EVIDENCE BASED FAITH? (a guest post by Saskia Scott)

Today on the blog, we feature a guest post by Saskia Scott...enjoy!

An Evidence Based Faith?

by Saskia Scott

http://saskiamscott7.wix.com/sassytales

I've heard faith defined as belief despite a lack of evidence – or perhaps even despite evidence to the contrary. I suppose some faith is like that, but it is not the only kind of faith. For example, what would it mean to have faith in science? Does it mean that science doesn't really work, but scientists continue to believe it does anyway? Clearly not. Whatever view you take on the nature of knowledge itself, no one can deny that science does work. That's why it is so  powerful as a tool for understanding and influencing our world.

We can trust science, even when it reveals things that we cannot directly observe  –  like black holes, quarks, and the big bang. We have faith that these things are real because we have evidence that points towards them.

So what about religious faith? I was having a conversation with a Christian friend a few years ago, and the subject of evolution came up. I said that I believed in evolution for the same reasons that I believe in the resurrection of  Jesus of Nazareth – because I have evidence.

I can't directly observe evolution, because it happens too slowly; and I can't observe Christ's resurrection, because it happened too long ago.  Neither are these events obvious or easy to believe. Everyone knows people don't come back to life (except in zombie films), and the idea that a slow, building-block style process could result in so much complexity is mind-boggling at best.

But the amount of evidence for evolution is very convincing. I have faith that the evidence has been interpreted correctly, and that the experts know what they are talking about. And – here's the kicker – the amount of evidence for Jesus' resurrection is pretty convincing too. It's mostly historical, rather than scientific, but that makes it no less compelling.

We all must choose how to engage with evidence that does not fit our worldview. It does not have to be believed, but it cannot be ignored.

MARK 10:35-45

James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came forward to him and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” ³⁶ And he said to them, “What is it you want me to do for you?” ³⁷ And they said to him, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.” ³⁸ But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” ³⁹ They replied, “We are able.” Then Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you will drink; and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized; ⁴⁰ but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.”

⁴¹ When the ten heard this, they began to be angry with James and John. ⁴² So Jesus called them and said to them, “You know that among the Gentiles those whom they recognize as their rulers lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. ⁴³ But it is not so among you; but whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, ⁴⁴ and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all. ⁴⁵ For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.”

 Hopefully you’re seeing the trend…

Time after time, Jesus is asked by those closest to him, how to gain the kingdom of God, how to sit at His right hand, how to gain the world…

And the answer remains constant…serve.

Become a servant to the servant’s servant.

Become as lowly as possible.

Become last.

Become least.

What a tragic message in an economy and society based on click-baiting, amassing Twitter followers, likes, and retweets, seeking over-night fame through YouTube videos, and the increasing charge to dominate the global marketplace.

So how do we enter God’s kingdom?

Serve.

How do we become first?

Be last.

How do we become great?

Be least.

For the Son of God came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.

May we become less, least, and serve.

Amen.

MARK 10:17-31

As he was setting out on a journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” ¹⁸ Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. ¹⁹ You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; You shall not defraud; Honor your father and mother.’” ²⁰ He said to him, “Teacher, I have kept all these since my youth.” ²¹ Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, “You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money^[c] to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” ²² When he heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving, for he had many possessions.

²³ Then Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” ²⁴ And the disciples were perplexed at these words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how hard it is^[d] to enter the kingdom of God! ²⁵ It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” ²⁶ They were greatly astounded and said to one another,^[e] “Then who can be saved?” ²⁷ Jesus looked at them and said, “For mortals it is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible.”

²⁸ Peter began to say to him, “Look, we have left everything and followed you.” ²⁹ Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the good news,^{[f] 30} who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age—houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields, with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. ³¹ But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.”

So may we fully accept and believe that You make beautiful things out of dust, and out of us. 

You are bringing about peace and beauty and wonder - through us.

And you’ve commissioned us to be Your hands and feet.

You’ve given us the task to love the unlovable, to feed the hungry, to clothe the naked, and to embrace those that are unlike us.

So while we stress over eternity, may we be reminded that eternity begins now.  Eternity includes the present realities of this world.

And may we feel empowered and sent out from this place, to forsake our own comforts and desires, for the deepest and darkest needs of those that are last and least.

In the strong name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

THOUGHTS ON MARK 10:2-16

I'd like to engage a reading and praxis of Mark 10 over the next few posts.  I hope you'll become engaged and will consider the words of Jesus.

Some Pharisees came, and to test him they asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” ³ He answered them, “What did Moses command you?” ⁴ They said, “Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of dismissal and to divorce her.” ⁵ But Jesus said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart he wrote this commandment for you. ⁶ But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’ ⁷ ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife,^{[b] 8} and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two, but one flesh. ⁹ Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

¹⁰ Then in the house the disciples asked him again about this matter. ¹¹ He said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her; ¹² and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.”

¹³ People were bringing little children to him in order that he might touch them; and the disciples spoke sternly to them. ¹⁴ But when Jesus saw this, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. ¹⁵ Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it.” ¹⁶ And he took them up in his arms, laid his hands on them, and blessed them.

 

Did you catch the deeper theme in there?

God is, at His core, relational.
And God created us for relationships.
Man and woman and child.

He could have called His work good and complete when He created Adam, but he wasn’t finished.

No, instead, he created a companion. 

There’s something right in the creative order that says relationships are vital to the kingdom of God.

Even God exists in relationship – Father, Son, and Spirit.

Have you ever stopped to think about that?

Surely if God, in His most perfect essence requires relationship, that we do too.

And we are in relationship with one another and the earth. 
All of it ripe for thriving-interaction and life.
 

When we treat God’s creation with dignity, we reap a wonderful harvest.

When we commit to one another, with love and dignity, we reap a harvest of peace and shalom.
Amen.

COLUMBUS DAY...a day of regret & sadness!

I remember growing up in a Midwestern community where every Columbus Day we drew pictures of cartoon boats, explorers, and happy Native Americans.  So began the brainwashing of my/our perspectives and vantage points, to expose the wonder in the (white) European's pursuit of conquering seas and storms - not lands and people groups.

But alas, truth is truth.

There are no cartoons (to my knowledge) that explain the evil savagery behind Columbus Day.  A land more vastly populated than Europe itself, was sought after, for gold, spices, and slavery.  Puffed up with weapons and disease, Europe made its descent on the Americas.

The gross genocide in the name of manifest destiny, Christianity, kingdom, capitalism, and exploration, took more blood than it left.  You know the lie...everything of worth is bought with blood, sweat, and tears.  So it goes with Columbus Day.  Only the blood, sweat, and tears, came from the millions of Native Americans that were systematically enslaved and killed.

“They do not bear arms, and do not know them. They have no iron. Their spears are made of cane. They would make fine slaves. With fifty men we could subjugate them all and make them do whatever we want.” -Christopher Columbus

May we no longer exalt our sins.  May we no longer treat Columbus Day as something to be honored.  May we no longer perpetuate the systematic brainwashing of our children and communities.

Instead, may we use this Columbus Day to beg our forgiveness and acknowledge our deep regret!

Father, forgive us...for we knew what atrocities we were doing, and did them anyway, in your name, and under your banner!

With sadness and regret,
Ross

Love is...

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Love is free

Love holds no merit, no system of payment and return on investment

Love gives

Love laughs

Love cries

Love is like a mother – forever increasing in care, compassion, and hope for her child

Love is like a father – protector, provider, and mentor

Love is many things…

But let’s remember that all of the words and metaphors we can create to describe love, is an attempt to put words to the very nature of God.

God is love.

With the same breath that he breathed life into humanity, he breathes love into all of creation.

So with the love of God, the Father, may we too love one another.

Peace,
Ross

The Uncanny Resemblance Between the GOP Debate and the 2015 VMA’s…

Yes, you read that right.  I’m connecting the dots (with great concern) that the GOP candidates resemble the same cultural disappointment and inevitable future that I saw, while watching last night’s VMA awards.

If you watched the VMA’s, i’m sorry that you lost those 2-3 hours of your life.  You’ll never get them back.  If you watched the FOX NEWS, GOP Debate on August 6th, again I apologize that you wasted those 2-3 hours of your life.  They are gone.

So where’s the resemblance?

Last night on the VMA’s and a few weeks ago at the GOP debate, we saw political-products project a future that is healthy for no one.  Both “events” were pure spectacle; individuals pandering to selfishness, power, and extremism, with no regard to what future implications may be.

On one hand, Donald Trump embodies a "self-made-man" that’s popular for speaking his mind - regardless of truth, sexism, equality, and public health and/or policy.  On the other hand, Miley Cyrus embodies a "self-made-woman" that’s popular for speaking her mind - regardless of truth, exploitation, and or health.

**I use “quotes” because they are made by inherited fame, wealth, obnoxiousness, gaming the system, and media machines.

They do what they do, because they want to.  They are bought by no one (at least that’s what they spew).  And despite their grotesque representation of culture and outlook for the future, they are gaining in popularity and influence.

Miley is a court jester and the crowd goes crazy.  Donald is a carbon copy, only his crowd is older and whiter.

INFLUENCE - really?

Yes, both have incredible influence. 

Miley’s circus and over-the-top antics poured into nearly every acceptance speech, performance, and video at the VMA’s.  The crowd ate it up hook, line, and sinker.  Donald’s candor and language, and basic disregard for human life (i.e. women, immigrants, foreigners, etc) have pushed the other candidates further to the extreme. 

Case in point: we’re now treating immigrants like Fed-Ex packages.

Miley is a product of her label.
Donald is a product of his brand.
(And both have laughable hair.)

Art and politics have always danced together; and at times, have created better cultures.  They push the limits beyond status-quo.  They create conversations that work to build better societies.  I cannot say that for the GOP field or the VMA’s. 

We will be worse-off if we are lead by these jokers with microphones.  We can of course throw our money and support to them.  But don’t complain when you inherit the future you’re applauding - nothing short of an exploitation-circus.  

The Heart > Human Tradition

If you're someone that comes from a tradition that follows the lectionary calendar, you'll notice that the following text (from Mark 7) is the Gospel text for August 30, 2015.  However, regardless of your church method (mainline, non-denominational, charismatic, house-church, etc.), tradition is a factor.  Sometimes positive and welcome.  And sometimes anti-movement, anti-vision, anti-Christ.

Traditions, rules, constitutions, by-laws, the past - can all cripple a people (and person) of authentic living.

Mark 7 reads something like this:
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So the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not live^[d] according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?” ⁶ He said to them, “Isaiah prophesied rightly about you hypocrites, as it is written,

‘This people honors me with their lips,
    but their hearts are far from me;
⁷ in vain do they worship me,
    teaching human precepts as doctrines.’

⁸ You abandon the commandment of God and hold to human tradition.”

What do we do with passages like these?

As we gather in a body called church, called community, called family...

we gather on the backs of the faithful ancestors of our faith – hundreds of years of tradition that has culminated into this moment, this living, breathing, worship experience (no matter the day of the week).

But if we take pause and honestly look at our worship, how much of it praises brick and mortar, method and style, personal preference and programming, man made rules and constitutions and Roberts rules of order?

How much of our worship is actually idolatry?

Our prayer today is that our hearts be transformed, that our minds be transformed, that this holy place be transformed into the church – the bride of Christ – the people of God, with hearts aligned to Spirit and hands aligned to Jesus.

 Amen.

 After all, we are a people with transformation at our core...why not live it?

Peace,
Ross 

 

The Idolatry of Certainty

Greg Boyd speaks about the idolatry of certainty here. 
He says, "They call faith "faith" for a reason."
Greg Boyd speaks on faith and embracing doubt!

Peace,
PMP

Fair Trade...BIBLES?

Over the weekend, a friend let me know about a great deal on bibles.
She told me that The Dollar Store was selling leather-bound bibles!

Leather-bound.
Bibles.
One Dollar.

Something doesn't add up.

Q: How can a bible (which is hundreds, if not thousands of printed pages), be bound in leather, shipped across the globe, neatly positioned on the shelf, marketed to the public, and sold by a cashier, for one dollar?

A: It can't.

Somewhere a farmer is not being paid fairly for the hide of his cattle.  Somewhere else, a printing press is running pages of scripture, and the workers aren't being paid fairly.  In another location someone loads shipping containers for little-to-no money.  And once the "product" arrives at the local Dollar Store, a worker unloads a shipment of bibles to the rack, for an unsustainable wage.

And for what?
What is being evangelized here?

In this case, has commerce prostituted the Word of God?
How can this be reconcilled?
How can the very book that promotes shalom, justice, equality, and grace, be sold at the expense of so many?

What's worse (possibly) is that I've tried to google "fair trade bibles" for over 20 minutes, and cannot find a single purchasing option!

Remember that the way(s) we purchase speaks volumes about the God we serve.

Peace,
Ross 

Constants

There are certain constants in life.  One of those constants is time.  We are all bound to a 24 hour day and a 7 day week.  No matter your vocation, passion, and effort, you have limits.  Steve Jobs was bound to these limits.  President Obama is bound to these limits.  Every single person, regardless of how productive or unproductive they may be, is bound to these constants.

So as you dream big and work towards creating more beauty, shalom, and justice in the world, consider the following:

What can you (and only you) do?
What were you created to do?
What are your passions?

Do that!

But what about all of the other random tasks that are required to pull off said passion, job, project, and dream(s)?

That's where being a leader comes into play.

Good leaders surround themselves with other individuals that resonate with your dreams and momentum.  Good leaders never hoard vision and work.  Good leaders delegate, empower, and turn loose the passions and dreams of other people.

So the next time you find yourself against a time-crunch, ask yourself what can you (and only you) do.  Ask yourself what you were created to do.  And finally ask yourself if you have appropriately surrounded yourself with individuals that you trust to carry the torch of your passion.

The world may be full of constants, but you don't have to be bound by them.  

Peace,
Ross 

What are you reading?

It's said that all great leaders read...a lot.
Great leaders are constantly learning.
Great leaders are great learners.
Great leaders never assume they "know" everything.
Great leaders don't read to support their already held beliefs either.
Great leaders read to push belief, position, comfort, and ideas.

Because what you read tells a lot about how you lead...

Do you resonate with this list?
If so, what are you reading?

Peace,
Ross

A Recent Interview

I was recently interviewed by WorshipLinks, and here it is:

Ross Christopher is a worship leader, touring artist, and music producer. Recently, Ross talked to Worship Links about going on tour with Jars Of Clay, record production, and why correct hymn titles are important.
WL: Thanks so much for taking the time to answer some questions for us. It’s truly appreciated! The first question is an easy one. Tell us a little bit about yourself in five sentences.

RC: I’m an artist from the Midwest (St. Louis, MO). I have an amazing wife (Kate) and two incredible girls (Cora and Olive). I write and produce music, compose and record string arrangements for artists/bands, tour, and lead worship. I love to travel and experience new things. I’m always eager for a great surprise!

How did you get started in worship ministry?

When I was in college, I was touring with a band throughout the Midwest. I was also playing violin at Damascus Road (a campus ministry). One thing led to another, and by the end of my first semester of my freshman year, a local church asked me to come on board to lead their contemporary service. I bought an acoustic guitar, a capo, and taught myself how to play enough chords to lead by the time I went back to school in January. Its hard to believe that was nearly 15 years ago!

What’s your basic process for planning a service or worship set?

I like to start a creative plan about 6-8 weeks in advance, so nothing is last minute. Once the pastor and I have a basic series/theme, I hold a creative brainstorm meeting dinner. I typically get 10-20 people to come out. At the brainstorm we each begin by naming 3 un-churched or dis-churched friends or family members. We discuss the questions and conversations we’ve had with them surrounding the upcoming series/theme, and use that as our springboard for everything we create. We’re not really interested in just playing our favorite new songs, or discussing what we already know, but rather, tackling the questions, doubts, and frustrations surrounding any given topic. We try to create an atmosphere that speaks to the theme, and then unpack the following questions/elements through each service: historical, theological, scriptural, contextual, and experiential. Each of these are wide open to various art mediums and activities.

While we were setting up the interview, you mentioned that you recently toured with Jars of Clay and Sleeping at Last. Can you share a great road story with us?

I had the absolute time of my life! All of the Jars guys are so genuine and fun to be with. And Ryan (Sleeping at Last) might actually be the nicest human ever. Each and every night, it was a thrill to be part of creating amazing art.
A couple nights, late after the shows, we headed out for 24 hour food. Healthy 24 hour eateries are basically nonexistent, so we decided to indulge in what must have been a week’s worth of calories, when the entire band ordered deep fried mozzarella stuffed grilled cheese sandwiches. There’s nothing like engorging in 5,000 calories of fried-cheesy-goodness and laughing into the wee hours of the night with friends (several nights in a row).

Desert Island Worship Mix: You’re trapped on a desert island, and for reasons too ridiculous to explain, you can only have one CD with five worship songs on it. What are they?

• This Is Not the End (Gungor)
• In The Embers (Sleeping at Last)
• You Are Mine (MuteMath)
• Where The Streets Have No Name (U2)
• Psalm 145 (Shane & Shane)

If you could give one piece of advice to up and coming worship leaders, what would it be? Conversely, what’s some advice you wish you’d received earlier on?

Don’t do it alone!
Build teams and friendships – even deep relationships with people outside of your local church. Listen and grow. Don’t feel like you need to do this by yourself. Network, network, network. And finally write! The power of your local voice speaking to your local context is invaluable. It’s fine to sing the popular songs, but there’s something visceral about singing the real, tangible, and local struggles, joys, etc.

What do you think worship in the church will look like in ten years?

I believe that with economies shifting, postmodern leaders emerging, and post-christian America being a reality, our churches will move to the fringe. They will be smaller, but stronger. The nominal church-goer will no longer feel the need to check off that Sunday morning box, and the people that do decide to participate in “church” will actually live and breath a priesthood of all believers. I think a worship service will look more like “service.” I think being the hands and feet will be real. The fluff that flies today will die, and what has been institutionalized over the past decades will no longer resonate with postmodern worshipers.

Give us the ten thousand foot view of producing an album. For those that haven’t been through the recording and/or production process, what should we expect?

It’s an incredible view – of possibility. I’m wrapping up an album that I’m producing of a great Nashville artist. He came to my studio back in September and we knocked out structures, vocals, and acoustic guitar. Then he left. He gave me complete freedom to produce everything else. There’s obviously a great amount of trust in this. But over the past months I recorded the rest of the sounds that would accompany these songs and help them take flight. The freedom can be intoxicating. But the real task is taking risks and peeling back layers until you’ve got a perfect piece of art. Trusting your ears and your heart can be difficult and has taken me almost 15 years to get to where I am, but every single album I produce, I honestly say that it’s the best piece of art I’ve ever worked on. So there’s a deep sense of pushing oneself forward, refinement, and continued excellence.

Any new worship artists on your radar at the moment?

I had the chance to write and record strings for John Tibbs this past year. He’s a great guy and his stuff breaks the typical pop-worship mold. Personally, I tend to worship more from non-traditional worship artists. So I’ll frequently leave a concert or an art experience drained from a night of worship (whether or not that was their intention).
Sleeping at Last captures beauty like no one else. The Lone Bellow creates a communal experience better than any artist I’ve seen. Jonny Greenwood (Radiohead) writes the most prolific symphonic pieces out there.

What’s the most embarrassing thing you’ve ever done while leading worship (that you’re willing to share)?

Back in college, I was asked to lead worship at an uber-traditional church one Sunday. I asked one of my buddies to come play keys for me. At one point I asked everyone to “turn in your hymnals to page 365 as we sing ‘It Is Well With My Hole’”…I was mortified. My keyboardist lost it. I fought the 18 year old laughter within. And still to this day I can’t sing ‘It Is Well’ without a little chuckle.

Thanks again for answering our questions. If people want to find you online, what’s the best way?

Website: www.rosschristopher.com
Twitter: @rosschristopher
Facebook: www.facebook.com/rosschristophermusic
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/ross-christopher/id292934720
Blogs: www.continuedconversation.blogspot.com
www.postmodernpriesthood.blogspot.com

The Parish is Perishing (PART I)

The Church is in transition.  What it looks like, how it feels, how it’s defined, are all in a state of transition, redefinition, and renewal.  This happens from generation to generation, era to era.  And as we’re moving away from modernism, into post-modernism, this transition becomes heightened and even more necessary.  These can be both challenging times, as well as times for rebirth and recommitment to it’s mission and work in, and throughout, the world.

Specifically analyzing my particular context in St. Louis, Missouri, I will describe the current state of the church – what it looks like, how its perceived, who and how its participated in and with, and its basic structure.  I will use St. Louis as a barometer to gauge its current practices of development, discipleship, and engagement.

I will then define the next generations of un-churched individuals, how they learn, speak, think, interact, and will finally provide executable environments and communities, which will help the church bring them into the fold, which will thrive into the future.  This will require a look back, but will more importantly require redefining current assumptions regarding the church, so as to positively impact the future of the church.

The driving thesis is: to develop, disciple, and engage the growing un-churched culture in St Louis, we must redefine church as a user-generated, creative, and dialogue-driven environment, participating in missio dei.  In doing this, I will show how new and innovative ways of “doing and being Church,” is actually a necessary and pivotal shift for the future of the Church.

Continue reading...

PART II
PART III
PART IV
PART V

Peace,
Ross

TRANSFORMATION

In church-culture, we tend to toss around the word "transformation" with an inappropriate flippancy and tone, that rips from it the provocation and power for real change, renewal, and redemption.  When we talk about repentance, we speak of changed hearts and minds - transformed to the likeness of Christ.  But are we really a transforming body?

Recent polls and surveys have shown a pervasive disconnect between relevance, context, and the church.  Yet we continue to speak of transformation.  Is it not contradictory to speak publicly of transformation, yet be known as a body that is "behind the times" and "out of touch with reality?"  How can the church expect people to take our message(s) of transformation seriously, when we refuse to transform our liturgies, our gatherings, and our leadership structures?

I would assume that it's not too far a jump for someone un-churched, post-christian, or "none," to assume that the same church that preaches transformation and yet lacks any resemblance thereof, to worship a god that likewise cannot truly transform.  Because how we transform is a lived-theology to the very nature of God.  If his body and bride (the Church) do not transform, perhaps God can't either...

So boldly live the messages we preach and teach.  Embrace change.  Repent for something new and truly refreshing, so as to transform our churches, communities, and humanity, and to live a theology that resembles the truest nature of God!

Peace,
Ross

Zombie Drive (w/ Peter Rollins)

Find out more about Peter Rollins HERE!

Interrogating Your Beliefs (w/ Peter Rollins)

Over the next week or so, we'll be posting a new series of videos/thoughts/challenges from Peter Rollins. 

{You can read more on Peter Rollins HERE}

You Gotta' Fight For Your Rights (or do you?)

I think that young folks today tend to think outside of the box more than the previous generation. We often look at a question, talk about it, and solve it in ways that seem illogical or wonky. This kind of thinking infuriated our parents when we were young and frustrated us when we took multiple choice tests. But now it has the potential to open up new possibilities for how we see the world and work to bring about God’s Kingdom.

I’ve lived in China for 9 years and during that time I’ve become really suspicious of our society and its love affair with “rights”. It seems like every argument in society revolves around rights – the right to life, the right to an abortion, the right to bear arms, the right to eat Grade D beef on a taco, etc. And a lot of the time when we find ourselves getting angry during the day it’s because someone has violated our rights, whether by intruding into our carefully painted lane on the road, breaking into line at the store, making us waste our precious time because they’re late, or worse.

And that’s why I love Paul’s words to some Christians in 1 Corinthians 6. The people he’s writing to are struggling with the exact same thing. They’re all caught up with defending their rights and arguing about who’s right and who’s wrong according to the law of the land. But Paul (in a very postmodern way) offers a totally different way of thinking. To those people caught up in the argument he says, “Who cares? Who’s right, who’s wrong – does it matter? Isn’t it better to just drop the issue and love each other?”

And as simple and unappealing as it might sound, I think there’s a bit of wisdom in there for us as Christians today. Instead of getting caught up in debates and trying to prove the other side wrong, I think that we can cut across the very current of the debates rather than getting caught up in them & we can short-circuit the whole situation by living out alternatives that are completely unexpected. What would it look like if Christians suddenly dropped out of the political debates surrounding gay marriage, guns, abortion, etc and instead started living out their answers? Is it realistic to think that we could actually address these questions in legitimate ways through love and creative action instead of arguing about our rights?

For too long, the typical response of the Church has been to dive head-first into these debates and try to prove our idea based on political ideas, logic, and “rights” language. But what if we just quit trying to be right and instead did like Paul said to those Christians in Corinth? What creative, love-filled, and Christ-like answers can you think of to the pressing issues of our society today?

**TODAY'S POST was written by PMP contributor Dale Taylor.  Dale is a Fuller Theological Seminary student, mission practitioner, and all around awesome guy...follow Dale here!

Driscoll = Robertson?

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You Are What You Art.

The hope of this blog is to continually push ideas and thoughts that connect the dots between art, creativity, beauty, spirituality, and everything in between. 

Today is no exception.

You all know the phrase, "you are what you eat."

It's 100% true.  The molecular properties of the foods you consume are brought into your body, alter your own physical and psychological makeup, and produce everything from growth to moods, disease to genetics.

Now consider this phrase: "you are what you art."

Art has always been something that compels, confronts, confuses, and creates new worlds.  Cultures change because of art; politics are overturned, and the world is changed forever.

The artist has an incredible role within humanity.  The true artist has always been on the forefront of creating culture - not simply reacting to it.

Which brings me again, to the new phrase, you are what you art.

Biologist James Zull writes, "Neuroscience tells us that the products of the mind--thought, emotions, artistic creation--are the result of the interactions of the biological brain with our senses and the physical world: in short, that thinking and learning are the products of a biological process…This realization, that learning actually alters the brain by changing the number and strength of synapses, offers a powerful foundation for rethinking everything."

Art changes the mind, which changes the biology in one's brain and the physical world.

Consider the following artist…the chef who refuses to use genetically modified plants and animals to create a dish that is sustaining the biology of the consumer, as much as he/she is sustaining the environment. 

The culinary artist is transforming how we think about food, how we consume it, and even our most basic genetic and biological synapses.

Now consider the poet or songwriter…he/she writes to provoke and change a once held truth.  Over time these ideas and hopes become reality.  There's an incredible amount of power in the words, chords, melodies, and textures that the artist is creating; so much so, that our biological synapses are modified and we become a different person (in thought, reaction, and as society).

Are you creating beauty and tension and words and worlds in the listener/consumer that is worthy of biological change?

Consider your art in these terms. 
Consider the power of what you create. 
Because you truly are what you art.

Peace,
Ross