Theoblogy is a good place to go if you want to know a little something about the emerging church.
Click here and then scroll to the bottom for a a paper Tony ones wrote and presented at a lecture series at Wheaton College.
The "Without Autority" series is good too. Start here.
Saturday, June 30, 2007
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Marriage and Spirituality
According to a 2004 study conducted by Peter Larson and David Olson, 81% of couples who have low positive couple agreement on spiritual matter have marriages that are very low in quality. Only 15% of these couples have a terrific marriage.
Conversely, nearly half of high quality marriages have high positive couple agreement on spiritual matters while 32% of these couples have very low quality marriages.
So, positive couple agreement on spiritual matters appears to help marriages have higher quality, but even more so it appears that it buffers against low quality marriages.
It is very important to be on the same page spiritually.
Conversely, nearly half of high quality marriages have high positive couple agreement on spiritual matters while 32% of these couples have very low quality marriages.
So, positive couple agreement on spiritual matters appears to help marriages have higher quality, but even more so it appears that it buffers against low quality marriages.
It is very important to be on the same page spiritually.
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
The Power To Name
Looking to the early part of the book of Genesis we find an interesting task given to humans. Apparently God created animals and creatures, but they had no names. There was not fox or goat or cow, but ther were four-legged creatures that had distinct differences. God gave humans the task of naming.
Oh, but God also gave humans the task of caring for the animals. Naming the animals was helpful to the task of caring.
The power to name is a great power. When a name sticks, it is the way by which others identify someone or something. When I was in college I was given the name, Fajita. That was 20 years ago. The blog you are reading is part of the legacy of the someone giving me a name.
The power to name is like other powers given to humans: The power of fire, the power of creativity, the power of influence. Each of these powers has positive and negative potentials.
I am of the opinion that the power to name is one of hte most abused powers by humans. People name other people constantly. These names give rank order to people, crowning some as kings and mocking others as meaningless.
You see it on the playground. Kids make decisions about other kids and then assign names to them.
You see it in the office. You don't have to be in the office environment long to know who has what name and what those names mean.
It is in every aspect of life. Names are used to ingroup and outgroup people. Christian denominations have names so you can immediately categorize them and know their beliefs.
The dark side of names is that they create a false knowledge of something and serve as a way to bypass the important work of gaining actual knowledge of something. Lots of people who have been near each other in work settings have never gotten to know each other because there was an assumed knowledge based on the accepted name of the person, and not the person himself.
Have you ever been the victim of receiving a name that lead lots of people to believe something about you that was not true?
Oh, but God also gave humans the task of caring for the animals. Naming the animals was helpful to the task of caring.
The power to name is a great power. When a name sticks, it is the way by which others identify someone or something. When I was in college I was given the name, Fajita. That was 20 years ago. The blog you are reading is part of the legacy of the someone giving me a name.
The power to name is like other powers given to humans: The power of fire, the power of creativity, the power of influence. Each of these powers has positive and negative potentials.
I am of the opinion that the power to name is one of hte most abused powers by humans. People name other people constantly. These names give rank order to people, crowning some as kings and mocking others as meaningless.
You see it on the playground. Kids make decisions about other kids and then assign names to them.
You see it in the office. You don't have to be in the office environment long to know who has what name and what those names mean.
It is in every aspect of life. Names are used to ingroup and outgroup people. Christian denominations have names so you can immediately categorize them and know their beliefs.
The dark side of names is that they create a false knowledge of something and serve as a way to bypass the important work of gaining actual knowledge of something. Lots of people who have been near each other in work settings have never gotten to know each other because there was an assumed knowledge based on the accepted name of the person, and not the person himself.
Have you ever been the victim of receiving a name that lead lots of people to believe something about you that was not true?
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Comfort from Psalm 33
A person can get out of whack moving at the speed of culture. Always feeling the need to catch up, which means feeling constantly behind, can put a person on a permanent caffeine and adrenaline binge. The kinds of things that must be give attention these days makes for good head scratching material.
For example, my Yahoo homepage just showed me that Paris Hilton is out of jail and then it offered me 187 photos of her release. I was not interested in 187 photos of her release. Why is something like this important?
Paris, bless her heart, is the symbol of what Solomon talked about long ago - a chasing after the wind. She is here for a little while and then she will be gone. Something else symbolizing meaninglessness will come and replace her. Then her name will be on a trivia card for some fad game people play to pass the time. After that, she'll be gone forever.
What has given me comfort and hope this morning is Psalm 33. Verse 11 says, "
...the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.
I really like that God's plans cross the span of generations. The very best of my own plans include fundung my retirement (a plan not being well accomplished at this point) and giving my children the kind of love and nurture that prepares them for living life. It is comforting to know that God has got an eye on the big picture.
However, it could be a little troubling to think of God having such grand plans. Do little people who cover a little time span have a part in the plan? Oh yes, as we pick up in verse 18,
...the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love.
God's eyes are able to be big picture and personal at the same time. Today, I will take comfrot in that fact.
For example, my Yahoo homepage just showed me that Paris Hilton is out of jail and then it offered me 187 photos of her release. I was not interested in 187 photos of her release. Why is something like this important?
Paris, bless her heart, is the symbol of what Solomon talked about long ago - a chasing after the wind. She is here for a little while and then she will be gone. Something else symbolizing meaninglessness will come and replace her. Then her name will be on a trivia card for some fad game people play to pass the time. After that, she'll be gone forever.
What has given me comfort and hope this morning is Psalm 33. Verse 11 says, "
...the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.
I really like that God's plans cross the span of generations. The very best of my own plans include fundung my retirement (a plan not being well accomplished at this point) and giving my children the kind of love and nurture that prepares them for living life. It is comforting to know that God has got an eye on the big picture.
However, it could be a little troubling to think of God having such grand plans. Do little people who cover a little time span have a part in the plan? Oh yes, as we pick up in verse 18,
...the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love.
God's eyes are able to be big picture and personal at the same time. Today, I will take comfrot in that fact.
Saturday, June 23, 2007
Limping back to the blogosphere
This has been a terrible week.
1. For a solid week I have had so much stomach pain that I believed I had an ulcer. I got checked and the doc says nope. It is a nasty gastritis. A creepy and persistent virus. I am going on 8 days and still I am afraid to eat a full meal. I was supposed to be in Nashville at a wedding. Instead, I was taking many trips to the bathroom. Sorry Kiki & Biggie. Here's a tip: buy stock in TUMS, Prilosec, and Tylenol.
2. I can't get into it on the blog, but someone I care very much for is in trouble and his world is tearing at the seams. If you are a praying person, please pray for "Fajita's Friend."
Finally, a ray of hope. I felt good enough to throw a line int he local fishing hole. Out came a four pound bass. It was big and beautiful. I was proud to show my kids and then I let it go.
1. For a solid week I have had so much stomach pain that I believed I had an ulcer. I got checked and the doc says nope. It is a nasty gastritis. A creepy and persistent virus. I am going on 8 days and still I am afraid to eat a full meal. I was supposed to be in Nashville at a wedding. Instead, I was taking many trips to the bathroom. Sorry Kiki & Biggie. Here's a tip: buy stock in TUMS, Prilosec, and Tylenol.
2. I can't get into it on the blog, but someone I care very much for is in trouble and his world is tearing at the seams. If you are a praying person, please pray for "Fajita's Friend."
Finally, a ray of hope. I felt good enough to throw a line int he local fishing hole. Out came a four pound bass. It was big and beautiful. I was proud to show my kids and then I let it go.
Sunday, June 17, 2007
Saturday, June 16, 2007
The following is extremely disturbing
(HT emergesque, from Darrin Patrick (via Mark Driscoll):
Pastors
Fifteen hundred pastors leave the ministry each month due to moral failure, spiritual burnout, or contention in their churches.
Fifty percent of pastors' marriages will end in divorce.
Eighty percent of pastors and eighty-four percent of their spouses feel unqualified and discouraged in their role as pastors.
Fifty percent of pastors are so discouraged that they would leave the ministry if they could, but have no other way of making a living.
Eighty percent of seminary and Bible school graduates who enter the ministry will leave the ministry within the first five years.
Seventy percent of pastors constantly fight depression.
Almost forty percent polled said they have had an extra-marital affair since beginning their ministry.
Seventy percent said the only time they spend studying the Word is when they are preparing their sermons.
Pastors' Wives
Eighty percent of pastors' spouses feel their spouse is overworked.
Eighty percent of pastors' spouses wish their spouse would choose another profession.
The majority of pastors’ wives surveyed said that the most destructive event that has occurred in their marriage and family was the day they entered the ministry.
My commentary:
These numbers are shocking to the point of appearing inflated. Nonetheless, I believe they tell a story, a true story about the church.
It might be easy to say that Satan attacks ministers and pastors more than other people. It might also say that we have made it easy for Satan to make such assaults. Churches may be doing the work of Satan. We have constructed a religious system that makes it next to impossible for ministers to be spiritual.
Pastor burnout is in large measure a church structure problem. Outsourcing spiritual development to pastors like we do in churches these days is crazy.
Essentially we have placed a person in charge of creating spiritual community in an unspiritual and individualistic culture. When spiritual development and community do not happen, we find the pastor an easy scapegoat.
Church is broken and burned-out pastors are the measure of it.
(HT emergesque, from Darrin Patrick (via Mark Driscoll):
Pastors
Fifteen hundred pastors leave the ministry each month due to moral failure, spiritual burnout, or contention in their churches.
Fifty percent of pastors' marriages will end in divorce.
Eighty percent of pastors and eighty-four percent of their spouses feel unqualified and discouraged in their role as pastors.
Fifty percent of pastors are so discouraged that they would leave the ministry if they could, but have no other way of making a living.
Eighty percent of seminary and Bible school graduates who enter the ministry will leave the ministry within the first five years.
Seventy percent of pastors constantly fight depression.
Almost forty percent polled said they have had an extra-marital affair since beginning their ministry.
Seventy percent said the only time they spend studying the Word is when they are preparing their sermons.
Pastors' Wives
Eighty percent of pastors' spouses feel their spouse is overworked.
Eighty percent of pastors' spouses wish their spouse would choose another profession.
The majority of pastors’ wives surveyed said that the most destructive event that has occurred in their marriage and family was the day they entered the ministry.
My commentary:
These numbers are shocking to the point of appearing inflated. Nonetheless, I believe they tell a story, a true story about the church.
It might be easy to say that Satan attacks ministers and pastors more than other people. It might also say that we have made it easy for Satan to make such assaults. Churches may be doing the work of Satan. We have constructed a religious system that makes it next to impossible for ministers to be spiritual.
Pastor burnout is in large measure a church structure problem. Outsourcing spiritual development to pastors like we do in churches these days is crazy.
Essentially we have placed a person in charge of creating spiritual community in an unspiritual and individualistic culture. When spiritual development and community do not happen, we find the pastor an easy scapegoat.
Church is broken and burned-out pastors are the measure of it.
Adolescent Self-Disclosure
The very thing we think adolescents would dread doing is the very thing that keeps them safe. That thing is self-disclosure to their parents.
However, the conditions need to be right. Adolescent self-disclosure is precious flower which will bloom, wants to bloom, but only under the right conditions.
Parents who think they have some sort of right to have their adolescents disclose their lives to them at the parent's whim are very wrong-headed about their relationship with their teen. Controling a teen's self-disclosure is only going to result in the teen feeling controlled - and probably resorting to decpetion or stonewalling.
No, the considitons need to be just right.
My question to you:
What are the conditions under which an adolescent would willingly volunteer sensitive information to his or her parents?
However, the conditions need to be right. Adolescent self-disclosure is precious flower which will bloom, wants to bloom, but only under the right conditions.
Parents who think they have some sort of right to have their adolescents disclose their lives to them at the parent's whim are very wrong-headed about their relationship with their teen. Controling a teen's self-disclosure is only going to result in the teen feeling controlled - and probably resorting to decpetion or stonewalling.
No, the considitons need to be just right.
My question to you:
What are the conditions under which an adolescent would willingly volunteer sensitive information to his or her parents?
Friday, June 15, 2007
Let's See Where This Gets Me...the rest of the story
I know that thousands of you are waiting on the edge of your seats to hear about my interactions with the St. Paul police department concerning a cheap-skate, no fair P.O.C. parking ticket they gave me. My letter is here.
I never sent to the letter as I learned that the one and only way to appeal this ticket was to go to St. Paul beg face to face with a hearing officer. I bet a lot of people just pay their tickets because who has time to dicker?
Well, although I have no extra time for this kind of thing, I have more time than money, so I made the trip downtown to a very nice justice center. This was eat off the floor nice.
I stood in line for 5 minutes. Not bad, but considering I was the ONLY person in line, the customer service could use a little tune up.
I was made to wait, but not too long, until I could speak with the hearing officeer. This guy was stradling retirement and the cementary, but hey, I hope I am still contributing to society when I am his age.
He had me sit down in his office and said, "So, you have a parking ticket and you have something you'd like to say?"
It was not too intimidating. I felt like I had a good case with the shifty switcharoo on the no parking signs and all. I made my case trying to balance logic with being a sympathetic person. I felt like I was making good progress, but then he said, "Well, I hear what you're saying, but I can't say that the polic officer did anything wrong."
What? I thought, why the Hell does someone have to be wrong? I didn't come here to prove anyone wrong. If anyone is wrong it is the sign changers, not the ticket issuers. When he gave me the condescending, "I hear what you're saying..." bit, I figured I was sunk.
I wanted to grab this jacker by the shirt and say, "Now you listen to me. I've parked in the same spot 200 hundred days in a row. I practically own the spot. I know people. I know Jack Bauer. I AM JACK BAUER. Now are you going to waive the damn ticket or is this going to get ugly?"
But the guy being no less than 80 years old and since I am not actually Jack Bauer, I became even more logical and sympathetic. I plead my case further.
He cut a deal with me. $5 and I was free.
I never sent to the letter as I learned that the one and only way to appeal this ticket was to go to St. Paul beg face to face with a hearing officer. I bet a lot of people just pay their tickets because who has time to dicker?
Well, although I have no extra time for this kind of thing, I have more time than money, so I made the trip downtown to a very nice justice center. This was eat off the floor nice.
I stood in line for 5 minutes. Not bad, but considering I was the ONLY person in line, the customer service could use a little tune up.
I was made to wait, but not too long, until I could speak with the hearing officeer. This guy was stradling retirement and the cementary, but hey, I hope I am still contributing to society when I am his age.
He had me sit down in his office and said, "So, you have a parking ticket and you have something you'd like to say?"
It was not too intimidating. I felt like I had a good case with the shifty switcharoo on the no parking signs and all. I made my case trying to balance logic with being a sympathetic person. I felt like I was making good progress, but then he said, "Well, I hear what you're saying, but I can't say that the polic officer did anything wrong."
What? I thought, why the Hell does someone have to be wrong? I didn't come here to prove anyone wrong. If anyone is wrong it is the sign changers, not the ticket issuers. When he gave me the condescending, "I hear what you're saying..." bit, I figured I was sunk.
I wanted to grab this jacker by the shirt and say, "Now you listen to me. I've parked in the same spot 200 hundred days in a row. I practically own the spot. I know people. I know Jack Bauer. I AM JACK BAUER. Now are you going to waive the damn ticket or is this going to get ugly?"
But the guy being no less than 80 years old and since I am not actually Jack Bauer, I became even more logical and sympathetic. I plead my case further.
He cut a deal with me. $5 and I was free.
15 years and they're still good
I have a few CDs that are over 15 years old. A few of those I listen to maybe a couple times a year. The songs are powerful, meaningful, and not only take me back, but push me ahead. I think good music does that.
Sometimes I listen to the classic rock station and a song will trigger a memory, but that is not what I am talking about with the following three CDs.
Here are 3 CDs over 15 years old that I am still moved by.
1. Of course, The Joshua Tree, by U2 1987.
Best song: "I Still Haven't found What I'm looking For"
2. The Indigo Girls self titled album from 1989.
Best Song: "Prince of Darkness"
3. Never Picture Perfect, by Rich Mullins 1989.
Best Song: "Bound To Come Some Trouble"
If you know this music, then you know something about the deepest part of me. You know I'm often conflicted, looking for relief and not finding it, defiant, hopeful, like to find light through darkness, and a whole lot more.
What do you still listen to after 15 years?
Sometimes I listen to the classic rock station and a song will trigger a memory, but that is not what I am talking about with the following three CDs.
Here are 3 CDs over 15 years old that I am still moved by.
1. Of course, The Joshua Tree, by U2 1987.
Best song: "I Still Haven't found What I'm looking For"
2. The Indigo Girls self titled album from 1989.
Best Song: "Prince of Darkness"
3. Never Picture Perfect, by Rich Mullins 1989.
Best Song: "Bound To Come Some Trouble"
If you know this music, then you know something about the deepest part of me. You know I'm often conflicted, looking for relief and not finding it, defiant, hopeful, like to find light through darkness, and a whole lot more.
What do you still listen to after 15 years?
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