“I’ve been in twenty different countries this year, and everywhere I’ve gone, I’ve heard leaders lamenting the fact that the church in the United States doesn’t seem to listen to their sisters and brothers in the rest of the world.”
- Brian McLaren
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Trendy Christianity
While sharing a meal with some friends in the Dining Commons of MVNU, the conversation centered around the type and quality of food that we put in our bodies. Someone was eating hummus, which led us to begin trying to list the Top 10 Most Trendy Foods. With the help of Nate Okuley, John Ballenger, Scott Lomasney, Ryan Schmitz, and Lyndsey Oldham, I landed with a list as follows:
1. Sushi. Suddenly, everyone likes raw fish wrapped in seaweed. For those that don’t really like sushi but still want to be trendy there is the standby California Roll.
2. Dunkin Donuts. This one is for the trendy people that don’t want to be trendy because Starbucks Coffee is too trendy for their need to be different and edgy. Starbucks is better. So is Cup O’ Joe. So is Nevin Street.
3. Guacamole. It’s very green and very tasty. I have yet to have this avacado concoction quite like that in Juarez, Mexico, handmade by Hermana Elodia, la pastora de La Iglesia Del Nazareno Juarez.
4. Yogurt. There used to be TCBY. Now there’s Yagööt.
5. Fish Tacos. Apparently it’s an acquired taste and/or is popular with the folks in the southern California area. I’ll take my taco with no fish unless I’m really trying to be trendy. I’ll eat my salmon grilled on a cedar plank with Ben Winkler.
6. Hummus. The word is transliterated (like the word “baptize” from the Greek “baptizo”) from Arabic. It’s really not fancy. Just smashed chickpeas with some pepper, oil, garlic, and/or salt.
7. Burritos. Even though Chipotle is starting to become or already is mainstream it still counts as trendy along with Noodles and Co.
8. Sweet Potatoes. Often found in a fry version complete with fresh-ground sea salt, this orange delicacy is prepared in many forms and has found itself overshadowing the Idaho original.
9. Hibiscus. Green tea and pomegranate tea (or pomegranate anything) have been around long enough. It’s time for them to move over for hibiscus.
10. Local, organic vegetables. Let’s be honest, anything organic could have made the list, right? Organic is taking over.
The local, organic, and fair trade consumption trends are proving that “trendy” is not always bad (take note Dunkin’ Donut coffee lovers). But when does “trendy” turn bad? Are there trends in Christianity that are counterproductive to the Kingdom of God? Could one unhealthy trend possibility be the “megachurch movement,” where congregants desire to attend the sexiest, stylish production that is primarily a place for personal consumption and conscience appeasement? What about the “house church” model? Is it just a trendy phenomena for those who despise the megachurch model and want their own homogenous self-owned gathering or is there worth and substance behind it? At what point are our practices of Christianity just cultural adaptations and pleas for some type of desired relevance? Do we do the trendy Christianity thing because its trendy or because it really represents the Kingdom of God?
Top Sites Recommended
I hope you enjoy the new minimalist design of subversiveREFORMATION.com. Please remember to check the tabs at the top of the page and utilize the links in the sidebars to connect online or check out some quality links to the right. Please comment suggesting any pages that you think should be recommended. Buttons will include links to sites about theology, church, family, parenting, history, philosophy, environmental sustainability, emergent. I’m also hoping to include organizations and ministries that seek to bring peace in our world. Sarcastic comments are welcome, too – but hopefully I’ll also get some quality recommendations.
Teaching Little Kyla… The Sign of the Cross (and Willimon).
“Teaching Little Kyla…”
A series on Travis and Sarah’s journey of parental flubs, flaws, failures and accidental^ fortune.
When Kyla begins to pray she now touches her forehead, then her chest, then crosses her shoulders while saying, “In the name of the Fahver, in the name of the Son, and the Holwy Spiwint.” She proceeds to give thanks for the most simple things in life. Her genuine gratitude really shows and I’ll tell you more about that in my next post.
After seeing and hearing Kyla do the sign of the cross, someone asked her, “Are you catholic?” To which I replied, “Of course she’s catholic.” The word catholic means “one, universal.” The people of God are one church. There may be some organizational nomenclature that distinguishes one gathering of the church from another gathering of the church but ultimately there is only one church, the people of God.
Scott Peterson, University Chaplain at MVNU, asked last night if I have read the book “Who Will be Saved?” by William H. Willimon. I have yet to read it but am putting that as a priority on my reading list. Scott disclosed that the essential theme of the text recognizes the tension between “the narrow way” of Jesus and a universalist perspective that suggests all paths of religion or the unlimited grace of God allow all people access to God (I am not attempting fully or accurately describe universalism; that is a conversation for another day). If I recall the conversation with Scott correctly, he said that Willimon (in the previously mentioned text or another) suggests that those who will be saved must be a part of the church.
What does it mean to be a part of the church?
What does it mean to be identified by the sign of the cross?
Please comment.
^ There is someone(s) greater than me/us (a divine being and a community of people) that intercede with grace and giving.
Don’t Go Start a Church.
“Don’t go to start a church… go to serve a city.” -Steve Sjogren
I read this line on a twitter update from Chris Bean. I’m just going to leave it at this: What are your thoughts?
Click below on comments to add your perspective.
>> This post reminds me: After accepting a new position at MVNU in August and not having time to update subversiveREFORMATION.com I was unable to post the series “On Church.” Now is the time. Be checking back for posts from Chris Heuertz of Word Made Flesh, Adam Walker-Cleaveland of Pomomusings, and more “On Church.”
Music and Orphans.
Do you like music? Do you like orphans? Admittedly, the second question is awkward. Awkward and real. Awkward even in three senses: 1.) Most people reading this blog probably do not like the fact that any child would be orphaned; 2) The term and idea of “orphan” is not the core identity of any child; and 3) Questioning one’s commitment or lack of commitment to acting on behalf of the fatherless may create some discomfort and/or conviction.
Two students at MVNU approached me last year with the idea to do a benefit concert as a social event in order to raise money for resources needed at an orphanage in Brasil. I said “do it.” The short version of the story is that they did do it and they are doing it again. Please visit the Extended Melody Project (EMP) page and become a Fan on Facebook. EMP will be held at Ibiza 33 in Mount Vernon, OH on Friday, October 30. (4) or (5) bands will be playing and all funds from admission and t-shirt / concession sales will be donated to an orphanage in Cambodia.
The church is being the church.
Anyone want to sponsor the event? Any creative ideas?
Informational video to be posted after editing and processing finalized. Updates to our adoption page will be posted soon as well.
Under Construction
subversiveREFORMATION.com has been under construction with a hosting location change and CSS and subscription edits. The site is not yet fully customized and/or functional. Thank you for your patience during the downtime. You will continue to see edits and updates to the site with full functionality restored on August 1. Also, keep checking back for the beginning of the “On Church” series with contributions from various individuals including Chris Heuertz from Word Made Flesh and Adam Walker-Cleaveland from pomomusings.com.
What is the church? Who is the church? Where is the church?
Reflecting on my previous post that notes the silent historical framework of the emerging/emergent movement brought to mind some foundational questions on church.
What is the church? What is not the church? What should the church be?
Who is the church? Who is not the church? Who should be the church?
Where is the church? Where is not the church? Where should the church be?
This post is the beginning of a series On Church. I will be publishing a series of posts from contributing authors to provide their reflections on church with a focus on the above questions. Throughout the series I will be posting my own thoughts as well (though my thoughts most likely are not my own and reflect those who have actively been involved in my formative process). If you are interested in contributing, please send an e-mail to tkeller@mvnu.edu and include your contact information.
