Renovating Holiness: Contributions Part 3

Photo by Houstonian

Introductory essays for the Renovating Holiness project keep rolling in.  For the third installment today, notice the increase in ladies and international contributors.  (See other contributions here and here.)

Lori Ward (Pastor/Teacher, South Korea)

I’d like to write about holiness expressed through hospitality.  We are invited by Christ to open ourselves in vulnerability, welcome, and service to others.  When we welcome the stranger, when we share a meal, when we open our homes, when we are present with others in celebration and suffering, we engage them with the love of Christ.  The work of Christ in us enables us to lower our guard and to invest our lives intimately with others, especially those who live in the margins.  Holiness expressed through hospitality does not set us up as proprietors, but as hosts—broken and consumed by those we love and serve, that we may embody the presence of Christ in our world.

Steve Walsh (Pastor, Australia)

Using the insights provided by Floyd T. Cunningham's Holiness Abroad: Nazarene Missions in Asia, as well as the research found in J Fred Parker's Mission to the World: A History of Missions in the Church of the Nazarene Through 1985, and Cunningham's Our Watchword & Song: The Centennial History of the Church of the Nazarene, my essay would seek to examine the relationship between our emerging contemporary understanding of the theology and experience of entire sanctification and the international and intercultural dissemination of our distinctive message by endeavoring to answer the question "What might Hiram F Reynolds say to the Church of the Nazarene today?"  Reynolds addressed the concerns of his contemporaries who worried about "doctrinal confusion, and a low standard of experience" in churches planted on foreign mission fields, which would lead the church to be ashamed to call its progeny  "Nazarene". I believe this parallels concerns especially of the American church as the denominational demographics change dramatically. The essay would consider the tensions between missional strategies aiming at both the indigenisation and internationalisation of the Church of the Nazarene as it wrestles with the forces of globalisation and localisation. From its inception, the Church of the Nazarene was both "missionary-oriented and American-centered"The pragmatic Reynolds, one of the founders of the Church of the Nazarene, and the architect of early Nazarene mission policies and strategies, who maintained  that "the work and manifestations of the Holy Spirit are practically the same in all countries" has much to say to the Church of the Nazarene today on such issues as contextualisation of theology, holistic ministry, and missional strategy.

Jason Robertson (Olivet Nazarene University)

Over the past year I’ve been contemplating our tradition’s emphasis on the “radical optimism of grace.” This notion made sense at the turn of the 20th century when optimism was woven through the fabric of American society. But does it work for a generation that is not given an optimistic outlook on most areas of life? “Optimism” is an anemic notion better suited for the social sciences. Millennials and Xers have to fight to be optimistic about the future, and older generations seem more optimistic about days gone by. From my experience those who are most passionately teaching radical optimism are hardly optimistic about the direction our world is going. The disconnect for their younger audience is obvious. I think our tradition needs to recover the robust, biblical notion of hope. Hope draws us into the future with expectation of something better for the world, as well as our own souls. I would make a distinction between hope and optimism and then suggest the holiness tradition should recapture the essence of hope as a lived reality in light of God’s kingdom, past, present, and future.

Tara Smith (Pastor, Indiana)

I would like to discuss holiness as participation in the life of God.  When Nazarenes recall that the word "holy" means "to be set apart," we still struggle to understand what this could possibly mean concerning a human life.  So we fall short in our practical application:  to be holy is to be particularly good at following rules; to be holy is to be counter-cultural; to be holy is to love slightly better (more often?) than the average person.

It's my suggestion that we apply the word holy quite literally to God, who is something other than we are; i.e., set apart.  To "be holy as [God] is holy" is to participate in God's life.  This may mimic the rule-following, counter-cultural-operating, optimal-loving lifestyle, but its source is never any of those things.  Rather, the source of holiness is only ever God, and thus our stake in it only ever our participation in the divine life.  

Leading Kingdom Movements - Review

Mike Breen strikes gold again.
First, he nails the cultural analysis.  We are in the midst of a cultural earthquake. All of our buildings are shaken and wobbly.  People are wary of institutions because they feel dangerous; the whole thing just might collapse and crush them.  And yet increasingly we know we are broken, and we want healing.
Then, Breen directs our attention to long-term change.

• "Many people doing many small things in many places can change the face of the world."
• "At the center of each movement were leaders who had been completely and utterly broken in such a way that they came to rely completely on the Lord."
• Miracles are the heavy artillery of the Kingdom.  Many of us shy away from the gift because of the packaging.  But what if it wasn't weird?
• "Find the grace.  Organize around where you see the grace operating."  See what God is doing and join him there.
• "Care more about the long-term sustainability and development of your team than the short-term success of your organization."
• The more difficult your assignment, the more you need time playing together.  Times to laugh, enjoy each other, and just be a team apart from any higher purpose you have.
• "If you make disciples, you really do get the rest.  If you make disciples and release them, you will get new people entering the Kingdom.  If you make disciples, you get the missional thing.  If you make disciples, the places where society is torn in two and frayed at the edges start to be mended."
• "Movements are what change the world. ... Most leaders, even young leaders, are trained in how to lead organizations, even institutions - but not movements."
• "The extended family unit (25-70 people who meet together regularly) is the single most significant vehicle of mission that God has ever released into the world.  Ever."
• "If you can do the work of the Kingdom without the Holy Spirit's active involvement (through the miraculous), you aren't really doing the work of the Kingdom."
• "Movemental change will come only if we have something that is sustainable and scalable.  If our methodology requires leaders and events with endless amounts of energy resources and money, we're done.  We just are."
• In discipleship, we are essentially orbiting around a person of larger spiritual mass (as we all orbit around Jesus).  We are putting ourselves within that person's sphere of influence so that some of her Spirit can rub off on us, so that we can gain some of her spiritual mass.
• In discipling relationships, we need predictable rhythms of orbital patterns (spending time close together with certain people in regular intervals - being within the orbit of their influence).  
• Large groups (75+) should function as "red hot centers" - firing us up with the Spirit for when we orbit outward away for our missional time away from the center.

This is my third book by Breen, and I'm convinced that he is a man of deep wisdom.  He has caught on to something in our world and has a profound Spiritual and anthropological insight into how to help the Church become the transforming force of goodness and healing that God always intended.  I want to keep learning.

What the Church Can Learn from Hooters

Showing wrinkles and missing a few steps, Hooters is in a midlife crisis.  USA Today ran a story last month on Hooters' CEO Terry Marks's work to help Hooters become more relevant for a changing culture.  Surprisingly, this story carries a boat load of learning lessons for the Church - which is also in its own life-stage crisis.

Hooters is the established leader in the "Breastaurant" industry.  And yes, that's a real thing.  Hooters pretty much invented this market niche when it started in 1980, but as they have failed to change with the times, they are quickly losing ground to competitors like Twin Peaks and Tilted Kilts.  Every Hooters restaurant still pretty much looks like the first ones in 1980!  They are dark, slightly dingy, and serve greasy prepackaged foods.  Sales are down, and last year, they closed about 50 restaurants.

Hence the need for change.  Hooters has identified several needed areas for change.
1. The uniforms.  Those well endowed women are still dressing like they're in the 80's, complete with dark hose and leg warmers.  Hooters is hoping to have a social media powered vote on the finalists for new uniform styles.

Mere Churchianity - Review

Our small group read Mere Churchianity over the summer and early fall.  One of our members has been following the site www.interentmonk.com, started by Michael Spencer, for years.  Honestly, we collectively had mixed reviews of the book.
On the positive side:

• Spencer really understands the frustrations of many people with classic Fundamentalist Christianity.
• Spencer also does a great job explaining that fundamentalism is not the only way to be authentically Christian.
• Also, Spencer winsomely redirects the church and church dropouts to focus on Jesus instead of our defunct traditions.
• Spencer also hints at a few possible solutions for our massive dysfunctions.

On the negative side:

• Spencer frustratingly equates evangelicalism with fundamentalism.  As an evangelical who is not fundamentalist, this drove me crazy.
• Spencer paints with a broad brush, sweeping all churches and Christians into large stereotypes.  This was also very frustrating.  Our group found ourselves understanding with his frustrations but disagreeing with his stereotypes.
• While Spencer hints at solutions, he is noticeably short on answers.  To be fair though, part of his point is that the answers are not so easy and available as we've claimed.

Overall, I would say this is a good book for people who have been deeply hurt by the church.  This can give them hope that they can still be Christian despite their frustrations with the church.  I wish it was more balanced, but perhaps the imbalance is itself a gift to those who have had a negatively imbalanced experience of church (and to those of us who need to understand the natural feelings embedded in that type of experience).
The Josh rating: JJJ.

The World Is Flat 3.0 - Reflection 1

A few weeks ago, on our anniversary trip, Sarah and I stopped into the English book mecca in Korea: What the Book. It's a small book store ... in a basement ... a few blocks off the beaten path. What makes it so special? All of the books are in English - 100%!! Most of the big book stores here in Korea have a few shelves of English books, but no one has selection like this. I loved it!
One of my finds was The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-First Century by Thomas L. Friedman. (This is his third edition of the book in as many years.) I got it because I thought it would help me understand postmodernism, which is becoming one of my new passions for research. I LOVE THIS BOOK!!
I'm going to write some reflections on it as I move along. Here is stage number one.

Why is the world "flat"? Discovering that the world was round was a big deal right - Christopher Columbus and all of that, right?
Here's how Friedman explains it: Flat "means equalizing, because the flattening forces are empowering more and more individuals to reach farther, faster, deeper, and cheaper than ever before, and that is equalizing power - and equalizing opportunity, by giving so many more people the tools and ability to connect, compete and collaborate. In my view, this flattening of the wolrd is the most important thing happening in the world today ... one that affects everything from individual empowerment to culture to how hierarchical institutions operate" (x).

Friedman says "there have been three great eras of globalization."

1. Globalization 1.0 - (1492-1800) - beginning when Columbus set sail for the "New World." The key forces were brute national strength and cunning application of that strength. Individuals participated in globalization through the work and activity of nations. World size: large --> medium.
   
2. Globalization 2.0 - (1800-2000) beginning with the Industrial Revolution. The key driving forces of this change were multinational companies. Individuals participated in globalization through their companies (and the companies doing business in their market place). World size: medium --> small.
3. Globalization 3.0 - (2000 -????) beginning with the mass availability of personal computers and high speed internet access. The unique force that causes this change "is the newfound power for individuals to collaborate and compete globally." Naturally (but also shockingly), then, individuals participate in globalization as independent individuals. World size: small --> tiny.
   

This is a radical, cataclysmic, earth-shaking change! We are just beginning a very wild ride. Our world is changing faster than ever before, and the pace of change is increasing faster than ever before. What is the source of all of this change? People around the world are now able to participate in shaping the future. Because people in almost any country can have access to almost any information and can develop almost any skill and can create new information which can then be accessed by all other people all over the world, we have multiplied our mental workforce exponentially.
Maybe a visual picture will help. Imagine that before the internet, the world changers (the people who invented stuff and thought up the really cool new ideas and developed new systems) could all fit into one large auditorium in New York City - granted a very crowded room. N0w, with the massive implementation of the internet, the world changers are filling up all of New York City, all of New York State, and are spilling out all over the entire North American continent. Soon, they will take up every inch of the globe. (And this metaphor is not intended to be America-centric. I just had to pick somewhere as the starting point.) The point is that people all over the world are now able to be active players in shaping their own destiny and also the destiny of the entire world.
The world is flat ... and getting flatter all the time.

Greatest Movie #83: Titanic

Last night Sarah and I watched the modern classic romance Titanic. (Thanks KyungRan for the loan.)
However, I have to say that this time, both Sarah and I found the movie to be more about social critique than romance. Sure there is the steamy 24 hour romance between Jack and Rose, but that is kind of an overlay on a deeper social commentary. And even that romance serves a salvation function to rescue Rose out of the dead-end, dead-life system of the upper class rich folk, with all of their arrogance, gossip, indulgence, mutual expectation, and prejudice. Jack opens her eyes to a whole new world of possibilities, a whole new realm of experiences, free from the limiting system in which she felt trapped.

The ship itself is a microcosm of society. The different levels of the ship are stunning in their representation of our world. At the top are the first class passengers. They experience the height of luxury, prestige, and arrogance. Their rooms are suites. They travel with their own armies of servants and gear. Next come the second, third, and steerage class passengers. They are the middle class folk who somehow managed a ticket on this historic venture. They share rooms in bunk beds and eat in large dining halls where social rules are nearly non-existent. Next comes the engineering level. We see stunning shots of the machinery which makes this ship go and also of the neatly uniformed people who manage these well oiled pistons and levers. Finally, in the belly of the ship are the coal ovens. Here people labor in swealtering heat shoveling coal to fuel the massive steam engines, which fuel the pistons, which turn the propellers, which enable this voyage involving such luxury hundreds of feet above. This class of people sweat and ache and struggle 12+ hours a day covered in dirt and grime for the express purpose of enabling the frivolity of the people several stories above them.
This is a humbling and sobering picture of our world. Instead of being separated by levels of a ship, we are separated by levels of society, national development, careers, education, opportunity, etc. The people on the different levels do not have different values - despite the explicit claims of the first class passengers. Yet the underclasses labor away at jobs that serve the express purpose of making luxury possible for the people who were lucky enough or well positioned enough to make it to the first class seating.

A few other metaphors struck me as I watched this movie. I won't have time to flesh them out fully, but here they are in a nutshell.
1. Jack is a Christ figure - wooing us out of our broken systems to experience true life. His venture to help us experience true life and to win our love costs him his own life, but finally wins the reward of the affection of his beloved and her freedom to experience true life.



2. The Titanic is an emblem of our broken systems, including the church. The old ship is going down. The old systems are broken, but people are complaining about the cold and noise involved in getting into the lifeboats. Also, we request that our people keep playing, keep serving brandy, and keep up all appearances that everything is OK. This desire for stability is a direct contributor to the losses we will necessarily experience for not heeding the warning signs to adapt to change and to abandon the sinking ship.

3. 2,200 people were aboard the Titanic. 700 people made it into 20 lifeboats, which could have accommodated 1,400 or more. However, after the ship sank, only 1 boat came back to collect more passengers, and that was only after so much time had passed that most of the passengers had frozen to death in the icy waters. The boats had the potential to save 700 or more additional people, but they only pulled 6 live people from the water. Most of the boats stayed away from the swimming passengers because they were afraid the other passengers would swamp their boats and sink them all. The great irony is that most of the boats were only half full, and there was little risk of them being swamped. So they stayed at a comfortable distance listening to the screams and whistles of hundreds of dying people, knowing they could help, but afraid of the potential cost to themselves. This is SOOO like our world, where we are afraid to get involved in the plight of our starving, struggling neighbors because we are afraid they will swamp our boats. "We can't save the whole world, right?" Maybe, maybe not. But there are sure hundreds of people out there in the water who can get into our boats ... if we don't wait too long.