Mechanically Separated Spirituality

I put a frozen pizza in the oven the other night and read the ingredients while I waited for the self-rising crust to do its thing. The pepperoni was advertised as being made with “real pork” and “real chicken”. As I read further I discovered that the pepperoni was made with “mechanically separated” chicken.

“Mechanically separated”?

What is our definition of “real”?

While the industrial age has produced cheap and quick “food” what have we lost in the process? Have we lost touch with the “real?”

I can’t help but wonder if we were to have an ingredients label on our churches what it might read.

“Made with REAL disciples”, “Ingredients: strategically formulated spirituality, business-model infused Holy Spirit, and enhanced ‘worship’ through relevant music and teaching.”

We are living in an age where many of us don’t know what our food is made of or where it comes from.

The same could be said of our spirituality.

Video Killed the Radio Star

Since our beginning Renovate has incorporated video in our worship gatherings. We have used video to project song lyrics, share short films that raise questions, and cast images that inspire. Video in our gatherings is as normal part of our liturgy.

I’m sure it came as a surprise to many that we took an intentional break from our video over 4 weeks ago. No lyrics projected, no images, and no short videos…we haven’t even set up the screens. Don’t get me wrong, there are many wonderful uses for video and projection within the context of worship however there are also times when technology has a way of creating distance between others and ourselves. At its best video has the capacity to paint vivid pictures for the mind body and soul however it also has the capacity to overload us to the point where we become desensitized to the world around us.

During our video break we’ve printed out lyrics to songs on sheets of paper to share and sing along with (there is something wonderful about holding a song sheet with another person and singing together). Also in conjunction with our video break Dave Nagel (our Worship Cultivator) has given his musicians a four-week “Sabbath” from playing on Sundays. The hope of this Sabbath for our musicians is to give them both rest from the need to “produce” and the opportunity to reflect on why we offer our gifts in this way.

These intentional breaks from our regular liturgical practice has created other opportunities within our worship like having selected people read Scripture from their seats for all to hear.

This video break has served to remind us that we are not measured by our level of production (as individuals and as a church), but rather through our identification as one of God’s children.

Ash Wednesday

O God, your mercy is infinite and in your will is our peace. We learn your way so slowly; we choose your will so reluctantly. In this season of learning the limitlessness of your love, help us through the guidance of your Holy Spirit to learn the meaning of our Lord's suffering and to choose his example of humility. Enable us to experience and to proclaim that you are might to save, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

1st Church of the Narcissist (The Next Evangelicalism pt.2)

"The cultural captivity of the church has meant that the church is more likely to reflect the individualism of Western philosophy than the value of community found in Scripture. The individualistic philosophy that has shaped Western society, and consequently shaped the American church, reduces Christian faith to a personal, private and individualistic faith" (p.30).

The individualism of our culture has so seeped into our faith practice and church expression that much of our "faith" looks more like a faith in the ways of our culture than it does the redemptive power of the gospel.

Sermons have been constructed in a Dr. Phil psychotherapy style so that people can live their "best life now", instead of what it means to be the people (plural) of God at work in the world. Worship music has been infused with "I" so that one can "feel" God close by. And sin has been reduced to a checklist of personal morality instead of challenging the sacred community to work and pray against the evils of structural and corporate sin.

Rah calls this individualism for what it is: Idolatry.

This critique is not of one particular church, but rather our natural bent has Westerners (all of us and our churches are guilty of this individualism). As such I'm wondering: How can we move further and further away from a "personal"/"individual" expression of our faith towards one that reflects God relating to all of his people? What are some "warning" signs of church/person's faith that has been corrupted by individualism? What will the effect be when we abandon the golden calf of individualism?

A Letter

I was reading Scot McKnight's blog today and found the conversation worth engaging. Click here for the link. I'd love to hear your thoughts.