the drum|rob fairbanks

Crossroads Amsterdam - Next Sunday

I am speaking at the Crossroads International Church of Amsterdam this next Sunday.  I had the treat of visiting there and teaching a seminar on the missional church this last Sunday.  It is the second church that was planted by Christian Associates (the first being Crossroads Geneva) and stands as arguably one of the most innovative and impactful churches in Europe. The worship is passionate and the new teaching pastor, James Paton is clear and insightful in his exposition of the Bible (with a wee Scottish accent as well).  It truly is a tremendous sign of the Kingdom of God in Western Europe.

Here is a shot of the service I attended – one of 3 

Actually, the picture was taken by my Dutch colleague, Rogier Bos.  I was actually paying attention to the sermon. J  As you can see, the church meets in the round and the speaker stands in the center of the crowd.  Kind of a cool vibe.  Hopefully, I don’t forget to turn like a rotisserie. If I forget, one part of the crowd will stare at my butt for an hour --- AWKWARD!

Pray for me as I seek to encourage the brothers and sisters who attend there.  It is not only a privilege for me, but also a sacred trust to be able to share my life and heart with them.

Thanks!

Pete Rollins - Answers and Questions

(A blog I wrote before coming to Europe - a bit late, but better than never)

I got the chance to go to a couple of lectures a couple of weeks ago by Peter Rollins.  His latest book is entitle, Insurrection and has of late caught much of a certain stream of Christianity by storm.

I don’t want to pretend to do a book review.  That is not what this is.  I have read only half of it and it is interesting, but not paradigmal shifting. What I want to do is simply share a few observations from the lectures.  

Before I do, let me say that I am by nature quite cynical and have to battle it everyday, so, I came to the lecture a bit skeptical.  That being said, I was and am committed to listening and thinking through important issues as even-handedly as possible.

First Impression:

Pete Rollins is short. I don’t say that pejoratively (ok, maybe a wee bit), but just a general observation.  You know, when you hear of someone and you create a mental picture of what they might look like.  I guess I was just a wee surprised (notice that I will use “wee” in this post to relate to Peter a wee bit).

Second observation:

Pete Rollins is a master storyteller.  He is VERY entertaining, scattered, but entertaining. I felt like s Ping-Pong ball, and laughing out loud several times (which is hard for me because it is like kryptonite for my cynicism).  A couple of times I literally had to think about something else to keep from going into “outside laughing mode” – you know, the kind that makes everyone else in the room start looking around trying to spot the disturbance and saying under their breath, “What the hell!”

Third observation:

Pete Rollins is self admittedly not a theologian. All of his degrees are in theoretical disciplines.  That being said, he travels into the theological often and, from my humble perspective misses a wee (Ok, I'll stop with the "wee" thing now) too much breadth of thinking. If I would have had more time, I would have wanted to ask him about his view of grace, more about participating in the cucifixtion of Christ (a part of his book - p. 23) and does he actually believe in the historic view of the Rez. 

Fourth observation:

I got the feeling (although, this is conjecture) that his context was overly affecting much of his system.  He is a philosopher/theoretician AND from Belfast.  Much of what he is about is against false religion and if there is anywhere in the world that has unfortunate religious scaffoldings, it is the city he grew up in (Protestant v. Catholic).  All of us are products of our background and environment to be sure, but Belfast is more different than anywhere else I’ve been in the west.  No, seriously!  There is much diversity in the west, but as someone who travels for a living, Belfast ranks as one of the most interesting and acute contexts I’ve had the privilege to visit. From my perspective, the “religion” that those of us in the PNW of the U.S. experience is only a shadow, a glint of what happens in the name of religion in Belfast. I felt like some of his profound reactive points could possibly be tracked back to this context. 

Lastly:

I didn't feel like he was too weird.  I would love to hang out with him. I came in quite guarded, but came away quite connected with his ideas, particularly his existential bit. 

Ok, a 2nd and 3rd lastly (or some odds and ends):

Here is part of a short email interchange that I had with one of our church planters, Steve Hart of Vintage Faith. Steve is a good thinker and I think he captures some other important elements to consider.

Here's my 2 cents: I appreciate Rollins' desire to show how easily we use God as a means to an end, and that God is actually refusing to do that, and that there is a death that happens as we realize that... But the solution is not to then sit in our brokenness with others and extend grace (that we've not received!) to one another. Confessed brokenness does not bring about Redemption. The solution is to look to the God who is actually there, who is actually putting us to death for the sake of resurrection, so that God becomes not a means but an end in himself. Christianity begins not when we come to God to get stuff, but when he shows us the stuff is killing us and that the only thing God offers us is Himself - and that is all we need! God gives peace, joy, life, meaning, etc, but not as a product. He gives it when he gives us Himself.

You can check out a thoughtful/scholarly book review from Jason Clark here: http://theotherjournal.com/churchandpomo/2011/10/31/book-symposium-peter-rollinss-insurrection-2/

If you have read his book or heard Pete lecture, what are your thoughts? 

Is he in "left field" (heretic) or is he offering a helpful corrective to many of the cultural co-opting’s that exist in the western church? 

For the Love of Art...and People in Madrid

The video below was produced by one of my colleagues in Madrid, Spain, Kelly Crull.  Their project (called Decoupage) seeks to reach out and live out tangible gestures of love to the artistic community of that amazing city.  Kelly shared the same story at our last event and I am so please to be able to push it out a bit.  I really think you'll be amazed!

UnplowedGround (March 2012) from Kelly and April Crull on Vimeo.

 

Here's a question I am interested in: What books, articles or blogs have you seen or read that address the arts and creativity in the church (besides Art and the Bible by Francis Schaeffer)? 

Catching Up from Holland

So sorry about being so dormant on my blog of late.  It’s like I have gone underground.  In a way, I have.  I have been traveling and busy and blah, blah, blah.  You get the idea.  Anyway, I hope to start logging some of the things that have been piling up in my heart during my recent globetrotting. 

Just so you know, I am in Europe at the moment (Rotterdam) staying at the Bos hotel (my friends Sophie and Rogier Bos’ house).  They are remarkable hosts and incredibly generous with their lives and home.  I have been traveling for some time and have hit the collision wall between the romance of travel and the reality of travel.  Only those who do it for a living “get it.”  Just so you know, I left Spokane on Feb 22^nd, to Denver, to DC, to London, to Nice and Grasse, FR, to London again, to Amsterdam (Rotterdam, The Hague) NL, to Leuven, BE, back to Rotterdam and today to Antwerp, BE and back to Rotterdam.  Tomorrow I migrate back to Amsterdam until the 19^th, when I return home.  Awesome…not awesome!  J

Rogier (Ro) and I went to Antwerp, Belgium today to traipse about a bit.  We talked; we walked and considered if this might be a place for one of Christian Associates' new projects.  It is an easily accessible city with beautiful architecture, people and…well, and chocolate.  Take a look.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I could not resist the Belgium Waffle.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More later, but I just needed to get re-started!  Peace to you!

Re-Blog: The Missio Dei

I love this post from Frank Viola on the Missio Dei - below is an excerpt.  You can find the post in its entirety at The Missio Dei  Take a look.

The big sweeping epic of God’s timeless purpose is centered on a bride, a house, a body, and a family. These four elements make up the grand narrative of the Bible. The mission of God—the Missio Dei—is wrapped up with each of them.

God’s mission demands more than a theological head-nod of agreement. It demands practical expression. The Lord wants a people who embody the bride, the house, the body, and the family in every city on this planet.

In this post and the next, we will briefly explore the practical question of what it looks like when a local fellowship of believers fulfills what God is after and His eternal purpose moves from eternity to here.

In an era where many are dismissing the Bride of Christ as unneeded or worse yet, ugly, Frank gets at some essential aspects of what it means to be church.

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Galatians 6:9

posted by allie

Overwhelmed? Start with prayer.

By Holly

We have talked a lot about the importance of engaging our cities, neighborhoods and friends by living out the mission of the church in every day life. When God first opened my eyes to his Kingdom, and the immense amount of physical, relational and spiritual needs around me, I became overwhelmed. I am not one who likes to sit back and watch something happen; I want to make change and be a part of these amazing opportunities to love others well. For about two years now, I have struggled with the many passages in Scripture about meeting the needs of the poor and condemnation of the rich. I was constantly frustrated with myself as my wealth weighed heavily on my heart. I kept asking God, how do I live a life that is pleasing to you in my context of wealth, consumerism and materialism? Where do I start?

So, I started to pray. I would talk to God about my struggle to give in my context. I struggle with inequality and injustice. I began to pray for others, for Whitworth, for the city of Spokane. The prayer group I am a part of encouraged me to be honest with God and that when I completely surrender my life to Him, I will find freedom in my context. Through prayer and an honest community, I am beginning to let my  need to control everything go. I cannot control my context and I cannot change the world. God can and He is. As I continue to surrender myself every day to God, I begin to see the light and the hope that dwells within my friends, my church and in the city of Spokane. As I draw closer to God, he leads me to a life of sacrifice and service. You cannot do it on your own, so don’t even try. That kind of life only leads to frustration and heaviness. Pray this prayer daily into your life as you continue on this journey of mission.

“Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” Matthew 6:10

Cut, Bled and Dry

By Kirsten

Nobody really understands the Holy Spirit. We read about the Spirit's role in scripture, we can recognize overtly supernatural interferences in people's lives, and we get an odd feeling every now and again, which we attribute to the Spirit working through us. One of the quotes that I have clung to in class is that "We are not in the world trying to prove Christianity is true, but we are trying to show the world what it would look like if it was true." What makes Christianity what it is? The Holy Spirit. How would people even know that Christianity was true? If they saw right through people to the Spirit that dwells within them.

The Holy Spirit has many names: Spirit of God (Rom. 8:9), Spirit of the Father (Matt. 10:20), The Spirit of Truth (John 14:17), The Spirit of the Lord (Acts 8:39). But, the Spirit is more than just some supernatural force that floats around inside of people; it works very tangibly in the person of Christ and in people all throughout the world. The point I am trying to make is that the Church has been in a state of disarray basically from its beginning. Even the churches that Paul started had a lot of problems. People try to force their ministries, and they die; they try to evangelize, and it gets awkward; they try to live holy and righteous lives, but they fail, etc. They do this all, oftentimes, without asking help from God Himself, the Spirit, the indwelling Helper. If we try to go at ministry alone, especially a radical new way of ministry, coupling the idea of sodalic and modalic ministry models in churches, we are going to need help. In fact, we are going to need such overwhelming power and strength that WHEN we fall, the Church will keep moving forward to the reconciliation at the end of all things.

This Church body thing that people are inevitably a part of as Christians, whether put together or broken,  is the art work of the Spirit of God. He is what empowers, heals, teaches, intercedes, fills, leads, and brings new life. If we try to do ministry without asking, we are going to bleed ourselves dry. We can only run so far without being filled again by the Spirit. If left to our own strength, our bodies would wear and die. But, with God living IN US, we can do ALL things. Ask for the Spirit, trust the Spirit, rely on and rest in the Spirit. Dwell with the King of Kings, and live again.

The Great Divide

By Laura

Race is not an issue that can be ignored, especially not by the Church- the people of God called to make disciples of every nation. In his article “The Color of Faith,” David Van Blema remarks on the gravity of the situation: “In an age of mixed-race malls, mixed-race pop-music charts and, yes, a mixed-race President, the church divide seems increasingly peculiar. It is troubling, even scandalous, that our most intimate public gatherings-and those most safely beyond the law's reach-remain color-coded,” (26). God sends the Church into the world to be His image-bearers, living out the unity, peace, and love that exemplifies life in Christ. In order for the church to begin living out its missional identity, it must realize the ways it has been affected by racial segregation and take a biblical approach to embracing reconciliation and oneness in the body of Christ. 

Throughout the New Testament, Jesus came proclaiming that the Kingdom of God is here. We are living in the tension between the redemptive act of Christ on the cross and the reconciliation of all things to God when Jesus comes again and the world is made new. As Christians, we are to live into the present truth of the Kingdom and join in the redemptive work of Christ here and now. In Revelations 7:9-10, we are given a picture of what the body of Christ will look like after the Second Coming when all is made right: “There...was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb,” (NIV). 

This is the true picture of the Kingdom of God as it was meant to be- diverse, colorful, and unified. This is the beautiful future that God calls us to live into now. David Campbell, a professor at Notre Dame, advocates, “If tens of millions of Americans start sharing faith across racial boundaries, it could be one of the final steps transcending race as our great divider,” (Van Blema, 27). The Church has a great role to play.

Is the Church too strong?

By Jeff

I cannot help but wonder if our churches have become too muscular?  Have our churches become immobilized due to overwhelming attendance and the resulting church politics? Is it possible to grow die hard disciples out of a large church? Special Forces soldiers and Rangers are rarely stacked with muscle and yet they are the most effective soldiers in the field. Should we strive to build congregations so full of Christians that they are impressive on the exterior due to mass but rendered ineffective by the very same characteristic that we find impressive?

 

Special Forces soldiers and Rangers are not stacked with muscle for a reason. Too much muscle hinders agility and speed, thus making them a slower target. It seems that we as the Church have placed too much value on well attended services (just as athletes can become obsessed with numbers numerically representing their performance) that we have created congregations that cannot run the race of missions. Unfortunately, since the church has supported the numbers game, the congregants have followed suit. We now have vast amounts of congregants who have overloaded their lives with things that seem to be positive (like muscle) but leave them unable to walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Death unless they make some serious sacrifices before they begin their march through the Valley.  We as a church have packed on so much ‘muscle’ that we cannot quickly adapt to the changing currents in the ocean in which we swim.

 

We must become more like Special Forces soldiers or Rangers, we need to cut the excessive muscle and re-gain our agility to navigate through this rapidly changing world.