guest blogger: rick lawrence - on being shrewd and learning from serpents

I'm deeply thankful for a friendship with Rick Lawrence, a humble Yoda/Miyagi to many in the world of youth ministry. His new book "Shrewd" unearths more of what many of us miss in Christianity, so make sure you snag it. I'm thankful to share his thoughts below - enjoy!

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Five-or-so years ago I was locked in what felt like an all-out war over a dream that was in danger of dying, because a man who was much shrewder than me was bent on stopping it.

One day, in my grief and fear and anger over what was about to happen, I felt God sort of “sit me down” and challenge me—it was clear that my “frontal” way of dealing with this situation was not going to work, and He was asking me if I was going to have the courage to move more shrewdly. In the nicey-nice Christian culture that is promoted and perpetuated in most churches, shrewdness is anathema—worse, it’s entirely off the radar as a spiritual practice.

So, in an uncharacteristic spirit of desperation, I asked God to teach me what I needed to know about shrewdness—and He (of course) brought me to Jesus, the source of all good things. The point of Jesus’ “Parable of the Shrewd Manager” (Luke 16:1-8) is specifically to highlight the behavior of a lazy, lying, good-for-nothing servant who has no qualities we’d want to emulate except for one: his shrewd way of saving himself from the consequences of his terrible behavior. Jesus highlights this anti-role-model for one purpose: “The people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light.”

Later, in preparation for sending out His disciples on their first ministry journey without Him, He tells them to take nothing with them (no clothing, money, or “insurance” of any kind)—instead, He tells them they need just two things:

1. Be as shrewd as a serpent, and


2. Be as innocent as a dove.

The word He uses here for “serpent” is the same one He uses for Satan. And the word He uses here for “dove” is the same the Bible uses to describe the Holy Spirit. Jesus is telling His disciples to be as shrewd as Satan is, but as innocent as the Holy Spirit is. Shrewdness, then, is a way of living and relating that Jesus first modeled for us, then commanded us to do likewise.

In Shrewd: Daring to Obey the Startling Command of Jesus, I describe “shrewd” as a way of thinking and acting that Jesus long ago urged His followers to use in their uprising against the powers and ‘spiritual forces of wickedness’ of this world. Shrewd people—and Jesus is the Exemplar—first study how things work, and then leverage that knowledge to tip the balance in a favored direction. Shrewdness is the expert application of leverage—“the right force at the right time in the right place”—as The Way Things Work author David Macaulay observes. Jesus is perpetually taking what His enemies intend for evil and morphing it into good—He uses their destructive momentum against them, like a martial artist. Most Christians have a negative reaction to the word “shrewd,” but Jesus not only exemplified this way of relating to others in His redemptive mission on earth, He gave us a mandate to grow much, much more adept in our practice of it.

Because I’ve had scores of conversations with people, both young and old, about the mechanics of “innocent shrewdness,” I know people of all ages have experienced repeated failure in their frontal, conventional approaches to problems and challenges in their life. They’re frustrated and lost. And when I simply walk them through a Jesus-centered process of thinking and acting more shrewdly, it’s like Dorothy in The Wizard of

Oz moving from her flat, black-and-white world into the 3-D colors of Oz. The process, simply, looks like this:

• Answer the question: “What do I really want?” Jesus habitually asked an irritating question of people with obvious needs who approached Him for help: “What do you want?” (e.g., Matt. 20:32; Mark 6:22; Mark 10:36; Mark 10:51; Luke 18:41). We must know what we really want before we can truly ask in faith.
  
  
• Answer the question: “Is my ‘want’ born out of innocence? Would I feel just fine asking Jesus for this ‘want’ if I was face-to-face with Him?”
  
  
• Answer the question: “How does this (person, organization, or process) work?” Shrewd living always starts with understanding how things work—so spend five minutes brainstorming (either alone or with someone you trust) an answer to this question.
  
  
  
• Based on your understanding of how things work, spend five minutes brainstorming a point of leverage to go after with a “sideways” approach. Sideways means the leverage comes from an unexpected direction—you find “sideways” by experimenting with approaches that carry the force to move the situation.
  
  
• Now, try one of your options and debrief the results with someone you trust. Decide whether to continue with that option or whether to try a new approach.
  
  
  
• Repeat steps #3, #4, and #5 in a continuous loop—until you’ve landed on “the right force at the right time in the right place.”

Rick Lawrence is the author of dozens of books, including Shrewd: Daring to Obey the Startling Command of Jesus and Sifted: God’s Scandalous Response to Satan’s Outrageous Demand (shrewdbook.com and siftedbook.com). He’s has been editor of Group Magazine for 25 years and is the co-leader of the Simply Youth Ministry Conference. Rick is a church leader, consultant to national research organizations and a frequent conference and workshop speaker. He and his family live in Colorado.

book review: 21 Day Dad's Challenge

I've been sorting through some great books lately. One of them is the 21 Day Dad's Challenge, a book that reminds fathers that we can't let life get in the way of being intentional in our parenting. Contributors include Tony Dungy, Chip Ingram, Josh McDowell, Randy Alcorn, Carey Casey, Jim Daly, and more.

A handful of thoughts:

• The 21 day challenge is "do-able." It involves a short reading each day, including a challenge at the end of each chapter.
• The tone of the book is motivational and not condemning. Most dads know they fall short - this one paints a picture of what they're capable of.
• An assortment of QR codes make it possible to scan content as you read and watch complementary videos.
• Everything is based on biblical principles that release a clearer common sense in how one parents. For that reason even non-Christian dads will get a lot out of this.
• The book is best read in community, such as a men's group where guys can hold each other accountable.

I'd also add that moms can get a lot out of this material, too, but it does feel distinctly written to men. Snag a copy and rock a kid's world - I got mine through the Tyndale Blog Network in exchange for an honest review.

book review: muscular faith

Everybody who considers themselves "spiritual" or "somewhat religious" tries to have a good faith... not everybody trains for it.

I recently dug into the book "Muscular Faith" by Ben Patterson. It covers what a lot of us find out after we've taken hold of a genuine faith in Jesus Christ: faith is quite difficult and will challenge you from every angle. Those who spend the time developing the muscles of faith by exercising and training it on easier days will find what they need to stand up during the weighty seasons of life.

Picture Patterson like a personal trainer:
(1) Part one is him showing you where you're at and could be.
(2) Part two is him sharing with you what your workout could look like.
(3) Part three is him sharing with you the temptations and obstacles you'll face toward reaching your goal.
(4) Part four is him giving you words of encouragement for the short-term and long-term challenges of your faith journey.

Patterson does well with articulating his ideas, although it seems as if I've heard some of the concepts before in other books. It's a great read if you haven't dug into much of this kind of thinking before, but could frustrate those looking for something new.

Thanks to Tyndale House Publishers for the free copy of this book.

book review: imaginary Jesus

So you're sitting in a coffee shop... and across the table from you is "Jesus."  Not the real one, but one that you've made up in your mind... because He's cooler to hang out with.

About five minutes later, the "Apostle Peter" is punching him in the face.

I know how this sounds, but that's exactly why I want to recommend the book "Imaginary Jesus" to you by Matt Mikalatos.  The book offended me in all the right ways, and I hope it does the same to you.

The premise is simple - there are a number of false versions of Jesus that we erect on accident and on purpose.  For instance, the political Jesus who votes like we do... or the testosterone Jesus who chews glass and pokes fun at wimpy Christians.  How about the legalistic Jesus who makes you feel guilty for what you aren't doing right... or the pushover Jesus who lets you do what you want and doesn't seem to mind.


In addition to the rather transparent content, Mikalatos tells it well through a style of memoir fiction... you feel like he's taking you along for a ride into his real journey with God, only he does so by using everything from situational time-travel to a talking donkey.

Again, I know how this sounds.

I have to admit that half-way into the book I was tired of all the false versions of Jesus I was reading about.  It really became over-the-top, and then suddenly the author grabbed my heart with a question and issue that is all to real to all of us.  Without giving it away, I'll simply say that his honesty in his question is something that all of us need to ask out loud... except we'd rather not.

Maybe because it forces us to go one-on-one with the real Jesus, and all of us - if we were honest- are too chicken to do that without finding a reason to.

I review a lot of books, and even this one was given to me free through Tyndale House Publishers.  But it's worth the read, and there is even an audio version of it available.  Like I said earlier, it's honesty will bother you and you will put it down... but then you'll pick it right back up.

I can't think of a better compliment for a book than that.  Check it out.

a great read

We're going to be individually going through this book in our church over the next couple of months.  It's a great read... check it out!

The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism

book review: middle school ministry

I had the blessing of reviewing this book for YouthWorker Journal, soon to be released sometime in August. If you work with students or parent kids in the 11-14 age group, you need to grab this when it comes out.
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Middle School Ministry: A Comprehensive Guide To Working With Early Adolescents
By Mark Oestreicher and Scott Rubin
Zondervan/Youth Specialties, 2009, 384 pp., $15.99

For rather appropriate reasons, there’s a squirrel on the cover of this book. While middle school ministry has received more dignity in recent years than the church has given it in the past, working with young teens requires the same kind of intentionality that approaching a fuzzy rodent in its natural habitat might. As the authors contend, this stage of life cannot simply be written off as a “holding tank” for high school - much care must be put into connecting early adolescents to Christ in this “make-or-break” timeframe if they hope to experience a lifetime of spiritual significance.

While the average youth worker already knows all of this, a hole has existed in many ministry circles regarding the appropriate training and insights that this resource dynamically addresses. Oestreicher and Rubin blend humorous narratives with confident passion to seamlessly volley their combined experiences and research with the 11-14 age group. The result is this comprehensive offering that uses humble, everyday language with just the right amount of academic color commentary from other professionals.

The first section help unpack what is happening within and to the average preteen, while the second section offers practical ideas to be sure that what is happening within and through you appropriately matches up. The authors give you every reason to succeed and stay inspired, from the special Q&A and ideas section that close out the book to the guest contributor’s “Why I Do This” story provided in each chapter. As a dad, I found the insights on “normalizing their experiences” the single most important takeaway on how I relate with my own kids. As a reviewer and lead pastor, though, I can’t think of a better book to put into the hands of anyone in youth ministry… or your whole church... or parents of tweens.

a quick book quiz

Obviously I can answer every one of these questions with "The Bible." But here's another layer of info and depth in case you're interested.

1. One book that changed your life: The Rules of the Road... because it helped me get my driver's license.

2. One book that you’ve read more than once: Mortimer... because my boys like the way I ham it up and do voices when I read it.

3. One book you’d want on a desert island: Boat Building For Dummies... because I'd eventually want to leave that island.

4. One book that made you laugh: Dave Barry's Greatest Hits... because he and I have similar wit.

5. One book that made you cry: Fire of Heaven by Bill Myers... because it made me yearn for the Bride of Christ (the Church) to stop being so dirty and adulterous.

6. One book you wish had been written: The Purpose Driven Life... because of the royalties, baby.

7. One book you wish had never been written: Anything the Oprah has endorsed... because people don't need imaginary book clubs they never get to eat cheese cubes at.

8. One book you’re currently reading: A Renegade's Guide To God.. because it's ticking me off in all the right ways.

9. One book you’ve been meaning to read: Who Made the Moon?: A Father Explores How Faith and Science Agree... because kids ask great questions that I want to have intelligent answers for.

10. Tag 5 others: Nah. But feel free to add yours.

book review: for the tough times

If you've ever read any of Max Lucado's books, you are either a fan of his narrative style or have a desire "for something more." His latest work, "For The Tough Times," contains that very same approach, which some will draw great encouragement from while others will feel a sense of disappointment about. Given the book's intention of comforting the discouraged through a greater perspective via God, this tension is quite ironic.

Nonetheless, Lucado successfully does what he does best. Within the pages of this short collection (drawing on four others of Lucado's works) are some simple-yet-powerful thoughts for those feeling hopeless. Moving beyond the normal bullet points, the author has a strikingly backdoor way of nudging his thoughts forward. He asks questions where some may be tempted to give quick answers; and likewise, he offers perspective when it would be easy to offer a cliche.

The time is right for us to have something like this to read. While it isn't a solid Bible study, it is solid thought that is rooted in Scripture. His chapters are chunky enough for the 80 page book, but perhaps its size does limit some of the thoughts I'd hope he'd add on. While "God is for you," that doesn't mean He is for your choices. Given the book's quick-read make-up, many casual readers may assume nothing needs to change in their lives to experience God's favor.

Nonetheless, if you'd like something to put on your coffee table that will inspire anyone picking it up for a chapter or two, this is a safe bet.

book review: the truth about you

Marcus Buckingham has become known in several circles at the "strengths" guy - someone who cites a passion for helping people figure out what they're good at. In his latest resource, "The Truth About You," he gives a bit of advice beyond his last round, including challenging some common misunderstandings about strengths and weaknesses.

Buckingham claims research that only 1-2 out of 10 people find themselves freely expressing their strengths in life. To change that statistic, he's aimed this book at young adults just starting out in life in order to better identify who they are, what they're good at, and what sorts of environments they can best thrive in professionally and personally. In accordance with that generation's learning style, this resource offers bite-sized reading. a DVD that effectively sets the stage, and a "ReMemo" pad to take notes on one's self.

As a snapshot review, this resource is all about helping you tune into what you're already drawn to. Only instead of stopping where you might naturally stop, it encourages you to go deeper and see it with greater texture and application. Along the way you just might find yourself more focused on how you are uniquely created to give glory to your Creator.

That is, if you read this book with a Bible. While there is acknowledgement of you having a greater purpose than surviving each day, there isn't a lot of clarity where that purpose comes from. Given that this book is published by a Christian publishing company, I expected a bit more.

The only other downside is that this resource sets you up to believe that you can experience a world that challenges you the way you want to be challenged. While perhaps some of that is possible, life is full of real hurdles you can't always control. To expect that you can merely operate in your strengths is deceptive, for the world will require you to improve in your weaknesses as well. Promising the next generation anything different is deceptive.

So I'll give this book high marks for creativity, but lower marks for content (because of lack of context). Still - if you're searching for purpose this may help... with those disclaimers in mind. While it can be hard for us to figure out what to do with our lives, this just may help with the sifting.

hindsight lessons on transformation

Sometimes the best lessons come out of the mouths of those who have just used hindsight. I like the introduction to the book Metamorpha by Kyle Strobel (son of noted apologetical thinker/teacher/writer Lee Strobel). He titles the section, “Where I Write From.”

I am a child of the seeker church. Mine is probably the first generation of children whose parents became Christians in the seeker movement. The first time I sang a hymn was in college. I have been saved from facing issues that come with growing up around a lot of tradition; for example, I have no qualms with redoing everything if that is what is needed.

On the other hand, my lack of tradition has left me feeling my way in the dark even though millions of others have walked the way before me. What I have always tried to take away from this odd tension, though, is that people take precedence over programs and models. Just as the Sabbath was made for man and not the other way around, so are church models and traditions. But as I've experienced personally and witness continually, the church often allows structure and tradition to segregate, disenfranchise, and alienate, even when those structures and traditions are only a couple of years old.

I want to see something different in my lifetime.

I am a child of evangelicalism and went through the motions this movement said were necessary to be a leader. Yet I am a child of the emerging church as well, whose complaints and frustrations have been with me since childhood. Like so many in my generation, I have an abundance of frustrations and hurt from the church at large, but I cannot for the life of me give up on her.

I grew up thinking I was in, which was all that really important to me. For people who have lived painful and scandalous lives, finally being in means a lot. For me, it meant little. I grew up in the church and was a reasonably good kid. What was I saved from? It seemed to be that I was saved from God by God. I failed to see I was saved by God for God and that his saving grace means eternal living here and now.

My understanding of the Christian life had everything to do with what eventually will happen and had little to do with what currently is happening. I had walked through the door of Christianity, and I thought my job was just to be a good person until Jesus came back. By God's grace I have learned there is so much more. It's par for the course that, when we become Christians, we do so under many false pretenses and
affirm things we don't remotely understand - as we will see, that's okay. But we must never fail to actually journey with Jesus. We have been saved that we may live the kingdom life now.

I want to show that we do not so much need an overview of what it means to be good as we do an invitation to journey with God. In North America, we have more than often been a group of people who talk about all that Jesus came to do without any idea what it means for our lives now. It is my hope that we can journey in search of greater meaning. Fortunately, we have a God who is gracious enough to equip us for the journey we have before us.

buckets of affirmation

We all intrinisicly know this - certain people fill us up, some empty every ounce of our energy, and others don't seem to affect us much either way. Over time this can change, for I've had "fillers" become "emptiers" and vice-versa. Likewise, the "neutrals" have at times gone up and down based on context and relationship changes.


But what if you could influence that in some way?

If you had the opportunity to guide your interactions with others toward "mutually-filling" relationships, would you?

Some time ago I came across a resource in the book "How Full Is Your Bucket?" by Tom Rath and Don Clifton. The authors do a good job of helping people recognize how each person we connect with desires for us to "fill their bucket," but it must be more than trite compliments and friendly-isms. For bucket filling to be meaningful to the recipient, it must be personalized and specific to what that person needs.


Have you ever stopped to "interview" the people closest in your life about these questions?

1. By what name do you like to be called?


2. What are your “hot buttons” – hobbies or interests you like to talk about a lot?


3. What increases your positive emotions or “fills your bucket” the most?


4. From whom do you most like to receive recognition or praise?


5. What type of recognition or praise do you like best? Do you like public, private, written, verbal, or other kinds of recognition?

Speaking of which, here are my answers.

By what name do you like to be called?

Tony. "T" is good, too.

What are your “hot buttons” – hobbies or interests you like to talk about a lot?

Who Jesus Christ really is; how amazing it is to be married to my wife; the blessing my boys are to me; the potential for the Church to be what Jesus dreams it could be; my good, good, good friends; the energizing people I work with; the God-sized movement we call Connection Church; creative TV/movies with good writing;

What increases your positive emotions or “fills your bucket” the most?

When people are authentic... it drives me crazy when others won't talk with you but freely talk about you. Also, acts of service and gifts rock. I also find that right after I pour myself out - like after preaching or cooking or something that requires a risk - I am most appreciative of genuine affirmation... but need about a day to be ready for criticism.

From whom do you most like to receive recognition or praise?

Those who know me best... although it is interesting to hear about first impresions from people I first meet.

What type of recognition or praise do you like best? Do you like public, private, written, verbal, or other kinds of recognition?

All of them rock, but each depends on the circumstance. I never know what to do with public praise because it's just weird to be celebrated... I like it, mind you, but it's weird since most of the good things that happen through my life are because of God. Private is nice when it's from someone I know well.

Feel free to add your answers in the comments.

a loose book review: why we're not emergent

DISCLAIMER: This post may skip right over you if you don't understand some of the terminology I'll be using here... words like "Emergent" and "Evangelical." That's okay if it does, and I'm sorry to not include you in on this. I leave that on its own because it actually helps me prove the point I'm about to make.

Today I was hanging out in a bookstore and came across a rather intriguing read. By "read" I mean to say that I found myself digesting it as best as I could as salivating sales-people floated by like birds of prey, hoping I'd make the purchase. I'm usually able to read things fast, though, so I ripped through it and walked out of the store with my $14.99 + tax still in my pocket.

Score.

I share that because while I'd like to offer a thorough review of this book, I am only able to give you a recommendation from that context.

That said, I am very intrigued by the book Why We're Not Emergent: By Two Guys Who Should Be by Kevin DeYoung and Ted Kluck. DeYoung serves as Senior Pastor of University Reformed Church in East Lansing, Michigan, while Kluck runs his own web site where he shares the latest things he's doing as an "author/speaker/screenwriter." Their collaboration on this book is an attempt to explain why ideas and people of the "Emerging Church" should be questioned, although most points made deal specifically with "Emergent Village."

Most people confuse the two.

Splitting the writing load by every other chapter, DeYoung hits the theology angles hard while Kluck's approach is more narrative in nature. They hold in common an attempt to tactfully deconstruct Emergent by exploring quotes from blogs, lines from books, and topics from conferences.

This could easily be something Emergents would raise their shields at.

Yet I wonder what would happen if instead the critique was embraced? Granted, not at face value for nothing should be treated as such. Nonetheless, what if Emergent Village participants - or any group of people who consider themselves theologians... Reformers, Calvinists, Arminians, etc - were more curious about the perception of the conversation than may normally be natural.

After all, for many people perception is often more powerful than reality. I wonder how much of our theology is merely one perception that a number of people have clung to for many years.

The truth is this book is geared to hit a unique target audience who is looking to dismiss Emergent. DeYoung pastors in midwest Michigan, an area I know from personal experience to be an evangelical bubble at times. Kluck resides in Orlando, Florida, another piece of geography known to be a hub for unique church empires. One could belittle their ideas as them merely trying to give the naysayers more "nay" to "say."

Yet what if behind it all is an attempt to explore their own concepts of God? And if Emergent is truly a diverse community, is there room to celebrate biblically-centered criticism in order to allow counterintuitive ideas to sharpen that which is dull, anchor that which is drifting, and simplify that which is wise?

I'd really like to think so.

It's like your crazy uncle at family gatherings. Everyone knows he's going to say something loony, and yet he's allowed to sit in on the meal. And yet every once in a while he says something profound... something that makes everyone stop and reconsider life. Until he belches.

Ever notice how when we use analogies like that we always know we're the sane ones. But... what if you're the crazy uncle?

If any of this has stirred up some interest, you can download the intro and first chapter for review. Also, Dan Kimball has written much more on this than I have through some personal interactions with the authors.


And again... if you didn't follow any of this...

good for you.

an honest chat with God

I just wanted to share something I recently read. This was written by a gal I know (I once was her youth pastor) who has a very honest approach to writing:

• Me: (Question)



• God: (Answer)



• Me: Are You sure?



• God: -blank stare-



• God: Am I sure?! Are YOU sure? No, you're not. Who needs to be sure here, Me or you?



• Me: Both?



• God: Nope, just Me.



• Me: But if I'M not sure...



• God: Then you've got to trust Me.



• Me: I get really frustrated when You say that.



• God: I know.



• Me: You say that a lot.



• God: I know. Cause you don't do it a lot.



• Me: True. I need to work on that...



• God: I'll help you.



• Me: Thank You.



• Me: Committment scares me.



• God: I've noticed. Sometimes you have a hard time comitting to ME.



• Me: I've noticed.



• God: Sometimes you stink at it.



• Me: Uh-huh.



• God: But that's okay with Me. I fill in where you fall short.



• Me: Christ.



• God: Exactly.



• Me: Thank You for That, by the way. I...



• God: I know. And you're welcome. It is My Pleasure.



• God: Are you honouring Me?



• Me: Trying to.



• God: You are. You are seeking Me first. Very Biblical.;)



• God: What is your point here, with this relationship?



• Me: Well, sometimes I forget to ask that question. ...To bring You glory and honour.



• God: I'm ASKING you to bring Me glory and honour. Which means I will supply all your needs...as you seek to live according to My will...



• Me: (I don't remember how the rest of that goes...)



• God: (Look it up later.)



• Me: (K.)



• God: Do you see where I'm going with this?



• Me: Yeah. It's what You said earlier.



• God: Yes, it is.God: So if you are seeking to honour Me, you can't fail. You will fall short. (Remember, I am God, you are human.;)) But you will not fail. You fail when you stop focusing on Me. Focus on Me, not your fears. Your focus shouldn't be on trying not to fail, but on trying to please ME.



• God: Make sense?



• Me: Yeah.



• Me: I don't know if I can do this.



• God: Technically, you can't do anything. Not without Me.



• Me: God, will You please help me?



• God: I've been waiting for you to ask...

a few reviews

About a year ago I was given the opportunity to regularly review books for Youthworker Journal. Its not a bad side gig... I get paid to read (which I enjoy doing) and always get to keep the stuff they send me. I usually get things before they come out, allowing me to create a review without anyone else's bias as influence.

This is quite the challenge, though, since it's always difficult to give an honest synopsis of a book with respect to all the time the author has put into creating it. In my opinion, anyone who has kept their rear end in a chair that long deserves to be celebrated (even if it's for that alone). And yet I am required and compelled to give an honest critique for the sake of the consumer.

So in case you're considering something new to read, here are a few I've read recently.


Vintage Jesus: Timeless Answers To Timely Questions
By Mark Driscoll and Gerry Breshears
Crossways Books, 2008, 256 pp, $19.99

Mark Driscoll is known in some evangelical circles for his reactive statements that attempt to say something provocative. Perhaps that controversial aggressiveness could inspire both groupies and critics to pick up his first book, Vintage Jesus. Written with complementary insights from mentor Gerry Breshears, this book aims to soundly articulate a specific theology about Jesus and generate “many profitable discussions.”

Overall, Driscoll tamely stays after his task of explaining classic Christian theology through cultural examples and personal analogies. He occasionally works against himself, though, distracting fans and foes alike through unnecessary negativity (disguised as humor) and jabs against other Christians. Driscoll attempts to excuse this by leaguing himself in with Jesus whose humor he believes “was often biting and harsh,” adding that “the best response [to anyone self-righteous] is to just make fun of them.” Thankfully, Breshears’ Q&A sections at the end of each chapter insightfully glue everything back together.

The theological meat is chewy, and yet it often seems like something you’ve read elsewhere. Perhaps that’s Driscoll’s point, but the project respectively comes across as unoriginal. In many ways Vintage Jesus feels blurred by a deeper objective to elevate Driscoll as an emerging theologian. This makes it hard to not read into everything he writes, including the way the book formally belittles alterative viewpoints and structurally reads like a retort to Rob Bell’s book Velvet Elvis. The author’s admirers will savor these strategic pokes, while average readers will have to read around them in search of something more meaningful.


Fusion: Turning First-Time Guests Into Fully-Engaged Members Of Your Church
By Nelson Searcy and Jennifer Dykes Henson
Regal Books, 2007, 176 pp, $12.99

Should every visitor who walks into your gatherings become a member of your church? If you believe so, you’ll enjoy this practical resource by Nelson Searcy. If you think otherwise, though, you’ll likely raise your eyebrows as you read.

Searcy anticipates critics by conceding “the church is not a business,” yet in the same sentence adds “[but] we would be smart to take some cues from the consumer-conscious service world.” These nods are placed throughout the book, but they seem like token acknowledgements to contrary opinions. The Bible is only occasionally tagged, even within a chapter entitled “biblical hospitality.” Nonetheless, this is a solid “nuts and bolts” resource for congregations and ministries alike.

So is this a negative or a positive review? That depends on whatever thoughts and baggage you carry about churches using marketing principles to pursue holy goals. The material does attempt to endorse itself through strategically laid testimonials, making Searcy seem like a self-promoter out to peddle his resources. Behind it all, though, his heart beats with an obvious conviction that the “customer” needs the “product” he’s selling – Jesus Christ.

Whatever you believe about that will cause you to either pick up a stone… or this book.


The Trouble With Paris: Following Jesus In A World Full Of Plastic Promises
By Mark Sayers
Book: Thomas Nelson, 2008, 224 pp, $14.99
DVD: Thomas Nelson, 2008, 80 minutes, $39.99

Australian theologian and speaker Mark Sayers comes on strong about the effects of Western consumerism in his book and DVD "The Trouble With Paris." Citing the conscious and unconscious shifts popular culture has on everyone, Sayers ponders (with specific emphasis to young adults) how Christians can develop a meaningful and relevant faith in such times.

Both mediums offer the same content in different forms, with the DVD formatted for a four-week interactive group study and the book intended as a personal read. The majority of the material is spent intelligently deconstructing the way things are, while the last section offers some tangible suggestions for living differently. By the time the reader gets to this portion they are likely ready for a solution, and the author uses much Scripture to make his points.

Thankfully, the alternative Sayers offers is more than another “hyperreality” promise of prosperity. While he rightly states that the way of life Jesus offers “leads to satisfaction, not just more wanting,” he also adds that “we are not immune from bad things happening” and must still embrace a “shalom vision” in such times. Given the raw journey many are on with God, this tension of perspective is refreshing.


Outflow: Outward-Focused Living In A Self-Focused World
by Steve Sjogren and Dave Ping
Group Publishing, 2007, 236 pp., $14.99

Steve Sjogren has a gift for keeping ministry simple-yet-powerful. Combining efforts with Dave Ping, the duo have put together “Outflow” - a highly practical resource about how one life can impact everyone. Through sound theory and biblical foundation, the book provides the reader with insights and ideas that can be easily integrated into any lifestyle.

The running metaphor of the book is a four-tiered fountain, painting an Acts 1:8 picture of how the Holy Spirit can nourish layer after layer of the lives that surround our own. Although at times the book feels like a remix of The Purpose Driven Life, the authors do offer an inventive spin through stories, introspection, Scripture, and strategy. In doing so this feels less about a program and more about transformation.

Whether used as a personal study or as a way to transform an entire group, Outflow promises a refreshing approach that just might (super)naturally change the world.

reviewing sabbath: a beautiful mess

Yesterday I enjoyed a great lunch with some local pastors... guys from different denominational backgrounds who all follow Jesus Christ. There's something quite beautiful about gathering together around some unspoken essentials in order to breathe some fresh breath into our local effort of revealing Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God. Sometimes I think this sort of intentional bridge-building is one of the only ways the spiritual soil in our region can stay fertile, which is one reason I'm firmly committed to this relationship.

Well, that and the amazing mushroom, steak, and cheese sub I order from the restaurant we meet in. (Da-rool, da-rool.)

As we spoke, the subject of conflict came up from one of my pastor friends. Without sharing details, it's fair to say that he is in the midst of some with a fellow Christian leader. There was absolute anguish in his spirit over it, especially since from his vantage point he is trying to be kind and loving in his approach... and yet he faces this kind of awkward tension right back at him. I identified with his journey and heartache on this, since I've also experienced this over the years in ways I didn't ask for.

A good guy experiencing some hard stuff.

Which brings me around to a chat my wife and I were having about Lot's wife.

With the coming of dawn, the angels urged Lot, saying, "Hurry! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or you will be swept away when the city is punished." When he hesitated, the men grasped his hand and the hands of his wife and of his two daughters and led them safely out of the city, for the LORD was merciful to them. As soon as they had brought them out, one of them said, "Flee for your lives! Don't look back, and don't stop anywhere in the plain! Flee to the mountains or you will be swept away!"

But Lot's wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt. (Genesis 19:15-17, 26)

My wife and I spoke about this passage together last week, specifically talking about this last verse. There are times where it seems as though God is quite the harsh disciplinarian, while other times He comes across as a peace-love hippie from the 60's. My thinking, though, is that in this passage He is both - just as He is always both. While our eyes may drift toward the pillar of salt ("I mean, come on - a PILLAR OF SALT?"), we miss out on the initial mercy He offered to Lot and his family (who shouldn't have been living where they were living to begin with).

This is where our sense of completely understanding the supernatural tends to starts to erode.

Truth is both poetic and rational, which means that God is like wind - while we can't see it with the naked eye we know it's true and can certainly see the effects of it. Occasionally when it gathers up the dust of the earth we can make out a shape, just as when God blows into the dust of the earth He can reveal His presence to even the blind.

Unfortunately, to hold truth (or anything for that matter) in tension means that we lose control over it. I'm finding that not to many people are comfortable with this, and yet it still remains true. We can only understand the supranatural (yes, that's spelled right) truths of God to some point, and then we either have to admit that it's bigger than explanation or else we have to convince ourselves and everyone around us that "it's actually quite easy to understand, and you should, too."

I like how Rick McKinley (who pastors Imago Dei) puts this in his amazing book "This Beautiful Mess: Practicing The Presence Of The Kingdom Of God":

I love studying theology, but I've noticed that theology has little tolerance for loose ends. As the study of God, it mostly uses human tools like logic and interpretation and systems to define Him and how He works in our lives. Countless brilliant women and men have written penetrating works that help us think more clearly about God. They give us a rich theological heritage, and I encourage you to read them.

But be careful. You can study God expertly in His parts and miss Him entirely in His Being. Sometimes I think today's evangelicals have dissected God, put Him in jars, labeled all His parts, and then breathed a sigh of relief. Whew. Job done, they gasp. Now we have no more confusion about God. Now we have a God we can market. At least now we can be excruciatingly confident that "our team" is right.

As right as body parts in formaldehyde.

I've found that theology, especially the systematic kind, becomes more helpful when you think of it as grammar. Grammar helps us read and write, but it can't on its own give us one memorable sentence. That's because grammar is a tool, not an end in itself. Meaningful communication is the end Communication like, say, poetry. Yes, your grammar helps you understand and experience a poem. But just when you're getting comfortable, a good poet will break a language rule, turn an image inside out, give you slip, send you falling.

And there's nothing you can say in response but, Hmm, good poem. I felt those words.

The rest of the book rocks out a rather refreshing challenge about Christ's message of the Kingdom of God and what that all really means. When most of us think of the "Kingdom of God" we think of pearly gates, golden streets, cast down crowns, and eternal peace. Yet Jesus use language to talk about what the Kingdom of God "is" and not just what it "will be" - which means there is a present and future context to it all.

Which can mess with your theology if you prefer one over the other.

Yet here it is... a beautiful mess of tension. Once you see this in one place you begin to see it everywhere. At the very moment Jesus died on the cross God shouted no and yes at the same time... when Saul/Paul cried out in blindness, it was the first time he would see. Then there's the Incarnation... the Trinity... salvation... being seated in the heavenlies while also being on earth... crazy stuff.

So perhaps if our theology can accept the tension of the known and the unknown, then maybe whatever is ahead in the broken, beautiful, ugly, forgiven, sinful, awesome world might just be possible... with God, that is.

Which is something I've become more in tune with through my Sabbatical.

British Scientist John Haldane has been quoted saying “My own suspicion is that not only is the universe queerer than we suppose, it is queerer than we can suppose.” I love it when British guys use words like "queerer," but really I suspect that he's on to something.

“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him” (1 Corinthians 2:9b)

So while I'm becoming more attuned to the theological tensions that practically pop their heads into my life like unwanted gophers, I am aware through at least three different conversations last week that whenever you proclaim such things you make other people uncomfortable.

Realizing an insight from your journey with God that involves tension can create division if you share it out loud.

To paraphrase some great advice I was once given...

You will lose friends, constantly disappoint the people around you who don't get it and find that ultimately only a few people can truly be trusted with the authenticity of your journey.

People might say really, really unkind things about you...

and it is the best possible way to live.


What a beautiful mess.

More in the next post.

innovative quotes

"When leading change, it takes years to transform an organization by simply changing the values. It takes just three years by mobilizing the leaders to act out the values until they become reality." - Tim Elmore

"Not all changes are improvements, but every improvement is a change." - Keith Drury

"Innovation is all about staying relevant. That's all it is. " - Stephen Berkov, Audi

"The problem is never how to get new, innovative thoughts into your mind, but how to get the old ones out." - Dee Hock

The great preacher F.B. Meyer once asked D.L. Moody, “What is the secret of your success?”

Moody replied, “For many years I have never given an address without the consciousness that the Lord may come before I have finished.” This may well explain the intensity of his service and the zeal of his ministry for Christ.

"Failure is doing the same things in the same way and expecting unique results." - Ed Young

i'm positive about this

I was just surfing someone's blog site who happened to review a book that I have really enjoyed reading in recent years. Naturally, I was curious as to his thoughts on the matter because you never quite know if you might've missed something insightful someone else caught. Instead, the post was more of a critique of the author's simplicity in what he wrote (i.e. "First of all, there's nothing new about calling Christians to a life of complete submission to God.") - as if there is something wrong with that.

In sharing this, I know I run the risk of critiquing his critique and thereby defeating the whole point of this post. Honestly, I have to confess I was bothered by it... not because this is one of my favorite books but because I find it an odd practice we've gotten into of taking what someone has poured out of his/her soul and deconstructing it into tidy little parts in order to place certain labels of approval or disapproval on it. To be fair in this case, the writer of the blog did say, "If it inspires you to innovate for God, go for it." This, though, was one sentence in a small paragraph after a detailed criticism.

Which brings me to the main point of this post... am I the type of person who is more inclined to look for the redemptive potential in something and celebrate that or am I more the type of person who is inclined toward a "right" way of thinking that sees the holes in the world, ideas, and people and points them out?

And here's the million dollar question... which do you think is more biblical?

Be careful how you answer.

And then ask yourself why you immediately jumped toward that way.

And if you tried to say "both," ask yourself if you try to say "both" to every question like this and why.


We have this strange desire, it seems, to put down the thoughts and ideas of others...

• "What were they thinking with that color on their house?"



• "Nice outfit... if this was 1979."



• "How did she ever get that kind of authority?"



• "Did you hear about what they do in their church services?"



• "That's such a bad wig."

I know a bit about this in that one of my side gigs is to review products for YouthWorker Journal. Basically, publishing companies send me stuff in the hope that I might say something positive in a magazine, while the magazine hopes I'll write objectively and include appropriate critique so that people don't waste their money if it's a bad product.

Which raises an interesting question for me as a Christ-follower... if something is done to promote the name of Jesus, should I even bother critiquing it or should I celebrate the effort and really applaud where I think it most hits home?

Some people are pessimists... others optimists... then there are the pragmatics and a whole bunch of other variations. I think that I'm a redemptionist... even though something may be off base, I tend to look for a way to bring out the positive. In doing so I'm sure I annoy those who would rather me point fingers at all "those people," but I think I've been "those people" and probably still am "those people" and so I'm not quite so sure my role is to point at anyone, let alone "my people."

Yet here's the rub - you can't pursue restoration without first seeing something as broken or fallen; likewise, you can't see something broken or fallen without on some level acknowledging that you are aware of a "different/better way"(whether you personally live in that "different/better way" yourself).

Maybe where it all fleshes out is if you find yourself feeling more positive or more negative about this when all is said and done.

So right now I'm reading a book that hasn't been released yet called "Finding Your Plot In A Plotless World." It's a great read and talks in some real cool ways about interacting with God's Story in our daily lives. Just like many books, it will probably connect with some and not others. If you're into better understanding how your life is a part of the Grand Narrative, it's definitely something you should snag.


Whew.

That felt good.



(Comparatively to that other guy's post, of course.)

Doh!

But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, (Philippians 1:18)

teen leads fight against slavery

Huh? "Teen leads fight against slavery?" Is that a headline from the year 2007 or 1807?

It's actually a really good article worth your read.

Zach Hunter is a teenager who's decided that it's more important to "BE THE CHANGE" than hope someone else does it. When he first learned that millions of people, including children, around the world are slaves, he knew he had to do something about it. This 15-year old has raised thousands of dollars through the ‘Loose Change to Loosen Chains’ movement, a social justice campaign that smells a lot like Jesus.

Then there is this other guy I know who is a midwest, American college student and has decided to raise money toward abolishing the sex trade on the other side of the globe. The first day he an his naive college buddies decided to do something about it they raised $1000.

The first day.

So... um... what are you doing today?

"...and a little child will lead them." (Isaiah 11:6a)

betting one's life on something

"I'm betting my life that Jesus was not a liar. When we die, if [Sam's] right, I've lost nothing. If I'm right, [Sam has] lost everything. I'm not willing to make that gamble."

- Rick Warren, in his concluding thoughts after a conversational debate with atheist Sam Harris

You really should take a look at this back-and-forth, moderated and instigitated by Newsweek Magazine

who needs church? - part 2

I've appreciated the dialogue we had in the last post about this beautifully blemished thing called the church and why we can often struggle with feeling compelled toward it (while simultaneously wondering if we should just walk away and "let it be"). I totally get that, because I think if we operated purely on reactive thinking or frustrated emotions we might easily come to such a conclusion. But when you slam those two senses together with an innate sense of our eternal selves (which is often called a soul), the church can be understood in a greater context than historical events alone.

We all know we don't live in a perfect world. At least, yet.
"Yet" - that's the thing we have to remember.

Heaven is when everything comes together and"church gets it right." In the meantime we're on the journey and shouldn't expect heaven to happen just yet. Perhaps glimpses when Christ-followers actually follow Christ, but never perfection.

On that note, I wanted to share this list I found from an article in Relevant Magazine. Written by Adam Cleveland, it's entitled "Looking for the Perfect Church That Doesn't Exist."

The top ten things I look for in my perfect church:

1. A church that isn’t too far away from my home, preferably a 10 to 15 minute drive.
2. A church that is actively involved in local and international social justice issues.
3. A church that offers a wealth of exciting, informative and life-changing Adult Education options, available at a variety of days and times throughout the week.
4. A church that is thoroughly intergenerational—all students in high school and younger would be paired with an older adult mentor.
5. An engaging, exciting, relevant, progressively-oriented, open and inviting twentysomething group that is co-pastored by a young couple just out of seminary, and staffed with engaging, exciting, relevant and progressively-oriented volunteers and parents from the congregation.
6. A church where everyone loves the young people in the church and encourages them to bring their unchurched friends to church (no matter what they look like) and has no problem letting the youth group band lead in worship.
7. A church that has a traditional service, a contemporary service, a modern worship service, a perfectly-blended worship service and an alt.worship gathering.
8. A service that is not too short, but not too long either – preferably an hour and ten minutes.
9. A pastor who is theologically trained (but doesn’t flaunt it), has an appropriate sense of humor and a wealth of life experience that makes for applicable and gripping stories that bring the scriptures to life.
10. A church where those who hold radically diverse theological beliefs sit next to one another, worship together and love and respect one another and their differences.

Intriguing... what's your spin on this? Personally, I'm not sure I buy into #7 and would rather it read "A church that has a service that spurs people on to being the Church all throughout the week." Then again, I don't know if I'd limit the dream to 10 things (although it does make for a nice little list).

Any idea of what your list would look like?

And perhaps the question behind that question is "Why are those things important to you?"

I will sacrifice a freewill offering to you; I will praise your name, O LORD, for it is good. (Psalm 54:6)
Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise (Hebrews 13:5a)