More of the Memphis Experience

While I was in Memphis this past weekend, it was a real treat to experience some of the community, "co-ops", and people at First Congo.

I had a friend who had spent a few nights at the hostel there...the Pilgrim House...and recommended it highly to me. And whenever I travel, I like to find a way to connect with some local culture, food, people, and worship experiences.


The hostel was great. For just $15/night plus a little 10-minute chore...the accommodations were quite comfortable. They had wi-fi, a nice kitchen & dining area, a reading room, and helpful information about what to do while in Memphis.

One of the first people I met was this guy...


...John Harkless.


John has an incredible story and has now lived at and worked for the church for the past couple of years.


First Congo is affiliated with the United Church of Christ and has completely opened their arms to the community...especially those in the G&L community, AIDS/HIV-infected individuals, impoverished, and basically anyone looking for a place to explore faith and experience grace.

Now I know many of you squirm at the thought of being that OPEN to various lifestyles, beliefs, and these diverse expressions of Christian community...but consider for just one moment that there is One God and Judge to whom people are going to eventually answer...and you're not Him! (or Her!) ;-)

The church was full of unique artistic elements which added to the worship experience and gave you a sense of the community's personality.

In the middle of the open half of the sanctuary...centered in the beautiful wood floor was this hand-made baptismal font/bowl...very impressive.



Among the various co-ops and organizations which were home to First Congo was this very creative bicycle co-op...Revolutions. In the lower level of the educational wing, they had a bike shop established which would train interested volunteers from the community for basic repair and maintenance. Then the co-op would refurbish bikes to give away...especially to elementary-age children at a nearby school. This just seemed like such a cool community effort and service which had been having tremendous impact in the neighborhood as well as commanding some national attention.

Just a few words about the worship experience. It was what I would call an emerging sort of liturgical gathering. With about 300-400 people, we sang...read scripture...engaged in a fun children's sermon...listened to a great choral rendition of "O Happy Day" (one of my favorite gospel hymns)...and received a very well-prepared and articulate teaching encouraging us to live an Easter life in a Good Friday world. I walked away from this gathering and overall church experience a little more in love with our extravagantly loving and creative God.

The Off-road Triathlon in Memphis

My departure from Bolivar, PA on Friday morning was just about on time. I have been investigating a campus ministry organization called CCO and drove to this beautiful retreat center about an hour east of Pittsburgh Thursday morning.


After an important conversation/interview Friday morning, I had to exit the seminar prematurely to begin my triathlon journey.


So my hope was to arrive in Memphis, TN by about 11 pm. Fortunately, I gained an hour somewhere in KY and that gave me a little more margin.









My arrangements for housing were with
the Pilgrim House...a very cool hostel connected with First Congregational Church on S. Cooper Street in Memphis.

My alarm rudely awakened me from my cozy accommodations at about 7 AM. I need to get a bite of breakfast 2 hours ahead of the event start time...plus I still had to get some things together and put the bike back together from its wheel-less state. By about 8 AM I was properly nourished, packed, and ready to find Shelby Farms...the location for this off-road triathlon event on the east side of Memphis.

After a minor navigational issue, I found my destination and parked the car with a cool drizzle of rain falling. Once I checked in and got all my gear situated at the transition area, it was close to 9 AM. At about 9:30 AM, I slipped on the wetsuit (thanks Kevin!) and began to anticipate the frigid waters of Patriot Lake there on the park campus. We all got one of these attractive swim caps to put on (minus the logo--unfortunately) and then waded out in the lake until we were waist-deep in the 61 degree body of fresh water. The plan was to swim a circular loop around a couple of islands and then exit the water...run 200 yards to the starting point and then jump back in for a second lap. The most depressing part was that the guy in first place lapped me...before I could finish my first half-mile...he was done with the full mile!

As I was pulling into the park that morning, it suddenly occurred to me that I had forgotten my bike helmet. Since that would mean automatic disqualification, I began begging in the parking lot...hoping one of the other racers had an extra helmet for some reason. After asking about a dozen folks...I headed back to my car and another guy was just closing the gate to his truck and I thought I'd try one more time. He said "Yeah...not sure why, but for some reason I brought both my helmets today...you're welcome to it." Disaster averted! Thanks, Rich.

Prior to the bike stage, I had thought that this might be my strongest section of the race...wrong! For one thing, due to the rain...the track was very muddy and slick. Within 2 to 3 miles of riding...my legs were covered in mud from my knees to my toes (bad idea to wear my running shoes to ride!) Finally, though, I began to catch up to a few racers and make some progress. I only fell completely off the bike one time...nearly ramming a tree trunk with my head. After about 2.5 hours on the bike (can you say, chaffing?!) I made it back to the transition area ready to try out the legs.

As I started out on the final 6-mile run...I knew the legs were going to be pretty gooey from the ride. For the first 2 miles or so, I inserted a brief walk between each half mile. By the time I hit mile three, I had my legs back...the quads stopped cramping & locking up with each extension...and I was able to find a good pace somewhere around 9:30 per mile.

One interesting thing I'll share about the run is that I conducted a bit of sociological experiment. Perhaps one of the toughest mental challenges of such a physical test is that most people are in it alone. Unless you've brought a training buddy with you, the course can be a somewhat isolating and lonely environment. Half-way through the run, I knew that I needed something to help me finish the race well...I needed community.

(this is a random photo...not me or Matt)

Whenever I run with my trail-mate, Matt, in Milford...the running always seems to be more bearable. Since I couldn't magically summon Matt to Memphis, I decided to attempt some conversation with my fellow triathletes. The first two runners I spoke to didn't seem interested in conversation...perhaps because they were struggling even more than I was. But then I jogged up alongside of an older guy who had passed me earlier during one of my walking episodes.

Now obviously, when you're suffering through an endurance event like this, conversation is not really easy or fluid, but we managed a few exchanges. I found that he was from the Memphis area, had done several triathlons, and enjoyed the swimming portion more so than the other two disciplines. We continued to chat every few hundred yards and my sense of time began to speed up coupled with the fact that I was distracted from my discomfort and thinking about this other person. It worked! I found my rhythm and when he stopped off for some Gatorade and Gu at one of the checkpoints...I was able to kick it up a notch and finish strong.

There's gotta be a life lesson in there somewhere.

Finally, I began to hear the music and P/A system at the finish line. I rounded the last corner and steered my reluctant legs towards the cone-lined alley which led to the inflatable Xterra archway. A few hospitable onlookers clapped and cheered me towards the final stretch. "Great job, #46!! Way to go...you're almost there!" That is always an exciting moment. Knowing that you've stayed the course and finished the race. It's an earthly representation of Hebrews 12. Good stuff.

Just read this blurb from a campus ministry update page...

Banning Bottled Water: Washington University (Missouri) may be setting a trend with a campus wide ban on the sale of bottled water and forbidding the use of university funds for the purchase of bottled water. Students pushed for the move out of concern for environmental sustainability. They cite not only the overabundance of bottles that are consumed, but also the use of fossil fuels in the production and distribution process. A number of other schools have contacted Wash U. to learn more about how to bring a similar ban to their own campuses. (Inside Higher Ed February 9, 2009)


I've read some other things recently which have bolstered this argument. For economic reasons we were forced to give our water cooler back to Ice Mountain to save the $30/month. Fortunately, our tap water is pretty good here in Milford...so I think we'll be filling up the Nalgene's etc...instead of buying much bottled water.

Loving Wisdom, Loving Life

Since I just finished a lecture on Rene Descartes...I could not resist this little cartoon.

My recent transition towards teaching and campus ministry has brought me to at least one new realization. I really enjoy philosophy. Of course, it's rather unfortunate that I didn't pay more attention in my undergrad philosophy courses so that I might be a little more prepared to teach on the subject. But the intense reading and catching up has been fairly enjoyable.

Preparing for my first triathlon has been the second largest consumer of my time and schedule recently. As I get closer to the event, my workouts span 3 to 4 hours and have actually become nearly as enjoyable as they are long.

Apparently, I have some kind of pathology which just pushes me towards new and extreme experiences. Perhaps that explains the masochistic yet Epicurean pleasure which studying philosophy has brought to me as well.


My first swim/bike/run event will be the Xterra Off-Road Triathlon in Memphis, TN Saturday April 18th. The race consists of a 1-mile swim, an 18-mile mountain bike course on the Tour de Wolf and Wolf River Trails and a 10k trail run.

I've yet to swim a real good mile, so I'm a little nervous about that part of it. But the other distances shouldn't be a problem. That will be the first of 4 or 5 tri-events this year for me...so I canNOT wait!

Slowly Learning About Slow Food

It has been a few years now since my friend in Columbus, Eric Stetler, introduced me to the concept of Slow Food and what some might call the Food revolution which has really been gaining ground over the past several years. We viewed a documentary about food and the Agricultural industry which made me want to go home and throw away anything that might have genetically modified (GMO's) corn in it, growth hormones (dairy etc) and the like. I think the film was called the Future of Food.

Although I sensed the passion and connected with the vision for a better approach to food, I just didn't seem to have enough motivation to follow through and really change our own approach to food. When you exist within the complex system of a family with many pre-conditioned eating habits...
...okay, I'm just making excuses.

I want to look into this idea of slow food a little more and would love to find local food as well as engaging the soil with my own kids to grow some of our own food. The ways in which we eat as Americans are generally unhealthy. The ways in which we purchase and use food is not a sustainable or farmer/grower-friendly system.

And just as I cannot hardly stomach the taste or idea of bad coffee and bad espresso...I think it's time to realize some higher standards for our food as well.

This statement on their homepage resonates with me.

Slow Food is a non-profit, eco-gastronomic member-supported organization that was founded in 1989 to counteract fast food and fast life, the disappearance of local food traditions and people’s dwindling interest in the food they eat, where it comes from, how it tastes and how our food choices affect the rest of the world.

Have you been "slowing" down your approach to food? How has everyone in the family responded? What have been the challenges? The successes?

Transitions

Sunday March 8th was my last official Sunday to serve on staff at Lifespring Church of the Nazarene in Milford, OH. We have served on staff for a little over two years at Lifespring and it has been a great blessing for our family.

We will continue to attend Lifespring as we search for what God has next for us in life & ministry. The mission of Lifespring is to help people develop three key relationships: with God...with other Christ followers...and with the world.

I thoroughly believe in the church's simple approach to loving God and loving others and wish Kevin & Leslie God's best for their ministry as they continue to lead this church forward.

For the past several months, I had become increasingly uncomfortable with my own role in the ministry and just had an overall sense that God wanted to use me in some other ways. Resigning and leaving a ministry is never really easy but I think it's especially difficult when you are yet unsure as to where God is leading. So we find ourselves in this liminal...in between...awkward...time of transition.

For several years now, I have had the intention of pursuing a teaching position with a Christian Campus. I have looked into such schools as Mount Vernon Nazarene, Cedarville, Huntington, Asbury, Cincinnat Christian, Ohio Christian, etc but nothing came of the search until now. With a couple of college buddies working at Indiana Wesleyan, I made the connection and got in line for the interview process. After a few months of managing all the right hoops, I landed my first class with IWU which just started this past week... Philosophy & Christian Thought (yeah...too bad I couldn't have started with something a little more user friendly!) ;-)

And as my teaching career gets off the ground at a snail's pace, I am trying to discern where God is leading in regards to my other two main vocational passions: coffee & campus ministry.

It's no secret that since my love affair with coffee began on Valentine's Day 2004 (not kidding) at a Starbucks in Westerville, OH...I have been finding excuses to work at, be at, and/or volunteer at a coffee shop ever since. And it really isn't that I'm a hopeless coffee geek or espresso addict...I truly believe in the kinds of conversations and relationships that seem to spontaneously generate in any kind of authentic 'third place.'

Recently, I've come to realize (or perhaps remember) that my hopes for landing in some kind of university or campus context is not just about teaching. I thoroughly enjoy the university setting! I love being with students who are launching out into the unknown, forging their path, reshaping their faith, and making critical decisions about their future. That collision between faith & reason is a healthy place but I'm afraid most in the church steer clear of the campus because we don't know how to deal with conflict, aggressive humanism, liberal ideology, etc, etc. And certainly in my own tribe of Nazarene-dom...we've neglected this opportunity to engage missionally with some of the most interesting, adventurous, energetic, and enjoyable creatures on the planet...the university student.

So I am in conversations with our district leadership for the Nazarene church down in this corner pocket of the Buckeye state...pitching a proposal to engage this campus culture for Christ. Part of this journey has led me to connect with some great people in an organization called the CCO. What I love about this diverse bunch of campus-lovers is that they partner with local churches and non-profits to contextualize an effective ministry to campuses. I spent some time at their main event back in February called Jubilee. It was a fantastic gathering where students were challenged to integrate faith & learning/work/vocation. With the kind of networking, training, and camaraderie I saw among CCO folk at that event, I knew it would be a great organization to partner with.

So the transition continues...which is definitely not pleasant...but the future is certainly hopeful.

I am entering a time of "interim" which someone wrote of eloquently here:

You are in this time of the interim
Where everything seems withheld.

The path you took to get here has washed out;
The way forward is still concealed from you.

"The old is not old enough to have died away;
The new is still too young to be born."

You cannot lay claim to anything;
In this place of dusk,
your eyes are blurred;
And there is no mirror.

Everyone else has lost sight of your heart
And you can see nowhere to put your trust;
You know you have to make your own way through.

As far as you can, hold your confidence.
Do not allow your confusion to squander
This call which is loosening
Your roots in false ground,
That you might come free
From all you have outgrown.

What is being transfigured here is your mind.
And it is difficult and slow to become new.
The more faithfully you can endure here,
The more refined your heart will become
For your arrival in the new dawn.


- John O'Donohue from To Bless The Space Between Us

Book #5: The Blue Parakeet

I really enjoyed Scot McKnight's writing style. After reading this one, it occurs that I need to go back and read his prequel...Jesus Creed.

The basic premise of "The Blue Parakeet" is that everyone tends to pick and choose (adopt and adapt) when it comes to the way we read the Bible. And those passages/stories in the Bible which don't fit our pattern of discernment or mess with our theology are 'blue parakeets' which we tend to cage or otherwise silence. (The analogy makes more sense when you hear his story of encountering a pet parakeet in his back yard).

Another helpful analogy he uses is the picture of a water slide. The walls of the water slide represent the Bible and our tradition. The Holy Spirit is the water which enables us to glide through the story of God towards our world/context which is represented by the pool of water at the end.

He makes a helpful distinction, however, when talking about our traditions. There is a way to read Scripture through tradition which tends to treat the Bible as a law book or puzzle (bad). The preferable approach would be to read the Bible with tradition as a helpful guide (thus one side of the water slide which keeps us from flying off into dangerous territory).

Unfortunately, if you're hoping to walk away from the book with a formula for discerning HOW to pick and choose...you'll be disappointed. Of course, part of the whole point when it comes to reading the Bible as Story is to avoid that kind of approach to anything. We are to trust the Spirit to guide us into all truth instead of trusting our ability to master some model or fumble for formulas.

And this leads me to one last point and the best 'take-a-way' I gathered while reading The Blue Parakeet: If we fail to see the Bible as a means to meaningful relationship with the author of the Bible, then all we have done is successfully missed the point.

A Night With Indiana Wesleyan

Tonight is my first of two orientation sessions with Indiana Wesleyan. Hopefully I will soon be spending one or two nights a week with a group of students who are stretching their minds, transcripts, and horizons.

So far, I've been very encouraged by the atmosphere IWU has created with staff and facilities at this particular branch in West Chester, OH. I have offered to teach at any of the four locations which are in this area: West Chester or Dayton (in Ohio), Florence(KY), and Batesville (IN...just down the road from my old Starbucks!)

So as I close about a 15-year chapter of my life in staff ministry (youth, worship, etc) and begin this new chapter of teaching & campus ministry...today feels like a pretty significant re-orientation towards some new environments for ministry.

My final Sunday to be on staff at Lifespring Church here in Milford/Cincinnati will be Sunday March 8th. After that, we plan to continue our involvement and relationships with folks at Lifespring. We've made a lot of great friends there as a family and look forward to continuing "chase after God" with them.

More From "The Call"

I was looking back over my notes, underlines, and highlights from Os Guinness' book "The Call."

In a chapter titled 'Let God Be God' Guinness concludes...

Faith in Christ will regain its decisive authority in the modern world only when we who follow Christ fear God more than we fear the powers and favors of modernity--when we hear God's call and are so captured by his summons that we say with Luther, as the earliest printed reports add, "Here I stand, I cannot do otherwise."

Book#4: Thomas Merton's Essential Writings

This book was not necessarily an easy read because of the format. I often find it difficult to read something like an anthology or collection of someone's writings like this. But I hoped it would be a good introduction to Merton's writings. If that was the goal...mission accomplished.

So far...the themes that I'm really enjoying from Merton would include pilgrimage and contemplation.

Here's a great paragraph towards the end of this collection:

I stand among you as one who offers a small message of hope, that first, there are always people who dare to seek on the margin of society, who are not dependent on social acceptance, not dependent on social routine, and prefer a kind of free-floating existence under a state of risk. And among these people, if they are faithful to their own calling, to their own vocation, and to their own message from God, communication of the deepest level is possible.

Certainly one of the things I'm trying to live out right now is this idea of being faithful to my own calling, vocation, and message.

Book #3: The Call

The way that Guinness talks about primary and secondary callings here makes a lot of sense. I wonder if I'm one of the people he talks about who "fell for the temptation..."?

...that Catholic distortion which elevates the spiritual, contemplative, ministerial life over the 'secular' realm of vocation and work?

The connection he makes between calling and the Caller is profound too. Because our calling is not just something to do but a response to some ONE.

Early in the book he 'pegs' me with this: "People in midlife face it when a mismatch between their gifts and their work reminds them daily that they are square pegs in round holes."

Of course, someone else reminded me recently that a round peg will actually fit in a square hole (and vice versa) as long as the hole is big enough.

That discussion is kind of comical to me because it's the way I've been describing myself recently when it comes to ministry, calling, vocation, etc. The church I am a part of is a great place to be with our family...and the vision is potentially captivating and world changing...but my angst is simply with this concept of 'calling.' Is what I'm doing now in my life the "secondary calling" in which God wants me investing myself?

Here's how he describes calling in one place: "Calling is the truth that God calls us to himself so decisively that everything we are, everything we do, and everything we have is invested with a special devotion, dynamism, and direction lived out as a response to his summons and service."

To close, I'll pass on a quote from Oswald Chambers which Os calls attention to...

"The greatest competitor of devotion to Jesus is service for Him...The one aim of the call of God is the satisfaction of God, not a call to do something for Him."

2009 Book #2: Culture Making

At long last, I've made it through Andy Crouch's book Culture Making. That's not to say it wasn't an engaging collection of words...I just kept getting distracted by other books or pursuits.

Having heard Andy interviewed a couple of times on the Catalyst podcast, and reading smaller recent articles he had publish I found that I was already familiar with much of the content. I think he does make a good contribution here to the way we need to think about culture.

Basically, he suggests that we tend to have a certain posture when it comes to culture (by the way, even defining such a thing as 'culture' is quite a challenge and occupies 2 or 3 chapters). These include: critique, condemnation, copying, and consuming. Each of these responses to culture can limit. He goes on to explain the idea of approaching culture as artists and gardeners. Culture can be created and cultivated...especially effective when collaborating with God and His purposes in the world.

As he concludes the book, he spends some time talking about calling, a concept I've been giving much thought lately. Add to that an emphasis on the need for community (especially a tight group of 3 who share passions, vision, and dreams). Well, let me just quote one of his final paragraphs for an inspirational conclusion to this post:

So do you want to make culture? Find a community, a small group who can lovingly fuel your dreams and puncture your illusions. Find friends and form a family who are willing to see grace at work in one another's lives, who can discern together which gifts and which crosses each has been called to bear. Find people who have a holy respect for power and a holy willingness to spend their power alongside the powerless. Find some partners in the wild and wonderful world beyond church doors. And the, together, make something of the world.

Pilgrammage...Place...and Merton

A friend recently shared this prayer by Thomas Merton along with a lectio experience of Psalm 84:1-8. It was a powerful evening of listening and reflecting on my journey to a place...a place I cannot really describe... or of which I know the exact location. My interest has been piqued by this brief introduction to Merton who speaks a great deal about the idea of pilgrimmage, journey, and Celtic Christian monasticism.


Here's the prayer:

My Lord God I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so.

But I believe that my desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope that I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.

And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it. Therefore will I trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death.

I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.

- Thomas Merton (1915-1968)

P90X Progress

Whenever you're kicking off some kind of fitness routine or plan, the first few days are extremely important. I find that once I get 3-5 days under my belt the desire to keep the streak going keeps increasing.

Then comes the nutrition challenge. Not everyone mentally responds to this change of diet in the same way. For me, once I've gotten into the routine of working out 5-6 days/week...my tendency to jeopardize the progress by eating garbage gradually decreases.

Unfortunately, typical emotional responses to the lack of physical health and motivation only lead to worse nutritional choices. Whenever I'm not working out, taking care of my body, and also engaged in regular spiritual disciplines...my eating habits are horrible.

When I tried this P90X challenge back in August of 2008, we took a family vacation to the lake during the third week and in spite of my good intentions...it kept me from getting real traction and a routine established early on. Then as I got heavy into the marathon training for October...I overdid it and injured both Achilles tendons.

With the boost of being 99% healthy (once you get tendonitis in the Achilles...they never completely recover) and the added incentive of "new year" energy...I suspect there's a good chance I could finally reach my goal of peak physical conditioning by the time I turn 38 in March. :-)

First Post of 2009

And we're back...

I had a goal of reading a book each week in 2008. Didn't even come close.

Trying again in 2009...
Just finished this book, so I'm glad to report that for 2009 I am completely on track with my reading goals! (I'm not buying another deck of cards though.)

I love the title of this book but not so much the subtitle. Should have read "towards a christianity beyond belief" perhaps (reminds me of an old Petra tune). Having heard Pete Rollins in person at the Great Emergence conference in Memphis (december 2009), my interest in reading something from him had been significantly heightened.

"The relationship between fidelity and betrayal in the Judeo-Christian tradition is further complicated in the Scriptures via stories that seem to suggest that one must wrestle with, disagree with, and even disobey God for the sake of retaining one's fidelity to God."

About the Scriptures...

"The text was written not to be approached as an academic document detailing facts about the life of faith but rather as an invitation in to the life of faith."

"To believe that the words are the Word reduces the text to what can be named, describe, and transcribed. To treat it in this way means that we approach the Word as a thing that stands before us to be examined, poked, prodded, and played with. The Word of God, in this reading, thus refers to something, some thing, some set of things."

As I read his ideas and perspectives on the Scriptures, it gave me hope for a more healthy view of the text...even as it affirms the demise of sola scriptura.

As he concludes the book, he speaks of the need for us to form spaces where "transformance art" can take place...where we can celebrate and live into the miraculous yet often subversive and religion-less experience of Christ and Christianity.