...revolution: first thoughts.......

'Tis with honest delight I've just reread the comments for the 31 Jly '4 blog "...words." You may need to re-read that blog and ponder with me the excellent thoughts shared. Thank you to those souls who are joining in pondering the list of very different words suggested. The connection of those five words, I believe, has huge importance as we think and live forward, together, concerning this entity called "church."

With added delight, thanks to a couple of you for your curiosity about a life-long dream we hope happens in 2007. :) There will be more at a another time on that one...like when we get to the word, "imagination."

This has been one of those rambling, seemingly disconnected Monday mornings of running around doing piddley, but necessary, errands concerning the registration of the new ministry van, the importance of setting up future mentoring appointments for both in person and via phone, with thanksgiving, listening to the good hearts of a couple of friends, and not, for one more day, avoiding working out (ugh! the travel has not been kind to this olde body and the lack of exercise...but.....here we go again!!).

In between all of today's events I've been thinking about the word "revolution." My thoughts have often gone back to a couple of paragraph's in Steve Chalke's book, "The Lost Message of Jesus." Steve is from the UK...and very active in the emerging church there. Of this potent and packed tome, Brian McLaren says..."The Jesus introduced by Steve in these pages sounds like someone who can truly save us from our troubles." So...push "continue" and read on...........

I encourage you to get your own copy of this book. On pages 85-86 you would read...at the beginning of Chapter 5..."Let The Revolution Begin:"

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A friend once asked me, "If Jesus was half the revolutionary you claim, how come he is now represented by one of the most conservative, status-quo institutions on the planet?" He posed a good question, so I tried to give a good answer. I reminded him of the history of the Church and the radical ways it has helped to shape society on a global scale over the last two millennia. Though the popular perception may be that it has been a force for bad, more often than not, it has been a huge power for good. "Even today," I explained, "in many parts of the world the Church is dynamic, bold, engaged and prophetic." My friend pondered my defense for a moment, sighed thoughtfully and then wryly replied, with a smile that acknowledged the truth of my statement, "Well, there must be two kinds of Christianity, and somehow we've got stuck with the tame version.

Imagine the leaders of a school with an appalling educational record, refusing to accept any level of responsibility for its non-performance. Imagine them defending their teaching methods, environment and curriculum as "exactly what's needed" and rejecting the very thought of the need for the slighest re-evaluation, rethink or revision. It wouldn't take long for critics to make it very clear that, whatever other external factors are at play, in education, as in the rest of your life, you just can't pass the buck.

We get the Christianity we deserve--we just can't pass the buck. The Church in the West--with some notable exceptions--has a tame faith because it has been giving a tame message for centuries. You can't breed a radical, revolutionary movement on passive, middle-of-the-road rhetoric.

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If the truth of my own life be admitted...I long to be radical and revolutionary, and am in many ways. But way too often, I admit/confess, I tame down because I don't want to be defined as a flaming fundamentalist. Not good. Those that know me know that the "fundamentalist" part is not true at all.

So what is radically true, Mr. Roberts, if you long to be a revolutionary, truly a wild olde man? What is true for any of us in answering that question...no matter what our age or life experience?

I wasn't born to be tame...anywhere in my existence. The thought of being tame brings on a wave of spiritual nausea...to me, and I believe to our God, as well.

If I am a whole-hearted follower of Jesus Christ today is there anything less...speaking from a deep desire to be authentic and full of integrity here...than being radical and revolutionary?!?!! I think not. I do know this...one can be radical and revolutionary by themselves...but it takes a genuine community forging and stumbling foward together for the radicalness (is that really a word...I'll let it stand here...)and revolution to be impactful and lasting.

Any spin on this from what might be stirring in your own revolutionary soul (...you do have one, you know!)? I wonder what all our radical Triune God...Father...Son...Spirit...is longing to whisper to each of us about being revolutionary as a radical reflection of all They are/He is.

More soon. The other four words will have to wait for a bit.......

Comments

[Tom Smith]

Wes,

I'm tracking with your heart my friend,
check this post out (see the title and everything :) http://kleipotgemeente.typepad.com/soulgardeners/2004/05/revolution.html

[james]

Wes,
I love this word. I actually preached a sermon at Crossroads where I argued that if we must use descriptive adjectives for our church, "revolutionary" would be my choice. But unfortunately, too many of us only hear the forceful, violent, and negative connotation of that word that conjurs up images of war. I wonder why. I tend to gravitate more to its other primary definition of revolving around a center, like the earth around the sun, a crankshaft in a car (RPM's) or, better yet, a Christ follower around Jesus Christ. I believe that Christ is moving in history and that if we are truly revolutionary we will revolve around him on this journey. To get stuck in one moment of time as if the best is not yet to come is problematic for me. It is when we get stuck in a moment that we can't get out of that the other, more violent use of the word rears it's ugly head to try and get things moving again. I'm all for the revolution but I prefer the non-violent kind of orbiting around Christ as He continues to redeem history.

I can't wait to hear the rest.

[bobbie]

'we've got stuck with the tame version' i can't agree more. the fact that we spend more time fighting each other than fending off persecution says volumes to me about the weak type of christianity our churches are living out.

remember, he's not a tame lion! we thought a decade ago that we were radical and revolutionary didn't we? i can remember that being a theme for our teen camp, and there are so many christian pop songs that sing of 'revolution' but we just want to rock the old folks in the church, shake things up a bit there - not rock the world.

we just want to make the status quo a bit more fun for us, and less like the church of our fathers. we aren't venturing into the community and being earth movers. that's why things like the power grab at your friend's church is happening, they're bored and start to eat and persecute each other, instead of taking that energy and pushing it out into the world to do anything other than moralize it.

this should probably be a blog post on my own blog, so i'll ponder it more and post about it there. these 5 words are powerful ones wes, i'm looking forward to hearing more. thank you!

[anj]

"I believe that Christ is moving in history and that if we are truly revolutionary we will revolve around him on this journey." Love that description!

[deb]

My comment ended up being very long. So, I'm posting it on my blog and emailing it to you. Thanks for this challenge Wes, it is proving to be a very good thing!

[Mike]

Wes, my friend... we're tracking. My word this morning was "radical"!