Before you head off into your weekend, here are three things that I’ve read and been thinking about this week. You’ll notice a theme and even a progression! Hope they are as helpful and challenging for you as they have been for me. Have a great weekend!
#1
The depositioning of Christian faith in the West, however, makes the community of the baptized a community now more fully dependent upon daily acts of imagination for the maintenance of identity. The daily acts evoking Christian identity are likely to be ethical as well as liturgic. The beginning point is the recognition that serious identity is not a cultural given, as in former times of domination, but now is an oddness requiring courageous intentionality.
Texts That Linger Words That Explode by Walter Brueggemann
The church can either throw up its hands and long about the “way things use to be” or it can see this new day of being a minority report for our culture as an opportunity. That latter is my preferred mindset. To pine for days gone by is a waste of time. It is also counter-productive for the kingdom of God is not nostalgic. What I mean is that it is not backward looking but forward expecting and present working.
#2
I do not know of a denomination or local church in existence that has as its goal to teach its people to do everything Jesus said. I’m not talking about a whim or a wish, but a plan. I ask you sincerely, is this on your agenda?
The Great Omission by Dallas Willard
This has been the heart of my wrestling for the week. This quote captures the intentional oddness Brueggemann speaks about in the #1 quote. Intentional discipleship. For the church, it is a path that is clear and communicated well. Discipleship’s goal is teaching people to do everything Jesus said Willard asserts. I’ll take it a step further. Our goal as a church is to not only teach but encourage and support the acting upon Jesus’ teaching. It is easy to get distracted. It is comforting to chase after the shiny new thing. But at the heart of every church is one agenda. One mission as we call it. Making disciples of Jesus Christ.
#3
Tribes grow when people recruit other people.
Tribes by Seth Godin
And here is the way the kingdom has almost always grown. Relationships built upon love that include an invitation. The church’s sales force consists of those faithful people in the pews.
todd nelson 