A Cowboy and a Bartender walk into a church just before services were to begin. This motley crew of jeans, t-shirts, boots, tattoos, and hats were spotlessly clean. In their hands were worn-out bibles. The church they entered was in a very upscale and exclusive part of the city. It was the largest and most beautiful church they had ever seen.
The people of the congregation were all dressed with expensive clothes and accessories. As the Cowboy and Bartender took their seats, the others moved away from them. No one greeted, spoke to, or welcomed them. They were appalled at their appearance and did not attempt to hide it. As they were leaving the church, the Pastor approached them and asked if they could do him a favor. ‘Before you come back in here again, have a talk with God and ask him what he thinks would be appropriate attire for worship.’ They each assured the Pastor they would ask God that question.
The next Sunday, they showed back up for the services wearing the same ragged jeans, shirts, boots, and hats. Once again, they were completely shunned and ignored. The Pastor approached them and said, ‘I thought I asked you to speak to God before you came back to our Church. ‘We did,’ each man replied. ‘If you spoke to God, what did he tell the proper attire should be for worshiping in here?’ asked the Preacher. ‘Well, Sir, God told us that He didn’t have a clue what we should wear. He said He had never been in this Church before.
I know this blog is a little long, but bare with me – the story you’re about to read is one that is worth the time.
This past week myself and the team from LIVE Design Grouptraveled to Baton Rouge for the All Access 2010 conference for ARC church planters. The event was hosted by Dino Rizzo and the uh-maze-ing servants from Healing Place Church in combination with the world’s greatest interns from around the country.
The previous week, while in Orlando, I said to Dino – “Hey man, are you gonna have the weather this good for us next week?” He responded – “Can’t promise you that, but I promise we’re gonna fill ya belly!”
Maybe it was the travel, maybe it was the sun, and maybe it was a Divine set up – ??? – but I found myself hungry and approached a table to ask if I could grab a bag of chips, even though they were intended for the night’s after party. I happened to recap my conversation with Dino the previous week and then said something like – “I think I’m the only guy losing weight here this week.”
I sincerely meant nothing bad by that statement, but what started to happen next made me realize, in the simplest way, that this Servolution ‘thing’ is Fact not Fiction. I went on to another part of the church campus completely different from where I had engaged this conversation; it was about 20 minutes later that a girl approached me with a “Healing Place bag” and she said in the happiest cheerleader-camp voice you’ve ever heard – “Here ya go!!!”
Taken back and slightly weirded out for a moment – I said “What’s this?” She said, “The lady outside said you’ve not been eating enough and this is a bag full of food to get you through to dinner tonight.” Even as I write this, I’m drawn to tears because I can still feel the heart that was behind that simple act of service. – I thanked her, reached into the bag and started with a tasty bear-claw and a water….
Now it starts to just get funny – - – at least 5 more times over the next two days, people would ‘randomly’ show up and offer me food – each making some comment like, “Hey there, we heard you’ve not been eating enough this week.” And then they would give me a chicken biscuit, pasta salad, chicken wrap, pizza, etc… Are you ‘for cereal’ (aka serious)?!?! These guys are insane – insanely wonderful that is……I’m here to tell you that Servolution is Fact and not fiction.
I love that when I shared this story with Dino before I left last week, he did not have a look on his face that said “of course they did” – even though I know he was thinking it. The look on his face is what reminded me of the absolute sincere place that this all came from – the look on his face as he half-smiled and shook his head was one of “they still amaze me too”.
This video shares the story of pain, truth, and hope. Thank you Rascal Flatts for always finding a way to tell a story in a way that few can. This also reminds me of the amazing work that my friend Jamie Tworkowski and TWLOHA – To Write Love On Her Arms – stand up, speak up, and fight for every day.
Maybe you’re like me and you sit, watching television (we can still call it that right?) and you see the upcoming ‘new series’ for a network and you just know it – you can already see pastors around the country calling their design team to start the process on creating a series with the same title of a new show.
This blog post is open for participation – let’s go ahead and save people a lot of time and money. I’m not saying that churches should not take from mainstream pop culture and use it as a bridge for communication – I do wish however that in our most sincere intentions in imitation that we will not forget to use our God-given Imagination.
Here are a few of my 2010 Church Message Series Predictions (with added subtitles by me just to get your ideas engineering…
From the networks of NBC, ABC, CBS, Discovery Channel, HBO, FX, CW, TNT, and FOX
By Topic
LIFE
Past Life (what to bring with you and what to leave behind)
Life Unexpected (doesn’t anyone know the Greek word for DUH)
Time Warp (yesterdays and tomorrows)
Flash Forward (does you past decide your future more than you future defines your now)
Day One (there’s always a day one)
30 Days (if your plan didn’t make it 30 Days, repeat Day One)
Storm Chasers (do you create chaos because you can’t handle the calm)
Raising the Bar (this one’s too obvious)
LOVE
Human Target (sympathy, empathy, and take someone’s place)
Til’ Death (what part of that did you not understand)
Big Love (in little ways)
My Own Worst Enemy (mirrors don’t always tell the truth)
The Deep End (go where you haven’t gone to love like you haven’t loved)
MONEY
How It’s Made (don’t forget your Source)
Leverage (timing, talents, and truth)
Numbers (have fun with this one, I’m not touching it)
Accidentally on Purpose (the famous lottery question – what if)
WORK
White Collar (dirt comes in all colors)
Undercover Boss (who’s really leading and why)
Shark Tank (know your value and add value first)
The Closer (finish what you start)
Shark Week (tough people can be tremendous assets)
Dirty Jobs (actually go live a day in someone else’s boots)
Chuck (what you see is sometimes what you get)
FAMILY
Royal Pains (you know who you are)
American Dad (man up, speak up, live it up – someone’s always watching)
Brothers (don’t shake, brothers hug)
The Marriage Ref (truth never hurt so good)
Parenthood (don’t make me turn this thing around)
Find My Family (what’s missing and do you want it found)
Modern Family (if you think you’re not dysfunctional; that’s your dysfunction)
The Middle (too much, too little, too early, too late)
COMMUNITY / OUTREACH
The Bridge (a divide, a decision, a Divine)
The Colony (from nothing to something; from something to sustaining)
Community (what part of ‘unity’ did you not understand)
Parks & Recreation (if you’re not having fun, you’re doing it wrong)
Olympics (this one is too easy)
Fringe (who do you not see)
FAITH / SPRITUAL LIFE
In Plain Sight (close your eyes so you can see better)
Justified (roles, responsibilities, and recourse)
Rescue Me (giving up, giving in, and giving it away)
Supernatural (made up explanations for things you can’t explain)
True Blood (yuck; now tell me why this matters again)
Man vs. Wild (the people, places, and plates we have before us)
Mythbusters (yeah – this one’s coming again)
PAIN
Mercy (why God doesn’t ask you to cry ‘Uncle’)
Trauma (it’s real to me; now somebody help)
Damages (collateral, collective, controllable)
Destroyed in Seconds (stop, drop, and think)
RELATIONSHIPS
Burn Notice (when trust is broken)
Lie To Me (tell me what I want to hear)
Sit Down, Shut Up (two ears, one mouth – any questions)
Men of a Certain Age (boys will be boys; but men should be men)
The Forgotten (generations that went before us)
Deadliest Catch (don’t call me I’ll call you – Never)
What do fine wine, real comedy, and great books have in common? TRUTH & TIMING
I’m thankful to the team at Waterbrook Multnomah for sending me Mark Batterson’s latest book PRIMAL so that I could participate in the blog tour. I’d like to apologize for not reading it in the time requested – but would also like to use that as the premise for this post.
Like fine wine and real comedy – great books and how they impact our lives are so often about timing; or the “when” we finally pick that book up and read it. Over the holidays, I decided to stay home alone and spend some time reflecting in detail about the past decade….I laughed, cried, and even laughed till I cried while having conversations with God (world’s greatest listener btw). Later that night – - I did it, I picked up PRIMAL by Mark Batterson -
I wasn’t through the intro before I was absolutely cracking up to the point of tears – much like I had earlier that day. Only this time it wasn’t because the book was funny (it is, just go with me here) – - but because Mark had written exact phrases in his book that were in the very conversations that I had had with God only hours before. I could go on, but you get the point – timing is so key – and God’s ways, thoughts, and even timing are so much better than ours.
I could quote the book until I have carpel tunnel syndrome, but instead let me tell you what I really think:: I think that Primal (2009) by Mark Batterson could and should become a book like My Utmost For His Highest (1935) by Oswald Chambers. What do I mean by that? It’s easy – people have purchased, printed, and reprinted Chambers book because it is…. in a phrase – “timeless truths”. Primal is that book not only for now, but for next and next and next and next generations.
I started reading the book with this blog in mind, thinking “who” should I direct my post toward – and now I have no choice but to say that the only people I think should read this book are those who are still breathing. I don’t know where you are on your journey, but you need to go to the place where this book will take you. The words penned on the pages of this book are like fine wine and real comedy – they are full of truth and are looking forward to pouring into your life at just the right time.
Thanks Mark – for pouring your heart, soul, mind and strength into this timeless piece of work.
I’ve spent more than half of my lifetime working in, for, and with churches. I know I haven’t seen and heard it all; but some days it sure feels like it. I have always been one to not jump on to buzz words, especially in the church world – because they either tend to show up too late, hang on too long, or have so many meanings that no one is ever having the same conversation anyway. If you’ve been around this you know what I mean – if you haven’t, raise a glass in thankfulness – your mind is likely more clear than mine.
The latest Celebrity Death Match in the world of church terminology is Attractional & Missional. By chance you’ve not lived in a cave the past few years, you know that one of the statements you cannot avoid is “We are no longer in an ‘either – or’, but a ‘both – and’ time in history”. Simply put, we must collaborate to move forward in a healthy and sustainable way.
If you want to read more about Attractional & Missional or Attractional vs. Missional – talk to Google and knock yourself out. I just wanted to share my observation and working theory based on the ongoing discussions and at times – down-right-arguments that are happening.
The Attractive Church
Those who call themselves ‘missional’ tend to emphasize mission and downplay ‘attractional’ and claim to be focused on the person and not the numbers – and have been known to talk smack about those who go for the ‘big event’ approach
Those who call themselves ‘attractional’ tend to emphasize the drawing of people in a larger numbers at a time and have been known to talk some smack about those who don’t try to go for bigger numbers.
My working theory is:
Attractional Churches cannot become big without being ‘on mission’ – therefore we would not even be talking about them if they were not missional – because if they were not ‘on mission’ they would have no one at their churches and we would not be having this discussion.
Missional Churches may be on mission by definition but I’d like to propose that it is absolutely impossible for them to accomplish the mission of the church without being attractional – meaning the people are drawn to know what moves & motivates their mission.
Jesus told us the “by this will all men know that you’re mine – that you love one another” – and “we are to reflect Him”. When we are like Him, reflect Him, and doing what we can to be Him on this earth – We are on Mission and that is Attractive. Therefore I propose –
THE ATTRACTIVE CHURCH: a church on mission to be attractive; being who God wants us to be – and doing what He has asked us to do by drawing attention on Him and not us.
Let the honest conversation begin…………………….
Pictures simply represent (1) old church used by younger generations, (2) mega-church utilizing facility to reach masses, (3) openness to cram into a bar / nightclub and embrace re-use & mixed-use, and (4) the understanding that we are the church whether in a cathedral, a stadium, a bar, or simply on a couch in a home.
Too often we look too far outside of our neighborhood, our community, our city, our market, and even our country to get answers to questions and solutions to problems that might just be able to be solved by looking at what is right in front of us and considering what is in our hands.
This great short video from PopUrls – Seizing Opportunities video shorts illustrates an important reminder to Think Local. Whether for business, ministry, or community development – this is a good reminder.
“This is another way of asking, What has God already given me? Instead of wishing for and complaining about what I don’t have, what do I have today? Instead of dangerously comparing myself with others, what is within my grasp relationally, historically, and resources-wise right now?”
I love this video. Are you serious? How many lessons and analogies are in this thing for how we should be with our lives? The way love can spread through joining together in fun and real life. Watch it – but go ahead and stand up now – you’re gonna want to Move It.
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