How the Community Communicates (fb)

Some thoughts about how comm tech is accelerating change in the Church:

A biblical theology of community says that we’re all connected- now a spiritual reality is becoming tangible to everyone.  I am connected to Nancy in Kenya via Facebook but, more broadly, we are aware of how the food we purchase in OKC impacts the rice farmer in Thailand.

New communications tech is fundamentally changing the way that community functions- you change the way community communicates... you change everything (credit Clay Shirkey’s great explanation of this principle in Here Comes Everybody).  For instance, hierarchy becomes unnecessary when everyone can talk to everyone.  This afternoon, via Twitter alone, we can muster an army from multiple churches to remodel a housing unit for a single mom at Tapestry- we don’t need anyone to plan it, publicize it, resource it, communicate it, connect us to it, educate us about it, train us for it.  In short- we don’t need a hierarchy to manage us.

The ability to pursue a vision together, with our community,  without relying on an organization means that we are fixin to see a humongous jailbreak of lay people (a.k.a. amateurs) taking over the leadership of this movement called Church.  Our theology says “everyone gets to play” but our paradigm says that’s not really true.  Now we see that one amateur with a heart to put tents in Haiti can git r done- that’s really exciting.  Effectiveness no longer requires professional management and organizational support.

The idea that our missional energy should be directed exclusively through organizations (local church, parachurch) that we belong to will seem increasingly silly.  The opportunity for missional community to form around “networks and neighborhoods” will increasingly unite people across denominational, theological, sociological and local church tribes.

As we become more aware of opportunities to “be the church” and “live as church,” in a manner that fits our vision, call, gifts, personality, networks, dreams, and the Kingdom worldview; we will become less willing to pay a subscription fee for participation in spiritual organizations (salaries, buildings, and programs).  Instead, we will choose to use our “giving” for fighting human-trafficking, projects we’re directly involved with, and people we’re directly connected to.  We will become better stewards of our giving resources, demanding more accountability and giving only to those projects that provide us the greatest Kingdom return on our financial investment.  This will further erode the current economic model of western “Church.”  What am I talking about?  I’m saying it will no longer be cool with us to pay to build buildings that go unused most of the week or pay for Mrs Johnson’s grandson, who plays the guitar, to sing Passion songs for the Sunday morning youth service; or to pay for Johnny Tightshirt to hang out at the church coffee “lounge” as a paid intern ‘cause it’s funner than funemployment.  Side note:  so is there anything in the current system that we’ll still be willing to pay for?  Yes, but it will have to be a clear value, characterized by excellence.  So we’ll pay for super excellent worship celebration, teaching, inspiration, and resources- …but not every week:)

Get ready for wiki-theology.  For the past 100 years we’ve been taught to fear incorrect doctrine.  Our ability to interact with “them” and “their” ideas will actually result in the Church starting to love the Church.  The main and plain will become mainer and plainer and we’ll no longer be afraid- when you’re not afraid you’re free.  Look for the language of Kingdom and discipleship to become the glue of a global, shared language of Church.

What an amazingly, exceedingly wonderful time to be a part of this 2000 year old, world-changing community called Church.  Ooooo I love tech-no-lo-gy, but noooooot as much as you you see…

Berry's Manifesto (fc)

 Love the quick profit, the annual raise,

    vacation with pay. Want more

    of everything ready-made. Be afraid

    to know your neighbors and to die.

    And you will have a window in your head.

    Not even your future will be a mystery

    any more. Your mind will be punched in a card

    and shut away in a little drawer.

    When they want you to buy something

    they will call you. When they want you

    to die for profit they will let you know.

    So, friends, every day do something

    that won't compute. Love the Lord.

    Love the world. Work for nothing.

    Take all that you have and be poor.

    Love someone who does not deserve it.

    Denounce the government and embrace

    the flag. Hope to live in that free

    republic for which it stands.

    Give your approval to all you cannot

    understand. Praise ignorance, for what man

    has not encountered he has not destroyed.

    Ask the questions that have no answers.

    Invest in the millenium. Plant sequoias.

    Say that your main crop is the forest

    that you did not plant,

    that you will not live to harvest.

    Say that the leaves are harvested

    when they have rotted into the mold.

    Call that profit. Prophesy such returns.

    Put your faith in the two inches of humus

    that will build under the trees

    every thousand years.

    Listen to carrion - put your ear

    close, and hear the faint chattering

    of the songs that are to come.

    Expect the end of the world. Laugh.

    Laughter is immeasurable. Be joyful

    though you have considered all the facts.

    So long as women do not go cheap

    for power, please women more than men.

    Ask yourself: Will this satisfy

    a woman satisfied to bear a child?

    Will this disturb the sleep

    of a woman near to giving birth?

    Go with your love to the fields.

    Lie down in the shade. Rest your head

    in her lap. Swear allegiance

    to what is nighest your thoughts.

    As soon as the generals and the politicos

    can predict the motions of your mind,

    lose it. Leave it as a sign

    to mark the false trail, the way

    you didn't go. Be like the fox

    who makes more tracks than necessary,

    some in the wrong direction.

    Practice resurrection.

     

Manifesto: The Mad Farmer Liberation Front" from The Country of Marriage, copyright © 1973 by Wendell Berry, reprinted by permission of Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc.

Let's go conferencing! (fb)

Conferences are dumb.  They sell a dose of inspiration but with no means to do anything with it.  They create and sustain "sudo-experts"- this new class of folks that are neither experts (people who usually have initials after their name and have spent a chunk of time and sweat knowing more about something than 99.9% of the rest of us) nor are they practitioners (the people doing it that don't have time to go talk about it).  So they read the experts and observe the practitioners, write their observations in a book- then go preach the book at conferences.  Uggg- it's all so lame and Christians have become the best at it because Christians are delighted to spend money on inspiration.  Even the non-Christian experts are now tapping into the Christian conference circuit because there is great money to be made there.  Gosh- I just hate conferences.

All that to say I'd like to recommend a couple of conferences coming up this year.

First, the 99% Conference in NYC April 15-16.  Their tag line is "it's not about ideas it's about making ideas happen."  They are intentionally inviting doers to come and listen to and interact with other doers.  Not just doers, creative doers- a really rare breed.  They have made it outrageously expensive to make sure that looky-loos stay away.  Sponsored by Cool Hunting - I would love to go to this conference.

Second, the Clinton Global Initiative gathering in NYC September 21-24.  If you are invited to be a member and can ante up the $20k fee you can attend this conference.  It is THE gathering of the business leaders, social entrepreneurs, creative thinkers, and political leaders that are focused on taking action to address the most critical issues facing our planet, primarily issues related to improving the plight of the most vulnerable.

What do these gatherings have in common?  The are light on inspiration and heavy on action and outcome.  World-changers don't have the time or energy to get hyped up on inspirational adrenaline- but they will sacrifice a lot to get in an environment that helps them create breakthrough.

Other non-dumb, non-lame, no "sudo-experts" allowed conferences this year?

The Dream (fc)

THE DREAM

Simply stated, our dream is to be the church. Wait, wait, 

wait...we’re not talking about a place you go or a group to 

join or even a new way to do the same thing. We want the 

stuff you see in the book of Acts—a group of people united 

at the heart by Jesus and His love. To be around them is to 

see Jesus—love, peace, joy, freedom, and miracles. They are 

constantly dependent on God for everything and constantly 

amazed at what He is doing through them. AND stuff chang- 

es. Neighborhoods and cities and whole nations change. 

We’re not okay with just going to meetings, hanging out, and 

hoping that one day God might do something with us. We’re 

not okay with racism and cancer and AIDS and poverty. We 

know things HAVE to change. We’re not sure how to do it, 

but we know it starts and ends with Jesus—He’s the one who 

changes stuff. But because this is our dream we are rest- 

lessly, anxiously, pitifully willing to risk and learn and grow 

and pursue a different way of living. THE DREAM IS THE 

KINGDOM.  

There’s a cool picture of what this looks like in the Bible’s 

book of Joel. It’s a prophecy that was fulfilled when Jesus 

rose from the dead and sent His Spirit to fill His people. It 

says that He will raise up an army of men, women, young 

and old. This army will hear from God and obey Him. They 

will have His supernatural power to change things. They will 

listen to Him. They will believe each one is equally valuable 

and they will honor each other. They will bring His presence 

to all peoples and HE will get the credit! The church IS that 

army, and the time is now—so let’s go change the world! 

Puerto Rican Tostones (really fb)

In fond remembrance of a business trip with Kubicek to San Juan we finally made some proper Puerto Rican "tostones."  Picked up some skirt steak from Morello's (best fajita meat in OKC) yesterday and noticed some nice, mostly black and yellow plantains.  These make an awesome appetizer or side for any latin meal.

Give it a shot:

Buy 2 Plantains (mostly black and yellow will give you starchy but with some sweetness that is awesome with the salt)

Peel the plantains and cut them into 1" chunks (like you would a banana)

Put some oil in a skillet and heat it up (375 deg or med-high).
 They don't have to float in it- just put 1/4" or so on the bottom of the pan.

Fry them for two minutes on each side then put them on a plate.  Using the bottom of a soup can press them flat - they'll be about 1/4" thick.

When they are all pressed put them back in the oil for about 1 minute each side.

Sprinkle with kosher salt

Enjoy the salty sweet goodness

We enjoyed with some home-made guac and beef fajitas.  Not a bad little Wednesday night throw together!

Relational Entrepreneurship (fb)

I just tweeted something I really like- that I've never said before- that I've never heard before.  I googled it and can't find a place where anyone else is saying it- but it IS what it IS.  Bloom I mean.  It's not just "social entrepreneurship" it's "relational entrepreneurship."  It is an entrepreneurial incubator based on, fueled by relationships.  Plus I just like the ring of it- I think people want to ask questions when they hear- "relational entrepreneurship" but when they hear "social entrepreneurship" it sounds like you're giving a lecture at some conference that nobody wants to attend.

What say you?

Sing Together (fb)

Stacy and I had walked the length of La Rambla- the most famous street in Barcelona.  It was a beautiful spring day and we were enjoying perhaps the greatest walking city in the world.  Suddenly we heard a sound...it was singing...we followed the sound off of the main drag, through the alley, around another corner...getting louder...suddenly, a courtyard, full of English people with flags singing at the top of their lungs, hundreds of them!  We later learned that they were in town for a proper "football" match against FC Barcelona.  If you're a European football fan- you're not in the family unless you know the songs.

My faith community has only existed for about 24 months.  My family grafted in less than a year ago.  Something is happening in our weekly gatherings.  I've asked a few friends and they agree- there is a fresh mojo flowing that is drawing us together.  It happens when we sing together.  We are starting to love singing together.  

So today I'm asking "why?"  It isn't because the band is great- most weeks there isn't one.  And it isn't because we are singing the "latest and greatest."  I do believe in my little community the God of the universe is drawing near to us in lots of ways- but there is a really practical thing that I think is hugely impacting this sing thing.  It's the same thing that enabled hundreds of English football fans to converge on a courtyard in the middle of Barcelona.  For the most part we sing the same handful of songs over and over.  These are becoming "our" songs- the way "we" connect to God and to each other.

At Christmas I attended a service at the church where Stacy grew up.  My in-laws still attend there, as do many high school and college friends.  It has never been my "church" but I've been there a dozen times over the last 25 years.  So I'm there at Christmas and I'm loving it and I'm feeling like "I'm part of the family- maybe I'm the cousin 18 times removed that doesn't come around much, but I a part of the clan nonetheless."  And I reflected then that a big part of the reason I feel at home is that I know the songs.  This church has sung the same three songs, in the same peculiar 70's style (the era of the community's founding), every week for the history of the community- and I know the songs!  So when everyone stands up and starts singing "To be alive..." I'm right there with them- which means- I'm in!

Music is the language of the heart- and singing together, throughout human history, has served as glue binding communities together- defining who is in and who is out.  It is SO powerful.  So I was thinking, how could we release that power in our families, our small groups, our neighborhoods, our businesses?  I know Wal-Mart has their sing-alongs when they open new stores and train new "team members."  I dunno- maybe at 3:00 every afternoon at our office we could gather 'round and sing a rousing version of Jimmy Eat World's "The Middle" or Van Halen "Right Now."  You laugh- where do you think so many of the great hymns came from.  That's right- guys getting off work, heading to the pub for a few cool ones, then someone would start singing and everyone would join in.  Those songs were so familiar that they made for great church songs (sans the original lyrics)- everyone already knew the melody.  That's the power of corporate singing for culture creation.  I'm just saying...