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March Blog Index
Clay Shirky spells out some of the essential differences between a centrally controlled organization (what I tend to call "institution) versus a true community.
1. Audiences are built. Communities grow.
2. Communities face a tradeoff between size and focus.
3. Participation matters more than quality.
4. You may own the software, but the community owns itself.
5. The community will want to build. Help it, or at least let it.
"Broadcast connections can be created by a central organization, but [community] connections are created by the members for one another. Communities grow, rather than being built. New members of an audience are simply added to the existing pool, but new members of a community must be integrated. One of the most important things you can do to attract community is to give it a fertile environment in which to grow, and one of the most damaging things you can do is to try to force it to grow at a rapid pace or in a preset direction.
posted by Len Hjalmarson |
1:00 PM
Amplifiers and how they distort our definition of success..
Main Entry: am·pli·fy
"As I said yesterday - we went to a Switchfoot concert on Saturday and they had a lot of amplifiers there, expanding the decibels to almost unbearable levels. My ears finally stopped ringing on Tuesday evening. For two and a half days I walked with a distinct high-pitched noise in my ears this predicament made it difficult for me to be as sensitive as normal to sounds around me. The amplifier brought some pleasure to me whilst at the concert, but distorted my hearing for 2 days. I want to contend that when we use the amplifier in other areas of life (church growth, money making, influence, popularity) we can fall into the same trap. We may experience a temporarily exciting sensation, and then be scarred after that. It scares me to think of going to a concert like Saturday for weeks on end - I fear i will loose my hearing. Some of us have been exposed for too long to the effects of amplifiers in our life, it's time to sensitize our hearing again. Our Leader is known to be a Whisperer; our culture is known to propagate through amplifiers. What do you think?"
From Soulgardeners
posted by Len Hjalmarson |
8:50 AM
Click HERE to get a war error.
Is chaos prt of the plan? Washington Monthly
posted by Len Hjalmarson |
8:45 AM
posted by Len Hjalmarson |
3:00 PM
"Exit polls of those leaving the church have found that the major reasons
that bring about this decrease in numbers is not because of theological
or belief issues. Rather it is about how people are being asked to
belong to and participate in the community that is the deciding factor
for them. So much of what we DO in church is so foreign to such a large
part of our society. How many of our non churched friends would
regularly gather with a group of people to sing for 30 minutes and
listen to someone give a 20minute (plus) monologue?!? Many of us who
have been brought up in this environment have come to love singing and
listening, but not too many of the young people I work with in the
warehouse at wishlist would get off on it!
"Studies have shown that only 10% of the non churched population are
comfortable with and open to 'contemporary worship' style services. (ie
Hillsong style singing - preaching etc). Yet the same study shows that
up to 90% of churches are moving towards this type of service. By my
calculations that leaves around 90% of the unchurched population without
a church presenting the message of Jesus in a culturally relevant method
for them."
From THe Living Room
posted by Len Hjalmarson |
3:00 PM
Blogging in Iraq..
posted by Len Hjalmarson |
3:00 PM
Yesterday I found myself wondering if the greatest block to our truly being a community of disciples isn't that we are always so ready to have someone do it for us. If I can pay someone to .. study, pray, baptize, teach etc then I can sit back and feel spiritual because I am "attending" something.
But that's a poor substitute for the church.
I've had a couple of requests for information on tithing so I have reposted an excellent and comprehensive article: A New Look at Tithing
Attack on Iraq
What an ugly conflict. I confess that by the time the war began I no longer knew what decision I would make were I in the shoes of George Bush. I had watched a very comprehensive debate on CBC TV on the 12th or so, and while the issues remained complex and politically charged, I couldn't help but feel that the US had a good moral argument for going in. Not long afterward someone sent me a quote from Martin Luther King, Jr. It went something like this:
"When your enemy has a conscience, use passive resistance as Gandhi did against the British. When your enemy lacks a conscience, you'll have to fight." If the appeasement policy against Hitler had not been pursued, how many people would have lived? Perhaps 10 million?
posted by Len Hjalmarson |
9:00 AM
Visit Paul and Tamara's website "The Church at Our House. While you are there check out Paul's article and reflections on the Covering doctrine. It wasn't so long ago that I was thinking about that issue myself (Transitions about halfway down the page).
* * * * *
I have a fairly nifty computer system: AMD Athlon XP running at 2400 GHz with an ATI RADEON 9700 Pro video board. I use this thing to test games, fly online, and develop software. For the past two days 50% of my time has been spent trying to get it stable again. I am ready to heave it through the window!
I woke early this morning thinking about how many people I know have lost their trust in the authority of the word. Note, I am not talking about a particular doctrine of inspiration. I am talking about confidence that the word is revelation and that it is God who speaks through it, both OT and NT.
A couple of months ago I was listening to one of my favorite authors as he walked through the book of Luke. When he came to the first instance of Jesus casting out a demon, he demythologized the passage. "Of course we know this was a psychological issue.." I was shocked. Richard Rohr has greatly blessed me, but the man has been greatly deceived in some areas.
Sigh. This is no argument for my perfection. I'm sure I am as blind as the next guy. But since that time I have come across others who have lost their confidence that God has spoken, or that He can indeed reveal truth through ordinary people. That worries me. I suppose this authority crisis goes hand in hand with the more general cultural trend to subjectivity. But there is a wide gap between seeing truth as necessarily personal and "anything goes."
posted by Len Hjalmarson |
4:20 PM
"The world's biggest rock star tours the heartland, talking more openly about his faith as he recruits Christians in the fight against AIDS in Africa.
"No poet—and Bono, the 42-year-old lead singer of the Irish rock band U2, considers himself a poet—enjoys having his verse scrutinized. And no musician likes to have to explain what a song means."
posted by Len Hjalmarson |
8:10 AM
"I've got a river of life flowing out of me..."
Or to be more precise, it flows through our car port and down the hill... It seems a mainline has burst in our yard beyond the place where it enters our house.
The water is now flowing out of control through our car port and down into Kelowna. At least it's pure water, and who knows.. maybe a few of the trees down below will produce more fruit this year as a result.
* * * * *
For some reason this reminded me of a dream Betty had in January of 2002. In the dream she is in our house and she "knows" that our home is between two powerful rivers. Then she sees a prophetic friend of ours standing with his wife at the base of a tall sheer rock cliff.
Our friend (let's call him Ted) has two paintings hung on the rock. They are both water color scenes, typical scenes, with a dreamy look.
Beside his paintings is hung a tall wooden door. It is an antique door and I have painted it. Ted looks at the door (a soft green color with some other touches) and says, "That is a beautiful work of art.. an amazing work. You could sell that for a lot of money."
We shared the dream with several of our friends, and the interpretation was the same at key points...
The paintings represent what you will find if/when you go through the door. The antique wooden door represents an old entrance or entry way. (Christ, our entry way to life, truth, to the Father). The fact that you had just painted it green represents a refreshed/renewed look on this old entry way. The color green is symbolic of life, growth and prosperity (not necessarily financial prosperity). (application: You have found an old doorway to life, growth strength, protection, security and stability).
There was a little followup to this story that I haven't shared with many. A few days after Betty had this dream we were visiting at the home of Stan and Janet Biggs for the first time. Stan is a gifted prophet, a tremendous lover of God and a reformation thinker.
As we entered his home and stood just inside the doorway he turned to us, motioned to the door and said, "How do you like it? I painted it just for you." It was a wooden door, with Stan's hand on the doorknob, freshly painted green.
posted by Len Hjalmarson |
7:10 AM
What were we looking for as we pursued joining an established group like the Vineyard?
I've been asking myself this question for the past week or so, in various forms. And I've been asked a few other questions by friends.
Were we looking for someone to lead us somewhere? This question turns out to be really complex.
Personally I've been looking for a mentor, someone with whom to work through some of the questions along the way. More broadly we've been looking for a connection to a larger community; the idea of "covering" comes to mind but is too formal and centered on authority and doesn't quite capture it. We've been looking for "strength," a group that has more resources than we alone can offer, both spiritually and physically. But lately this need has become less pressing, as our own group has been changing and growing and cohering.
Back to the question of someone leading us "somewhere." It begs the question of where we would be going. Do we know? It also begs the question of following a human leader. Is that what we need to do?
We already know where we are going.. we are going toward Jesus, we are going toward the world, we are going toward one another. None of those destinations is really a place, and we don't need a leader other than the Holy Spirit to get there.
And we already know that there aren't any maps. Those who have maps need to realize that they are outdated and possibly dangerous. The terrain has changed. There are huge crevasses where the road used to be. Landslides have blocked the old passes. I wouldn't want to work and strive to reach the top of the pass only to find it blocked and then have to go all the way down and begin again.
The idea of following a human leader strikes me as idolatrous. More than ever we need to be focused on following Jesus. And as I write this I wonder.. am I playing with language here? Let's face it; there are some who would simply assume this. Following human leaders is a natural, good thing, isn't it? I'm not so sure.
"Come on Len," I think to myself, "how can we follow Jesus alone? Don't we all follow some vision, a guiding set of values, and if so, aren't we really following man?"
"I mean, there are people who read this blog regularly. Aren't they thinking, 'Wait a sec. Isn't this one of those sneaky paradoxes? After all, you write about your journey and your vision and we read it and think, hey, that's where I want to go also. Aren't we, in a way, following along after you?'"
And I look at that and I think, "I hope not." And a scripture pops to mind. Paul writes, "Imitate me, as I imitate Christ." Isn't it interesting that he doesn't say, "Follow me, as I follow Christ?" It becomes more about identity and values than about decisions and authority.
Maybe there is a key here. I have no authority over any who read this. You come here, read and consider, and you make your own decisions. Perhaps I influence your values. Perhaps on the good days you leave here having seen Christ more clearly. Wow. That would be a beautiful thing.
Too often when I am with other believers in a traditional setting I have a sense that they have no journey of their own. They are merely followers of men. But when I am with those who have been following Jesus, there is something different in the air. Part of the issue for me is that when I hear only a single voice from up front I get the feeling they are taking the place of Jesus.
As we move on together as a small community we have much to learn. But I think so far we have this part right. I want to work hard at not being the center of anything. I want to work hard to hear and empower other voices. I want to work with others at being a real community following Jesus. I know that sometimes we may trip over the paradox. I hope we can see when this happens, apologize, pick ourselves up and walk forward again.
* * * * *
In conversation with Stan a few weeks back I used the term "build" to talk about what we are doing together. Later I realized this is a good biblical term that I don't care for anymore.
In the NT "build" is applied to the house of God, and the term generally comes from "oikodomeo," which is usually translated as "edify." Paul refers to himself in Corinthians as a "master builder."
But maybe the problem arises for me in the modern connotation. Builders have a plan, a budget, and a schedule. Everything has to be done in the fine detail, exactly following the plan. Works great for buildings; works lousy with relationships. Works great for buildings when one guy is in charge. Works terribly for spiritual temples if we let Jesus be in charge. I've found God more in the interruptions and in the chaos than in my own plans.
So what can we keep from the metaphor? We don't have a plan, a budget, or a schedule.
We have collected some stones. We're going to talk to the Master about how they fit together. We're expecting Him to visit with us on a regular basis and knock the edges off. We expect Him to do some shaping and sculpting.
I had a chance to build a fireplace hearth a few years ago. It wasn't at all the same as working with bricks, which I had done when I built the fireplace itself.
To build the hearth I used natural stone I collected from our East Kootenay property. I wandered for an hour or so for a few mornings collecting stones that varied in size from four inches to twelve inches. They varied from more or less square to quite round. They varied in color and shade from red to white to grey or black. Then I laid a bed of mortar and began to fit them together.
It was a joyful time in my life. I was creating a 17' by 24' two storey open ceiling add-on to our home on the bench above Cranbrook. It was time to reflect on the goodness of God and the beauty of His work in creation.
Building was a communal process. I laid the foundation, and then we had a work weekend where most of the church showed up. We produced trusses, set them in a pile, and then built walls. We built them one by one, then raised them by main strength, hammered temporary supports in place, and then connected them permanently at the corners. Then we heaved the trusses in place. It was slow going; but step by step the building went up, spread out over the land, became warm and living and inviting. We gathered many small groups there, and when there was need for a larger meeting space, we gathered the whole church.
I'm not sure what to do with the metaphor of building as it applies to the church. I'm not Paul or Jesus. Building is a communal venture. There is only one Plan, but it works out differently in every application. No budget is needed for the temple God is building, only a few souls willing to partner with Him and willing to have the rough edges knocked off as they are set into the foundation. (In May of last year I wrote, "How to Plant a Church Without Trying")
* * * * *
"Love is the art of my leading you gently back to yourself."
posted by Len Hjalmarson |
5:50 AM
We sleep in peace in the arms of God, when we yield ourselves up to His providence, in a delightful consciousness of His tender mercies; no more restless uncertainties, no more anxious desires, no more impatience at the place we are in, for it is God who has put us there, and who holds us in His arms. Can we be unsafe where He has placed us? Fenelon
posted by Len Hjalmarson |
10:40 AM
We are back!
We had a great trip. We took the winding, high road through the mountains on the way to Kaslo, then headed south via Nelson on the return trip. The difference in time was minimal, but the southern trip is much less scenic.
We had a very relaxing time with our friends in Kaslo. Chuck and Kim pastor a small Vineyard church there. Our daughters were very excited to reconnect with their family, particularly our eldest daughter who was great friends with their eldest son during our time in Cranbrook.
I know.. you want to hear all about those amazing hot springs caves at Ainsworth. They are everything they are said to be. It is somewhat incredible to venture into those holes reaching into the mountain where the hot water is flowing out. The depth of the caves is probably 80 feet or so, and the entire cave wall is lined with whitish mineral salts. The water drips from many places in the ceiling, but flows rapidly in from the upper rear of the caves. The average temperature is about 106 F, but when you get to the back of the cave you are in a natural sauna and the temperature feels warmer than that.
Some years ago they installed lighting in the caves. It is dim lighting but effective. I took this picture with a flash.. naturally the lens on my digital camera was badly fogged.
As for the log mansion that Chuck and Kim house-sit, here are a few images. Some of them you can click on for a larger image.
posted by Len Hjalmarson |
11:15 AM
We are overdue for some quality family time. On Wednesday morning I and my family are off to visit the Lafortune family in Kaslo, BC. This little Kootenay town is in the middle of nowhere, with great fir trees, deep lakes, and clean air.
We will travel a route we have never taken. We usually follow Hwy 3 south then east toward Creston. This time we'll go via Vernon then SE across Lower Arrow Lake (Columbia river to some) and ride the local ferry for a five minute trip. Then it's up to Nakusp and then south to the Slocan. From New Denver we head east to Kaslo, population about 1500 I believe. We'll spend a few nights with our friends, and we're planning to visit Ainsworth Hot Springs just south of Kaslo. You can still access the natural source of the flow in a series of caves you can swim in.
Later this spring I'm hoping to take my daughter on a canoe trip with another father and his daughter (our daughters are best friends). We'll do the Arrow Lakes trip, starting around Nakusp (Upper Arrow Lake)then heading south to Castlegar. The total distance is roughly 110 km.
Then I'd like to do a second trip with a bunch of fathers.. seven in total. On that trip I'd like to start around Galena Bay and all the way down to Trail (200 km).
I used to do a fair amount of hiking and canoeing, and we have a lovely old aluminum 16 foot lake canoe. It's wide and light as a feather. In fact, in the summer of 1978 I qualified as a canoe instructor with the Canadian Recreational Canoeing Association. I spent the summer following working with Youth for Christ doing out-trips with inner city youth in southern Ontario.
If you have never parked a canoe on the banks of a wild lake or river, then roasted meat over an open fire while the moon waxes and the stars twinkle.. hmm... maybe you ought to try it.
"And the stars shine out in their glory, posted by Len Hjalmarson |
12:30 AM
“When we envision the church as an idealized family, we are not very capable of welcoming the stranger. When family is the only metaphor we use, people with whom we cannot achieve intimacy, or with whom we do not want to be intimate, are squeezed out. Since intimacy often depends on social and economic similarities, church then becomes a place of retreat rather than true hospitality. Such a church does everything in his power to eliminate the strange and cultivate the familiar. Such a church can neither welcome the stranger nor allow the stranger in each of us to emerge.” -- Molly Marshall
"Dallas Willard has written and said several things, which on first hearing blew my mind. But I respect him—his complete devotion to God, amazing intellect and scope of learning, his goodness of person, etc, --so much that after the initial shock, I know I must grapple with his ideas.
"Here is one such example (not an exact quote): “Instead of starting churches in the typical sense—meetings, programs, buildings, etc., why not work with God to FORM the church he has and is “starting?”
"A second: “We keep trying to make Sunday church into “community” with people driving to these meetings from 20-30 minutes away. We then try to fix this obvious lack of community by adding some form of ‘home group”. Now people drive 20-30 minutes to a second meeting and we fool ourselves into thinking we have created community.
"While striving mightily to form these “pseudo-communities” we lose twice: First, these meetings can never amount to true community—true community, by definition (with the exception of cyber communities? I’m not sure about this one yet, but I’m open…), has a strong geographical component. True community requires routine, unplanned contact—like what you have at work, school, neighborhood, etc. Here is the second loss: while running to meetings of this sort—and thinking of them as our Christianity—we ignore the authentic communities we are already in! We neglect the very places we could be working with God as ambassadors of the Kingdom to form (educate, grow in grace and true spirituality, grow in numbers as new Followers of Christ are added, etc.)."
Found at Todd Hunter
posted by Len Hjalmarson |
12:30 AM
"The church has traditionally spent much more time on fighting over issues of conformity (worship, ministry styles, politics) and expression than over issues of true unity. Many in the church have a hard time accepting different expressions of faith without questioning the unity of the church. Some friends of mine were telling me of someone even questioning the legitimacy of their prayer life as it was not done in a certain way (it reminds me of casting a spell then prayer but that is just me)."
"The church has over used the concept of unity in the name of control and keeping people in line. To speak out against the status quo or to explore a new path was considered divisive yet. Different expressions of the faith of a different path to Christ is not always disunity but can also be indivuduality. Scriptures outline the limits but within that we need to show a lot more grace than we have in the present and the past." JordonCooper.com
And at Soulgardeners..
"Endless volumes have been written to show how one is to recognize what true Christianity is. This can be done in a far simpler way. Nature is acoustic. Pay attention to what the echo answers, and you will know at once what is what.
When one preaches Christianity in such a way that the echo answers: "Glorious, profound, brilliant, articulate Christian, you should be exalted with high praise," know that this signifies that this preaching is a base lie. Though it is not absolute certain that he who walks with chains around his ankles is in fact a criminal (for there are many cases when the powers that be have condemned an innocent man), it is eternally certain that he who by preaching Christianity wins honor and prestige is a liar, a deceiver, who at one point or another has falsified the truth. It is simple: It is impossible to preach Christianity in truth without having to suffer for it in this world."
OUCH, contemplate on this ...... it is eternally certain that he who by preaching Christianity wins honor and prestige is a liar, a deceiver, who at one point or another has falsified the truth."
posted by Len Hjalmarson |
12:30 AM
"We need to make it very clear that all of the concerns that are expressed in this article have long since been put to Gene Edwards and his followers by letter, email, and telephone. Because no reasonable or satisfactory response has been forthcoming, we are proceeding with this article, which is intended to be a warning to those who may be seduced by Edwards' ideology."
posted by Len Hjalmarson |
9:50 AM
"To live well is to observe in today's apparent order tiny anomalies that are the seeds of change, the harbingers of the order of tomorrow. This means living in a state of insecurity, in anguish and loneliness, which at its best can push us toward the new. Too much security and the refusal to evolve, to embrace change, leads to a kind of death. Too much insecurity, however, can also mean death. To be human is to create sufficient order that we can move on into insecurity and seeming disorder. In this way we discover the new."
Jean Vanier, "Becoming Human"
posted by Len Hjalmarson |
9:00 AM
"Writing a story or a novel is one way of discovering sequence in experience, of stumbling upon cause and effect in the happenings of a writer's own life. This has been the case with me. Connections slowly emerge. Like distant landmarks you are approaching, cause and effect begin to align themselves, draw closer together. Experiences too indefinite of outline in themselves to be recognized for themselves connect and are identified as a larger shape. And suddenly a light is thrown back, as when your train makes a curve, showing that there has been a mountain of meaning rising behind you on the way you've come, is rising there still, proven now through retrospect."
Eudora Welty, from One Writer's Beginnings (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1984)
posted by Len Hjalmarson |
9:30 AM
"No event is to be missed by ‘believers’ in the evangelical church. Each event is billed as a chance to mark a milestone as a Christian. But often, these events are better understood as opportunities to showcase commitment to an inclusive community. Whether asked about attendance at last week’s potluck night, or asked about the specifics of the rapture, the smart money’s on a double entendre. You’re being asked about the event, but you’re also being asked a question of inclusion."
Implicit Questions of Church Life: Inclusion at the Ooze.
"One day I talked with a friend who was planning to move into inner city Washington D.C. and plant a church. He wanted tips from me that were both practical and theoretical, since he knew I lived in an inner city area and am on the pastoral team of a church. As we chatted I became fascinated. This guy is a well-known national figure and also very enmeshed in a White, suburban, middle to upper-middle class world. I assumed he had read books by Dr. John Perkins or Ray Bakke, had attended an urban ministry conference, had been moved by his missions experience in some city, or even had a multiracial group of relatives. None were true. I asked him where he got the motivation to not only do something about the diversity of his congregation, but to even go so far as live in an inner city area. He answered that it just made sense, that it was something he felt needed to happen if they were going to live out the gospel in an authentic way." posted by Len Hjalmarson |
9:30 AM
I often run into people who have heard of someone who experienced immediate healing, or who personally know someone who has been healed, and they themselves need healing so they expect the same experience. If they pray for healing and are not healed, or if they attend a healing meeting and are not healed, they become depressed and feel that there is something wrong with them. They feel rejected by God.
In their thinking, instant healing is "Plan A," suffering doesn't fit in their grid, and there is no "Plan B."
This set of assumptions seems even more common when dealing with addictions and mental disorders. Bob hears that Joe was immediately delivered of alcoholism (I know several people personally who have experienced this), and so Bob attends a bunch of meetings seeking deliverance. Deliverance doesn't happen, so Bob concludes that God is not there, is not trustworthy, is not Good, or has personally rejected him.
What is really happening here? An inadequate theology of the church and of spiritual growth.
"Speaking the truth in love, we grow up in all things into Him who is the head--Christ--from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by that which every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causing the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love." Eph. 4:15, 16
This is the normal plan of God for bringing us to wholeness. Jesus is present in His body, and it is as we love and serve one another that we are healed.
I know a few people who have been instantly delivered of addictions.. to alcohol, sex, cocaine, etc. But I know of many, many more who were healed through love, counsel, support and accountability. These people literally grew out of their addictions in the context of loving community -- the body of Christ operating as it should.
It's the Presence of Christ that heals. Sometimes that Presence is unmediated; it comes to us directly and not through other humans. I know people who were healed in their beds alone in the middle of the night. Sometimes the Presence is mediated by the prayer and presence of God's people, sometimes in healing meetings. Even more often, the Presence is mediated by a gathered group of people caring for one another. In this most common method of healing, the dynamic of love and support continues over months before people experience freedom. Freedom often comes slowly, and with struggle and failure, forgiveness and love.
This walking together toward freedom is where we get the counselling model that has become so prominent in our culture. Even when it is divorced from its spiritual roots, it remains a powerful model. Witness the thousands who have been freed from addiction in twelve-step groups.
"Community is the place where the healing of our own lives becomes the foundation for the healing of the nations."
"The ability of people to move to a new place tomorrow depends on the love and acceptance they feel today . . The only thing greater than our awareness of each other's sins is the awareness of God's love for us and God's desire to see us healed and made whole. The principal lesson of community is. . that God breaks in at the weak places." Jim Wallis
Healing in community is not "Plan B." It is not second best. The Lord designed us to be connected to others and to care for one another. His life in His body is as real in community as it is in individuals, but the gathered body has wisdom and power that the individual does not have. We know Him best in His body. Collectively, we are the dwelling place of God in the Spirit, a living Temple, the bride of Christ.
We live in an "instant fix" culture. We want to end the pain NOW. We read the Psalms and hear David move from pain and brokeness to praise in a few verses, and feel that real life is like that. In reality, most of these Psalms look back over months or years of struggle.
Thank God for deliverance. Thank God for healing when it is instant. Thank God for His body, and for the natural process of growth toward freedom.
posted by Len Hjalmarson |
9:00 AM
Robert Frost, in an essay about poetry yet also about vocation, said: "The impressions most useful to my purpose seem always those I was unaware of so made no note of at the time when taken, and the conclusion is come to that like giants we are always hurling experience ahead of us to pave the future with against the day when we may want to strike a line of purpose across it for somewhere."
"Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing ever happened." Sir Winston Churchill
posted by Len Hjalmarson |
9:00 AM
"We always used to think it was one of the elementary rights of man that he should be able to plan his life in advance, both private life and professional. That is a thing of the past. The pressure of events is forcing us to give up "being anxious for the morrow." But it makes all the difference in the world whether we accept this willingly and in faith (which is what the Sermon the Mount means) or under compulsion. For most people not to plan for the future means to live irresponsibly and frivolously, to live just for the moment, while some few continue to dream of better times to come. But we cannot take either of these courses. We are still left with only the narrow way, a way often hardly to be found, of living every day as if it were our last, yet in faith and responsibility living as though a splendid future lay before us. "Houses and fields and vineyards shall yet again be bought in this land," cries Jeremiah as the Holy City is about to be destroyed, a striking contrast to his previous prophecies of woe. It is a divine sign and pledge of better things to come, just when all seems blackest. Thinking and acting for the sake of the coming generation, but taking each day as it comes without fear and anxiety, that is the spirit in which we are being forced to live in practice. It is not easy to be brave and hold out, but it is imperative." --Dietrich Bonhoeffer
posted by Len Hjalmarson |
8:30 AM
"In times of profound change, the learners inherit the earth, while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists." Al Rogers
posted by Len Hjalmarson |
11:30 AM
An Average Day
Last month I registered a new company: CombatPlanes Inc.
For most of the last six or seven years I've made my living as a writer. My primary income has come from reviewing combat simulations and related hardware. About three years ago this narrowed to combat flight simulations, and then last year I published an add on for IL-2 Sturmovik titled "Eastern Thunder." While it was a fairly basic add on for a very popular combat flight sim, it did quite well.
That opened my eyes to the opportunity, and last September I began thinking about another add on. With the release of Microsoft's Combat Flight Simulator 3, I started working on two expansion packs. 80% of my work week is now taken up with the mundane tasks of research, interacting with some 3d artists and other mod makers, building missions and campaigns and flight models, painting aircraft "skins," and refining design specifications. The other 20% of my work week is given with kingdom occupation: maintaining this website, answering email, checking out other websites and blogs, and writing and researching on areas of interest.
Yesterday was a typical day. In the morning I answered email and worked on painting a D Day skin for a P47 for CFS3. I built and tested a few more missions, and did some research on vehicle and facility development in CFS3. Then I interacted with another designer on some issues that were puzzling me, and opened a hex editor to look at the internal structure of some files that were going to need changing.
Around noon the latest and greatest combat flight sim arrived at my door courtesy of FED EX. I installed it and spent twenty minutes looking around.. then back to work. Now that's discipline :)
* * * * *
I don't know what your experience is of spiritual warfare, but I am inclined to side with my friend Chuck that in general we don't have to pay much attention to Satan if we keep our eyes on the Lord.
But I do have a couple of experiences that are noteworthy... and a little esoteric. About six years ago I was lying in bed one cold winter morning in that zone between waking and sleeping when I became aware of a pressure on my chest. The pressure grew and grew until it was a crushing weight and I could barely breathe. Then with my internal eye I saw a dim shape and heard a voice. The voice said, "If you keep on pursuing ministry I will destroy you and your family." Internally I cried out, "The Lord rebuke you." Instantly the weight was gone.
I can't put a lot of handles on how that threat has worked itself out. But over the past two years our youngest daughter has been tormented off and on with destructive thoughts. She was always the happiest child, although more internal and artistic than her older sister. While she has had periods of relief, she has generally had a difficult two years. We have prayed with her, talked with her, and sought counsel.. but there has been little change. This past week as we prayed for her we both felt there could be witchcraft involved.. the intentional sending of a demonic agent against us. If the Lord gives you any insight, write to us.
posted by Len Hjalmarson |
11:30 AM
"Postmodern leaders resist taking control because they know that focus is more important than individual behaviors. Furthermore, postmodern leaders don't mind fluid structures and are comfortable with chaos because they are more interested in finding meaning than in building structures or establishing order. Wheatley comments that "We instinctively reach out to leaders who work with us in creating meaning" (Leadership and the New Science, p.135).
posted by Len Hjalmarson |
8:30 AM
"Some people say that community starts in mystery and ends in bureaucracy. They start with great enthusiasm and a love that surpasses all frontiers, and end up with a lot of administration and wealth, loss of enthusiasm and fear of risk.
The essence of the challenge to a growing community is to adapt its structures so that they go on enabling the growth of individuals and do not merely conserve a tradition, still less a form of authority and prestige." Vanier, Community and Growth
This past week has been a time for us to look back at our two years outside the church, recognize where we have been, and wonder where we are going. A time for reflection and pondering...
Reflections on Community and Ethos
posted by Len Hjalmarson |
8:30 AM
Abe Lincoln on presidents and war: "Allow the President to invade a neighbouring nation whenever he shall deem it necessary to repel an invasion, and you allow him to do so whenever he may choose to say he deems it necessary for such purpose, and you allow him to make war at pleasure. Study to see if you can fix any limit to his power in this respect, after having given him so much as you propose. If today he should choose to say he thinks it necessary to invade Canada to prevent the British from invading us, how could you stop him? You may say to him, "I see no probability of the British invading us"; but he will say to you, "Be silent: I see it, if you don't." -- Abraham Lincoln, letter to a friend, February 15, 1848
Rather have a humorous approach? Try this: The Onion
posted by Len Hjalmarson |
8:15 AM
SHIFTING REALITIES
new World; new Church; new Leadership; new Future:
The Place Community and Lambrick Park Church, in partnership with Emergent Canada, invite you to a "gathering" of leaders, ministries, question askers, pilgrims and others in the throes of the modern - postmodern shift.
We see this as an "unconference" as it won't be packed with seminars, workshops and other distractions, but will be a time of challenge, reflection, discussions and ideas. Some people who have been thinking very deeply about ministry in the 21st century will be joining us, and we consider it a privilege to "gather" you together for two days in order to learn from each other, start some new friendships, deepen existing relationships, and encourage one another.
We are looking forward to hosting this first ever Emergent Canada event. We are grateful that Brian is able to walk us through this reality shift and to Steve for leading worship.
posted by Len Hjalmarson |
8:15 AM
Are you a Strange Bird?
Strange Birds are leaders called to ministry but not necessarily to traditional church ministry. We are chaplains, entrepreneurs, nonprofit executives, writers, teachers, church planters, consultants, retreat leaders, camp directors, artists, evangelists, missionaries, musicians, and a variety of other vocations rooted in the church and inspired by the church’s Great Commission, but we serve outside the traditional church.
posted by Len Hjalmarson |
8:15 AM
Found at Soul Gardeners
"So Jesus kept to out-of-the-way places, no longer able to move freely in and out of the city. But people found him, and came from all over."
"This phrase reminded me of a quote I read on the UNHEALTHY DESIRE FOR INFLUENCE AND IMPACT:
"In this condition we are trying to give to others an answer which we have not truly and deeply found for ourselves. The tragedy is that much of the vast network of Christian activity and service is bent on propagating an answer for people's needs and problems which few of those propagating it are finding adequate in their own lives. We need to leave our lusting for ever larger spheres of Christian service and concentrate on seeing God for ourselves and finding the deep answer for life in Him. Then, even if we are located in the most obscure corner of the globe, the world will make a road to our door to get that answer. Our service of help to our fellows then become incidental to our vision of God, and the direct consequence of it" Roy and Revell Hession, We would see Jesus, p.15
posted by Len Hjalmarson |
8:15 AM
A team of Swedish environmental scientists is advocating a contemporary horror - burning trash.
In a reversal of decades-old wisdom, they argue that burning cardboard, plastics and food leftovers is better for the environment and the economy than recycling. Just who are these heretics?
The claims, which will horrify many British environmentalists, are made by five campaigners from Sweden, a country renowned for its concern for the environment and advanced approach to waste. They include Valfrid Paulsson, a former director-general of the government's environmental protection agency, Soren Norrby, the former campaign manager for Keep Sweden Tidy, and the former managing directors of three waste-collection companies.
posted by Len Hjalmarson |
11:15 AM
Is there a pastoral role in post-modernity? A Biblicist’s approach:
"Before we delve into the pastoral role today, we need to understand where the role of the pastor came from, and how it has evolved to what it is today. Most of us assume that the pastor’s role as it is today is biblical. It's ok if you assume that, since most others do too. If you are in a congregational system, what is right is determined by the majority view. It is a democracy, right? The will of the majority is understood as the will of God, and everyone has a right to their opinion expressed through their vote. To the extent we believe this to be true we demonstrate the effect of western civilization on our philosophy or world-view.
"Before we go to scripture, it behooves us to take some time to reflect on these kinds of things."
posted by Len Hjalmarson |
9:35 AM
Of God, and Man, in the Oval Office
The National Council of Churches (NCC), together with a number of peace organizations, recently ran an ad on CNN and Fox in which a bishop of the United Methodist Church, to which President Bush belongs, criticized the Bush administration's relentless war rhetoric. Going to war with Iraq "violates God's law and the teachings of Jesus Christ," said the bishop.
Washington Post If the link doesn't work for you search for "bush theology".
posted by Len Hjalmarson |
9:35 AM
Our twice monthly gathering occurred yesterday, and I'm bringing you an inside look right here :)
At 3 PM Carrie and her children arrived. It was Brandon's birthday on Wednesday so we had a cake and gift ready for him. He was pleased to receive some new strings for his electric guitar and he spent the rest of the afternoon jamming with our daughter downstairs.
Around 4 PM Shawn arrived, and shortly after Stan and Jan arrived with Johnathan after a day up at Big White in the snow. Half an hour later Nick and Sheryl arrived with their family. This brought the group to 8 adults and ten children spanning 2 years to 15 years of age. Unfortunately one of the single moms we had hoped to pray over didn't make it this time.
We shared a meal, mostly lasagna and chili and some big salads, from 5 to 6 PM, then hung out talking about the kingdom, church and change for another hour or so. Around 7 PM we got talking about communion as Sheryl told us about the women's group she has been participating in. We had some freshly baked bread on hand along with a half bottle of ice wine, so we shared communion together, reflecting on the meaning of the symbols and how concretely "this worldly" they are.
As we shared, various ones prayed over the elements. Since one loaf and one cup are such powerful symbols of unity, we also prayed for the churches of Kelowna for unity and cooperation. We prayed specifically for the new Vineyard church for blessing and integration. Later, reflecting on the reality that one loaf and one cup unites us with believers around the world, we gave thanks for the body of Christ worldwide.
Afterward we talked about a need for a baptism gathering. The plan is for Easter weekend, and we are looking at borrowing or renting an indoor pool, possibly down at Gallagher's Canyon. We have a number of children and at least one adult who are ready to be baptized.
The group began to break up around 8, and Shawn and I attacked the dishes in the kitchen, chatting about dreams and guidance and interpretation while we washed dishes and stacked the dish washer.
I was blessed by Shawn's willingness to pitch in.. a sensitive contribution for a young single man. Earlier in the week we had called him up spontaneously to help with moving a single mom from the safe home to her new residence. He didn't hesitate to get involved. "True religion is this, to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world" (James 1:27).
posted by Len Hjalmarson |
10:00 AM
Some of you have been wondering about our process with the local Vineyard plant. My wife and I began talking with the group about a year ago, and two couples have now relocated to our community.
It's been an interesting process. Whichever way it goes in the end, we have made some new friends. I can't help feeling that's what it is all about.
I can't help feeling that the process is more important than the end. In the process we are refined, and forced to know ourselves better. We are forced to seek the Lord on yet one more important life question. It's not my natural inclination. Naturally, I am a "go for it" guy. I like to make a decision and a plan and get moving. This "no map" stuff gets to me after a while.
But the value is only too obvious. Another morning seeking the Lord. I go to the Lord asking for a "Yes" or a "No" and what do I get? "Maybe." Or more specifically, "Wait." I distinctly heard "wait" this morning. It wasn't really the answer I wanted.
It means that the process continues. We work at relationship. We stay connected. But we are still seeking the Lord. I've felt prompted to fast this next week.. something I dislike so I rarely do it.
I feel it is really important to honor the process the Lord has had us in outside the walls. I don't want to jeopardize the training ground; if our time outside the walls is not finished, then it should continue. While we have found great agreement in our values with the Vineyard people, they are our "tribe" :) there is still an ethos that differs for those outside the walls versus those inside. But if we are to bridge that difference, we are willing to try.
By wisdom a house is built, posted by Len Hjalmarson |
3:00 PM
"I sometimes worry about myself these days. I feel so “negative” or pessimistic about the church or actually, “church”, not The Church (God will never let The Church go too far wrong).
"I can’t stop the thoughts in my mind that wonder if God, his Christ, the Spirit and the apostles really intended church to be mostly about (despite the protests of its defenders; the ones fully invested in the system) about programs, the vision of one man, single issue churches (i.e. anti-this or that, “outreach”, therapy, and on and on), buildings, professional staff, corporate “alignment” that excludes the weak, marginalized and least among us—the very ones Jesus and my heroes Vanier, Nouwen and Teresa included.
"What if we could think more about the Kingdom of God and less about “church-as-we’ve known-it?” What if instead of trying to “get a vision” (in the entrepreneurial sense) we tired to get God’ s vision for the planet and its people? What if we thought of ourselves as “the sent people of God on a journey together trying to figure out how to be his people and live into and out of His Story.."
posted by Len Hjalmarson |
8:20 AM
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