No … I haven’t been to Saddleback yet.
No … I haven’t solved world peace, but I’m working on it.
No … I haven’t danced with the devil in the pale moonlight
No … I haven’t seen my neph-monkey since Memorial day
No … I haven’t taken over the world, but it goes along with that whole world peace thing.
No … I haven’t gotten a date. (Despite Becca’s top 10 list)
No … I haven’t misplaced my brain, … err … maybe I have
No … I haven’t figured out the meaning of life, I’m still trying to figure out my own life.
No … I haven’t considered what type of chocolate I’m on at this phase in my life
(Warning: you are now entering serious thoughts, there is no shallow end)
Now that that is out of the way, I have finished classes for summer and with two papers outstanding I’m going to take this weekend off and have some fun and contemplate some of the things that I have been putting off this past quarter. Mostly having to do with some serious theological thinking regarding church. I’m not sure I have an answer, nor do I have all the front-end research done. I think I have a very basic building block understanding of what ‘church’ is supposed to be, and the tension lies within my understanding and experience of what Reformed church is and what I have experienced within a more Charismatic setting. I have to be honest in that I’m not fully understanding of what the underlying foundation of the Charismatic tradition is. I have been reading Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places (for fun) by Eugene Peterson … slowly … and looking at the balance between what could be seen as the spiritual gifts and what is a perversion of the gifts in the sense of where Glory is given. I’ll let ya know how the book goes.
I can remember one day during my first quarter of a friend of mine coming out of class after having just finished a John Thompson paper and saying ‘I now understand why I am Reformed, I am Reformed.’ … and thinking, ‘that is odd.’ My problem is that I know I am Reformed, in more ways than I can count, which makes me odd, yet I still struggle with this tension in the Charismatic movement. Most of this falls in the music movements that are taking place. Now I’m at the point where I have a respect for the church music forms that I have encountered. I understand the beauty of the hymns and the drive that comes from a more contemporary side of things. Here is the fun part: Looking at the majority of the worship artists, who produce music in the contemporary style, are on some level within the Charismatic understanding. One of my fellow musicians at Fuller has a strong preference of hymns over contemporary music, and has stated as much. This musician has many skills that I wish I had as a musician and I respect her choice, and on the other side of things there are entire movements (such as Indelible Grace) that serve the primary function of trying to bring hymns within the realm of guitar and ‘band’ type of settings. At this point I want to have my cake and eat it too, but the 'I want' doesn't work to well with what God wants. And thus I reach the question: is there a way to mix some of the two, to … walk the line … while still being considered ‘Reformed' ... AND still feel like God is praised before the band is.
This is my tension and struggle as I carry on through Seminary. I see it as I visit churches with a 'budget' to support music in their churches and have very charismatic leaders to support their beliefs. I'm guilty of this, giving credit to Tomlin, Crowder, and so on rather than the God who wants our praise. I blur the lines all to much even in my own life where I take compliments rather than directing them Godwards (I must be in Seminary, I'm making up words).
It isn’t so much about what I want nor is it about pleasing a congregation but finding a place where God is worshiped by everyone. If I had to pick one or the other (which is not where I feel God leading me) I would end up Reformed, but then that is what I have grown up as. Yet as I learn more and more about different church styles I find a peace surrounding most things that might prove to be difficult theological issues. Or maybe it is coming to a place where ‘I don’t know’ is an acceptable answer.
I think I have another rant that I need to flesh out too, but I'll save that for another time.
Thoughts? Comments here or in person are open. I know I have holes in there somewhere, but take the rough meaning.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Thursday, August 09, 2007
Sacred, Space, and Buildings
One of the things that I have picked up on my journey through life is an appreciation of the function of an object. This has carried somewhat into my church experiences where one looks at how a church functions, and also at the ‘air’ around the church. I visited Bel Air Presbyterian church in the hills looking over the North LA county. For being one of the more populated Presbyterian churches in LA it had a very ‘home’ feel to it. To be honest it didn’t really feel like a ‘church’ but rather a large meeting hall where friends gathered together. Much of the technical oriented stuff was tucked away and hidden to the best of their ability but there was just a feeling of peace and home that one does not always find in a building alone, often one needs people to make that happen. Yet I could easily see myself spending a morning there alone in quiet contemplation.
I just read this article on buildings, beauty, and the idea of ‘sacred.’ I find that this concept of sacred is important to many and that others are often not aware of it. In many of the churches I have been to it is difficult to separate the sacred from the social. It is the sacred that I have tried to recreate in my own space, and am moderately successful. Yet I don’t think that everyone understands a need for the space of the sacred.
One of the things that is mentioned in the above article is that buildings and spaces get forgotten over time for what they were built to create space for. Yet the building still holds meaning in the form of ‘sacred’ and it is understood that sacred is something that is now an adjective describing the building. The perception that a congregation has on a church is easily noted in how they tend to their pre-service activities. Often I will see friends in fellowship talking at normal volumes without consideration for others in the sanctuary/chapel. Other people will be near by and seeing to have a moment of contemplation and silent reflection but are unable to do so with the conversation.
I’m going to Saddleback sometime in the next two weeks to see what the church is like and I’m not sure what I will find. I have to say that I’m not a huge fan of the whole 40 days of purpose thing, if only cause I had to do it for 80 days back to back, but I have never seen him in person so it should be … interesting. I know I haven't made a point or anything concrete, but then again I'm still doing 'research.'
I just read this article on buildings, beauty, and the idea of ‘sacred.’ I find that this concept of sacred is important to many and that others are often not aware of it. In many of the churches I have been to it is difficult to separate the sacred from the social. It is the sacred that I have tried to recreate in my own space, and am moderately successful. Yet I don’t think that everyone understands a need for the space of the sacred.
One of the things that is mentioned in the above article is that buildings and spaces get forgotten over time for what they were built to create space for. Yet the building still holds meaning in the form of ‘sacred’ and it is understood that sacred is something that is now an adjective describing the building. The perception that a congregation has on a church is easily noted in how they tend to their pre-service activities. Often I will see friends in fellowship talking at normal volumes without consideration for others in the sanctuary/chapel. Other people will be near by and seeing to have a moment of contemplation and silent reflection but are unable to do so with the conversation.
I’m going to Saddleback sometime in the next two weeks to see what the church is like and I’m not sure what I will find. I have to say that I’m not a huge fan of the whole 40 days of purpose thing, if only cause I had to do it for 80 days back to back, but I have never seen him in person so it should be … interesting. I know I haven't made a point or anything concrete, but then again I'm still doing 'research.'
Sunday, August 05, 2007
Blood and Tears
I finally found my brother’s blog tonight …
Strangely enough he posted yesterday, and seems to only post when he is getting all fired up, and thus I only see the hurt side. Yet within all this pain and struggle he has paid me two comments of genuine respect that have not only touched me deeply, but they have also allowed me to see him, and feel his pain. I barely have the words, yet I’m sure my tears could speak more than any words could ever do justice.
This isn’t really for any of my friend’s benefit, but rather for my brother’s. I know he reads my blog from time to time, and probably understands me more as we spent a few years growing up together, but what gets me is that he is excited for me and my moving through Seminary. I don’t quite get why as it probably means we agree to disagree about the nature of God and the universe. Yet at the same time I do understand, if only because I am excited to see where his life takes him. The both of us really had a few years after college where we were still trying to figure out what to do with our lives. I had only just begun to understand God’s call on my life, and my brother was figuring out his own life. Now the both of us are stepping into our lives and finally figuring out what we want to do with them … aside from having fun.
I don’t think I would ever call my brother the black sheep of the family and mean it. I can’t begin to describe the challenge that Luke 15:11 and following scare me sometimes, sometimes I wonder if this case there are two men on the porch waiting.
My emotions are kinda out of whack right now, but I think they have been moved to the right place.
Strangely enough he posted yesterday, and seems to only post when he is getting all fired up, and thus I only see the hurt side. Yet within all this pain and struggle he has paid me two comments of genuine respect that have not only touched me deeply, but they have also allowed me to see him, and feel his pain. I barely have the words, yet I’m sure my tears could speak more than any words could ever do justice.
This isn’t really for any of my friend’s benefit, but rather for my brother’s. I know he reads my blog from time to time, and probably understands me more as we spent a few years growing up together, but what gets me is that he is excited for me and my moving through Seminary. I don’t quite get why as it probably means we agree to disagree about the nature of God and the universe. Yet at the same time I do understand, if only because I am excited to see where his life takes him. The both of us really had a few years after college where we were still trying to figure out what to do with our lives. I had only just begun to understand God’s call on my life, and my brother was figuring out his own life. Now the both of us are stepping into our lives and finally figuring out what we want to do with them … aside from having fun.
I don’t think I would ever call my brother the black sheep of the family and mean it. I can’t begin to describe the challenge that Luke 15:11 and following scare me sometimes, sometimes I wonder if this case there are two men on the porch waiting.
My emotions are kinda out of whack right now, but I think they have been moved to the right place.
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