I just grabbed my resources, organized my workspace and decided to clear up my email so I can work undistracted for a while on my final paper of the semester. I am about to dig into the account of Mary of Bethany anointing Jesus for burial. I've worked through the text doing a hackish translation (capitalizing on other peoples work of course - my Greek is still pretty weak). Read the text that frames the approach of this narrative analysis (point of view through narrative elements). Meditated on the passage, I think I am pretty familiar with the bit of text I am working with. Now I just need to outline the paper and write.
This is how I work. I tend to do a lot of prep and procrastination. But once I start typing the usually the juices flow and all is good. So why is it so stressful to start?
I think life is full of things that are like papers. Lots of projects that affect your own view of yourself. Yes, it is about self-image. I grew up being told I didn't do many things right - and even though it has been many years since I realized how deeply that scarred me I still am not fully healed. Each paper or major project carries with it the possibility of someone telling me I can't do it right. Even though I am a straight A student and have had some success with writing, it is always a risk. There is always that possibility of failing that stands like a troll guarding the bridge to completion. That is why I don't like taking on projects at home like hanging curtain rods and painting walls. Sure I do them, but usually with much agony and pain. And when my wife suggests someone else help then my fears are realized and my pain is real - that is usually when I end up doing the jobs I hate the most.
Well it is time to defeat that troll again. See you all on the other side of the bridge!
Saturday, March 25, 2006
Wednesday, March 22, 2006
Deep Poker Thoughts
A friend of mine pointed me to this blog entry, and then we proceeded to have a bit of a discussion with some other friends about Christians playing poker. It is interesting as they suggested maybe hockey and bridge as alternatives for relationship building. Not sure if they have seen Christians play hockey - but give a Christian a stick and they act like the devil. But nonetheless it is a great question: should Christians play poker?
First off I am not a proponent of gambling. I think there is a world of difference between obsessively playing a game that is designed to make the house rich spending money that should be spent on the essentials in life. So you aren't going to get me advocating gambling even as a pasttime. But is poker exclusively gambling?
We have friendly non-cash games at our house. They are loads of fun. You play for bragging rights. But not everyone gets that - some people want money involved to make the game worthwhile??? Even little bits of money??? I am a gamer at heart so I love strategy and I love winning - so I have a bit of trouble understanding that mentality. My dad is like that - he can't play a serious game of poker unless it is for money. So I don't end up playing with gamblers.
But there is a lot of buzz about games like Texas Hold-em and Omaha. And rightly so these are games that mix skill and luck in perfect proportions. Games that you can really connect with emotionally and play with your whole heart. Plus they are all the rage on TV right now (thank you Hockey Strike!) and this has a certain allure - what other game can a fat man win and be treated like an olympic hero? Not many. So that means it has fad status.
Let's see - easy to learn, lots of opportunities to play, unlikely heros, great mix of skill and luck. What is not to love? Well there is that attachment to gambling.
Here is the rub. Most gambling games favour the house. But in poker the house only takes a rake - and if you are playing at home a rake is, I'm pretty sure, illegal. So that puts poker in a slightly different class of games, in my mind anyway. So buying into a tournament for $20 is about the same as paying $35 to buy into a D&D minis tournament (pay for sealed boosters) where I might win other boosters that you know the cost of my entry paid for. What is the difference?
One other thought is, we all know that some folks are going to get addicted to poker. There are even disturbing ads on TV right now about this. My thought is, as a Christian, do I want to abandon folks to that? Or would I rather be there as someone who isn't completely alien to the game but through Christ is able to help others overcome addictions and personal problems that lead to addictions? Yeah, I want to be there. I want to know that there are Christians in that world ready to share the light of Christ where it is needed. I think that is important. Protesting on the sidelines is the last thing I want to see Christians do, addicted to poker is also the last thing I want to see them do (if you are addicted then let's chat, I might be able to help). Here's an idea - look for opportunities to pray for those you play with, I do and it is pretty cool.
My final word on poker is, "shuffle up and deal!"
First off I am not a proponent of gambling. I think there is a world of difference between obsessively playing a game that is designed to make the house rich spending money that should be spent on the essentials in life. So you aren't going to get me advocating gambling even as a pasttime. But is poker exclusively gambling?
We have friendly non-cash games at our house. They are loads of fun. You play for bragging rights. But not everyone gets that - some people want money involved to make the game worthwhile??? Even little bits of money??? I am a gamer at heart so I love strategy and I love winning - so I have a bit of trouble understanding that mentality. My dad is like that - he can't play a serious game of poker unless it is for money. So I don't end up playing with gamblers.
But there is a lot of buzz about games like Texas Hold-em and Omaha. And rightly so these are games that mix skill and luck in perfect proportions. Games that you can really connect with emotionally and play with your whole heart. Plus they are all the rage on TV right now (thank you Hockey Strike!) and this has a certain allure - what other game can a fat man win and be treated like an olympic hero? Not many. So that means it has fad status.
Let's see - easy to learn, lots of opportunities to play, unlikely heros, great mix of skill and luck. What is not to love? Well there is that attachment to gambling.
Here is the rub. Most gambling games favour the house. But in poker the house only takes a rake - and if you are playing at home a rake is, I'm pretty sure, illegal. So that puts poker in a slightly different class of games, in my mind anyway. So buying into a tournament for $20 is about the same as paying $35 to buy into a D&D minis tournament (pay for sealed boosters) where I might win other boosters that you know the cost of my entry paid for. What is the difference?
One other thought is, we all know that some folks are going to get addicted to poker. There are even disturbing ads on TV right now about this. My thought is, as a Christian, do I want to abandon folks to that? Or would I rather be there as someone who isn't completely alien to the game but through Christ is able to help others overcome addictions and personal problems that lead to addictions? Yeah, I want to be there. I want to know that there are Christians in that world ready to share the light of Christ where it is needed. I think that is important. Protesting on the sidelines is the last thing I want to see Christians do, addicted to poker is also the last thing I want to see them do (if you are addicted then let's chat, I might be able to help). Here's an idea - look for opportunities to pray for those you play with, I do and it is pretty cool.
My final word on poker is, "shuffle up and deal!"
Sunday, March 19, 2006
Exciting Phone Call
Friday I got a call from Christian Week wanting to run the article I wrote for the Resonate Journal in their next edition! That is so cool. I am pretty darn stoked.
I am behind on a lot of things these days, I have to play catch-up this week and get through this last paper (not including the take-home for Modern Church History). Should be an interesting week. We have a games night this coming Kinship so I don't really have to prepare anything for that one. That is a nice break. I haven't even finished the first chapter for my Lenten reading project - just no time. But today I should get back up to date on my lectional readings so I can prepare my Monday message for the Freedom Group. One of these days I'm actually going to get organized in a way that works for me.
I am behind on a lot of things these days, I have to play catch-up this week and get through this last paper (not including the take-home for Modern Church History). Should be an interesting week. We have a games night this coming Kinship so I don't really have to prepare anything for that one. That is a nice break. I haven't even finished the first chapter for my Lenten reading project - just no time. But today I should get back up to date on my lectional readings so I can prepare my Monday message for the Freedom Group. One of these days I'm actually going to get organized in a way that works for me.
Thursday, March 16, 2006
Wizard's Finally published a scenario!
I have my first official DDM scenario up on the Wizards of the Coast website! So cool. I started going after this about a year ago, so it is very nice to reach my goal. I even have a contract to write more scenarios for them.
On the CanGames front, we are starting to get some of the ducks lined up for the games. Prizes and trophies, that is going to be very very cool. I left two slots without DDM because I had heard another group wanted to run DDM as well (three groups running DDM when we started only last year there! That is awesome.) I'm sure we'll have some pickup games in there if they are a no show though.
My paper on Zinzendorf was handed in yesterday. What a monster to research. It seems like the people God chooses are often pretty wacky. Part of that is being unable to completely think in the context in which Zinzendorf arrives on the scene. That is an issue with anyone studying history. I'm just glad that one is done, I hope I do well on the paper.
On the CanGames front, we are starting to get some of the ducks lined up for the games. Prizes and trophies, that is going to be very very cool. I left two slots without DDM because I had heard another group wanted to run DDM as well (three groups running DDM when we started only last year there! That is awesome.) I'm sure we'll have some pickup games in there if they are a no show though.
My paper on Zinzendorf was handed in yesterday. What a monster to research. It seems like the people God chooses are often pretty wacky. Part of that is being unable to completely think in the context in which Zinzendorf arrives on the scene. That is an issue with anyone studying history. I'm just glad that one is done, I hope I do well on the paper.
Friday, March 10, 2006
Jesus-Tomorrow
Last year in September I started a series about Jesus and History. I promised three parts and delivered two. This is that missing third part, just like Jesus I trust it will be worth the wait.
In our first instalment, Jesus-Yesterday I spoke of how the incarnation of Jesus set a trajectory of forgiveness for us today. Often we think about Jesus work as being completed, and in a very real sense Jesus’ mission was fulfilled in the cross and resurrection. But this inbreaking into history was the beginning of something new, not the end.
In our second instalment, Jesus-Today, I talked about recognizing the imminent work of Jesus. Jesus is at work all around us, drawing folks to the Father and revealing the Kingdom of God. This is something we don’t tend to meditate on enough; in fact we tend to overemphasize Jesus’ relationship to the end of history.
Now my intention was not to make you wait this long for the third instalment, but as I am writing this I cannot help but be struck by how appropriate that is. All of our hope is tied into Jesus – and yes our hope is that at the end of all things we will be with Jesus.
In light of the pain that is often our experience of the immediate world around us, it is easy to see why we would choose to focus on this hope. But the big problem with a focus on an eschatological hope is that we can’t really prove it. Just read the gospel of John and look for what is the actual catalyst for change in lives, over and over it is the presence of Jesus that evokes greater and more specific confessions of faith. By focusing on the hope that is to come we are just deferring hope, something the Bible rightly tells us makes our hearts sick.
Rather, our eternal hope must spring from the realized immediate hope of our encounter of Jesus Christ. So waiting for this message you likely gave up, thinking it was a great idea but Frank is a new blogger and bound to let a few things fall to the wayside. So too in waiting for the return of Christ many have given up.
This is exactly the reason I started this little series. My heart is to see a people who are confident in whom they know (present) so that they will trust Jesus with all that is to come (future). Didn’t Paul say something along those lines (2 Timothy 1:12).
So be encouraged, Christ has come. Jesus made the way for us to live in the forgiveness of God. Christ is here. Jesus promised to be with us even unto the end of days, He will never leave nor forsake us. And Christ will come again. Our hope is bolstered by our hearts assurance that the one who faithfully working in us today is the same one who will come at the culmination of all things. Praise be to Jesus, the same yesterday, today and tomorrow.
In our first instalment, Jesus-Yesterday I spoke of how the incarnation of Jesus set a trajectory of forgiveness for us today. Often we think about Jesus work as being completed, and in a very real sense Jesus’ mission was fulfilled in the cross and resurrection. But this inbreaking into history was the beginning of something new, not the end.
In our second instalment, Jesus-Today, I talked about recognizing the imminent work of Jesus. Jesus is at work all around us, drawing folks to the Father and revealing the Kingdom of God. This is something we don’t tend to meditate on enough; in fact we tend to overemphasize Jesus’ relationship to the end of history.
Now my intention was not to make you wait this long for the third instalment, but as I am writing this I cannot help but be struck by how appropriate that is. All of our hope is tied into Jesus – and yes our hope is that at the end of all things we will be with Jesus.
In light of the pain that is often our experience of the immediate world around us, it is easy to see why we would choose to focus on this hope. But the big problem with a focus on an eschatological hope is that we can’t really prove it. Just read the gospel of John and look for what is the actual catalyst for change in lives, over and over it is the presence of Jesus that evokes greater and more specific confessions of faith. By focusing on the hope that is to come we are just deferring hope, something the Bible rightly tells us makes our hearts sick.
Rather, our eternal hope must spring from the realized immediate hope of our encounter of Jesus Christ. So waiting for this message you likely gave up, thinking it was a great idea but Frank is a new blogger and bound to let a few things fall to the wayside. So too in waiting for the return of Christ many have given up.
This is exactly the reason I started this little series. My heart is to see a people who are confident in whom they know (present) so that they will trust Jesus with all that is to come (future). Didn’t Paul say something along those lines (2 Timothy 1:12).
So be encouraged, Christ has come. Jesus made the way for us to live in the forgiveness of God. Christ is here. Jesus promised to be with us even unto the end of days, He will never leave nor forsake us. And Christ will come again. Our hope is bolstered by our hearts assurance that the one who faithfully working in us today is the same one who will come at the culmination of all things. Praise be to Jesus, the same yesterday, today and tomorrow.
Thursday, March 09, 2006
Paper Crunch
Still working on my Zinzendorf paper for next week. I have exactly one week to finish it - the outline is good and I've got my intro banged out. But each time I dig in I just want to grab some more context. History work is like that for me - I never feel adequately prepared for the job. I'm sure it will be ok though, I like the subject. I am hoping to use one story of the young Zinzendorf to frame all of the rest of the paper. It is an incident when he is 8 years old and the ideas of the "athiests" are trying to overtake his mind. It has a lot of potential. I've read so much that I can't remember which source had the first version of that story, doh! I'll find it though.
Kinship was really great tonight. We had some folks drop in, it is always nice to have someone new in the mix. I've also found out that there are some more people planning to come hang out with us - that is exciting. It has been slower to build momentum in this new location.
Better get back to work.
Kinship was really great tonight. We had some folks drop in, it is always nice to have someone new in the mix. I've also found out that there are some more people planning to come hang out with us - that is exciting. It has been slower to build momentum in this new location.
Better get back to work.
Sunday, March 05, 2006
DDM in Montreal
50 people showed up to throw down on the battle maps! What an awesome turnout - WTG JM aka Blackguard! There are details on Blackguard's forum. I managed to go 4-2 in the swiss rounds! Not bad as everyone scoffed at my choice of Snig in my band.
The two rares I pulled were Snig and Dragon Totem Hero (one I was not familiar with). I also pulled a Brass Samurai which is a must in this format (even though I only set up whirlwind once - these folks were good). I had no really good hitters so I needed Snig's speed to get terrain points if my cougar couldn't get there in time. That cougar is worth it's weight in gold!
I tried to max out my band with two shield wall soldiers to block. A Hobgoblin archer courtesy of Snig. A quaggoth slave which is definitely worth the points! And finally a frost dwarf (one of my favourite minis in the set, too bad it is CE a faction I almost never play), which is a decent hitter with 40 hp. I always like to have more activations and it paid off.
I did the best on the Dragon shrine map, each time I ended up on the fire resist side, and the one time I faced a meph pyro I scooted the cougar off to get acid resistance and tile points for my band. That worked really well. I did the worst on the broken demongate map (which ironically is the one I chose - took me so long to build my band that I picked my map in too much of a hurry). I really kicked butt on the teleport map - so sweet. I routed a Warbound impaler to clench the game.
I faced several Hill Giant bands and the Hill Giants didn't perform as well as I would have expected. The Combat medic was worth it's weight in gold though. I so deliberated over putting her in my party, in retrospect I probably should have. Once combat gets heavy though it is hard to fire off a sacred healing and not help out the enemy as well. Snig was great for charging and his ride by attack meant I almost always got to hit an enemy each turn. Where did his ranged attack go? My hobgoblin archer (free with snig) managed to consistantly knock 5 or 10 points of the enemy (I rolled at least 3 crits with him).
All in all it was a long but extremely fun day.
The two rares I pulled were Snig and Dragon Totem Hero (one I was not familiar with). I also pulled a Brass Samurai which is a must in this format (even though I only set up whirlwind once - these folks were good). I had no really good hitters so I needed Snig's speed to get terrain points if my cougar couldn't get there in time. That cougar is worth it's weight in gold!
I tried to max out my band with two shield wall soldiers to block. A Hobgoblin archer courtesy of Snig. A quaggoth slave which is definitely worth the points! And finally a frost dwarf (one of my favourite minis in the set, too bad it is CE a faction I almost never play), which is a decent hitter with 40 hp. I always like to have more activations and it paid off.
I did the best on the Dragon shrine map, each time I ended up on the fire resist side, and the one time I faced a meph pyro I scooted the cougar off to get acid resistance and tile points for my band. That worked really well. I did the worst on the broken demongate map (which ironically is the one I chose - took me so long to build my band that I picked my map in too much of a hurry). I really kicked butt on the teleport map - so sweet. I routed a Warbound impaler to clench the game.
I faced several Hill Giant bands and the Hill Giants didn't perform as well as I would have expected. The Combat medic was worth it's weight in gold though. I so deliberated over putting her in my party, in retrospect I probably should have. Once combat gets heavy though it is hard to fire off a sacred healing and not help out the enemy as well. Snig was great for charging and his ride by attack meant I almost always got to hit an enemy each turn. Where did his ranged attack go? My hobgoblin archer (free with snig) managed to consistantly knock 5 or 10 points of the enemy (I rolled at least 3 crits with him).
All in all it was a long but extremely fun day.
Friday, March 03, 2006
Sweet, Sweet Mini Love
War Drums is here!!!!
Picked up my case at 11AM, bought a single Starter too, so I would have a chance to review the maps. Overall this is a great set, I think Underdark set the bar a bit too high, but not every set will shine in the same way. Here is the breakdown for the number cruchers:
WarTroll Boxes (4)
Arcane Ballista (meh), Axe Soldier (nice), Combat Medic (better than the preview which looked like one of Santa's helpers), Sacred Watcher (Very nice), Sand Giant, 2X Shieldwall soldier (nice), warforged body guard, warforged captain, 2X warforged scout (this thing is tiny), 2X warpriest of Moradin, halfling slinger (nice), hunting cougar (meh), lion of talisid (I don't really like the paint job on this one), wood elf ranger (ncie), aspect of Hextor (impressive), goblin blackblade (nice and skirmish potential), hobgoblin archer, large duergar (nice), skeletal Legionnaire (best skeleton yet!), terror wight (oh yeah baby, love that one), blood host berserker (very nice), derro (who is that guy's barber?), frost dwarf (very nice), horde zombie (nice), howling orc (orcs, yawn - this one is a bit creepy), king obould many-arrows (has no ranged attack despite the name???), orc mauler, quaggoth slave, torglodyte thug (nice).
Hextor Boxes (4)
Arcanix Guard, Combat Medic, Elemental Wall (ok), Sacred Watcher, Brass Samurai (nice), halfling slinger, hunting cougar, lion of talisid, Mephling pyromancer (one was kissing the ground), Steelheart Archer (very nice), wood elf ranger (ncie), flameskull (too bad I only got one, this little guy rocks!), 2X goblin blackblade, goblin underboss (ohhhh so sweet!), hobgoblin archer, large duergar, 2X skeletal Legionnaire (still the best skeleton yet!), terror wight, war troll (wow!), chimera (one of the best skulpts in the set), derro, hill giant barbarian (very nice), hill giant chieftain (he's going to rip his own belly open with that belt???), horde zombie, howling orc, orc mauler, orc wardrummer (why is this a rare?), quaggoth slave, tiefling blademaster (nice), torglodyte thug.
Warpriest Boxes (4)
2X Arcanix Guard, 2X Axe Soldier (oh I like this one), Elemental Wall, Shieldwall Soldier, Warforged Bodyguard, Brass Samurai, halfling slinger, hunting cougar, Mephling pyromancer, Steelheart Archer (very nice), wemic barbarian (very nice), wood elf ranger, goblin underboss, hobgoblin archer, inspired lieutenant (nice), karnathi zombie (this is a sweet zombie!), Khumat (great sculpt but I don't need 2), terror wight, blood ghost berserker, derro, fiendish girallon (always thought this was a silly monster), frost dwarf (so cool!), horde zombie, howling orc, ogre war hulk (better than I expected), orc mauler, quaggoth slave, tiefling blademaster, torglodyte thug, warduke (that is one big person! nice mini).
Starter (1)
Khumat, Sacred Watcher, Fiendish Girallon, Tiefling blademaster, Arcanix guard, halfling slinger, woodelf ranger, skeleton legionnaire, derro, howling ord (still creepy), orc mauler, torglodyte thug.
Tomorrow we head to Montreal for the Release tournament. Should be an awesome day of gaming. There are eight of us travelling from Ottawa for the event! Last I heard there were 47 registered. Should be a massive day of battle!
Picked up my case at 11AM, bought a single Starter too, so I would have a chance to review the maps. Overall this is a great set, I think Underdark set the bar a bit too high, but not every set will shine in the same way. Here is the breakdown for the number cruchers:
WarTroll Boxes (4)
Arcane Ballista (meh), Axe Soldier (nice), Combat Medic (better than the preview which looked like one of Santa's helpers), Sacred Watcher (Very nice), Sand Giant, 2X Shieldwall soldier (nice), warforged body guard, warforged captain, 2X warforged scout (this thing is tiny), 2X warpriest of Moradin, halfling slinger (nice), hunting cougar (meh), lion of talisid (I don't really like the paint job on this one), wood elf ranger (ncie), aspect of Hextor (impressive), goblin blackblade (nice and skirmish potential), hobgoblin archer, large duergar (nice), skeletal Legionnaire (best skeleton yet!), terror wight (oh yeah baby, love that one), blood host berserker (very nice), derro (who is that guy's barber?), frost dwarf (very nice), horde zombie (nice), howling orc (orcs, yawn - this one is a bit creepy), king obould many-arrows (has no ranged attack despite the name???), orc mauler, quaggoth slave, torglodyte thug (nice).
Hextor Boxes (4)
Arcanix Guard, Combat Medic, Elemental Wall (ok), Sacred Watcher, Brass Samurai (nice), halfling slinger, hunting cougar, lion of talisid, Mephling pyromancer (one was kissing the ground), Steelheart Archer (very nice), wood elf ranger (ncie), flameskull (too bad I only got one, this little guy rocks!), 2X goblin blackblade, goblin underboss (ohhhh so sweet!), hobgoblin archer, large duergar, 2X skeletal Legionnaire (still the best skeleton yet!), terror wight, war troll (wow!), chimera (one of the best skulpts in the set), derro, hill giant barbarian (very nice), hill giant chieftain (he's going to rip his own belly open with that belt???), horde zombie, howling orc, orc mauler, orc wardrummer (why is this a rare?), quaggoth slave, tiefling blademaster (nice), torglodyte thug.
Warpriest Boxes (4)
2X Arcanix Guard, 2X Axe Soldier (oh I like this one), Elemental Wall, Shieldwall Soldier, Warforged Bodyguard, Brass Samurai, halfling slinger, hunting cougar, Mephling pyromancer, Steelheart Archer (very nice), wemic barbarian (very nice), wood elf ranger, goblin underboss, hobgoblin archer, inspired lieutenant (nice), karnathi zombie (this is a sweet zombie!), Khumat (great sculpt but I don't need 2), terror wight, blood ghost berserker, derro, fiendish girallon (always thought this was a silly monster), frost dwarf (so cool!), horde zombie, howling orc, ogre war hulk (better than I expected), orc mauler, quaggoth slave, tiefling blademaster, torglodyte thug, warduke (that is one big person! nice mini).
Starter (1)
Khumat, Sacred Watcher, Fiendish Girallon, Tiefling blademaster, Arcanix guard, halfling slinger, woodelf ranger, skeleton legionnaire, derro, howling ord (still creepy), orc mauler, torglodyte thug.
Tomorrow we head to Montreal for the Release tournament. Should be an awesome day of gaming. There are eight of us travelling from Ottawa for the event! Last I heard there were 47 registered. Should be a massive day of battle!
Wednesday, March 01, 2006
This Lenten Season
I am actually excited about Lent this year. It has only been a few years since I've started to really pay attention to the Church calendar. This is the first year I am going to seriously give up something that I really enjoy – for forty days! I thought a lot about this. It has to be something that I will miss, and something that is really a pleasure I take in life. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that online poker, something I really enjoy, is the thing I should sacrifice this season.
I have been playing with a great group of free rollers (meaning we play games we don’t pay to get into) at Poker Pots Poker League. We have a great chat room at PalTalk and a really active online forum as well. I love the community even more than the poker – so I asked them to help me in this spiritual exercise. You know, if they see me on the tables to give me the old ‘what for’!
It will be good for me, my personality is that I like to throw myself into things for seasons and then I tend to lose some of my excitement about them. I have found over the years that once I’m past that initial ‘craze’ I can really enjoy something and not overdose on it. Online poker is one of those things that I have overdosed a bit – but the novelty is still strong so this is a real sacrifice for me. But all around, a good thing.
I am also participating in an online interactive exercise using Miroslav Volf’s ‘Free of Charge’. This is an effort started in the Emergent UK community; I am looking forward to reading and sharing with other Emergent authors and bloggers around the globe. Volf is someone I have been looking for an excuse to read for a long time, I have scanned ‘After Our Likeness’ and want to sit down and really dig into that one. Anyone Moltmann recommends is going to perk my ears up.
I have encouraged my community at Freedom Vineyard also to give up something for this Lenten season. My hope is that we will be reminded, even if just a little, of the sacrifice Christ has made to give us the freedom we so enjoy. Today we begin at the place of repentance – as we rest into this next 40 days my prayer is that Salvation will shine in our midst!
Monday, February 27, 2006
True Bounds of Community
What are the true bounds of your community? From time to time people ask about Freedom Vineyard, inevitably they ask that hard question, “so how big is your church?” I don’t dislike this question because I think our church is small (which it is in case you are wondering), but rather because I don’t know how to measure that in a true sense. For me my church is my community. As a pastor I think of it as the people that are under my care and that is a whole lot more people than I have ever seen in our church gatherings.
Here are my options to answering that question: I could just count the folks that currently regularly attend our liturgical service (Wednesday Kinship), I could count them and the people who I regularly meet with and have some spiritual influence in their lives (even if it is just as an encourager), I could extend it to the folks who give into our ministry and read our online forums (including a message from the Roman cycle of gospel readings) each week, I could extend it to the folks in our affinity groups (gatherings of Christians and pre-Christians who gather around a shared non-spiritual interest), I could extend it to the people at my school who allow me to speak into their lives spiritually and more often just as a friend along the journey, or finally I could extend to the world that I consider to be my parish. I know that most people are more concerned with the front end of those options, but I can’t help thinking about the far reaches of my life.
Often I have pondered Freedom Vineyard’s influence on people, we’ve seen a lot come and go. Often these people have been profoundly impacted by their time with us. I sat in my car the other day with one of our folks who was almost in tears telling me how much Freedom Vineyard has meant to him. I know we’ve stretched a few too far outside their comfort zones – but really if we hadn’t done that then we would not have been as effective as we have been with the people that I really feel called to minister to. The people who are part of our natural community, the not-so-churchy folks God has graced my life with.
So maybe I’ll give you that question: what are the true bounds of your community? Who has God called you to reach? What journey mates have you met along the way? If you are like me you will have trouble answering that – and I am convinced that is a good thing.
Here are my options to answering that question: I could just count the folks that currently regularly attend our liturgical service (Wednesday Kinship), I could count them and the people who I regularly meet with and have some spiritual influence in their lives (even if it is just as an encourager), I could extend it to the folks who give into our ministry and read our online forums (including a message from the Roman cycle of gospel readings) each week, I could extend it to the folks in our affinity groups (gatherings of Christians and pre-Christians who gather around a shared non-spiritual interest), I could extend it to the people at my school who allow me to speak into their lives spiritually and more often just as a friend along the journey, or finally I could extend to the world that I consider to be my parish. I know that most people are more concerned with the front end of those options, but I can’t help thinking about the far reaches of my life.
Often I have pondered Freedom Vineyard’s influence on people, we’ve seen a lot come and go. Often these people have been profoundly impacted by their time with us. I sat in my car the other day with one of our folks who was almost in tears telling me how much Freedom Vineyard has meant to him. I know we’ve stretched a few too far outside their comfort zones – but really if we hadn’t done that then we would not have been as effective as we have been with the people that I really feel called to minister to. The people who are part of our natural community, the not-so-churchy folks God has graced my life with.
So maybe I’ll give you that question: what are the true bounds of your community? Who has God called you to reach? What journey mates have you met along the way? If you are like me you will have trouble answering that – and I am convinced that is a good thing.
Friday, February 24, 2006
What an awesome day!
This is the day of good news! I got the notice from Wizards that they like my scenario, so I should have a writing contract with them next week. And one of my professors gave me major kudos in an email. I am so stoked. Haven't blogged in a while, it has been fairly quiet on the home front - my reading week. Trying to catch up on all the stuff I put off while I was supposed to be focusing on class work. Hope to get back in the swing of things next week, especially as the new DDM set comes out!
Tuesday, February 14, 2006
Post-Charismatic
If you have or are involved with Pentecostal or Charismatic ministries, or even if you are just wondering what is the deal with these movements, then you have to check out this amazing new resource. Post-Charismatic is an amazing exploration by a good friend from Resonate, Robby Mac. Sharon had to drag me away from this one, I have yet to see a better reference on the Latter Rain movement. Anyone serious about the pitfalls of walking in a responsible way without quenching the Holy Spirit has to become aware of the things Robby digs through here. Robby is respectful and appreciative and at the same time deeply concerned. I am going to email this link to many of my good friends. I just want to say thanks to Robby for this important work. What are you waiting for, go check it out.
Monday, February 13, 2006
Used Bookstore
Went to the used bookstore today, wanted to pick up a book on the Enlightenment that I had seen in the history section. So of course I browse the spirituality section. There were a few books I thought of but luckily I only bought two of them. “With Burning Hearts” by Henri Nouwen – a meditation on the Eucharistic Life, how could I now buy that? And I also bought the book “In Memory of Her” by Elisabeth Schüssler Fiorenza. I have run across Fiorenza’s work in my studies at St. Paul, I always find the feminist theologians to be challenging; in fact I know I’ve read an article or two of hers in the past. What is cool about this one is that it has a scripture index; it will be so cool to get a feminist perspective on some of the verses I am working with in our community. Well, unfortunately I have to relegate these books to the bookshelf for now – much study of the good Count of Zinzendorf still ahead.
Saturday, February 11, 2006
Zinzendorf
I am digging into the history of this wild man for Jesus. It is pretty cool. I am struck by how some put his forward as a pioneer for ecumenism - bet my Moravian idolizing friends wouldn't have seen that coming. But it makes sense, there were a number of groups at Hernhutt and Zin helped them get along. What is pretty cool to me is that he did this by calling them to prayer as the common bond (yeah I know it isn't that simple, there was an article of faith, etc. but I am still at the romantic stage of this research). It was prayer that went 24/7 for over 100years straight. How cool is that. Not only did this prayer bring unity but it also fueled and launched Zin's desire to touch the nations.
Just watched a National Film Board film on the Moravians in Labrador, I was truly impressed that they would preserve the Inuit language and actually taught school in Inuit! That is until the Canadian government schools came in and began teaching primarily in English.
I know I have lot of Free Methodist and Wesleyan friends out there - I love the Moravian influence on young John Wesley. His first trip to the 13 Colonies was a dismal failure because he just plain sucked as a minister. But after taking ahold of the Moravian zeal he was radically changed and I would say changed the world in his day. Ironically whenever Zin went out on missions he just had no ability as a missionary, kinda like young John. God indeed has an awesome sense of humour.
Just watched a National Film Board film on the Moravians in Labrador, I was truly impressed that they would preserve the Inuit language and actually taught school in Inuit! That is until the Canadian government schools came in and began teaching primarily in English.
I know I have lot of Free Methodist and Wesleyan friends out there - I love the Moravian influence on young John Wesley. His first trip to the 13 Colonies was a dismal failure because he just plain sucked as a minister. But after taking ahold of the Moravian zeal he was radically changed and I would say changed the world in his day. Ironically whenever Zin went out on missions he just had no ability as a missionary, kinda like young John. God indeed has an awesome sense of humour.
Thursday, February 09, 2006
Jihadiots!
OK, now this really, really bugs me. I can appreciate that it is upsetting for someone to talk trash about your religion, I am a Christian and face that kind of crap all the time, but where is the voice of reason within Islam? So what if the Danes published satirical cartoons representing the growing popular sentiment about Islamic fundamentalists. Do you think you are somehow unique in this? Look, we believe our Jesus to be God (at least a smidge better than a prophet) and you don't see us burning down embassies when people misrepresent Jesus. Can you not see that the Danes are just naming the fear that is growing in our society?
At this point I don’t even care if I agree or disagree with those cartoons. Hearing of little boys being trampled in your idiotic riots has scarred my ability to try and see something good there. What would your prophet Mohammad think if he were to step on the scene? Would he lament at how you have done exactly what the cartoons depicted?
Apparently there is a discussion today between the Danish ambassador and a Canadian Islamic representative. That Islamic representative sounded like his knickers were in quite a twist yesterday when I heard him on the radio. He calls for Denmark to institute an anti-hate law similar to the one we have in Canada, hello? Publishing satirical cartoons typically is a reactive form of writing and depicts growing sentiments in society – it is not meant to shape popular opinion. If these same cartoons were published here first do you seriously think you would have a case?
Here is my suggestions: Why not instead recognize that for many people that image of Islam as bomb toting fanatics bent on indiscriminate death and destruction is all they have ever seen of Islam, do something about that! Show us a different face of Islam. Call your people to repent of their anger and wars, to forgive and to seek reconciliation. Call them to lay down their arms and take up their prayer mats and become a true force of good in this world. Show us a side of Islam that will make all of us extol the virtues of a truly great religion and give thanks to Allah for the witness of Islam. If you want to declare a Jihad, then do it against the real enemy of Islam – the many, many of you who validate those very cartoons you found so offensive.
At this point I don’t even care if I agree or disagree with those cartoons. Hearing of little boys being trampled in your idiotic riots has scarred my ability to try and see something good there. What would your prophet Mohammad think if he were to step on the scene? Would he lament at how you have done exactly what the cartoons depicted?
Apparently there is a discussion today between the Danish ambassador and a Canadian Islamic representative. That Islamic representative sounded like his knickers were in quite a twist yesterday when I heard him on the radio. He calls for Denmark to institute an anti-hate law similar to the one we have in Canada, hello? Publishing satirical cartoons typically is a reactive form of writing and depicts growing sentiments in society – it is not meant to shape popular opinion. If these same cartoons were published here first do you seriously think you would have a case?
Here is my suggestions: Why not instead recognize that for many people that image of Islam as bomb toting fanatics bent on indiscriminate death and destruction is all they have ever seen of Islam, do something about that! Show us a different face of Islam. Call your people to repent of their anger and wars, to forgive and to seek reconciliation. Call them to lay down their arms and take up their prayer mats and become a true force of good in this world. Show us a side of Islam that will make all of us extol the virtues of a truly great religion and give thanks to Allah for the witness of Islam. If you want to declare a Jihad, then do it against the real enemy of Islam – the many, many of you who validate those very cartoons you found so offensive.
Monday, February 06, 2006
Beauty in Diversity
I just had a great conversation with a friend of mine at the coffee shop. He is a Roman Catholic who also studies at St. Paul. We were talking about how much we appreciated the diversity of the body of Christ. It started with a discussion of the rich diversity at St. Paul university, obviously lots of Roman Catholics, but in my circle of friends there are Pentacostals, Presbyterians, Anglicans, Orthodox, United Church, Congregationalists, Plymouth Brethern backsliders (he will smile if he ever reads this), B'ahai, and agnostics. That must sound like an odd mix, but the conversations are wonderful.
Then our conversation turned to the attractive quality of the diversity within the body of Christ. I love the diversity at the roots of my own denomination. In the midst of diversity we find unity, just think about the Trinity for instance. The Trinity is inspirational for unity in spite of diversity instead of unity enforced through homogeniety. Even my own life is a hodge podge of different streams of Christianity meeting to shape the trajectory of my journey in Christ. There is something that is so exciting about that to me. Something that flies in the face of fear and launches me towards freedom. Fear conforms but love frees, Perfect love casts out all fear.
Then our conversation turned to the attractive quality of the diversity within the body of Christ. I love the diversity at the roots of my own denomination. In the midst of diversity we find unity, just think about the Trinity for instance. The Trinity is inspirational for unity in spite of diversity instead of unity enforced through homogeniety. Even my own life is a hodge podge of different streams of Christianity meeting to shape the trajectory of my journey in Christ. There is something that is so exciting about that to me. Something that flies in the face of fear and launches me towards freedom. Fear conforms but love frees, Perfect love casts out all fear.
Friday, February 03, 2006
I am not a Heretic! Sweet!
Oh Sven you are the master of quizs. By doing the Are you a Heretic? survey I have regained complete confidence in the orthodoxy of my faith. Actually I knew I was slightly Pelagian and the test nailed that bang on, so sweet. Here are my results, would love to hear how you manage:
You scored as Chalcedon compliant.
You are Chalcedon compliant. Congratulations, you're not a heretic. You believe that Jesus is truly God and truly man and like us in every respect, apart from sin. Officially approved in 451.
Chalcedon compliant 75%
Pelagianism 67%
Monophysitism 33%
Monarchianism 17%
Apollanarian 8%
Docetism 0%
Arianism 0%
Adoptionist 0%
Donatism 0%
Gnosticism 0%
Nestorianism 0%
Albigensianism 0%
Modalism 0%
Socinianism 0%
Enjoy!
You scored as Chalcedon compliant.
You are Chalcedon compliant. Congratulations, you're not a heretic. You believe that Jesus is truly God and truly man and like us in every respect, apart from sin. Officially approved in 451.
Chalcedon compliant 75%
Pelagianism 67%
Monophysitism 33%
Monarchianism 17%
Apollanarian 8%
Docetism 0%
Arianism 0%
Adoptionist 0%
Donatism 0%
Gnosticism 0%
Nestorianism 0%
Albigensianism 0%
Modalism 0%
Socinianism 0%
Enjoy!
Amill, as if...
Most of the questions didn't really work for me, but the results were interesting.
You scored as Amillenialist.
Amillenialism believes that the 1000 year reign is not literal but figurative, and that Christ began to reign at his ascension. People take some prophetic scripture far too literally in your view.
Amillenialist 85%
Moltmannian Eschatology 65%
Preterist 60%
Premillenialist 30%
Postmillenialist 20%
Dispensationalist 10%
Left Behind 10%
Left me going hmmmmm. I always thought of myself as Historic Pre-mill (Ladd) with definite Moltmannian influences, but there was not enough framing of the Kingdom of God in the questions. I don't consider myself Amill at all.
You scored as Amillenialist.
Amillenialism believes that the 1000 year reign is not literal but figurative, and that Christ began to reign at his ascension. People take some prophetic scripture far too literally in your view.
Amillenialist 85%
Moltmannian Eschatology 65%
Preterist 60%
Premillenialist 30%
Postmillenialist 20%
Dispensationalist 10%
Left Behind 10%
Left me going hmmmmm. I always thought of myself as Historic Pre-mill (Ladd) with definite Moltmannian influences, but there was not enough framing of the Kingdom of God in the questions. I don't consider myself Amill at all.
Tuesday, January 31, 2006
Are you Comfortable?
Recently I was accused of preaching a gospel of comfort and believing that anything goes in the realm of faith, provided that you personally are comfortable with what you believe. It is aweful to be so misunderstood. But I thought here is a perfect opportunity to address the whole subject of comfort.
It is funny, but I am wired to rock the boat. I tend to look for opportunities to push people out of their comfort zones, to try and stretch those around me just a little bit. I really love to challenge the preconceptions we have that give the illusion of stability to our lives - particularily when those preconceptions concern how we percieve others. As a minister I see all the time how people are blinded to the light of God in others simply because they have a particular view of how they feel things should work. This is the main theme in the book of Job where the popular notion is that when you do good then good things happen and when you do bad then bad things happen - read Job carefully because God challenges that very notion and rebukes Job's so called friends for letting their preconceptions blind them from seeing Job as a righteous and good man.
Books like Job do what I find myself doing a lot, challenging the preconceptions in others. I feel that this is really a pastoral role. As a pastor my challenge is to help people understand what they think they know about God and to encourage them to go deeper into their understanding of God and God's claims on their lives. In doing so I find myself fairly often pushing people out of their comfort zones. Which, ironically, is exactly what I did with the person who accused me of having an ear tickling gospel.
It is funny, but I am wired to rock the boat. I tend to look for opportunities to push people out of their comfort zones, to try and stretch those around me just a little bit. I really love to challenge the preconceptions we have that give the illusion of stability to our lives - particularily when those preconceptions concern how we percieve others. As a minister I see all the time how people are blinded to the light of God in others simply because they have a particular view of how they feel things should work. This is the main theme in the book of Job where the popular notion is that when you do good then good things happen and when you do bad then bad things happen - read Job carefully because God challenges that very notion and rebukes Job's so called friends for letting their preconceptions blind them from seeing Job as a righteous and good man.
Books like Job do what I find myself doing a lot, challenging the preconceptions in others. I feel that this is really a pastoral role. As a pastor my challenge is to help people understand what they think they know about God and to encourage them to go deeper into their understanding of God and God's claims on their lives. In doing so I find myself fairly often pushing people out of their comfort zones. Which, ironically, is exactly what I did with the person who accused me of having an ear tickling gospel.
Monday, January 30, 2006
New Kid in Town!
Actually they have been around a good while now. But our good friends at Hosanna Christian Fellowship have just been adopted into the Vineyard family! Welcome to the family! Sharon and I have been hanging out with them a bit as they walked through this process and have really gotten to like this group. Rudy and Marnie Pohl are great visionaries and have huge hearts for God's work in Ottawa. I know this has been a long process and all along I had the feeling that whatever the outcome it would help establish a renewed sense of identity in that congregation. I am just tickled that they will be walking that identity out within my family.
Lots of love to you guys from your friends at Freedom Vineyard. Again welcome to the family!
Lots of love to you guys from your friends at Freedom Vineyard. Again welcome to the family!
Sunday, January 29, 2006
Two Poles of Evangelism
Evangelism, I know that sounds like a dirty word to some and an imperative to others. Personally I love the idea of evangelism – that of sharing our faith in Christ. But what I don’t like is how notions of evangelism polarize the Christian Church; my gut tells me that this is not the intention of evangelism at all. Nor is the purpose homogeneity of belief. Evangelism at the heart is an invitation to step into the very work of God, shared by the Godhead and given to the Church.
One pole of evangelism is what I call the confrontational approach. This is pretty standard and easy to get your head around. You have a presentation of the gospel and you call people to respond. In my early years as a Christian this was how I lived, I preached on street corners and passed out oodles of variations on the bridge illustration. I even berated others who found gentler ways to preach the gospel; I was part of the problem.
The other pole is almost a completely silent witness. One that uses works of charity and kindness to influence others, I will call this evangelistic action. This can be a highly creative approach to evangelism. It can also be a form of evangelism that never brings individuals to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
These two poles are often seen as completely at odds with each other, and it is easy to see that they embody two different philosophies. Also I have painted them at the extremes rather than their more common expressions, that is not all confrontational evangelists ram the gospel down peoples throats and not all evangelistic action is devoid of a connection to the gospel message. But it is useful to denote the two this way and say we really need the best of both worlds.
One thing that confrontational evangelism does really well is preparing people to be able to share their faith. Part of the problem with an evangelism of action is that when the right questions come many of the participants have no clue how best to share their faith. So as you might guess I am looking for a third way, a middle road, and this understanding of the nature of the Good News is something we need to keep from the confrontational side.
From the action side we really need the emphasis that we are dealing with whole people; people who have intact worldviews and often with a lot of baggage. Many people are simply not ready to hear a presentation of the gospel, in fact lots of people have questions other than “what do I do with the sin in my life?” When we adopt a life of service to others, then we can really be Christ to the world. We can become the friend of sinners, and all things to all people that by all means we might win some. Something about that excites me deep inside my being.
What inevitably happens in an environment like this is questions. I love it when the questions come – partly because my heritage in the confrontational world has left me very capable of navigating the questions. One has to be careful here to listen to the question, I think this is one of the greatest failures of the confrontational side – the failure to address the questions that really matter to the person you are witnessing to. I know it is hard for some to get, but really most people don’t care that God sent His Son Jesus to save them. But you know they do have deep needs that only Jesus can meet. The respect of these real needs is what we need to preserve from the evangelistic action side.
I would love these poles to disappear, especially as we just completed a week of prayer for Church unity. But the realist in me says we still have a lot of work to do. But I for one want to be part of the solution, I want to craft and live this middle way. Honestly, I think my experience in the confrontational side gave me the tendency to err on the action side, but I am learning. And God isn’t through with me yet.
One pole of evangelism is what I call the confrontational approach. This is pretty standard and easy to get your head around. You have a presentation of the gospel and you call people to respond. In my early years as a Christian this was how I lived, I preached on street corners and passed out oodles of variations on the bridge illustration. I even berated others who found gentler ways to preach the gospel; I was part of the problem.
The other pole is almost a completely silent witness. One that uses works of charity and kindness to influence others, I will call this evangelistic action. This can be a highly creative approach to evangelism. It can also be a form of evangelism that never brings individuals to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
These two poles are often seen as completely at odds with each other, and it is easy to see that they embody two different philosophies. Also I have painted them at the extremes rather than their more common expressions, that is not all confrontational evangelists ram the gospel down peoples throats and not all evangelistic action is devoid of a connection to the gospel message. But it is useful to denote the two this way and say we really need the best of both worlds.
One thing that confrontational evangelism does really well is preparing people to be able to share their faith. Part of the problem with an evangelism of action is that when the right questions come many of the participants have no clue how best to share their faith. So as you might guess I am looking for a third way, a middle road, and this understanding of the nature of the Good News is something we need to keep from the confrontational side.
From the action side we really need the emphasis that we are dealing with whole people; people who have intact worldviews and often with a lot of baggage. Many people are simply not ready to hear a presentation of the gospel, in fact lots of people have questions other than “what do I do with the sin in my life?” When we adopt a life of service to others, then we can really be Christ to the world. We can become the friend of sinners, and all things to all people that by all means we might win some. Something about that excites me deep inside my being.
What inevitably happens in an environment like this is questions. I love it when the questions come – partly because my heritage in the confrontational world has left me very capable of navigating the questions. One has to be careful here to listen to the question, I think this is one of the greatest failures of the confrontational side – the failure to address the questions that really matter to the person you are witnessing to. I know it is hard for some to get, but really most people don’t care that God sent His Son Jesus to save them. But you know they do have deep needs that only Jesus can meet. The respect of these real needs is what we need to preserve from the evangelistic action side.
I would love these poles to disappear, especially as we just completed a week of prayer for Church unity. But the realist in me says we still have a lot of work to do. But I for one want to be part of the solution, I want to craft and live this middle way. Honestly, I think my experience in the confrontational side gave me the tendency to err on the action side, but I am learning. And God isn’t through with me yet.
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
Very odd dream with liturgical implications
I had a dream last night that we inherited my grandmother's house - this grandmother was very wealthy (actually she passed on years ago) and had a really nice house. In the dream everything was even more ornate and larger, it was a veritable mansion. We had been trying to sort out what stuff was still useful in the kitchen and what stuff from our own stuff needed to be added. The huge garage was full of our stuff (and some of it quite flimsy I might add) which we didn't really know what we would need. I knew we needed to find a place for our leather couch but that was about it. Anyway, I had just ventured into one of the lounge rooms to look at what was there, the crown moldings and victorian furniture was gorgeous. But not all of it was still useful and the walls would definitely need Sharon's touch in paint. I was going through drawers and checking out the many windows before I woke up.
I was sharing the dream with Sharon and she observed that this is exactly what we have been doing in our church. We have been given such a rich heritage from the historical Church, but not everything was still useful or fit our personalities. But we were certainly appreciative of it all. The long process of sorting this out has begun in the kitchen for us as we have opened up ancient Eucharistic possibilities for our group. Maybe the dream is telling us more is on the way, maybe it is just an affirmation of what is already happening. In either case I wake up today feeling blessed to have such a rich inheritance in the Church. No wonder God loves the Church so much.
I was sharing the dream with Sharon and she observed that this is exactly what we have been doing in our church. We have been given such a rich heritage from the historical Church, but not everything was still useful or fit our personalities. But we were certainly appreciative of it all. The long process of sorting this out has begun in the kitchen for us as we have opened up ancient Eucharistic possibilities for our group. Maybe the dream is telling us more is on the way, maybe it is just an affirmation of what is already happening. In either case I wake up today feeling blessed to have such a rich inheritance in the Church. No wonder God loves the Church so much.
Tuesday, January 24, 2006
At Least it is a Minority
124, that is less than the Liberals went into their last term with. That will make it very hard for the Conservatives to completely pooch our country - at lest I hope that is the case. Harper listed the following as his main issues: clean up government with a federal accountability act, reduce taxes, starting with a GST cut, crack down on crime, establish guaranteed wait times, provide child care money directly to parents. Well everyone was saying they wanted to clean up the government, taxes I worry about because that just sounds too easy and short-sighted to me. My big concern with a capitalist government is that it is likely not going to have my children's future in mind when making policy. The crime situation does need to be dealt with - but is that really a Federal concern? Just give make sure the municipalities have the money to provide policing. Guaranteed wait times, sure. But this child care money is pure idiocy. So you want me to pay a set rate to everyone in Canada who has a child? Yes, I said I was going to pay it. This money they are working with already comes from us. These are the people talking about reducing our taxes - doesn't anyone in that party see the disconnect? What is worse is I can't see how this will really be helpful for people caught in systems of poverty in Canada? Another handout is not going to help them make it in an increasingly capitalistic society where they can't get a fair wage if they tried. This kind of deal appeals only to the shortsighted and reminds me of the tactics used by the party they loved so much to hate.
I know I'll be praying "God keep our land, glorious and free" with much desperation this go around.
I know I'll be praying "God keep our land, glorious and free" with much desperation this go around.
Monday, January 23, 2006
Voting Blues
Went to vote today. It was surreal actually. I was pretty sure I was going to vote strategically, but staring down at the ballot I could only vote with my heart. See I hate this idea that there is a wasted vote. The only reason that illogic has legitimacy is that so many people buy into it. So if I'm going to complain about how seriously stupid that notion is then how can I give into it? I can't. So I voted for the party that I would like to see get some seats but I am sure won't get too many, especially in Ontario.
This is the first election I actually visited the alternative option websites for. You know there really isn't a great option in Canada. At least not for someone like me who is too socialist for the Conservatives and too distrustful of government for the NDPs. I think if the Liberals kicked out Martin and got someone who wasn't touched by the scandals they'd do just fine. Not that I think Martin is all that bad - despite what everyone wants you to think. Anyway, I couldn't vote for the Liberals either - just too nasty a campaign. You know the nastiness of this is too much like American politics for me - it makes me sick to my stomach. Anyway, I'll leave you guessing who I voted for, I voted, felt aweful after, and still don't feel so hot. God help Canada.
This is the first election I actually visited the alternative option websites for. You know there really isn't a great option in Canada. At least not for someone like me who is too socialist for the Conservatives and too distrustful of government for the NDPs. I think if the Liberals kicked out Martin and got someone who wasn't touched by the scandals they'd do just fine. Not that I think Martin is all that bad - despite what everyone wants you to think. Anyway, I couldn't vote for the Liberals either - just too nasty a campaign. You know the nastiness of this is too much like American politics for me - it makes me sick to my stomach. Anyway, I'll leave you guessing who I voted for, I voted, felt aweful after, and still don't feel so hot. God help Canada.
Andrew made the news!!!!
Gundrun came and interviewed me regarding my great friend Andrew recently. I was tickled by the article. For the record I never held an official role at the old Ottawa Vineyard, I think she had that detail mixed up because I had held associate pastor roles before that. One of the things I like about my Vineyard experience is that titled roles are not something at the front of ministry. I think it does describe what I did functionally though - maybe "Assistant to the Pastor" would be better. My buddy Andrew is one of my dearest friends. Enjoy.
Link - Jan 2006
Link - Jan 2006
Saturday, January 21, 2006
Rik Rocks!
Ok - I am unabashadely biased. I know and love this Rik Leaf guy. His first solo CD is still one of my most frequent listens. And here he goes and sends me a copy of his latest disc - "...now is the winter of our discontent". It's another one for the car. (I hardly have anytime to listen to CDs unless I am in the car by myself, I only keep about 8 CDs in there at a time, so I am a bit picky). To put it bluntley - this is a great CD. And it is packed with musicky goodness! In fact there aren't any dud songs on the whole CD. Trust me I'd tell you if there were, I'm just that kind of guy.
OK so I wanted to highlight two songs that blew me away. What is very cool is that when I popped over to get the image for this post "Rather Be Held" started. It is as if the spirit of Martyn Bennett visited Rik in the studio and smiled on this one. And my favourite track of all on this CD is track 8 - "Learning to Let Go". When I heard this I could picture a little claymation Rik (in the style of Zara's awesome cover art) crawl out of my CD player, climb up my dash and sit there bobbing and weaving as he played out his heart - as only Rik can do. I could go on and on, but instead why don't you head on over to Rik's site and hear some of it for yourself! Thanks again Rik for the CD, I'm looking forward to when you're back our way again.
Friday, January 20, 2006
Openness of God or Panentheism?
I keep running into Clark Pinnock's notions of Open Theism. But haven't really had a chance to read exactly what it was all about. I picked up an article where he outlines Open Theism and have been pleasantly surprised to find out that it seems to line up with some of the panentheistic ideas that I have explored in the past. The sense that God self-limits in order to create a space where free choice can happen. This is that classic struggle between the extremes of fatalism and the blatent anthropomorphism of God. Both ideas which would be rightly rejected by orthodox Christianity. But what the Celtic notion of panentheism tries to convey is that God, who is all and in all, creates a space within Himself in which we find Creation. It is in this space that all things long for a return to the Creator. This space is a self-limiting act of God, very much a kenosis. This allows a vision of God that is both outside and within our reality, bounded and unbounded by God's own actions. It is also a space created in love. That is a very simplistic definition, but it should suffice for our comparison. Open Theism is similar in that is talks about God's current omniscience as a self-limitation. Yes, God is all knowing, but has restricted this to a current knowledge of all things. This doesn't preclude a plan for history, but it means that God chooses to use the open roads of true freewill to move forward in history. In other words God really believes in the project of humanity and continues to beckon us onward towards the God vision of life and freedom. Could this be the return to the Creator? I still have much to read and ponder, I do think that both ideas challenge our traditional notions (which are often too simplistic) of God's omni-characteristics. My hope is that both will help push us towards a true radical middle theology, one that affirms both God's diety and man's special role in history.
Tuesday, January 17, 2006
I have hope today
I actually drove up a street that had only one Conservative sign on a lawn - the rest were predominantly NDP and Green Party with the odd Liberal sign thrown in. So much more refreshing than the awful sea of blue I live in. Also I got to hang out with my good friend Joseph, what could be better than that!
Monday, January 16, 2006
Olive Candle Bizarre
There are some real wackos out there in cyberspace. I recently got an email from a guy asking about our church. He actually tried to join the Freedom Vineyard Newsgroup. Having been burned before by letting just anyone in I have taken up the policy of telling them a bit about us before approving their invitation. This guy was friendly enough, but he kept directing me to this wacky little fundamentalist page called Olive Candle Voice. After some back and forth and me trying to explain politely that I didn't buy into a form of Christianity that blatently exchanged grace for legalism he politely informed me that I was not of the "True" church of the Messiah and that I should examine a few proof texts that apparently clenched my damnation. I politely snipped to the end of his message and replied with a thanks for his time and informed him that Freedom Vineyard would not be a good place for him to grow in his faith.
I could have left it at that but I had this nagging inside that maybe he was the Olive Candle Voice guy just trying to get me to read his heretical webpages and the phrase "twice the sons of hell" kept playing over and over in my head. So I decided to drop a nice friendly email to "Archie" the admin of Olive Candle Voice and see if he knew the other guy. Archie was quite rude, I suspected he had a dislike for pastors. Anyway, after one rude message I thanked him for his time and then got a surprise - don't you love surprises? He was deeply offended at something about me - but it was my name??? Apparently in his twisted little world having a name like Emanuel is blasphemy. (I hope he never catches wind of how common the name Jesus is in Latin countries, he'd have an aneurism.)
Despite Archie's displeasure in my family name, and yes it is the name I was born into. That name has denoted, to me at least, the rich blessing of God's presence in my life. It ever reminds me that God is near.
Well being the responsible individual that I am, I sent one final message to the original guy warning him of how warped this Olive Candle Voice group is. I said I didn't expect a reply and really I felt it a moral obligation to warn him of the dangers of such a group. I'm usually quite open to different expressions of Christianity, but having seen close friends involved in a cult this encounter made all the warning bells go clanging off in my head. I think the website is self-explanatory. My original contact forwarded my email to Archie who sent me a cute little reply saying he'd archived the message (guess he'll count this as being persecuted for his faith) in which I "slandered" him. I saved a copy myself, just for fun.
What frustrates me most about this situation is not being misunderstood, but that I know so many folks caught in a less blatent form of fundamentalism that completely blinds them to the value of other expressions of Christianity. They have been force fed proof texts and uneducated guesses at contexts so that they can't even think for themselves anymore. I used to be that way too. Now I can only remember with irony how me and two other fundamentalist pastors had a debate with some Jehovah's Witnesses, thinking they only know how to leap from choice verse to choice verse - yet we did the same damnable thing every Sunday.
So I'll end with a toast: Here's to not knowing everything. Watch out for the wolves people, enjoy God and enjoy life and don't let anyone rob your joy.
I could have left it at that but I had this nagging inside that maybe he was the Olive Candle Voice guy just trying to get me to read his heretical webpages and the phrase "twice the sons of hell" kept playing over and over in my head. So I decided to drop a nice friendly email to "Archie" the admin of Olive Candle Voice and see if he knew the other guy. Archie was quite rude, I suspected he had a dislike for pastors. Anyway, after one rude message I thanked him for his time and then got a surprise - don't you love surprises? He was deeply offended at something about me - but it was my name??? Apparently in his twisted little world having a name like Emanuel is blasphemy. (I hope he never catches wind of how common the name Jesus is in Latin countries, he'd have an aneurism.)
Despite Archie's displeasure in my family name, and yes it is the name I was born into. That name has denoted, to me at least, the rich blessing of God's presence in my life. It ever reminds me that God is near.
Well being the responsible individual that I am, I sent one final message to the original guy warning him of how warped this Olive Candle Voice group is. I said I didn't expect a reply and really I felt it a moral obligation to warn him of the dangers of such a group. I'm usually quite open to different expressions of Christianity, but having seen close friends involved in a cult this encounter made all the warning bells go clanging off in my head. I think the website is self-explanatory. My original contact forwarded my email to Archie who sent me a cute little reply saying he'd archived the message (guess he'll count this as being persecuted for his faith) in which I "slandered" him. I saved a copy myself, just for fun.
What frustrates me most about this situation is not being misunderstood, but that I know so many folks caught in a less blatent form of fundamentalism that completely blinds them to the value of other expressions of Christianity. They have been force fed proof texts and uneducated guesses at contexts so that they can't even think for themselves anymore. I used to be that way too. Now I can only remember with irony how me and two other fundamentalist pastors had a debate with some Jehovah's Witnesses, thinking they only know how to leap from choice verse to choice verse - yet we did the same damnable thing every Sunday.
So I'll end with a toast: Here's to not knowing everything. Watch out for the wolves people, enjoy God and enjoy life and don't let anyone rob your joy.
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
Isolationism [RANT]
You know one aspect of modern conservatives, especially fundamentalists, that I really dislike is this tendancy to isolate into Christian ghettos. Sure they emerge long enough to yell at people on the street and sure sometimes they find someone willing to be dragged down into the ghettos with them. But it is a long climb out. What fellowship does one have when all around them are only those who agree with every sentiment you express? The isolated lot suffer from this, and it robs them of their creative potential to reach the World that Jesus so loved. I am feeling a bit winded today because another of my friends who is stuck in such a system has decided I am too liberal for their liking. It is frustrating. It just plain sucks. Much as I hate isolationism as a philosophy, I hate it even more for the fact that it robs me of valuable friends and co-labourers in the Gospel. I've tried going after the system and it has just left me alienated. I've tried walking in both worlds, but always my cover is blown and I am thrust out of the ghetto. I don't mind being thrust out - but one of these times I would really like to drag a few good souls up to the surface. Maybe take them to where they can see the real freedom Christ brings.
Monday, January 09, 2006
You know you are getting old when...
I thought for sure I signed up for two first year (300 level) courses. Oh well. I have a 4th year scripture course (Johannine Literature) and a 300 level history (Contemporary Church 1650-present). I already had my first history class and it should be very good. But I am approaching my scripture class with fear and trepidation! First I don't know the professor other than to have heard he is strict (whatever that means). Second, I didn't expect a textbook - so finding a $122 book assigned to the course was a bit of a surprise. Resseguie's "The Strange Gospel: Narrative Design & Point of View in John", for $122 it better be very good. Well I will find out in the morning.
Had an email conversation with a King Jimmy only character. Why do those folks find me on the web? It takes me forever to write them because I have to constantly check my sarcasm when writing them (I write a sentence then erase it and write it more polite). And the inevitable end comes when they tell me I'm bound for the wrath of God because of whatever idiotic pet dogma they have banked their life upon. Why am I such a nice guy? Oh well, at least this one hasn't dragged on before the inevitable - one before this was brutal and went on forever.
Well Sharon is ready to put the tree away. Got to run.
Had an email conversation with a King Jimmy only character. Why do those folks find me on the web? It takes me forever to write them because I have to constantly check my sarcasm when writing them (I write a sentence then erase it and write it more polite). And the inevitable end comes when they tell me I'm bound for the wrath of God because of whatever idiotic pet dogma they have banked their life upon. Why am I such a nice guy? Oh well, at least this one hasn't dragged on before the inevitable - one before this was brutal and went on forever.
Well Sharon is ready to put the tree away. Got to run.
Friday, January 06, 2006
Definition of a Myth
Reading "A Short History of Progress" by Ronald Wright. Which I can't put down. I caught some of the lectures this is based on one night on CBC, specifically his bit on Easter Island, that bit is worth the price of the book. Wright is an incredible storyteller and this story is worth telling. He unravels the myth of progress and shows us the lessons we continually refuse to learn from the past. It is eye openening.
In this little book he defines myth, I think this is worth quoting:
"Myth is an arrangement of the past, whether real or imagined, in patterns that reinforce a culture's deepest values and aspirations. ...Myths are so fraught with meaning that we live and die by them. They are the maps by which cultures navigate through time." (p.4)
Told you it was good.
Tuesday, January 03, 2006
Review: What Does God Expect
Now here is a great little book. The author, MJ Young, is an online friend from the Christian Gamers Guild. He has been Chaplain there as long as I can remember and often presents lengthy well thought out responses to some of the trickier posts that come up. I must confess that this made me a bit hesitant when he announced his new book "What Does God Expect?: A Gospel-based Approach to Christian Conduct", also it is one of those topics I always feel I already know enough about. Yeah, I know but I am being honest here. If MJ had published a book on gaming, well I'd get very excited. But because I have found MJ to be quite encouraging over the years I decided to give it a try. Well I was actually pleasantely surprised with the book.
First off it is a very managable size. Yeah MJ can be verbose on the Guild, but for the most part this book is very tight. It conveys one thing very well and doesn't get sidetracked into unimportant issues. I know I am the king of sidetracks. There is only one chapter that I felt got a bit technical and that was the last chapter on Guidance. It is the front of the chapter, once the ball starts rolling though MJ's insights are really well presented. I think this would be a great book for a small group that wants to understand what is the Christian life. In fact I am thinking of recommending it to a friend for a men's study I am part of, in which case I'll have to write some questions for each chapter, but that wouldn't be hard at all.
So what of the content? You must be curious. With a title like that you probably are afraid this is a book of Christian dos and don'ts. That is exactly what this book is not (there is one place this feels a bit strained but I'll save that for the end). MJ wants you to know that Christianity isn't just a revisinist legalism (he'd never use such a technical term in his book BTW) but it is a relational experience of a profoundly personal nature. It isn't about a homogenous code of ethics, but it is about a morality that flows out of a living relationship with God. Now you will have to trust me that MJ spends 71 pages unpacking this in a very readable and non-technical manner. I am not sure I could have done as well.
Just one real highlight of the book. I should say that there were several really great insights that MJ made throughout the book that either confirmed something I've held deeply or gave me a fresh perspective on an issue, but the one chapter that I think makes this a worthwhile read is the chapter on the Weaker Brother. As someone who has had the weaker brother card played on him (someone trying to manipulate me out of my freedom) it was really nice to take a detailed look at this section of scripture. I will let you read it for yourself.
There were only two things that struck me as odd about this book. First was MJs simplistic understanding of prayer in the Renewing Your Mind chapter. To be fair he does tell us upfront that his focus is on Scripture, but he reduces prayer to talking to God, which makes it more of an exercise than a form of communication. I know this falls out of his attempt to be brief here because later in the book he talks about God's communication to us. I would have loved to see a better treatment of prayer and worship in this section. The second I already promised to mention. That is because of an emphasis on the role of the bible in that same chapter, it almost feels like this is the new Christian do (law). I appreciate MJs comments on incorporating scripture into our devotional lives, and I agree that it is always beneficial. Maybe it was the fact that other aspects of devotional life were neglected, but it felt a bit forced.
There are lots of other great insights this book presents. If you are looking for a great book on Christian Living, and especially if you are sick and tired of all the rehashed legalism out there, then look no further.
First off it is a very managable size. Yeah MJ can be verbose on the Guild, but for the most part this book is very tight. It conveys one thing very well and doesn't get sidetracked into unimportant issues. I know I am the king of sidetracks. There is only one chapter that I felt got a bit technical and that was the last chapter on Guidance. It is the front of the chapter, once the ball starts rolling though MJ's insights are really well presented. I think this would be a great book for a small group that wants to understand what is the Christian life. In fact I am thinking of recommending it to a friend for a men's study I am part of, in which case I'll have to write some questions for each chapter, but that wouldn't be hard at all.
So what of the content? You must be curious. With a title like that you probably are afraid this is a book of Christian dos and don'ts. That is exactly what this book is not (there is one place this feels a bit strained but I'll save that for the end). MJ wants you to know that Christianity isn't just a revisinist legalism (he'd never use such a technical term in his book BTW) but it is a relational experience of a profoundly personal nature. It isn't about a homogenous code of ethics, but it is about a morality that flows out of a living relationship with God. Now you will have to trust me that MJ spends 71 pages unpacking this in a very readable and non-technical manner. I am not sure I could have done as well.
Just one real highlight of the book. I should say that there were several really great insights that MJ made throughout the book that either confirmed something I've held deeply or gave me a fresh perspective on an issue, but the one chapter that I think makes this a worthwhile read is the chapter on the Weaker Brother. As someone who has had the weaker brother card played on him (someone trying to manipulate me out of my freedom) it was really nice to take a detailed look at this section of scripture. I will let you read it for yourself.
There were only two things that struck me as odd about this book. First was MJs simplistic understanding of prayer in the Renewing Your Mind chapter. To be fair he does tell us upfront that his focus is on Scripture, but he reduces prayer to talking to God, which makes it more of an exercise than a form of communication. I know this falls out of his attempt to be brief here because later in the book he talks about God's communication to us. I would have loved to see a better treatment of prayer and worship in this section. The second I already promised to mention. That is because of an emphasis on the role of the bible in that same chapter, it almost feels like this is the new Christian do (law). I appreciate MJs comments on incorporating scripture into our devotional lives, and I agree that it is always beneficial. Maybe it was the fact that other aspects of devotional life were neglected, but it felt a bit forced.
There are lots of other great insights this book presents. If you are looking for a great book on Christian Living, and especially if you are sick and tired of all the rehashed legalism out there, then look no further.
Sunday, January 01, 2006
Priorities
It is funny how time passes and reveal our priorities. I made a list at the start of my holidays, things I wanted to try and get done. Ever the realist I called it a wish list. Some of the things on there got done or touched on, but I would have loved to do more. For example, between her working and all the other obligations we had I did not get much one on one time with my wife (#3). I would love to think that is a top priority in my life, but it is sad to see that it isn't. I did get to take my oldest daughter to a New Years Eve party at the old Nepean city hall, that was great. And I did get in a whole day of gaming with my friends from Red Shirt Games. A day that was so exhausting Sharon and I just vegged after. We did watch the Years Funniest Commercials Wednesday night - that was nice to veg out on the couch together. I am not much of a New Years resolution kind of guy, but I do think that it is worthwhile taking up projects each year. Stuff that your reflection of the year that has gone by brings to the front. Actually this has been one of the better years in our marriage, I think after 10 years we are starting to get the hang of it. But I also see that there is more I could be doing to make our relationship more enjoyable for each of us. I hope your New Years is filled with life projects that bring you closer to God and to the ones you love.
Saturday, December 31, 2005
Hill Giant!
Happy New Year folks!
My buddy Vince brought me a copy of PC Gamer so I can order the promo hill giant from Wizards of the Coast. Sweet!
Been picking away at my Christmas wish list (to do), still a bit crazy and classes start again this coming Wednesday.
My buddy Vince brought me a copy of PC Gamer so I can order the promo hill giant from Wizards of the Coast. Sweet!
Been picking away at my Christmas wish list (to do), still a bit crazy and classes start again this coming Wednesday.
Friday, December 23, 2005
The Crucified God
OK one of my to do items was finish this masterpiece. I was less far along than I thought. This struck a real chord with me, especially since I've been pondering the whole issue of solidarity with the outcast of Christian society. This is in a section on the mysticism of the cross.
"By becoming a 'friend of sinners and tax collectors', he made their enemies his enemies. By claiming that God himself was on the side of the godless, he incited the devout against him and was cast out into the godlessness of Golgotha. The more the mysticism of the cross recognizes this, the less it can accept Jesus as an example of patience and submission to fate." (p.51, Jürgen Moltmann, The Crucified God)
"By becoming a 'friend of sinners and tax collectors', he made their enemies his enemies. By claiming that God himself was on the side of the godless, he incited the devout against him and was cast out into the godlessness of Golgotha. The more the mysticism of the cross recognizes this, the less it can accept Jesus as an example of patience and submission to fate." (p.51, Jürgen Moltmann, The Crucified God)
Sunday, December 18, 2005
Holiday Wish List (EDITED)
Ok, this is not what you think. I am not going to list all the 'stuff' I would like folks to buy me for Christmas. Rather I thought it would be fun to list the things I would like to get done over the holidays. Maybe I'll post a progress report later on!
1) Clean house from top to bottom (anyone else have kids?) (DONE, but not as well as I would like).
2) Clean up my office (DONE)
3) Have some quality lone time with my awesome wife (NOT ENOUGH OF THIS ONE)
4) Work on my stamp collection, it is seriously neglected this last year (DONE, had to sort out some Dutch stamps)
5) Buy some kindling so I can burn up the logs in my garage (DONE, BTW I want to do the actual burning in my fireplace, not the garage!)
6) Have a nice toasty time with a fire and my family on Christmas morning (DONE, it was toasty. Note to self, chocolate + infants = bad combination!!!)
7) Bake some muffins (DONE)
8) Work on my Kingdom of God I course material (why oh why don't they give you a deadline!)
9) Turn off water to hose in garage - can you believe I've only half winterized our house and there is already a decent amount of snow on the ground (DONE)
10) Finish reading "The Crucified God" (NOT DONE)
11) Read "Thinking Biblically" (deferred for another book, BTW I read 2 books over the holidays!)
12) Update the Freedom Vineyard website
13) Practice my guitar - I don't do this enough these days (BEEN DOING, BUT NOT ENOUGH)
14) Prepare the rest of the dungeon my players are currently in (DONE)
15) Win at least one decent league or team freeroll - those folks are good (PLACED 9th in our weekly Headhunter on Jetset!)
16) Host a friendly poker night - it has been far too long, I need to know if my home game has improved (SORTA, had our old neighbours over for Settlers of Catan)
Well, I could go on but this is enough to work on for now. It is good to look at what is on your plate. Now excuse me while I work on number one for a while and also prepare a prophetic training session for tomorrow (a local Wesleyan church asked me to do one for a small group they run).
[NOTE: This message is heavily edited to keep you up to date on what is DONE or abandoned]
1) Clean house from top to bottom (anyone else have kids?) (DONE, but not as well as I would like).
2) Clean up my office (DONE)
3) Have some quality lone time with my awesome wife (NOT ENOUGH OF THIS ONE)
4) Work on my stamp collection, it is seriously neglected this last year (DONE, had to sort out some Dutch stamps)
5) Buy some kindling so I can burn up the logs in my garage (DONE, BTW I want to do the actual burning in my fireplace, not the garage!)
6) Have a nice toasty time with a fire and my family on Christmas morning (DONE, it was toasty. Note to self, chocolate + infants = bad combination!!!)
7) Bake some muffins (DONE)
8) Work on my Kingdom of God I course material (why oh why don't they give you a deadline!)
9) Turn off water to hose in garage - can you believe I've only half winterized our house and there is already a decent amount of snow on the ground (DONE)
10) Finish reading "The Crucified God" (NOT DONE)
11) Read "Thinking Biblically" (deferred for another book, BTW I read 2 books over the holidays!)
12) Update the Freedom Vineyard website
13) Practice my guitar - I don't do this enough these days (BEEN DOING, BUT NOT ENOUGH)
14) Prepare the rest of the dungeon my players are currently in (DONE)
15) Win at least one decent league or team freeroll - those folks are good (PLACED 9th in our weekly Headhunter on Jetset!)
16) Host a friendly poker night - it has been far too long, I need to know if my home game has improved (SORTA, had our old neighbours over for Settlers of Catan)
Well, I could go on but this is enough to work on for now. It is good to look at what is on your plate. Now excuse me while I work on number one for a while and also prepare a prophetic training session for tomorrow (a local Wesleyan church asked me to do one for a small group they run).
[NOTE: This message is heavily edited to keep you up to date on what is DONE or abandoned]
Saturday, December 17, 2005
Done like dinner
Wow what a big day it was. Took me 1 hour to drive to the school for my exam (first good snowstorm). I was up for prayer at 7AM, wrote my exam at 9AM. Looked after kids all afternoon. Played D&D with friends into the evening. By the time I wound down it was 2:30AM!!! Needless to say I am tired today.
It feels good to have that exam done, I chose to write on Teilhard de Chardin and on the Adamic Myth. I think I will do well. Chardin really rocks, "evolution saves Christ." Now there is a statement to get your blood pumping. You will either say to yourself - "how dare he blaspheme like that!" or you will ask the more honest question: "what the heck is he talking about?". For Chardin there is no evolution without involution - or something centering all the the creative potential in life. That centering force is clearly Christ, the same one who holds all things together! Chardin gives us lots to ponder, especially as we seek to understand faith in a scientific age. I've read a bit from him in the past and I am going to read more in the future.
Today is a day of rest.
It feels good to have that exam done, I chose to write on Teilhard de Chardin and on the Adamic Myth. I think I will do well. Chardin really rocks, "evolution saves Christ." Now there is a statement to get your blood pumping. You will either say to yourself - "how dare he blaspheme like that!" or you will ask the more honest question: "what the heck is he talking about?". For Chardin there is no evolution without involution - or something centering all the the creative potential in life. That centering force is clearly Christ, the same one who holds all things together! Chardin gives us lots to ponder, especially as we seek to understand faith in a scientific age. I've read a bit from him in the past and I am going to read more in the future.
Today is a day of rest.
Sunday, December 11, 2005
What is a pastoral question?
OK so I am back to studying. I was working through this one day before yesterday - it is the first question. In what way is the question of humanity (anthropology)a pastoral question?
I thought it might be interesting to throw that up here and see what stirs up.
The way we think about our own humanity is quite complex. Historically you could say one has a soul or an ability to reason or even to develop reflexive language. But now we have to think more of what makes us human is what we do with these capacities. Hence the expression - how inhumane of that person. In fact we see a lot of behaviour in the world that we would want to disassociate with humanity - a young girl stabbed to death on campus just this week comes to mind.
So what is the pastoral dimension that is brought to bear here? I think that question needs to be turned inward to those who seek to be of help to the world. When we express our humanity are we not, in theory, expressing that which is best about us and genuinely longs to make this world a better place? I think that has to be part of how we answer the question of what it means to be a human.
So I put to you readers, drop me a comment. What is the pastoral dimension of the question of humanity?
I thought it might be interesting to throw that up here and see what stirs up.
The way we think about our own humanity is quite complex. Historically you could say one has a soul or an ability to reason or even to develop reflexive language. But now we have to think more of what makes us human is what we do with these capacities. Hence the expression - how inhumane of that person. In fact we see a lot of behaviour in the world that we would want to disassociate with humanity - a young girl stabbed to death on campus just this week comes to mind.
So what is the pastoral dimension that is brought to bear here? I think that question needs to be turned inward to those who seek to be of help to the world. When we express our humanity are we not, in theory, expressing that which is best about us and genuinely longs to make this world a better place? I think that has to be part of how we answer the question of what it means to be a human.
So I put to you readers, drop me a comment. What is the pastoral dimension of the question of humanity?
Monster Flopper
So I've been playing online in a Poker League for a while now and just joined a team. Not crazy about the name but it is fun. I played my first tourney for this team and actually earned our team their first points! I know I should be studying, but I find a good poker tournament to be quite an exciting way to relax.
I play mostly on Absolute Poker, Jetset poker and Poker.com. Absolute (AP) has tonnes of freerolls, games that don't cost you anything to play but you can win money to play with, and I like the style of the players. Jetset is where some of my friends from around here play (Kartel and Mobius) and there are too many chasers at the tables for me to really enjoy playing there (chasers will play really crappy hands all the time) but I love the headhunter games - basically everyone has a bounty on their heads and if you eliminate them you get that much money in your account! Poker.com is a staple poker site, not so good for chatting (both AP and Jetset rock for chatting), but there is a decent quality of play there and my league has freerolls there every week. If you are there and see pomorev playing - please say hello (I might take it easy on ya). I only play freerolls and with the money I win so don't hold your breath on seeing me at a big money table anytime soon.
Wednesday, December 07, 2005
Anne Rice and Jesus
OK some of you might be wondering what the connection is. I first heard of this from the Christian Gamers Guild. The infamous writer of Interview with a Vampire has gone and switched gears. My buddy Jamie wrote this review of her latest book - Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt. I am thinking this just might be the thing for the Christmas break. Plus it is way too cool to have such a fine author decide to do a treatment of the coolest dude to ever set foot on this here planet - Jesus! Welcome home Anne, welcome home.
One down, one to go
First exam is completed. I was not that happy with it, seems like my notes have more holes than I would like. I usually take verbose notes on my laptop - but my notes from that class were rather thin. One of the questions was really fun though - but hardly a 2 hour exam question (more like a 4 hours one). Basically you were given a quote about how the gospels were wrote the Last Supper account in light of the Eucharistic reality of the church. Now you had to deal with it as if you were addressing an adult education class with fundamentalist tendancies. The issue at stake is that it is saying that the gospel accounts are not necessarily literal history - which can be a stretch for some folks.
Well first off - I wouldn't touch something like that with a group of fundies. That is like asking someone to cut off your left nut without any painkillers! Yikes. I did agree with the statement though - Leverdiere says it much more eloquently than I could. It does get at the heart of the gospels being liturgical texts, even though I think Leverdiere is biased towards this. He sees liturgy everywhere when he reads the gospels. But this does help make some sense of the discrepancies in the Last Supper narratives (John drops us back a whole day even!). Oh did I say there were discrepencies, fundie please ignore I said that. :-)
I think I did ok. I pulled two A+ and an A on the papers. I do hope I keep at least an A for the class. Now on to the next one, by far the more beefy course. Exam is Friday after next - lots of studying to do yet.
Well first off - I wouldn't touch something like that with a group of fundies. That is like asking someone to cut off your left nut without any painkillers! Yikes. I did agree with the statement though - Leverdiere says it much more eloquently than I could. It does get at the heart of the gospels being liturgical texts, even though I think Leverdiere is biased towards this. He sees liturgy everywhere when he reads the gospels. But this does help make some sense of the discrepancies in the Last Supper narratives (John drops us back a whole day even!). Oh did I say there were discrepencies, fundie please ignore I said that. :-)
I think I did ok. I pulled two A+ and an A on the papers. I do hope I keep at least an A for the class. Now on to the next one, by far the more beefy course. Exam is Friday after next - lots of studying to do yet.
Sunday, December 04, 2005
Preparing for exams
OK so it starts next Wednesday. I am not too worried about that one, I only have 18 pages of class notes to cover and anyone who has taken a course with me knows I take very meticulous notes. I think I typed out a novel for the other course though! Elyssa was home Thursday and Friday from school and the kids just fought all the time. Today is Sharon's birthday but I'm afraid it was off to a rough start. She did seem pleased with the brilliant b-day cards me and the girls spent yesterday making (one of the moments when everyone got along). Chelsea's card was especially amusing to her, Chelsea is in the stage where big cribbly clouds are the order of the day - nice.
Saturday, November 26, 2005
Taken - Holy Crap!
OK as if life is not complicated enough. Rememer the Aussie I mentioned. Yup, turned out he was scamming us. Left us with a $1200 hotel bill, took one of our people for $160 and just all around played on our generosity. Please keep an eye out for an Irish lad travelling in Canada (claimed to be heading to Vancouver next) from Australia. He did make calls to Australia so I am hoping to at least track it back to the last folks he scammed. He went by the name Robert Michaels, claimed his wallet (money, passport, credit cards) were stolen.
You know the money doesn't matter. Sure it sucks, but it is only money. What hurts is that we spent a lot of time (something we don't have a lot of) with him this week. Drove him all over. Shared our lives. Introduced him to our trusting community. And then this. I feel like I lost a friend. I feel deeply sad. (I would understand feeling angry, but anger is the furthest emotion from me). I feel like if he came here I'd want to just hold him and ask why? I want to understand.
You know the money doesn't matter. Sure it sucks, but it is only money. What hurts is that we spent a lot of time (something we don't have a lot of) with him this week. Drove him all over. Shared our lives. Introduced him to our trusting community. And then this. I feel like I lost a friend. I feel deeply sad. (I would understand feeling angry, but anger is the furthest emotion from me). I feel like if he came here I'd want to just hold him and ask why? I want to understand.
Tuesday, November 22, 2005
One Down, one to go
Wow! What a wild week. I met this crazy Aussie (actually a displaced Irish lad) and we've been on a roller coaster ride. Gotta love divine encounters. Looks like I might actually end up at the U2 concert this weekend - sweetness! Let you know how it goes ;-)
I am busy working on my second paper (taking a break actually), should have it done tonight. I eneded up working on the whole notion of freedom in Paul Ricoeur's work (dropped the theme of seperation). It was a hard one to write because pulling out what I wanted in a manner that made sense was the equivelant of sorting spaghetti. The one I am working on deals with sacramentalism in the emergent movement. I am trying to get to the roots of this rather than just comment on the practices. My question is this: Why is there such an interest in sacramental life in the emergent church? I am having fun with that but it is hard to avoid complex subjects like meta-narratives and incarnationality. I am finging a lot of great resources tracking back the references in A Generous Orthodoxy as well as Scot McKnights articles.
The funnest part is that I get to present this so I've already lined up my slide show, just need to populate it with lots of images swiped from my emergent friend's sites. Thanks guys and gals!
Hopefully I'll have more time for verbosity next week. Until then, blessings.
I am busy working on my second paper (taking a break actually), should have it done tonight. I eneded up working on the whole notion of freedom in Paul Ricoeur's work (dropped the theme of seperation). It was a hard one to write because pulling out what I wanted in a manner that made sense was the equivelant of sorting spaghetti. The one I am working on deals with sacramentalism in the emergent movement. I am trying to get to the roots of this rather than just comment on the practices. My question is this: Why is there such an interest in sacramental life in the emergent church? I am having fun with that but it is hard to avoid complex subjects like meta-narratives and incarnationality. I am finging a lot of great resources tracking back the references in A Generous Orthodoxy as well as Scot McKnights articles.
The funnest part is that I get to present this so I've already lined up my slide show, just need to populate it with lots of images swiped from my emergent friend's sites. Thanks guys and gals!
Hopefully I'll have more time for verbosity next week. Until then, blessings.
Tuesday, November 15, 2005
Yup, it is true, I am a Moltmannian!
You scored as Jurgen Moltmann. The problem of evil is central to your thought, and only a crucified God can show that God is not indifferent to human suffering. Christian discipleship means identifying with suffering but also anticipating the new creation of all things that God will bring about.
Jurgen Moltmann 80%
Martin Luther 53%
Karl Barth 53%
John Calvin 40%
Friedrich Schleiermacher 40%
Charles Finney 33%
Paul Tillich 33%
Anselm 20%
Jonathan Edwards 13%
Augustine 7%
Which theologian are you?
created with QuizFarm.com
Saturday, November 12, 2005
Trajectory of Freedom in the Adamic Myth
Hope I don't scare too many people away with the title. I am re-reading Paul Ricoeur's analysis of what he calls the myth par excellance - Gen 2 and 3. It is brilliant and insightful, and I need to write a paper on it (hopefully today). I have pulled out one theme that of a trajectory of seperation as a way of speaking of the anthropology of sin. But one other thing that is spinning around in my head is this whole notion of freedom.
As you might know freedom is a topic I enjoy musing upon. I think we have some pretty screwed up notions of freedom operating in our society - and the Adamic Myth, to borrow Ricoeur's term, gives us a sense of how the gift of freedom has become for humanity something completely other than it was intended.
Freedom is a big part of the theology of hope in Christianity. If freedom isn't part of what we are moving towards, then what is it? And just maybe that freedom, the gift of God, is still held out to us awaiting for our embrace of it. For freedom's sake Christ has set us free.
Freedom from what? I think the root of the problem lies in an inability to seperate freedom from bondage. Meaning that if there is a trajectory of freedom, then logic demands a current state of bondage. But freedom, as seen in the Adamic Myth, pre-exists bondage.
Freedom as what? Well freedom doesn't exist in the absence of limitations. You shall eat of every tree in the garden except..." The notion of freedom as anarchy is not a biblical notion of freedom. The command was not meant to enslave humanity in a state of limitation even though that is what the serpent made it out to be. Limitations are only limitations when we percieve them as a threat to our freedom. Therein lies the conundrum of the Adamaic Myth, and the crack in the wall, Andre LeCocque's term, for the wedge of fear to be placed.
So how do we envision freedom?
I think this is the challenge for modern barstool theologians - the ones actually talking to the masses. If Christianity is a story of freedom, then we will have to understand the vision of freedom that God has for us. We will have to offer hope, inspite of the fear of limitations that is still woven into the metanarrative of our society. To stave off anarchy we will have to envision something more than a tree and a command. I think we can only do it in light of a tree and a Saviour.
Who shall deliver me from this body of sin? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ!
As you might know freedom is a topic I enjoy musing upon. I think we have some pretty screwed up notions of freedom operating in our society - and the Adamic Myth, to borrow Ricoeur's term, gives us a sense of how the gift of freedom has become for humanity something completely other than it was intended.
Freedom is a big part of the theology of hope in Christianity. If freedom isn't part of what we are moving towards, then what is it? And just maybe that freedom, the gift of God, is still held out to us awaiting for our embrace of it. For freedom's sake Christ has set us free.
Freedom from what? I think the root of the problem lies in an inability to seperate freedom from bondage. Meaning that if there is a trajectory of freedom, then logic demands a current state of bondage. But freedom, as seen in the Adamic Myth, pre-exists bondage.
Freedom as what? Well freedom doesn't exist in the absence of limitations. You shall eat of every tree in the garden except..." The notion of freedom as anarchy is not a biblical notion of freedom. The command was not meant to enslave humanity in a state of limitation even though that is what the serpent made it out to be. Limitations are only limitations when we percieve them as a threat to our freedom. Therein lies the conundrum of the Adamaic Myth, and the crack in the wall, Andre LeCocque's term, for the wedge of fear to be placed.
So how do we envision freedom?
I think this is the challenge for modern barstool theologians - the ones actually talking to the masses. If Christianity is a story of freedom, then we will have to understand the vision of freedom that God has for us. We will have to offer hope, inspite of the fear of limitations that is still woven into the metanarrative of our society. To stave off anarchy we will have to envision something more than a tree and a command. I think we can only do it in light of a tree and a Saviour.
Who shall deliver me from this body of sin? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ!
Wednesday, November 09, 2005
Things that make you go hmmmmm
Ok, don't download this unless you want to convince yourself that all gamers are complete freaks of nature.
Unicorns L. A.
Don't say I didn't warn you.
Unicorns L. A.
Don't say I didn't warn you.
Tuesday, November 08, 2005
Emergent DTS
OK now a buddy of mine is running a very cool YWAM DTS and they are looking for a few more people. This is going to be a bit different as it is an Emergent DTS focusing on the missional and I bet it will have a bit more theological depth to it. I did a DTS type programme almost 20 years ago and it really changed my life - for the good. So if you know someone who this might be good for - let em know asap. Click on YWAM DTS to get the details.
Monday, November 07, 2005
Paper crunch
My last two papers are looming so I won't be posting as much until they are out of the way. One is on the sacramental thrust within the Emergent church movement - I have a couple of books I'm dissecting for that one. And the second is on a re-reading of the second creation narrative by Paul Ricoeur - I have three papers that I am working with on this one and two of them are quite packed. If you have any great stories about sacramental encounters or awakenings please leave them in the comments - you might even make my footnotes!
Thursday, November 03, 2005
Random Stuff
I have been making little tiny model trees. It is very therapeutic. I am not that good at fine detail work, but it is fun to at least give it a try. I bought some flock (clumped stuff too) and got some twigs as well as wires to wrap around and around. This is in preperation for our D&D game tomorrow night - silly players set fire to the woods - the woods isn't going to like that. At the very least Smokey the bear needs to show up ;-)
I am also waiting for some new books to come: Thinking Biblically, Ancient-Future Faith and Streams of Living Water. These are the books for my two final papers, I am excited about Thinking Biblically because there is a Paul Ricoeur article in there. And my case of Underdark miniatures. I was hoping that one would arrive today and the other tomorrow, but it looks like both will arrive tomorrow. My oldest wants to open the minis with me so I will likely not get to see them until she gets home from school.
BTW my friends are doing something very cool in the UK. It is the Vineyard School of Discipleship. You should check them out.
I'll let you know when my packages arrive. And remember, don't set fire to a forest!
I am also waiting for some new books to come: Thinking Biblically, Ancient-Future Faith and Streams of Living Water. These are the books for my two final papers, I am excited about Thinking Biblically because there is a Paul Ricoeur article in there. And my case of Underdark miniatures. I was hoping that one would arrive today and the other tomorrow, but it looks like both will arrive tomorrow. My oldest wants to open the minis with me so I will likely not get to see them until she gets home from school.
BTW my friends are doing something very cool in the UK. It is the Vineyard School of Discipleship. You should check them out.
I'll let you know when my packages arrive. And remember, don't set fire to a forest!
Monday, October 31, 2005
Slogans are for the Initiate
Driving back from the bank this morning I couldn't help notice the slogan board of a local ELC church* - one that often has slogans that leave me upset or puzzled. This time I came away thinking "what the heck does that mean?" The slogan said: "Christians must come apart and rest or they just plain come apart". At first it sounds like it might be ok, but it doesn't weather any amount of thought. "Come apart" how? Do you mean go to church? I know lots of really screwed up people who go to church. And what about the people who don't seem to ever stop and are healthy and sound? I think I know what they are getting at - but it doesn't work on the outside.
I am not Mr. Antislogan. I think slogans can be helpful in a community. But they belong to the community. I bet that slogan is just packed full of good insights for the creator and maybe his/her community. But it means squat to the average person driving by. We have developed slogans to help communicate our purpose and vision, for example we often talk about drawing people "one step closer to the Father". Imagine that on the billboard? It only works in the context of a community that qualifies all the parts of the slogan. We often talk about the steps or movement or journey towards God in our community. We share our own stories and encourage everyone to look for those opportunities to partner with God in this process. See already there is a depth to this slogan that the uninitiated cannot appreciate. Now I will use this slogan with new people in our community - but I do so when I have the opportunity to unpack it.
This mornings musings left me convinced that slogans are for the initiate. I would encourage good sloganeering, but please, I beg your mercy, don't inflict your catchy sayings on the greater community. Most won't have a clue what you are saying and many of the rest will derive a meaning you might not have intended. If you must have a slogan - make it something we can all understand like, "God loves you" or "have a great day" or even "If you have a need let us know, we might be able to help." It'll just make the world a whole lot saner.
Thanks.
*To be completely fair there is a PAOC church in the other end of town that has a similar collection of inane thoughts displayed on its front lawn. And I am sure I can find representation from every denomination including my own.
[EDIT] OK so tonight I passed a BCOQ (Baptist, I used to be a lay minister in this denomination) church that had this sign :"To know the truth is to be set free". Think about that for a minute. Say I'm an addict, I can know quite clearly I'm an addict and still be bound by my addiction. I know what they are trying to say but the average person isn't going to be able to cut through the Christianese.
I am not Mr. Antislogan. I think slogans can be helpful in a community. But they belong to the community. I bet that slogan is just packed full of good insights for the creator and maybe his/her community. But it means squat to the average person driving by. We have developed slogans to help communicate our purpose and vision, for example we often talk about drawing people "one step closer to the Father". Imagine that on the billboard? It only works in the context of a community that qualifies all the parts of the slogan. We often talk about the steps or movement or journey towards God in our community. We share our own stories and encourage everyone to look for those opportunities to partner with God in this process. See already there is a depth to this slogan that the uninitiated cannot appreciate. Now I will use this slogan with new people in our community - but I do so when I have the opportunity to unpack it.
This mornings musings left me convinced that slogans are for the initiate. I would encourage good sloganeering, but please, I beg your mercy, don't inflict your catchy sayings on the greater community. Most won't have a clue what you are saying and many of the rest will derive a meaning you might not have intended. If you must have a slogan - make it something we can all understand like, "God loves you" or "have a great day" or even "If you have a need let us know, we might be able to help." It'll just make the world a whole lot saner.
Thanks.
*To be completely fair there is a PAOC church in the other end of town that has a similar collection of inane thoughts displayed on its front lawn. And I am sure I can find representation from every denomination including my own.
[EDIT] OK so tonight I passed a BCOQ (Baptist, I used to be a lay minister in this denomination) church that had this sign :"To know the truth is to be set free". Think about that for a minute. Say I'm an addict, I can know quite clearly I'm an addict and still be bound by my addiction. I know what they are trying to say but the average person isn't going to be able to cut through the Christianese.
Friday, October 28, 2005
Starting to see the light...but keep praying
Man we have had some very frustrating financial developments. Our financial advisor started making promises she never kept. Our taxes were in her hands and never got done, took us 5 months to get them back and we had to go to HR Block. We had a string of babysitters steal from us. And the cost of gas and living totally messed up our budget. Talk about frustrating.
But now, thanks to lots of friends praying and a bit of badgering, we are starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Our taxes are finally filed and we are expecting a decent return - should just about cover our new debts. One of the babysitters has been returning some of our stuff, including a 100$ Ikea gift card and our electric label maker. And Sharon got more hours.
But we are not out of the woods yet. We issued a complaint to WFG Securities about our advisor and not surprisingly they sided with her. I don't get why she would be lying about us to them? I just can't fathom it. Especially since she knows we are ministers and she claims to be an active Christian herself attending a solid PAOC church in the city? Even though we have gotten stuff back from that one babysitter, I know she has a good Christian family and we really wanted reconciliation more than the stuff back. We keep praying for that. And Sharon's new work is a nightmare. They merged two pharmacies and it is no longer an enjoyable place to work. She comes home all frustrated telling me who else is thinking of quiting, not good.
Can you folks keep praying? We have actually been praying blessings on our financial advisor. Pray that God will bring a reconciliation there. Maybe we did something at some point to offend here, I can't think of anything, but even still her lack of respect for us is just horrible. Pray for this young girl to get her life straightened out. She has had some hard knocks in life, but with God's help she can overcome anything. And pray for Sharon's work. Pray that God will open a new door or better yet let the corporate management see how their aggessive work schedule is not allowing the pharmacists to give adequate (let alone good) care.
But now, thanks to lots of friends praying and a bit of badgering, we are starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Our taxes are finally filed and we are expecting a decent return - should just about cover our new debts. One of the babysitters has been returning some of our stuff, including a 100$ Ikea gift card and our electric label maker. And Sharon got more hours.
But we are not out of the woods yet. We issued a complaint to WFG Securities about our advisor and not surprisingly they sided with her. I don't get why she would be lying about us to them? I just can't fathom it. Especially since she knows we are ministers and she claims to be an active Christian herself attending a solid PAOC church in the city? Even though we have gotten stuff back from that one babysitter, I know she has a good Christian family and we really wanted reconciliation more than the stuff back. We keep praying for that. And Sharon's new work is a nightmare. They merged two pharmacies and it is no longer an enjoyable place to work. She comes home all frustrated telling me who else is thinking of quiting, not good.
Can you folks keep praying? We have actually been praying blessings on our financial advisor. Pray that God will bring a reconciliation there. Maybe we did something at some point to offend here, I can't think of anything, but even still her lack of respect for us is just horrible. Pray for this young girl to get her life straightened out. She has had some hard knocks in life, but with God's help she can overcome anything. And pray for Sharon's work. Pray that God will open a new door or better yet let the corporate management see how their aggessive work schedule is not allowing the pharmacists to give adequate (let alone good) care.
Wednesday, October 26, 2005
Regional Gathering
Ahhhhhhhhhhhh, that was nice.
Only have time for some highlights. It was great to see so many folks who have become dear to me over the last 4+ years I've been going to the Summits. It was a special joy to see Brad and Mary, Brad always greets you with a holy kiss - there is something so special about them. Thanks for the Stellas guys! Tom and Sherry came and Tom backed me up on djembe. I love having them in my family. George teased me constantly - this was three days of rejuvinating George love. George you are the funkiest man in the Vineyard!
It was great to have a heart to heart with George and Janet on the first night. And to be asked to meals with so many dear friends who wanted to hear how we were really doing up here in Ottawa. And Ahren, man you blessed me this week! I forgot to add one other gift you and your church offer to our region - encouragement. You always make me feel valued and important even. I love you man.
I don't know how else to highlight the two days I spent there. I had the awesome priviledge of putting a band together for the worship. I so miss having those opportunities. But really it was cool because God showed up. The evening session I was sure I wasn't going to be able to keep playing God's presence was so thick. And when we watched Ruth Rousu's interview about the kiss I was reduced to tears as God drew near and began whispering in my ear. I get emotional just thinking of it.
What a great time. You know what? Expect great things from our little rag tag tribe. I think God was drawing near for a reason. God is getting us ready for something special. I don't know what, but Lord I for one say come!
Only have time for some highlights. It was great to see so many folks who have become dear to me over the last 4+ years I've been going to the Summits. It was a special joy to see Brad and Mary, Brad always greets you with a holy kiss - there is something so special about them. Thanks for the Stellas guys! Tom and Sherry came and Tom backed me up on djembe. I love having them in my family. George teased me constantly - this was three days of rejuvinating George love. George you are the funkiest man in the Vineyard!
It was great to have a heart to heart with George and Janet on the first night. And to be asked to meals with so many dear friends who wanted to hear how we were really doing up here in Ottawa. And Ahren, man you blessed me this week! I forgot to add one other gift you and your church offer to our region - encouragement. You always make me feel valued and important even. I love you man.
I don't know how else to highlight the two days I spent there. I had the awesome priviledge of putting a band together for the worship. I so miss having those opportunities. But really it was cool because God showed up. The evening session I was sure I wasn't going to be able to keep playing God's presence was so thick. And when we watched Ruth Rousu's interview about the kiss I was reduced to tears as God drew near and began whispering in my ear. I get emotional just thinking of it.
What a great time. You know what? Expect great things from our little rag tag tribe. I think God was drawing near for a reason. God is getting us ready for something special. I don't know what, but Lord I for one say come!
Sunday, October 23, 2005
Off to the Regional Gathering
Don't you hate it when you are typing in a post and you go to look up a link and accidentaly switch pages in your blogging browser! Doh!!!! I have done it a few times now and the last time was a super cool message that I lost. Guess it was never meant to be.
Few things coming up - I have my fictional paper back (for a liturgical theology course) and got an A+ so I am going to post it here for your enjoyment. I don't write a lot of fiction, but I did at one time. In fact at one point in my life I had ambitions of being a novelist - ah the romance of youth. It was fun to get to dip into that in the midst of an academic programme, who knows maybe one day I'll write some more. I do love story.
So in a little over an hour I am off to the Regional Gathering of Vineyard Pastors and I am excited. I am going to be doing some of the worship (wasn't clear on how much, but I am happy even to just play along, I do usually get a set or so though). My dear friend Brad is bringing his Mandolin and George is bringing his keys (George Esser, let me say it here and now, is the funkiest man in the Vineyard!). I'm travelling with some good friends from Hosanna Christian Fellowship - a church in the process of discerning their identity and likely going to be adopted into the Vineyard. Sharon and I have been hanging out there on Sundays - well not that often, but we do try. They are a great bunch, pretty standard stuff but the love Jesus and that's good enough for us. I'm sure we stretch the heck out of them - I know they renounce Dungeons and Dragons in their baptismal formula and as you likey know I am an avid D&Der. Ah but this is to be expected as D&D got a bad rap from the get go - too bad much of it was lies propogated by fearful Chirstians. But such is life. Personally I hope the issue doesn't come up with anyone but the pastor - I made sure they knew because I like to have my cards on the table. Just the way I am.
I am so looking forward to seeing old friends again. So many that I miss. We have a small cluster of Vineyards growing here in the Ottawa Valley but all of us are planting and busy. Anyway, got to say my goodbyes to the kids, my dear wife will be back from work soon and we'll be off to the races. If they have wifi I'll check in, maybe post a few things, if not see you all later in the week.
Few things coming up - I have my fictional paper back (for a liturgical theology course) and got an A+ so I am going to post it here for your enjoyment. I don't write a lot of fiction, but I did at one time. In fact at one point in my life I had ambitions of being a novelist - ah the romance of youth. It was fun to get to dip into that in the midst of an academic programme, who knows maybe one day I'll write some more. I do love story.
So in a little over an hour I am off to the Regional Gathering of Vineyard Pastors and I am excited. I am going to be doing some of the worship (wasn't clear on how much, but I am happy even to just play along, I do usually get a set or so though). My dear friend Brad is bringing his Mandolin and George is bringing his keys (George Esser, let me say it here and now, is the funkiest man in the Vineyard!). I'm travelling with some good friends from Hosanna Christian Fellowship - a church in the process of discerning their identity and likely going to be adopted into the Vineyard. Sharon and I have been hanging out there on Sundays - well not that often, but we do try. They are a great bunch, pretty standard stuff but the love Jesus and that's good enough for us. I'm sure we stretch the heck out of them - I know they renounce Dungeons and Dragons in their baptismal formula and as you likey know I am an avid D&Der. Ah but this is to be expected as D&D got a bad rap from the get go - too bad much of it was lies propogated by fearful Chirstians. But such is life. Personally I hope the issue doesn't come up with anyone but the pastor - I made sure they knew because I like to have my cards on the table. Just the way I am.
I am so looking forward to seeing old friends again. So many that I miss. We have a small cluster of Vineyards growing here in the Ottawa Valley but all of us are planting and busy. Anyway, got to say my goodbyes to the kids, my dear wife will be back from work soon and we'll be off to the races. If they have wifi I'll check in, maybe post a few things, if not see you all later in the week.
Thursday, October 20, 2005
Game Rules
I was thinking the last couple of days about rules in games. I love playing games, as you might have noticed. All kinds of games too. I love the community it brings, the excitement and the tests of skill. But without rules games just wouldn't be that fun.
Rules make games fun for everyone.
I know it is sometimes frustrating learning a new game or having your understanding of the rules of a game challenged. But rules play a very important role. They let everyone know that this is not a free for all, anything goes and whoever can assert themselves the best wins situation. Rules also give a structure so that we know what to expect from the game and from other players. If someone doesn't play by the rules we call that cheating, and cheating (sorry Paul) is not often welcomed in games.
Some games have very flexible rules, and need to. But this is known when one starts such a game - so you know what to expect. Some games have very strict and ordered rules, again you know what you are getting into. I like both kinds of games, but games without any rules are just plain frustrating.
While I was thinking about this my thoughts strayed into the ecclesial. Not that church is a game, at least I hope and pray we don't think so. But it does help us enjoy ourselves more when we know the rules. I watched a Tridentine Mass on video yesterday and the whole thing was in Latin, priest mostly with his back to the congregation. And you know I had trouble appreciating it. (And even if I did know the rules I might not choose to play that one.) But everyone who was part of it knew the rules - and they seemed to enjoy themselves. (Heck I like a lot of games but some I just don't find fun - like Risk for example, I could take it or leave it, I prefer the post Vatican II masses by far.) All that to say that liturgy is like the rules to a game. If you know them then you can fully participate in the service, feel free to explore your boundaries and be free to have a genuine encounter with God.
Funny where some thoughts take you.
Be blessed and as I say on the poker tables - Play Well!
Rules make games fun for everyone.
I know it is sometimes frustrating learning a new game or having your understanding of the rules of a game challenged. But rules play a very important role. They let everyone know that this is not a free for all, anything goes and whoever can assert themselves the best wins situation. Rules also give a structure so that we know what to expect from the game and from other players. If someone doesn't play by the rules we call that cheating, and cheating (sorry Paul) is not often welcomed in games.
Some games have very flexible rules, and need to. But this is known when one starts such a game - so you know what to expect. Some games have very strict and ordered rules, again you know what you are getting into. I like both kinds of games, but games without any rules are just plain frustrating.
While I was thinking about this my thoughts strayed into the ecclesial. Not that church is a game, at least I hope and pray we don't think so. But it does help us enjoy ourselves more when we know the rules. I watched a Tridentine Mass on video yesterday and the whole thing was in Latin, priest mostly with his back to the congregation. And you know I had trouble appreciating it. (And even if I did know the rules I might not choose to play that one.) But everyone who was part of it knew the rules - and they seemed to enjoy themselves. (Heck I like a lot of games but some I just don't find fun - like Risk for example, I could take it or leave it, I prefer the post Vatican II masses by far.) All that to say that liturgy is like the rules to a game. If you know them then you can fully participate in the service, feel free to explore your boundaries and be free to have a genuine encounter with God.
Funny where some thoughts take you.
Be blessed and as I say on the poker tables - Play Well!
Thursday, October 13, 2005
Post Modernity?
Is post-modernity a true paradigm shift or is it really just the actualization of the Newtonian shift to modernity?
This is what I am wrestling with in a paper I am about to write. I understand the shift towards modernity from an aristotelian worldview - but what I have discovered is that this shift was not all-inclusive. In fact, especially in the realm of faith, this shift has been fought against all the way along. Now as we see a surge of post-modern approaches to ministry, is this finally the church catching up with society?
There is a shift for sure between modernity and post-modernity. But rather than a paradigm shift, indicating a monolithic change in the way we know and tell, perhaps it is more a realization that the headiness of the paradigm shift into modernity was overly optimistic - especially in the area of human potential.
I would characterize post-modernity with a sense of distrust. The markers we held on to are all put into question - and for the post-modern person this is not a bad thing. For the modernist, who works in the realm of scientific probabilities rather than trying to build equations that prove the proven, isn't this exactly what Newton ushered in? Isn't the ability to question everything the hallmark of modern science?
Now with this ability to question also comes the perception that we are in control. And this is really the sticking point for much of the resistance in the world of faith - an Aristotelian world was a very controlled and predictable world. The modern world is a wildly unpredictable beast, and we are but ticks on its back hoping that the paws of history don't just scratch us off.
At first when thinkers began to embrace the shift to modernity they chose as their touchstone human potential. They placed man, with his intellect and bravado, right at the center of the universe. But this veritable tower of Babel has once again been struck by God and we are left with a multitude of voices throughout the land trying to pick up the pieces - this is what I call post-modernity.
Post-modernity is not a leaving off of modernity, but an attempt to go back and recheck our assumptions. Maybe this time we'll not place ourselves at the center of the universe.
This is what I am wrestling with in a paper I am about to write. I understand the shift towards modernity from an aristotelian worldview - but what I have discovered is that this shift was not all-inclusive. In fact, especially in the realm of faith, this shift has been fought against all the way along. Now as we see a surge of post-modern approaches to ministry, is this finally the church catching up with society?
There is a shift for sure between modernity and post-modernity. But rather than a paradigm shift, indicating a monolithic change in the way we know and tell, perhaps it is more a realization that the headiness of the paradigm shift into modernity was overly optimistic - especially in the area of human potential.
I would characterize post-modernity with a sense of distrust. The markers we held on to are all put into question - and for the post-modern person this is not a bad thing. For the modernist, who works in the realm of scientific probabilities rather than trying to build equations that prove the proven, isn't this exactly what Newton ushered in? Isn't the ability to question everything the hallmark of modern science?
Now with this ability to question also comes the perception that we are in control. And this is really the sticking point for much of the resistance in the world of faith - an Aristotelian world was a very controlled and predictable world. The modern world is a wildly unpredictable beast, and we are but ticks on its back hoping that the paws of history don't just scratch us off.
At first when thinkers began to embrace the shift to modernity they chose as their touchstone human potential. They placed man, with his intellect and bravado, right at the center of the universe. But this veritable tower of Babel has once again been struck by God and we are left with a multitude of voices throughout the land trying to pick up the pieces - this is what I call post-modernity.
Post-modernity is not a leaving off of modernity, but an attempt to go back and recheck our assumptions. Maybe this time we'll not place ourselves at the center of the universe.
Sunday, October 09, 2005
Dangerous Romance
I really like the cult of religion, the nitty gritty details of historical liturgy and spiritualities. I have a strong affinity for things Celtic. I love the primitive Christian church. But all of these things have an inherent danger in them. They can easily be romantacised and elevated above a relevant religion in the here and now.
If Christianity isn't immanently relevant and practical then frankly we are wasting our time. Fortunately my experience has always revealed a relevant and personal faith (religion) and my heart is in making that accessible for others. There are many places where my fascination with the ancient has made aspects of modern faith accessible. But the danger is seeing those points a being faithful recapturing of something that existed long ago. There might be lots of similar markers - but we fool ourselves with the romantic notion that we can have a Acts church or an authentic Celtic spirituality.
That doesn't make it less authentic. It is just recognizing that we have quite a bit of history through which all historical content is coloured. Like one of my professors says about the Newtonian shift - "we can't go back." It is so true. But we can go forward, and we can bring these insights forward.
God chasers can easily get caught up in a similar romanticism. Thinking that they specific brand/type of manifestation somehow equates with an authentic Christian experience. The problems with that is, these same people are going to miss the God experiences all around them. Ironically, the historical records are full of God encounters in the midst of normal life. I'm all for chasing God and having an experiential faith. But that has to start in the here and now with me. A personal and relevant faith.
Part of that is a longing for signs, for the gifts as some would call it. There is no real separation between gift and giver. Seeking God in the imminent is just as powerful as heading off to the latest retreat or "revival"*. I love a great retreat, I love a good Celtic gathering, I love a visible move of God's spirit. But I really love seeing God working in my non-Christian friends, hearing about how something small (but extremely significant to the recipient) just works out, meeting God in the daily lectional reading. The funny thing is that when we look for God in everything we suddenly see that God is already there - and what is better the gifts are there as well.
So wanting to encourage discovery, I urge you to read, take in retreats and courses and lecture and conferences. Yeah, do all that. But don't mistake that for the real imminent stuff. If it excites you then bring it forward, don't live back there with it. If you see something profound about perigrenatio - then walk it out here and now. If you are touched in a conference, then reach out and touch others in your own community, if something about the church in Acts melts your heart - see how it can be resituated in the here and now. This whole thing we call church was experimental from the get go. We have lots of guidelines about what we are - but not so much about how we do it. Be free from the need to recreate something that is impossible to recreate. Don't be the church of Acts, be the church of the Living and imminent God.
*Don't get me going on revivalism.
If Christianity isn't immanently relevant and practical then frankly we are wasting our time. Fortunately my experience has always revealed a relevant and personal faith (religion) and my heart is in making that accessible for others. There are many places where my fascination with the ancient has made aspects of modern faith accessible. But the danger is seeing those points a being faithful recapturing of something that existed long ago. There might be lots of similar markers - but we fool ourselves with the romantic notion that we can have a Acts church or an authentic Celtic spirituality.
That doesn't make it less authentic. It is just recognizing that we have quite a bit of history through which all historical content is coloured. Like one of my professors says about the Newtonian shift - "we can't go back." It is so true. But we can go forward, and we can bring these insights forward.
God chasers can easily get caught up in a similar romanticism. Thinking that they specific brand/type of manifestation somehow equates with an authentic Christian experience. The problems with that is, these same people are going to miss the God experiences all around them. Ironically, the historical records are full of God encounters in the midst of normal life. I'm all for chasing God and having an experiential faith. But that has to start in the here and now with me. A personal and relevant faith.
Part of that is a longing for signs, for the gifts as some would call it. There is no real separation between gift and giver. Seeking God in the imminent is just as powerful as heading off to the latest retreat or "revival"*. I love a great retreat, I love a good Celtic gathering, I love a visible move of God's spirit. But I really love seeing God working in my non-Christian friends, hearing about how something small (but extremely significant to the recipient) just works out, meeting God in the daily lectional reading. The funny thing is that when we look for God in everything we suddenly see that God is already there - and what is better the gifts are there as well.
So wanting to encourage discovery, I urge you to read, take in retreats and courses and lecture and conferences. Yeah, do all that. But don't mistake that for the real imminent stuff. If it excites you then bring it forward, don't live back there with it. If you see something profound about perigrenatio - then walk it out here and now. If you are touched in a conference, then reach out and touch others in your own community, if something about the church in Acts melts your heart - see how it can be resituated in the here and now. This whole thing we call church was experimental from the get go. We have lots of guidelines about what we are - but not so much about how we do it. Be free from the need to recreate something that is impossible to recreate. Don't be the church of Acts, be the church of the Living and imminent God.
*Don't get me going on revivalism.
Wednesday, October 05, 2005
I hate being sick...
Been fighting a cold since the weekend, today it won. I was almost falling asleep in class. Slept most of the afternoon - hope I can get some work done tonight.
Two papers coming up. One that is a bit of a creative exercise where we take what we know of one of the early Christian communities (Markan, Athenian, Matthean, Johannine, Community of the Didache, etc.) and write up a reflection on the Eucharistic event. If it goes well I'll post it. I am planning on doing something in the mode of fiction, it is only 6 pages so I'll have to pick and choose what to do. Should be fun, Ray Brown gimme some background!
The second is on the effects of the age of modernity on the question of humanity. I am stoked about this one. The class is brilliant. We are using Guadium et Spes as our starting point, but there are a lot of different avenues I could branch out into. The focus is on the shift in science (Newton) and history (Voltaire). Fun, fun, fun. I won't post this but I might let you read it if you ask me.
Oh and next week I have scheduled an interview with Friar Chris, the Franciscan monk I know. Hoping to have something to submit to the next Resonate Journal.
Two papers coming up. One that is a bit of a creative exercise where we take what we know of one of the early Christian communities (Markan, Athenian, Matthean, Johannine, Community of the Didache, etc.) and write up a reflection on the Eucharistic event. If it goes well I'll post it. I am planning on doing something in the mode of fiction, it is only 6 pages so I'll have to pick and choose what to do. Should be fun, Ray Brown gimme some background!
The second is on the effects of the age of modernity on the question of humanity. I am stoked about this one. The class is brilliant. We are using Guadium et Spes as our starting point, but there are a lot of different avenues I could branch out into. The focus is on the shift in science (Newton) and history (Voltaire). Fun, fun, fun. I won't post this but I might let you read it if you ask me.
Oh and next week I have scheduled an interview with Friar Chris, the Franciscan monk I know. Hoping to have something to submit to the next Resonate Journal.
Saturday, October 01, 2005
The vilification of things
Paul tells us to even avoid the appearance of evil, good advise, one would be wise to follow it. However, there is a bit of a problem in our post-Christian North American culture. Christians have vilified nearly everything at one point or another. What makes this really confusing is that many of these things that have been called 'evil' turned out to simply be things. Rock and Roll, alcohol, playing cards, role playing games, and the list goes on. Sure some people have done some really screwed up things with these - but hell we've done some really screwed things with the bible.
So how is a Christian to avoid evil when it is so hard to figure out what is evil and what is just mundane? I think it is easy to have a list of taboo things - but really this is just part of the malaise of Christiandom. Wouldn't it be much more honouring to people to help them to walk through the morass of societal values on their own? Wouldn't it go a long way in helping each other to work out our own salvation in fear and trembling and spur us on towards love and good works? I think it just might.
I don't think there is an easy answer to a lot of things Christians write off as 'evil'. I know that my experience hasn't mapped too well to the Christian expectation. Harry Potter, for example, has not encouraged me to take up Satanism or witchcraft. Quite the contrary, Harry has encouraged decent Christian morality and encouraged me to make the right choices, not the easy ones. Maybe I am just able to find good in evil things - but just maybe the things aren't as evil as we had been led to believe.
So how is a Christian to avoid evil when it is so hard to figure out what is evil and what is just mundane? I think it is easy to have a list of taboo things - but really this is just part of the malaise of Christiandom. Wouldn't it be much more honouring to people to help them to walk through the morass of societal values on their own? Wouldn't it go a long way in helping each other to work out our own salvation in fear and trembling and spur us on towards love and good works? I think it just might.
I don't think there is an easy answer to a lot of things Christians write off as 'evil'. I know that my experience hasn't mapped too well to the Christian expectation. Harry Potter, for example, has not encouraged me to take up Satanism or witchcraft. Quite the contrary, Harry has encouraged decent Christian morality and encouraged me to make the right choices, not the easy ones. Maybe I am just able to find good in evil things - but just maybe the things aren't as evil as we had been led to believe.
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