Worship Gatherings - Rounding out 2008

Here is a list of the discussion topics for The Core Worship Gathering through the end of 2008. The Gathering takes place at the Front Porch each Sunday morning at 10:30, with a free brunch at 10. All dates, topics and titles are subject to change without notice. (Deal with it!)

This coming Sunday, August 10, will be the final message in the Be + Live series: Salvation ("Think of the Savings.")

The Sunday after that, Michael "Mik" Mikulan will speak. In the next few days he will announce his topic.

Jesus' Take (or: How to be an Impolite Dinner Guest) - Volume I

On August 24 we will begin a series on hot-button social issues, that will be split in half. The first half will be four weeks long, and run through September 14. It will pick up again with Volume II in early 2009.

August 24 - Fighting the War on Violence (Jesus' Take on War)
August 31 - Those Poor People (Jesus' Take on Poverty)
September 7 - Human Traffic Jam (Jesus' Take on Forced Prostitution and Slavery)
September 14 - Feeding the Fever (Jesus' Take on Global Warming and the Environment)

September 21 will be open to a guest speaker.

Eight Excuses to Party

Beginning September 28 will be an 8-week series (with a one-week break in the middle) about the Jewish holidays, and how they map out God's redemptive journey with mankind.

The first four holidays actually correspond on the calendar to the following dates (meaning, the holiday takes place a few days after we will be discussing it.) The next four do not occur during autumn at all.

September 28 - The Ultimate Trumpet Solo (Rosh Hoshanah)
October 5 - The Anti-Party (Yom Kippur)
October 12 - Grown-ups Building Little Forts (Sukkot)
October 19 - Dancing in the Streets (Simkha Torah)

October 26 - Break for a guest speaker

November 2 - Like Halloween without the Evil (Purim)
November 9 - 3000 Calories, Zero Carbs (Passover)
November 16 - From Stone Tablets to Flaming Hair (Shavuot/Pentecost)
November 23 - Eight Crazy Nights (Hanukkah)

Advent Conspiracy

I've wanted The Core to be able to do this for over a year now. Advent Conspiracy was founded by Imago Dei Community in Portland, Oregon, and is a group of churches who have banded together to take the commercialism, materialism and stress out of Christmas, and return it to a holiday of true giving, genuine worship, and real love.

November 30 - The Most Stressful Time of the Year (The art of spending less)
December 7 - Water to the Thirsty (The art of giving more)
December 14 - Wealth Through Poverty (The art of Christlike love)
December 21 - God in the Flesh (The power of Incarnation)

December 28 will be open to a guest speaker




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Starbucks: Keeping a Tight Lid on Freedom of Speech

Two Saturdays ago, I had to be at the Front Porch at 8 am to let a friend of ours in, so he could do some work on the interior doors.

I'm never buying anything from Starbucks again.

Or at least not from a certain location, depending on how things pan out.

Last night I was driving around putting up posters for the Front Porch, at a few non-downtown locations for a change. Three Panera restaurants, a Borders bookstore, and... Starbucks.

As you may know, every Starbucks store has a magnetic board for community fliers and announcements. I went to the South Campbell location, and found that there was plenty of space for my poster... if I moved a few things around. It took me a minute, and business was slow, so one of the baristas asked me in a friendly tone if I was having fun. I said sure. I got my poster put up, and I headed out.

But I had a different experience altogether at the East Sunshine location, near Bass Pro. It was even slower there, and the situation was the same with the magnet board, so I started moving things around.

I was almost done when an employee behind me (presumably the manager) bluntly informed me that if I put up my poster, he would have to take it down immediately. Why? Because it's corporate policy that nothing religious be placed on the community board. Nothing religious or political, he said. I could be wrong, but I sensed a smirk on his face.

Frankly, I was stunned. Religious and political censorship? In a coffee house? How many alliances and visions and revolutions have been birthed in coffee houses over the centuries? Paris... London... Boston... the coffee house was the community heartbeat for intellectual dialogue and sociological progress. Can you imagine if all these historic conversations had been interrupted by 19 year-old baristas with a warning not to cross corporate policy?

Does this manager mean to tell me that announcements for peace rallies, get-out-the-vote campaigns, church charity drives, and biblical counseling are all contraband?

You should see what's left over. There was a notice of a lost dog, a certificate of thanks awarded to Starbucks for community investment of some kind, and a newspaper clipping. That's it.

I will allow the possibility that this particular manager was mistaken, in addition to being rude. I sent an e-mail through their corporate website, asking if he was correct about corporate policy. If he was not correct, I hold nothing further against Starbucks, only their East Sunshine location. If, however, the coffee giant has gone so far as to turn their entire chain into an oppressively polite family dinner table, then I will have nothing further to do with them.

You may still want to go there... that's up to you. But if you must discuss your opinions about Bush or Obama or Moses, I suggest you keep your voices down.



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P.S. Or, if you must have your say, simply have your religious or political thoughts published on their cups... like Rick Warren did.

12/16/07 - Second Anniversary of The Core Blog

Wow... two years. I can't keep a day planner, I can't keep a journal, but apparently I can keep a blog. Go me.

Although I must admit to a smidgen of procrastination on this very post. I started it two days early, and now I'm finishing it two days late. Does that count as being on time?

One year ago I summed up the first year of The Core Blog, and included links to some of my favorites: 12/16/06 - First Anniversary of The Core Blog

Now I'd like to do it again, for the second year's worth of posts. Some of this I enjoyed writing because of the humor, some because the transparency, or the creativity, or because I thought God had just showed me something really ground-breaking. I'll leave it up to you to figure out which is which.

January 11 - "OK, God, this is the part where you tell me what you want me to do."
February 9 - First United Church of Aloe & Watermelon
March 16 - No More Sissy Jesus
April 19 - The All New G-Rated Bible!
May 6 - Church of the Open Mic
June 7 - Third Place
June 21 - A Study in Contrasts
July 4 - So Here I Am
July 18 - The Inclusive Jesus
August 1 - League Leader in Total Conversions
August 14 - Death of a Salesman
August 18 - Evangelism's Code of Conduct
August 29 - Short Skirt/Long Jacket and Proverbs 31
September 27 - Perelandra and the Front Porch
October 4 - Sometimes I Wish I Were a Smoker
October 16 - I Got Soul But I'm Not a Soldier
October 18 - Area Church Makes Its Home In the Clouds
November 7 - A Fashionable Faith

Maybe it's the busyness of the holidays, but my posts since November 7 have not been as memorable. But let me throw one more thing at you, if you're the type that enjoys a good debate. Here are the posts that received 20 or more comments:

February 15 - However and Ever, Amen
February 22 - Publicity Anonymity (or, Stuck in the Middle with You)
April 11 - We Worship You... Almighty Book
June 28 - The Cross and the Bench
October 19 - Turn Your Head and Quaff

You'll notice there's no intersection between these two lists of posts. From what I understand talking to other bloggers, there never is.

Thanks to all of you for reading... even though I can't see you, and usually don't know who you are, your interest in this blog is the reason why it has far outlasted every planner or journal I've ever owned.

Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year.

Ask a Know-It-All Preacher Man

There are those in the Bible who went through some pretty tough times. If only they could have had a Know-It-All Preacher Man nearby to help them through those times with compassion, clear thinking, and Sound Life Principles from the Bible.

Disclaimer: I am not suggesting that all, over even many, preachers are "know-it-alls". I am just poking fun here at those who are.

Solomon: Meaningless, meaningless! Everything is meaningless!

Know-It-All Preacher Man: You claim to be a wise teacher, Solomon, yet you are in danger of judgment for teaching despair! You of all people should understand that the meaning of life is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever! Many people have struggled with a sense of meaninglessness, but once you have given your life to Christ, and structured your lifestyle according to Biblical principles, despair becomes a thing of that past!

Hosea: She is not my wife, and I am not her husband. Let her remove the adulterous look from her face and the unfaithfulness from between her breasts. Otherwise I will strip her naked and make her as bare as on the day she was born.

Know-It-All Preacher Man: I hardly know where to begin with you, Hosea! First of all, let me say that you should not have married a prostitute! Simply by joining with her in marriage, you have become an adulterer yourself. You really should have taken more time to get to know her, to discern her character, and most importantly, to seek God's will for your life... because clearly you have missed it here. Secondly, you should not talk publicly about, um... breasts and, you know... nudity. That is really inappropriate. And you especially should not talk so scornfully of your wife, even if she is a prostitute. Finally, I really think you and your wife need to come and see me in my office, at least twice a week. Once we start applying the time-tested principles of the Bible to your marriage, I think you'll begin to see an improvement, both in her attitude, and in yours.

Jesus: My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

Know-It-All Preacher Man: Jesus! I see that you are going through a challenging time in your life, and are wondering if God is really 'there for you'. I have helped many people like yourself who have found themselves in 'faith troughs'. You see, Jesus, God has not actually forsaken you. You are simply experiencing a dry spell due to trials and tribulations in your life. If you buy my devotional book, you'll find several daily prayers that will really boost your faith in God, and help you to feel his presence again.

UPDATE: One reader on this blog concluded that I was making a mockery of Jesus in this post. I want to make sure everyone reads my response to him, in case there are others out there of the same opinion. This is my response: "I am poking fun at the 'know-it-all-preacher man' for how he might have tried to counsel Jesus. I believe that, when people go through hard times, often the last thing they need is a pat answer with a 3-step practical guide to happiness. Yet this is what the know-it-alls often try to provide. Jesus, in this scene, shows us that even the most righteous among us will sometimes feel far from God, and it's not necessarily caused by a lack of faith. This realization, sadly, is lost on the know-it-all preacher man."

You Wanna See a Butterfly?

Here... I've got one smashed in this book somewhere... aha! Here it is! A pipevine swallowtail... very rare. Yes, I realize the colors are a little dull... it is dead after all. But this way you can look closely at it... study it. You can turn it over in your fingers and catalog its parts and know everything you need to know about a butterfly, with none of that silly running around in a meadow to worry about!

You wanna see Jesus?

Hmm... oh yes! Here's a tract.

T(t)ruth

The Emerging Church has taken a lot of hits for its relationship with the Postmodern mindset, largely in regards to the "softening of truth."

Although it's obvious that some have abandoned the historic faith, I believe that there are plenty of people in the EC who believe and live out the propositional, orthodox truths of Christianity.

I also believe that a mistake made by many modernist Christians is confusing the obligation to believe these propositional truths, with an obligation to communicate them propositionally in every circumstance.

Let me give an example. I believe that Jesus was raised from the dead, and lives today. Although everyone has doubts from time to time, I can say from my heart that this belief of mine is true. However, the certainty of my belief does not give me the right to make dogmatic statements about it to everyone I meet. If I am talking to a fellow Christian who is terminally ill, I will remind them that Jesus was raised from the dead, and provided a way for us to share that life with Him. No ifs, ands or buts. On the other hand, if a non-Christian is showing an interest in who Jesus was, and keeps talking about Him in the past tense, I will share my belief that Jesus is alive today, and that is why I refer to Him in the present tense. But I will share that as my belief, not as an indisputable fact, in order to nurture our relationship. It's not lying, it's called respect.

Communication happens like this all the time, on every subject.

Where we err is in rolling to the extremes, such as:

1) Wearing your creed on your sleeve, and allowing it to define you to the world. This is the primary error of modernist Christianity. When we as Christians rely totally on propositional truth, we shield ourselves from the relational aspect of it. In other words, we are telling people to believe us because we are a) educated, b) experienced , or c) entertaining, and asking them not to check our lifestyles for confirmation. Also, we are denying them permission to ask hard questions and struggle through doubts.

2) Rejecting all absolute truth. This is the primary error of postmodernist Christianity. Either because we are trying to fit in to a doubtful world, or because we are more comfortable with fluidity, many of us have strayed from all things objective.

The wise person realizes that God has given us enough absolute truth to live on; to trust Him, and to make some sense out of life, but that everything else ranges from doubtful to probable.

As long as I'm alive, you'll hear me say this many times: We emerging church folks are always in danger of playing the pendulum, being first reactors instead of first responders. The road forks in front of us; one is a simple rebellion against whatever the conventional church does, and the other is the opportunity to follow God, with only step illuminated at a time. The choice is yours...

Yellow House / Blue House

Following is a reproduction of a conversation between me, and a pastor friend of mine. My words are in dark blue, his are in dark red.

Thousands and thousands of churches… For whom are all these churches built and run?

If they're for Christians… are we guilty of colossal selfishness? Do we really need all this stuff to become more like Christ?

If they're for Non-Christians… are we guilty of building and running them in a way that repels Non-Christians? Why would we expect the unsaved to enjoy our music, our décor, our customs?

If for a combination of the two… are we guilty of both?”

I don’t have anything profound to say about this. I think our buildings are just a cultural expression of our faith, just as in Africa the people worship under banyan trees. Buildings in our culture are merely ways to keep us warm in winter, cool in summer, and dry in rain. Obviously, like anything else of this world, buildings can be overdone, but for the most part, most church buildings are more functional than decorative.

True enough.

But I’m obviously not opposed to buildings in general. I just think that few people are really clear why all these church buildings exist. I myself wonder if the increased benefit of building a church, over using homes or school buildings, is great enough to justify the expense. In other words, are they really cost-effective in helping us become the people God wants us to be? I think this question is especially poignant if you consider how our church buildings tend to reinforce the exclusivity of our Christian sub-culture.

It makes me imagine a gated community with houses that are all yellow, where the people all wear yellow. A group of outsiders walk by, who don’t like yellow, they like blue. The security guard at the gate says, “We want to invite you to live in our gated community. But first you must change into this yellow clothing.” So the outsiders respond, “Why would we want to wear clothing we don’t like, in order to live in a neighborhood we don’t like?” This scenario happens over and over, and the security guard has many different responses, including “Because otherwise you’ll go to hell”, or “Because I promise you’ll like it once you’ve tried it”, or “Because it would make your mother happy” or “Because there’s free food inside” or “Well, you can keep your blue clothing, but you’ll still have to live in a yellow house, and everybody will kind of look at you funny.” And so on and so forth.

That being said, I recognize that God uses many different methods among different groups to build His Kingdom. I don’t mean to be critical, just trying to challenge myself and others to think about things in new ways.

Glad you’re back… Hope I haven’t demanded too much of your time.

They also represent the inclusitivity of our faith. They do give us places to gather. The issue is not the building. The issue is the hearts of the people gathering there. A building is nothing but brick and mortar. It has no plus or minus factor in and of itself. All hinges on the hearts of the worshipers. Even groups that are committed to not using buildings end up using them. Saddleback is of course the classic example. Another example is The Core here in Springfield. They have opted to use a building downtown as their Front Porch. Are you acquainted with The Core?

Very funny…

You are right that it is our hearts that ultimately matter. But we also have to consider how our behavior, our clothing, our buildings and our customs impact those around us who are not Christians.

One of my original questions was, if (and that’s a big “if”) our buildings are primarily for the purpose of outreach, why are they designed to appeal only to Christians? The Front Porch is being designed specifically to appeal to downtowners, who may or may not be Christians, but by-and-large do not relate to the standard Bible Belt subculture. So I never said that Christians shouldn’t build or run their own facilities, I was just wondering if our purposes and our methods are lining up right.

I don’t think our buildings were built primarily for outreach. They are merely utilitarian. Sorry about the off-handed humor. The imp in me escapes from time to time.

Not to worry… impishness is an occasional trait of mine, as well.

I guess if they’re utilitarian, and primarily for Christians, then the question is whether we are using our money wisely. As I said before, I often wonder if we are more successful followers of Christ as a result of our buildings, or if there are less expensive ways to meet our own needs, thus freeing up more funds to reach the world.

Robert Schuller, speaking of the medieval cathedrals, says the most expensive church buildings are the most economical because they last the longest by far.

Although no building is cost-effective unless it is used well. And no church building is cost-effective if we could accomplish our real purpose just as well without it.

After all that was said, he and I had a conversation about it in person, which I did not tape record. It was concluded, as so many of my hard-fought discussions lately, that God calls different people to accomplish his will in different ways. This, to me, is the most intellectually dissatisfying conclusion. And yet, it is in many ways a spiritual relief... that it's not up to me to figure out what everyone else's methods should be. I am called to hear God's voice speaking to me, and obey it. Period.

But still... I can't help wondering, whenever I pass by all these church buildings, if God's people really know what they're doing. Is it possible that we could spend millions of dollars without a clear idea of who is supposed to benefit from the result? And all the while the blue people need houses they don't want, while the yellow people build houses they don't need.

Socrates Cafe

Today I submitted a "press release" of sorts to the Springfield (Missouri) News-Leader regarding our bi-weekly Socrates Cafe discussion group. It remains to be seen what they will actually do with it, but here it is anyway:

Springfield residents Ryan & Christina Wiksell began in September 2005 to gather those interested in discussing a wide range of topics over refreshments. They call it the "Socrates Cafe" and it meets twice a month on Saturday evenings at the Radish Infoshop at 417 N. Boonville. The reference to the Greek philosopher Socrates is due to the nature of the discussions; the moderator (usually Ryan) brings a list of questions, along with the occasional video, artwork, or book excerpt, to ask of the participants in order to plumb the depths of comprehension. Although arguments are against the rules, vigorous debate and disagreement are par for the course. In the end, the goal is to gain a richer understanding of ourselves through relevant, provocative, and respectful discourse. Upcoming topics for the summer include, "Are the terrorists winning?", "Will the real Jesus please stand up?" and "Is China the next superpower?" Everyone is welcome, and no expertise or advanced knowledge of topics is expected. Refreshments typically include cold sodas and bottled water, fruits and/or veggies, snack foods and a few desserts. If you are interested in participating, please e-mail Ryan at ryan@thecoredowntown.com or call the Radish at 866-7903.

And now, exclusively for the blog reader... a list of the dates and topics of all upcoming Socrates Cafe sessions for the summer of 2006:

June 10 - Is there a crisis of character in American leadership?
June 24 - Are the terrorists winning?

July 8 - Who are the true Muslims?
July 22 - Will the real Jesus please stand up?

August 5 - Is China the next superpower?
August 19 - Is the mainstream media feeding us propaganda?

And just so you know, we really prize the opportunities this activity has afforded us to gain a wide variety of perspectives on real issues, so I would discourage you from coming, and bringing a bunch of friends who think just like you. In fact, I would discourage you from bringing a bunch of anybody without at least buying us some extra snacks. :-)~

Hope to you see you there.

Spectrum Discipleship

Preface: After some thought, I’ve decided that I will continue the series I began on current trends of the church. However, I won’t continue them back-to-back. I want to wait to learn more about each trend before writing on it. Here at The Core Blog, we insist on quality.

Disclaimer: Before I give my shpiel (sp?) on Evangelism and Discipleship, I am going to head off a few criticisms at the pass. In my Post-Modernism post, I express an opinion of labels, that they tend to contain and limit the things they represent. When you call someone “mom” you don’t tend to think of her role as a colleague to someone, a daughter to someone, or a lover to someone (especially not that one.)

So here I am, about to assign some labels. But I want to justify it by a) warning you, dear reader, not to use these labels on a day-to-day basis, putting different colored stickers on everybody’s foreheads, and b) pointing out that everyone labels everyone else anyway, and that at least the labels I am about to explain represent a broader range, and a more accurate interpretation of real people.

By now, you must be absolutely dying to know what these labels are. I am reminded of a certain scene in Monty Python’s Quest for the Holy Grail where the narrator begins to ramble and an army of mercenaries shouts from a hilltop,

“GET ON WITH IT!!!” Fine.

Actual Post: Here are the labels we Christians are in the habit of assigning to those around us. SAVED. UNSAVED. Or perhaps, CHRISTIAN. PRE-CHRISTIAN. (that’s one I’m sure they love to be called. What if someone called you a Pre-Libertarian, or something?) Occasionally they’ll throw in other, sub-labels such as BABY CHRISTIAN or SEEKER to indicate salvation in the recent past, or anticipated in the near future.

When given so few labels to work with, the result shouldn’t surprise anybody. If you’ve only got two labels, then the only way to change is to go from one to the other. And the only people that can be credited with Real Ministry are those who cause people to make that shift.

I will name names here: like him or not (you’re free to pick,) Dr. D. James Kennedy made me angry when he dramatically inquired of his congregation and all those listening on radio or TV how many of them had led EVEN ONE person to Christ, ever. He condescendingly predicted that there were few who had. He’s referring to the privilege of overseeing the moment when someone sheds the UNSAVED label and takes the other one.

I suppose when one’s view is so bi-polar, so “us and them,” one can’t help but put all one’s eggs in the “conversion” basket. The resulting consequences are twofold:

1) God has clearly given His children various gifts, which do not all include the knack for converting people. These “have-nots” are portrayed as falling short, and develop either a permanent inferiority complex, or a determination to become someone that God never meant them to be.

2) If people are done changing once they’re saved, you’re bound to have a bunch of “Baby Christians” hanging around, failing to realize their true calling and power and identity in Christ. “Discipleship” is reduced to the process of knowledge-gathering, and true growth never happens.

It is not original for me to suggest that Evangelism and Discipleship are not two sides of a coin, but rather occur along a spectrum. I wish I know whose idea it was, but I don’t.

So here is how I have chosen to think about the process:

ATTACKER ~ RESISTER ~ LISTENER ~ EXPLORER ~ SEEKER * STUDENT ~ PARTNER ~ MENTOR ~ TEACHER ~ SAGE

That’s my Discipleship Spectrum. And there is a reason why I don’t call it an Evangelism-Discipleship Spectrum. I am redefining Discipleship to refer to any growth that occurs along this continuum. In other words, if you are helping anyone move from left to right, and a Resister becomes a Listener, or a Partner becomes a Mentor, then you are in the process of Making Disciples.

If you are a Christian, God has given you a gift that helps you relate better to some people along this scale than others. It behooves each of us to figure out what that gift is, and whether we are to use it directly or indirectly. Search your heart to make sure that you’re not copping out when it comes time to proclaim the name of Christ, but don’t try to pattern your gift for Discipleship after someone else. Every effort that helps move people up the scale is equally vital.

Let me finish by offering a definition of each label. If you can think of better words, or better definitions than these, let me know. Keep in mind, I am focusing more on individuals’ attitude toward Christ than toward Christianity.

ATTACKER: One who seeks opportunities to discredit the message and identity of Christ
RESISTER: One who avoids that message, and blocks efforts of others to share it.
LISTENER: One who feels neutral, and will listen politely but takes no real interest.
EXPLORER: One who is intrigued by Christ, but also by other forms of spirituality.
SEEKER: One who suspects that the message is true, and is willingly moving towards belief.

STUDENT: One who is now a follower of Christ, and is working to understand the basics of that relationship.
PARTNER: One who grasps the fundamentals of Christ’s message and identity, and can fully work and worship among the larger body of believers.
MENTOR: One who has advanced in understanding and has the ability and responsibility to guide a new believer in growth.
TEACHER: One who has experience in mentoring, and whose faith makes them a role-model for the body at large. (Note: this does not necessarily involve “teaching” in the professorial sense.)
SAGE: One whose faith has run the gamut over many years, and has deep understandings that can only be gained through myriad trials and blessings.

I recommend scrolling up at this point to read my “label disclaimer” again, before responding.

I also recommend Brian McLaren’s book on this topic, “More Ready Than You Realize.”