Brian McLaren on Being Missional, Parts 3 and 4

Part 3



Part 4

Brian McLaren on Being Missional, Part 2

This is my favorite segment of this presentation.

Brian McLaren on Being Missional

Here is an interesting video of Brian McLaren teaching on what it means to be missional. More of this to come.

Brian McLaren Interview

You should definitely check out this interview that the Charlotte Observer does with Brian McLaren. He talks about his new book Everything Must Change, but also a host of other topics, including...

Poverty and Justice...

It's interesting that you mention both Mother Teresa and Dr. King because they represent to me two very important but very different models. Mother Teresa represents the model of caring for the poor, being with them as they die and, in a very personal and compassionate way, showing the love of God to poor people. Dr. King represents a very different approach, which says that we also have to deal with the unjust systems that keep causing people to suffer.

So I would hate to have Dr. King without Mother Teresa or Mother Teresa without Dr. King. But when we have the two of them, that's a great balance. It's the balance of mercy and justice.

Evangelicals and Politics...

The assumption that we could make for the last 20 years really, that evangelical Christians care about two issues -- abortion and homosexuality -- is in fragments. It's still true for a large sector of evangelicals. Those are the two issues they've been told to care about and they're faithfully staying with the program.

But younger evangelicals and a lot of older ones, too, are reading their Bibles. And they're seeing that the environment is really a concern. They're reading the Gospels and they're seeing that Jesus was not hawkish on war. Jesus had a lot to say about peacemaking.

Islam...

I believe that there is something like a form of racism going on right now among well-meaning, but misguided and misinformed evangelical Christians. It's becoming acceptable to create stereotypes of Muslims that are inaccurate.

The problem is, Muslims are just like the rest of us. They're like Christians in this regard. There are wonderful, kind-hearted Christians and there are mean-spirited Christians. There are sincere Christians who live with integrity. And there are hypocritical Christians who are just out for a buck. We'll find that kind of diversity among every group of people.

Evangelism...

I love to help every person I can to become a follower of Jesus Christ.

A lot of people don't want to become followers of Jesus Christ. And when they don't want to, they are not disqualified from being my neighbor. In fact, they still are my neighbor.

And so, everything Jesus teaches me about loving my neighbor applies to a person who has no interest in being a Christian. This idea that because some people don't want to become Christians, we should ignore them or treat them as enemies, I just don't get it.

And much more. Be sure to check it out.

Funny Evangelism Video

From henceforth, this will be my ministry philosophy:

"I knockst the pride outta them!"

"A Parody of Jesus"

On Sunday, my pastor made in interesting statement in response to a comment we hear often in today's world, that being the phrase, "I like Jesus, I just don't like the Church/Christians." His response was that people who say that don't really like Jesus. Rather, they like the parody of Jesus that is often portrayed; the soft, cuddly Jesus who just wants to bless everyone and would never ask you to do anything to risk your comfort. How backwards is the general conception of Jesus?

In reality, Jesus asked, correction, demanded that all who would come after him to die. As Bonhoeffer would say, we have created a death-less (or a cross-less) Christianity, which, he would argue, is not Christianity at all. Jesus is offensive. If the people who say they like Jesus, but not Christians knew that Jesus called them to lose everything, family, friends, comfort, wealth etc., to follow him, I doubt they would like him so much. If there is one thing that Jesus threatens, it is selfishness, which automatically offends the selfish.

Now, to be clear, was Jesus loving? Yes, more than any other person ever. Is the church perfect? Absolutely not. Are we as the church responsible for being better witnesses to the world? Absolutely, yes. But can we please stop pretending that Jesus was a human sized kitten?

Divine Encounters

Let me share a cool story with you.

I was driving home last night from a conference in Eden Prairie (the HNI regional conference, not that you care). I was driving on 494 near the Mall of America when my car inexplicably began to coast. The engine had died. I was in a middle lane, but was luckily able to maneuver to the right side of the road. I checked some things and tried unsuccessfully to get it started. I was discouraged. I think the enemy tries to attack my vehicles. I have only been driving like 8 years and I have totaled 2 cars and had mechanical problems with 3. It's not just me being an idiot or bad diver, either. Something is up.

Anyway, I was waiting ten minutes to try it one more time to ensure it hadn't flooded or anything and I was in prayer, asking God to fix this. Long story short, it didn't start. So, I called for a tow.

The guy was there quickly (less than 10 minutes). In a short time he hooked the car up and we were gone. We began chatting and he turned out to be a very nice guy. His name was Ed. At one point he asked me what I did for a living. I told him I was a Youth Pastor. "Wow! Do you mind if I ask you how you decided to do that?" He asked. So, I shared my testimony with him. He told me that he had gone to church a few times when he was a kid, but his family wasn't really into it and church wasn't a part of his life now. But, he said he hoped that some day he would go back. I told him a bit about the Harbor. I told him about our Alpha course, that it was a practical introduction to the Christian faith where questions could be answered in a non-threatening environment. "That sounds perfect!", he said. He asked a few questions about catholics and other stuff, which I was happy to answer. By this time we were to our destination. I gave him my card and said if he had any more questions or wanted to check out the Harbor or Alpha to give me a call. He said, "You may not believe this, but I do actually plan to check you guys out." I think he meant it, and I hope he does.

It would have been really easy for me to get discouraged about my car crapping out and miss an opportunity to connect with Ed. With about 3 million people in the Twin Cities metro, there would have been almost no other way to get Ed and I to connect without something like this happening. I think that God arranged that meeting. Feel free to think me an over spiritual psycho, but I do. Ed was seeking. He was the right age for me to be able to connect with him. We seem to have the right program to fit with what he needs. I believe God set this up. How many opportunities have I missed in the past because I have been selfish and was not open to what God wanted to do? May we be ambassadors of God's love 24-7. May we, when times get tough, trust that God may have us in the situation because there is something he wants to do, someone he wants to touch. May we make the most of our opportunities to connect with the Eds of this world.

Christians Being Christians

This is Mark Driscoll of Mars Hill Church in Seattle talking about Christians being missional, or as I would say, Christians just being true Christians. He is a bit abrasive towards the "seeker" churches, but he makes some great points. Check it out.

More Donald Miller

I heard this quote today on Donald Miller's podcast from his new book, "To Own A Dragon", which is about his life growing up without a father. By the way, if you haven't read anything by Miller yet, please do. He has quickly become my favorite author and he has this gift for writing and putting his finger directly on the issue that is a rare find.

Anyway, in continual evaluation of how we do Church, Student Ministries, etc. I thought this thought applied.

"You are going to pretty much do the things that make you feel good about yourself, that make you feel important and "on purpose", and walk away from the things that make you feel like a loser."

Which of these do our churches tend to do more? Are we a welcoming, validating body that tells and shows people that they are a unique creation of God, who loves them and died for them? Or, do we treat people like the sinners that they are and make them feel like unimportant outsiders?

Just some food for thought.