Month: September 2011

  • How to minister to god-fearers in a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural, pluralistic society

    Photo by fortune cookie via Flickr (Creative Commons)

    We all know the church in America is in trouble…

    • More than 50% of Americans, if given a box to check, would label themselves as Christian while less than 10% affiliate with an actual church.
    • While the dominant suburban white church ignores this reality, we are becoming a multi-ethnic nation. (again)
    • While the church is typically racially/ethnically homogenous, our society has embraced multi-culturalism.
    • While church leaders have lacked a thoughtful, tactical response our society has rapidly embraced the philosophical framework of pluralism.

    In other words– society is doing things that the church has no clue how to respond to. In any given community in our country on any given Sunday less than 10% of the community is actively involved with a church. (Any church)

    The only place the church is seeing growth? Circling the wagons. Big churches are getting bigger, little churches are getting littler, and medium-sized churches are squeezed.

    In the last decade we’ve seen three general concepts rise and ultimately fail to reach more people:

    • Political involvement. The early part of the 2000s was marked by the rise of power of the Evangelical politically. This completely backfired. Society was repulsed by our Scarlet Letter-like tactics to try to change society.
    • Church planting movement. The last 10 years has seen a massive mobilization of younger leaders to plant churches. Unfortunately, these church plants are ineffective because they are just re-dressing the same pig. While it’s true that lots and lots of churches have closed in the last 20 years and church plants are supposedly out to replace them, the people aren’t fooled. Putting a nice marketing edge on the same old tactics won’t ever work.
    • Christian hipsters. Also popular in the 2000s was a desire for Christians to quietly embed themselves in pop culture industries like movies, television, and music. The idea seemed to be that if Christians could embed themselves in things seen to create culture we could reach people by interweaving redemptive analogies into our culture. That backfired because it just became a marketing ploy by those industries. (A very successful one at that.)

    What does this have to do with the book of Acts? EVERYTHING. The parallels between the first Century synagogue and the 21st century church are shockingly similar. The Jewish people, many of whom had dispersed to other parts of the modern world, struggled to maintain their numbers. Many congregations had shrunk to the point where they couldn’t even hold services because they couldn’t get 10 men there. (Which Jewish law requires for worship.) While they were strictly monotheistic and moralistically concrete, scattered in the Greco-Roman world they struggled to survive.

    Several times in the book of Acts you see Luke mention a group of people called, the god-fearers. (Greek derivatives of the word, “theophobes”) These were people who hung out around the synagogue, worshipped with Jews, identified and sympathized with the Jews… but weren’t actually pursuing conversion. This wasn’t a rare thing. This was actually a subculture of people who hung out around the synagogue and in some contexts likely out-numbered the Jews in a community.

    They were fans of God, worshippers of God, but they didn’t know God and certainly weren’t on His team.

    They just kind of hung around. And the rabbi’s probably seemingly had no idea what to do with them. Maybe they even had conferences to talk about what to do with them? I’m just saying….

    Does this sound familiar? 

    The American church is full of these people. And I think the second half of Acts gives us a few ways to minister to them. Let’s look at a few.

    1. Present the facts and call them to repent, invite them to join God’s team. (Acts 13:38-43)
    2. Raise the bar and demand painful obedience. Look at how Paul dealt with Timothy. (Acts 16:1-4)
    3. Call them to not only hear from God, but respond to him. (Acts 10)
    4. Ask them to examine the Scriptures for themselves and then ASK them to believe. (Acts 17:10-15)
    5. Stop wasting your time and move on. There’s no time for people who are merely looking for intellectual debate. Move on. (Acts 18:4-7)

    Call me crazy on this but it’s all over Acts. Stop calling them Christians. Luke was careful to label them what they were and there was likely a community of god-fearers in every synagogue. They knew who they were and they knew what they needed to do to identify with God.

    If we keep telling them they are a duck. And they keep acting like a duck. They are going to think that they are ducks. 

     

  • San Diego State beats Washington State

    I took Paul to tonights game between SDSU & Washington State. Here are a random list of highlights.

    • College football is officially “our thing.” Paul & Megan are really into going to the games with me. The game day experience always includes a trip to Rite Aid (to score candy/snacks) and a ride on the trolley.
    • I love, love, LOVE spending this extended time with each kid at the games. And my evil plan seems to be working, they are both getting interested in sports. Paul was going to bed and told Kristen, “I can’t believe I spent 6 hours with daddy. It really happened!” (That’s why I added SDSU basketball & Padres baseball tickets to the mix, love going to the games with my kids. Worth every penny.)
    • I still pinch myself at our season ticket locations. We’re on the 18th row, behind the home bench, and on the 47 yard line. Perfect seats if you ask me. I only wish I had 4 seats instead of 2. Loving my 3rd season as a season ticket holder.
    • This was a huge game for San Diego State. I think a lot of people expected SDSU to get worse because Rocky Long took over for Brady Hoke. (Who went to Michigan) We are now 3-0 for the first time since 1981. Full of confidence– I’m eager to see how they do against Michigan next weekend.
    • Washington State was very good offensively. But by the end of the game the Aztec defense was just teeing off on receivers, running backs, and the QB. The Aztec defense played great tonight against an overmatched opponent.
    • Speaking of defense… there were some monster hits applied tonight by the Aztecs. I’m loving the intimidation factor I see. The QB was visibly shaken after a few hits. And a few WRs dropped passes because they looked up to see if the hit was coming. Love that.
    • Ronnie Hillman was incredible tonight. 191 yards on 32 carries with 4 touchdowns. He’s one stellar running back. I’m looking forward to seeing him on the big stage next weekend. I hope he drops 200 yards with 5 TDs on a horrible Michigan defense.
    • Ryan Lindley? I feel like his stock is slipping. Maybe it’s that his receivers aren’t that great. But he threw some awful passes in the 3rd quarter tonight.
    • The crowd was huge tonight. And it was awesome that they got to see what the Aztecs can do against a quality opponent. 57,000+ in attendance is legit across college football. It seems that the basketball team has fed enthusiasm for Aztec football and that’s awesome.
    • Of course, 20,000 of those tickets were just to see the Sky Show. That was great and way too loud as usual. I’m not sure why they need to make the event that loud. It would be 50% more enjoyable at half the volume from the PA system. But the show itself? Every time I see it I realize how much I love living in San Diego.

  • I need your camping advice!

    Next weekend the McLane family is going camping. (A non-digital adventure!) Specifically, we’re going to Idyllwild, CA for 3 days and 2 nights.

    We need this

    Summer 2011 has been the lost summer. Especially for me. Leaving YS and starting up 2 businesses meant that we didn’t take a vacation over the summer and I’m pretty much fried as a result. In the last 90 days I’ve worked 12+ hours probably about 75 of those days.

    Our family is in desperate need of R&R– away from projects, school, and anything digital. Why? Because after next weekend the fall gets going like crazy with conferences, cool projects, youth group retreats, yada yada yada. If we don’t do this we won’t get a break until Thanksgiving.

    Here’s the deal

    Kristen and I were into backpacking before we had kids so we know the nuts & bolts stuff about setting up camp. But since we’ve had kids (10+ years) we’ve never gone camping without taking 40 middle/high school kids.

    What we need is help with fun things to do with our kids while camping beyond the obvious stuff like hiking and s’mores and exploring the woods. We know we need to try geocaching…. but what else?

    Leave me a comment with your favorite camping tip and help our family make some memories next weekend. 

  • New SDSU Commercial

    I’m not an alumni of San Diego State. But I am a neighbor and fan. I love the winning attitude you feel when you walk around campus.

    On a campus of 20,000 people it might not feel like you can make a difference. But 12 guys on the basketball court and 50 guys on the football field have helped bring a new level of pride on campus that wasn’t there 3 years ago when we moved in.

    Winning changes everything. 

  • Dispatches from the land of Hope

    My dear friends of Despair,

    I know you are tired. Despair is an exhausting existence. As you know I was a resident there for many years.

    I know that each day is much the same. You spend countless hours looking for nourishment, feeding on things of no nutritional value, then falling asleep with the horrifying hunger reality that the next day you’ll awaken just to look for food that food won’t fill you up. It’s a life of unsatisfying hunger which lead me to malnutrition of my body and soul.

    There is nothing left for you there. It’s time to flee the life you know in Despair and join me here in a place named Hope.

    The land of Hope only seems scary because Despair is so familiar. After a couple of days you’ll get used to it. It’s nice here. The air is clean. The beds are soft. You won’t be hungry over here, there’s plenty to feast on.

    People are more friendly, too. Instead of gnawing on the food of the past they are eagerly building tomorrow. I love talking to the people of Hope. Sometimes, just in casual conversation with a Hopeful, my eyes will well of with tears of Joy.

    It took leaving Despair behind to discover that the people over there are murderers. They fixate on happiness in order to steal your Joy. Then they feast on your joy, mocking its value while consuming it like a taste test at a Chinese buffet. All my life it felt like the people of Despair would finally turn around and their hunger would be satisfied. But they are like zombies, dead men walking.

    If you moved to the land of Hope we could be neighbors. I know we’re friends now. But imagine how much closer we’d be if we lived in the same place? Heck, our kids could go to school together. Maybe they’d even call you aunt or uncle? I’d love that… but it’s just not practical with us living so far apart.

    Join me in the land of Hope. Leave Despair behind.

    Hopeful,

    Adam

     

  • 3 Books Youth Workers Need to Buy this Fall

    Of all the books that are new this fall, here are three that I’m recommending you buy:

    Parents

    Sticky FiathSticky Faith: Everyday ideas to build lasting faith in your kids – Put together a 6-week parents discussion group with the parents in your youth group and work your way through Sticky Faith together. You don’t want to see students leave the church; parents don’t want to see that either. Kara Powell & Chap Clark put together an amazing study of 500 students and their transition from high school faith to college faith.  Sticky Faith shares their learnings plus robust ideas for helping reverse the trends their research revealed. Check out this article about Sticky Faith in yesterday’s Washington Post.

    Small Groups

    The Jesus Creed for StudentsThe Jesus Creed for Students – I loved Scot McKnight’s best seller The Jesus Creed. This is an excellent adaptation of that work for middle/high school small groups. Chris Folmsbee and Syler Thomas, two youth workers with years of experience, help students grasp what it means to love the Lord with everything and love their neighbors as themselves.

    Youth ministry strategy

    Youth Ministry on a ShoestringYouth Ministry on a Shoestring – Let’s quickly have the chuckle. Yes– it’s a bit funny that the Lars Rood works at one of the most resourced churches in the world in one of the wealthiest communities in the world. What the title doesn’t convey is a fantastically freeing strategy: How to do amazing things for no, or almost no cost. Lars’ ministry strength is creating unforgettable experiences and moments in the lives of his students and he will share with you how to do that, generally at zero cost to your youth ministry budget. The back section of the book is full of real-life examples from youth workers around the country applying the strategy.

    Question: What’s your favorite new youth ministry resource?

  • Hold the reigns tightly

    Photo by MyEyeSees via Flickr (Creative Commons)

    I’ll never forget the first time I rode a horse. 

    Growing up in the city meant that horses just weren’t part of my life. I remember seeing horses as a kid at parades. At the county fair in the horse barns. Or occasionally at big football game when the police brought in horses for crowd control.

    And I wasn’t one of those city slickers who dreamed of the open range wrangling up some cows.

    I was 19 years old the first time I rode a horse. And I rode a horse because I had to for a college class.

    It was an intimidating experience. This animal was 10 times bigger than me. It was taller than me. And it was infinitely stronger than me. Somehow I was supposed to sit on it and “control” it with a tiny piece of leather and some kicks?

    Yeah, right.

    The horse I rode could have cared less that I existed. It was an old camp trail horse who had seen a million riders over a million years and barely even acknowledged my existence. It was one of those horses that you could tell used to be big, strong, and attractive in its youth but now its best description would be, “tired.”

    Before I put my foot in the stirrups I tried to get to know him and pat him on the head. He just took a leak and looked away.

    I wish I could describe the experience as enjoyable. It wasn’t. It was uncomfortable and bumpy and I felt completely stupid on the horse. It didn’t seem to matter what I “told” the horse to do as it just walked the trail. When it got behind it trotted up ahead to catch up with its friends. Whenever it wanted to– it stopped to eat grass. And when it was done with me it used trees and branches to try to knock me off its back.

    To make matter worse everyone else seemed to be having a great time. All I felt like was kicked in the gonads 200 times. I tried to make the best of it but it just wasn’t fun and I couldn’t wait for it to be over.

    Standing in the barn after the trail ride I asked the person who ran the trail rides why I hated it so much. She just kind of laughed. “Probably because you fought the horse the whole time. And probably because you were scared. It would have been fun if you’d just held on tight and relaxed.”

    That’s a lot like my relationship with God

    When it’s unpleasant, when I’m scared, when I’m intimidated, and when I’m trying to be in control… walking with God is like getting kicked in the gonads 200 times.

    Often times God just wants us to hold onto the reigns real tight and relax.

     “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, 
       neither are your ways my ways,” 
                declares the LORD. 
    “As the heavens are higher than the earth, 
       so are my ways higher than your ways 
       and my thoughts than your thoughts. 
    As the rain and the snow 
       come down from heaven, 
    and do not return to it 
       without watering the earth 
    and making it bud and flourish, 
       so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, 
    so is my word that goes out from my mouth: 
       It will not return to me empty, 
    but will accomplish what I desire 
       and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. 

    Isaiah 55:8-11

  • The Fall of Individualism in our Biblical Understanding of Walking with Jesus

    One of the truly fascinating things about the Bible is that our interpretation of it morphs so much over time. When we say the Bible is living and active… it’s actually living and active.

    For example: 40 years ago most people would agree that Christians should avoid the casual consumption of alcohol. This vantage point was supported, enthusiastically, from the Bible. Today? Those same arguments could be taken apart by anyone. It’s that culture has shifted on the issue and we are looking at the topic through a different hermeneutical lens.

    Just As I Am is becoming Just As We Are

    Over the past five years, in my observation, individualism has begun to fade. Messages that are about “us” are connecting a lot stronger than messages aimed at “me.” The tone has been subtle but the resonance has been noticeable.

    The rise of the neo-reformed movement has lead to a general acceptance that the Good News of Jesus Christ isn’t just meant to make my personal life better, it’s an understanding that Christians in culture should be living the Good News in their neighborhood. As Jesus renews our hearts we help renew our community.

    But this isn’t limited to the neo-reformed movement. It’s everywhere you turn. Out with the individual and in with community. And that, my friend, is changing how we read the Bible.

    A Tribal Understanding of Response to Jesus

    From an individual perspective, Acts 10 is hard to comprehend. I remember teaching through Acts several years ago and struggling through chapter 10 because I had a need to call students to accept Christ individually. But I couldn’t do that with any integrity… through the lens of my hermeneutic it was clear– Cornelius’ family came to Jesus as a tribe of people and not really as individuals. It was a corporate response. Do a word study on this passage and you’ll see the parallels between “I” statements and “we” statements.

    Through the strict lens of “You come to Jesus individually” this passage is difficult. But through the lens of “sometimes we act as a tribe in making decisions” it makes total sense. Each individual decided to follow Jesus because it was good for all.

    From I Speak to We Speak

    In our high school ministry we are careful to have a plurality of voices. We’re finding that today’s students distrust the talking head. 24 hours per day for their entire life they have been able to compare and contrast vantage points on TV news, sports, and everything in between. “That’s what CNN is reporting about that… but I read ___ on Huffington Post.” Or “ESPN is saying this about that player but they wrote ____ on Twitter.” Students need to know that what we have to say stands up to scrutiny because they have ready access to scrutiny.

    If our high school pastor were to stand up every Sunday and present God’s Word as “I’m the person the church has put in authority so you should trust me” than that would actually foster a sense of distrust. Howver, one reason we are seeing the response we are seeing from the students is because we use a plurality of voices. We don’t just talk at students… we invite them to speak and think for themselves. Why? Because that’s how you encounter truth in a pluralistic society! If Brian just talked students would walk away with Brian’s perspective on things. But if we open it up and allow them to participate, the truth of the Gospel isn’t just Brian’s perspective it’s our perspective.

    For discussion:

    “A Gospel message about me is no Gospel at all. Let’s kill individualism and embrace community.” Agree or disagree? And why?

     

  • Uncommon Ideals

    Maybe it’s because I have a deep connection to the cold, dark sea and waves crashing on the shore? But I was totally infatuated with the filmmakers vision for this piece. My only wish is that there had been more surfing shots!

  • Every idea is a network

    Ideas as networks

    You have ideas. We all have ideas. Some of them are brilliant and some of them aren’t. But every idea (pursued) is a network.

    As you explore your idea you bump into people. Some are new people to you and some are old friends. Each of those connections makes connections with other people based on the concept of your idea. And you might bump into people who have a very similar idea, something the 18th century philosopher Johann Gottfried Herder called zeitgeist.

    The result of your idea– something you conceived of while sitting on the toilet or in a dream or while you were bored in a staff meeting– can create a vast network of interconnected people whose primary connection is your idea.

    A good idea generates energy and momentum. Sometimes even a dead end generates new connections which further energize the idea. Can you help my idea? Can you collaborate on it? Can you make the idea successful? Can you help me think about the idea? 

    Here’s the deal: Whether you have an idea that will make your neighborhood a better place to live or an idea that will make you a bagillionaire… you need to give your idea the freedom to breath, to live, and to take on a life of it’s own.

    The difference between an idea that changes things and an idea you have on the toilet? The network you allow that idea to ignite.