Site Change

Just a heads up... I've decided to leave the realms of Blogger and move onto my own server. The current address is http://www.dixonfamily.ca/paul/ but soon I will be registering my own domain name. So update your RSS feeds and stay tuned in for more info change once I come up with a domain name :)

Gomer the church

I recall a while ago reading a bit about the book of Hosea. I've never intellectually engaged the book, but now 3 chapters in and I'm hooked. What a wonderful story of God's unconditional love and mercy for his people. Metaphorically I want to draw a line from Gomer to the church. As the church we lead ourselves astray from God and sleep with others. Ceremony, traditions, liturgy, music has all become the central focus of our worship... time and time again we turn from God and worship our means to the end.

Yet God still loves his church and wants a relationship with it despite our adulteress ways. Chapter 2:23 "I will show my love to the one I called not my loved one". To the church which has become unlovable even to God, he will show his love. God is calling the church back to a relationship with Him, not a relationship with pluraism, or tolerance, or idol worship... God wants to purify the church with his love... (gosh this is getting a little too much like a fundamentalist speach). Bottom line, God is calling the church back from it's adulteress ways and into a closer more loving relationship with Him. He has paid the price for us with his own blood.

I think alot of the new movement in the church such as emergent is an awakening of the church from it's sin and adultery with the world in a grassroot move toward the loving God we serve.

Liturgy

I have began reading a new blog (surprise this seems to happen everyday I find a new one) by a fellow who's began a journey into the orthodox church. He's began to post in a beautiful and poetic way his expereinces. The most recent post was on liturgy and his encounter with it. I've cerainly flirted with the idea of liturgical churches in the past. And fell in love as I encountered God through the "drama" of liturgy. Of course as a rebelious person I struggle with the strict structure of church leadership but this seemed to be minor to me when I think through the beauty of how God spoke through the liturgy.

As I read the post I could still smell the sweet odour of burnt incense and candles that filled the church. I recall the wonder that struck me as I saw the beauty of the sanctuary. And for once I was really impressed with preaching. Short, sweet, life applicable... how nice. In a time when I was burnt out and disappointed with organized church this was heaven. Yet I don't understand how in the depth of my anarchy I found rest and beauty in the most structured institute.

Since my encounter many months ago now I've taken up reading the Anglican book of Alternative Services and fall in love time after time with the words. As well the beauty of the prayers in the Common book of Prayer.

The role of preaching

One of the biggest converns I ponder on in regards to preaching is the role it's put in... frankly I look at how it seems to be considered the most important aspect of a service. Is this right? Although learning about God is important how does this fall into building each other up, or worship? Rarely would I consider it so. Most sermons I've heard over the years teach about God but never how to live in relationship with him... is this worship? I'm implying no.

I would suggest the most important part of church is to glorify God and worship him... now I don't think all "worship" as we see it in our churches (you know the band playign catchy new songs) is worship, it's a concert. When I suggest worship I mean true heart desired praise directed toward God. Secondary is to support and build up believers...

But it would appear in most cases the sermon (the pastor's monologue) is considered the most central part of a service, where we learn about God, but rarely interact with God. Why is this that in our churches today we have placed such central importance on the role of preaching in church? What if we attended a church service and there was no preaching... could we in our western form of Christianity survive? Would we complain because we didnt' hear the pastor's monologue? In reality what is the importance of preaching in a church?

Beer = brainpower?

Check out this link... humourous yet... possibly true.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/print/0,3858,5254614-110732,00.html

Read these!

We know by now that the actual church building has nothing to do with God's Eternal Purpose. The church service is a thing created by us and for us - God's Need is seldom, if ever, considered. If we recognize that the service, ministry, meeting, gathering, or building is not the end, but only a means to an End (which is Christ), then we do well. But when we attach spiritual, emotional, or even superstitious significance to a mere thing, or place, or day, or tradition, or way of doing things, then we will be spoiled through "traditions of men", and will not walk after Christ Himself.

Chip Brogden

I found this quote on a website in my surfing about church and thought it was worthy of posting. I'd love to see some comments on it. On this site are some great talks you can read in regards to church.

Crusades and "Festivals"

I think I'm going straight to hell for this one. Last night I made the decision to attend a local crusade held by Fresh Fire Ministries. BUt my intention wasn't for healing as their posters offered, it was for the intent to *gasp* make fun of such an event. All my fears of a Christian religion all wrapped up together in a single location. I prayed to God that we haven't turned his loving relationship with us into such a carnival and that he's not pissed off.

All was fine until the band started mellowing out the tunes, and with that a mood was ushered in with lowering lights and the stage lights (the cost of all four could likely feed a small country in Africa for a year) stopped moving rapidly and lowered with a focus on the speaker. The speaker didn't offer a single lesson on Christianity, it turned out ot be a rhetorical talk that went no where except to manipulate everyone into thinking Alberta is a very wealthy province and God will poor out the blessing of more wealth on us, and that we should share our wealth with God so his work can be done (well we should share with God, but not in a manipulated way that feeds the bellys of such a speaker and ministry that sees fit to manipulate emotions). No where in this wealth talk did the speaker mention Jesus commands to help the poor, more so to help ourselves to more wealth. Friends this was fundamentalism at it's worst. I quivered as I heard a man speak to his young kids behind me trying to cox them to sing he told them "Jesus wants to hear you sing loud, and so do I." This was a statement that stunk like something Ned Flanders would say from the Simpsons.

The main "front man" of the ministry stepped up and I was expecting him to give a profound word or two... nope the band started playing a soft, quiet verion of the hallelujah chorus and the speaker called out various illnesses and offering blessings and a feeling of heat/fire over peoples bodies. He called out random illnesses telling folks they were cured. Then had some of the "healed" come on stage and give a "testimony" of what happened (my cynical mind says this was setup) and people came forward who believe they were healed (no don't get me wrong Jesus does heal us, I have been healed...). Then comes the weird laughing and the speaker "blessing" people and they fell to the ground.

I can not deny God works through these ministries, but I fear how immature peoples faith is that they fall for alot of this and think it's an expereince of God when realyl it's no more then a manipulated show using emotions. It felt as if we've turned Jesus into a money making psychic. This event seemed far to much like XYZ televangelist crusades. Why have we allowed ourselves to make a mockery of God and his blessings and healing for his people.

Chpt 33-40

What sticks out in my reading of these chapters is the empahisis on listening. How important it is to listen to multiple voices, but not just sit and take in words, but to actively listen to all contributing to the dialogue. Certainly not shunning the "unbelievers" from the dialogue since they too have valuable contributions to make. The other points Doug brought up that stirred thoughts was to treat the Bible as a member of the dialogue... interesting thought that I can'd understand how it works out however there's definately something to it.

Final summary:

Over all the book has been a refreshing and fantastic enlightenment on preaching. More so it has opened up a great understanding and challenge to the church and how it interacts within the relationships. As a up and coming pastor (well once I stop being lazy and do something) this book will shape my ministry within churches and has shapped my views. Plus has given me confidence that we can effectively do church differently.

Chpt 20-32

Well I found I was dimishing in ideas as I posted for each chapter and was getting bored of this process... in no way is this to suggest the book has taken a boring turn. Infact it has been super informative. I am really seeing how what Doug has written can revolutionize the church as a whole, not just in teaching times, but also in developing a community. Doug's ideas are surrounding a relational intent that can and will deepen a community of believers. He redefines the role of a pastor in ways beyond my thoughts. How he interacts with his church (Solomon's Porch) to develop sermon content, and works to connect with his congregation is outstanding. Doug has provided an example to the church as a who.e how to get past the westerize church and get into a deep relationship with our local church and with God. He has moved beyond the passive participant viewing a show and shown how church can be turned into a community that lives adn grows together in their faith walk.
"Churches should never be places where the practices of faith are allowed to become stagnant and predictable in the name of stability" pg 112.(chpt 12) this summarizes well what I've read through chpts 20-32 thus far. He emphasizes the priesthood of all believers... active participants in all aspects of church life including sermon development. Doug has worked to debunk the idea that pastors are the only educated folks in theology and Biblical understanding.

Doug challenges speaching with these words " One of the hurdles we need to get over to think about outcomes of our preaching is the idea that it's primarily an act of evangelism, which puts us in a place of seeking essentially the same outcome year after year; just in different people." pg 162

"speaching is failing to accomplish much of anything." pg 163

"The idea that church is a once-a-week event dismantles everything the gospel calls us to be about." pg 169

Doug has also offered some great insight on preparation and applying his ideas into a practical living, breathing church.

I'm excited to implement his suggestions and ideas in churches that I lead. Doug has spoken to the heart of how I feel church should be and offered hope that church should be different.

Canmore 2005

Check out my flicker account and you'll be able to view my photos (well some of them since Flickr has an upload limit) from my mountain climbing expereince in Canmore Alberta