Friday 40 for 40s - #10: Memories

Item #15 that I'm learning I can't change is:

Most memories only stay strong if they are accessed and reminisced regularly

As we turned the page from 2014 to 2015 I spent some time sorting our photos for 2014, including making a folder of the best of 2014.  I've realized that if I don't do this each year, we simply have too many photos to easily look through (the curse of digital photography...), but having a smaller sample of these photos allows us to easily flick back through the year and remember all that happened.  At some point I'm hoping to take these photos and make a movie with some of our favourite songs from last year to make it even easier (and more enjoyable) to look back on.

One important reason why I've made this a priority is because I'm convinced that a lot of what we do and don't remember (especially from our childhood and adolescence) is tied to how frequently we access memories around those times.  For our kids, they have clear memories of a few trips that we've taken because we made photo books of those trips and try to pull them out on a regular basis.  Seeing the places we went to and key moments we had help the memories to stay fresh in their minds.

I've become more and more aware of the importance of journalling for the same reason.  Journalling is an important spiritual discipline for me because I find it helpful to be able to get out on paper how I'm feeling, what I've been processing and what's on my mind as I head into each day.  However, last year on one of my personal retreats, I took my journals with me and re-read them and was grateful to be able to reflect on and be transported back to specific moments and to realize areas where I'd grown, where I'd changed and also where I'd still not taken the opportunity to move on in certain areas.

As someone who is wired to look forward and to focus on what needs to be "fixed", I know how important it is to be able to look back and remember, to be reminded about the good things that have happened (not just the mistakes or missed opportunities), to practice gratitude for all the everyday moments and significant events and to be able to see where things have changed and moved.

Looking forward to seeing how it all unfolds in 2015!

Are you busy?

I've written before (including here and here) about busyness and how much it disturbs me that people use the word "busy" so often, often an excuse to get out of something they don't want to or because they want to fit in.

With that in mind, I was thrilled that someone came across this post and sent it to me because they knew I would love it (and I did...)

I agree with pretty much everything that the author writes in that article and would want to reinforce three things as important advice...

1. Don't wear busyness as a badge of honour.  If you're in a situation (work, friendship circle, church...) where you feel that you need to justify your busyness to fit in, I would suggest you either see it as an opportunity to show a new way of living that is much healthier (and, I would argue in line with God's values) or that you find a new situation.  Make the change before you wake up one day and realise you haven't had a chance to do most of what you really want to do because you were simply trying to please others.

2. Recognise that you make your own choices.  All of us have exactly the same amount of time each week and we all get to choose, in the main, how we spend that time (if you're in a job where you feel like you work too much, you can choose to find another job...)  If you're too "busy" to do the things you want to do, you need to be honest with yourself and your schedule, start saying no and cut back on the things you don't really want to do, to create time for the things you do.  I don't know of anyone who just sits around on their couch staring at the wall all day - again all of us feel busy, because we're occupying our time with something.  The question is whether you're happy with the priorities you are choosing and the way you're occupying your time...

3. Realise that much of the reason you feel busy is because of technology.  I'm convinced that more and more we feel like there's always something to do, because of 3 main areas that are all technologically related:

a) Email - most of us have these devices in our pockets that have red circles with numbers (or some variation) telling us how many people supposedly need our attention right now, some that even vibrate or make noises to get our attention.  However, once upon a time, back in the dark ages, people used to only reply to email when they were actually at work - I know - shocking, right?  Unless your job requires you to be on 24/7 (and I know there are some that do), you are allowed to turn your email off or even leave your phone in another room.  Try it sometime and see how many withdrawal symptoms you feel, fight through them and discover how much more free and relaxed you feel.  I turn the email off on my phone and computer on Thursday nights before my day off Friday and leave my phone on our hall table for most of Fridays.  It's incredibly liberating.

b)  Social Networking - be honest with yourself... how many times a day do you check facebook or twitter?  How many times do you have notifications popping up on your phone/computer that distract you from what you're supposed to be focusing on, therefore making you feel more busy?  It is ok to only check facebook, twitter, etc 1-2 times a day (at most...) - again, try it see if it makes you feel any different - there's definitely nothing urgent on there! 

c) TV - how many hours of TV have you watched this week?  And before you answer, I've heard lots of people say recently "I don't want TV any more" or "I don't even own a TV", yet they're incredibly up to date on what's happening on shows, sporting events, etc.  Please note... if you're watching TV on a computer, it's still watching TV...!  Even if you have a DVR so you can be more flexible, are you feeling pressure to watch shows so you can free up space on your hard drive, reinforcing the sense of busyness?    

Now don't get me wrong, there are times where my schedule is full and I love being productive (the reason my blog often doesn't get updated is because it's lower on my priority list than other things).  But for over 10 years now, I have not replied with "I'm busy" to anyone who asks how I'm doing or how my week has been.  I will say that I've had a full week or that there's lots happening in those seasons where there are a few more things clamouring for my attention, but even in those times I know I chose how to spend that week and normally there are at least 1 or 2 choices I could have made to free up time if I'd really wanted to.  I also have no trouble saying no to things, because I know where my priorities need to be and if something doesn't fit with those priorities, then I'm able to say "I'm sorry, but I won't be able to commit to that."

I'm growing more and more convinced that not only is it possible to get away from the scourge of busyness, but it's actually vital that we do for our own health and to show people that this is not the way we were designed to live and there is a better way.

How many times have I said "I'm busy" in the last week?  Why have I replied that way?
How happy am I with how I spend my time?  If I'm not, where can I make some different choices so I can do the things I want to do?
Are there ways in which technology is making me feel busier than I actually am?  If so, how can I change my use of it so that it's my servant, not my master?



PS If you want to chip in, we also have a conversation about this happening here on our Downtown facebook page

Monday Musings - finales and happy endings

Ali and I have been big fans of the TV show "House" pretty much since it started.  Over the last 8 years or so, there aren't many episodes we've missed and I think it was one of the most well-written dramas going around.

Sadly, it came to a conclusion last Monday, so it was with some trepidation that we sat down to watch the last episode... (I should confess here that I don't think there were many final episodes of any of the previous seasons where a few tears weren't shed).

**Spoiler alert** If you don't want to know what happens during the episode, you should probably stop reading now...

They had done a great job building up to the finale - setting up a number of plot possibilities and the episode did look like it was heading to a close with House dying in an explosion.  Sure, very sad way to finish, but in some ways, it kind of seemed appropriate.

However, it was all a ruse and in the end House lives and he and Wilson end up riding off on motorcycles as they live out the final months of Wilson's life (which we don't see).

While I think it was a good (not great) ending, I was left with a lingering question...

Why do we always look for a happy ending?


Think about it - there have been lots of shows that have wrapped up, but in the main, they end up being nicely resolved with some sort of happy ending (although someone did tell me that the Desperate Housewives finale finished with less of a happy ending - haven't ever watched that though, so I can't comment...)

I think that if ever a show was ripe for a sad, non-resolved ending, it was House (if you've watched it over the years, you know what I mean).  Yet here again, we return to "it all worked out in the end."

As I've thought more about it, I've reflected again on God's big story and been reminded about the way in which we believe that will end... us living at peace with God, each other and creation.  Forever.

In his book "Simply Christian", NT Wright talks about echoes - times and spaces where we hear an echo of something bigger and more profound - in beauty, in justice, in relationships, in our spiritual thirst.

I wonder whether happy endings are another echo - something that points us to a greater reality, where we inherently know "this is how it should all turn out" and causes us to live in greater hope, for now and the future.

How do I feel about happy endings?  Why is that?
Why are we wired to want everything to work out in the end?
How much confidence do I have in God's authoring of the great story and the way in which it will end?

Monday Musings - how quickly things can change

Palm Sunday.
  The Last Supper.
    Betrayal and Desertion.
      Good Friday.
        Death.

Easter Sunday.
  Life.
    Victory.

I've been reflecting these past few days on the journey of Holy Week - the time of year when we follow the footsteps of Jesus to the cross and then his resurrection.

It's really an incredible story - Jesus comes into Jerusalem, welcomed as a celebrity, as King, as Messiah.  People are cheering for him, letting a donkey walk on their coats, waving trees.  I picture the atmosphere of a ticker tape parade after a sporting team wins a championship...

As the week rolls on, Jesus takes his closest friends aside and gives them a set of amazing intimate experiences - washing their feet, breaking bread with them, sharing his heart, his vision, his sadness, his love.

The crowds disperse.  One of Jesus' close friends betrays him.  One of his closest friends denies even knowing him.  The crowd turns on him.  He's left alone.  Mocked.  Tortured.  Then killed.




But we know that's not the end of the story.  From death, comes life.  From hopelessness comes hope for eternity.  From the giving up of all power comes ultimate victory.

As you prepare for this weekend, I pray you are able to enter into this incredible story and experience it in new ways, being reminded again that there is nothing God is unable to restore, to make right, to make whole.  You.  Me.  Our circumstances.  Our world.

He is Risen.  He is Risen indeed.

Where am I making time to reflect on the Easter story this week?
Which part of the story do I most need to allow God to speak to me through this year?
Where is God already at work, bringing something back to life in my world this week - even if it seems impossible or unlikely?

Monday Musings (on Tuesday) - reflections from a great weekend

This past weekend, we held our Downtown Toronto retreat - what an awesome time away.

The focus of the weekend was "Greater Things" as we processed John 14:12:

"Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father."

Together we unpacked various elements of what it means to be part of God's great restoration project and the ways in which we can enter in and receive the culture and values of God's original design and vision for us.  Oh, and we had a groovy 70s dance party...

As I come back from the retreat, I'm so inspired and amazed at this incredible community that we're part of.  One of the activities we did during the retreat was to get people into groups who all focus on the same area - hospitality, education, business, science, arts - to talk about what those principles look like in a practical way.

It was incredible to hear the ideas that the groups came up with and to be reminded again about the ways in which God is at work in every sphere of life that we are involved in and seeking to bring restoration, wholeness and purpose to our every day lives.

My prayer for each of us is simply this... "God, help us be more aware of your presence in our lives, so that we can be more involved in your amazing restoration project."

How aware am I of God's presence in and around me right now?
Where is God at work in my life today?
How is God inviting me to partner with him in that?

Monday Musings - innovation vs preservation

Last week, I read this article that's been floating around for the last little while - I'm sure many of you have read it, too.  It's a fascinating account of a Google ex-employee - I'd assumed it was going to be someone firing up about something controversial, but in actual fact, it's a pretty balanced account of one person's perception of the shifting culture at Google.

While it's always important to be careful to remember that we all have our own perspectives which sway how we look at the world, from a philosophical angle, the article triggered a couple interesting thoughts for me...

Google has always been one of the companies people would say was in their top 5 desired workplaces.  The facilities (cool place to work), the 20% rule (being given 1 day per week to work on a side project of your choosing), huge innovative environment (new ideas and new products all the time)... who wouldn't want to work there?

All of us have a desire to be in a place where we're appreciated, where we have the opportunity to dream, to come up with new ways of doing and where we don't just have to accept the Status Quo.  Certainly in the world I spend most of my time, I'm very aware of that - the young (and even some of our older people) who are part of our churches are looking for a place that has a clear core (core values, core principles), but plenty of room to organically explore what that looks like.  When it does... look out.

What does seem to have shifted at Google is the sense of "we now have to not only protect what we have, but we have to be like them so we can keep being at the centre".  To me, that's the most dangerous attitude for anyone to have.  As soon as we start focusing more on preservation than innovation, we're done.  I remember Charlie Walsh, who worked with cyclists at the Australian Institute of Sport, saying that if we stand still and try to hold on to where we are (even if that's number 1), if we just keep doing what we've been doing, others around us are innovating and thinking of new ways to catch us and will overtake us.

Equally dangerous is to look at what someone else is doing and say "they're starting to take some of the number 1 from us - let's do what they're doing, only better (because we're number 1) and we can keep our number 1 place."  Obviously, in this context I'm not talking about organizations that are already focused on similar areas.

In the church, sadly, I've seen this play out time and again - we focus too much either on trying to hold on to what we have (preservation) or we focus on what others are doing and say "if we were just like that, then we'd be back in the centre" (could play out in terms of looking at copying things that are successful in culture or in copying what other churches are doing).

For me, I desperately want to be part of a community that knows who they are and what they're on about - knowing what's at the heart and core of who we are.  With that locked in, I then want to create opportunities for us to innovate, experiment and try new things, knowing all the time that we're holding on to what makes us "us".  Sure, I want to learn from other people, other churches, other organizations and the culture around me, but in the end, I want to be able to allow the DNA that we have to produce organic fruit that is reflective of exactly where we are.  What about you?

What areas of my life do I feel like I have to protect?  Why?
When am I guilty of looking at what others are doing and thinking "I need to do that so that I can be as successful as them?"
How am I helping create organic, innovative community?  

Monday Musings - God the gardener

The weather here in Toronto has certainly been very strange - super cold and snowing one day, even colder but clear another,and then it's supposed to be 20 on Thursday!  Wow.  Spring is certainly on the way and I absolutely love T.O. in the spring - the way everything comes back to life, colour abounds, the birds start their chorus... beautiful.

With that comes the responsibility of getting the garden back in order.  Our front yard in particular is a mess, because in the late fall, the city replaced all of the lead water pipes and pretty much destroyed our garden in the process (we'll see how survived and comes up in a few weeks).

I often refer to gardening as a really helpful analogy when we think about leadership in a church context.  There's an element where we have responsibility - preparing the ground, ensuring there's enough nutrients, making sure the garden is laid out in the correct way so everything gets the right amount of sun, pruning and weeding...  However there's only so much we can do - the rest requires us to sit back, be patient and allow the growth to happen naturally.

In our leadership roles, there's definitely work to be done - preparing the ground (setting good foundations), ensuring there's enough nutrients (teaching, discipling relationships, resourcing), making sure things are laid out correctly (the right people in the right roles, good structure), pruning and weeding (working through issues, helping people address sin in their lives, dealing with conflict).  In the end, though,  it's up to God to do the work in people's lives - the organic growth that only God can do.

One of my favourite verses is the Message translation of James 1:21:

In simple humility, let our gardener, God, landscape you with the Word, making a salvation-garden of your life.

What is the current state of my garden?
During this season, what work do I need to do to prepare for more growth?
In my sphere of influence, how much am I responsible for?  What do I need to leave with God?

the death of the mega-band?

I was on my way home this morning and a U2 song came on the radio. I'm not a massive U2 fan - I have been at different times, but I'm not one of those crazy "U2 is the best band in the world" people. However, hearing the song took me back to my teenage days and one of my youth leaders, who loved them and was partly responsible for introducing me to them.

I remember him being super excited and playing their tape (!) over and over again and it's only now, on reflection, that I realise how amazing it was for him to discover them. I don't know if he knew they were going to be as big as they became, but I can vividly remember how passionate he was about them and looking back now, I understand.

What got me thinking on the way home, though, was whether the idea of mega-bands/artists is something that we're not going to see again. By that, I mean those bands that basically everyone was in to - bands that were global phenomenons - The Beatles, The Stones, Led Zeppelin, U2, Queen. Those types of bands that would sell out 100,000 seat stadiums across the world.

Part of that is the change in the way we interact with music - there is so much music now, so many bands and so many different ways to access it, that we now have greater ability to pick and choose. Some people are even proud to say they only have bands on their ipod that no-one has heard of (you know who you are...) Everything has diversified so much, that I can't see think of any band or style of music in the last 10-15 years that has captivated a massive percentage of the population, the way some of those bands in the 60s-90s did. Yes, those bands are still huge, but most of that is because of those of us who encountered them during that time - which mega-bands do you know of that have people under 40 in them?

It is also because we get bored so easily, though - we consume so much music, and it's so easily available to us, that we feel like we need new music far more regularly. Yes, there are bands/artists that have made a global splash, but how many of them have continued on for the long haul?

However, I'm also not sure which bands/artists from the last 10 years would have had anywhere near the same impact, even if the playing field was the same...

For current artists, then, their goals and aspirations - as well as the ways of achieving those goals and aspirations - must have shifted also. The question I ponder is whether there are areas of my life/work that I'm trying to do the same as I would have in the 80s/90s, and whether I have made the shift, recognising that the game has changed.

tail-lights

Apparently, our right-hand tail-light wasn't working. Not sure how long that had been the case, and it wasn't until someone followed us home one night (that we knew... not a stalker...) that we found out about it.


It's all fixed now, but I noticed a lot more tail-lights that were out on other people's cars in the days that followed (and was a lot more paranoid about the police potentially following me!) I did start to think about how that relates to our own lives, though, in terms of our "tail-lights" - the areas of our lives that we can't see, for whatever reason.

I need to have people who are "following me" (and not in the sense of me following Jesus - perhaps "tailing me" would be better), and helping me know when my tail-lights are out. There are certainly blind spots in all of our lives - parts of our character, attitudes, thought processes, belief systems - which we don't really know about. This can be because they're either so familiar to us because they are habits that have been around so long, or we're simply not aware of them due to lack of exposure to alternative ways of thinking. Without someone else pointing them out, we have no clue that they aren't working. I know I need to have people in my life who are telling me it's time to replace a globe or two, for my safety and the safety of others...

stories

Been reading some Hemmingway over the last week or so, and also read The Catcher in the Rye by Salinger.

To be honest, I'm not sure what the fuss is about Catcher, but I have been blown away by Hemmingway. I borrowed a book of his short stories, and am astounded that in 2-3 short pages, he can tell a story so rich and engaging. At the same time, I'm also reading The Old Man and The Sea, and am loving the simplicity of the way in which he tells that story.

Catcher, on the other hand, I just found to go nowhere - partly because I felt it had too much detail at times, plus I didn't really enjoy the style of writing - personal preference. Possible also that reading it for the first time when teenage angst seems some time ago causes some loss of power...

Got me thinking, though - as I've mentioned before, one of the reasons comics are so powerful is because we have to engage our minds to read them. Reading Hemmingway's short stories is a similar experience - his ability to engage the mind in a few short pages is nothing short of brilliant.

That then led me to ponder about how we read and unpack The Story - God's story. Too often, I think we explain everything away, every last detail, and then wonder why people don't engage with it. We need to get better at allowing the space in the story to breathe, allowing the Spirit to engage our minds and challenge, inspire, encourage us. Or do we not trust that the stories are powerful enough...?

seasons

A lot of people have asked why on earth we'd want to move to a place as cold as Toronto. Having lived here for a bit, I've realised that there are far worse places we could live - like Winnipeg...

Regardless, I have to say that I'm really excited about being in a place where there are significant differences in the seasons. We moved here during the fall, and it was amazing to see the leaves turn - I've never seen such an explosion of colour. It was also fascinating to see that only last for about 2 weeks, then the trees started to shed their coats and take on the ghostly shapes they currently have. And as for the first snowfall... oh my gosh.


I've commented previously about some of these dynamics (here and here), but count it a privilege to be able to experience it first hand at a level I've never seen before.

I wonder how often I miss the opportunity to have those sorts of experiences in my spiritual walk, though? I'll often spend time trying to avoid hard times, to make my life nice and comfortable, because it's easier that way. In doing so, do I miss the colour life has to offer? Do I miss the (very real) breath-taking that happens on a cold winter's day? And even if that's not because I've decided to insulate myself inside, perhaps I miss it because I'm so dissatisfied about my circumstances that I'm only focused on what I don't have, rather than embracing the season I'm in, knowing it will change at some point?

I've said to lots of people that one of the reasons I think people in North America embrace summer so much is because they have the contrast of winter - they know they need to get out and enjoy summer, because it is, literally, only for a season. I've also had lots of people say that the only way to cope with the long dark cold of winter is to embrace it - to get out in it and enjoy it.

Personally, I can't wait to see the transformation as we hit spring - to see the trees start to sprout, the snow start to melt, to hear the birds begin to sing again (something I hadn't realised had stopped until someone pointed it out the other day...). I also can't wait for summer - to enjoy the heat, being outside, having picnics, going to playgrounds. But in the meantime, I'm going to put on my jacket, toque, scarf and gloves and enjoy the crisp white of winter!

what josh is teaching me about God #8

Yesterday, Ali and I took Josh to his orientation afternoon at school, which he starts next year.  Josh met his teacher, spent some time in his room, while we went with the other parents and were given info on what we needed to get ready, forms we needed to fill out, etc.  Needless to say, it was a bit of a rollercoaster arvo - excitement for Josh, encouragement about what a great school he's going to, but also realisation that our little boy is growing up, that we're heading into a very different phase of life and parenting, that there are going to be some challenges ahead.

As Ali and I were talking about it last night, I said that it's a strange pivot point as parents.  In some ways, we've spent the first 5 years of Josh's life "reeling him in" - trying to teach him boundaries, set foundations, teaching him control.  From next year, in effect, we begin the process of letting him back out - allowing him to become more and more independent over the coming years, in the hope that by the time he finishes at school, he'll be able to stand on his own two feet.

As often happens during these reflections, my mind then turned to the way in which my fatherhood is a reflection of my relationship with God.  Through this, I began to think about the faith journey, and wondered if there is some correlation here.  Is it possible that the first part of our faith journey is about God teaching us the basics, giving us boundaries, setting foundations, learning self-control?  Then, as we grow, God begins to "let us back out", to trust that the heart-work that's been done has prepared us to be able to stand on our own feet a bit more.

Now, I fully realise that in saying this, it could be perceived that I'm implying that God wants us to stand without him, but I'm not.  I'm simply pondering whether part of the maturity process (including God allowing us to go through difficult times, where our faith is tested) is related around a similar type of pivot point.  

Again, perhaps the first phase of our journey of faith is very much like the first 5 years of life - learning to walk, to talk, to write, to comprehend, and, in the midst of that, to learn that life is not a free-for-all, but there are boundaries that we need to live within, if we are going to function as part of society.  But that's not the end.  God gives us the opportunity to "start school" at some point - to begin to put into practice the things we've learned, continue to grow, continue to expand, discover what it means to live for others, not just ourselves.  

lusting after church

In recent times, I've had some conversations with different people who are thinking about where they're at in their involvement with their church.  Sometimes, I find these conversations difficult, because, as a shaper in a church, I have a vested interest in what we're doing at CitySoul, and obviously believe strongly in what we're doing, and the way we're doing it.

My tendency is to hold back talking about what we're doing, particularly with people who are struggling in the communities they are currently part of, because I want them to work through the issues, and help their church become even more healthy, rather than just up and leaving.  In one of these recent conversations, I found myself saying something which I think is a helpful analogy, and which I've since used a couple more times.  

In some ways, being part of a faith community is like being in a relationship (hopefully it's a lot like being in a lot of relationships, but bear with me...)  When you are in a relationship with someone, it doesn't matter how attractive anyone else is, while you are in the relationship you're in, you should not be looking, and especially not lusting...  

Yes, there are times when it's tempting, but if you're in a relationship, you should be focussed on working through any issues, resolving problems, looking to strengthen that relationship, not find an easy out by chasing after someone else who might seem more attractive.  The reality is that all relationships require hard work, dedication, and, as far as I know, all people have issues of some sort, so while the change might be nice for a while, the gloss will wear off (and is it even possible you are the cause of some of those problems... so won't you take them into any other relationship you head into?)

Now, if the relationship is not working, is not going anywhere, is harmful, etc, then you need to leave that relationship, and it's at that point that you can begin to look at who else is around (but it's still important to work through the issues that caused the breakup).

I think it would be helpful if more people had those concepts in mind as they thought about their involvement with any given church.  While you are a part of that church, you are in a relationship, and it doesn't matter how attractive other churches are, you're "taken", so stop lusting!  All churches have people in them, and if they have people, that means there are going to be issues.  Some communities might hide them better than others, or for longer, but there will be issues somewhere (even with CitySoul!).

Now, again, if that relationship is not working (and there are times when it is absolutely appropriate to end a relationship and move on, for the benefit of both parties), then aim for a healthy close to the relationship, work through the issues that caused the "breakup", and once that chapter has closed, only then should you start looking at what else is around.

imagine if... #2

I did say I was going to do some regular blogs on the theme of "imagine if..."  So, here's number 2...

Jesus says that the Dream of God (Kingdom) is like a farmer who throws seed into a field, then is amazed as it pretty much grows on its own - he doesn't really know how it happens, but the soil grows a sprout, then a stalk, then a head, then a full head of grain, so he harvests it (Mark 4:26-29)

Imagine if we functioned that way - not that we don't put any effort in at all - the farmer had to plant the seed (which, I think it's fair to assume means he'd prepared the ground first), but that we set up environments for growth to occur organically, then sit back in amazement at what God does around us.  And creating an environment for ourselves to grow (what's my soil like right now?  what seed have I scattered around the place lately?), as well as talking about creating environments for others to grow.

Organic is one of our key values at CitySoul, and is becoming a bigger and bigger part of my thinking and understanding.  Organic means natural, not forced, slow growth... the farmer, in some ways couldn't have sped up the process (and we all know how fake and less alive food tastes when the growth process has been sped up...)  

Imagine if we were more focused on creating environments (preparing the soil, scattering seed) where growth can organically occur.  Imagine if we were more content to realise that (whether we sleep or get up, as Jesus' story says) God is growing the seed.  Imagine if we would allow ourselves to be surprised (and blessed) by God more often as we scratch our heads and say "how did that grow?!" 

Imagine if...

reality bites...

There's a lot of talk (and, disappointingly, some champagne corks) around the place at the moment about the impending death of the emerging church (see here, here, here and here for just a few examples).  I've spent a bit of time over the last few years reading, listening to and watching some of the emerging church discussions, and find it interesting that the conversation has come to this point.

Think what you may of the emerging church conversation, but to me there is a bigger issue at stake, and that is one of authenticity.  In the end, the more I reflect, the more I think we as Christians need to place an exceptionally high premium on authenticity.  

At one of our CitySoul feasts a few weeks ago, we spent some time considering this idea of authenticity, and for me, some of the really helpful thoughts came out of discussions about what is not authentic, ie what is fake.  As you think about what is fake, you start to think about mass-production, copies, trickery, pretending to be something you're not, plastic... 

Authenticity on the other hand is about being genuine, about originality, the real deal.  

With that in mind, the question of emerging church (or any other "form" of church, for that matter) can become a distraction from pursuing what it means to authentically follow Jesus - individually and corporately.  Trying to "become" (or not become) an emerging/[insert other label] church flies in the face of what it means to say as a community "what does it mean for us, together, to follow Jesus?" (which obviously flows on from understanding that for yourself.)  If that looks (or smells...) emerging, then it's not going to die, because it's genuine for the people who are part of your community.  If it looks traditional, then it's not going to die, because it's genuine.  If it's something new (or old), but it's real, and people are encountering and seeking to become more like Jesus, that would seem to decrease the likelihood that it will becoming a fad, a trend, or a fake.

I wonder what would happen if we spent more time focussing on, talking with and giving opportunities to the people who are part of our communities, helping them discover what it means for them to follow Jesus authentically, and less time either looking at what others are doing and trying to copy that, or looking at what others are doing in the hope it will fail.

building muscle

I've blogged some thoughts previously (here and here) on the links between exercise (particularly in terms of weights) and spirituality, and this morning at the gym, I was struck by another link... 

It's very deceptive to look at how much muscle gain you've achieved in the moments after a workout.  The blood flow to the muscles means that the muscles look bigger (and more impressive!) than they actually are (and will be later in the day).  Following a workout, the body needs nutrients (particularly protein) to rebuild the muscle fibres that are torn during exercise.  If it gets these nutrients, over the next 48 hours, the muscle will repair itself, and grow to a larger, stronger size.  This happens most effectively, as I mentioned in one of those entries, when the body is given time to rest - if you return to the gym and work on the same muscle group the following day, the body has not had time to repair itself, so muscle growth is inhibited.  

So... linking that into our spirituality, perhaps it's not the moments immediately following a "workout" (whether that is anything from a ministry experience to personal disciplines) that show the true results.  Nor is it the day after (when perhaps our spiritual muscles are hurting and in need of nutrients and rest).  Rather, it is a couple of days later that we should be able to see the results of our exercise - but even more likely it will be after weeks of repeated exercise that the effects will be shown.

For me, that's a big lesson to learn, because I can be seduced by the importance of an event, a devotional time, etc, if I look at it in the moments immediately following its occurrence.  Instead, I need to take time and reflect on the impact over the days (even weeks) following the event, in order to see what impact it has really had, and whether there is long-term growth and strength coming as a result.  

imagine if...

Sunday morning, we went to my Dad's church because it was his last Sunday there before he moves to a new church.  As part of his sermon, he talked about some of the metaphors Jesus used to describe "The Kingdom of God".  As I've mentioned previously, I've been struggling for a while with how useful the phrase "Kingdom of God" is for us today.  I fully understand the need for us to talk about the way things function if we lived God's way, but thinking about a Kingdom is not easy for someone who doesn't really live in a Kingdom, and for those who do, it's not necessarily helpful, for other reasons.  As that post notes, Brian McLaren suggests the "dream of God" as one alternative (which I've found very helpful) to talk about the Kingdom, so I've decided I'm going to do some regular blogs along this line with this title of "imagine if..."

Dad talked about how yeast and seeds are both small, hidden, and yet absolutely vital for transformation.  Imagine if the church saw itself with that mindset - small, hidden, and yet absolutely vital for transformation - how much differently would it function?  

This obviously flies in the face of a lot of popular church growth theory, which says that to be vital for transformation, a church needs to be big and obvious - numbers, building, signage, on TV, in people's face.  I'm not having a go at any of those things - some churches have the ability to do those things well, and have a great impact because of it.  However, is that what all churches should be aspiring for, or should we be aspiring to be smaller, hidden communities, who are transformative because we are yeast in the dough, or seeds in the soil?

One of the things I love about our faith community that we're in the very early stages of planting is that we want that to be at the core of who we are - small (as in not a big building, nor a big name - numbers are up to God), hidden, working away behind the scenes, but absolutely vital for the transformation of our city.

Imagine if... 

choose... life

I've had one of those mornings this morning - you know, the ones where you feel like you're swimming in concrete, it takes ages to do anything?

Examples - I bought a new scooter (so happy to save so much money!), and went to fill it up at the petrol station.  I usually go to Mobil when I'm on the scooter, and when I used to be on my ZZR, because you can pay at the pump, and don't have to take your helmet off, etc.  So, I go to the station, pay at the pump isn't working, so I have to go in to pay.  When I go in, the attendant realises that the guy who just paid (driving a Calais) gave him the wrong pump number (accidentally?) - mine.  You'd think either the guy buying the petrol or the guy selling it would have realised that it costs more than $7 to fill a Calais... So, the attendant has to go out, get the guy to come back in, charge him the extra... you get the picture.

Eventually, I get back on the scooter and managed to snag every single red light on the way into town - no exaggeration, every one. 

Then I get into town and our wireless wasn't working properly... sigh (obviously it is now).

Now, clearly none of those things are a big deal, but I can get frustrated pretty easily at stuff like that.

2 weeks ago at our feast gathering for church, we talked about Moses' glorious words from Deuteronomy 30:15-20, in which he reminds the Israelites that as they enter into the Promised Land, that's not going to be the end of their need to make choices, and he challenges them to choose life (v 19).

We talked about how we need to make choices every day, and we are continually presented with opportunities to choose options that give life, contrasted with choosing options that take life.  

As I was sitting at one of the (many) red lights this morning, I decided to make a choice, to take the opportunity to soak up the sunshine, to marvel at the contrast of the green trees against the blue sky, to choose life.  I also reflected on how blessed we are to be able to make choices, and that the way we respond is really up to us.

boxing God

Last night at our feast gathering for church, we did a fantastic reflection based on Isaiah 53, and Mark 8:27-30 - discussing who we understand Jesus to be, and how easy it is for us to shape our understanding of Jesus on something that is so much smaller than he actually is.  

As a way of practically reflecting on that, we bought some chinese food boxes, and Josh, our Creative Curator asked us to reflect on the ways in which we keep God in a box, then to open the box out and reflect on the characteristics of God that we struggle with.

It was very helpful, and very powerful.  I was especially challenged to reflect on the ways in which, by putting Jesus in a box, I limit his ability to act.  It's not that Jesus doesn't have the power, but are there times that I, by my small-mindedness (or should that be small-boxedness?) limit Jesus' ability to use that power in my life or in the situations I find myself in?  

Who do you say Jesus is?  What's in the box?

redemption

One of the things I enjoy doing is playing basketball, and I play socially with a great bunch of guys on Saturday afternoons.  Last week, for a number of reasons, I got quite frustrated during our game.  I didn't go all Barry Hall and punch anyone, but I did say a few things in anger and wasn't pleased at all with my behaviour - in short, I felt like I didn't even come close to reflecting Jesus.

As a penalty, I decided to suspend myself from this week's game - there are no rules that I broke or anything that meant I had to, I just felt is was an appropriate way of reminding myself that basketball is supposed to be about fitness, camaraderie, fun, team, enjoyment, and if I'm going to take it to seriously, I shouldn't be playing.  I emailed my team and told them my decision, and resigned myself to not playing today.

It turned out that one of our other guys wasn't going to be able to play this week, though, so I was asked to consider playing, and I chose to use the AFL model of taking a guilty plea, which reduced my "points", so I could play (guess I'm now ineligible for the Brownlow...), but any more indiscretions, and it was a guaranteed suspension.

So, I played, we won by about 20, I scored 14, and really enjoyed the game.  As I was driving home, I started to think about the difference between redemption of that form - where I'm given another chance, an opportunity to dust myself off and get up and play again, rather than the "you're guilty, you've stuffed it, so there's a penalty to be served".  Instead of sitting at home, feeling sorry for myself, guilty that I'd messed up, and guilty that because of it, our team had to suffer (even if that was only because they didn't have an extra sub!), I had the opportunity to show that it was a mistake, that's not how I want to function, and that I can do better.  

(As an aside, I did also wonder where I would have felt as good if we had lost, or if I hadn't scored any points, but I think in the end, it was the opportunity to get back on the horse that gave me the feelings of redemption, rather than the end result.  One could argue, of course, that the result was due to the redemption, but things are starting to get circular and maybe I'm analyzing too much.)

In short, though, when we think about redemption and forgiveness for those around us, what's our response?  Should we penalise people, teaching them a lesson, drumming into them that they've messed up and haven't met whatever standard we've set or they've set?  What would happen instead if we, individually, and in our faith communities, gave people the opportunity to show us and (probably more importantly) themselves that they are better than that, that it was a mistake, and they're still a part of our life? 

That's certainly the perspective I get from Jesus, that grace looks much more like the second type of redemption than the first, and that God's focus is far more on getting us dusted off, back in the game, back to our best, rather than sitting at home feeling sorry for ourselves.