We are the Church, a community where people discover who they are, who God is, and how they can help each other make significant advances against evil by bringing justice and mercy to people, by caring for the poor, widowed, and orphaned, by loving everyone in order to bring God's Kingdom to earth.
The Church is the ONLY environment on earth where people can reach their full potential.
It's where sin is confronted, confessed, forgiven, and redeemed.
It's where sickness is discovered, healed, and made whole.
It's where success is measured by the amount of love that is shared and not the amount of work done, or numbers impacted.
It's where we realize that we are safe and yet on a dangerous mission to eradicate evil.
It's where we realize that living abundantly does not translate into lots of stuff.
It's where we feel the most sorrow.
It's where we feel the most pain.
It's where we feel the most shame.
It's where we feel the most joy.
It's where we feel the most love.
It's where we feel the most hope.
It's where we feel the most peace.
It's where we feel the most ALIVE!
Since this is all true, and we continue to trust that it is then we should be about enabling a transformation by the power of the Holy Spirit that is of the most violent and yet tender kind that rips away the infection of sin and replaces it with the adoration of the Son.
We will create an environment where we will enable every individual: leaders, followers, and seekers, to be CONTINUALLY transformed into the likeness of Christ encouraging everyone to die to their self and rise with Christ.
We will create an environment where we will enable the community to be transformed both within the local congregation and within EVERY community into which our congregation sends ambassadors.
We will not follow culture for the sake of being relevant, but instead we will create a new culture by redeeming the redeemable, and by using the gifts of art in the forms of music, painting, drawing, digital imaging, technology development, sculptures, architecture, dance, and drama to transform culture. We will not withdraw from, but will draw in the outcast. We will not condemn, but will lovingly correct. We will not become entangled in sin, but will help free those oppressed and in bondage.
We will care for the creation that we have the opportunity to care for so that our neighbor might enjoy its fruits. This will involve reducing our waste and will involve making informed and conscious decisions about what we consume, and from whom we consume. It will also involve the giving of time, money, and talent so that no one within the Church is in need, and so that we might those with needs outside of the Church.
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Ok, I will just write a bit to start with—one because I need to read it again and two because I read it at school interrupted by Japanese 7th grade students asking me if I like to eat green tea pudding and if I know who Johnny Depp is and if I can drink ten shots of Tequila. I’m not making that up.
I liked the article, but I’m not sure if I will find more things that I don’t agree with when I go back. I totally agree that the church needs to be involved in culture and has not done the best job of it. More to come on that. I don’t know about Gabe’s history of the church being involved in culture—there seems to be a few hundred years missing and not that many significant events listed for the time covered to convince me that in the past the church was always involved (or more involved).
I will think about the church being involved in culture as it is concerned with Scott County and America, as in the argument about the church being culturally relevant in Japan seems like talking about how relevant Monet is to blind people.
I think we all know how much the church has become something that people do and subscribe to, but many times in a way that keeps it separate from their secular lives. I dig the idea of whatever you are good at doing, do it for God’s glory and try to glorify him in all that you do. Now obviously I think this has it limits and must be constrained by what we know God approves of and what he does not. I don't think you could be a damn good mercenary and do your job well for the glory of God. There are much less extreme examples we can think of, and it some might cause some discomfort to really think about it.
An example of where us as Christians dropped the ball (albeit a small example and a not too damaging one) is the area of music. The moment that we made ‘Christian music’ and forced our kids to listen to it instead of good music—we stopped being relevant in the music scene—a place where many people can be influenced. Many thought that secular music was bad—and the way to put good thoughts into our heads was to listen to sub-par Christian music. We invented gimmicks like a rapping old white clown named Carmen who tried to be relevant to the same kids who were listening to Tupac. We had countless copy bands that tried hard to sound like a certain secular band in hopes they could fake out some of their fans into liking their ‘Christian’ music instead. It was all marketing. It wasn’t good music. Fortunately bands like POD, Reliant K, Lifehouse, Michelle Branch and even bands like Creed gave us some good music that had a real message of Christian life that influenced culture. (Ok so Creed sucks and Scott Stapp is pretty dumb but they were fairly relevant for a while…)
I love where the author uses the homosexual movement as an example for the church. I had never really stopped and thought about how quickly that something once so taboo could become so prevalent and accepted.
I also like where the author talks about becoming more involved as an integral part that the community needs to function. What a change that would be and what an difference we could make!
The greatest sentence in this article was where the author quotes Metzger and says that the church shouldn’t shy away and be offended with the darkness, but we should be stirred into action. I’m all for that. Instead of being repulsed by porn, we start something like XXXchurch.com where they show love to porn stars and give them a way out. Instead of getting offended by Eminem, we appreciate his ability and then try to find out what is so intriguing about what he says and why young people like it before we say we hate him. Instead of giving money and food to the poor and dirty, we for once decide to get our hands dirty.
I cant wait to hear what you all think about the article. Sorry for not posting on the last one, it was a good read too. And I’m sorry if you really do like Creed. I’m really sorry to break this to you—but they do suck.
I love you all
DH
What good is a lighthouse unless it is in the darkness?
By refusing to be surrounded by people who need light we fail to show the way.
Has there been a lighthouse erected in Japan? Was there something you were supposed to teach, instead of learn? What future Japanese leader is currently in your midst that by your sharing of Jesus could help change the course of an entire culture that values hard work, accomplishment, and quality?
To me the church has a better chance of changing Japan right now then it does America, and yet you fail to recognize it and with your whole Monet analogy it becomes obvious that you've somehow excused yourself from being a change agent.
Because Japanese culture has been basically untouched by the influence of the church it has the greatest potential for change.
Maybe I misunderstood what you were trying to get across, but just because the church hasn't influenced a culture does not mean it can't have tremendous impact.
I think you are missing what I am trying to say… While I am discouraged some because of the lack of light here, and I do appreciate you telling me that I can have a huge impact here and know that you are right when you say that—I am referencing Christianity being relevant in terms of culture here like the article was talking about; i.e. finding a way to become relevant again to a society where it has lost its influence and credibility. Since Christianity has never been culturally relevant here, and the article was talking about America—I wrote about that.
In terms of Japan when I make a Monet analogy I don't mean that it is impossible to spread the news about Jesus here—I am saying that when you are talking about something to a people who have no existing way to conceive what you are talking about—being relevant in culture seems very hard to talk about. As Americans it’s hard to think about that. We can’t picture living in a society where there is no real religion with most people and things about spirituality are as foreign as the Japanese language is to you.
What I mean is that sure I think the Japanese people are great and have a huge role to play in the Kingdom, but the issue of reaching the Japanese and learning how to adapt the way we talk about Christianity to a Eastern culture like Japan’s—is not what I thought this article was talking about.
Ok, so you live in Japan. You have first hand experience with the culture and how it seems as if the "church" couldn't possibly have any culture relevance in what you see on a daily basis. Yes, Americans tend to bubble themselves, making it difficult to see outside their own fences. I get that. But...please don't stereotype. Less than 5% of the people in Seattle have been "churched," yet I have a very good friend there in the music scene doing very important scouting and observations to figure out how to reach this area. For Jesus! So, yeah, we Americans CAN experience what it is like to see how difficult it is to break in within the traditional church.
However, Jesus is NOT irrelevant, and I think we are missing that point wide left. The "church" is not necessarily a building or even an institution. Think outside traditional thoughts and go back to the root if you are having trouble connecting cultures. It was a community among a community. Sharing, supporting, living! If Jesus lives in us, and we allow Him to live us brightly enough, people will seek us out.
Music: again, stereotyping. No Carman bashing in my presence, I nearly cried. As a young Christian growing up, he was highly influential in a lot of young people's lives, sincere, and packed out stadiums. Why not support a man of God whose heart cried out for the lost instead of bashing him? As for Christian bands, there are tons of bands out there that are great. Michelle Branch ain't no Christian by the way. I know we are talking about reaching unsaved culture, but there are alot of Christians who need to be supported and influenced too. DC Talk was extremely culturally relevant and effective, and TobyMac still is, with his foot in the mud of the world. And have we forgotten the biggest band in the history of the past 20 years?!?! A band that never went under a Christian label and is now spreading awareness about poverty and AIDS in Africa?!?!? U2 is the band. Period.
Rob, your comment about the article was better than the article. If we live on fire as much as we talk on fire, how pleased would our Father be. I want to live. Silence me now.
Again. To beat the dead horse. Didnt think of the article in terms of Japan. I didnt know much about Japanese culture in America- still dont. I think most Americans are in that position.
I also don`t want to argue about how much of a gimmik Carmen was or who we think is and isn`t a Christian in the music world--no point. I don`t want this to turn into a place where people argue about and attack other`s views. Sorry if what I said offended. I would rather others talk about the article than pull out small arguments with what I thought about it....
Poor DH, so far away and yet hit so hard!
Do not be discouraged my friend.
I do not think that this is necessarily an American Church article. I believe it is more a condemnation of the Western Church. After all the Church lost it's cultural influence in Europe long before it did in America. Although the Church has lost it's influence in the Western Culture, I also believe we, the Church, have forsaken influencing other cultures.
In an age of diversity propagation and "personal truth" we feel like by introducing Jesus into a culture that we destroy it, and many would say that's bad.
I think by being aware that the Church is actually a "new culture" then we are not going to encourage people, for instance, in Uganda to sing "our" songs, but rather write their own. We'll provide lyrics and music in the absence of their own, but by all means David Crowder or Charles Wesley do not have a monopoly on what is to be sung by the Church.
I think Gabe's ideas are globally applicable. Obviously our immediate concern in America is the Church in America, but that is not to say that we don't encourage cultural change all over the world.
Now the reason losing influence in Western Culture is so important is that with the rise of "global economy," "Web 2.0," ipods, and iphones the world is becoming smaller in the sense that virtual communities are being built far more easily then traditional communities are formed. Most of the technology leadership in the next 20 years will come from the West. After that I see it shifting to the Far East and East as India and China continue to ratchet up their economies.
This means the Church, whose financial and theological stability is currently located in the West, by making use of the technology, can make significant strides in changing people and cultures without ever having actually physically been there. This is why it is so important for the American Church to recognize their responsibility and to act. Because, no pun intended, "We have the power!" Actually the whole Church has THE Power, but we have the resources.
Since when did the blog start being about DH in Japan. I can't believe I am saying this but I actually agreed with everything DH said. The past two articles have not stirred a response in me no matter how long I contemplate on it. Robert's post on the other hand, I think that the way you described the church is possibly the way it should be but I am far from being able to say that is how the church actually is. As for the article, I think we should stop doing church and start being a community. How that takes place I am not sure all I know is that the muslim bosnians act like better christians mainly because they resemble the community discussed in acts 2.
OK...it was my fault for turning this on Daniel, I would ask for forgiveness, but if you make a comment I want to challenge then I'm going to challenge it. I would hope you'd do the same for, or to, me.
I think Daniel's skin is thick enough...otherwise it might be a while before he posts again. :)
So, blame me!
Don`t worry. It takes more than Robert`s belitting and a Carmen fan to get through my thick skin.
You know nothing you all will say or challenge me with will ever make me love you or think less of you.
I am glad that this was started to begin with, so dont worry Robert--you haven`t seen the last of my controverisal ideas, thoughts, struggles, and expert music critiques.
Miss you....
...ever make me love you less or think less of you...
is what that should say...
first of all, i love my brother! and i am so proud of him, even when we don't agree. that is not the case here though. like jerica, i can affirm daniel's original post, even though i did buy one of those Creed cds...
not to rip on the "christian" music industry again, but like daniel, i see it as a prime example of where Christians created an overlooked subculture rather than influenicing the existing culture. i would have brought it up first if he hadn't. the truth is a lot of people are influenced by so-called "christian" music, but think how many more people could be influenced by Christians singing so-called "secular" music. U2 for example has had a lot more play time than DCTalk ever dreamed of. sure, the ichthus festival in wilmore draws like 30,000 youth each year (and i hate to bash it since ben worked for them...) but a lot of "secular" artists play to that kind of crowd or bigger every weekend. rather than sneaking "out of the world" to do our own music we should have been getting into the world and influencing.
before we get stuck on music though, there's a lot of other places where we as the church could do a better job.
for example check out www.tomsshoes.com.
ben and i saw these shoes for the first time at a youth ministry conference about a month ago in atlanta. the founder of the company was on the reality series The Amazing Race. after the show was over he went back to spend more time in the countries he visited. in Argentina he realized he was playing soccer with a bunch of kids who didn't have shoes. so when he came home, he dreamed up and started a company that makes shoes, based on the traditional Argentinian shoes. for every one pair he sells, he gives away a pair in Argentina. no, not a ten percent tithe, but giving away exactly half of what they make. so now the guys out enlisting the help of WHOEVER, not just the church to sell and give away shoes all over the world. i bought a pair for myself. we also signed our youth group up for a special event where all our kids will buy white pairs of Tom's Shoes and then have a party where we paint our shoes. we get to choose where the shoes are sent. we'll probably pick a school in Ghana that a lot of people in the church here have already visited. then the kids in the youth group will have crazy painted shoes to where to school where hopefully other people will ask about them and all our kids will get to share the story of Tom's Shoes and hopefully dream up more ways to change the culture and change our world. and my favorite part...it's the part about how the shoes look like the shoes already in the Argentinan culture. they're getting something familiar, not American nikes.
and right now i'm on a big art kick. i think christians have underestimated how art can change the world. i think we've also underestimated how art can help us worship. at any rate, the youth group here in Long Beach hosted an art show last weekend. at it's most basic level it was a fundraiser for our summer activities. at a more important level it was an opportunity for the students to express themselves through painting, poetry, photography and anything else they could think of. some of them turned in art with a "christian" theme. a lot of them took pictures of the beach. one kid sketched his tennis shoes. another girl drew Anime characters. the show was a big hit, with the kids and with the adults of our church. everybody was surprised at how much art there was, how good it was (for the most part!) and how many people were interested in seeing it. i couldn't help thinking that the next time we do an art show it should be better publicized in our community. how cool would it be for the people to see that church people have an interest in art and that every painting doesn't have to be a cross or Bible verse?
one of my big critiques of the church right now is that in a lot of places churches are trying to steal and adapt the culture for worship. how many sanctuaries resemble concert halls or movie theaters? (you know with zero natural light, big screens, cool bands, and props?) it's like dressing up the culture so we think we're relevant to it. i think this misses the point. the church shouldn't be a polished mirror of the culture or a subculture most people don't care about or know about. the church ought to be in the midst of culture embracing and transforming it. i think the article was a good challenge and reminder of that.
p.s. robert, i like that you included the environment and our care of it in the original post. the church in the south (and i include KY in there) does a "piss poor" job (as my mom would say) of taking care of the environment. southern culture in particular sees "the great outdoors" as a recreational playground and a place to put more concrete or through your beer can from your truck. we've become so accustomed to the garbage truck coming by on monday and thursday mornings and taking away our trash to some unknown location that we don't realize how much waste we produce. i'd love to see this change...i'd love to be a part of a church that preached (from the pulpit and otherwise) about how we care for creation once in a while...at least until i can make everyone read Wendell Berry.
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