Plug It In (2x)

Last night Christina, John, Sondra and I had a meeting with two leaders of the MidAmerica District of the Christian & Missionary Alliance, Rodger and Tom. In case you're not aware, The Core is considering affiliating with the Alliance, for purposes of assistance, accountability, and collaboration.

We had a fantastic conversation, largely because these two guys have been through all the motions of church planting, evangelism, etc, and have come to many of the same conclusions we have. Namely, that it is more about disciple-making than decision-making, it's more about building community than building numbers, and the key to being "missional" is being incarnate... simulateously striving to really know God, and really know the people around you, and the only way to do that is to surrender yourself to the heart of God, and invest yourself in the hearts of people.

On a more practical level, Rodger and Tom couldn't have been more thrilled about what's already been done at the Front Porch, and we couldn't be more thrilled about the vision they've laid out for new church planting in their district. More impressive than the fact that they want to proliferate community venues much like the FroPo, is the fact that they don't want to rely on formulas at all... they want the vision to be based on an intimate knowledge of the surrounding community and culture, and of course, obedience to God's unique direction for each new church.

One thing that stuck out in my mind was the theme of incarnation, which recurred consistently in our conversation. I commented that so many churches spend so much breath trying to convince people to "plug in" to the groups or systems or programs or activities they've already got in place. This is not wrong. But it's not really the heart of mission, of incarnation.

Brian McLaren once wrote that many of us would be better Christians if we spent less time at church, not more. Although this sentence by itself is a little too vague, I believe his point is spot-on. Because the context of this quote explains how often we Christians soak up the life of the church, and waste ourselves on it. We've got nothing left for the world, and we become more comparable to cloistered monks than roving apostles.

Maybe the church is not the power strip, that we all need to "plug into". Maybe the church is the plug, we as the church are many plugs, in search of outlets to connect with.

I am often guilty of over-extending a metaphor, and I see that I've done it again. Because my illustration here would require that the power flow backwards, from the plug into the outlet. But Jesus seems to have done everything backwards, so I'm gonna go with it.

Because isn't this more like what Jesus did, anyway? He didn't tell us to MapQuest heaven and call him if we get lost. He came. He plugged into us, and threw the power in reverse.

Sources tell me that a weekend is coming up. Be like Jesus. Go incarnate with people.

In other words, plug out.



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Evangelism's Code of Conduct

On Thursday, the Chicago Tribune featured an article about the World Council of Churches and the Vatican teaming up to establish a code of conduct for Evangelism.

Now I can't say that when the WCC and the Vatican link arms, that I'm necessarily gonna be right there with them. And it could be that the code they eventually establish (if they can agree at all) would be rubbish. But I have to applaud them at least for making this effort. I believe it's a worthy one.

It makes me want to write my own code of conduct... like a gentleman's agreement. Not enforcible, but public enough so that can even non-Christians can hold us accountable to it.

Although I think my motive for doing so would be different from the Vatican/WCC initiative. They seem mostly concerned about governments on the brink of passing anti-evangelism legislation. It is thought that an established code of conduct might persuade them that evangelism is not dangerous, and should not be banned. They may be right, or it may be that these goverments are not so much worried about evangelism being pushy or annoying... they're worried about it being effective. Then the only way to appease them would be to prove that the WCC and the Vatican only intend to engage in ineffective evangelism. I could see it, actually.

Maybe the reason that I don't have this motive is that the U.S. is not on the brink of such legislation. Some people would argue with me, and it may very well be the case in 10 or 20 years, but not just yet. So my motive is more about helping the community to understand that we are also displeased with the nature of much of the evangelism that goes on, and we are committed to curbing it, even as we strive to obey the command to spread the Gospel.

So I'm going to jot down some preliminary, off-the-top-of-my-head ideas for an Evangelistic Code of Conduct. Here goes...

DON'T...

1. interrupt people's lives purely for the sake of evangelism.
2. hand anyone a tract until you know they're interested in reading it (and maybe not even then.)
   
3. use tracts that look like money (ever!)
4. wear a sandwich board or hold a sign or use a bullhorn (or shout as if you wished you had one.)
5. use scripture with people who clearly don't care about it.
   
6. wear a big, fake smile and slap people on the back and say "awesome" all the time.
7. argue (ever!)
8. force people to hear your message in order receive something else that they want.
9. lose interest in a person once they've said they're not interested in the gospel
10. separate your "real life" from your "ministry life."

DO...

1. listen carefully and respectfully
2. be yourself, and talk like you talk.
3. be willing to admit that you don't know.
4. be willing to admit that Christianity is not easy.
5. apologize for the times that you, or Christians in general, have failed to exhibit the love of Christ.
6. meet people's needs with no strings attached.
7. invite people into your life.
8. consider living among the people you're ministering to (or minister to the people you're living among.)
   
9. pray earnestly for unbelievers, and for your ability to be Christ to them.
10. enjoy people's company, plain and simple.
    

OK... I know I'm missing a lot, so you'll have to add a comment to help me out. Go ahead... click that little "add a comment" link... I know you can do it.

Someone Still Mourns You, Boris Yeltsin

Today we mourn a hero among hard-working, hard-drinking, funky-dancing former presidents of former super-power communist conglomerations. Boris Yeltsin died this morning at the age of 76. One finds it difficult to truly grasp the ramifications of such a loss, although three questions do come to mind: "Has the ultra-cool name of the popular Springfield-based band 'Someone Still Loves You, Boris Yeltsin' now been rendered meaningless? Or is it all the more poignant now? Indeed, might the value of their records even climb in his absence?"

In all seriousness, to the Yeltsin family and the people of Russia... you have our condolences. May he rest in peace.