My kids think Kim from Matt and Kim looks like our friend Emily. Not sure I see that strong of a resemblance. I'll let you be the judge. What I do know is that they are both people that rock. Emily is one of the most resourceful artisans I know. She's currently in Washington DC at The Idea Camp. We're all excited to hear what stories she brings back. Send some love Em's way and purchase some of her amazing craftwork. And as for Kim, well, she is just a kick ass drummer in one of the few two piece bands that actually works (Ditch her, Jack. It sucks.). Here's a video of Matt and Kim on Jimmy Kimmell. As my 5-year old son said, "Why's she standing on her kick drum?! That rocks!"
where my riches lie...
I've lived in Southern California all of my life. In comparison to many parts of the U.S., it's an expensive place to live. I've often wondered why people that are down–and–out stay here. I mean, if you're homeless it's better than places it snows I guess. But for those that have hit hard times and are hard pressed by the high cost of living in a place like San Diego, why would you stay here!?
For us, we've felt called to this city for a long time. My wife and I could sit down and tell stories for a good hour of how we felt God led us to this place by pretty amazing scenarios. So, for us, outside of being natives, we do feel as though we were meant to be in this place. But the last 8 months or so have been rough. That's how long I've been job searching to no avail.
When a few people asked if I would be open to interviewing for jobs in other places, I felt as though the only responsible thing was to say, "Yes." Last night, as I got off the phone from an interview for an out-of-state job a sadness I have not yet felt so acutely came over me. I realized why some folks don't leave a place even when the stakes are high. When economic wealth is far from your grasp, some of us begin to see the other ways in which we are wealthy. For me, that is my friends and family. It is the wealth of relationships that holds me so close to this place.
The idea of leaving crushed me last night.
Who knows what the next few months hold for us. I honestly don't think we'll end up leaving San Diego. The cost of moving a family across the country is pretty high for most organizations right now. And there is a part of me that, while terribly anxious about employment, is glad. This "place" has come to mean the faces of so many people that make my life worth living. I think the rest of the Evans family would say the same. I hope those "faces" know who they are. They are where my riches lie.
For us, we've felt called to this city for a long time. My wife and I could sit down and tell stories for a good hour of how we felt God led us to this place by pretty amazing scenarios. So, for us, outside of being natives, we do feel as though we were meant to be in this place. But the last 8 months or so have been rough. That's how long I've been job searching to no avail.
When a few people asked if I would be open to interviewing for jobs in other places, I felt as though the only responsible thing was to say, "Yes." Last night, as I got off the phone from an interview for an out-of-state job a sadness I have not yet felt so acutely came over me. I realized why some folks don't leave a place even when the stakes are high. When economic wealth is far from your grasp, some of us begin to see the other ways in which we are wealthy. For me, that is my friends and family. It is the wealth of relationships that holds me so close to this place.
The idea of leaving crushed me last night.
Who knows what the next few months hold for us. I honestly don't think we'll end up leaving San Diego. The cost of moving a family across the country is pretty high for most organizations right now. And there is a part of me that, while terribly anxious about employment, is glad. This "place" has come to mean the faces of so many people that make my life worth living. I think the rest of the Evans family would say the same. I hope those "faces" know who they are. They are where my riches lie.
health care reform
Isn't the irrational behavior around the issue of health care reform amazing!? I shouldn't be surprised, but I am. Maybe disturbed is a better description. Of those that I hear most irritated about the potential health care reform are those whom I know receive either Medicare or Medicaid, or are preparing to. Does this make sense?
I come from a pretty privileged background compared to many. Yet, I am well aware of the burden of health care currently. It was one of the reasons that I didn't see my dad much growing up. Supposedly, he couldn't ever change jobs because we would lose our insurance and my mom had conditions hard to insure. I currently am having a hard time finding work but one of the reasons why we have not strongly considered moving is because my wife is pregnant and we can't risk losing our insurance or afford COBRA. Our co-pay is high enough to make me hesitant to go into the doctor for minor things... and this is all coming from a white, middle class guy... I can't imagine the position of so many others without the safety net someone like me has.
When I hear the panic and fear and absurd statements made by those opposed to health care reform there tends to be a lot of "me and mine" in their language. This is a difficult position to be in as a Christian. As followers of Jesus, we're called to care for the least of these. Unless you and your church are opening up free health clinics around town, I find it difficult to find reason for not supporting health care reform that will ensure that more people receive the health care they need.
I come from a pretty privileged background compared to many. Yet, I am well aware of the burden of health care currently. It was one of the reasons that I didn't see my dad much growing up. Supposedly, he couldn't ever change jobs because we would lose our insurance and my mom had conditions hard to insure. I currently am having a hard time finding work but one of the reasons why we have not strongly considered moving is because my wife is pregnant and we can't risk losing our insurance or afford COBRA. Our co-pay is high enough to make me hesitant to go into the doctor for minor things... and this is all coming from a white, middle class guy... I can't imagine the position of so many others without the safety net someone like me has.
When I hear the panic and fear and absurd statements made by those opposed to health care reform there tends to be a lot of "me and mine" in their language. This is a difficult position to be in as a Christian. As followers of Jesus, we're called to care for the least of these. Unless you and your church are opening up free health clinics around town, I find it difficult to find reason for not supporting health care reform that will ensure that more people receive the health care they need.
to degree or not to degree
I've mentioned in the past that we've had an ongoing conversation about what role theological training ought to have in our future. I had the privilege of talking with Mark Lau Branson and Alan Roxburgh last night about such things. But I have–what seem to me–some very practical questions about this. It is clear that a lot of the higher education opportunities available for those seeking to become professional clergy focus in great part upon institutional sustainability. With some exceptions, the fact of the matter is that most Christian institutions and churches are running out of money. This isn't so much about bad business practice (although that is often true) but mostly about the growing irrelevance of how the Gospel is commonly communicated within our culture (ie. no one's interested). It seems obvious to many that we need to find better ways to educate both paid and unpaid leadership in how to guide local faith communities in North America in the 21st Century. But how? And where does a professional clergy fit in? Here are some scatter-brained thoughts that I would love to get your feedback on...
How important is it to get a degree in something focused on Christianity in some manner? Don't get me wrong, I feel as though we need to train people in theology. But what does the future hold for those that have a specific degree in such things? When a handful of us left professional ministry to start Matthew's House, those with degrees in ministry or biblical studies found it very hard to find a job outside of ministry. Yet, there was not a Christian institution that would have funded such a calling as ours. Is a degree important for those called to such work? Or should we get educated in other fields that can support us?
My friend Jamie is a pastor at heart and a theologian to boot. But he is also a sociologist so he can pay the bills. I wish I had been as smart as Jamie... regarding both forethought and intellect. My good friend Kevyn and I got certificates in areas of construction, Rick got his contractor's license. (Yeah, bad "alternative" for us in this economy... like I said, not the best at forethought) Is this the direction that Christian leaders should follow? In an economy such as ours, how many people can afford degrees that may not pay themselves off?
There are some that would read this and feel that I am simply some embittered individual trying to raise trouble. I actually ask these questions out of my deep love for the Church. I recognize that our institutions are not going to change over night. And I still plan to work with them as best as I can. In fact, if I could I would love to walk into a seminary classroom and share what I have learned and I know many others just in San Diego who would do the same. One of the challenges in this scenario is that those of us that have been working at finding new forms of church life do not hold the qualifications to walk into that seminary classroom to share what we've learned (Even if I someday finish an MA it still won't be enough–I need a DMin at minimum).
Lastly, there are schools that are trying to address this. One of the reasons why I met with Alan and Mark was because of this. But a concern of mine is that it will still be the same kind of person that gets educated and I wonder if we should be a bit more deliberate about changing that. What I mean is that it still seems as though we are mostly educating white, middle to upper class males. Yet, those doing some of the most selfless, risky amazing ministry amongst people are not those kinds of people. This has a lot to do with broader social issues. But these others are often the voices we need desperately to hear from. White, middle to upper class white men have been the recipients and shapers of theological education for a long time. Yet, as we stand at the tomb of Christendom, how do we empower those that have actually–for a long time–found ways of doing ministry without the resources of the Christian institution? Especially since more and more of us are doing just that today.
There isn't one answer to this. But I am curious to hear about your experiences and thoughts. Please share.
How important is it to get a degree in something focused on Christianity in some manner? Don't get me wrong, I feel as though we need to train people in theology. But what does the future hold for those that have a specific degree in such things? When a handful of us left professional ministry to start Matthew's House, those with degrees in ministry or biblical studies found it very hard to find a job outside of ministry. Yet, there was not a Christian institution that would have funded such a calling as ours. Is a degree important for those called to such work? Or should we get educated in other fields that can support us?
My friend Jamie is a pastor at heart and a theologian to boot. But he is also a sociologist so he can pay the bills. I wish I had been as smart as Jamie... regarding both forethought and intellect. My good friend Kevyn and I got certificates in areas of construction, Rick got his contractor's license. (Yeah, bad "alternative" for us in this economy... like I said, not the best at forethought) Is this the direction that Christian leaders should follow? In an economy such as ours, how many people can afford degrees that may not pay themselves off?
There are some that would read this and feel that I am simply some embittered individual trying to raise trouble. I actually ask these questions out of my deep love for the Church. I recognize that our institutions are not going to change over night. And I still plan to work with them as best as I can. In fact, if I could I would love to walk into a seminary classroom and share what I have learned and I know many others just in San Diego who would do the same. One of the challenges in this scenario is that those of us that have been working at finding new forms of church life do not hold the qualifications to walk into that seminary classroom to share what we've learned (Even if I someday finish an MA it still won't be enough–I need a DMin at minimum).
Lastly, there are schools that are trying to address this. One of the reasons why I met with Alan and Mark was because of this. But a concern of mine is that it will still be the same kind of person that gets educated and I wonder if we should be a bit more deliberate about changing that. What I mean is that it still seems as though we are mostly educating white, middle to upper class males. Yet, those doing some of the most selfless, risky amazing ministry amongst people are not those kinds of people. This has a lot to do with broader social issues. But these others are often the voices we need desperately to hear from. White, middle to upper class white men have been the recipients and shapers of theological education for a long time. Yet, as we stand at the tomb of Christendom, how do we empower those that have actually–for a long time–found ways of doing ministry without the resources of the Christian institution? Especially since more and more of us are doing just that today.
There isn't one answer to this. But I am curious to hear about your experiences and thoughts. Please share.
Mother Mary
With the exception of several flat notes and the not-so-awesome fan blowing in the drummer's hair, this is a great redux of "Mother Mary" by Far. Gave me chills when I saw Far play this live the first time ages ago. Haven't followed Thursday, but if they take their name from a certain Chesterton book, they have my respect.
HT: Brooklyn Vegan
HT: Brooklyn Vegan
Good Garden Day
Good Garden Day
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some practical tips on missional
I've had a few beautiful yet often tragic conversations with wonderful folks trying to do grassroots kingdom stuff across our region lately. This is something I haven't been able to do much of recently due to my job hunt and caring for my kids over the summer. When I do get to talk with people that are either just getting to know a missional faith community (newbies) or attempting to start one (starters), I always share a few tips that I keep stored in the back of my head. Mostly, they are lessons learned from making terrible mistakes. Others, are simply observations after having attempted to start these kinds of communities for going on 8 years now. But in the last of these conversations I had this week, my friend Sue told me that I should share some of this online. Because I deeply respect Sue and her husband, Hyun, I'm taking her direction to heart. So, here's a few tips:
For the newbies:
- Don't be a tourist. Coming one time and never coming back never gives you a clear idea of what that community is like. I always tell people, that you've got to come to consecutive meetings for at least a month to actually get a feel for what a community is really like. I don't very much consider judgments, critiques or assessments made by people who come only once (aka tourists) and then think they have a valuable opinion on our community. It's not about a meeting. It's about building a life together. It takes a while to get into that since there is so much going unsaid that happens within the rhythm of a missional community.
- You won't fit. We've been told that being a part of the Church is about affinity. Nope. If I wanted to be a part of a church where I "fit," ... well, I probably wouldn't be in a church... or it would be me, Dan So, Matt Reece over at Urban Abbey, and maybe Matt Casper (but he's an atheist, so he doesn't count–sorry Matt). It's not about fitting. If it weren't for the common faith, values and ideals that we have built together in our community, I'd probably never have met most of the people that I now consider some of my best friends. It's often those that we "fit" the least with that we learn the most from.
For the starters:
- Keep your job/Get a job. Don't plan on this thing ever paying you. Even if your community is the most healthy and vibrant community (which doesn't mean "successful" or "growing" by most Christian publishing terms) it may not be able to support you. That doesn't mean that you shouldn't be transparent with your financial needs, shortcomings, etc. with your community. Be honest with them. Together, the community may come up with a way to help out. At one point, almost half of our faith community was unemployed, so that was, and never has been, an option for us. Nor do we want it to be. Just know that success doesn't mean you get a job out of this. You may have plans to get support from your denomination. If they have money, great. Know that it'll only last for somewhere between 1 to 5 years. (With the exception of a few denominations, most cannot afford to support church planting much longer. And certainly aren't going to get excited about supporting a community that doesn't have significant numerical growth or feed significant amounts of money back into their system.) That said, if you're gifting, abilities and training are really geared towards pastoral leadership, than start putting together a plan for employment. Go work for an established church and let this be your side project. Or get trained as a chaplain, spiritual director, teacher, professor, community organizer ... whatever. For many of us, leaving professional ministry is like cutting off a limb. I've seen too many of us go into deep depression due to the loss of identity and outlet for a gifts and abilities. Find an outlet, hopefully one that pays. You'll need it. If you are employed-or made available to your community via your spouses income or something else, know that you are envied by many of us but not loathed. You're fortunate and we'd love to be in your shoes. Just thank God for it but there's no need to feel guilty about it.
- Plans aren't all that. It's funny to see denominational leaders get so turned on by glossy, full color church planting plans. Don't be intimidated by this. Especially when it is a proposal by someone that doesn't even yet live in the community they are planting in. It takes a minimum of 3 years to even know what your role in a neighborhood is gonna be. In fact, it's been 5 years for us and I feel as though we're now just getting the picture. And it always evolves and changes. So, don't get too stressed out over proposals and plans. Most important thing is being in the neighborhood and learning to listen to those in the community. You'll begin to get a nose for what God is already up to in that community. Go participate in those things and you'll begin to discover the goals, mission, vision and plans God has in store for your faith community.
Well, the kids are running circles around me. Time to go for now. Would love your feedback.
What tips would you add?
For the newbies:
- Don't be a tourist. Coming one time and never coming back never gives you a clear idea of what that community is like. I always tell people, that you've got to come to consecutive meetings for at least a month to actually get a feel for what a community is really like. I don't very much consider judgments, critiques or assessments made by people who come only once (aka tourists) and then think they have a valuable opinion on our community. It's not about a meeting. It's about building a life together. It takes a while to get into that since there is so much going unsaid that happens within the rhythm of a missional community.
- You won't fit. We've been told that being a part of the Church is about affinity. Nope. If I wanted to be a part of a church where I "fit," ... well, I probably wouldn't be in a church... or it would be me, Dan So, Matt Reece over at Urban Abbey, and maybe Matt Casper (but he's an atheist, so he doesn't count–sorry Matt). It's not about fitting. If it weren't for the common faith, values and ideals that we have built together in our community, I'd probably never have met most of the people that I now consider some of my best friends. It's often those that we "fit" the least with that we learn the most from.
For the starters:
- Keep your job/Get a job. Don't plan on this thing ever paying you. Even if your community is the most healthy and vibrant community (which doesn't mean "successful" or "growing" by most Christian publishing terms) it may not be able to support you. That doesn't mean that you shouldn't be transparent with your financial needs, shortcomings, etc. with your community. Be honest with them. Together, the community may come up with a way to help out. At one point, almost half of our faith community was unemployed, so that was, and never has been, an option for us. Nor do we want it to be. Just know that success doesn't mean you get a job out of this. You may have plans to get support from your denomination. If they have money, great. Know that it'll only last for somewhere between 1 to 5 years. (With the exception of a few denominations, most cannot afford to support church planting much longer. And certainly aren't going to get excited about supporting a community that doesn't have significant numerical growth or feed significant amounts of money back into their system.) That said, if you're gifting, abilities and training are really geared towards pastoral leadership, than start putting together a plan for employment. Go work for an established church and let this be your side project. Or get trained as a chaplain, spiritual director, teacher, professor, community organizer ... whatever. For many of us, leaving professional ministry is like cutting off a limb. I've seen too many of us go into deep depression due to the loss of identity and outlet for a gifts and abilities. Find an outlet, hopefully one that pays. You'll need it. If you are employed-or made available to your community via your spouses income or something else, know that you are envied by many of us but not loathed. You're fortunate and we'd love to be in your shoes. Just thank God for it but there's no need to feel guilty about it.
- Plans aren't all that. It's funny to see denominational leaders get so turned on by glossy, full color church planting plans. Don't be intimidated by this. Especially when it is a proposal by someone that doesn't even yet live in the community they are planting in. It takes a minimum of 3 years to even know what your role in a neighborhood is gonna be. In fact, it's been 5 years for us and I feel as though we're now just getting the picture. And it always evolves and changes. So, don't get too stressed out over proposals and plans. Most important thing is being in the neighborhood and learning to listen to those in the community. You'll begin to get a nose for what God is already up to in that community. Go participate in those things and you'll begin to discover the goals, mission, vision and plans God has in store for your faith community.
Well, the kids are running circles around me. Time to go for now. Would love your feedback.
What tips would you add?
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