So, I’ve never read that book. (yes, Thurman, you may chastize me appropriately) But I guess that kinda describes my mental/emotional/spiritual…. Internal-space at present. Both the sense of “I don’t know” (since I haven’t read the book and I’m uncertain about my internal presence) and the sense of “there are little things and big things and they kinda go together” (like mice and men).
aside, speaking of rodents. one of our cats, Nicodemus, caught a Baby Bunny this week. Very sad and yet I’m proud of him. Not that I want him to kill cute little bunnies, but that he’s being himself. Yes, yes I think way too much about animal’s feelings and personalities. And yes, I think there will be pets in heaven.
aside over.
So, I’m thoughtful.
Cloey has this Dr. Seuss book (which has the word Blogg in it which is very cool) and I was thinking of it last night/today re: the shape of Vineyard Central. I don’t mean SHAPE in the acronym sense ala Purpose Driven Church (isn’t that in there?), but the form, structure, dynamics, boundaries, etc… of our community. We’ve been kinda “blobby” for the last bit of our journey and we need some good forms. Its kinda like being “in shape” in that we are moving to a place of health, strength, and vitality. I truly believe we are in the process of getting “in shape” in the best sense of the word. Its a communal process that I think is going to move us to a place that is different from where we are now (by necessity), but will also not look like the “standard issue model”.
I guess that’s really what I want to say. In this endeavor to be the People of God in this place we are already on the path that is markedly different from the mainstream of Church in Cincinnati and the USofA. First, let me make abundantly clear that we are NOT attempting to be a church as we are in order to be different. Our raison d’etre is not found in defining ourselves over-and-against something else. We are not attempting to be the next-new-big-thing. We are not cool. Sure we’re different than other churches, but that difference is a result of following Jesus in a particular way that we believe he has called us to. But that has – for good or for ill – brought us to a blobby-place. We’re kinda lousy-goosy and while that’s great in lots of ways it is also bled over into areas where we need Shape-fulness.
Ok, here’s what I’m trying to say – we’re in this new place, this new way of being church and its hard. When we get to tension points like we’re in at present we are (I am anyway) tempted to look for the familiar and accepted. We tend to want to retreat to a time in the past (or the perceived past) where life all made sense and church fit into easily understandable boxes. But that is not the same as faithfulness. It would be nice to have our church polity and theology and hymnody all pre-packaged and figured out. But it won’t work – not because we are Rebeling against the evil empire of Institutional Church – not that’s not it. And not because we’ve discovered the secret, hidden way of being the Church that is in the Bible but nope noticed except us until now. But the pre-digested bit won’t work because it is antithetical to our humanity. …. ah there it is…. blogging as personal discovery!
Yes. By nature, I submit, we are explorers, innovators, creatives, and tweakers. And I don’t just mean a certain subset of humans called artists, apostles, or entrepeneurs. No, we all do it. We all create space and “make it our own”. The same is true of faith. So no matter how pre-digested a thing you give to someone they will invaribaly tweak. Culturally, I think we’re at a point where this is being reawakened in folks as a good thing. And we’re tired of being treated otherwise.
I was at Walmart today (*gasp* I know, I just lost my Alan Hartung lovin’, sorry Alan) and I was struck by the barely below (and sometimes above) the surface ANGER that was present around consumerism. I think people are weary of being treated like machines and parts. I think people are tired of dead metaphors to describe life (“I need a tune-up” or “Gosh, our team was really firing on all cylinders”). I think we are – as a society – deeply and pervasivly angry about this. Two words.
Fight. Club.
So, we tweak. And that’s why we can’t go back. And that’s why “the best laid plans of mice and men” will fail (i have NO IDEA if i used the quote right). I think that is why mainline churches are dying. People want a faith that they can get dirty with. I think that is why, ultimately, mega-churches will fail. Not becuase they aren’t “meeting peoples’ needs”, but because they aren’t (that I’ve seen so far) going deeper. They aren’t opening up the Can O’Worms that is Faith, Theology, Church…. its pre-packaged by leaders, programs, and campaigns.
Now, I admit. I could be wrong. Maybe its only a small subset of folk who want to innovate. Maybe the mass of people are really fine with being fed (as opposed to growing your own food). Feel free to correct me…. you’ll just help prove my point. 
Thoughtful thing #2 – Well, I’m not sure its seperate. It really just ties in with what I was just rambling about. But if the shape of things to come for VC is going to be faithful to God’s ongoing call for our community then its going to look different than the “typical church”. I already went on and on about why I think it won’t look what we’re used to, but what will it look like.
Well, I don’t have anything definitive, but her are some thoughts.
- It will involve a high-degree of committment from a small group of people, that includes, but isn’t limited to leaders
- It will involve an outward-focus on service in God’s Kingdom in the context in which we live… ie. localized missional behavior done communally.
- It will involve a growing depth of shared leadership
- It will involve the Arts – visual, musical, literary, and digital
- It will involve ancient practices with future-minded sensibilities
Ok, I’m falling asleep…. enough for now.
