April 25, 2010 in
compassion, giving, missional, mvnu, Theology, worship with
“Anybody doing anything tonight?”
It’s a phrase we frequently use when we’re bored. Or maybe we’re just looking for something to do. Something to entertain us. Or we need some people to hang out with.
Why?
Why do we always have to be with someone? Why do we always have to be doing something? Well… I suppose by the nature of being human we are always doing something – eating, sleeping, sitting, playing. But we fail to recognize that “doing nothing” is actually doing something – for good or bad.
I walked into my home yesterday evening after a day of working with MVNU students doing some home repair work for a family in our community. There were well over 30 different people in and out of the home where we were working. Hammers were banging. Circular saws were screaming. Drills were… drilling. Though it was quite fulfilling to be actively engaged in serving a family who needed a little help, the silence I encountered upon arriving home was beautiful. I needed to sit and think. I needed to decompress. I needed to do nothing.
As I was installing some electrical wiring with a friend earlier that day we were talking about the home makeover project and the students who initiated it. In the midst of our discussion my friend stated, “It just makes sense. This is what the church should be doing.” Simultaneously we looked at each other and said, “All the time.” I realized once I got home that the statement was a bit hyperbolic. I needed the silence. I needed solitude for meditation and prayer. I needed to rest in the presence of God – Alone. Quiet. Listening. Thinking.
We can default to either extreme – doing something all the time or doing nothing. Do you find yourself doing nothing? It could be that in the moments of doing nothing you really are doing nothing – nothing but sitting around hoping to be entertained or complaining about the church doing nothing. Or you could really be doing nothing as a healthy form of Sabbath and rest.
How do we go about doing something while still doing nothing? How do we avoid doing nothing in order to actually do something?
January 30, 2010 in
Church, Ecclesia, jesus, kyla, mvnu, prayer, religion, Theology with
“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.
October 15, 2009 in
Church, college, community, Ecclesia, friends, giving, global, humanity, justice, kingdom, love, mvnu, religion with
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.
May 12, 2009 in
adoption, Church, Ecclesia, giving, justice, life, mvnu, prayer, sarah, worship with
Please click the adoption page link here: .:: ADOPTION or above to read our latest update. We appreciate your prayers as we continue to consider our direction. If interesting in supporting our adoption please clink the link to the left to be directed to our secure PayPal donation page.
Peace,
Travis & Sarah
April 30, 2009 in
art, creation, image, mclaren, mvnu, religion, worship, writing with
Brian McLaren said, "I’m deep into revisions for A New Kind of Christianity , due out next March, and I’m feeling ‘in the zone.’ The first draft is done, but I revise first drafts like Chuck Norris unleashes roundhouse kicks, so the really intense work is underway."
Brian , you are my hero (one of them). You are a man of humility (unlike some other unnamed authors and speakers I’ve met) and a man who can write a first draft. I am so retentive, perfectionistic, and obsessive that I cannot get through a rough, first draft. I get stuck editing as I go and thereby get nowhere in my writings. I need to follow the advice spoken by Sean Connery’s character, William Forrester, in the film Finding Forrester , "Write! Bang the keys!" (or something like that).
A recent chapel service at MVNU was constructed by the Art Department. There was a very loud banging typewriter during the entire service. I heard a lot of negative feedback from some students but I’ve always appreciated the Art Department chapel and the unique forms of creating thoughtful reflection. MVNU students, here is your chance to unleash your thoughts: What is your reaction and reflection concerning the incessant banging of keys during a chapel gathering?
April 28, 2009 in
Church, community, Conference, Ecclesia, Emergent, family, friends, mvnu, Theology, thought, Uncategorized with
Due to my campus life involvements at MVNU and requirements for my current M.A.M.L. course, Community, Context, and Transition , I was unable to attend the Emergent Village gathering in D.C. (EVDC09) this last weekend. I was hoping to stay somewhat informed about the conversations and happenings through updates on Twitter tagged #evdc09 . Emergent Village tweeted, "Search #evdc09 on Twitter for updates from the ‘future of Emergent’ gathering this weekend in D.C. … There will be some but not a lot …" and "@makeesha " said, "tell us what you want emergent village to be – we convene this weekend in DC. email, dm or reply tweet #evdc09"
There were not enough tweets during the gathering to post any responses but I did reply tweet about what Emergent Village should be:
"@traviskeller : oh yeah. hey #evdc09 … EV needs to be defined by… LOVE. i’m sure we don’t know what all that means except that the self must be executed"
I received a couple of direct replies from @makeesha and @soupiset that noted that the self was, indeed, executed. I’ll be looking forward to blog posts about that. Some notable words I’ve heard/read that really stick out on Twitter in response to EVDC09 now that it has ended are artifact, gratitude, clarity, hope, resolve, consensus, energized, drained, stories, beautiful, processing, honesty, inclusivity, and outcome.
Additionally and more centrally I’ve heard/read statements about being "home." Home. Home. Home. Prior to the gathering tweets mentioned the acts of packing, traveling, and attending. Following the gathering everyone updating seemed relieved and/or excited to be "home." If Emergent Village is really a generative friendship should the gathering have felt more like home? If I am at my physical residence with friends, family or myself, I feel at home. If I am at the house of a friend, I feel at home. When I arrive home from a Sunday morning gathering of Christians I have feelings of tiredness and exhaustion. I didn’t feel like I was at home. Why is that? Am I not connected with the 100-1,500 other people? Is it even possible to connect with that many people? Should Emergent Village cease to seek national and global "friendship" and rather function in the same manner as Twitter and Facebook, as an online tool for resourcing, networking, and collaborating? Or… am I wrong? Do church gatherings feel like home? Did EVDC09 feel like home? Is an online relationship really a relationship at all? What is the value of our networking for our local and proximal communities? Do I have any place to speak a thought into an Emergent gathering?
March 25, 2009 in
Church, coffee, college, community, consumption, creation, culture, Ecclesia, entertainment, green, jesus, journey, mvnu, religion, worship with
After receiving a number of comments (some online and some in conversation or e-mail) about the "Why MVNU Students Go To Journey" posts, I think there is great value in responding to some of those comments.
Response to Journey Comments #2. The 20 minute drive from MVNU in Mount Vernon, OH to Howard, OH .
The concept of locality and proximity has centralized within my processing of ecclesiology. Proximity is a loaded concept for the church. I didn’t feel like I fully articulated all that cycled through my head while briefly expalaining "#2. The 20 minute drive…" Particularly, I think I was too cordial with a positive spin.
While a core desire for connectivity exists, are attendees of a larger, corporate, and institutionalized gathering really connecting? External from the gathering I would suggest that connection does happen here and there but that connection is primarily within pre-existing relationships that are not generationally diverse. Some may value the wisdom and kindness of chronologically older people but many simply do not tolerate the perspectives of a different demographic.
The Chavez noted in a comment that carpooling is "a way to build more connection than gathering around the coffee urns and picking through the nasty, cream-filled half long-johns can ever provide. It would provide opportunity to digest and dialogue about the mornings [teaching]." This is a step in the right direction both for environmental/creation care and for learning. If we are to proceed further from this concept would we be able to confess that our lack of sustainable connectivity stems from a fear of deeper connection with others? Resultantly, "it is possible to attend a service and appease ones conscience by claiming that ‘I went to church.’"
Driving a far distance to "attend church" seems mostly to be a means of staying unconnected and uninvolved. It doesn’t require any effort except for depressing a pedal and refilling an empty fuel tank. Empty. Empty … irony?
And just for the fun of it…
Would Jesus drive a BMW… or a green Honda Element (not an "either/or" question)?
March 22, 2009 in
Church, college, community, creation, culture, dialogue, Ecclesia, Education, Emergent, imagination, journey, life, mvnu, religion, worship with
After receiving a number of comments (some online and some in conversation or e-mail) about the "Why MVNU Students Go To Journey" posts, I think there is great value in responding to some of those comments. Here we go…
Response to Journey Comments #1. The perception that going to a Sunday morning gathering is still necessary.
"Most church services remind me of the ‘self-help’ aisle at Barnes & Noble. i can get more spiritual depth and understanding from turning my compost pile and planting seeds in the ground." – Tom Joad.
I must recognize that Tom Joad is more of a naturalist (labeling/categorizing noted) than many. I would consider this a good thing. Turning the earth does not resonate as a "spiritual" practice for most people. I would consider this unfortunate and sad. Nonetheless, depth of teaching is a real issue for Sunday morning gatherings. When I attend a Sunday morning gathering I frequently find myself writing my own thoughts in my Moleskin simply because whatever is or is not being taught is not at all engaging. I’m reminded of a question asked by my professor Rick Ryding, "Is there teaching if there is no learning?" Too often, Sunday morning lectures are boring, shallow, mundane, uncreative, and guilt laden.
It is also important to note for other commentators that the original post is not saying anything negative about the portion of a week that is called "Sunday morning." Rather, it is critiquing that which is usually deemed (in Christian circles) as necessary during that time slot. I don’t care if followers of Jesus decide to meet on Sunday mornings or Thursday afternoons. In reality, the church is present together more often than not. The importance placed on that which usually happens on Sunday mornings is the problem. There may be very significant and "spiritual" things happening on a Tuesday morning but those things may go unrecognized as worship or as church. It is necessary for us to move our thinking away from a large, corporate, institutionalized gathering in order to recognize things like compost and seeds as things which engage humanity in worship of God.
With which is Jesus more concerned, our gatherings or acts of worship?
March 20, 2009 in
adoption, college, community, culture, Ecclesia, Emergent, friends, humanity, jesus, journey, justice, love, mvnu, people, relationship, religion, sociology, worship with
Many MVNU students have been attending the Sunday morning gathering of Christians who call themselves "Journey Church." Here is the sixth (6th) of six (6) reasons why MVN(azarene)U students have been so highly attracted to the non-Nazarene gathering place that is Journey.
That’s right. This is it. It’s been over a week. The moment you all… or at least some of you… have been waiting for (or not): The #1 reason why MVNU students go to the gathering place that calls itself Journey. But first… here is a quick rundown of numbers 1-5.
1. The perception that going to a Sunday morning gathering is still necessary.
2. The 20 minute drive from MVNU in Mount Vernon, OH to Howard, OH.
3. The music.
4. The teacher who is present in the lives of students.
5. The idea that everyone is doing it.
And finally presenting number…
6. The sexual lure.
Yes, the sexual lure.
Enter the Journey gathering and the lights go down. In the dimly lit room an ever-so-happy dating couple nuzzle and begin to sway together to Salvation is Here . OK… not really… but really. I have seen this beautiful picture of hormonal overload and still remain quite humored and/or disgusted with a more-than-slight inclination toward the latter.
Before I totally lose you (too late) I’ll get into the real idea:
Fascination. Romanticism. Intimacy. Connectedness.
God created humans (and most other mammals) as sexual creatures. Unfortunately, the church has done a rather insufficient to poor job at framing our sexuality in a healthy and fomative manner. The popular media has unveiled many "church leaders" from eccumenically diverse backgrounds who have illustrated the tragic nature of distorted sexuality. Few Christian parents have properly imaged a devoted and giving marriage relationship (the previous two sentences must be developed more in separate, dedicated posts). The church has inadequately taught the full beauty of sexuality and has ungraciously reacted against what it calls sinful sexual behavior. There has emerged a fascination with sexuality from students who have been impacted by the church’s improper communication about sexuality. Experimentation and cultural adaption consequently ensue. Timmy B and I are both quite comfortable journeying with students and others through the fascination and questions about sexuality.
There is a certain romanticism that accompanies the Journey gathering. One parallel that I may draw is with the idea of adoption. International adoption may sound more heroic when compared with domestic adoption. There is a type of romanticism that comes with rescuing a child from another country compared to a child who is abused by his/her parents who are your neighbors. Though I don’t buy into that idea of romanticsm (all forms of justice are equally justice) there is a certain romanticism with the Journey gathering. It is not Nazarene. It is not a huge organization. It most reflects the grassroots movements of church that may be trendy but are not associated with a larger institution. The current generation of 20-somethings are attraced to anti-institutional movements. We are romanticized by them.
A sexual relationship with one’s spouse is the most intimate and connected that two people may become so long as that practice of sex is within the context of a whole and loving marriage. Humans long for that intimacy and connection. The journey gathering is packaged with an intimate feel and the relationships external from the gathering itself are quite intimate. At the core of western human existence is the desire to fight against the individualism that defines our culture and seek to be connected with each other. Journey is just one more place to seek such connection within an intimate feel that fosters romanticism for minds fascinated with sex.
If you are finding yourself at all confused you may include your thoughts in a comment. I also may include a post that would further explain this idea. It would be an excert from a teaching and a piece of writing that I did about the Holy Kiss used in the liturgy.
Posts in response to comments during this series are ahead.
March 6, 2009 in
adoption, Church, coffee, college, community, confession, consumption, culture, dependency, dialogue, Ecclesia, Education, Emergent, green, image, jesus, journey, labels, life, mvnu, religion, sociology, worship with
Many MVNU students have been attending the Sunday morning gathering of Christians who call themselves "Journey Church." Here is the fifth (5th) of six (6) reasons why MVN(azarene)U students have been so highly attracted to the non-Nazarene gathering place that is Journey.
From post #4 of 6
[There is also
]
5. The idea that everyone is doing it.
I’m not precisely sure what defines a trend except the idea that "everyone is doing it." After a discussion with my friends Nate Okuley and Lee Yowell in Nate’s car on the way to Hunan Garden for some dialogue and General Tso’s Chicken (insert another prepositional phrase here), I am offering a list of cultural and branding trends that exist within 
MVNU:
North Face : These branded jackets may be seen on many students walking around campus. I do wonder if North Face jackets worn in warmer spring and summer weather are symbols of one’s need for identity to be justified by a trend/brand.
Chipotle : I had never tried the oversized burrito from the McDonald’s Corporatio n owned mexican grill until I worked at MVNU. I will admit, I likes me some Chipotle even though I loathe McDonald’s and even have a hard time saying the last name of a certain clown named Ronald without having moderate to severe reflux in my esophageal tr act. Flour tortilla, rice, cilantro, chicken, onions, peppers, black beans, corn salsa, fresh tomato salsa, and cheese. Trendy and tasty for a mere 950 calories, 28.5 grams of fat, and 43% of my daily intake of iron. I heart you Chipotle (but I hate your mother).
Mac : The musical group/band/singer Feist would be relatively unknown if Mac had not used the now popu lar "1, 2, 3, 4" on a quite catchy advertisement for the th en new ipod nano (Am I supposed to capitalize the word "nano" or the "p" in "ipod?" What is the trend?). I confess that I do own a very nice, new generation, large capacity ipod Classic which I enjoy very much ("Classic" is capitalized just in case I got it wrong the first time. I want to be justified by my trendiness.). I also have MacBook envy. I have battled lust for the new aluminum cased media and 
online connectivity machine largely do to the slow proc essing and occasional random shut down of my now archaic HP Pavilion. I am also wanting to use iLife 09 for video and picture editing of my daughter, Kyla. I simply can’t quite justify spending $1299+ on a laptop when we’re trying to save and raise money to adopt internationally . It’s not easy fleeing green. "Tell me that you love me more. Buy me, Mac."
Journey Church : "If everyone’s going there and says it’s sweet then I’m going to go check it out." Is this a good enough reason? No previous connection with the gathered community? No theological research?
This of course leads me to the number one (#1) reason why MVNU students go to Journey…
TO BE CONTINUED.
^ This post is dedicated to Lee Yowell.
