The Question Revisited

A friend that i hadn't seen for a while asked me once "Where are you fellowshipping now?" and i think that's the key in this context. FELLOWSHIP.[1]

Fellowship is the being together and communing with each other, so then if that is fellowship, why call it church??[2]

Having posted a successful Soapbox post earlier, I hadn't anticipated the firestorm of discussion amongst other blogs and (possibly) word of mouth. Having watched the general discussion unfold since that time, I thought it was about time I added in my thoughts to the rather volatile subject of "Church"; namely, What is Church? A word of caution: I believe that this is a rather volatile subject for many for a good reason, and while I believe that part of the argument over what church is has to do with culture, I think the greater slice of the pie goes to...tradition. And here is why I think that...

It is my firm conviction that Christianity is at a crossroads. Here at the beginnings of the twenty-first century, I believe that we are at an exciting point in theological development. In the last century, the world has changed in ways untold, at speeds previous generations would never have thought possible. The world has become more accessible, more open, more conversant than it ever has been, and technology is only going to further this process. Yet for many who live in this time, Church evokes thoughts of mustiness, dryness, boredom, and irrelevancy.

And yet, tradition is what seems to keep the system of church the way it is. We turn up, we sing songs, we sit down to listen to a message, we stand to sing more songs, we leave. Period. This seems to be what most people the world over do, Sunday in, Sunday out. And here's the point: because that's the way church has been done for the past two centuries, why change it? That's Tradition speaking.

Yet here's the paradox: I believe in church. I believe that over two thousand years ago, God revealed Himself in the person of Jesus Christ, and since his existence, the church was founded; not by the Petrine lineage; nor by clever structural systems. But founded by the fact that God became like us. The church - I believe - exists to proclaim all that Christ was and stood for.

That was then. What is it like now? We turn up, we sing songs, we listen to a message, we sing more songs, we leave. Instead of an equipping church, we seem to have, today, a comforting church. Instead of a courageous church, we seem to have a soft church. Go to any church building outside of the West, and we find that it is hazardous to one's health to profess faith in Christ. Go to any church in the West, and the primary aim of Christianity is to keep oneself safe. Do not do anything to hurt or upset the status quo. Do not upset tradition.

[1] See the blog "Its a Rant Jim But Not as We Know It Part II" - http://youraveragechristian.blogspot.com/

[2] ibid.

From The Soapbox #2

Given the fact that my first Soapbox was an absolute flop, I thought I'd give it another shot...

Below are two images I found on the web. One is of a Sunday church service, and the other is of Coffee Culture at the base of Hackthorne Road. For this episode of From The Soapbox, post a comment outlining these points: Which of the two images looks like church? And...why?

A Most Interesting Question

Imagine this question: Why is it that most people - guys most of all - have absolutely no problem at expressing their excitement at a Rugby match, but seem not to have the same amount of passion for their walk with Christ?

At a recent gathering at a relative's house, this question cropped up in casual conversation between some of those present. I sat in the background, listening (eavesdropping, I guess) as the topic of conversation unfolded. To be fair, I was itching to get my word in, but the opportunity that was knocking initially passed me by. The women discussing this seemed perplexed; I was the opposite.

Let's start with the obvious: the world of sports, stereotypically, is a haven for the male temperament. Be it ball sports or anything involving motors, most guys get a buzz out of seeing their favourite sports team or profiler compete. I have been to many games at the now AMI Stadium cheering on Canterbury. One thing is indisputable: the place ERUPTS when Canterbury score a try!

Now for the guests' question: Why not be passionate about Christ?

That depends on how you want to view the question. Most guys that I know of are passionate about their walk with Christ. However, their way is not necessarily the church's way. In other words, the typical sports-loving male will find God in sports, but not in church. Why? Because the operation of a typical church service seems to be structured more around the women, children, and the elderly. Churches these days are a quiet place to meet God, and ministers the world over have created such an atmosphere. Can you imagine what a crowd 0f rowdy, on fire for Christ Rugby lovers would do? The exact opposite of what is expected behaviour of a church attendee. In short, males by implication are required to leave their manhood at the door. To be rowdy would be to upset the status quo.

I am therefore not the least bit surprised that the women of the gathering were perplexed by this "phenomenon". What they seem to be asking each other is, "Why don't guys seem to worship Christ the way we do?" The answer is obvious: Guys are not expected to. Nor should they be expected to. Yet for some unknown reason, churches and their congregations do.

The Missing Link

Thanks to a good friend down south who lent me a book, and inspired by this post, I thought I would write my thoughts on something that could be described as a problem in today's church as we know it.[1]

Firstly, I have to put these questions out there, before I have a crack at giving my thoughts and opinions on them: Where are all the men? Where are those within the 20-30 age bracket?

Where are all the Men?
On the Sunday just been, I decided to do a little observation at the morning service of my church. My purpose: To check out the demographics of those who were in attendance. Although it was only one service, I noticed that there was a lack of men. Now, there were older men; men of around 50 upwards. But in terms of those within the late 20's to late 30's/early 40's, I was struggling to make a head count. The reasoning behind such an observation?

I recently finished reading the book Why Men Hate Going To Church. Now, with a title like that, you gotta wonder what the author is going on about. What I found, page after page, was nothing more than resonance. As I read through each part and chapter, I continually thought of my own church, and wondered what they have in the way of ministries/programmes (or whatever you want to call them) that men can participate in in order for them to express themselves as men. Now, I'm not talking about things like a weekly Paintball ministry, or Wrestling ministry or things to that effect. But a short flick through my church's (or perhaps, even most churches) web site and, in flicking through the various ministries that operate, one will notice that the roles are more easily defined for women to actively participate in.

Now, some might say that there are plenty of opportunities to serve in the church for men, if only they would get off their butts and apply. While there are grains of truth there, again, I would ask, in such roles could they freely serve as Men? Or do they have to supress all that it means to be male, made in the image of God? In other words, can somebody see a sports-mad publican (not alcoholic) taking care of toddlers in a nursery? Or a North Cantabrian farmer taking part in a bake sale?

In saying this, my church does have a small Men's ministry representation. However, looking at the notices or the site, one would be hard pressed to find out about it. In the seven years I have attended my church, I have heard stuff relating to Men's ministries only three times. Ever. I am also aware that recently that someone whose passionate about Men's ministries (who attends my church also) has tried to build up something of a more overt representation; to get the word out to men that there IS a ministry designed specifically for them! This was over a month ago. Nothing.

Where are all the 20-Somethings?
For me, and countless others, this decade of one's life is probably the most important. It is the age where we as individuals make our life choices. Do we attend University? If we do, what do we study, and how do we fund our study? Who will I get married to? Will I get married at all? What about an OE? What do I want to do with my life?

During this phase of life, it is a time of great decision making, the likes of which determine the outcome of one's entire life. Because it is a time of immense, seismic change in a person (particularly if you throw searching for identity into the mix), such an age group needs people to disciple them, look out for them, mentor them, help them in this turbulent transition. Yet...does such a ministry exist for these aspiring young people within the church? At my church, such a place did exist...but that was many years ago.

I am currently 25 at the time of writing this, and even though most of the above questions have been answered in my own life, I still face constant battles with what else to do with my life. On a plus side, it is a comfort that I am surrounded by awesome friends and the most wonderful woman in the world, to spur me on when things get down. I believe, personally, that something akin to this is needed in the church, if the church wish to be effective in reaching out to this age group, irrespective of gender. With all that happens in those ten years (and boy do they move quickly!), we need people who will guide us on the straight path, neither turning to the left nor to the right.

Notes
[1] I write "as we know it" because, maybe, we as Christians need to rethink our definition of what "church" is. Is it a place where we meet to sing songs, listen to messages, and add a little "I went to Church" checkmark in a box? Or is it something bigger than all of that?

I Am Sith!

Got a bit adventurous with my video editing software...
Here's a short movie clip of me with a Sith Lightsaber in my lounge. It's a little 'choppy', but for my first real attempt at creating such a video, it's not too shabby, really.
Video Size: 3.75MB

An Update to Full Circle

Since I wrote my post Full Circle, there have been a couple of developments that have arisen. One involves the University of Canterbury; the other involves Joyce Meyer.

Firstly, even before I wrote Full Circle, I had been frequently visiting the Seek website, checking out possibilities for future jobs. While there is currently nothing on the horizon, it has been good seeing what is out there. Aside from Seek, I have also been frequenting - moreso - the Canterbury University website. I have been going there to check out possibilities in "bettering myself"; getting a further qualification that could pave the way for bigger and better opportunities.

Secondly, my wife and I attended the GirlTalk event at the WestpacTrust Centre on Sunday night. Realising the name of the event (GirlTalk), there were a surprisingly good amount of men in attendance. As well as a fantastic performance by Parachute Band, Joyce Meyer was the keynote speaker. Now, I am quite allergic to anything resembling Pentecostalism [1] (for a number of personal reasons which I won't go into here), and accompanied my wife with a little tinge of apprehension. However, what I found was quite a solid, common sense message that didn't smack of veiled Pentecostalism. While I may be wary with regard to some of the things Pentecostalism claims, I found that I had no need to be wary at GirlTalk. If anything, I found it to be a most fantastic event, and I also managed to bump into some college buddies who attended as well. All in all, it was more than worth it to attend.

[1] Note that I am making a marked distinction between Pentecostalism and those who attend Pentecostal-denominated churches. One day I might write a post explaining why I am not so keen on Pentecostalism.

Christmas Has Come Early!

Some time ago, I attended a Men's Breakfast organised by the blokes of my church. As these breakfasts usually involve great company and...let's face it...FOOD...I signed up and went. I mean, come on: bacon and eggs, and the rest. What more do I need to say?

Actually, quite a bit. As well as the event being a Men's Breakfast, it was also the chance for the men of the church to get to know our latest acquisition to the Pastoral Team, one Alan Jamieson. On the many occasions I've heard Alan speak, I observe a speaker with a no-nonsense, practical approach to preaching the Word. That is definitely something I do appreciate - getting stuck into not only what the Word is, but what the Word can do in our everyday lives.

But that's not all. During the breakfast, we the men got to "interview" Alan with whatever questions we could come up with. I forget the questions themselves, but I do remember this one thing in particular. Alan spoke of the "feminising" of today's church; a church culture that seems to be better at feeding the women, but not so the men. And he also mentions the book Why Men Hate Going To Church.

And thanks to a very good friend of mine, I now have said publication in my hot little hands. Temporarily mind you, but nevertheless, I have it! And believe me: this book will be heavily devoured.

Ever since Alan mentioned this book, I have wanted to get my hands on this book and read it for myself. Putting Alan's observations aside, I have also been left wondering where the men of the church are. As well as that, I have been pondering this little question, and I wonder if other men have as well. The question is this: How does a man demonstrate his love for Christ...when Christ is himself a man? In other words, how does a man tell another man he loves him? Or what does this love look like manifested in the life of a man?

Full Circle

It has been quite a depressing period for me as of late. I think the above picture sums my present situation brilliantly. Over the last few weeks, I have been feeling like I'm in a position entitled 'Working Hard; Going Nowhere'. Ever Since I graduated from College last year with my degree, I have had one possible opportunity show itself for application of said degree. Unfortunately, the opportunity did not manifest itself into an actual position (which would have seen me become an Associate Pastor at this church), but hey, what did I have to lose by applying? More unfortunate than not getting the position is that the church has not responded to my last email: thanking them for considering me and asking for advice on what could help future ministerial opportunities that arise. Is this what I ought to expect from a Christian body?

That issue aside, I am currently slogging away at my old stomping ground in Sockburn. However, I feel like I have made it to the top of the heap, so to speak; that the position I hold is the highest I can possibly go. And make no mistake - the position itself isn't too glamorous. That being said, with no qualifications (other than my degree), no technical skills, no trades, am I to think that where I am at is going to be my lot in life? That I will forever be stuck working in factories?

As you can see, I am fed up to the hilt with where my life is at the moment. Yes, I am married to the most wonderful woman in the world, and that is something I would never change. But I am fast getting sick and tired of working hard for meagre wages, only to see it frittered away on bills, rent, and the ever-constant rising fuel and grocery costs. Where's the savings? As I'm currently on the minimum wage of $12, that's not a lot of wages to go round for a new family unit, let alone enough to whack off the bills and everything else that rears its fiscal head. It also doesn't help that New Zealand is teetering on the cliffs of Recession. I have found myself wishing with every breath that I was earning a much higher wage - and yet I feel like I lack the skills in order to secure jobs with higher pay packets. With the cost of living growing ever higher, I wish to be able to earn enough to not only knock off the expenses, but to also have a sizable amount saved for the future.

Like the title I've picked for this post, I feel like I've done a full circle in my life. Prior to college, I was in this exact same position. After six months of thinking about where I wanted to go with my life, I ended up at college and attaining my degree. Having done all that over the last three years, I have returned to that familiar question I asked myself long ago: What do I want to do with my life?

When I first asked it, I was a single man; I had the freedom that goes with being single, which enabled me to do some of the things I ended up doing in order to get into college. These days, it's a little harder to come by. I am not only a married man, but I am also the main breadwinner, and without my wage, these bills and the rent would not get paid. I do not have the freedom as I once did to make such decisions. In short, I feel like my fire has gone out. I feel like I'm stuck.

For those with families, my regurgitation of feelings is not an attempt to elevate my position of hardship over those whose needs outweigh my own. Simply put, from my vantage point, I'm voicing the concerns of probably over 80% of the country.

Why Trust the Most Trusted NZers?

The annual ‘tradition’ of the Readers Digest is back again for 2008; the most Trusted New Zealanders as voted by the general public of this country. With a few similarities to that of the list of 2007, there are some very notable exceptions. Here are my thoughts on this years list of the Most Trusted New Zealanders.

First of all, the number one spot occupied by Corporal Apiata. My initial – and current – response: fantastic! Here’s an individual catapulted into the limelight from relative obscurity for incredible feats wrought with risks in the name of duty. It is no wonder Apiata captured the nation’s #1 place; a man of that proven integrity would earn anyone’s trust, surely.

However, I am utterly confused over the overwhelming majority of the top ten spots being occupied by sportspeople, ranging from Olympians to local ‘heroes’ (McCaw comes to mind). Would anyone out there like to cure me of my scepticism and explain to me how these seven sportspeople earned the ranks of the most trusted? Sure, they worked hard and earned gold medals and sporting accolades; but then again, so have countless others in their sporting careers. Go to any suburban cricket club, and you will find an accolade list of members’ achievements.

I know of, know, and have known many people throughout my life to date. None of them have any medals, gold or otherwise. Not all have achieved tangible sporting rewards, like trophies. None of those who I presently know are celebrities of any kind. But they all have one thing in common, and it is this.

All of these people have earned my trust. Some of these people I would trust even with my own life.

None of these people are on the Most Trusted list, top ten or otherwise. But I would like someone out there to explain to me how a gold medal or a trophy earns the trust of the nation. I can see how the nation can respect and admire those in the top ten for their achievements. I indeed respect and admire them for their achievements in the name of New Zealand, but I personally have no reason to trust them with my life.

Any thoughts out there on this one?

Where Have All The Heroes Gone?

The other night I was cooking dinner, and the strangest thought popped into my head. For some unknown reason, I got thinking about television programs. More to the point, I got thinking about particular programs I used to watch when I was younger. I'm sure many New Zealanders can recall the TV program Heroes, cataloging stories of heroic deeds performed by ordinary New Zealanders, be it rescuing somebody from a mountaineering expedition gone wrong, or (in one episode) the actions of one who was faced with the Tangiwai disaster.

But that was then. These days, the TV screen, apart from broadcasting the six o' clock news or a Crusaders home game, is replete with programs with either sex or violence as its "vehicle" theme, or programs that run along the genre of "Reality TV". Shows like Big Brother come to mind, and far from showing examples of happy communal living, one is exposed to a myriad of backstabbing, jealousy, cheating, and the like. It is shows such as these that dominate our TV screens on a nightly basis. The main concern is that we viewers thrive off these shows.

My point is this: Where have all the Heroes gone? If television can be portrayed as a mirror of our prevalent culture, then our culture has shifted from praising role models to praising the darker side of the human condition. Ironically, we as people long for somebody to look up to, somebody to emulate in life. Yet if the absence of Heroes is anything to go by, then such role models are nowhere to be found. More sinister is the fact that perhaps we don't want a role model to show us the way. We like watching these reality shows because we thrive off of the misfortunes of others. One need only think of the rat race that is the business world to know what I am referring to.

Our culture has shifted dramatically to echo the words of Tool frontman Maynard James Keenan, who says in the opening lines of Vicarious:

"Eye on the the TV, 'cause tragedy thrills me
Whatever flavour it happens to be, like...
"Killed by the husband"
"Drowned by the ocean"
"Shot by his own son"
"She used a poison in his tea...kissed him goodbye"
That's my kind of story
It's no fun 'til someone dies

Don't look at me like I am a monster
Frown out your one face, But with the other:
Stare like a junkie, into the TV
Stare like a zombie,
While the mother holds her child, watches them die
Hands to the sky crying, "Why, oh why?"

Cause I need to watch things die... from a distance
Vicariously I live while the whole world dies...
YOU ALL NEED IT TOO, DON'T LIE."

Welcome Back...Yet Again!

Hmmm...*thinks*...this is almost becoming something of a habit these days. But nevertheless, here I am - once again - in an attempt to return to the world of the Blogspot!

Since my last post (albeit six months ago), quite a LOT of things have happened in my life. I can explain these changes in a "I am no longer" list. So, here goes...

For starters, I am no longer a swinging seminary student (nice alliteration) of BCNZ. My three years have come and gone; my slogging away at a ministry degree is over, and I have since had my graduation and (finally) wrapped my sore-from-exam-writing fingers around a degree that I have looked forward to for so long. As well as this, I feel a great privilege to have stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the rest of my fellow students; fellow sufferers of the toils of study, who too have slogged away and gained their degrees as well.

I am also no longer a swinging single either. As of about a month ago at the time of writing this, I got married to an incredibly special friend of seven years, and have since set up home (again), this time as somebody's husband (incredible too is the fact that I just typed myself as a 'Husband'). While I am in some ways still getting my bearings around what married life entails, I will readily admit that married life has turned out better than I would ever have expected. Sure, there will be tough times at unexpected turns, but that is fine. Anyone who knows the scope and depth of my friendship with my now wife will know that we will be OK when testing times arrive.

Apart from these two seismic differences in my life, not much else has really changed. I have since returned to my original place of occupation, where I endeavour to think and reflect upon the next stage in my life, particularly with reference to where I wish to apply my degree and my learnings. Until then, I hope to be a bit more frequent with my blogging than I have been in the past.

Ka Kite Ano