Talkin' at em

OK...it's time to try and put something down that might be worthwhile reading. The time keeps marching on...relentlessly sometimes.
I've been busy with lots of teaching. I love teaching in general. I love the learning process and I love seeing those I'm teaching grow and learn...the "lightbulbs" so to speak go off. A week ago I also taught in my church -- Mad City Church -- here in Madison. It's not always easy to teach on a Sunday morning. Part of that has to do with my own desire and need to connect with students as disciples. I have never been a huge fan of the sermon as the best way to connect to people's hearts and minds. I know it has worked down through the centuries...but in this modern age of a doubting, visually stimulated, short attentioned span people, it doesn't always work well. Add to that I am teaching on a once a month basis...and add to that, I am teaching alongside of a young preacher -- Shane Holden -- who has a gift of teaching/preaching that does really grab one for the hour or so that he teaches. OK...no comparison...I really don't compare myself with Shane, and my own self-confidence does not lack in being able to get up in front of 1200 people and deliver something. What is somewhat frustrating is that I know that people really don't learn well when all that is being done is that you're talking at them. People learn because they engage wholeheartedly...intentionally, if you will...in the things they are hearing. Otherwise, it probably is like the proverbial "water off the duck's back".

We need a revolution in terms of learning...the greek word for "learning" is "mathetes" which is a learner, but it is translated most often in the New Testament as "disciple". A disciple is a learner...Discipleship. The leading assumption in the average American church is that you can be a Christian but not a disciple. That is incrediby difficult to break through and it has placed a tremendous burden on a mass of Christians who are not disciples. We tell them to come to church on Sunday mornings (Ok, I realize some do church at other times) and we tell them to participate in programs and give money. But isn't it true that what we see of church is that it knows nothing of commitment. We have settled for the marginal, the least common denominator, and so we carry this awful burden of trying to motivate people to do what they don't want to do. We can't think about church the way we have been.
We need to clear in our heads about what discipleship is. A good definition: A disciple is a person who has decided that the most important thing in their life is to learn how to do what Jesus said to do. A disciple is not a person who has things under control, or knows a lot of things. Disciples simply are people who are constantly revising their affairs to carry through on their decision to follow Jesus.
I am thinking about all of this as I participate in the process of "teaching". I want so deeply to avoid just being another voice making "noisy gongs and clanging cymbals".
I have this current notion going on in teaching about the "journey of faith". I love the theme and it's been a wonderful study for me alone. If you're interested you can find the messages at http://www.madcitychurch.org/listen.asp. My most recent message was on "Taking the land of the Giants", a story from Exodus and Numbers concerning Joshua. I am going to follow that message in a week with a second part based on Joshua 4 & 5.

So...I continue to "talk at em"...knowing it's not the best way to learn...drats! "O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me..."?

Daughters of Eve...Sons of Adam

I've been around the block a few times when it comes to church life. I have this great affection for Christ's bride, and when I see it functioning well I get really excited. Lately, I've been hanging around...as well as reading...women who God is working in, on and through...and I'm better for it.
It started about a month ago in a conversation with a CHURCH LEADER - Wendy Andrews. Wendy came from our community's training center and ended up as a Co-Director for 24/7PrayerUSA. She's young, and she's a she...which has caused some encounters that she has had to be less than great! Leave it say that she's had her share of men ignore her, talk past her, look beyond her, and generally...through body language primarily dismiss her. As a Spiritual Dad and Mentor/Teacher in her life, my encouragement is to understand that all as a part of the development of God's character being shaped "in" her. A.W. Tozer said, "God cannot use a man (I'll include a Woman) greatly until he has hurt them deeply. Part of the process is the assault against our desire to be recognized...that happens to everyone who steps out to serve God...but recognize that its often greater offenses that many women who have tried to step out for God have had to go through. The conversation with Wendy went something like this: "That sucks...That's not how God sees you...Persevere...In your offense, pray...Trust that God is working "in" you even as he works "through" you."

Then I came back home... the conversation continued. One of the bright wonderful and beautiful people around my world is one of Mad City's Youth leaders -- Stephanie! I hang out with Stephanie because we clicked in the mentor/student role -- at first -- but now it's more of an Older Leader/Younger Leader relationship. In other words, Steph can hold her own when it comes to leading, being godly, maturity, etc... She's passionate for God...grounded in reality...and aware that the church God loves sometimes "sucks"! She's been challenged...dismissed... often questioned --simply because she's a she! I should add...women as just as culpable in this as men are. Yet when I converse with her around life, observations on God...awareness of people, prayer, God's word alive...she's a theologian. Not bad for a 21 year old woman leader! All I can tell you is that at age 21 I wasn't anywhere near that level of competence in Christ. Again, rise up Steph...God has a lot more to do "in" you, but he is working mightily "through" you.
She's got a blog site that I love to read...but I won't share it with you without her permission.

OK...not done yet... One of the most talented young artists I've ever met is living in Kansas City - Linnea. About 2 weeks ago, this beautiful (and I don't mean primarily as it relates to looks...even though she is beautiful in looks also) young woman - that I have seen open up in so many wonderful ways wrote to me that she has begun to sense God moving in her to write. Since I have longed had the opinion that Linnea is one of the brightest minds I've been around, I celebrate her stepping out in giving voice with her spirit, mind, prayers. Linnea just sent to me a reflection on Good Friday...she just smashed my stain glassed view of this day we oxymoronically we call "good". Wow...I've read it twice so far and am going to have to read it a few more times if I even hope to "mine the depths" of it all... She's a writer!

Just a few minutes ago, in the MI class that I am now in...another young beautiful leader woman began to share - Lisa. I've been in a car with Lisa for 8 hours...this girl can lead! What she was sharing...ever so briefly here...is her passion for discovering God in these sacred places of prayer, intimacy, passion that she had the audacity to say would even sustain people to go into places of martyrdom. Well, I'm not a fan of being a martyr...haven't ever been asked to be one...and hope I don't...but there have been times in church history that God has brought the church to it's knees -- Tertullian (not my dog, but the 2nd century theologian) said, "the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church". Lisa is a leader...I hope she won't have to be a martyr, but I don't think she will hesitate if asked to...there's a passionate leader for God in there.

Lastly...for now...my Son writes these amazing reflections on his wonderfully beautiful spritiual Leader wife -- my daughter in law, Sarah. I loved reading what my son wrote...and can't even begin to summarize it...it's thoughts that have been forming, not just because he's married to this wonderfully spiritual leader wife, but because he's a man who has seen in Sarah the capacity to lead. Sorry for not asking Chris, but I'm pretty sure you wouldn't mind my letting people see your posts -- after all it's in my links next to this writing anyway... BUT, please, please take some time if you haven't read it yet to go to his site and read what he had to say. It's at: pollasch@blogspot.com... or if that isn't it, just hit the link next to this.

OK...that's a lot of musing...if you read this far, blessings on you.
We have a lot to think about men when it comes to being Sons of Adam along side of gifted leaders who are Daughters of Eve.