Spiritual Gifts
35,000 by 2000
Natural Church Development
The Externally Focused Church
Missional Leadership Initiative
Hear the Call
Just an off-the-top-of-my-head, certainly incomplete, list of ideas embraced by CGGC leadership in recent decades.
And...they all came to nothing.
And...here we go again.
The CGGC is in a free-fall decline and has been for all of the time these ideas were being adopted.
Our body has a track record of jumping on bandwagons. More accurately, of jumping from bandwagon to bandwagon.
And the decline not only continues. It accelerates.
Two of my characteristics of the CGGC Brand are inseparably connected. They speak to a gross dysfunction in the way our body behaves.
Leadership embraces legitimate concepts and presents them as the answer to all of the body's woes. And, most of the people in the body--having seen this before MANY TIMES--roll their eyes, mutter the here we go again thing, ignore what is currently rolling down from the mountaintop and, really, become angry about the faddish bagonwagonism that, it seems, will never end. This is cynicism. And, it is every bit as much a sin as leadership's faddism. And it is as much a part of the core of our identity as the faddism.
---------------
To the point: leadership is now calling the body to make disciples. To make disciples is, unquestionably essential to a life of obedience to the lordship of Jesus.
But the body knows that nearly every past fad embraced by church leadership has been biblical and essential. And, the body believes, with a ton of evidence to support the belief, that it's extremely likely that in six months to a year leadership will not be encouraging disciple making but will have already hopped on to another bandwagon.
So...we won't get serious about making disciples.
And, our decline will continue to accelerate.
We must repent of this futile, failed and dysfunctional cycle.
Sunday, June 12, 2016
Mike Breen vs. the CGGC on what a Disciple is and How Disciples are Made
Yesterday I read the Mike Breen interview on discipleship in the new issue of The CHURCH ADVOCATE.
Good stuff. Very good stuff.
What Breen says seems profoundly biblical to me.
---------------
One of the problems the CGGC has had with making disciples in the last 25 years has been that we employ a horrifically corrupt definition of what a disciple is, one that is entirely disconnected from the teaching and way of Jesus.
MORE AND BETTER DISCIPLES: 35,000 in Worship by 2000.
That program has long since been thrown on the trash heap of CGGC failures but the essential idea that a disciple is someone who goes to church has never been challenged nor replaced. And, that idea is, very simply, biblically corrupt.
Hence we decline, even by our own standards. And, the Spirit does nothing to empower us.
---------------
I encourage everyone to look at Breen's idea of what a disciple is and to repent of the reigning CGGC idea. Repentance, after all, is a change in thinking.
Breen uses 1 Corinthians 4 as a touchstone and points out that in the way of both Jesus and the early apostles discipleship involved three realities: Passing on INFORMATION, IMITATION of Christ and of other disciples, and INNOVATION, or the freedom to try, risk and make mistakes in the process.
Breen says that the place we fail in the Western church these days is that we ignore the imitation component.
And, looking around me in the CGGC, I agree.
As one example, the theme of ERC sessions in 2015 was, "Simply Jesus." The work product of the Conference that year was a revision of the Strategic Plan. That revision amounted to little more than the restructuring of the Conference Commission structure.
Imitation of Christ? Imitation of Christ!
Check out Breen as a place to begin a CGGC conversation on discipleship.
And, if it is not already too late...
Repent.
Good stuff. Very good stuff.
What Breen says seems profoundly biblical to me.
---------------
One of the problems the CGGC has had with making disciples in the last 25 years has been that we employ a horrifically corrupt definition of what a disciple is, one that is entirely disconnected from the teaching and way of Jesus.
MORE AND BETTER DISCIPLES: 35,000 in Worship by 2000.
That program has long since been thrown on the trash heap of CGGC failures but the essential idea that a disciple is someone who goes to church has never been challenged nor replaced. And, that idea is, very simply, biblically corrupt.
Hence we decline, even by our own standards. And, the Spirit does nothing to empower us.
---------------
I encourage everyone to look at Breen's idea of what a disciple is and to repent of the reigning CGGC idea. Repentance, after all, is a change in thinking.
Breen uses 1 Corinthians 4 as a touchstone and points out that in the way of both Jesus and the early apostles discipleship involved three realities: Passing on INFORMATION, IMITATION of Christ and of other disciples, and INNOVATION, or the freedom to try, risk and make mistakes in the process.
Breen says that the place we fail in the Western church these days is that we ignore the imitation component.
And, looking around me in the CGGC, I agree.
As one example, the theme of ERC sessions in 2015 was, "Simply Jesus." The work product of the Conference that year was a revision of the Strategic Plan. That revision amounted to little more than the restructuring of the Conference Commission structure.
Imitation of Christ? Imitation of Christ!
Check out Breen as a place to begin a CGGC conversation on discipleship.
And, if it is not already too late...
Repent.
Saturday, June 11, 2016
Depressed
The "me" who comes across on this blog is not the entire me. In fact, it's certainly authentic but probably only a splinter of the whole.
This blog is one vehicle I employ to speak prophesies and to journal my walk with Him as a subject of the Kingdom. The prophesies denounce the follies of the American institutional church. And, the manner of my walk is so far out of the norm that I'm certain it feels foreign to most of you who read this and I have no doubt that the way I live under the Lordship of Jesus offends some.
But, this blog depicts only a small part of the whole of me.
If you talked to my neighbors or my coworkers, I'm certain you'd be stunned to hear their take on me.
----------------
I am reaching the conclusion that, for the first time in decades, I am depressed. I have lost my, well, joie de vivre (sorry for the French lingo).
The tipping point, it seems, was losing our dog.
I wrote a tribute to Maggie and put it on another of my blogs the other day.
Maggie truly had become an integral part of the gatherings that take place in our home. Our focus has settled on ministering to a small group of "least of these" people. And Maggie, who was everything a Golden Retriever could be, provided the perfect balance to me. Even at my softest, my focus, in the Spirit, is on repentance and righteousness. And, Maggie's presence provided balance that allowed me to be me without stifling the presence of the Spirit.
Evie and Maggie and me had, what seemed to me, to be a nice, good cop/bad cop/sweet cop way of functioning for the building of the Body. (I was the bad cop, Evie the good, Mags the sweet.)
And, the loss of Maggie, not as a pet, but as a ministry partner, leaves me a bit disoriented.
Her demise was the straw that broke the camel's back.
Evie is still not well. Mom and dad slide deeper and deeper into dementia. Today is the memorial service for my Aunt Greta. All of these, and others, are straws.
But, at the moment, how we live in ministry as people of the Kingdom going forward is unclear to me. I'm sure He will make it clear in His time, but He hasn't yet.
And, so, for now, I am depressed.
This blog is one vehicle I employ to speak prophesies and to journal my walk with Him as a subject of the Kingdom. The prophesies denounce the follies of the American institutional church. And, the manner of my walk is so far out of the norm that I'm certain it feels foreign to most of you who read this and I have no doubt that the way I live under the Lordship of Jesus offends some.
But, this blog depicts only a small part of the whole of me.
If you talked to my neighbors or my coworkers, I'm certain you'd be stunned to hear their take on me.
----------------
I am reaching the conclusion that, for the first time in decades, I am depressed. I have lost my, well, joie de vivre (sorry for the French lingo).
The tipping point, it seems, was losing our dog.
I wrote a tribute to Maggie and put it on another of my blogs the other day.
Maggie truly had become an integral part of the gatherings that take place in our home. Our focus has settled on ministering to a small group of "least of these" people. And Maggie, who was everything a Golden Retriever could be, provided the perfect balance to me. Even at my softest, my focus, in the Spirit, is on repentance and righteousness. And, Maggie's presence provided balance that allowed me to be me without stifling the presence of the Spirit.
Evie and Maggie and me had, what seemed to me, to be a nice, good cop/bad cop/sweet cop way of functioning for the building of the Body. (I was the bad cop, Evie the good, Mags the sweet.)
And, the loss of Maggie, not as a pet, but as a ministry partner, leaves me a bit disoriented.
Her demise was the straw that broke the camel's back.
Evie is still not well. Mom and dad slide deeper and deeper into dementia. Today is the memorial service for my Aunt Greta. All of these, and others, are straws.
But, at the moment, how we live in ministry as people of the Kingdom going forward is unclear to me. I'm sure He will make it clear in His time, but He hasn't yet.
And, so, for now, I am depressed.
Thursday, June 9, 2016
Evie is Retiring
It's official.
On the second day that Evie was in the hospital, I took Maggie out for her early morning walk and--in what I now understand to be an answer to Evie's prayer-- had the thought that Evie's upcoming (now past) birthday would make it possible for her to claim Social Security early and that she should go on Social Security.
In that instant, I immediately had a sense of peace as immense as any I have ever known. I finished up the stuff I needed to do around the house and drove to the hospital and told Evie. I expected resistance because we already had a bit of a plan about retirement. That's when she told me that, recently, she had been thinking the same thing but had been praying that the suggestion would come from me.
So, we talked it through and then bounced it off of my brother and his family for feedback.
This past Monday Evie walked into the office of the President of the company and told him that she was retiring. He thanked her for her years of dedication to the company, congratulated her and wished her well.
Her last day on the job will be June 24.
She is well paid on this job, especially for what it is that she does and the Social Security benefits will not make up for the income she loses but we believe that the Lord is a part of this and that He works in all things for the good of those who love Him.
So, a new chapter in our spiritual journey is about to begin.
On the second day that Evie was in the hospital, I took Maggie out for her early morning walk and--in what I now understand to be an answer to Evie's prayer-- had the thought that Evie's upcoming (now past) birthday would make it possible for her to claim Social Security early and that she should go on Social Security.
In that instant, I immediately had a sense of peace as immense as any I have ever known. I finished up the stuff I needed to do around the house and drove to the hospital and told Evie. I expected resistance because we already had a bit of a plan about retirement. That's when she told me that, recently, she had been thinking the same thing but had been praying that the suggestion would come from me.
So, we talked it through and then bounced it off of my brother and his family for feedback.
This past Monday Evie walked into the office of the President of the company and told him that she was retiring. He thanked her for her years of dedication to the company, congratulated her and wished her well.
Her last day on the job will be June 24.
She is well paid on this job, especially for what it is that she does and the Social Security benefits will not make up for the income she loses but we believe that the Lord is a part of this and that He works in all things for the good of those who love Him.
So, a new chapter in our spiritual journey is about to begin.
Sunday, June 5, 2016
The CGGC Executive Director as THEOLOGIAN-IN-CHIEF
I'm very excited to read Lance's last two eNewses with their promise of leading a refocus of the CGGC from church obsession to Kingdom service.
As I've noted, that shift has been a concern of this blog from its beginning. And, I'm certain that, as Lance develops the topic, I will agree with him as much as anyone in the CGGC does, and more than most others, even in CGGC leadership, will.
More than that, I suspect that Lance will advocate doing things we have been doing here for years.
Taking all of that for granted, I have a profound 40,000 foot concern.
THE CGGC IS A CONFERENCE, AN ELDERSHIP, A BODY THAT BELIEVES THAT ULTIMATE HUMAN AUTHORITY, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY THE GREATEST HUMAN WISDOM, RESIDES IN THE COMMUNITY OF THE CALLED.
In recent years, through the eNews, the CGGC Executive Director has assumed the role of CGGC Theologian-in-Chief. In this role, that person has taken on himself the authority to speak truth for the entire body. (Not that anyone seems to care because few in the CGGC care about truth.)
An example of this which sticks most painfully in my crawl is the pronouncement, several years ago, that leading the church is like leading a bank.
The dangerous reality in this is not that EDs speak as if they define truth for the body but that no one in the body except me objects.
Lance, to this moment at least, is not inviting the Conference into a conversation on Kingdom/church. He is speaking truth TO the Eldership as if he has the authority to.
As I said, I expect to agree with what Lance says, and I expect he will advocate that others do what we here have been doing or, at least, had been doing.
But, I am convinced that if he goes about it as our Chief Theologian, this Kingdom thing will simply die out quickly as nothing more than a minor, come to nothing, CGGC fad.
We must begin our repentance with what can be seen from 40,000 feet.
As I've noted, that shift has been a concern of this blog from its beginning. And, I'm certain that, as Lance develops the topic, I will agree with him as much as anyone in the CGGC does, and more than most others, even in CGGC leadership, will.
More than that, I suspect that Lance will advocate doing things we have been doing here for years.
Taking all of that for granted, I have a profound 40,000 foot concern.
THE CGGC IS A CONFERENCE, AN ELDERSHIP, A BODY THAT BELIEVES THAT ULTIMATE HUMAN AUTHORITY, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY THE GREATEST HUMAN WISDOM, RESIDES IN THE COMMUNITY OF THE CALLED.
In recent years, through the eNews, the CGGC Executive Director has assumed the role of CGGC Theologian-in-Chief. In this role, that person has taken on himself the authority to speak truth for the entire body. (Not that anyone seems to care because few in the CGGC care about truth.)
An example of this which sticks most painfully in my crawl is the pronouncement, several years ago, that leading the church is like leading a bank.
The dangerous reality in this is not that EDs speak as if they define truth for the body but that no one in the body except me objects.
Lance, to this moment at least, is not inviting the Conference into a conversation on Kingdom/church. He is speaking truth TO the Eldership as if he has the authority to.
As I said, I expect to agree with what Lance says, and I expect he will advocate that others do what we here have been doing or, at least, had been doing.
But, I am convinced that if he goes about it as our Chief Theologian, this Kingdom thing will simply die out quickly as nothing more than a minor, come to nothing, CGGC fad.
We must begin our repentance with what can be seen from 40,000 feet.
Gathering 6-5-16
Evie's birthday was on Thursday. She shares her birthday with a niece who is two years younger than she and who was more like little sister when they were growing up.
Evie and Joyce, her niece, decided quite some time ago, to organize a family reunion around the celebration of their birthday this year. Evie's the youngest of her generation and she is no spring chicken. (On our drive home, she opined that this may turn out to be the last time the family gathers--and I suspect that she's correct.) Two of Evie's four siblings have been gone for years. The oldest remaining is 78.
Yesterday was a long, hot and humid day and, coming off of the hospitalization and the ongoing physical problems that she is addressing, she woke up today exhausted.
So, we decided to invite the regulars of the Sunday gathering to join us at the diner we sometimes eat at for Sunday dinner, on us.
---------------
Certainly, this is not a way of meeting that is traditional in church circles.
However, it strikes me that, based on the Gospel accounts of the life of Jesus, what we will do is more like what Jesus and his first followers did than what takes place in a worship service.
That is an interesting thought to me, but accurate, I think. We will share the kind of fellowship that made the Pharisees cringe.
Evie and Joyce, her niece, decided quite some time ago, to organize a family reunion around the celebration of their birthday this year. Evie's the youngest of her generation and she is no spring chicken. (On our drive home, she opined that this may turn out to be the last time the family gathers--and I suspect that she's correct.) Two of Evie's four siblings have been gone for years. The oldest remaining is 78.
Yesterday was a long, hot and humid day and, coming off of the hospitalization and the ongoing physical problems that she is addressing, she woke up today exhausted.
So, we decided to invite the regulars of the Sunday gathering to join us at the diner we sometimes eat at for Sunday dinner, on us.
---------------
Certainly, this is not a way of meeting that is traditional in church circles.
However, it strikes me that, based on the Gospel accounts of the life of Jesus, what we will do is more like what Jesus and his first followers did than what takes place in a worship service.
That is an interesting thought to me, but accurate, I think. We will share the kind of fellowship that made the Pharisees cringe.
Thursday, June 2, 2016
Evie's Appointment with Her Doctor
The doctor's office actually called her to set up a post hospitalization appointment and we both attended.
We are very happy to have the doctor we have. We've known him for about 15 years and have come to know him fairly well. His kids grew up during that time and he has been unexpectedly transparent with us about that aspect of his life so we feel as is we have a relationship with him of sorts.
He was extremely helpful during the cancer years, helping us understand how what all of Evie's various surgeons and specialists were doing fit together in her treatment.
He is extremely well read and is a natural healer.
And, as we hoped, he made sense of Evie's test results and helped us to see a way forward.
I guess you could say that there was a confluence of symptoms that led to the belief that Evie was having a stroke--that along with some findings in her CAT scan, of course.
She seems to have, among other problems, an inner ear problem (Eustachian tube dysfunction) and that accounts for the ongoing dizziness. Our doctor's idea about the headache is that it is the result of muscle tension in Evie's neck. He prescribed a muscle relaxer for that. We haven't picked it up from the pharmacy yet.
Of course, there is a lot causing tension in Evie's life. My parents are a handful, the dog's demise, changes on her job that have everyone there in transition, and other stresses. I have talked about those stressors in the past.
----------------
Yesterday was our 42nd wedding anniversary. Today is Evie's birthday. You can guess which one.
----------------
Evie has received a nice bunch of Get Well cards, including one from the General Conference staff. Many of our friends have gone out of their way to be a comfort and blessing to us. Thanks to everyone for the kindness and support and prayers.
We are thankful.
We are very happy to have the doctor we have. We've known him for about 15 years and have come to know him fairly well. His kids grew up during that time and he has been unexpectedly transparent with us about that aspect of his life so we feel as is we have a relationship with him of sorts.
He was extremely helpful during the cancer years, helping us understand how what all of Evie's various surgeons and specialists were doing fit together in her treatment.
He is extremely well read and is a natural healer.
And, as we hoped, he made sense of Evie's test results and helped us to see a way forward.
I guess you could say that there was a confluence of symptoms that led to the belief that Evie was having a stroke--that along with some findings in her CAT scan, of course.
She seems to have, among other problems, an inner ear problem (Eustachian tube dysfunction) and that accounts for the ongoing dizziness. Our doctor's idea about the headache is that it is the result of muscle tension in Evie's neck. He prescribed a muscle relaxer for that. We haven't picked it up from the pharmacy yet.
Of course, there is a lot causing tension in Evie's life. My parents are a handful, the dog's demise, changes on her job that have everyone there in transition, and other stresses. I have talked about those stressors in the past.
----------------
Yesterday was our 42nd wedding anniversary. Today is Evie's birthday. You can guess which one.
----------------
Evie has received a nice bunch of Get Well cards, including one from the General Conference staff. Many of our friends have gone out of their way to be a comfort and blessing to us. Thanks to everyone for the kindness and support and prayers.
We are thankful.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)