Something Beautiful
renewing and emergingArchive for Ministry
Community Building Offline
George Oates from Flickr has an outstanding article about online community building over at A List Apart. What resonates with me most is the relevance of Oates’ thoughts for those of us building communities in the offline world. In particular, I wonder what the church might look like if we considered the fact that 95% of what people interact with online is generated by other users, not site administrators. We could hardly say the same thing of religious worship services, Bible studies, etc. Here’s a quick taste of what Oates has to say, I hope it wets your appetite:
People don’t like being told what to do. We like to explore, change things around, and make a place our own. Hefty design challenges await the makers of websites where people feel free to engage; both with the system itself and with each other. Embrace the idea that people will warp and stretch your site in ways you can’t predict—they’ll surprise you with their creativity and make something wonderful with what you provide.
–George Oates
Organic Community
Organic Community: Creating A Place Where People Naturally Connect is the best book on ministry I have read in a while. It’s so good that when I started reading it during the middle of the semester, I couldn’t stop until I was finished. As many of you know, there is NO time for extra reading during seminary/grad school, but I couldn’t not finish this book.
This isn’t a book that’s limited to ministers. Joseph R. Myers has written a classic (as Leonard Sweet calls it) and it’s valuable to anyone who leads or works with people on a regular basis. Myers uses 10 word pairings to contrast the implications of two modes of organizing and mobilizing communities. The “Master Plan” model is predicated on top-heavy, position-based authority figures who draw up road maps to future destinations and ask for nothing from their communities but cooperation with the predetermined plan. “Organic Order,” on the other hand, seeks collaboration between community members and values a revolving power structure in which every individual contributes to the evolving story of their community as a whole. For anyone else who considers them self an Organic-style leader, I was surprised to discover the tendencies in myself that derive from the “master-plan” approach.
I really can’t make a hard enough sell for this book. Many of these ideas were not new to me, nor will they be to you, but Myers connects new images and language in a way that makes organic community organizing breathe in a way it never has. I’ll re-read this book every year for the rest of my life.
Church Planting
Some of you might be happy to learn that I’m taking a class on church planting. Ever since I did the Jonah Project people have been telling me to start my own church. My response is always the same, “That’s not for me.” Maybe it is.
Leonard Sweet is teaching the class, and many of you know that he’s a BIG name in all this emerging/missional/postmodern church stuff. I’m learning a lot. I thought I knew a lot. I’m learning a lot more than I thought I knew. I wasn’t sure about the class at first. It seemed like the material was just going to be too conservative for me (theologically) and thereby not helpful. I was wrong. Yesterday’s class gave me new language to express some things I’ve been thinking about for a long time. And, it turns out, there’s a lot of other people thinking about this stuff too. I thought they were all just imaginary people who wrote books. Now, I can actually talk to them and shake hands with them. How exciting!
So, starting a church is now on my horizon more than ever before. But still, no promises. Besides, if I ever plant a church, it’ll look very different from what most of the people I know might imagine it would look like.
My life quote
Thank you Martin Luther for this inspirational quote:
God is at work even while we are drinking beer.
Amen.
“O”mazing Grace
My brothers-in-law first alerted me to this ministerial masterpiece last week while Kathleen and I were in NJ on vacation. I won’t say much, except that this guy provides all the impetus there is for being prepared on Sunday mornings. I mean this is just BAD.
The Ninety and Nine
Most anyone who knows me or my work is keenly aware of my thoughts regarding homosexuality and the just and equal treatment of gay, 
lesbian, bi-sexual and trans-gendered people in the church and society. I’ve got a very brief article about the subject on the “words” page of this blog.
I was working on a new article for the Journal of Student Ministries when I stumbled upon a moving story/sermon in response to Jesus’ parable in Matthew about the shepherd who leaves the flock to search out a lost sheep. This wonderful response to that parable was written by Rev. Elder Freda Smith, the first women ordained for ministry in the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches. The story appears in the body of a Bible study available at www.freeingthespirit.org. Freeing the Spirit also has a very thorough and insightful Bible Study regarding homosexuality and the Bible. That Bible Study sheds great light on the biblical passages that discuss homosexual intercourse, relationships, etc.
I highly recommend each of these links; you will find many more that might illuminate your search for a more just and equitable relationship with God and humanity.
Published… at last!
I just got the e-Journal of Student Ministries, Vol. 2, No. 28 in my inbox and, lo-and-behold, my name was on it! Going to India was such an 
incredible experience that I was really inspired to write an article about my experiences with people and a culture so different than my own. The folks over at The Journal of Student Ministries liked my thoughts and are publishing that article, Refrigerator Art: Reflections From India, on their website for the July/August Issue. This isn’t the first composition I have had published, but it means a lot to be associated with a magazine that includes the work of several people I respect and admire. If you get a minute, check out the article on the front page of The Journal’s website. It’s also available on the “words” page on this blog. If you feel really inspired, let The Journal know you liked the article and want to hear more from me. Happy reading!
