Ray Hollenbach framed part of the conversation by essentially asking 'where exactly is the playing field?'
I'd like to continue in that vein:
Just who is 'everybody?'
This is largely a strength of the Vineyard. When we say everybody, we really do mean it. We make a real effort to train and include laity in ministry; women and men, even children, people of all backgrounds and social classes. The only real 're-thinking' I see necessary at this point is in the inherent tension between 'excellence in ministry' and allowing the visibly broken to play.
I have seen new Christians, non-Christians, those with drug problems, and even those presently under the influence of drugs, all ministering in Vineyard churches in some capacity. However, there is a real attempt to prevent these types of people from engaging in 'real' ministry. We will let them hold the door (if they're pretty enough), or let them print fliers, or play the drums (if they're capable enough), but there are real boundaries we place upon just what they are allowed to do.
For the record, I am not advocating placing drunk agnostics in the pulpit, I would certainly agree that there are standards for Christian ministry. The question that must be grappled with is this: Is the bar we set for Christian ministry about 'excellence' or is it about 'health?' Do we prevent some from certain places in ministry and Church life because they are unseemly, or because they would hurt themselves or others? I contend that Scripture has no value for 'excellence in ministry' that is ultimately a cover for excluding those people who might make things slower, uglier, or technically flawed.
Our decisions to include someone in ministry should be based on whether the individual is healthy enough to step into a particular role, not whether they are skilled enough. This decision has tremendous communicative properties...
Just what do we mean by 'play?'
It is here that we must give significant energy to re-thinking current practices. We largely conceive of ministry in terms of practices and care/direction given to Church members or performed on their behalf. Ministry is preaching and teaching, ministry is playing musical instruments, administrating the needs of the church, leading Bible-studies, praying for people, even maintaining church buildings and running technical equipment, etc.
The results of such a definition is manifold, the most problematic are the two following: 1) Christians who are deeply engaged in ministry yet have little or no involvement in mission, 2) Christians who view 'real ministry' as being done by the professionals while viewing their jobs as distractions from Kingdom work. We must rethink this conception.
Play must fundamentally mean mission! Leaders should be player/coaches who equip others for ministry to the world. As a pastor I am naturally focused on the local faith community of which I am a member/leader. This must not be allowed to divert my own focus from the wider community that is the object and context for the Church's mission. This must not be allowed to 'leak down' onto the church, causing the stale atmosphere of spiritual inbreeding that is a result of a church that ministers to itself.
Play must include the entire scope of human activity. Almost all occupations can be Christian vocations. As a pastor I am resourced to take future church leaders through an equipping process. I can teach someone how to lead church activities. I am competent to teach people how to live a life of spiritual disciplines. But when it comes to the single largest fact of most peoples daily lives, I am left with one of two options for discipleship. 1) Quit your job so you can do 'real ministry.' 2) Pray for and witness to your co-workers while maintaining personal integrity at your workplace. What is largely missing is any sense of training people to view their occupations as their vocations.
Scoring Goals
It is here that the Church has the largest problem, and hence, the largest need for re-imagination. Our system rewards and reinforces a view of ministry that is largely out of sync with our stated philosophy of ministry. We say everybody gets to play, but the rules of the game, and the way in which we 'score goals' (ie incentives and definitions of success) are set up to prevent everybody from playing.
Of course this is unintentional, but still true! A 'winning' church (to continue the metaphor) is defined by characteristics that have nothing to do with 'everybody getting to play.' Because of this we simultaneously recognize a need to have everyone play, while attempting to keep the star players in the game as long as possible; in our system you can't score goals with mediocre performance.
Because of this, we give some attention to the idea of workplace ministry, but it somehow never really makes it into the playbook; you can't score goals by practicing law, or building bridges, only by proclaiming the gospel or praying for people. In short, our definition of success prevents us from implementing this value more fully. Our most essential task is to create a system of in which 'everybody gets to play' is itself one of the markers for success, is itself defined as one of the ways in which we 'score points.'
9.15.2011
8.19.2011
7.26.2011
7.22.2011
7.20.2011
Reinforced Habits
"Maybe your eating habits started at a young age. When you were good your parents may have rewarded you with candy or took you to your favorite fast food chain. You then began to associate junk food as something positive. Over time this became ingrained in your subconscious and you have continued this as an adult.
Now you treat yourself to ice cream, candy, greasy restaurants or nights of drinking every time you do well in life. Celebrations are an excuse to be unhealthy. You have to break this habit. Celebrating a positive time in your life with something that impacts you negatively is hardly a true celebration."
David Schenk
Now you treat yourself to ice cream, candy, greasy restaurants or nights of drinking every time you do well in life. Celebrations are an excuse to be unhealthy. You have to break this habit. Celebrating a positive time in your life with something that impacts you negatively is hardly a true celebration."
David Schenk
Sabbath
"The Sabbath is an act of rebellion against a world that is in rebellion against God."
David Schenk
David Schenk
7.18.2011
That's just Him
While traveling on the road of life
which is often congested with strife
If you make Jehovah Jireh
your driver
the number of accidents you incur will not be high
Those who do not read the Bible need to take heed
Because He is the God that provides your need
and if you become a rider
with Jehovah Jireh
your abundance will be great indeed
Because Emmanuel gives us grace
therefore the potholes on life's surface
maybe bad, but they serve a purpose
He's our Dad and when He hits our bod
with what we believe to be a punishment rod
But actually is an instrument of His unconditional love
Because He loved us, before we loved Him
and even though we sin
and He despises sin
He still is our best friend
Though the door to Him is narrow and satan is always trying to hit us with his deadly arrows
amd to survive the devil's attacks we must borrow
God's grace filled arrows
Because He loved us, before we loved Him
and even though we sin
and He despises sin
He still is our best friend
But why? ...because that's just Him.
-Nu Creation
which is often congested with strife
If you make Jehovah Jireh
your driver
the number of accidents you incur will not be high
Those who do not read the Bible need to take heed
Because He is the God that provides your need
and if you become a rider
with Jehovah Jireh
your abundance will be great indeed
Because Emmanuel gives us grace
therefore the potholes on life's surface
maybe bad, but they serve a purpose
He's our Dad and when He hits our bod
with what we believe to be a punishment rod
But actually is an instrument of His unconditional love
Because He loved us, before we loved Him
and even though we sin
and He despises sin
He still is our best friend
Though the door to Him is narrow and satan is always trying to hit us with his deadly arrows
amd to survive the devil's attacks we must borrow
God's grace filled arrows
Because He loved us, before we loved Him
and even though we sin
and He despises sin
He still is our best friend
But why? ...because that's just Him.
-Nu Creation
7.13.2011
Perfect Imperfection!
"These christian-themed entertainment venues need to stop using the word "church" - it clearly confuses people."
This was a comment on the event documented in the Youtube video below...
7.05.2011
Resurrection Apologetics
NT Wright’s case for the resurrection has 3 parts:
1) The Jewish theological beliefs of the early Christian community underwent 7 mutations that are inexplicable apart from the bodily resurrection of Jesus
2) The un-refuted claims that the tomb was empty.
3) The post-mortem appearances of Jesus to individuals and groups, friends and foes.
"…the foundation of my argument for what happened at Easter is the reflection that this Jewish hope has undergone remarkable modifications or mutations within early Christianity, which can be plotted consistently right across the first two centuries. And these mutations are so striking, in an area of human experience where societies tend to be very conservative, that they force the historian… to ask, Why did they occur?
The mutations occur within a strictly Jewish context. The early Christians held firmly, like most of their Jewish contemporaries, to a two-step belief about the future: first, death and whatever lies immediately beyond; second, a new bodily existence in a newly remade world. ‘Resurrection’ is not a fancy word for ‘life after death’; it denotes life after ‘life after death’."
Here are the 7 mutations:
1) Christian theology of the afterlife mutates from multiples views (Judaism) to a single view: resurrection (Christianity). When you die, your soul goes off to wait in Sheol. On judgment day, the righteous dead get new resurrection bodies, identical to Jesus’ resurrection body.
2) The relative importance of the doctrine of resurrection changes from being peripheral (Judaism) to central (Christianity).
3) The idea of what the resurrection would be like goes from multiple views (Judaism) to a single view: an incorruptible, spiritually-oriented body composed of the material of the previous corruptible body (Christianity).
4) The timing of the resurrection changes from judgment day (Judaism) to a split between the resurrection of the Messiah right now and the resurrection of the rest of the righteous on judgment day (Christianity).
5) There is a new view of eschatology as collaboration with God to transform the world.
6) There is a new metaphorical concept of resurrection, referred to as being “born-again”.
7) There is a new association of the concept of resurrection to the Messiah. (The Messiah was not even supposed to die, and he certainly wasn’t supposed to rise again from the dead in a resurrected body!)
There are also other historical puzzles that are solved by postulating a bodily resurrection of Jesus.
1) Jewish people thought that the Messiah was not supposed to die. Although there were lots of (warrior) Messiahs running around at the time, whenever they got killed, their followers would abandon them. Why didn’t Jesus’ followers abandon him when he died?
2) If the early Christian church wanted to communicate that Jesus was special, despite his shameful death on the cross, they would have made up a story using the existing Jewish concept of exaltation. Applying the concept of bodily resurrection to a dead Messiah would be a radical departure from Jewish theology, when an invented exaltation was already available to do the job.
3) The early church became extremely reckless about sickness and death, taking care of people with communicable diseases and testifying about their faith in the face of torture and execution. Why did they scorn sickness and death?
4) The gospels, especially Mark, do not contain any embellishments and “theology historicized”. If they were made-up, there would have been events that had some connection to theological concepts. But the narratives are instead bare-bones: “Guy dies public death. People encounter same guy alive later.” Plain vanilla narrative.
5) The story of the women who were the first witnesses to the empty tomb cannot have been invented, because the testimony of women was inadmissable under almost all circumstances at that time. If the story were invented, they would have invented male discoverers of the tomb. Female discovers would have hampered conversion efforts.
6) There are almost no legendary embellishments in the gospels, while there are plenty in the later gnostic forgeries. No crowds of singing angels, no talking crosses, and no booming voices from the clouds.
7) There is no mention of the future hope of the general resurrection, which I guess they thought was imminent anyway.
1) The Jewish theological beliefs of the early Christian community underwent 7 mutations that are inexplicable apart from the bodily resurrection of Jesus
2) The un-refuted claims that the tomb was empty.
3) The post-mortem appearances of Jesus to individuals and groups, friends and foes.
"…the foundation of my argument for what happened at Easter is the reflection that this Jewish hope has undergone remarkable modifications or mutations within early Christianity, which can be plotted consistently right across the first two centuries. And these mutations are so striking, in an area of human experience where societies tend to be very conservative, that they force the historian… to ask, Why did they occur?
The mutations occur within a strictly Jewish context. The early Christians held firmly, like most of their Jewish contemporaries, to a two-step belief about the future: first, death and whatever lies immediately beyond; second, a new bodily existence in a newly remade world. ‘Resurrection’ is not a fancy word for ‘life after death’; it denotes life after ‘life after death’."
Here are the 7 mutations:
1) Christian theology of the afterlife mutates from multiples views (Judaism) to a single view: resurrection (Christianity). When you die, your soul goes off to wait in Sheol. On judgment day, the righteous dead get new resurrection bodies, identical to Jesus’ resurrection body.
2) The relative importance of the doctrine of resurrection changes from being peripheral (Judaism) to central (Christianity).
3) The idea of what the resurrection would be like goes from multiple views (Judaism) to a single view: an incorruptible, spiritually-oriented body composed of the material of the previous corruptible body (Christianity).
4) The timing of the resurrection changes from judgment day (Judaism) to a split between the resurrection of the Messiah right now and the resurrection of the rest of the righteous on judgment day (Christianity).
5) There is a new view of eschatology as collaboration with God to transform the world.
6) There is a new metaphorical concept of resurrection, referred to as being “born-again”.
7) There is a new association of the concept of resurrection to the Messiah. (The Messiah was not even supposed to die, and he certainly wasn’t supposed to rise again from the dead in a resurrected body!)
There are also other historical puzzles that are solved by postulating a bodily resurrection of Jesus.
1) Jewish people thought that the Messiah was not supposed to die. Although there were lots of (warrior) Messiahs running around at the time, whenever they got killed, their followers would abandon them. Why didn’t Jesus’ followers abandon him when he died?
2) If the early Christian church wanted to communicate that Jesus was special, despite his shameful death on the cross, they would have made up a story using the existing Jewish concept of exaltation. Applying the concept of bodily resurrection to a dead Messiah would be a radical departure from Jewish theology, when an invented exaltation was already available to do the job.
3) The early church became extremely reckless about sickness and death, taking care of people with communicable diseases and testifying about their faith in the face of torture and execution. Why did they scorn sickness and death?
4) The gospels, especially Mark, do not contain any embellishments and “theology historicized”. If they were made-up, there would have been events that had some connection to theological concepts. But the narratives are instead bare-bones: “Guy dies public death. People encounter same guy alive later.” Plain vanilla narrative.
5) The story of the women who were the first witnesses to the empty tomb cannot have been invented, because the testimony of women was inadmissable under almost all circumstances at that time. If the story were invented, they would have invented male discoverers of the tomb. Female discovers would have hampered conversion efforts.
6) There are almost no legendary embellishments in the gospels, while there are plenty in the later gnostic forgeries. No crowds of singing angels, no talking crosses, and no booming voices from the clouds.
7) There is no mention of the future hope of the general resurrection, which I guess they thought was imminent anyway.
7.03.2011
On the Inside
my favorite Bible verse of all
is what Israel's last judge said 2 King Saul
"What is this bleating of sheep I hear?"
which suddenly ensued Saul w/ fear
he knew he did not listen 2 God's Word
instead, the complaining of his men is what he heard
he even went as far as 2 try 2 fool God's prophet
w/ a false emphatic sacrifice, which he knew was not proper
N order 2 B God's anointed King of Israel
it is Yahweh, not men, he should have feared
because mortals
can falter
but 2 attributes of God R, omniscience & 2 B omnipotent
which means not only R His commands powerful, but always legit.
some believe I talk a good talk
but walk a bad walk
some believe that this extremely flawed Christian has no spiritual growth
but those who knew Nu B4 coming out of the water knows
she is definitely not the person she used 2 B
because "I said something, she did not like & she didn't slap the 7734 out of me"
& yes I got N2 a fight w/ God @ Wegmans UC
because He made me purchase $25.00 worth of food just 4 me
& yes U do not like some of the things I say
but the majority of the time when I offend, it's out of ignorance not hate
I know I'm not a perfecter
& if I think I am I need 2 take U 2 my leader
because 2 err is human not divine
& I know I'm definitely a member of mankind
& yes, it is true, I need 2 read my Bible more
& yes, it is true, I need 2 pray more
& yes, it is true, I need 2 seek God more
& yes, it is true, I need 2 luv more
But when I fall down, I dust myself off & get back up
Because I've totally torn the Bible up
& I've come 2 the same conclusion, Jehovah always fills my cup
Usually, I put others B4 myself
I'm usually willing 2 volunteer &/or help
U may think my attitude & speech
Is a little bit 2 street
I feel
I do not have time 2 unpeel
& think of a nice way 2 reveal
that God's luv is a true thrill
Because it's a war & Satan's out 2 destroy & kill
The young ones think a funeral is like a high, a rush
Lucifer has even romanticized death, w/ your likeness immortalized w/ an airbrush
If only they would open their eyes & use that organ N their head
& realize there's no honor or respect N dying just 2 B dead
I might not show it, but it tears me up
That the ones on the street think sin is the only way 2 fill their cup
I have a good heart & my Lord knows it
Even when I'm N the middle of a conniption fit
So I say this w/ truth & not w/ pride
I am fearfully & wonderfully made, but on the inside
- Nu Creation
is what Israel's last judge said 2 King Saul
"What is this bleating of sheep I hear?"
which suddenly ensued Saul w/ fear
he knew he did not listen 2 God's Word
instead, the complaining of his men is what he heard
he even went as far as 2 try 2 fool God's prophet
w/ a false emphatic sacrifice, which he knew was not proper
N order 2 B God's anointed King of Israel
it is Yahweh, not men, he should have feared
because mortals
can falter
but 2 attributes of God R, omniscience & 2 B omnipotent
which means not only R His commands powerful, but always legit.
some believe I talk a good talk
but walk a bad walk
some believe that this extremely flawed Christian has no spiritual growth
but those who knew Nu B4 coming out of the water knows
she is definitely not the person she used 2 B
because "I said something, she did not like & she didn't slap the 7734 out of me"
& yes I got N2 a fight w/ God @ Wegmans UC
because He made me purchase $25.00 worth of food just 4 me
& yes U do not like some of the things I say
but the majority of the time when I offend, it's out of ignorance not hate
I know I'm not a perfecter
& if I think I am I need 2 take U 2 my leader
because 2 err is human not divine
& I know I'm definitely a member of mankind
& yes, it is true, I need 2 read my Bible more
& yes, it is true, I need 2 pray more
& yes, it is true, I need 2 seek God more
& yes, it is true, I need 2 luv more
But when I fall down, I dust myself off & get back up
Because I've totally torn the Bible up
& I've come 2 the same conclusion, Jehovah always fills my cup
Usually, I put others B4 myself
I'm usually willing 2 volunteer &/or help
U may think my attitude & speech
Is a little bit 2 street
I feel
I do not have time 2 unpeel
& think of a nice way 2 reveal
that God's luv is a true thrill
Because it's a war & Satan's out 2 destroy & kill
The young ones think a funeral is like a high, a rush
Lucifer has even romanticized death, w/ your likeness immortalized w/ an airbrush
If only they would open their eyes & use that organ N their head
& realize there's no honor or respect N dying just 2 B dead
I might not show it, but it tears me up
That the ones on the street think sin is the only way 2 fill their cup
I have a good heart & my Lord knows it
Even when I'm N the middle of a conniption fit
So I say this w/ truth & not w/ pride
I am fearfully & wonderfully made, but on the inside
- Nu Creation
From Nazareth
All who knew me back N the day
When I use 2 bang N such evil ways
Now they ask, "Nu who ya hanging w/?"
The leader of my posse is the bro from Nazareth
Yo, U don't want 2 mess w/ this bro
He'll make every knee bow 2 the floor
This homeboy don't take no crap
His M.O. is 2 hit 'cha w/ a spiritual slap
If U think His rep is bad
Ever heard, the rep of His Dad?
The best banger history ever had
The crew He had was hard & tight
He commanded millions of Israelites
Rahab's peeps called Him a mighty God
That explains why the walls crumbled down
The Jericho battle He easily won
The Dad is good & so is the Son
Honestly, I must confess
His Dad will put U thru a holy test
This homeboy is ow so bad
Son of the best banger history ever had
U can C why His Pop's #1
The Dad is good & so is the Son
Now, let's back-up 2 this Rahab girl
She became and ancestor of the Savior of the World
She gave up her evil ways
Because of the Bible she'll B remembered always
Remember when Paul was Saul
& how he was Stephen's pitfall
But the NT, he wrote almost all
It doesn't matter who U used 2 B
Thats my point, this part of the story
It doesn't matter who U was
Believers R related 2 King Jesus
Because w/ Jesus. the battle is won
God made Him the chosen one
So the next time someone ask, "who ya hanging w/?"
Respond w/ the bro from Nazareth
- Nu Creation
When I use 2 bang N such evil ways
Now they ask, "Nu who ya hanging w/?"
The leader of my posse is the bro from Nazareth
Yo, U don't want 2 mess w/ this bro
He'll make every knee bow 2 the floor
This homeboy don't take no crap
His M.O. is 2 hit 'cha w/ a spiritual slap
If U think His rep is bad
Ever heard, the rep of His Dad?
The best banger history ever had
The crew He had was hard & tight
He commanded millions of Israelites
Rahab's peeps called Him a mighty God
That explains why the walls crumbled down
The Jericho battle He easily won
The Dad is good & so is the Son
Honestly, I must confess
His Dad will put U thru a holy test
This homeboy is ow so bad
Son of the best banger history ever had
U can C why His Pop's #1
The Dad is good & so is the Son
Now, let's back-up 2 this Rahab girl
She became and ancestor of the Savior of the World
She gave up her evil ways
Because of the Bible she'll B remembered always
Remember when Paul was Saul
& how he was Stephen's pitfall
But the NT, he wrote almost all
It doesn't matter who U used 2 B
Thats my point, this part of the story
It doesn't matter who U was
Believers R related 2 King Jesus
Because w/ Jesus. the battle is won
God made Him the chosen one
So the next time someone ask, "who ya hanging w/?"
Respond w/ the bro from Nazareth
- Nu Creation
Terri Lee
I'm so glad my "Ace Coom"
made it 2 the "rooms"
No drug, no beer
She's celebrating 9 years
I miss Ma Sharp
David's playing her his harp
She's looking down on U
w/ luv only a Mom could
She's so proud of her Terri Lee
Who would have thought, 9 years sobriety
Now Ma dwells N a heavenly neighborhood
But God takes bad & turns it 2 good
Because of His loving grace
Terri can C her "Ace Coom's" face
Because the day Ma left this earth
God gave Daryn a rebirth
Ma is looking down, proud of U
& so am I 2
Becasue N the end, U can C
God also gave a rebirth 2 Terri Lee
-Nu Creation
made it 2 the "rooms"
No drug, no beer
She's celebrating 9 years
I miss Ma Sharp
David's playing her his harp
She's looking down on U
w/ luv only a Mom could
She's so proud of her Terri Lee
Who would have thought, 9 years sobriety
Now Ma dwells N a heavenly neighborhood
But God takes bad & turns it 2 good
Because of His loving grace
Terri can C her "Ace Coom's" face
Because the day Ma left this earth
God gave Daryn a rebirth
Ma is looking down, proud of U
& so am I 2
Becasue N the end, U can C
God also gave a rebirth 2 Terri Lee
-Nu Creation
Breaking Point
all the crap I have 2 go thru
just to keep sanity on my menu
they're pulling me here
they're pulling me there
they act like I am unaware
because very human has a breaking point
but if they're lucky they make it to His spiritual joint
there 4 life won't
put them 2 their breaking point
i know Jesus will b
my stop sign 2 insanity
because I know He
loves me
even when He was hung on that 1st Xmas tree
they lie
i cry
my Savior please rescue me
because every human has a breaking point
but if they're lucky they make it 2 His spiritual joint
there4 life won't put them 2 their breaking point
U C, what they don't understand
is, my King is a superman
& by my side He will stand
& hold my hand
& guide me 2 sane land
because every human has a breaking point
but, if they meet Jesus, @ His joint
they won't reach their breaking point.
-Nu Creation
just to keep sanity on my menu
they're pulling me here
they're pulling me there
they act like I am unaware
because very human has a breaking point
but if they're lucky they make it to His spiritual joint
there 4 life won't
put them 2 their breaking point
i know Jesus will b
my stop sign 2 insanity
because I know He
loves me
even when He was hung on that 1st Xmas tree
they lie
i cry
my Savior please rescue me
because every human has a breaking point
but if they're lucky they make it 2 His spiritual joint
there4 life won't put them 2 their breaking point
U C, what they don't understand
is, my King is a superman
& by my side He will stand
& hold my hand
& guide me 2 sane land
because every human has a breaking point
but, if they meet Jesus, @ His joint
they won't reach their breaking point.
-Nu Creation
6.26.2011
A Spirit-Imbued Character
We usually desire to have God rescue us from trials, in spite of the fact that we know God often uses those trials to further our character. Francis Chan says, "we care about our comfort a lot more than we care about our character." He goes on, "most times I don't think about my character, I just wanna be happy, I want all my problems to go away."
6.25.2011
6.23.2011
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