thoughts on "becoming"

I've been thinking--I had a little bit of free time today (not really free time but meditating time, praying time, prep time for my sermon prep)--and got to thinking about the difference between making disciples and becoming disciples. It's a subtle difference, mind you, but I feel it's an important one.

This is a topic I'm playing around with for Sunday and if there's any feedback feel free to comment. So read on (be warned, this is llllloooooooonnnnnggg, so if you gotta potty, do it now, maybe get a cuppa coffee or tea or whatever refreshment you need):

Also, it's in the rough; completely unpolished, totally hot off the press and un-proofed...

When I hear the mission statement of the church, "to make disciples for Jesus Christ," I'm left wondering a few things. Are disciples made? Or do they become? It's a complicated thing and I'm not even sure I can get the words out simply. Maybe it's easier if I change to the first person. I don't want to be made into a disciple it makes me think of those playdough machines where the blob goes in at the top and the thing comes out the side; I want to become a disciple. I make coffee mugs on a potter's wheel. Jennifer makes costumes with her sewing machine. The kids at VBS make crafts, lots and lots of crafts. Making disciples sounds a little too mechanical for me. I prefer the idea that we are becoming disciples—it leaves room for growth and learning. There's a place for process. Becoming indicates a gradual shift from this to that.

So now there's another question. How do we enter into this process of becoming disciples? Well, I do have an answer to that, and hopefully it's not as convoluted as the talk about the difference between making and becoming. We become disciples by first admitting that we still have something to learn from our teacher. (That's Jesus, by the way, not me! I am part of becoming a disciple as anyone else! ) We "become" by worshipping with Joy; by learning with Gladness; by Welcoming others as we would welcome Christ; and by serving with love—no strings attached!

I guess I've come to realize that the church can be one of the most assuming institutions out there. We assume that everyone who comes through our doors has it all together. We assume that they know what to do during worship. We assume they know how to become a Christian (and if you use the above, slightly confusing description of becoming, you may realize that you can't really say, "I became a Christian on this date at that time by saying a certain prayer.") The church can be pretty presumptuous—and we all know what happens when we assume (at least, I think you all know that saying!)

Maybe it would be helpful if we laid out steps---kind of like AA or NA or whatever anonymous. After all, the twelve steps are pretty relevant when it comes to the church. And most folks in recovery programs admit that they have to take it one day at a time. They have a Big Book, too; any they read it regularly. You have a sponsor and you go regularly because you're surrounded by a community of others who are in a situation similar to yours.

Maybe the first thing we need to do, much like step one, is say that we are powerless over our brokenness and because of our brokenness our lives are unmanageable. I used to dislike tremendously all those preachers who pointed out from the pulpit and said, "You're nothing but a bunch of sinners!" I guess what I didn't like was the assumption—there's that word again—that the preacher wasn't even though everyone else was. But we're all broken and we all need fixing, healing, restoring, renewal, redemption, salvation, choose your word—it doesn't matter which one they all mean the same thing and we all need it. We're broken (it's just a matter of degrees) and that brokenness makes us powerless and makes our lives unmanageable. Here, I'll start:

Hi, my name is Daniel and I'm living in brokenness, there are days when my life is more manageable than others but everyday my brokenness makes itself known in one way or another.

I can imagine that some might not care for the analogy between becoming disciples and moving toward sobriety. But I think that the church has been expecting people to jump into the deep end of the pool without finding out first whether or not they can swim or even providing basic lessons. I think that Jesus was willing to let us use floaties for a while. I know that Paul was willing to let the early church have theological baby food at first. But I think the church expects people to just be "made" into disciples without providing the steps. We talk about the "core process" of radical hospitality, and passionate worship, faith forming relationships, and risk taking mission as the way to make disciples, but, forgive me for being a little jaded, aren't we assuming (there it is again) that churches are already there when by and large they aren't. And that might seem a little judgmental, but wait, think about it…our denomination is loosing members at a huge rate every year (my annual conference lost almost 16,000 members last year while increasing worship attendance by only 42! If the church were a patient in a hospital, we'd be in ICU and on life support with doctors running all kinds of tests trying to find the hole that all the blood is pouring out from!) So maybe we should shift the focus from "making" to "becoming."

And to become means following a process, immersing yourself in a process, much like the movement from addiction to recovery. The second step is to "come to believe that a power greater than me can restore some sanity."

I'm beginning to think that maybe these sound a bit like this prayer that Jesus taught:

Father, reveal who you are.

Set the world right.

Give us three square meals a day.

Could it be that this prayer we say every week is really a process for becoming disciples?

Father, reveal who you are because all this brokenness is making a mess of my life and I could use a little sanity right now. I've tried to straighten it out by myself, but I can't; in fact, the more I try to go it alone, the more messed up everything gets! (Ever been there before?) So, Abba, Daddy, Father, reveal who you are and restore a bit of sanity; set the world right again; I can't do it.

"Give me three square meals a day." Hmmm…how's that work for becoming? Well, give me what I need for today; let tomorrow be tomorrow, God, and help me out with today. Give the strength, give me the nourishment, for what I'm going to experience today. It's a throw back to the time when Israel was wandering in the wilderness after they were delivered from slavery in Egypt. They needed food, so God provided manna, bread from heaven, for each day. They were told to only take what they needed for the day, and no more—except for Sabbath preparation, and then they could gather two days worth of manna. "Give us this day our daily bread." God, give me what I need to get through this day. Sounds a bit like take it one day at a time.

(to be continued)...

cyber encounters

One of the challenges that I find in life is getting my God-time in a way that's actually meaningful to me. That's not to say that I don't love the tradition in which I'm a prodigal-pilgrimm pastor. That means that so much of my worship time is devoted to leading others into an encounter that sometimes my own encounter with the Divine is sacrificed.

What I call a worship experience is quite outside "the norm." I get to really worship maybe once or twice a year (at least I hope that I get an autumn worship time with my nomadic friends). Let me define what I mean by "really worship."

Richard Foster defines worship as those encounters when God's Spirit touches our spirit, music can lead us there, preaching can lead us there, candles, incense, icons, stained glass windows, and Sacraments can all lead us to the place of worship...but worship happens when our spirit and God's Spirit mingle and become intertwined.

So the last time I really, really worshiped was in a place called Joe's Java in Wilmington, Ohio when we went to see the Psalters. They're nomadic musicians with a sound like no other--mixing American folk music with Slave Spirituals with middle eastern music with Klezmer. It was a hot night, and we were all sweaty and smelly, and their music was loud but God arrived (or we became aware that God was already there waiting for us) and I got to just let go and just be Daniel and just be with God. It was an amazing night.

But there's another component that leads us to the place of worship, and that's hearing the Word of Grace. I get to hear preaching more often than I get to let my spirit soar, but so often the preaching that I hear is leadership oriented and institutional in its focus. As a leader, it's good to hear other leaders say the same things that I do; it's reassuring to know that I'm not off base or alone in my quest for making disciples.

But sometimes I crave more than just discipleship sermons. Sometimes I crave hearing that I am beloved of God even in my brokenness; I need to hear that God's grace is offered even to me. Just like I need to remind the flock entrusted to me that they are loved, just like I need to offer them time at the well, I need to get the living water, too.

So I found this podcast. (Finally he gets to the point!) I found this podcast through a book that I was reading because the community of faith was mentioned in the book. The community is called Mercy Street and they are affiliated with Chapelwood UMC in Houston, Texas. The folks that preach there are stellar and each week I look forward to their podcast because they preach to the places where my soul still aches from time-to-time. They have become my pastors, in a way, because the Words of Grace that they speak, cut right to my heart and I laugh with that community and I cry with that community and I get to worship via my iPod.

How cool is that?

robots in disguise

No not another Transformers post...

We saw The Order of the Phoenix today. By far the best movie out this summer. It was very, very cool. Anyone who says that the H.P. story can't be viewed as allegory is deceiving themselves and can't see the forest for the trees. (The whole idea of finding love and community being what makes Harry better/stronger the he-who-must-not-be-named--the idea of love being stronger than the curse of death--the idea of good and evil residing within us all and us choosing which way to act/live just being a few.)


We still haven't gotten book seven (that would be Deathly Hallows for you under rock dwelling people)--just couldn't do the oh-dark-thirty trip to the local marketplace (we don't have any bookstores in our town)...how sad is that anyway, not a single bookstore, we have evil-mart and other super saver stores; we have super grocery stores/marketplaces; but we don't have any "real" bookstores--sometimes I feel like I live in a black hole.


Anyway, sorry Optimus and crew, but you've been bumped to numero duo. Harry and gang actually had a story to tell beyond the special effects. And plot trumps rockem-sockem any day.

Nothing Too Serious

We saw Transformers earlier this week.

Wait...

That's not quite what I'm looking for. That doesn't exactly do it justice.

WE SAW TRANSFORMERS THIS WEEK!
WHOOOOOOOO!!!!

Okay, that's more like it.

Yeah, you don't see a movie like that and come out with a Steven Wright, deadpan, "we saw Transformers this week" comment. The effects were incredible, hard to tell where the cgi ends and the real stuff begins. It should translate well to DVD, but I wouldn't wait if I didn't have to if I were you.

Now, admittedly, Mirage (blue race car up there) wasn't in the movie which made the little boy in me a kind of sad--after all since it was the Transformer I had as a kid it has to be the coolest one! But all things considered it was perhaps the best movie yet this year/ summer (we've seen Spiderman 3, Pirates 3, and F.F. 2...so I'm fairly caught up on the action-type must see this on the big screen with the eardrum deadening sound system movies...live free or die hard being the exception but I'm not all that interested).

All in all a very noble movie, even though the self sacrificial redemption is by-passed with redemptive retributive violence. (I won't say anymore because I don't wanna ruin it).

Saw a really cool trailer for a movie that comes out on 1.18.08 but doesn't have a title (Bad Robot Productions and J.J. Abrams of "Lost" is responsible for this one, too). So keep your eyes open.

Also started reading the Trade Paperbacks of 52 (Vol 1 anyway) yesterday. Looking forward to Vol 2 coming out in a couple of weeks.

What can I say...the Pilgrimm is a GEEK.

Guess that's it. Other than jammin' to the Doobie Brothers and still needing a haircut and needing a shower after mowing the lawn, not much else to report.

pleasant surprises

We have an over achieving sunflower in our front garden. No one knows where it came from--neither of the kids will admit to planting the seeds, so maybe it was the ubiquitous extra child who lives in every household going by the name "Not me." Either way, I'm not fussed.

It's beautiful. It's an over-achiever, but it's beautiful. At last count there were something like 19 blossoms on this thing. And what's really cute is that right next to this plant is a baby sunflower that's about three inches tall with one blossom on it that's ready to open.

I have no idea where they came from, but I don't care. It's a blessing I'm willing to accept.

Thanks ubiquitous third child, a.k.a "Not Me"!

Thanks God! (Because so many of your blessings are just like the sunflower in my front yard, mysterious yet glorious.)

lazy, hazy days of summer

I've had the bulk of the week off, minus helping represent the church in a local July 4 Parade and practicing with the worship team last night. After walking in the parade yesterday I realized how long it had been since I've walked outside and how much I've missed it.

So we got back from the parade and I headed out again for another walk. And this morning, after a couple of cups of coffee and a bowl of Raisin Bran, I headed out again. I think I turned into an overachiever today--the route I planned seemed simple enough in my mind, but as it turns out it was quite a long trek. S'alright, though; I need it.

When we first moved back to the midwest from Eureka, California (also the name of a really cool show on SciFi that's coming back on July 10) I missed having sidewalks. The township we lived in for four years didn't have any sidewalks and I'd get yelled at (chastised really) by parishioners for walking along the side of the road because it's not safe--and out there it really wasn't).

Now we live in a nice little subdivision with sidewalks galore-- and it's connected to main streets with sidewalks--which connect to other nice little subdivisions with sidewalks--so walking is easy (and safe) and I never really have to walk the same route twice.

So I've been walking again, even though it's hot and humid outside. I've gotten lucky, too, because the rain has hit after I get home.

Sorry not so exciting or deep today...just enjoying the lazy hazy days of summer.