word search
Kari Freudenberger, who works at Standard Publishing, recently created a new blog called “7 Word Testimonies.” The idea came from the write-your-memoir-in-six-words exercise popularized by SMITH magazine’s book Not Quite What I Was Planning, which collects thousands of short and not always sweet life stories.
Kari decided to go a different direction. “Everyone has a story and now they’re putting it out there—in just six words,” she writes. “While many of them are witty or funny, most of them follow the same theme: disappointment. Like the title of the book, many people sum up their life as ‘not quite what I was planning.’ We all see people like this everyday—disillusioned, distrustful, hopeless or alone.
I would like to issue a different challenge. For those of you who have found hope, I’m giving you an outlet to share your faith and describe your life with Christ. Much like six word memoirs, I am collecting “7 Word Testimonies” from anyone who would like to contribute. They can be in sentence form, just a phrase, or seven random words combined to sum up your experience as a follower of Christ.”
In other words, welcome to your new obsession. Writing concisely is always a challenge and condensing your entire faith journey into seven words is downright hard, but the attempt is addictive.
I played around with several without finding a clear winner. “Great is Thy Faithfulness, Lord unto me” is nice but unoriginal. “But I thought…..okay, You’re in charge” kind of sums it up, but lacks punch.
My favorite—”A Christian, despite some Christians I know”—was true, but seemed a bit negative.
The more I thought about it, the more I realized my testimony could actually be just one word: Seriously?
The God who created us chose to become one of us for 30+ years? Seriously?
Each minute he manages a universe of infinite complexity but he listens to my requests? Seriously?
He loves me even though I can be monumentally unlovable, and I don’t have to earn it? Seriously?
He can forgive that? And wants to? Seriously?
Ultimately, all our testimonies come back to grace, a “scandalous grace” that prompts unbelief and can be hard to fully absorb. Perhaps we can all just share one seven word testimony—”I was lost, but now I’m found.” Although that would cut down on traffic to Kari’s blog.
deep thoughts
As luck would have it, I was racking my brain for a blog topic this morning when an email from my new friend Kevin Brimner popped into my inbox. Kevin is the Spiritual Formation Pastor at Owensboro Christian Church, and we met at this year’s NACC planning meetings in Louisville.
Owensboro is looking to revolutionize its approach to discipleship, and, like many churches, is grappling with how. Kevin wrote:
What about our culture and/or temperaments tend to make us think programs equate to discipleship? And while programs seem to be necessary for movement, how has anyone effectively used mentoring on a large scale with great success (if that’s at all possible on a large scale?)
There are many who would feel great having a spiritual formation process spelled out that we can guide everyone to, which is great and much needed instead of aimlessly trying to hit the target. And a part of me is one of that “many.” But another part is wanting so much more than a program can even begin to touch. I guess I’m looking for more of a sure thing or guarantee; that in 12 months we will be able to point to a clear picture of life-change as a direct result of the programs. Clearly there has to be room for the Spirit to work.
Okay, so that’s where I’m at or not at depending on the glass being half full or empty. Loving the work because it’s tied to a cause.
I’m not a Biblical scholar, but I see his point: neither Jesus nor the early church we try so hard to emulate had step-by-step programs to help people grow into true disciples. It was more relational and organic, to use two of the buzzwords. But those buzzwords, by definition, also mean a less organized and less quantifiable process. We don’t like unorganized and unmeasurable in America, especially in our large corporations or the megachurches modeled after them.
But what should we measure? We all know that many churches, of all sizes, are full of people who attend services but know little about their faith, rarely give money or time to the mission, and still require spiritual milk. So do these areas become the starting point? Have we meaningfully grown from wide to deep if a certain percentage pass a Bible knowledge quiz, begin tithing, join a small group, or find a place to serve? Isn’t it possible to do all those things and still remain spiritually immature? Then how do we evaluate maturity, and what are some basic steps–programs, even–to get people moving that direction?
Let’s tackle this one together. Leave a comment with your thoughts, and I’ll see if Kevin will drop by here and continue the dialogue. I don’t have the answers, but I do know these questions are some of the central ones facing our growing churches.
living dangerously
My friend Amanda uses the acronym “HALT” as a barometer for herself; becoming too Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired signals a danger point, a condition she needs to address for her physical or emotional health.
Tonight I discovered my own danger point: resenting others for their free time. I had just booked tickets for yet another work-related trip, bringing my grand total for days home in November to eight. (And no, I am not saying which eight, in case you are a Nashville-area burglar. Then again, if you really want my DVD player from 2001, have at it.)
So, while pondering the exhausting month ahead of me, I drifted over to Facebook and noticed my new friend Anne’s status update: “Anne is so looking forward to a relaxing weekend, with rain!!” And I thought to myself, Anne has written a book, her blog gets way more hits than mine, yet she gets a relaxing weekend and I will spend it working. I want to sit on the couch in a blanket and listen to the rain. I want to go to the movies and then waste two hours at a bookstore. I want to spent an entire day NOT sitting at my computer.
For over a year now, I’ve lived by the freelancer’s credo: always say yes. Can you help me write a company newsletter? Sure. Can you help us redesign our website? Yep. Can you do the graphic design for my textbook? Absolutely. (Always say yes—even when you don’t have a clue—and figure it out later.)
I’ve accepted all these jobs and more because I have to make a living, and I’m really not complaining. I’m grateful for work and usually energized by the many different organizations I’m able to help. But tonight the danger alarm started buzzing, and I wondered if this really is living.
I think it’s time to say no to some things and trust that the clients really worth working for will understand, and possibly even ask again another time. It’s time to be more selective about my opportunities–which is actually a wonderful place to be. It’s time to set some boundaries, and during my eight days at home I’m going to get right on that.
somewhere, God is smiling…..
….because I’ve been tapped to coordinate the women’s conference at next summer’s NACC. This is due less to my (considerable) administrative skills or (much less considerable) love of women’s ministry, and more to do with my status as the only woman on the 2009 Executive Committee.
Also I made the mistake of asking if anyone was planning it. The NACC started this conference-within-a-convention last year and it was apparently a big success with the ladies who attended, but its 2008 champion didn’t volunteer for another year. Understandable, but that left me and my two X chromosomes to make sure it didn’t die in ‘09.
So far, however, things are going well. We’re planning to continue the best of last year’s programming, including a special Gathering Spot for women, a full track of workshops and Bible studies, and a luncheon with Tammy Trent. (I think she does stuff with Women of Faith? I should know this.)
We’ll also offer another special tea. Last year this event was exclusively for minister’s wives—only women married to a minister could attend. I love that last year celebrated those ladies, and this year we’ll honor another distinct group—women in ministry, defined as those serving on the staff of a church or parachurch ministry. I’m looking forward to encouraging these women.
But I will need help, so if you’re reading this and already my friend, you now have fair warning that I will soon be calling and asking for favors. And if I don’t know you, but you’d like to be involved, please let me know—especially if you’re one of those gals who just naturally thinks, “You know, this would be better if we had wooden place cards with our names stenciled on them.” Seriously, if you just intuitively know how to MacGyver a frilly centerpiece from baby’s breath and some tulle—call me. I may have the chromosomes of a woman, but I’m missing that gene.
OOAFITYSK
Usually, an installment of “One Of My Friends I Think You Should Know” sticks with its name and introduces you to someone whose work—whether it’s preaching, writing, leading worship, or whatever—achieves excellence. These people also happen to be a lot of fun—have you ever noticed how often the two go together?
But today we break from tradition to introduce Andrew Peterson, One of Arron’s Friends I Think You Should Know. I first became aware of Andrew after his appearance at Tokens, and since then his CD “The Far Country” has been on frequent rotation in my car and on my iPod.
I like all ten songs from the album, but a few stand out: “Mountains on the Ocean Floor” reminds listeners that God is always moving, always transforming—even when we can’t see it. The title track captures our longing for God in the midst of a land that’s not our home, and the beautiful lyric of “More” proclaims, “There is more/More than all this pain/More than all the falling down/And the getting up again/There is more/More than we can see/From our tiny vantage point/In this vast eternity/There is more.”
Apparently, in addition to a huge talent for transforming spiritual insights into singable poetry, Andrew also has some kind of connection to our churches, because the CD’s liner notes thank a First Christian Church in Florida and……….. Arron Chambers! Who was already a friend of mine you should know, but has now been elevated to OOMFIWBSF (one of my friends I will be shamelessly flattering) so I can score some good concert tickets sometime or maybe even be Andrew Peterson’s friend myself. I bet he’s fun.
flag poll
Once a week I create a new poll for the homepage of Christian Church Today. Last week, in light of the September 28 “Pulpit Freedom Sunday” which encouraged pastors around the country to “preach about the moral qualifications of candidates seeking political office,” I asked, “Should pastors be allowed to endorse political candidates from the pulpit?” As I write this, a full 50% have answered yes.
This amazes me. Never mind that it’s against the law for any tax-exempt organization, including churches, to “participate in, or intervene in, any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for public office.” Never mind that Romans calls us to “submit to the governing authorities.” Never mind that, according to this same passage, anyone who rebels against this God-given authority risks judgment.
No, instead, The Alliance Defense Fund which promoted the September 28 event claims this law is an infringement on the First Amendment rights of pastors, and preaching about candidates from the pulpit should not affect their churches’ non-profit status. “Churches are exempt from taxation under the principle that there is no surer way to destroy religion than to begin taxing it,” says ADF lawyer Erik Stanley.
I can think of one surer way—politicizing it.
Folks, no matter how just and moral you consider your candidate and his platform, acceptance of any politician requires a certain amount of myopia. John Kerry was pro-abortion, and George W. Bush authorized illegal torture of prisoners. Obama supports gay marriage and McCain has a notoriously vicious temper.
You may rank one of those as more important than the other, and that’s your right. But I’m amazed at anyone who believes he can confidently put forth his own myopic viewpoints as God’s.
I’m tired of blogging about this. I’m tired of the Christians who want the 10 Commandments in our courtrooms and prayer in our schools but who would go absolutely ballistic if public schools also required daily Koran reading and federal offices hung framed copies of The God Delusion. I’m tired of pastors demanding their freedom without acknowledging their church members should also have freedom to think independently.
More than that, though, I’m sad that at some of the churches participating in “Pulpit Freedom Sunday,” Obama-supporting, unbelieving, God-seeking guests probably attended and heard a partisan viewpoint instead of learning about the Source of all freedom. Do we really care more about their politics than their salvation?
i have a theme
It’s a safe bet I’ll never be asked to serve as NACC president, but just in case I’ve got my theme ready.
My mom teaches Human Development at CCU, and during the early childhood portion of the course she describes the “fearful, flexible, and feisty” theory, which defines three basic temperaments.
Every child fits one, and I was definitely in the fearful category. Old friends still laugh about my response to the overstimulation and forced playtime of the church nursery—I hid alone under the cribs until Brandon Abercrombie joined me there to pull my hair. I spent many mornings before kindergarten and first grade quietly crying at the breakfast table, and had a meltdown when I couldn’t write the number 2 as well as my teacher, Mrs. Pence. (My mother’s gentle yet firm response: “Jenni, Mrs. Pence is old. She’s been making 2s for a long time. You’re five.”)
And yet, as I’ve moved into adulthood, I find myself taking risks while others play it safe. I went 300 miles away to a college where I knew only one person and majored in English Lit (go ahead, you know you’re dying to say it: “How are you going to get a job with a major like that?”).
I tackled projects, like teaching myself QuarkXPress to design the NACC program book, that seem foolishly difficult in retrospect. (There is something to be said for the ignorance of youth.) I moved to California alone, then moved to Nashville alone. I helped reconfigure a company, then realized I couldn’t take another day in a cubicle and launched out as a freelance writer not knowing if it would actually allow me to pay my bills.
My fearful temperament hasn’t changed, but I’ve learned it’s okay to be afraid—what counts is how you respond.
Think about it: almost every Bible character who allowed God to use his life in a significant way did so because he obeyed in spite of fear. Abraham left everything familiar to travel to a far country, David spent years on the run from a mad king, Mary delivered a baby alone in a cave, Paul survived shipwrecks and endured prison. I’d bet my “Footprints” plaque they felt fear, but the glory—God’s glory—came from their choice to obey anyway.
So that would be my NACC theme: Fear not! The angels said it to terrified shepherds (who then obeyed by finding Jesus). “Be strong and courageous,” God told his people (who obeyed and conquered the Promised Land). “Fear the Lord your God,” he commands us, and we obey, even if it means swallowing our fear of people.
Throughout Scripture, God’s people feel fear as a noun but don’t indulge in fear as a verb, and I’d use my hypothetical presidency to remind God’s people today to follow their example. Dudley, you’re up for 2011—you can have this one if you give me a credit line in the program book.
do over
If you are an RSS fan, you will need to re-subscribe on this new site. Unfortunately, the settings from the old Blogger site don’t carry over. But now you can subscribe to my entries, the comments, or both–just look at the bottom of the sidebar to the right.
As always, thanks for reading. I’m at the NACC planning meetings in Louisville, whooping it up with the brotherhood. So far the highlight has been a great dinner with my dad, Rick Grover and Kevin Brimner from Owensboro Christian Church, and Jeff Walling from Providence Road Church of Christ. In just a couple of hours we’d successfully analyzed Rob Bell’s new book, brainstormed tons of ideas for Owensboro’s emphasis on spiritual formation, and figured out what we think the future of worship should look like. If your church has money to burn and wants to bring in a team from four states to do some consulting, we’d love an excuse to get together again. And we eat cheap, except for Jeff—he orders steak.
Jennifer Taylor
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