Moving from the "What" to the"Who"

Reggie McNeal // Moving from the "What" to the "Who" from Todd Rhoades on Vimeo.

The Next Generation

Perry Noble has a great article on his site about the next generation and his attitude toward it. Click the title "The Next Generation" to go to the article.

"What do you do?" - A Waitress and Tatoos

Last night we went to Burbank to eat at a well know eatery named Granville Cafe. All their food is organic and very tastee. Our waitress, Kristy was just delightful. She made us feel welcomed and at ease. As we got ready to leave I asked Kristy how long she had been working there and what she ultimately wanted to do. She said she, like many, aspired to act. Then she asked me what I did. I gave my now standard response to that question, "I follow Jesus." She gave me a big smile and said something like, "Oh wow." Then I added, "and I make my living as the pastor of a church." With a big smile on her face she pulled away a wrist band to reveal a tattoo with a verse from the Song of Solomon. I then showed her my tattoos on my wrists. She said, "you are the first pastor I've ever met with tattoos!" We then talked about where she went to church and where our son Justin attended (she seemed very interested in Justin).

Why am I telling you this? A couple reasons. One is to help you see how answering the question, "what do you do?" with the answer "I follow Jesus." can lead to all kinds of interesting conversations and encounters. The other reason is that when I posted a brief version of the story above on Facebook I got this response from a person I met at Galewood Tavern: "I truly think it's cool that you can break out of the 'big religion' mold. We'll have to talk candidly about THIS subject soon." To my knowledge this person has no religious affiliation, but clearly has some ideas about church/religion. We will have a candid conversation. While I certainly don't know how the conversation will turn out, I do know it came about, at least in part because of the way I answered the question, "What do you do?"

Is This Missional?

From: Flickering Pixels: How Technology Shapes Our Faith"

What's the best medium for communicating the gospel? Here's what Shane Hipps says in his book: "Flickering Pixels: How Technology Shapes Our Faith"

At some point in history, though, God decided that it was time to communicate with the greatest medium he would ever use. A dazed, drooling infant in a manger—Jesus of Nazareth.
In Jesus Christ, God’s medium and message are perfectly united. As the opening of John’s gospel tells us, “In the beginning … the Word was with God, and the Word was God … the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” The most complete revelation of God to that point was expressed in Jesus.
It is a message that radiates from every part of his being. God emanates not only from Jesus’ teachings, but also from his life. Even his birth proclaimed a message: I am not a distant God high in heaven. I am a God who joins you, who experiences the hardships of this life, one who suffers with you. I am Compassion. His acts of healing spoke clearly: I not only suffer with you, but I am a God who longs to ease, transform, and release you from your suffering.
His longest teaching, the Sermon on the Mount, is not difficult to decode: Love matters more than any other commandment. Love yourself, your neighbor, and even your enemies in the same way you love me. Ultimately, love has no opposite, no reversal.
His death carried a message: I live dangerously. Following me is not for the faint of heart. You will lose this world but gain your soul. Following me will cost some of you everything. But it will transform the world. His resurrection: It’s not so bad losing your life. Death isn’t the true end—it’s a birth into a world where every tear is wiped away. A new life where all suffering dissolves like a salt cube in the boundless sea of God’s compassion, peace, and love. Jesus is God’s perfect medium—and the medium is the message.

A problem with consumerism

Consumerism's Achilles heel: studies show that losing something makes you 2x as unhappy as gaining the same thing makes you glad

A Great Quote from an Unknown Source

"Christianity began in Jerusalem as a set of relationships; moved into Greece where it became a philosophy; moved into Rome where it became a government institution; then onto Europe where it became a culture; and then to America, where it has become an enterprise."