As I have been
re-reading the gospels I have been struck how fully present Jesus was in every
situation. As a child he was fully engaged in debate and discussion with the
leading rabbis in the temple, so much so that when his family headed home he
lingered behind. He was so present, even in a dense crowd, that he knew when a
woman touched the edge of his garment and “power went out” from him. He was
fully aware of who he was
It seems that
the churches I visit, in small towns and large cities, most often exist apart
from the communities they are called to serve. Behind their stained glass
windows and towering steeples they lay beyond the touch of the people just
outside their doors. Rather than being fully integrated into their community,
they stand apart, outside of the daily grind. Rather than engaging the
community, they stand apart from it, making pronouncements.
What would a
truly indigenous community look like? What would a congregation that decided to
get its hands dirty alongside the people it served really embrace? If I were to
list a few essential components they would be:
The Arts! This is a generation of expression. Encouraged
form a young age to engage ideas, they desire creative expressions and metaphor
to understand the world. Being post-literate, pictures and icons are often more
important than words on a page. Art speaks to the heart of who they are. One of
this generation’s artistic heroes is Banksy, a mysterious graffiti artist from
London. http://www.banksy.co.uk/. His
art is more than images; it is filled with meaning, metaphor and messages that
connect with the people that encounter it. Our modernist culture has reduced
art to entertainment when it is so much more. Art is a prophetic expression of
life, struggle, joy, and pain. It is commentary and criticism with a paintbrush,
a piano, a poem, or as a play. Art is a spiritual encounter with reality.
An indigenous
community would do worship by being invitational to local artists, Christian
and pre-Christian, to express the theme in visual arts (painting, sculpture,
etc) or performing and dramatic arts as part of the worship experience. Rather
than trying to copy the culture, real art creates culture. So much of
“Christian art” is simply a sanctified copy of what secular artists are doing.
We do not need to be afraid of letting the art speak for itself rather than
trying to interpret it. An emerging community of Christ followers would be
filled with art that caused people to pause and struggle with life, purpose and
passion and invite them to see Christ in the struggle.
Mystery! So do you want the red pill or the blue
pill (if you don't get that, watch The Matrix). This generation believes that
the real world is hidden from them and they are willing to embrace the divine
mystery far beyond their pragmatic Boomer parents. They know that everything
can't be explained by the scientific method and they crave the sacramental
embrace of the Savior and the power for living found in the Spirit. They do not
shrink from the unexplainable. They know that the four simple rules of life do
not come anywhere close to explaining the complexities and intricacies of
existing in the twenty-first century.
Worship that
embraces mystery includes both powerful, sensory filled music and times of
silence. It values the proclamation of the scripture, but allows times for
lectio divina, the simple reading and hearing of the text without anything
added or taken away. The emerging community will gather around the table of God
to receive the sacrament, knowing that what happens in them and to them is
beyond simplistic explanation. An emerging community of Christ followers would
embrace and live with mystery.
Conversation! Conversation spaces (blogs, discussion
boards, coffee houses) are the heartbeat of spiritual discovery for this
generation. Venues allowing them to receive solid teaching and then interact
with it as to how they embody the gospel are essential. This is a generation
unafraid of the deep teachings of scripture. They want to wrestle with the
difficult texts and discover the deeper truths. They crave to live in a
community where life can be lived together. They want to discuss their
discoveries, hear the stories that mold other Christ followers, and find their
points of intersection and points of contradiction. An emerging community of
Christ would be open to engage in conversations of life, love and the
difficulties of life.
Ritual! This generation craves to tap into something ancient with
roots. Their lives are filled with disposable philosophies and short-term
realities. They seek a deeper life and desire the experience of something that
has lasted through the ages. There is even a kind of resurgence of postmodern
monasticism (ie. Shane Claiborne) that has sprung up and become very popular.
This is a generation that is ready to fully embrace ancient rituals if it they
are well explained and clearly taught. Break out the candles and the space for
meditation as well as the band lead praise and worship music. Break the bread,
pour the wine, fill the font and let it flow as we remember the soul cleansing
power of baptism. An emerging community of Christ followers would embrace
ritual as part of their ongoing spiritual journey.
Mission! This generation would rather make a
difference than make a dollar. They throw themselves into their commitments
with abandon. They want to change the world, they want to feed children with
AIDS in Africa, find racial reconciliation in their communities, and solve the
problem of poverty. They are volunteering in record numbers through Peace
Corps, AmeriCorps, and US2 Missions. They are moving into marginal
neighborhoods and staking a claim for justice. An emerging community of Christ
followers would find ways to change their community and the world with their
resources, time and talents and they would do it from the inside out, just like
Jesus.
I believe much
like The Table UMC new expressions of “church” need to be explored. I would
love to be part of a team that would have the passion and patience to create a
private/public partnership by starting a fair trade (social justice) coffee
house that hosts artists and Christian conversation as well as worship every
Saturday evening and Sunday morning. The coffee shop could cover operating
expenses and the congregation would be free to pour their resources, time and
talents into mission. (See CRAVE Coffee or Detour Coffee Houseas examples.)
So, what do you
think of re-thinking church completely? I’d like to know. I remain:
Consumed by the
Call,
Marty
