_awakening

Church Battles Medicinal Marijuana.

When I opened the newspaper this morning, I came across this:

Calvary Chapel Lake Forest is unhappy with marijuana dispensary's patients using church lot to party

LAKE FOREST – A local pastor wants help from the city to get partying teens out of the church parking lot.

Pastor Jim Misiuk of Calvary Chapel Lake Forest said that he regularly finds teens in their cars playing loud music and partying before and after church services and functions.The problem, he said, has accelerated since the discovery of a nearby medical marijuana dispensary. Misiuk said when confronted, the teens say they are waiting for friends who are getting product at nearby Earth Cann Wellness Center. This week he and other church members took their issues to the City Council...

... Misiuk said the presence of teens in cars has picked up on Sunday evening during church services. He has also noted cars in the parking lot on Wednesday evening during the church's Bible Study and on Tuesdays during the Ladies Fellowship meetings.

"It doesn't provide a peaceful church environment," said Misiuk. "We don't want to focus on this negativity. We want to help them. This is adding to the addiction problem. It seems marijuana is very available here now."

I guess I can understand where the pastor is coming from, but something seems amiss here. Call me crazy, but perhaps people who claim to embrace the life and way of Jesus might want to consider a different course of engagement here. I would think that this is just the place Jesus would want to be - in the middle of life with hurting people, not merely seeking "a peaceful church environment." When we choose to follow the way of Jesus, it leads to a life that is at times both messy and uncomfortable. Maybe I'm missing something...

Thoughts?

The Practice of the Better.

Many thanks to Zach, for this much needed reminder:

"New structures that can make the emerging church possible cannot be in opposition to any existing church structures; they cannot be against anything but merely for Something. "The best criticism of the bad is the practice of the better" is one of our core principles at the Center for Action and Contemplation.

Don’t waste the next years of your life being against anybody, anything, any group, any supposed sin, or any institution. Just go ahead and do it better yourself. It’s so common sense when you hear it. As Mohandas Gandhi put it, "Be the change you hope to see in the world." And in the church!"

[Richard Rohr from What is the Emerging Church?]

"The best criticism of the bad is the practice of the better." Isn't it so much easier to merely air your criticism rather than embody the "practice of the better?"

I need to not only do some more reflection on this, but seek to have this to transform how I live.

Weekend Readings.

A collection of updates, responses, postings, and the truly bizarre for your weekend reading pleasure. Enjoy.

Robert Cargill responds to his critics regarding why Christians should adopt the BCE/BC dating system.

Scot McKnight jumps into the discussion on Rob Bell and the corruption of the term "evangelical". I think he is measured and dead on right.

Christianity Today interviews Don Miller regarding his latest book and how to embrace life as a better narrative. I had the opportunity to hear Miller speak last weekend at Mariners Church. His thoughts on life as narrative are very insightful.

And finally, just when you thought "Christianity" couldn't get any stranger, or more disturbing, along comes this beauty from Sojourners. [Be sure you click through and watch the "Taking the Hill" video.]

Have a great rest of your weekend...

"Evangelical?"

Today, Out of Ur posted a portion of the Boston Globe interview with Rob Bell about his current tour Drops Like Stars. The interview invariably turned to the term "evangelical" and it's use in our culture:

Q. What does it mean to you to be an evangelical?

A. I take issue with the word to a certain degree, so I make a distinction between a capital E and a small e. I was in the Caribbean in 2004, watching the election returns with a group of friends, and when Fox News, in a state of delirious joy, announced that evangelicals had helped sway the election, I realized this word has really been hijacked. I find the word troubling, because it has come in America to mean politically to the right, almost, at times, anti-intellectual. For many, the word has nothing to do with a spiritual context.

Q. OK, how would you describe what it is that you believe?

A. I embrace the term evangelical, if by that we mean a belief that we together can actually work for change in the world, caring for the environment, extending to the poor generosity and kindness, a hopeful outlook. That’s a beautiful sort of thing.

Now while one might agree or disagree with Rob's response to the final question, there's something larger going on here that we should not miss.

We live in an age where the term "evangelical" has indeed been corrupted to mean a myriad of things that perhaps were never a part of the original intent. I think a worthy question that needs to be asked is this, What does the term "evangelical" import today in this culture. Is what is often portrayed by the term "evangelical" something Jesus would attach himself to? [Could we "be taking the Lord's name in vain" by attaching the name "evangelical" to what we do?]

So what should the term "evangelical" mean today? Is it a term that still has importance?

The Uncomfortable Truth.

Obviously a bit overstated, but uncomfortable true nonetheless:

[HT: Doug Chaplin]

Church.

A few years back, while at Soularize in the Bahamas, I had the opportunity to hang out a bit with Rustin Smith. I was way impressed with his passion and thoughts on the nature of "Church." Recently Rustin posted some very insightful thoughts on an issue a lot of people have with the "Church," namely how the "Church" is not sensitive to their needs and the pain in their lives.

Exploring a quote from Peter Rollins, Smith questions exactly what the role of the Church should be in dealing with parishoner's personal needs. His answer may surprise you.

It is definitely something to chew on.

[HT: Mike King for pointing out the post.]

Odd, Is It Not?

Of all the things to celebrate as the community of Jesus, this sure seems odd, does it not?

Umm.

Someone please tell me that this is NOT real...

[HT: Andrew]

NPC in San Diego.

Out of Ur, Leadership's blog, has been following and posting some of the highlights from the National Pastors Convention, going on this week a bit farther south of us in San Diego. So far they have posted some general session highlights with Rob Bell and Shane Claiborne. Enjoy.

A Picture is Worth...

[HT: James McGrath]