myopic pilgrim

“She thinks she has what she wants before she knows what she has.”

Why didn’t I come up with that?

Sounds exciting, doesn’t it? I’m going to the Church Reborn conference next Monday. Honestly, I have my doubts about it, but I’m so desperate to go to a conference—any conference, that I’ll try it. It addresses the emerging generations (though it seems to group Baby Boomers into it. Does that sound right to you?), but it feels like it’ll come from the direction of church growth. I’m scared they’ll say: “Remember when we made church feel more like the corporate world with ‘3 Ways to Improve Your Marriage’ sermons to attract the unbeliever? Well, now they want something different. We’re in an experience economy now and we need to light candles and have Starbucks in the foyer to get ‘em.”

The brochure and the website makes me think that perhaps the conference will focus more on the outwards characteristics of some emerging churches—”the candles and the cool” (or so I hear Dan Kimball describe it).

Awhile ago, Adam from pomomusings wrote about folks who want to minister to a postmodern culture. He (reluctantly) classified them into groups based on three characteristics: the aesthetic, the methods, and the theology. I think this conference lands squarely in the first and second camp. But I’m confident they will not be having discussions about what might be called a postmodern theology.

I will try to have an open mind when I’m there. And I am curious to see what they have to say about churches in transition. I’m sure I’ll have things to say about it. Has anyone else heard of this conference or Walt Kallestad?

I was reading a post on Bill Gates giving money for vaccines and President Bush asking for money for war on Without Berries when I noticed a conspicuous link to Make Poverty History. I went to it. I browsed through the different links and generally, it sounds great.

But here’s my problem. And it’s not the 600 female vicars gracing the front page (there are bigger fish to fry, no?). I don’t know enough about global economics and politics to make an informed decision to support it. Can someone give me some insight? They have three aims:

1. Trade Justice - I’m willing to believe international trade rules favor the richer countries, but not sure how. And how do we change that exactly?
2. Drop the Debt - You mean what Bono has been on about these past years? Again, how would that work and is it even realistic?
3. More and Better Aid - Thank you! Finally, something I understand and can agree with without reservation.

I emailed one of the smartest guys I know to brief me. He’s the one I talked with about minimum wage vs. living wage. Maybe he can illuminate me.

Imagine your spouse dies in an auto accident and not only is it the other’s person’s fault, but you later found out there was marijuana in their blood. Drag the trial out over two years. Discover a website that portrays, not you or your family, but the other person as the victim. But wait to find it until after you’ve tried to reach out to the person who caused your spouses death.

What would you say to that person now? How could you, who have lost so much speak about justice with mercy? How do you speak with grace (read as: unmerited favor and also elegance) to the person who has cut you and your family so deeply? Read the rest of this entry »

This year was kicked off with some unusual weather for our parts. Two huge snowstorms within a week of each other crippled the city. It wasn’t bad by Chicago standards, but we’re not Chicago and we don’t keep a few dozen snow plows for an occasional storm. After the storms we were left with a a nice fog that refuses to be burned off or blown away. It’s been lingering for several days. I felt like I was in the northwest.

And it’s not just any fog, it’s an ice fog. Or if you want a literary and Native American word for it, call it pogonip. (This photo has a brief explanation of what pogonip is).

As I drive to work in the mornings, the fog obscures my long range view. The snow-covered hills and the fog disguises the fact there is in fact town out there. For all I can see, my world is just my car and the immediate road in front of me. I can see other cars driving with me. And occasionally, I’ll see a car driving towards me from out of the fog; they must have come from town. But all I know is what’s being revealed to me and what’s behind me. I drive forward a few more yards and I see just a bit further.

It made me think of the Church. I don’t know what’s ahead for her. I only know part of where she’s been and where she is now. I do know she can’t just park the car and pull over. She has places to be and things to do.