An Invitation
Thank you guys so much for coming and listening to our hearts Friday night. I think we had between 25 and 30 of our closest friends around us as we shared with you our dream of what a new kind of faith community can and should look like. I'll be sending out an email later in the week with an update on where our next gathering will be and what the topic of discussion will be. So stay tuned to the blog.
Also the name of the book that I recommended was Velvet Elvis by Rob Bell. Borders has been carrying them for a while. But Amazon is a little cheaper.
Below is kind of a recap of what I shared from our heart on Friday night to the best of my recollection. I hope you enjoyed it and pass it on to anyone who you think might be interested.
This is how it started for us, everything that had been on our hearts as we had been sharing during our engagement and all the things that were opening up to us as we creatively dreamed, kind of started taking shape for us on our honeymoon. We met a great couple from Wisconsin, Mike & Jill, (hey Schwenzen’s if you’re reading). And while on our honeymoon of all places, we began to have some really stimulating and inspiring conversations with total strangers, about life, marriage, God, culture, church, Packers football. As we walked away from that week with our new friends, we began to realize that what we had just experienced was something along the lines of authentic community. And what saddened me and Anna was that it was one of the few times that we had ever experienced something so genuine and deep. Something that transcended normal modes and levels of relationship.
On top of that, I had recently had an experience with a couple of dental hygienists. When they found out what church I went to and that I was a Christian, they told me a story about a member of our church who had come in there and made them feel really uncomfortable. This member went in there and attacked them and made them feel condemned. So their conversation with me was how they were surprised that I would go to a church with people like that, and secondly, they were surprised that I was “normal”. I then proceeded to have a great conversation with them about God and how despite how some Christians and churches can come off at times, does not mean that God is all bad or can automatically be equated with Christians, who at times mess up.
As I left, I began to realize that there was no way that these two hygienists would ever come with me to my church. And on top of that, I realized that Mike and Jill, and me and Anna would never be able to have the types of conversations we had were we in a typical church setting.
So we had that aspect of things kind of stirring in us. And then we had this personal side to the story, where naturally for us, this things is really, really personal. Because we’re always serving or because of various other reasons, Anna and I very rarely have a chance to get encouraged and hang out with “normal” Christians (oxymoron I know). On top of that there is no forum that gives us the space to think and rethink about what it means to be a Christian in our current context.
Over the last few months, we had been having these same types of conversations with friends. With Nick and Leslie, we met another young couple who was wrestling and dealing with the same types of tension that we were. With Tad and Kimberly, we would sit in a Krispy Kreme parking lot, freezing in the cold, just to dream and talk. With Ashley and Kelly, we sat in front of the fireplace talking about homosexuality and how to define and embrace those who are different than us.
After all of these conversations we left feeling hopeful, encouraged, and inspired. Three emotions that Anna and I very rarely felt in our current context. So we decided to do something about it. To no longer not feel those things. But to experience them in the midst of authentic community, or at least our best attempt at it.
We wanted a place where we could be real and honest. We wanted a place where we could engage with deeper questions instead of sugar coated points. And we wanted a place where we cared more about being good, faithful, and kind than being right.
So we’re starting this thing for 2 reasons: for the people who aren’t “connected” with God like we “think” they should be and who would never step foot in most churches. And secondly, for ourselves.
So as we started thinking about how best to do this, I ran across 3 questions that a church in Michigan continually is asking itself.
Three Questions
1.) Who is Jesus among us?
- What does His “flesh among us” look like? When people think of Jesus, what pictures comes to mind?
2.) Why did He come to town?
- What is His agenda for our context, for our lives, for our money, for our time?
3.) How do we organize ourselves in response?
In response to QUESTION ONE, we realized that the “Jesus” among us, is oftentimes a highly distorted picture of the real Jesus. The church and Christians have said Jesus is condemning, judgmental, Republican, hates gays, enjoys sending people to hell, likes to say no, etc. This distorted picture leads them to see church as irrelevant or even worse. They may believe in God or are spiritual, but they just don’t see how church fits into the equation.
So to counteract those negative pictures of Jesus, we want this environment to be one that creates a “Jesus” among us that is hopeful, encouraging, loving, patient, serving, etc.
In response to QUESTION TWO, Christians usually think that Jesus came to town in order to promote politics, individualism, consumerism, a lack of justice, to “evangelize”, etc. And like a snowman that has to much dirt and straw and leaves in it to be able to be a true snowman, we now have a gospel that is getting pretty close to be completely foreign to the message of Jesus. That’s a big statement that really needs to be considered.
Anna and I have decided that this year we will have a faith that is characterized by risk and revolution. Too often we feel safe, like we’re just going through the motions. Never really do anything that is upside-down, or paradigm shifting. We feel more like we’re a part of a country club than a counter-cultural, life changing movement.
This is born out of a calling for us. Not out of pragmatics. Again, it’s highly personal. And tonight we simply wanted to get some of our closest friends together, who we think might be going through some of the same types of frustrations that we are. And we wanted to invite you to be a part of our calling.
Everything gets framed with hope. Nick’s blog alluded to this the other day. We’re not starting something for the sake of starting something. We’re creating something that better helps us translate God to the world, something that helps us better reflect. That helps us give a more accurate picture. And to find a faith that we can feel authentic with. Like we’re not selling out and becoming and condoning things we are not comfortable becoming or condoning.
So this my friends is your invitation.
Also the name of the book that I recommended was Velvet Elvis by Rob Bell. Borders has been carrying them for a while. But Amazon is a little cheaper.
Below is kind of a recap of what I shared from our heart on Friday night to the best of my recollection. I hope you enjoyed it and pass it on to anyone who you think might be interested.
This is how it started for us, everything that had been on our hearts as we had been sharing during our engagement and all the things that were opening up to us as we creatively dreamed, kind of started taking shape for us on our honeymoon. We met a great couple from Wisconsin, Mike & Jill, (hey Schwenzen’s if you’re reading). And while on our honeymoon of all places, we began to have some really stimulating and inspiring conversations with total strangers, about life, marriage, God, culture, church, Packers football. As we walked away from that week with our new friends, we began to realize that what we had just experienced was something along the lines of authentic community. And what saddened me and Anna was that it was one of the few times that we had ever experienced something so genuine and deep. Something that transcended normal modes and levels of relationship.
On top of that, I had recently had an experience with a couple of dental hygienists. When they found out what church I went to and that I was a Christian, they told me a story about a member of our church who had come in there and made them feel really uncomfortable. This member went in there and attacked them and made them feel condemned. So their conversation with me was how they were surprised that I would go to a church with people like that, and secondly, they were surprised that I was “normal”. I then proceeded to have a great conversation with them about God and how despite how some Christians and churches can come off at times, does not mean that God is all bad or can automatically be equated with Christians, who at times mess up.
As I left, I began to realize that there was no way that these two hygienists would ever come with me to my church. And on top of that, I realized that Mike and Jill, and me and Anna would never be able to have the types of conversations we had were we in a typical church setting.
So we had that aspect of things kind of stirring in us. And then we had this personal side to the story, where naturally for us, this things is really, really personal. Because we’re always serving or because of various other reasons, Anna and I very rarely have a chance to get encouraged and hang out with “normal” Christians (oxymoron I know). On top of that there is no forum that gives us the space to think and rethink about what it means to be a Christian in our current context.
Over the last few months, we had been having these same types of conversations with friends. With Nick and Leslie, we met another young couple who was wrestling and dealing with the same types of tension that we were. With Tad and Kimberly, we would sit in a Krispy Kreme parking lot, freezing in the cold, just to dream and talk. With Ashley and Kelly, we sat in front of the fireplace talking about homosexuality and how to define and embrace those who are different than us.
After all of these conversations we left feeling hopeful, encouraged, and inspired. Three emotions that Anna and I very rarely felt in our current context. So we decided to do something about it. To no longer not feel those things. But to experience them in the midst of authentic community, or at least our best attempt at it.
We wanted a place where we could be real and honest. We wanted a place where we could engage with deeper questions instead of sugar coated points. And we wanted a place where we cared more about being good, faithful, and kind than being right.
So we’re starting this thing for 2 reasons: for the people who aren’t “connected” with God like we “think” they should be and who would never step foot in most churches. And secondly, for ourselves.
So as we started thinking about how best to do this, I ran across 3 questions that a church in Michigan continually is asking itself.
Three Questions
1.) Who is Jesus among us?
- What does His “flesh among us” look like? When people think of Jesus, what pictures comes to mind?
2.) Why did He come to town?
- What is His agenda for our context, for our lives, for our money, for our time?
3.) How do we organize ourselves in response?
In response to QUESTION ONE, we realized that the “Jesus” among us, is oftentimes a highly distorted picture of the real Jesus. The church and Christians have said Jesus is condemning, judgmental, Republican, hates gays, enjoys sending people to hell, likes to say no, etc. This distorted picture leads them to see church as irrelevant or even worse. They may believe in God or are spiritual, but they just don’t see how church fits into the equation.
So to counteract those negative pictures of Jesus, we want this environment to be one that creates a “Jesus” among us that is hopeful, encouraging, loving, patient, serving, etc.
In response to QUESTION TWO, Christians usually think that Jesus came to town in order to promote politics, individualism, consumerism, a lack of justice, to “evangelize”, etc. And like a snowman that has to much dirt and straw and leaves in it to be able to be a true snowman, we now have a gospel that is getting pretty close to be completely foreign to the message of Jesus. That’s a big statement that really needs to be considered.
Anna and I have decided that this year we will have a faith that is characterized by risk and revolution. Too often we feel safe, like we’re just going through the motions. Never really do anything that is upside-down, or paradigm shifting. We feel more like we’re a part of a country club than a counter-cultural, life changing movement.
This is born out of a calling for us. Not out of pragmatics. Again, it’s highly personal. And tonight we simply wanted to get some of our closest friends together, who we think might be going through some of the same types of frustrations that we are. And we wanted to invite you to be a part of our calling.
Everything gets framed with hope. Nick’s blog alluded to this the other day. We’re not starting something for the sake of starting something. We’re creating something that better helps us translate God to the world, something that helps us better reflect. That helps us give a more accurate picture. And to find a faith that we can feel authentic with. Like we’re not selling out and becoming and condoning things we are not comfortable becoming or condoning.
So this my friends is your invitation.
posted by Josh at 7:10 AM
2 Comments:
this is pretty awesome - i've been keeping up with the blogs of some of the people in your community - it is an inspiration to a lot of other jesus-followers out there trying to be authentic and experience church and community the way he intended it. are you by any chance referring to Mars Hill church in GR? im from grand rapids and love that church and rob bell- my cousin's friend produces the NOUMAs - have you heard of them?
yeah, rob bell is quickly becoming a hero of mine. loved velvet elvis and have been watching noomas for a while. thanks for your kind words as well. we're just starting but look forward to the implications of what this has the potential to be for our lives.
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