It seems natural to wonder, “am I cursed or am I blessed?” But the answer to that question often depends on context. Walking through my neighborhood with my sister who lives in the suburbs, I suddenly see the trash on the streets, the rough characters standing at the corner and the chipped paint in my house. But when my friend from East Oakland comes to visit, I feel a tinge of privilege about living in a neighborhood with coffee shops,... Read more
Listening to a recent ‘On Being’ podcast with the venerable and feisty Walter Brueggemann, I was struck by what seems at first to be rank overstatement. His contention is that the ancient Hebrew ‘prophetic/poetic messengers’ serve to critique everything: all political, social, and religious systems. In Brueggemann’s opinion, the worst thing we can do with these Biblical messages is to organize them, domesticate them, and to “create another ‘ism'”. Surely, part of the reason emergence churches like Common Table don’t... Read more
There is one important person who helped start the entire discussion about “Progressive Christianity” or the “Emerging Church” who has been silenced. He is speaking again, and I’d suggest we all welcome him back. Let me explain: Somewhere around 1996 an organization called Leadership Network pulled together about 10-20 young leaders in the church to begin a discussion about ministry for Generation X. Within a few months, the conversation morphed into a more academic one about post-modernism and theology. I... Read more
Last month, I decided to start a series of monthly #missionalchat conversations on Twitter, on the third Monday of the month (which is also when I’m planning to post on the Emergent Village Voice blog). Back in December, the conversation was around the terms “incarnational” vs. “missional” for the type of ministry we’re talking about in the emerging church. I had the privilege of doing that first experimental #missionalchat with Kathy Escobar, co-pastor of The Refuge and author of Down... Read more
Today we remember Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. I consider him one of my heroes. In fact, my wife and I are in the process of planning a southern vacation to the Memphis area in a few months to visit some of the historic sites. He was a pioneer of peace. A leader fueled by love. May we all continue to follow in his footsteps, furthering his work of peace and reconciliation. Enjoy the video. Read more
“Church planting is the most effective form of evangelism under heaven” said C.Peter Wagner. I know he said that. I was there. I was a young [and good looking] Fuller Seminary student sitting in his classroom when he said it. It was a welcomed idea, proven scientifically more effective than trying to expand older church structures. Back then, there was little argument against it and the idea was embraced by mission societies and church denominations who played it out in... Read more
“Things fall apart, the center does not hold…” W.B. Yeats, “The Second Coming” 1919 Ninety-three years ago in January 1919, Yeats published “The Second Coming” in the aftermath of the war to end all wars and the Spanish Influenza pandemic, two events that destroyed millions of lives and the hope of progress which the 20th century had promised. Now in January 2012 we can look back at Yeats’ classic poetic idiom with a deeper and more profound appreciation for its... Read more
I’ve been too busy to post here recently. I’ve been too busy for a lot of things. And that should tell me something… A paradox has emerged in this new millennium: people have enhanced quality of life, but at the same time they are adding to their stress levels by taking on more than they have resources to handle. It’s as though their eyes were bigger than their stomachs. – David Allen, Getting Things Done It’s more than likely that you’ve... Read more
Take a look at this picture of astronaut Pete Conrad, handling moon rocks collected on his Apollo 12 lunar mission. This is the same wise-cracking fighter jock who had Playboy centerfold photos hidden in the checklist strapped to his wrist as he explored the lunar surface. Perhaps it’s just my imagination, but when I look in his eyes I see almost a sense of humility and awe. It is as if he is saying, “Do you believe I get to... Read more
Ok, I first need to admit to you, this is not my first time at the rodeo. I’ve been around unorganized Christianity for a while. I was involved in some of the early Jesus people movements, several Christian communities and some wildly charismatic churches and “non-denominational denominations.” I was even a student, and later a chauffer, at Jim Bakker’s PTL Club (pre-prison conviction days). Believe me, I have heard some pretty crazy things attributed to God in the past. For... Read more
Emergent Village
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In