I’ve thought a lot about this quote from Anthony De Mello:
“People who want a cure, provided they can have it without pain, are like those who favor progress, provided they can have it without change. Even the best psychologist will tell you that, that people don’t really want to be cured. What they want is relief; a cure is painful.”
What is the church offering people today? A cure or relief?
My observation is that we have offered relief far more than we do a cure. Here’s your medication, read your Bible, pray about it, stop living in sin… etc… When will the church begin to offer a cure for all that ails this broken world?
What would the cure look like? I have an idea…
I hope to get some responses on this one!
April 11, 2006
April 04, 2006
Looking for a good thrill?
Ok, in an earlier post I gave a list about some current religion/spirituality books I'd been reading. I also mentioned the thriller novels as well. Truthfully, in the last 2 months I have been reading more thriller/suspense novels than my religion/spirituality ones. Something that hasn't happened in nearly 7 years! It used to be Stephen King novels (which I still like) but I have been focusing in on two other writers at the moment.
If you are looking for a good thrill, I highly recommend these books:
Blessed Child by Ted Dekker (currently reading)
Obsessed by Ted Dekker
The Visitation by Frank Peretti
Monster by Frank Peretti
Thr3e by Ted Dekker
Out of the four that I have finished, Thr3e and Monster were by far the best, in my opinion. After I finish Blessed Child, I plan to get my hands on the newly released House by both Dekker & Peretti. Either that or start reading through the Circle Trilogy by Dekker.
If you wish to see a trailer for "Obsessed", "Monster", or "Thr3e" you can click on the View Sample Video on the links provided for each book.
I must admit it has been kind of interesting to become fascinated again by an old hobby of mine. I hope I don't lose this hunger for a good thriller. That's just my genre of interest, as sick and twisted as it can be sometimes! But no mattter how twisted my mind can be, I long to seek the spiritual truths present or not in the stories.
If you are looking for a good thrill, I highly recommend these books:
Blessed Child by Ted Dekker (currently reading)
Obsessed by Ted Dekker
The Visitation by Frank Peretti
Monster by Frank Peretti
Thr3e by Ted Dekker
Out of the four that I have finished, Thr3e and Monster were by far the best, in my opinion. After I finish Blessed Child, I plan to get my hands on the newly released House by both Dekker & Peretti. Either that or start reading through the Circle Trilogy by Dekker.
If you wish to see a trailer for "Obsessed", "Monster", or "Thr3e" you can click on the View Sample Video on the links provided for each book.
I must admit it has been kind of interesting to become fascinated again by an old hobby of mine. I hope I don't lose this hunger for a good thriller. That's just my genre of interest, as sick and twisted as it can be sometimes! But no mattter how twisted my mind can be, I long to seek the spiritual truths present or not in the stories.
March 31, 2006
A church without imagination
I have had many positive and affirming responses to my messages since they have taken on the form of storytelling rather than preaching. Sure there have been those one or two folks who consistently ask me after my message “You didn’t tell me what I’m supposed to do,” and for those folks it may become harder to pay attention to my messages without me spoon-feeding them. But I sense that this is a direction worth moving toward… no longer a preacher rather a storyteller. And let me tell you it is an art form that takes some practicing.
One of the books that I’ve read recently really spurred me into this mentality. Mark Miller’s book, "Experiential Storytelling" highlighted some interesting points such as:
"A sermon tells people what to think. A story forces people to do the thinking for themselves. It can feel dangerous because it allows for interpretation… can we leave something open–ended knowing the conclusion might not come until later that day, week, month, or even year? Can we allow people to own the stories? Or do we do all the interpreting and leave nothing to the imagination?"
Maybe these are the times that we live in. Most people in our congregations (in my experience) don’t know how to use their imagination when it comes to faith and the church. They would much more opt for the lecture, so we pastors have had to become “Answer Men/Women.” Man, how much easier school would have been if my teacher gave me the answers! I might have actually had fun. Well I suppose if that is all the church is… fun or a social club then I guess giving answers only fits the mold.
I am witnessing a revival of sorts for the use of the arts in worship and communication and I am elated! I think that what happened around the time of the Reformation, a shift occurred in which the reading, preaching and hearing of the Word of God sub sequentially annihilated all art, image, and anything else that dared to take attention away from the former. Check out what the 18th Century theologian Jonathan Edwards had to say about the imagination.
It is quite clear that we need to rethink our manner in which we bear the Gospel message. The emerging generation will not stand for an institution (albeit the church) in which art/image/story is seen as a distraction to the Word of God. It only enhances it, if we are only willing to use our imaginations (see Luke 18:17)!
One of the books that I’ve read recently really spurred me into this mentality. Mark Miller’s book, "Experiential Storytelling" highlighted some interesting points such as:
"A sermon tells people what to think. A story forces people to do the thinking for themselves. It can feel dangerous because it allows for interpretation… can we leave something open–ended knowing the conclusion might not come until later that day, week, month, or even year? Can we allow people to own the stories? Or do we do all the interpreting and leave nothing to the imagination?"
Maybe these are the times that we live in. Most people in our congregations (in my experience) don’t know how to use their imagination when it comes to faith and the church. They would much more opt for the lecture, so we pastors have had to become “Answer Men/Women.” Man, how much easier school would have been if my teacher gave me the answers! I might have actually had fun. Well I suppose if that is all the church is… fun or a social club then I guess giving answers only fits the mold.
I am witnessing a revival of sorts for the use of the arts in worship and communication and I am elated! I think that what happened around the time of the Reformation, a shift occurred in which the reading, preaching and hearing of the Word of God sub sequentially annihilated all art, image, and anything else that dared to take attention away from the former. Check out what the 18th Century theologian Jonathan Edwards had to say about the imagination.
It is quite clear that we need to rethink our manner in which we bear the Gospel message. The emerging generation will not stand for an institution (albeit the church) in which art/image/story is seen as a distraction to the Word of God. It only enhances it, if we are only willing to use our imaginations (see Luke 18:17)!
March 23, 2006
Why preaching no longer works
Here's an article that got me thinking more about how we preach and why we need to reform our mentality of preaching.
Quite simply, preaching can no longer be about someone standing on a stage giving expository advice to a clueless audience. Rather, it must become a living story again. For the most part, Jesus' method of conveying a message or point is through the power of story or parables.
Maybe we should start to do the same.