The Christian Pop Culture

I just found an interview at Christianity Today that really intrigued me. Apparently there is a humanist Jewish gentleman who has written a book about his perceptions of Christian Pop Culture. This is a good read to help understand the preconceived ideas that many that we are trying to reach actually have of us.

In the interview the author admits one of my pet peeves, namely, there are several "strains" under the label of "Christian" and failing to understand these distinctions will lead to wrong conclusions.

"That is in many ways our fault as non-Christians for not making the effort to make such distinctions. If the awareness is not there, it's partly because these people are often choosing not to identify as Christian in the same way, partly because they don't want to be tarred by that brush. And I think that's unfortunate in many ways because I think what they're doing is very Christian in the best ways, and that by ceding that word to the forces they don't particularly like, they're doing a disservice to the faith."

The link below will take you to the interview.

In Rapture Ready! Adventures in the Parallel Universe of Christian Pop Culture, Radosh describes his experiences with the Cornerstone Music Festival, Christian comedians, creationist Ken Ham, Bibleman, Ultimate Christian Wrestling, Jay Bakker, and others.

Actually, he concludes, merging pop culture and Jesus isn't as bad as he expected:

The Christian Pop Cultures of Rapture Ready | Christianity Today | A Magazine of Evangelical Conviction

A Definition of Leadership

I just found the link below which is an excellent 4 minute video on the definition of leadership. I don't know anything about Mr. Peters, so please do not consider this link as an endorsement of anything else he says (it may or may not be good, I simply don't know).

Mr. Peters says leadership is the same in the 21st century AD as it was in the 21st century BC. "The essence of leadership is to induce people to become more than they think they can become."

Tom Peters on the Definition of Leadership on Vimeo

Why do I run away from what I want most?

    The following thoughts come from a 1995 book by Thomas Kirkpatrick entitled Small Groups in the Church: A handbook for creating community,

     I hope these thoughts may encourage you to intentionally set aside some time over the summer months for your group members to connect with each other!

In a book called The Different Drum, M. Scott Peck suggests that while we want intimacy, we often run from it. Perplexing, isn't it? We want to be honest and open, but we are not willing to risk being ourselves in a group of sisters and brothers.

If and when we are honest with ourselves, we know we need other people. While the rugged individualism of our time surely runs counter to this reality, there are additional issues that we often overlook. Here are four factors that influence our paradoxical need for, and fear of, community.

The Issue of Confidentiality
Lack of trust—or the issue of confidentiality—is one factor that helps us explain this push/pull paradox. Grapevine communication is so pervasive in many small communities and rural areas that people guard themselves against revealing personal information with virtually anyone. Why should we in the church expect to be any different from the community at large in risking self-disclosure?

Overcoming such a deeply ingrained and often well-founded fear is not an easy accomplishment for planners of community. Assurance of confidentiality is needed before many will even consider joining a small group, and it is a ground rule that groups should adopt and follow right from the start.

The Issue of Truth
A second factor influencing this push/pull dynamic of intimacy is the difficulty we human beings have in facing the truth about ourselves. When we are afraid to face our true selves, and when we deceive others, we tend to flee relationships—with God, with ourselves, and also with others.

The Issue of Size
Numbers do matter. We cannot develop sufficiently close personal relationships in large groups. Relational development literature, in fact, tells us that it is difficult to experience intimacy in our interpersonal relationships in groups of more than six to ten people. Consequently, unless we plan and develop new or additional opportunities for group life, we severely curb both our Christian koinonia and our outreach to others.

The Issue of Time Management
Rearranging time commitments is a challenge that needs to be confronted if community is to become a priority. Again, desiring community is only half the equation—the need or "pull" to intimacy. The "push" away from intimacy can be as simple as an overscheduled calendar.

The Paradox of Community | Building Small Groups

Seven Advantages of Sermon-Based Small Groups

One of our Small Groups at SLEFC is Sermon-Based. One of our sister churches near San Diego has used this model for over 20 years. Following are 7 advantages observed by the pastor of that church. If you want to read detailed explanations of the Seven, click on the citation at the end of the post.

They Increase the Educational Impact
They Pull in the Marginally Interested
They Reach More People
They Sharpen the Church-Wide Focus
They Mainstream New Believers
They Eliminate Idiot Questions
They Help with Leadership Recruitment

Seven Advantages of Sermon-Based Small Groups | Building Small Groups

You Have Questions, We Have....

The phrase above was a tagline in a marketing campaign a few years ago. Thirty years ago I was told I could rely on information from the "Shell Answer Man."

Today many theologians claim that there are no answers...just discussions. I disagree with that notion strongly! But I also know that the appropriate response to a question is not always my answer. In Mark 8 Jesus modeled that as a teacher we should not only provide answers, but also ask good question. The link at the bottom of this post will take you to Dave Arch's explanation of these 8 uses of questions that Jesus employed.

1. Answering with Questions (Mark 8:5)
2. Gathering Data (Mark 8:5, 19-21)
3. Making Statements (Mark 8:12)
4. Communicating Passion (Mark 8:17-18)
5. Correcting (Mark 8:21)
6. Seeking Feedback (Mark 8:23)
7. Encouraging Personal Application (Mark 8:27-29)
8. Soul Searching (Mark 8:36-37)

Small Groups - Asking Questions Like the Master Teacher