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Ecclesiolatry: Missional-mindeness or self-perpetuating campaigns?

September 11, 2012 in Church, community, design, Ecclesia, kingdom, missional, Theology, worship with 3 Comments

In my continued graduate work, my current course instructor posed the question, “Would it be theologically accurate to say that a church that is not on mission is not really a church but something else? Perhaps, a social club? What are the implications of an ecclesiology like this?

My response was as follows:
It is completely fair and accurate to say that a “church” without mission is not really a church at all. Church and mission are inseparable, yet many social clubs of conservative moral interest continue to insist that their weekly practices are necessary and representative of the kingdom of God. If the practices of church communities were evaluated from an outside perspective, I would venture to say that most would need to remove the word “church” from their poorly designed and sadly executed marketing campaign signage (http://matthewpaulturner.net/jesus-needs-new-pr/church-signs/). Sadly, I think many “church leaders” are not aware of their ecclesiology. There exists a blind “ecclesiolatry” (ecclesia + idolatry) that self-perpetuates empty forms and habits that have improperly come to be known as “church.”
Why does the church continue to self-perpetuate non-missional-mindedness? What are the internal insecurities and distractions that promote inwardly-focused campaigns by church leaders for church communities?

Super Letters.

February 12, 2010 in community, family, giving, global, love with 12 Comments

I’ve been publishing a series of posts entitled “Teaching Little Kyla…” documenting and sharing our  journey of parental flubs, flaws, failures and accidental^ fortune. Posts that would normally be included as part of the “Teaching Little Kyla…” series will now be uniquely titled. At times we are teaching little Kyla and at other times little Kyla is teaching us. More falls in the latter.

A couple of weeks ago Kyla had just finished receiving her evening bath. She had been playing in the water with a foam alphabet system, sorting the letters more by color than by consonants and vowels ordered to spell certain words. She calls the foam characters her “super letters.”

Sarah was nearly finished drying and dressing our little one when for no apparent reason Kyla began to pray. The only plausible explanation was genuine gratitude.

“Dear Gawd, phank you for my baphtub… and… for my super letters.” Sarah responded, “Kyla, those are great things to be thankful for. There are some kids around the world that don’t have bathtubs or super letters.”

The world. Stopped. Instantly.

There are some kids around the world that don’t have bathtubs or super letters.

Kyla immediately had a frown across her face complete with angry and confused wrinkled eyebrows. As I watched from across the room I could see the deep trouble and grief that Kyla felt. She turned and looked up to Sarah and said, “No. They do. They have baphtubs and super letters.”

Sarah replied, “No. There are a lot of children – like the children we’ve been praying for in Haiti – that don’t have bathtubs or super letters.”

With anguish… and confusion… and agony… and distress on her face, Kyla looked down. And in the next moment, she looked up… and narrated the gospel.

“I will give them my baphtub and super letters.”

And the tears that welled up in my eyes began to run down my face.

Without agenda. Can’t we all love like a two year old?

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^ There is someone(s) greater than me/us (a divine being and a community of people) that intercede with grace and giving.

All I Want for Christmas.

December 12, 2009 in adoption, community, compassion, Education, giving, global, jesus with 0 Comments

“All I Want for Christmas.” It’s an interesting title isn’t it? As if Christmas is about me. As if Christmas should be about what I want. Well, I suppose it depends on what one wants for Christmas. I have a hard time accepting things for Christmas that either specifically benefit me and not those around me or perpetuate a cycle of entitlement, greed, and the desire to consume. So… all I want for Christmas is for our celebration of God coming to earth to reflect the love for all people that is demonstrated in God’s self-disclosure as an act of giving. As the popular saying goes, “‘Tis better to give than to receive.”

“If anyone is looking for any last minute gift ideas” (for me or for anyone else) here is what I recommend giving. The idea is that the reception of a gift is actually centered on giving to another.

ScarfScarf
Purchase of a hand-crafted/crocheted scarf from Kelly Smith to help our friends James and Kelly bring home the newest member of their family. Every dollar raised will be used toward adoption expenses to give one Ethiopian orphan a home. Customize your scarf by choosing your color (most colors available) and style (skinny, wide, fringe, no fringe). Skinny scarves are $15 and wide are $20. To place an order today email Kelly at: ophelia2377@hotmail.com. Sarah and I both would not only each like one but also hope that you will enter into the Smith’s story and consider supporting them financially and in prayer. Visit their blog.

Beads for Life
90% of the cost of a Beads for Life product go directly to the females in Africa who create the necklaces, bracelets, and earrings.

Books from Amazon
If you are purchasing anything from Amazon.com then please link to Amazon through any of the Amazon widgets or lists located here at subversiveREFORMATION.com. Each purchase referred from subversiveREFORMATION.com earns Travis, Sarah, and Kyla a percentage of the cost which will be deposited into their adoption fund. Additionally, what better gift might there be than a book which is used for the learning and teaching about the church and the way of Jesus? You may also search Travis Keller’s Wish List using the “TEXT” tab on ssubversiveREFORMATION.com.

Manure
This green gift transforms waste into power—agricultural power. Organic manure increases crop yields and is cheaper, greener, and safer than chemical fertilizers. So, show your loved ones that you really “give a $%@#” for our planet. The gift goes directly to improve the lives of people living in poverty through OxFam America Unwrapped.

World Food Programme Feed Bag
The FEED 1 bag is a stylish, well-designed and reversible burlap and 100% organic cotton ladies’ carrying tote bag sold to help raise awareness and funds for child hunger. When you purchase a FEED 1 bag, you will guarantee that ONE child is fed in school for ONE full year through the United Nations World Food Program. To date, FEED Projects various partnerships have led to over $4 million for WFP school feeding.

ONE.org Africa Shirt
The tees are made of 100% organic African cotton and were made in Uganda. Shirts are available in both men’s and women’s sizes. ONE is a grassroots campaign and advocacy organization backed by more than 2 million people who are committed to the fight against extreme poverty and preventable disease, particularly in Africa. Cofounded by Bono and other campaigners, ONE is nonpartisan and works closely with African policy makers and activists.

What other creative gift ideas do you have?

One.

December 5, 2009 in community, compassion, giving, global with 3 Comments

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Is Cyber Monday Any Better?

November 30, 2009 in community with 0 Comments

Is Cyber Monday any better than Black Friday? If one is, indeed, going to make purchases during the holiday season, is it more responsible to do so via the world-wide-web when many reduced priced items are available? Is it more theologically and monetarily responsible to buy a specific item online rather than being enticed by all the “deals” that one sees in the store?

Here is an example of cyber Monday: CYBER MONDAY

Who Do You Want as a Friend on Facebook?

November 16, 2009 in community, culture, deconstruction, friends, internet with 1 Comment

Relevant Magazine asked a “Question of the Day” and I replied.

Q: If you could have any person, living or dead, friend request you on Facebook, who would it be? And let’s assume that you’re already friends with Jesus so you don’t need a friend request from him.

A: Nice question. It would completely depend on why this person would friend request me. So… can we qualify the question? Here is what I need to know:
- Is this someone just wanting to really be friends and hang out sometime?
- Is s/he just trying to keep the friend stats high?
- Are they wanting me to contribute to a publication or be his/her personal assistant?
- Does s/he want to give something to me or get something from me or operate with reciprocal relationality?
- Rather than me wanting him/her to be my friend, is s/he wanting to be my friend (b/c i’m a big deal; people know me)?

So how about you? If you could have any person, living or dead, friend request you on Facebook, who would it be?

What does it really mean to be someone’s friend on Facebook?

Music and Orphans.

October 15, 2009 in Church, college, community, Ecclesia, friends, giving, global, humanity, justice, kingdom, love, mvnu, religion with 1 Comment

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.

What would you like to drink?

October 8, 2009 in art, college, community, consumption, health with 16 Comments

Now that I am more acclimated and adjusted into my new role in our Student Development Office I have just a couple of things that need some work. OK… more than a couple things. In my report to the President and Board of Trustees I listed (11) challenges that I currently face in my position and (20+) initiatives/actions that I am implementing. But on to some more important items. I have a number of things that I still need to hang on the walls in my office. I have a wire from Ikea called Deka that holds pictures of Sarah and Kyla and I’ll be adding some framed pictures of the Oakwood Hall Staff from the last three years as well as some pictures of SGA and other random student goings-on. I also need to call a certain Adrian McKinney to get one of his original pieces that would work very well in the office.

The biggest problem with my office (other than the purplish carpet and counter top, both from which I’ve been able to detract the visual focus) is the empty refrigerator. I am planning to stock it with Naked Juice, Odwalla, and cranberry juice. Bottled water and soda will not adulterate the natural freshness which will be the aura of the previously identified refrigerator. What else should I put in my refrigerator? MVNU students and staff, if you were to stop by in between classes or during a break or just to talk and I were to give you a free beverage what would you want?

Teaching Little Kyla… Gratitude.

September 24, 2009 in community, consumption, family, kyla, prayer, teaching with 1 Comment

“Teaching Little Kyla…”
A series on Travis and Sarah’s journey of parental flubs, flaws, failures and accidental^ fortune.

Kyla now begins all her prayers by saying, “God, thank you.” That’s it. “God, thank you.” When is the last time that has been your prayer? Are your prayers prayed out of worry? Selfishness? How about gratitude? Thankfulness for the activity of God amongst his people.

When Sarah and I purchased Kyla’s bed to transition her from crib to awesome Malm from Ikea, I finished putting it together and Kyla looked up at me from a little less than a meter high and said, “Sank you, daddy.” She had a bed. And she was thankful.

Since then there have been a number of times that Kyla has surprised me in her simple statements of “thank you.” For what are you thankful? To whom are you thankful? Are you satisfied with what has been provided for you or do you normally feel ripped off? Like you drew the short straw. Like things never go your way. Or… like you deserve more? What gives us that sense of entitlement? What makes us so centered on having more? What keeps us from being grateful?

Is Kyla’s gratitude actually something that exists due to what she receives or possesses? How has she learned to be grateful? How do you exemplify gratitude and for what are you grateful?

^ There is someone(s) greater than me/us (a divine being and a community of people) that intercede with grace and giving.

Sweden.

September 9, 2009 in blog, coffee, college, community, jesus, journey, justice, life, love, prayer, relationsship, religion, writing with 4 Comments

It appears as though my last post was published on August 11 – almost a month ago. I suppose there is a reason why I have not written in nearly a month. On August 12 I was offered and accepted a new position at MVNU, where I have served as a Resident Director for the last 3 years. I am now in the position formerly known as the Associate Dean. Though the listed responsibilities are essentially and/or technically the same as in previous years, the name of the position has changed, symbolically reflecting the change that I will/am bring/bringing. I am serving as the Director of Student Involvement and Accountability in the Office of Student Development. My title is the next-to-longest name second only to Rick Teasdale (not to be confused with an actual person), the Assistant Associate Vice Regional Director to the Chancellor of Student Services. My new role at MVNU includes serving as an advisor to the Student Government Association, chairing of the University Judicial Council and Campus Life Council, providing leadership development and mentoring to students, and handling all discipline process and accountability standards for students. I’m also the University Liaison to the Parents’ Association.

In the midst of the transition into my new position I’ve been quite wrapped up with a number of things. Sarah, Kyla, and I moved out of the RD apartment attached to Oakwood Hall. Per my request, we were able to maintain MVNU’s campus as our place of residence. My next post will tell about our move down the hill from Oakwood Hall to the Rosewood Apartments. We primarily wanted to remain on campus in order to continue living life among the students that we love, opening our home to all those who accept the invitation to journey with us, together in the struggle to learn what it really means to live in the way of Jesus.

I realized during a time of silence on our SGA Retreat (a couple of weekends ago) that the consistent and abnormal practice of solitude, prayer, and reflection is essential in the midst of all the things both good and bad that fill our lives. So… I am not particularly proud of the fact that I’ve had only 2 days off in the last 29 days but I am excited to enter a new season of life that possesses a more natural and healthy rhythm of existence. A more consistent schedule of thinking and writing will reignite the posts that are going to be published on a much more regular basis now that the time demands of transition have subsided.

I also moved into a new office. It’s name is Sweden. Stop by. We’ll share some coffee and conversation.

Peace.

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