emergent
kiwi
In Liquid Church, Pete Ward takes a deep swim in postmodern waters. While many are just trying to dog paddle, Ward explores ways for the church to incarnationally flourish in our contemporary culture. At times the theologian in me wonders if Ward’s theology is so liquid he ignores Divine person, and thus the importance of gathering. At times the practitioner in me wonders who will fund Pete’s dreams. But the insights around spiritual desire and the creative and missional possibilities around shopping for meaning are worth the price alone. It is a provocative book in which the missionary heartbeat is undeniable. The book is well written. It is concise. It handles well. If you’re serious about being church in the postmodern world, it is worth taking the plunge.
liquid church
Coming:
Olive Drane, creativity and the image of God
Christchurch, January 04
Going:
Taylor's to Chch, Jan04
Church and Society, Auckland, Feb04
Stuff I've written:
Celebrating a Postmodern Pentecost
Sketching a postmodern missiology
Romeo/Juliet/altworship
DJing salvation
Piglet reads the Bible in a postmodern world
Coupland/community
cultural
wildflowers
1 Peter:mysogynist
or feminist
New generation/new
millenium
Church
in a global world
My further reading
art and spirituality
church ministry
postmodernity
Generation X
popular culture
gospel and culture
faith in aotearoa new zealand
Conversations that enhance me:
andrew jones up close
small ritual
douglas rushkoff
jonny baker
God-n-
club culture
paul fromont
darren rowse
Christian greenie
God-n-club culture-2
human in london
intellectually gritty
rachel cunliffe
jordon cooper (mentioned my blog 3x)
mark barkaway
Interview with:
Archives:
June 2002
July 2002
August 2002
September 2002
October 2002
November 2002
December 2002
January 2003
February 2003
March 2003
April 2003
May 2003
June 2003
July 2003
August 2003
September 2003
October 2003
November 2003
December 2003
January 2004
Tuesday, December 24, 2002
My gift of summer
I'm on holiday, enjoying downunder gift of summers.
I'll be back January 13th.
See you then.
posted by spirit2go team at 5:01 AM
Gift of summer
Advent, up north
Cold, dark
and earth turns
Christchild comes
Light in darkness
Advent, down south
Light, bright
and earth turns
Christchild comes
Light in life giver
Summer present of sparkle and harvest
Creation renewer, creation redeemer
Guest at our barby, with beer
posted by spirit2go team at 4:58 AM
Monday, December 23, 2002
Summer Jesus downunder (long rant)
The Word became human being and … lived among us. Which means that Jesus grew up a Jew, telling Jewish jokes with Jewish accents, playing Jewish sports and Jewish music and hearing Jewish stories of origins. The word became human and … lived among us Jews.
However, 2000 years later, Jesus Jewishness seems to have been lost. I remember vividly a Chinese man in Canton, China telling me that Jesus was a Westerner. And so, over time, this Jewish baby has become wrapped, not in Jewish swandling cloth, but in holly and mistletoe, in snow and Santa. The word became human and .. lived among a Northern hemisphere.
Please hear me, there’s nothing wrong with that. In fact, that’s what the Word is meant to do. It’s meant to dwell in the culture around it. John Drane talks about the Word being a seed, planted, that grows in another culture. Jesus needs to take root in Jewish soil, in American or English soil.
The danger is not that Jesus grows in Northern Hemisphere soil, but that Jesus is given to the world as the Northern Hemisphereness Word. In reality the Christmas message asks for the Word to dwell among us, for the seed planted in the land of the long white cloud, for God to dwell among Kiwis.
Take for instance the Church year. The church year includes 4 weeks of Advent, leading up to Christmas. Now, in the Northern Hemisphere, this all gets tied up with the longest night. The earth is dark and frozen. The body cries out for sun and for warmth. Then just after the longest night, when the cry of light is loudest, comes the birth of Jesus. Hope dawns. Days start to lengthen. Summer will come. And so the earth’s rythms are mixed with the birth of Jesus.
If Jesus is a Northern Hemisphere Jesus, wrapped in Northern Hemisphere symbols and rythms, then it will be easy to leave Jesus behind as we head for the beach and the barby.
Downunder we celebrate Advent and Christmas in summer. Our light is long. The days are warm and humid. We’re all closing down for our summer holidays. These rythym’s of earth need to get mixed up with the birth of Jesus. And so the birth of Jesus is about us in the South entering our annual Sabbath rest. It’s about God mixed with play, for on the 7th day God rested. It’s about the full warmth and vigour of creation. This Jesus who comes to us as God ablaze with energy and with power to renew the cosmos. This Word became human being and … needs to live among us [Kiwis].
May the Word, who became human being, truly live among us this Southern Hemisphere Christmas.
posted by spirit2go team at 3:11 PM
Peace on earth?
Sure, I know, its a cheap shot image. It just makes me so sad. And then there is this twisted Zionist Christianity which seems to turn a blind eye to all the pain and death and dislocation that has resulted from the formation of Isreal. Sure it wasn't great before 1948. Sure there are suicide bombers. I guess I'm just naive enough to believe that peacemakers are blessed and that the meek will inherit the earth.
posted by spirit2go team at 2:25 AM
Peace on earth?
posted by spirit2go team at 2:23 AM
Sunday, December 22, 2002
Engagement notice
The Graceway community last night approved the concept of leasing St Hilda's. Amaze and Graceway wish to formally announce their engagement. Please send congratulatory emails to both graceway@ihug.co.nz and to jsewell@auckanglican.org.nz.
Some of the happy party then retired to the Cock and Bull for a Christmas drink.
posted by spirit2go team at 1:44 PM
Saturday, December 21, 2002
Advent online
Advent 4 images are up.
So is Christmas. But why not wait. That's part of advent. Waiting for Christmas Day.
posted by spirit2go team at 3:24 PM
Wednesday, December 18, 2002
Article on U2
by David Dark, author of new book on Radiohead and the Simpsons. Go read it Tony.
posted by spirit2go team at 8:02 PM
Anglican vestry say yes
Last night the Anglican church approved in principle, with "excitement and a sense that this was God", a Graceway-Amaze joint lease of the St Hilda's manse and church. This is a miracle. Within the space of a few months, church and diocesan bodies have moved with remarkable pace. After 8 years, Graceway can have a permanent home, a place to hang our art and grow our vegetables and offer coffee. The treasurers are now meeting to nut out financial details. The lawyers have wet their pens. But before they do ...
Graceway meets as a community on Sunday night to discuss and pray and finally decide. It's a big step for a bunch of Xers, who are burnt by institutions and buildings, to make. It's a step out of familiarity and comfort with what is. It's a call to actually bring to birth what has just been pie in the sky dreams, always unreal because of the glass ceiling of -we can't afford to hire an art space. Spirit, whatever Graceway does, may we walk on the wild side of your reckless, joyful love for the world.
posted by spirit2go team at 7:47 PM
Tuesday, December 17, 2002
Braided river image
Picture of braided rivers (from Alaska not New Zealand!).
posted by spirit2go team at 10:36 PM
Braided rivers: 1st blog image
New Zealand has 2 types of rivers. Normal rivers, where water flows between tightly held cheeks of earth. They’re pretty bog standard, like rivers anywhere in the world. Water goes straight to sea.
Then there are braided rivers. Found mostly in the South Island. The rivers in reality are a stream of small fingers that meander over a bed, sometimes up to a kilometre wide. The streams entwine as they please, moving year by year. The banks contain the flow, but give wide opportunity to roam.
The 1st image on my blogspot header is of stones from a South Island river. It’s become an increasingly important spiritual metaphor as my life has increasingly felt like a braided river. The Spirit surrounds and guides me, but there’s a lot of room to roam. My spiritual question meanders over this earthed NZ landscape, exploring and searching. Some might accuse me of being liberal, but it certainly doesn’t feel like that. The Bible is a constant resource, the historical Jesus is an earthing companion, the Triune God energises my exploration.
It wasn’t always like that. I started out normal, with some pretty controlling images of God. This was how to find God, how to serve God and it was tightly held between evangelical cheeks. I’m increasingly I’m glad of braided rivers.
posted by spirit2go team at 12:48 PM
online advent (3)
3rd online advent image
posted by spirit2go team at 1:45 AM
Monday, December 16, 2002
Subway stories
We watched this movie last night. 10 true stories of subway life in New York. Love, mystery, even spirituality, as a black moslem plays sax in call and response to a singing Jew across the subway tracks.
I have a subway story. London, June 2001. I was hurtling to meet Peter Graystone from the Bigger Picture under the clock at Waterloo Station. I spent the day marvelling at the sheer randomness of the city. I, subway surrounded by strangers, was hurtling toward another stranger who would be friend by the end of lunch. (And would give me another one of my 14 UK alt.worship research interviews). The mystery of the city, strangers connecting and becoming friends.
Peter and I met under the Waterloo clock, talked, departed as friends. I headed off to catch another tube to another interview and another alt.worship participation. 10 hours later I stepped onto a subway, tired, heading home. I said down beside …
yes, you guessed it, Peter Graystone, on his way home from a play. Now what are the chances of that - meeting a stranger twice in one day on the London underground. That’s my subway story. A toast to the randomness of connections.
posted by spirit2go team at 4:40 PM
Sunday, December 15, 2002
Move over Steve
We welcomed Mike Crudge onto the pastoral team at Graceway last night. It was a great night, lots of visitors came to bless the "marriage", Derek Lind weaving his musical magic and I walked around the hall handing out angels. We gave Mike a book of NZ spiritual verse, organic tea and some shoes .. as a welcome to Graceway as a contextual earthed spirituality, to earthy community and to walking the earth with us in distinctive mission. At the end of the evening, Mike came up to respond to the welcome and told me to "move over".
It was an apt summary of the moment. I'm stepping back, dropping from 3 days/week at Graceway to 1 day/week, to focus on finishing my doctorate and writing my book. So I am "moving over". There's a real sense of joy in me, as this church that Lynne and I planted takes another step on its life's journey. There's also a real sense of sadness, as I "move over", as changes happen, as I have to share. It involves a complex range of emotions, summed up by that simple phrase, "move over".
On the Saturday the church had thrown Lynne and I a Transitions barbeque, to thank us for planting Graceway and to honour the transition. It was so thoughtful. They gave us a gift-wrought iron tree of life candle stand that holds 8 candles, and various people thanked us. The only thing I could think of to say was to quote from Samuel L Jackson in Pulp Fiction, as he puts down his gun and says "you're lucky you caught me in a transitional moment". That's me - caught in a transitional moment. Thanks for listening.
posted by spirit2go team at 11:41 PM
Saturday, December 14, 2002
How did you get here?
Checked out "referrals" today. One of you found this blog by searching google for Image of Santa DJing.
Another one of you was looking for shoulder blades theology.
Fess up now. How long did you stay!!
posted by spirit2go team at 2:43 AM
Settling down
Got the comments shifted over. I forgot my password for enetation, so ended up creating a new one. So now you can all give me feedback on the new look thru the eyes of your browser.
posted by spirit2go team at 2:41 AM
Thursday, December 12, 2002
Derek Lind
One of New Zealand's best lyricists. Live ... Graceway, 5:45 pm this Sunday.
posted by spirit2go team at 3:56 PM
Very cool words
Graceway works hard to connect with our wider community. Today I received this email ... Graceway are active in our area and highly regarded by both the business and residential communities. We look forward to continuing contact and extend best wishes to you and your families for Christmas and the holiday season.
Kind personal regards.
Christine Foley - Town Centre Manager - Ellerslie Business Association
posted by spirit2go team at 3:54 PM
Transformation
New design. New address. New images.
Same content cos its the same blogger blogging. I hope you made the transition with me and that you change your bookmarks. I'd welcome feedback on the new look and how it works on your machine. I'm a real novice when it comes to web design, so there are probably lots of mistakes.
Still trying to bring the enetation comments up to speed with the change.
posted by spirit2go team at 10:32 AM
Wednesday, December 11, 2002
Interview with Robert Webber: from Jordon Cooper’s blog.
1) If I am a leader of pragmatic evangelical church who came from a pragmatic evangelical seminary who is now faced with what appears to be a very incompatible world, what advice for me? … The pragmatic churches have become institutionalized - with some exceptions. They responded to the sixties and seventies, created a culture-driven church and don’t get that the world has changed again. Pragmatics, being fixed, have little room for those who are shaped by the postmodern revolution. A clash is emerging. The younger evangelicals will not have a voice in the pragmatic, fixed mentality. Stay there and your spirit will die. Many pragmatic churches, like old shopping malls are dying. Very few people under 30 are in pragmatic churches. The handwriting is on the wall. Leave. Do a start up church. Be a tentmaker. Build communities. Small groups. Neighborhood churches.
2) What is the role of seminaries in the education of younger evangelicals? Most seminaries are still committed to the rational epistemology of modernity. … These seminaries will gradually serve a world that no longer exists. … In seminaries today many of the courses of study are on technique, CEO management, psychology, marketing and the like. Christianity is becoming defined by non-Christian disciplines. There is a need to reverse the trend and define the world and all its disciplines by scripture. There is a need to assert once again the counter-cultural nature of the faith.
3) As you travel around and see a lot more of the church than many of us, what things do you see that concerns you and what things give you hope? What gives me hope is the younger evangelical. What concerns me is how satisfied the traditional church is with its enmeshment with modernity and how proud the pragmatic church is with its market success, business orientation and entertainment worship.
Dr. Robert E. Webber, Professor of Theology Emeritus at Wheaton College, Wheaton, Il., The Younger Evangelicals: Facing the challenges of the new world. (Baker, 2002)
posted by spirit2go team at 8:09 PM
Wow
The anglican minister phoned yesterday. If you've been a regular blog reader, you'll be aware that we have been exploring using their church as a place to develop our arts and spirituality dreams. If you're a regular blog reader, you'll also know that I've been having coffee with Jackie Sewell, who wants to start an arts and spirituality centre (Amaze) for teenagers. We've been exploring the mutually benefical aromas. The anglicans have suggested to us a joint lease - Jackie in the manse, Graceway in the church and are having an emergency vestry meeting before Christmas to approve this if we want, possibly taking possession late January.
So a few months of vague suggestions are now a reality. Graceway leadership are meeting on Friday to talk. Graceway community are talking by email, having checked out the building a few weeks ago.
It's all happening very quickly. Please pray that decisions made are cool for all and that all feel involved as much as they want to be.
posted by spirit2go team at 3:10 PM
Another gift of summer
Here's another one
.
posted by spirit2go team at 1:15 PM
Tuesday, December 10, 2002
The "nightmare" interpretation
I blogged on Monday about my attempt to get to the future of Christianity in the West conference. This "nightmare" has now been interpreted!
The missed flight etc is a comment on the failure of modernism to deliver, the fact that the connection story was untrue but hopeful is a metaphore for growing healthy churches and the dark tired arrival (BUT ARRIVAL!!) means that you will get there in the end!!
posted by spirit2go team at 8:15 PM
Ebits and pieces
I've added the second online advent image. I've added the Romeo and Juliet article to my article links along the side. Clearing my email and I got this. Greetings from Melbourne Australia. My name is Darren Rowse and I just wanted to let you know that I've been following your blog lately and have appreciated your words. I'm finding the blogging community to be a real inspiration to my life and ministry. I'm from Melbourne and am in the process of planting a small new community called the Living Room. Its an exciting process but at times feels all a bit isolated down here. Check it out at www.living-room.blogspot.com
Good stuff to all the blogging community. Once again a practical demonstration of how postmodernity "adds value", in this case as the internet increases community.
posted by spirit2go team at 12:41 PM
Monday, December 09, 2002
Romeo and Juliet and alt.worship
Article by me in seven magazine. I'd value any comments.
posted by spirit2go team at 12:11 PM
Sunday, December 08, 2002
The future of Christianity in the West
I'm in Dunedin for a conference
, the future of Christianity in the West.
I wonder if my travel is an apt metaphor. My flight from Auckland to Christchurch was delayed. They assured me my connecting flight to Dunedin would be held for me. Alas, when I arrived in Christchurch, the Dunedin flight had already left. It was the last flight out that night. No seats were available all next day.
The only option was being driven to Dunedin. 5 hours later, I arrived at 1 am in the morning. Is this the future of Christianity in the West- tired, dark and disorientated?
posted by spirit2go team at 12:01 PM
Future of Christianity in the West
I'm in Dunedin
posted by spirit2go team at 11:55 AM
Wednesday, December 04, 2002
Online Advent art journey
I have developed an online advent journey. I will add an art image each week through Advent. They link in with our weekly services, ie each art image on the online advent journey forms the basis of our worship reflection.
Services are accompanied by live music. This week we welcome the musical art of Roger White.
posted by spirit2go team at 5:31 PM
Tuesday, December 03, 2002
The gift of summer
MONTEITH’S RATA HONEY & SPICE FLAVOURED SUMMER ALE ~ A refreshingly spiced, bright gold beer with a real flavoursome zest.
posted by spirit2go team at 10:37 AM
Monday, December 02, 2002
The prize winner is
Gareth Terry from Taiwan. He wins a free copy of Mission Beyond Christendom, with essays be me and other leading Baptist missiologists downunder. A recent review in Reality magazine praised selected chapters of this book.
If Gareth could email me his snail mail address, then he might get the prize before Christmas.
The correct list was
U2 Grace
U2 If God will send His (angels)
Boney M Christmas Story
Late late Service Mary
posted by spirit2go team at 2:19 PM
Sunday, December 01, 2002
Quote of the week
"On Thursday I earned $NZ96 after tax, when I worked 16 hours"
- McDonald's till worker talking to a colleague.
That's $12,400/year for working an 80 hour week.
posted by spirit2go team at 2:14 AM
This should win a media award
Today was the local Ellerslie Santa Parade. We always try to be involved as a church. It's takes energy and stamina, but for us its important we try and connect ourselves with the community and the community with Christmas.
This year Graceway has purchased a video projector and we've played a lot with images. Seeing that's our "creative edge", we prepared a number of "short films"; reflections on Mary and angels and Christmas story and grace, set to U2 and U2 and Boney M and Late Late Service.
(I will give a free copy of Mission Beyond Christendom to the person who can link correctly the 4 themes with the 4 artists. First in first served. Judges decision is final but all correspondence will be entered into).
We rear projected these into a 10 seat "theatre" we created in the local community hall were we worship, right beside the Street Party and Parade.
I was looking after the kids, so arrived just before the parade. I met a Auckland City Councillor walking, stunned, shaking her head in awe, saying how profoundly effective it was, and how you could spend thousands and not get the same effect and "that it should win a media award". It was great to have such feedback from this type of outsider.
posted by spirit2go team at 1:15 AM