letting Jesus speak into my questions...

hey rex and parkside...
its new years eve, and the end of the year has got me reflecting--looking back over the last year--trying to catch the threads of my journey, where God's been leading me, where i've been running, what questions i've been wrestling with on a larger scale, and how God's been at work in me in and through it all...
in many regards i think this past year has been marked by lots of questions, lots of scott-searching and God-searching, lots of listening to God in His word, His Son, and His people (authors, my neighbors, journalists, friends, you--there's some cross over). and although i sometimes think that my questions are self-generated, as i look back over the year and where its all brought me, i think the questions have been spurred on and guided by God.
big questions. fundamental questions. about things that we (Christians) always mention, but often lose clarity on. questions like: What is the Kingdom of God, and what does Jesus mean that it is at hand? What is the relationship between Jesus and the kingdom of God? questions about judgment and salvation, questions about grace (what is it?), questions about life (here and now and eternity), questions about justice, and my relationship to the guys who pick through bins down the hill...
what are the things that Jesus makes clear that we're really fuzzy on? and what are the things that Jesus is fuzzy on that we make really clear...
what does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus...
that last question is the one that gives rise to all the rest. what does Jesus teach/reveal in reference to the questions i'm asking?
and i don't think i'm the only one thats had a year marked by questions and searching...
for me, these questions have stirred in me a renewed desire to re-read the gospels and acts and letters (i.e. the New Testament) with an ear to what God has said regarding all this.
as some of you know, i'm always reading, always listening to the thoughts and experience of others, seeking to learn from them... but recently i've been reminded that i always need to read others with the Bible in the other hand. its ok to be a fan of others (authors, teachers like Brian McLaren, Dallas Willard, Anne Lamott, David Watson, Lesslie Newbigen...), but i'm a follower of only one--Jesus. and so i need to constantly come back to him and his life and his words, and let him define me (my life, my understanding and convictions and decisions). (which is exactly what these authors are doing--sharing out of their first-hand pursuit of Christ, not just what others have said about life in Christ).
i've been talking recently with a few people about joining me in this (re-reading the New Testament) over the next while (and i want to throw the invite out to you). re-reading the New Testament with these questions in mind: what it means to be saved? does Jesus draw lines? does it matter if you follow Jesus or not? is Jesus just a secular humanist, that we've somehow turned into a religious leader? what is grace? what is judgment? what is the basis of each? what is Jesus fuzzy on that we make really clear? what is Jesus clear on that we make really fuzzy?
and doing this with an attitude of humility (letting Jesus set us straight) as opposed to just looking for support for our arguments.
i'm at matthew 10 right now (been taking notes on stuff as i've been going), and he's already helped me see some things with new clarity... i trust the things Jesus teaches me will spill out in due course (thats what i'm praying for).
if you want to take this on, i'd hugely encourage you to commit to it along with a few others (a band of brothers, sisters, friends) to share what your learning, to probe each other, to spur one another on, to pray for each other...
i'm confident that Jesus has a ton to teach and reveal to us, if we'll just give him our attention.
your parkside compadre and companion in the journey. scott

rethinking home groups

so i've been rethinking homegroups over the last while...
like with most things, i don't know where to begin (cause i've been mulling on this for a while, but only now am talking to you about it).
i've been thinking about this (or re-thinking this) for a number of reasons.
mostly, its arisen out of an increasing conviction that we need to move passed practices that emphasize and facilitate in-formation to practices that emphasize and facilitate formation (or trans-formation). so often the way we do things (i.e. a bible study or book group format) seems to stop short of real formation. we know more, or think better, but aren't really being changed significantly.
i guess i've begun to recognize that being a part of a homegroup doesn't necessarily mean that you or i are participating in any real intentional discipleship community, are developing real spiritual friendships, and/or are being truly transformed into the image of Christ. often it simply means that we are in a homegroup.
yeah, we're talking about the Bible together and getting to know each other, but is it bearing real fruit in our lives (making us more like Christ and empowering us to be agents of God's influence to others) and is it producing real spiritual friendships? (which is why we sought out to form or join home groups). are we just informing our minds, honing our arguments and cultivating acquantences? or are we truly learning from Christ together, growing in Christ together, and cultivating true companions in the journey?
this is what i long for. this is what i think you long for. and this is what i think Jesus longs for us to pursue...
so how do we do this? thats the big question... well, although it could look the same for a number of us, i don't think it will look the same for us all (i.e. although i've got some ideas for approaching this in new ways, i'm not about to enforce and implement a new program across the board for parkside).
ultimately, we all need to sit down with God and others and ask:
- setting aside they way we usually do things, how could we re-approach intentional discipleship communities? what would you long to be a part of? how could we truly lock arms, join together, in the pursuit of Christ? what would it look like?
- how could we engage with scripture in a way that would move away from merely informing our minds and move toward listening to God's voice, letting His Word read us, speak to and re-shape us?
- how could we move beyond a closing prayer to growing as people of prayer?
- how could we intentionally open up to one another (so as not to keep tucked away the unchanged terrain of our true selves)?
- how could we move beyond maintaining our own spiritual lives to seeking Christ for others, and serving others in His name? (i.e. how could we grow as people of mission?)
- does this mean bigger huddles of 13 (like Jesus and the disciples) or small huddles of 2-3 or something in between?
recently, i've been thinking through/praying about one approach to this... and its pretty simple (incredibly simple really). although that doesn't mean it wouldn't be a challenge... but from those that i know that have experienced it, its helped facilitate what we've been talking about (real spiritual transformation and true companions in the journey).
so what does it look like? well first of all, its done in small huddles (2-3 people, typically guys with guys, girls with girls for the sake of being able to talk about tough stuff). and it involves three commitments.
the first commitment is to reading scripture (throughout the week, on your own). large portions of scripture (something like 20-30 chapters a week). its like breathing in. by reading God's word in significant portions, we are breathing in deeply, filling our lungs/lives with God's nourishing truth and revelation, immersing ourselves in God's word, let His word soak into our minds and hearts--and letting God does His work.
the second commitment is the breathing out--confession. this is the scary but necessary part. (just as breathing in needs to always be followed by breathing out, taking in the truth of God's revelation needs to be followed by acknowledging the truth of our lives). as i just said, this is a scary thing for most of us--but essential. there is no 12 step program out there that doesn't involve a rhythm of confession... so each week the group comes together to confess to one another. usually the group would determine a number of questions that would be asked each week of each member (questions that cover a number of areas of life--from sexual temptation to how you've spent your money).
and the third commitment is to praying regularly (on your own and together) for a number of people in your life (friends, family, neighbors, classmates)--that they would come to know Christ and find life in Him.
and thats it... its simple, doesn't need a leader, just 2-3 committed people. the challenge is the commitments. which i'll admit could be scary and big... but true discipleship will always be a "big ask". it will always cost us--our pride, our lives, etc... if all we're willing to commit to is drive-thru Christianity, we'll end a McChristian. and i don't think thats what you or i or our neighbors need (or want).
so thats one approach that i think is worth exploration. others? how have you seen/experienced real spiritual transformation in community? if it were up to you (which it is), how would you re-imagine home groups so as to bring about real transformation and Christian community? i'm listening...
lets not just talk about it. lets do it...
your parkside compadre and companion in the journey, scott