ddubb industries

The Shaping of Things To Come: Chapter One

May 18th, 2006 literary, spiritual

Burning Man festival in the southwest sounds provocative. I picture the infamous scene in the second Matrix of the people of Zion grinding it up in the new world subterranean temple. I’m sure, like that scene, our conservative brethren immediately see the filth and not the value. There is unbelieveably strong brotherhood in the hippie/freelove/organic lifestyle. I feel it in beerble. We haven’t done any grinding yet but there’s something strong that links us together, some kind of shared ethos. Why is it so easy to do without this bond week after week in normal church life? Why is it so exhausting to connect deeply, freely, openly, completely? Why do I find it easier to do this with my non-Christian friends who don’t filter their communication in any way? Filters. My open mind likes the idea of this festival but there has to be limits somewhere, everything does not go, everything is not beautiful, everything does not strengthen community. In an environment of ultimate freedom, will truth bubble to the top? What limitations/filters would we put on a public art gallery in the new building? Read more at the Burning Man website.

Seeking longevity. “The missional church always thinks of the long haul rather than the quick fix.” This makes me think of Esperanza and Honduras. What can we continue to do now that will help these be more than short-term efforts? I was saddened one day when I saw the poor quality construction and grossly boring design of some apartments on Harrell St. to the left of the solar haus. Lower the investment, higher the profit. It made me think about how I can live my life being about something of lasting beauty that will outlive me by 200 years. Actually most apartments in town, including ours, are nothing special to look at but I’m glad ours still seems to be standing after 50.

Dichotomies. The writers set up a basic contrast: CHRISTIANDOM vs. MISSIONAL with the following sub dichotomies: 1) attractional vs. incarnational, 2) dualistic vs. messianic, 3) hierarchical vs. apostolic and 4) institution vs. movement. I can’t help but think how vital it is for GCM as a ‘grass-roots movement of churches’ to have the ‘intstitutional’ denominational churches to fund us in our endeavors. Until the missional church can truly be sustainably independent from it’s institutional parent, it should be careful not to bite the hand that feeds it. They mention the institutional church cannot evolve into what the world needs but there must be a revolution. This involves a violent cutting off in every case I’ve ever seen. I’m sure they’ll explain more. I feel I went through this revolution as a teenager coming to college, throwing off my ‘frozen chosen’ Presbyterian shackles to become a freestyle do-it-yourself Christian. But last Sunday had me in tears at that very same church I once scorned. I had a connection with God and my extended family of faith that I haven’t had in many months at [nlcf]. As we are at risk to do, let’s not get too haughty in our youthful enthusiasm to do it our way.