"America's Most Powerful Religious Leader"...REALLY?

Has anyone see the cover of the new Newsweek?

I'm a bit torn about what to think about Rev. Warren these days. I'm not doubting the motives of his heart.

But does he really represent the American Evangelical movement as a whole?

And if that answer to the above question is YES, is that a good thing?

I'm also diappointed in our culture that can only acknowledge a movement based on the places (churches) that draw the most people. Aren't there alot of great things happening in small congregations around the country, as well?

Just a bunch of questions today.

Ash Wednesday

Last night we acknowledged our sinfulness at our Ash Wednesday service.

It was a very different type of service than most at ICC. It was quiet and simple and mostly organized and facilitated by women.

Certainly, ICC is in a different and more difficult place than ever before. Starting in January our pastor became a half-time employee of the church. It was not his desire to go to half time but a decision made in light of the reality of our current income.

Our Ash Wednesday service was the first service to follow our annual meeting. This year's annual meeting (and I will qualify this statement by saying I've only been to a handfull of annual meetings) was very ugly. I'm still confused by some of the disrespect and outright meanness that I witnessed my church family inflict on one another.

In one respect it seems totally appropriate to have these struggles during this time in the church calendar. God has provided us an opportunity to be clear about our brokenness as individuals and as a church body.

As I continue to talk with folks about our current state of affairs I'm hearing some scary things. And most of these things involve and contribute to divisions among our congregation.

My question is how do we (as a congregation) get back to Jesus as our focal point? How do we get back to the truth of that scarificial love that frees us to love one another in the way we ought to?

Honestly, I don't know. But I'm going to keep asking until He answers me.

Drinking From My Saucer

Yesterday our pastor shared an old country song that contains the words, "I'm drinking from my saucer,'Cause my cup has overflowed" (the site i've linked to is SO cheezy but it's the right song). And that is exactly where my heart was at by the time he shared this little song.

It was the Sunday after Thanksgiving and it was definitely appropriate to share the things we are grateful for at church. What I heard from those who felt called to share, was that they were grateful for the gifts God had given them through our congregation. Gifts of time, interest, investment, and prayers. Simple but powerful things.

Our congregation is still in a bit of a weird place but everyone seems hopeful that we can heal and move forward on the path God has for us. And in general, it seems that we are committed to one another - I might even go so far to say that we have an unspoken commitment to learning what it means to truly and rightly love one another. That's certainly where my heart is, and I don't think I'm alone.

I'm thankful to be back with this group of people struggling to figure out how to be obedient to our great God.

Reality

Now that we are back in P-town and back at our "home church". We are finding our selves in an interesting situation. There is some pretty intense upheaval going on at our church right now. I've read a few things about "the state of the North American church" and saw that my home church was practicing those older and relatively ineffective practices and I would get excited about being a part of positive change. I read passionate blog posts about the way things should be done and I am energized and praying for these things to happen in our congregation. I know it is our heart to be "missional". And I think that time has come.

What I didn't realize is that this sort of change can be (and might often be) initiated by some very painful issues that folks are no longer able to tolerate. I have never seen this need for change surface before in such a violent manner. It really is an eruption of sorts. Decisions made in upwards of 10 years ago are coming back to haunt us. Attitudes of supremacy are being recognized for what they really are and now we have to unravel what feels like a lifetime of tangled mess in order to heal and move onto a new place. It's not going to be pretty and it's not going to be quick. We are either going to move into a completely new and wonderful place OR die (meaning this congregation will no longer exist) trying.