If you know me at all, you know I have a strong dislike of "Contemporary Christian Music." Its production value is usually lame. Its style is at least five years behind. Its system is no different than the big studios. Its artists are pretty and busty and unless they are really really good, there isn't an ugo among them. But mostly, I dislike CCM because it is lazy; its metaphors are lazy, the repetition is lazy, if you are going to praise God then you darn well better do it to the best of your God given abilities.
There are some exceptions. Just about any CC song based on a Psalm falls into my exception category. The Psalms were written to be sung. They were written with to be sung with strong emotion. They were not written to be plainsong to death or chanted by a tired, slovenly music director or read in somber unison by a parish eager to move onto the the sermon.
Psalm 150 can not be read with sadness. Psalm 150 can not be sung as a dirge. Psalm 150 tells you that as it begins with Hallelujah! and ends with "Let everything that has breath praise the Lord."
This might prove both sides to my point, but here's a CCM attempt to live into Psalm 150.
Showing posts with label links. Show all posts
Showing posts with label links. Show all posts
April 6, 2010
February 25, 2010
trouble all around
This week, I was intruiged on textweek.com by a post entitled, "That's why they call it the blues." Not one of my usual resources, but interesting this week, at least, Peter Woods expanded Jesus' epithet toward Herod in an interesting way. As we come off his temptation in the wilderness, where Satan tempted him with food, power, and protection, and then left until an opportune time, we see in our Gospel lesson for Lent 2 that trouble continues to come from all sides.
Herod, the fox in the hen house, is obviously a concern, but Peter notes that there is trouble from the skies too, Rome. One of the key symbols of Rome's military might was that of the eagle.
Peter writes, "As a caring lover of all people, Jesus knew how threatened the vulnerable chicks of Israel were. The poor, the widows, the outcasts, were at the mercy of the Foxy Herod and the Roman Eagle. In a homely farmyard metaphor, Jesus likens himself to the vulnerable hen who, despite the danger to herself, gathers her chicks when the eagle is soaring and the fox is stalking. Did he know even then that Herod and Caesar would rip him apart at the end? Jesus sang the blues"
Trouble is all around for Jesus, but he has already set his face toward Jerusalem and knows where that will lead. Thank God, literally, for Jesus' faithfulness in spite of all the danger.
February 17, 2010
Ash Wednesday
The folk over at CCBlogs have a great wrap-up of all sorts of thoughts, opinions, and prayers for this Ash Wednesday. I encourage you to click on over... after you've read my sermon for Ash Wednesday, of course.
Today we begin a forty plus six day journey toward the tomb. In a few minutes you will be invited to come forward to receive the ancient symbol of mourning, ashes, upon your brow. In a few minutes we will join with the chorus of believers throughout the generations and lament our sinfulness in reciting Psalm 51. But before we get there, we take a moment to pause and reflect on the Scriptures appointed for this most holy day. Ash Wednesday is a day filled with mystery, but perhaps no more so than the lesson from Joel, a book we only hear read on Ash Wednesday.
There is next to nothing known about the prophet Joel. We aren't sure who he was, where he lived, or when he wrote his prophecies. We don't know if his warnings are about an upcoming military battle or an already past invasion by locusts. What we do know is that the community that God had chosen, his people Israel, were being threatened. Their economy was on the brink of collapse. The very way they ordered themselves was on the in danger. Most importantly they had lost sight of the One through Whom all Things are Made. Joel, whose name means, "YHWH is God" calls the people to gather in prayer. "Blow the trumpet in Zion!" He goes on to describe an impending doom that is unlike anything that has been and unlike anything that will ever happen again, a devastating horde that threatens to destroy everything that God has made.
True to his name, however, Joel reminds the people that even under the threat of utter destruction, YHWH is still God, and God's desire remain the same; that all the earth might come within the reach of his saving embrace. Even in the midst of their sinfulness, God again calls for them to return to him, to repent, to be restored in right relationship by the practices of fasting, weeping, and mourning. But what really matters, the reason this lesson is central to Ash Wednesday and Lent, is the next verse, verse thirteen, "Rend your hearts and not your clothing. Return to the LORD, your God, for his is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and relents from punishing."
In the light of events like the earthquake in Haiti and the crippling blizzards in the northeast, we are reminded over and over again that God's will is a mystery to us. We might understand better now how tectonic plates shift and how weather patterns like el nino and la nina affect our lives, but we still don't know why they happen; they just do. As much as we have come to learn, much still remains a mystery. What we do know, however, what we stated emphatically in our prayer for today is this, "God hates nothing he has made and forgives the sins of all who are penitent." Nothing else on earth may make sense, but that does. God loves everything he has made, and longs to restore to right relationship all who seek his ways.
And so today we take on the outward and visible sign of death and mourning, a cross of ashes upon our foreheads, as we seek the inward and invisible grace that is the rending of our hearts. We admit to YHWH who is the God of all Creation that we have erred and strayed from his ways like lost sheep, we have followed too much the devices and desires of our hearts, we have offended against his holy laws and for that we are truly sorry and we humbly repent and turn back to him. We call upon God who is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and pray that he would relent from the punishment due us, and once again, today, and probably again tomorrow, forgive us for the mistakes we make.
Our God is not a God of vengeance, but a God of love. He longs not for blood, but for restoration. His joy is made complete when we have love for him, for one another, and for his whole creation. Today we blow the trumpet and call together the assembly as we ask God to be true to who he is, to forgive us, and through these next forty plus six days, to help us grow closer to him.
Lord in your mercy. Hear our prayer.
There is next to nothing known about the prophet Joel. We aren't sure who he was, where he lived, or when he wrote his prophecies. We don't know if his warnings are about an upcoming military battle or an already past invasion by locusts. What we do know is that the community that God had chosen, his people Israel, were being threatened. Their economy was on the brink of collapse. The very way they ordered themselves was on the in danger. Most importantly they had lost sight of the One through Whom all Things are Made. Joel, whose name means, "YHWH is God" calls the people to gather in prayer. "Blow the trumpet in Zion!" He goes on to describe an impending doom that is unlike anything that has been and unlike anything that will ever happen again, a devastating horde that threatens to destroy everything that God has made.
True to his name, however, Joel reminds the people that even under the threat of utter destruction, YHWH is still God, and God's desire remain the same; that all the earth might come within the reach of his saving embrace. Even in the midst of their sinfulness, God again calls for them to return to him, to repent, to be restored in right relationship by the practices of fasting, weeping, and mourning. But what really matters, the reason this lesson is central to Ash Wednesday and Lent, is the next verse, verse thirteen, "Rend your hearts and not your clothing. Return to the LORD, your God, for his is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and relents from punishing."
In the light of events like the earthquake in Haiti and the crippling blizzards in the northeast, we are reminded over and over again that God's will is a mystery to us. We might understand better now how tectonic plates shift and how weather patterns like el nino and la nina affect our lives, but we still don't know why they happen; they just do. As much as we have come to learn, much still remains a mystery. What we do know, however, what we stated emphatically in our prayer for today is this, "God hates nothing he has made and forgives the sins of all who are penitent." Nothing else on earth may make sense, but that does. God loves everything he has made, and longs to restore to right relationship all who seek his ways.
And so today we take on the outward and visible sign of death and mourning, a cross of ashes upon our foreheads, as we seek the inward and invisible grace that is the rending of our hearts. We admit to YHWH who is the God of all Creation that we have erred and strayed from his ways like lost sheep, we have followed too much the devices and desires of our hearts, we have offended against his holy laws and for that we are truly sorry and we humbly repent and turn back to him. We call upon God who is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and pray that he would relent from the punishment due us, and once again, today, and probably again tomorrow, forgive us for the mistakes we make.
Our God is not a God of vengeance, but a God of love. He longs not for blood, but for restoration. His joy is made complete when we have love for him, for one another, and for his whole creation. Today we blow the trumpet and call together the assembly as we ask God to be true to who he is, to forgive us, and through these next forty plus six days, to help us grow closer to him.
Lord in your mercy. Hear our prayer.
December 30, 2009
Pointing to Jesus
One of the great things about our five15 service is the ability to play. We play liturgically, we play musically, we play homeletically, and this week we'll play with the lectionary. Since we used the lessons for Christmas Day on the 26th, we'll combine lessons for Christmas 1 and 2 so that we get a chance to hear and play around with the prologue to John's Gospel.
What I love about this piece (which is from the Wikipedia Commons and out of copyright) is how seemingly normal John looks. Sure he's got a pretty big beard, but he's not wearing camel hair and eating wild locusts; he could be any of us. Any of us who chooses to spend their whole life, even to the point of death, pointing to Jesus. John, the evangelist, is clear that John, the witness, was not the light, but pointed to the light. So too should we be doing the same thing, pointing away from ourselves and toward the one who we serve; Jesus, God's Logos, who moved into the neighborhood.
The conversation around this needs more work before Saturday evening, but that's ok, for today, I'm content to sit with Matthias Grunewald while I ponder how I might better point to Jesus.
December 22, 2009
can you see the light?
The Lectionary Brainwave over at workingpreacher.org has been particularly fruitful the past couple of weeks. They noted in their Christmas edition how Augustus attempted to make his power known by moving around pawns in the far reaches of his empire (by calling a Census) while God made his power known by working in and through those who were powerless. There were two hands at work as Mary and Joseph made their way to Bethlehem; one was the power of the empire the other the power of God.
There is so very little in our lives that we are actually in control of. For many, but not all, of our people Christmas Eve will carry the weight of fear this year as the Senate is scheduled to vote on their version of Health Care Reform. Pawns are being moved around, seemingly at the whim of those in "power", and yet Christmas reminds us that God is ultimately in control. His hand works through history and his hand prevails.
This all makes Isaiah's famous line, "those who have lived in darkness will see a great light" all the more powerful this year. In the midst of the fear and darkness that this world has to offer can we see the light? The light is there. It is shining brightly. But we have to open our eyes and crawl out from under the bed to see it. Jesus is the light to enlighten the nations. He is the hope of salvation for all. He is coming, but are you able to see him? If not, try opening your eyes, looking beyond the fear and seeing the hope that is greater than national debt, taxes, health insurance, and government. The hope that exists when God says, "Have no fear!"
December 17, 2009
blessed is she...
I don't have my Bibleworks software installed at home, so I'm just guessing here, but I'd bet dollars for donuts that "blessed is she..." occurs very rarely in Scripture. I am of the opinion that if a word or phrase is not common in Scripture, especially within any given book, then it is worth paying attention to.
So this morning I'm drawn to the end of Elizabeth's oracle of praise as she says, "blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord."
Blessed indeed.
The thing we don't get in Year C is any sense of how we got to Advent 4. There is no story of the annunciation, no immaculate conception, no Mary saying "yes." But she did say "yes" and in so doing changed the course of salvation history. Her yes was a yes for the whole world. Her yes lead to the salvation of all.
As I've prepared for five15 this week, I've realized that there are very few representations of Mary from this pre-incarnation phase of her life. She's either holding the newborn Jesus or weeping at the cross. But what we get here is the extent of her blessing, the fullness of her joy, the vastness of her hope.
I commend to you the art of Virginia Wieringa, especially her pieces Magnificat 1 and Magnificat 2 as I believe she captures the joy (all be it in a muted fashion) of Mary as she stands on the front step of Elizabeth's home realizing just how blessed she is.
December 16, 2009
have you ever read the Magnifcat (pt 2)
I have not.
But fortunately there are people who have degrees and get paid to do so. Three of those people work at Luther Seminary in Minnesota and record a weekly podcast called "Sermon Brainwave." This week they discussed the Magnificat at length and one of the professors noted that it is probably in the gnomic aorist tense.
BAM!
Gnomic aorist probably means nothing to you. It meant nothing to me, until they explained it and then I began to do some research. The Gnomic tense is also called the universal tense and it is used so infrequently that most languages don't even have it. But Biblical Greek does, and what it does is speak universal truths or aphorisms. "Water boils at 212 degrees," would be stated in gnomic aorist if English had such a tense.
Anyway, what this means for the preacher is that Mary's radical worldview and amazing statements about God are stated matter-of-factly as if she were saying "water boils at 212 degrees."
Mary's song is a character sketch of the God of all creation; a list of habitual behaviors of the past that, as impossible as it seems to her and her people, God is doing now what happened then. And as impossible as it sounds to us, God continues to be about the lowly and those who fear him. He still scatters the proud and brings down the powerful. He will always help his servants who remember his mercy.
Mary sings a song that the early Church continued to sing that we too should keep on our lips and in our hearts that says, "you want to know the Lord, look and see what he does."
My soul praises the Lord because he had done and is doing great things.
July 29, 2009
one Lord, one faith, one baptism... a whole lot of ways to get there
I could probably link you to the blog of my friend and colleague, Jan, every day. She writes great stuff, and I pray that her book is one day finished and available for me to read. In the meantime, I look forward to her nuggets of wisdom every morning (and sometimes I cheat and read her new posts before I go to bed at night).
Anyway, all that to say, you need to read her latest post, More than 1 way of being a Christian? When you are done with that you need to read the Ephesians lesson for this Sunday, especially hear these two lines:
"There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all."
"The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ."
There is but one body and one Spirit. There is one hope. There is only one Lord, one faith, one baptism. The is one God and Father of all. But we are called to that faith, that hope, that Father in many different ways. We experience that Spirit, that Lord in many different ways. We respond to, serve, and glorify the God and Father of all in many different ways. The end goal, of course, is perfection of understanding and knowledge, but rest assured we aren't getting there any time soon.
Today, I read Jan's post, then I read Ephesians, and now I'll pray for the humility to remember that I am not the one God and Father of all, that my faith tradition is not the one faith, and that my gifts as varied as they might be from yours might build up the body of Christ "until all of us... reach maturity." Amen.
Anyway, all that to say, you need to read her latest post, More than 1 way of being a Christian? When you are done with that you need to read the Ephesians lesson for this Sunday, especially hear these two lines:
"There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all."
"The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ."
There is but one body and one Spirit. There is one hope. There is only one Lord, one faith, one baptism. The is one God and Father of all. But we are called to that faith, that hope, that Father in many different ways. We experience that Spirit, that Lord in many different ways. We respond to, serve, and glorify the God and Father of all in many different ways. The end goal, of course, is perfection of understanding and knowledge, but rest assured we aren't getting there any time soon.
Today, I read Jan's post, then I read Ephesians, and now I'll pray for the humility to remember that I am not the one God and Father of all, that my faith tradition is not the one faith, and that my gifts as varied as they might be from yours might build up the body of Christ "until all of us... reach maturity." Amen.
July 27, 2009
"the fullness of God"
A friend, collegue, and fellow student body president at VTS, Robin Gulick posted her sermon from yesterday on Facebook, and it is gem. I'm sorry to those of you not on facebook, but I guess you can't read it (I tried, you have to log-in).
Robin wisely, but subtly looks ahead to this Sunday's explanation of the feeding of the 5000 and lays it up against the story of David and Bathsheba as well as the prayer of the author of Ephesians.
Her assertion, and rightfully so, is that we try to fill ourselves up with all sorts of things, but it is only the Bread of Life that allows us to know the fullness of God.
If I were preaching this Sunday, I'd totally steal her very good stuff. Thanks Robin.
July 20, 2009
I couldn't have said it better... ever.
A great post from The Center Aisle Blog
John Ohmer, a priest in Leesburg, VA, has a great analogy for the bohemith that is the Episcopal Church:
"[W]e’re still trying to make the horseshoe factory of General Convention and 815 (Episcopal Church headquarters) more efficient and responsive so that horseshoes are more affordable for local congregations.
And most of us switched over to automobiles a few years ago."
And most of us switched over to automobiles a few years ago."
April 21, 2009
Great Post @ Church for Starving Artists
Jan is at it again. This time she is pondering, and ivites you to do the same, what 10 things we should throw out of the 21st century church. There are some great ideas, and the comments sections is ripe with conversation starters. And, much to Marcus Borg's surprise, the empty tomb is not on the list.
Read it here.
March 23, 2009
great post on the law
Ever have one of those morning where even as the world is still a little hazy you know God is going to teach you something? I'm having one of those mornings. It began with a great post by a woman, who I think I met once serving dinner at the Rescue Mission in Pcola.
This Sunday Sam continued his series on The Word, this time focusing on the Law. In Judaism, the law is hugely important. The 613 commandments from God in the Hebrew Bible are the way they understand what God wants from them and the best way to live His way. I think Christian tradition views it in a more strict and constricting way: "We have to do these things or God will be so pissed!" That's sad to me, as I doubt God keeps Excel spreadsheets with all the commandments in the Bible on one axis and all our names on another, checking off each box as we break different commandments." Read it all here.
Almighty God, you alone can bring into order the unruly wills and affections of sinners: Grant your people grace to love what you command and desire what you promise; that, among the swift and varied changes of the world, our hearts may surely there be fixed where true joys are to be found; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Here's an excerpt:
This Sunday Sam continued his series on The Word, this time focusing on the Law. In Judaism, the law is hugely important. The 613 commandments from God in the Hebrew Bible are the way they understand what God wants from them and the best way to live His way. I think Christian tradition views it in a more strict and constricting way: "We have to do these things or God will be so pissed!" That's sad to me, as I doubt God keeps Excel spreadsheets with all the commandments in the Bible on one axis and all our names on another, checking off each box as we break different commandments." Read it all here.
Then I opened up the readings for next Sunday and found this Collect just begging for me to pray it.
Almighty God, you alone can bring into order the unruly wills and affections of sinners: Grant your people grace to love what you command and desire what you promise; that, among the swift and varied changes of the world, our hearts may surely there be fixed where true joys are to be found; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Having rules and following the law isn't about an angry, vengeful god who is waiting for us to screw up so he can through an extra bill, a case of gout, or whatever punishment we can concoct our way. It is about fixing our heart to the true joy of life in Christ Jesus. Sure, it may seem fun to covet your neighbors wife, but God knows it is a heck of a lot more fun to enjoy one's own spouse. It may seem like dishonoring your father and mother is the "in thing," but God's plan is big and He knows that in the long run that realtionship is worth more than a night spent having snuck out of the house.
God is teaching me something about the goodness of law today. Maybe because I'm less than a month away from being a dad, a giver and enforcer of a set of laws. It will be good, over the next 18, 30, 40+ years to remember that the law is intended to enhance joy not inflict punishment.
January 7, 2009
What does "boldy proclaim" mean?
Keith, my Rector, is reading Rob Bell's latest book, Jesus Wants to Save Christians, and I think it is safe to say is having his mind blown and his spirit refreshed. I ordered it yesterday based on the strong impact it seems to be having on him spiritually. Here's what the About the Book section of the website says:
Jesus wants to save us from making the good news about another world and not this one. Jesus wants to save us from preaching a Gospel that is only about individuals and not about the systems that enslave them. Jesus wants to save us from shrinking the Gospel down to a transaction about the removal of sin and not about every single particle of creation being reconciled to its maker. Jesus wants to save us from religiously sanctioned despair, the kind that doesn't believe the world can be made better, the kind that either blatantly or subtly teaches people to just be quiet and behave and wait for something big to happen 'someday.'
Jesus wants to save us from making the good news about another world and not this one. Jesus wants to save us from preaching a Gospel that is only about individuals and not about the systems that enslave them. Jesus wants to save us from shrinking the Gospel down to a transaction about the removal of sin and not about every single particle of creation being reconciled to its maker. Jesus wants to save us from religiously sanctioned despair, the kind that doesn't believe the world can be made better, the kind that either blatantly or subtly teaches people to just be quiet and behave and wait for something big to happen 'someday.'
I cut my spiritual teeth in the world this describes; one focuses on heaven vs. hell, personal salvation, and washing oneself clean in the blood of the lamb. In seminary I began to see that perhaps that was a very narrow understanding of God's dream. Now I am often lumped in with the "crazy liberals" who want to argue that Jesus was much more concered with restoring all things to God than he was with making sure I personally go to heaven when I die.
So as we pray on Sunday that God might "grant that all who are baptized into his Name may keep the covenent they have made, and boldly confess him as Lord and Savior<>
No answers today, just more and more questions. What does "boldly proclaim" mean?
December 29, 2008
What to preach?
Too many good things to choose from this week. I'm not preaching, but my vote, as of this morning, would be the flight to Egypt. I'm not sure I've ever heard this preached. I think I referenced it once in a sermon back in Franklin, PA - something about how the trip would be like walking from Franklin to Cincinnati, OH and back.
I think it be a great opportunity to preach discernment of spirits; a gift I think we all have and one we could all stand to develop. Or, it'd be interesting to hear a sermon about the faith of Joseph, a character we hear very little about. We talked about him, thanks to Keith, at our last Men's Dinner, so I wonder if he might head that way. hmmm.
Anyway, lots of good stuff this week, and I'm wondering what you'll choose. If you are preaching something that didn't make the Episcopal re-write of the RCL, go ahead and leave a comment.
I think it be a great opportunity to preach discernment of spirits; a gift I think we all have and one we could all stand to develop. Or, it'd be interesting to hear a sermon about the faith of Joseph, a character we hear very little about. We talked about him, thanks to Keith, at our last Men's Dinner, so I wonder if he might head that way. hmmm.
Anyway, lots of good stuff this week, and I'm wondering what you'll choose. If you are preaching something that didn't make the Episcopal re-write of the RCL, go ahead and leave a comment.
December 3, 2008
Comfort, O comfort my people
The prophet Isaiah is writing in a time of great sorrow. Many of the people of Israel have been exiled, others remain behind to suffer the fate of a people who had to see everything they knew destroyed and made unclean. These words from their God that begin chapter 40 of Isaiah's message is almost impossible to comprehend.
Comfort, O comfort my people.
Jan over at Church of Starving Artists writes a brief but poingnent post contemplating why, more and more, people seem willing to admit that they too are in the midst of pain and suffering, and what the church might be called to do as a result.
I think she's onto something. Whereas yesterday I was calling preachers to a both/and understanding of their role (disturb the comfortable and comfort the disturbed) today I'm thinking that a lot of other outlets are doing the job of disturbing the comfortable and perhaps for a while the Church is called to proclaim the message of freedom that Isaiah gave to Israel.
Comfort, O comfort my people.
December 1, 2008
two videos for the day/season
Today is the 20th World AIDS Day. AIDS no longer effects my family directly because, quite frankly, everyone we knew with AIDS has since died. I guess that means, AIDS will forever effect my family. Take a moment (or 10 if you watch the video below) to remember how far we've come, pray for the progress that still must be made, and remember those millions upon millions whose lives are have been/are/will be affected by HIV/AIDS.This second video is from the folk at Advent Conspiracy. It pretty well describes itself, but let me just say, that since the Great Depression, when my Maternal Grandfather got an orange and a pair of socks, Christmas has been a huge gift giving extravaganza. This is not a culture easily changed (within my own mind especially), but for the first time, this year, my spirit seems to be changing to resonate more with this group. There will still be gifts purchased, but the two weeks back-to-back with family, the time spent with some of our older members who might not see family, a spirit of generosity shared with the woman who checks us out, that will be (as far as I can help it) the most important part of this Christmas for me.
November 26, 2008
a video you must see
If you dabble in this thing called emergent/ing you must watch this video. It is full of inside humor for emergent church-nerds, but if you follow this thing, you will be on the floor laughing.
November 13, 2008
i'm actually suggesting you read
Those of you who know me, know that reading and I are not friends. We may have dated in middle school, but by seminary we had long since gone our separate ways. It may, then, come as a shock to you that what follows is a review of and the suggestion that you read a book.
The book in question is Salvation on the Small Screen? 24 Hours of Christian Television by Nadia Bolz-Weber from whose blog, Sarcastic Lutheran, I shamelessly steal. She is a leading voice in what seems to be emerging in mainline denominations, and is the mission developer at House for All Sinners and Saints in Denver, Colorado.
Her task, simply enough, was to watch 24 consecutive hours of the Trinity Broadcast Network and write a book about her experience. She notes in the book that, in a very unfortunate set of event, she had to do the research step twice; for which she no doubt has a jeweled crown awaiting her. Having met her over a Kaliber a few years ago and "gotten to know her" by reading her blog I was expecting a snarky look at the depth of perversion that is TBN. What I found was an hilarious, yet insightful tour of the inherent brokenness of a network that so clearly skews the message of Jesus, and yet has such a profound impact on so many.
While the humorous thoughts and running commentary of Nadia and her friends kept the book in my hand long after I give up on most books, the most most important pieces of critique were often written such that it could easily be made any who attempts to proclaim the Good News. Questions like: What makes something Christian? As one who lives off the gifts to God of another, to what level of lifestyle am I called? Is Donatism (4th century heresy that said the efficacy of the sacraments is dependent on the morality/faith of the celebrant) alive and well in 21st century America?
Please buy this book. Please read this book. If you live anywhere near me and have as many as 4 - 24 hour Christian broadcast networks read, mark, learn and inwardly digest this book. If will no doubt help you understand the appeal of TBN and its cousins as well as offer some illuminating questions for your own ministry.
The book in question is Salvation on the Small Screen? 24 Hours of Christian Television by Nadia Bolz-Weber from whose blog, Sarcastic Lutheran, I shamelessly steal. She is a leading voice in what seems to be emerging in mainline denominations, and is the mission developer at House for All Sinners and Saints in Denver, Colorado.
Her task, simply enough, was to watch 24 consecutive hours of the Trinity Broadcast Network and write a book about her experience. She notes in the book that, in a very unfortunate set of event, she had to do the research step twice; for which she no doubt has a jeweled crown awaiting her. Having met her over a Kaliber a few years ago and "gotten to know her" by reading her blog I was expecting a snarky look at the depth of perversion that is TBN. What I found was an hilarious, yet insightful tour of the inherent brokenness of a network that so clearly skews the message of Jesus, and yet has such a profound impact on so many.
While the humorous thoughts and running commentary of Nadia and her friends kept the book in my hand long after I give up on most books, the most most important pieces of critique were often written such that it could easily be made any who attempts to proclaim the Good News. Questions like: What makes something Christian? As one who lives off the gifts to God of another, to what level of lifestyle am I called? Is Donatism (4th century heresy that said the efficacy of the sacraments is dependent on the morality/faith of the celebrant) alive and well in 21st century America?
Please buy this book. Please read this book. If you live anywhere near me and have as many as 4 - 24 hour Christian broadcast networks read, mark, learn and inwardly digest this book. If will no doubt help you understand the appeal of TBN and its cousins as well as offer some illuminating questions for your own ministry.
November 10, 2008
Worship with/in a Postmodern Accent day 3
Communion by Numbers made for an interesting worship experience. We began by opening envelope #1 at 8:10pm and finished up envelope #9 just before 10am. I enjoyed the service, though I ended up at a table with a guy who was having a sneezing fit and another who was in charge of the conference so there was a lot of stopping and starting and getting up and coming back. Anyway, I recommend it as a "Worship Trick" to continue using Jonny Baker's bad name for his liturgical idea log.
The Q&A Session that ended things on Saturday morning gave two answers that I think are worth noting. The first was around the question, "how do I start something like this?"
Jonny Baker suggests this model: 1. build a team. 2. get some space. 3. eat, drink, and dream together. I add two substeps to #3 - 3a. do the theology and 3b. do it well.
Ed Phillips adds a thought as to our motivations, which I think is very, very important: Don't be defined by desperation. This is probably the best piece of information for any community looking to think outside the box. If you are doing it "to get the young people" who are lacking, STOP, take a breath, and pray. Maybe in the "mixed economy" of God you are being called to reach the group you are reaching - high church politicians, low church farmers, WWII vets, etc. The "young people" that the church started talking about now in their late 40s. The "young people" I represent are in their late 20s and early 30s. The "young people" we all picture are in their late teens and early 20s. Be careful to lump people together in desperation.
The other question, which I promised to anwser here, is around resources. The single best resource available for emerging/alternative worhsip is your community and the imaginations God has blessed them with. To spur that imagination, here are a couple of things to check out. The link above to Jonny's "Worship Tricks" is a good one - it is full of high and low tech "rituals" that help do the work of taking the everyday into the church and replanting God back into everyday life. Another good site is alternativeworship.org. The three book series, Imaging the Word is also worth perusing. Finally, I think it must be mentioned that we are living in a post-literate culture. The word and book has been replaced by the image and link. Don't discount that, as hard as it might be for many of you. It might very well be sad that people don't read like they used to, but complaining abou it and ignoring it won't change the fact that the change has happened. So, utilize images in your teaching and in your worship. Do it in various ways, but don't ignore their power. Flickr.com is a great resource for open/limited source images.
All in all it was a good conference, and I'm glad I went. I met some fine folk and had a few opportunities to worship God in new and exciting ways. If you have questions, drop me a note, and I'll be happy to point you to the right place.
The Q&A Session that ended things on Saturday morning gave two answers that I think are worth noting. The first was around the question, "how do I start something like this?"
Jonny Baker suggests this model: 1. build a team. 2. get some space. 3. eat, drink, and dream together. I add two substeps to #3 - 3a. do the theology and 3b. do it well.
Ed Phillips adds a thought as to our motivations, which I think is very, very important: Don't be defined by desperation. This is probably the best piece of information for any community looking to think outside the box. If you are doing it "to get the young people" who are lacking, STOP, take a breath, and pray. Maybe in the "mixed economy" of God you are being called to reach the group you are reaching - high church politicians, low church farmers, WWII vets, etc. The "young people" that the church started talking about now in their late 40s. The "young people" I represent are in their late 20s and early 30s. The "young people" we all picture are in their late teens and early 20s. Be careful to lump people together in desperation.
The other question, which I promised to anwser here, is around resources. The single best resource available for emerging/alternative worhsip is your community and the imaginations God has blessed them with. To spur that imagination, here are a couple of things to check out. The link above to Jonny's "Worship Tricks" is a good one - it is full of high and low tech "rituals" that help do the work of taking the everyday into the church and replanting God back into everyday life. Another good site is alternativeworship.org. The three book series, Imaging the Word is also worth perusing. Finally, I think it must be mentioned that we are living in a post-literate culture. The word and book has been replaced by the image and link. Don't discount that, as hard as it might be for many of you. It might very well be sad that people don't read like they used to, but complaining abou it and ignoring it won't change the fact that the change has happened. So, utilize images in your teaching and in your worship. Do it in various ways, but don't ignore their power. Flickr.com is a great resource for open/limited source images.
All in all it was a good conference, and I'm glad I went. I met some fine folk and had a few opportunities to worship God in new and exciting ways. If you have questions, drop me a note, and I'll be happy to point you to the right place.
Readings for Proper 28, Year A
My final post on Worship with/in a Postmodern Accent will come later today (sorry, I couldn't pay $6 for an hour of internet access at the airport - I'm just that cheap.)
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