hope not rooted in escape but engagement, not in evacuation but reclamation, not in leaving but in staying and overcoming. The resurrection is not rooted in a disembodied evacuation, but hope for this world that God is renewing, reconciling, etc…up til the escape is just hanging around (or DRESS REHEARSAL as Rick Warren says!) The hope for resurrection begins here and now. The engine of the hope comes from 1) something has gone down in resurrection that has affected everything here and now…or 2) something may happen somewhere in some time that may be nice…

A sermon is never surprised when grace, beauty, meaning, order, compassion, truth and love shows up in all sorts of unexpected people and places because it always has been God’s world, it is God’s world and it always will be God’s world.

The whole world is our rhetorical toolbox, because its all God’s

Only allowed to draw truth from a few agreed upon sources? What’s Paul doing when he uses the poets from his day. If it helps my case then I can use it. “All truth is God’s truth.”

Of course there has been a significant amount of rebellion, disruption, sin…of course

but the resurrection is about a whole new creation bursting forth in the midst of us now. our task is to help people to have the eyes to see it for themselves.

The story anticipates the coming day and lives in the coming day right now….

So…there are just a few thoughts.

10:04—Implications: business (work, wage, things we need) is rooted in a common good.) What does it look like to think interterms of shalom of creation…triple bottom line: profits, environment, and people. If Gen 3 begins the story, then a split between Soil and Spirit: what I’ve been called to is simply to get out of the earth then the spiritual is all that matters (which is a classic GNOSTIC and PLATONIC way of thinking)…so the business woman’s work here on earth means nothing. In Gen 1 and 2 everything is united and blessed.

Art…got distracted…didnt get this one.

Rabbis say: God begins the story by separating light from dark…and that is our task. Discernment is the virtue for art.

We disparage art when we cant appreciate it for what it is and instead have to redeem it for a HIGHER PURPOSE.

Justice: Problems are in distribution…not the earth. Whats gotten in the way is disruption, participation…justice issues are things in their proper place. Justice is a natural part of the story God is telling.

If the story is about Gen 1 and 2 then God is putting everything back together.

“A sermon, then, is the continuing insistence that through the resurrection of Jesus a whole new world is bursting forth right here in the midst of this one and everybody everywhere can be part of it.”

*I wonder why it isnt that its the “continuing insistence that through the LIFE, DEATH, AND resurrection of Jesus a whole new world is bursting forth” There is this stark absence of the death of Christ on the Cross in this Story. I’m confused why that is the case considering that for the gospels it is a significant part of THEIR story…

9:48—He gets concerned people passing God as they are going up and He is coming down…laugh

John does something interesting

John 2-water into wine and first sign; 4 jesus heals the officials son; 5 heals at the pool; 6 bread; 6 water; 9 blind man; 11 raises lazerus from the dead, number 7. 7 is the number of creation.

When Jesus is resurrected in John 20…the eighth sign. If seven refers to the 1st week of creation, 8 refers to the 1st week of NEW CREATION. (hmmm, never heard that before)

Mary first thinks Jesus is a…GARDNER.

Old creation has a death problem…NEW CREATION doesn’t. Story is about Jesus’ resurrection beginning a new creation right here in the midst of this one. When we preach resurrection something big is going down in the midst of THIS creation now.

Story about resurreciton is God reaffirming goodness of creation. Free to take part of the creation and embrace it and guide it…it reminds us of the goodness of creation. Death that has stained and corrupted creation…under it all God called it good because he came to renew, reconcile, and restore. He is looking for helpers to do that….

The story is about anticipating the coming day when heaven and earth are one again (Heaven is where God is storing the earth’s future. ??) The story is about here and there coming together. When Jesus teaches to pray…live now in anticipation of what God will do for all of creation. Eternal life and life of heaven here and now…properly participating with God now.

*note: where was anything about the Christ Event…life…DEATH? He deals with Creation, Rebellion and Re-Creation…but not Rescue, very little with the Rescue Event of Christ and the Event of the Cross in particular….why? So what was the point of Christ: to simply start New Creation? Was there a real reason? Is the problem us? Is the real problem ME?

9:40—The story is about:

Renewing all things

Restoring all things

Reconciling all things (col 3)

ALL THINGS= means ALL THINGS. Jesus, Peter, Paul is about reconciling and rewnewing…ALL THINGS.

(then said there are a whole lot of theological things that could be said…but didnt say them…UNIVERSALISM?!)

If the Story begins in Gen 3 the Story is about getting rid of THE PROBLEM. It is the removal of sin.

If you begin in Gen 1 its about restoration of Shalom.

Central Argument: People listening to the sermon begin to pick up the larger story based on the bits and pieces you give them. If it begins in Gen 3 they will pick up the Story is about getting rid of sin. if you start in 1 its about the restoration of shalom. The removal of Sin is apart of the restoration of shalom, but must take its proper place.

Beginning in Gen 3 is telling people what people ARENT. In Gen 1 its What you ARE.

An evangelism method that begins with convinving people they are sinners is driven by a particular understanding of what the story is. Might be beginning late…need to begin at the beginning.

How about painting a picture of the GOOD world God created. Perhaps starting there and what it means to be human sin makes more sense…people get disruption of shalom and their participation in that.

If you begin in Gen 3 then the goal is disembodied evacuation….this place is jacked up and we need to leave, let me tell you how. Its easy to see the materiality as fallen….soil, wine, air is not fallen. Materiality is not the issue, but rebellion…the posture of the human heart and disruption of shalom. If only hear Gen 3 its easy to see as the MATERIAL as fundamentally flawed, except its the way God created it at the beginning.

Or participatory physicality…is the story about getting us out of here or about proper participation with our Creator in the ongoing creation of the world…bringing increase shalom to our world that he called God. if underneath it all, the preacher believes the action is somewhere else…people will pick that up after awhile.

9:32—Gen 3: The disruption of Shalom. There is proper shalom with each other, creation, and Creator. Multiple dimensions of Shalom. With Sin entering in you have a disruption of Shalom. We participate in disrupting shalom every time we sin…there is a way God intended things and we participate in that disruption.

Also a rebellion to the hierarchy. Sin is any way we rebel against the hierarchy. When we look to the physical to meet needs that only God can meet we look to the earth to fulfill what God only can we rebel against the hierarchy.

Participation: How do we participate in anyway that doesnt take Creation in the proper direction

Missing: Sin is missing the mark…this beautiful picture that Genesis paints. Gen. 3 is not how it begins or how it ends.

When we tell the story, we must make sure rebellion takes its proper place within the larger story. Sin, depravity, fallen nature is a temporary nature…must be taken seriously, but has its proper place. Need to make sure we get the parts properly aligned.

*Sounds much like a little project I published last year (shameless self plug alert!)

Confession: is admission, recognition, declaration, and agreement

Repentence is RETURN. God invites us to return to our proper place in Creation. Creation is headed somewhere and we have a proper place in Creation…and repentence is returning to that proper place.

9:25—The story starts on EARTH. The end of the Bible. Rev 21.

The ending of the Story is HERE. Earth. It ends here on earth and the descriptions are very physical and participatory. The story starts here and the story ends here. Where the story ends is Here and at that point there isnt some place else, but God is here dwelling with us.

If you were to take sin out of the Bible you would have pamphlet. You would have 4 chapters: Gen 1 and 2, Rev 21 and 22. It starts with a Garden and ends with a City. Without sin you still have a movement. The earth is going somewhere. (reminds me of my prof friends book: HEAVEN IS A PLACE ON EARTH, by Dr. Mike Wittmer.)

When we look at the story it starts and ends here.

9:21—Gen 1:11-At the beginning, the Creator (who is distinct from creation…the creation is not to be worshiped) endowed the Creation to make more of itself…to produce and sprout. The creation is going somewhere, it has been given the ability to make more. They are empowered. Trees can make more trees. It is dynamic, not static, tomorrow will be different than today. The first people are placed in something that must be steward and guided…but thats going somewhere.

Gen 1:26,28-Creation is headed somwehere to properly order, guide, and steward. It provides, but cannot use it in such a way that it wont provide. There is harmoney, but within hierarchy, based on a Creator, who creates a Creation, and people are placed over Creation and have responsibility over it. If they try to be God it wont work, if they worship Creation that wont work. A harmoney that is in its proper place..theres an appropriate ordering of Creation.

Gen 1:28, 22—Soil and Spirit are united (ontologically?) God BLESSES creation…the action is here…not somwhere out there. Soil and Spirit are united…heaven and earth are one. There isn’t “somewhere else.” In Gen 1 and 2 it is all blessed holy and sacred. This is how the story starts. What ever it is that we love about life is all right here: asthetics, making things, relationships/partnership, worship, exploration, organizing, naming, learning, responsibiliy….everything we love to do is traceable to Gen 1 and 2.

*Initial thought: is there an ontologically distinction between Soil and Spirit? Seems like he said so before, but now not so sure….I appreciate him recognizing the beginning of the story is KEY, ebcause it shapes the rest. We are not going to be beamed off earth at the end, because we are earthlings, earth really is our home!

9:14—Where and how you begin the story and where and how you end the story shape and determine what story you’re telling. We sermonize out of whatever we think is the big big deep deep story that undergirds the whole thing. The first part of this sessions, is on the Story…

9:12—Rob Bell. Praying

9:00—Starting…with a vid

8:44—Todays Schedule:

9am: Rob Bell-The Story We’re Telling

11am: Pete Rollins-Returning to the New-An Intro to Transformance Art

2pm: Shane Hipps-How Technology Shapes the Sermon

7pm: Rob Bell-The Fig Tree and the Failure of Language

8:27—TEST….35 min till the big day. Read Sundays HERE.

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I am live blogging the Rob Bell, Shane Hipps and Pete Rollins, event in Grand Rapids for Zondervan. New posts are at the top with content and commentary. Feel free to jump in with your ideas, reactions, and opinions.
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MONDAY’S LIVE BLOG HERE.

My fiance and I were reflecting on the talk and event last night on our drive afterwards. One of the things that was striking is how it seemed as thought Rob divested the art form from the textual event that occurs within the sermon. It seemed as though on one side was the Art of the Sermon and the other the Text beneath the Sermon. From this angle it doesn’t seem to matter, then, what the interpretation is or theology is that undergirds the Sermon Event, because any variety of Textual Interpretations can be performed within this event. While not explicitly stated in these terms, I wonder if these three fellas will make as stark a distinction between the Art vs. the Text of the Sermon. From my perspective, both are interdependent and linked: the end product of the Art is directly determined by what we do with the Text…God has chosen to use broken humans to communicate His Text, thus in some ways it seems as though the outcome of the Text is in some way dependent upon the Art. The prophets, apostles, and even Jesus used artistic means to provoke, encourage, exhort, correct etc…using the Word of God. The Words of God, the Text of God, became Flesh through the words and performance of many different men, but the end result was still grounded in the Text and a good, sturdy interpretation…

Anyway, these were some initial thoughts. Any feedback from what you’ve read about the night? Any other PPP attenders want to give their impressions?

8:25—DONE…COME BACK TOMORROW 9AM!

8:24—Announced 3 counselors available to chat with for pastors who are burned out. Rob sharing how one of the counselors basically saved him and his ministry.

8:15—Demographics Count: California, Oregon, Hawaii, PA, MS, Sweden! Florida, Canadians (yay!), England, Netherlands, Scotland, Mexico, TEXAS (hahaha), New Zealand, Australia, Kenya! WELCOME WORLD TO GRAP! Announcements…

Prayed

8:10—Some are coming here burnt out. Hopefully people come away refreshed and recommitted…that people will not JUST GIVE SERMONS JUST OT GET THROUGH IT. But that we bring our absolute best…that we are so committed to the text and the art of sermoning again. Maybe its about creating boundaries to put the time in…or creating disciplines to create a collection of things to talk about. The hope and prayer is that people have a renewed sense that I am a person who has the right to speak what is in my belly.

8:06—The real transformation is when TALKS START TALKS. The person upfront used to be the person who had the last word. They had the authority to say this is how to think…it ended the discussion. They fix it and solve and boom…done! For Jesus its more less about ending the discussion, but starting…less about the last word, but the first. Preaching is STARTING a discussion…but not just wishy because it is a proclamation…but it should start something.

The hope and dream is that people start embodying the Text…which comes through discussion and conversation.

8:02—Words create new worlds.

The sermon has the power to create new worlds….people hear something they need to hear at the exact moment…which you cannot explain or prepare for. But there are moments for people when our worlds from the sermon paints whole new worlds for people. So there is a humility that comes…only capable of so much, we are bumbling idiots who are trying to tell the story.

Through this art form unbelievable things have happend throughout history becayse of people standing up and SPEAKING.

here is the agenda: Theological (what is the story), to conceptual (how to do it and prepare), practical (what is a commentary, etc…), and personal (things that work for Rob).

8:00—When you speak a fresh word its like riding your bike across Iran…Often times we want all that comes with speaking the fresh word but NOT THE OTHER. You might get some funny looks. Some sneared…others wanted more.

Why is he passionate about this art form and committed to helping to reclaiming? There is a reason…this poem from the Bible: “And God said…” SPEAKING. Of all the ways the poet could have used to describe the creation of the universe is the image of the Divine SPEAKING. Words create new worlds. You had thought something for a while but didnt share…have wrestled…but then heard someone else say it publicly and you learned you weren’t alone. You were thinking things and what was happening in your understanding of God, Jesus, Church, etc…in your heart is that you were coming to a realization is that the story is even better and bigger and more mysterious…and if I even whisper this I could get fired…but then you heard someone say it publicly with a mic on…who gets paid to say these things…and it changed things.

7:55—First time played there was a riot and fights broke out because the controversial and provocative nature. There is a chance that what is foreign and shocking it is ahead of the time. Misinterpretation and confusion and anger and ignorance and fear and jealousy and evaluation and crituque and agendas and baggage and convictions and projections and the possibiliyt of truth and light and hope and reprentance and esire and compassiona and revolution and confession and inspirtation and comfort and solidarity and salvation and resurrection….BUT YOU NEED THE ONE IN ORDER THE GET TO THE OTHER.

When you ’sermon’ you open yourself up to the former, but then the later comes….AMEN from the crowd.

Reclaiming the art of the sermon is ACTS 17…some of them sneared but others said WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU AGAIN ON THIS SUBJECT. regarding the resurrection. When you tell a sermon you get both the snears and the I WANT TO HEAR MORE….it just comes with the territory.

Played “Rights of Spring”

7:50—Now talking about Jesus’ first sermon…His first sermon is provocative, loaded, and a warning. It wasnt nice and encouraged holding hands…sometimes the sermon is loaded with implications and warnings and sometimes the sermon demands PROVOKING. Sometimes it is witness, an invitation, and pure provocation.

So far I think he is right on…I am in seminary studying to be a pastor and cant wait to be in a context where I can regularly live out what is happening in the “pulpit” but what I’ve expereicned so far in my context (which has been great) reminds me a lot of what he is saying…real encouraging. People get what he’s saying…my guess the BULK are pastors. Interesting demographics: mostly young, but also aged and middle-ers too. From glancing, it seems ‘emergenty.’ Anyway, great gut content from one of the church’s best communicators right now…

7:45—Mark 1:15. Sometimes its an invitation…a big wide, open, giant inclusive invitation that something hige is happening…sometimes it is witness, it is gurilla fever (boom its in and gone and people need to just processes through it) and sometimes its an invitation.

Its also a fresh word…and its implicit critique. When you stand up with a new word…you are saying something with that new word AGAINST the old. Its the first punch without realizing it. Weve glimpsed the invitation of Jesus…and then must SHARE IT…and how it is against the old. And most of us dont realize it!

7:38—More difficulties…but set. Now talking about the idea of sermon as performance art. That when we preach we are bringing Jesus to people. Acts 4. And its the feeling that we cannot wait to bring this….you’ve witnessed something in the Text with Christ that you have to share it, speaki it, tell it, point it, express it, preach it…and if not you’ll spontaneously combust.

7:21—It was a revival at a fair, and 13 people showed, it was at a racetrack…they were in the stand. and it was WAYYYY across the track. So he got down rushed for them opened his bible and a gust of wind blew the notes away…NAKED AND VULNERABLE IN PUBLIC!

For many of us we are up there, giving it all you have, but you are naked and lonley. How many have had this experience? WHY DO PEOPLE PUT THEMSELVED THROUGH THIS?! It is a sacred, LETHAL art form. You get hurt….you walk off and say WHAT WAS THAT?! Get pastors hangover. We put ourselves through this…

7:19—Lost 9 min. because of security…thought I was a rogue blogger. Apparently he is telling the story of his first preaching experience. SORRY!

7:10—Rob on stage….dearly beloved. gthered today to talk about the sermon. clapping. If you ask person on street about word SERMON what do you think…memories, images, association. Here intelligent, provokative, healing, revoltionary, holy…or other words. Gathered here to reclaim the sermon. Its a brilliant, primal art form. need new generation to embrace it as compelling art form it is. As the world gets more twitterized…actional people in an actual room with an actual flesh and blood talking in actual realtime about things that actually mattered will begin to happen. Fully convinced this art form will have a resurgence. As less people have faith in it it will be counter cultural and counter intuitive.

For most the sermon is to be endured. Something you get through…lifeless….dont thinkg DONT MISS THAT. Its going to be SOMETHING. It is to be endured.

For others it is to be evaluated. 2 questions: 1) DID YOU LIKE IT? Sermon is like trousers or a sweater…for others 2) DID THEY DO A GOOD JOB.

7:05—Stating…with a vid∏ with a guy holding a CONDOS NOW SELLING sign…flipping it around in all these different poses….

6:45pm—TEST…PPP starts in 15 min. I will be posting 5 min segments or so, including the content of the sessions and my own commentary in “*”

ENJOY!

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