Don't F&@k With the Art!

Yesterday I spent the better part of the afternoon walking, and people watching at Seattle Art Museums new Olympic Structure Park. The park sits at the Northwest corner of Belltown right on the water. The backdrop is the natural beauty of the snow capped Olympic mountains, and the magnificent Puget Sound. The park is filled with modern works of art within the context of several distinct Eco-systems. The gravel paths wind there way through little groves of trees, beautifully manicured lawns, and man made cement structures. The angles in the park make it feel as though it wants to take flight. Sharp corners, and distinct lines create a strange sense of stationary motion. The entire space is truly impressive.

As I walked along the path, I couldn't help but notice that every where I looked there was a security camera, or security guard. The cameras are hidden enough not to be obtrusive, but obtrusive enough to be noticed. Every so often as I passed a security guard I could hear the radios squawk to life with warnings to watch this or that person as they approached on of the mammoth structures, or walked outside a designated area. The unspoken message was clear; "don't F__K with the art!!!

I stopped and sat down for awhile and I was amazed by the spectacular view! Yet, as I looked out across the Puget Sound to see the clouds quickly moving across the snow capped Olympic Mountains, I was struck by the irony of the scene. God's art was so breath taking, that the man made structures were almost unnoticeable. Man greatest attempts to create something beautiful were dwarfed by the magnitude of God's creation. All of this art, beautiful as it may have been, was nothing, and yet they had gone to such drastic extremes to protect it.

As I pondered all of this I couldn't help but notice that the Puget Sound was littered with shipping vessels floating lifeless in the bay. Several of them surrounded by yellow barriers to prevent oil and fuel leakage. Jumbo jets on approach to Sea-Tac dotted the sky, undoubtedly emitting toxic fumes into the atmosphere. The sound of cars was constant as they raced by on the roads surrounding the park, and as I turned I noticed the horizon blotted out by high-rise buildings. The beauty of God's artistic creation was littered by mans attempts to be noticed.

In that moment, surrounded by security cameras, I couldn't help but wonder if God ever wants to scream, "QUIT F#@KING WITH THE ART!!!"

I know, God doesn't speak like that, But I sure wanted to!

Our Apology

To be Run in Seattle's local papers from Tapestry Belltown. What do you think? (The grammer will be corrected)

Our Apology

We believe we owe the world an apology. It may seem strange, and some will assume we have an agenda, but we say with pure motives, we’re sorry. We’re sorry for all of the things that have been done in the name of Christianity. The wars, the genocide, and the domination of nations, and peoples. We’re sorry that we have spoken a message of of peace and love, but we have not lived the words we have preached. Our hypocrisy is inexcusable. We’re sorry for attempting to use fear as a means to convert, and making false promises to recruit. We’re sorry for the hate speech, and the in tolerance that we have inflicted on the world. Our words are the result of our fear, and it’s wrong. We’re sorry for superimposing our moral standard on the world, and assuming that we have all the answers. We apologize for our judgmental and elitist behavior, which has lead us to choose separation over love. We’re sorry for the horrible, unspeakable atrocities that have been done to the innocent at the hands of those claiming to be holy. The abuse and manipulation of the young will be our shame forever.

We have failed you and we humbly request your forgiveness. Our message is one of faith, hope, and love, but we have failed to live our faith, share our hope, and offer our love. We would like to make a commitment to all those who have reached this message. We at Tapestry are truly committed to not making the same mistakes our forefathers made. We are committed to living the faith that we preach, sharing our hope and offering the same love that has been extended to us by a God that is defined by love. We are hypocrites, and we always will be, because we are human. But we’re committed to change, and we’re committed to you.

Respectfully,

Tapestry Belltown

An interesting couple of weeks

Greetings All,

Okay, a bunch of you have e-mailed me about my silence the past couple of weeks, and I apologize. Here's the story.

My parents came into town two weeks ago and I ended up spending a lot of time with them because I don't get to see them very often. While they were here I started to feel pretty sick. That feeling soon turned into strep throat. Soon after I developed a sinus infection on top of the Strep. Just as I was beginning to recover from the whole mess, I had a couple of speaking engagements, right in a row which required a lot of study time. Sunday morning I woke up and my throat was hurting again even after a week of antibiotics. I returned to the Doctor to find that I now have bronchitis!!! I"M A MESS!

Anyway, being the intelligent man that I am, I attempted to continue working through all of my issues. Needless to say, this was a bad idea! Now....I'm even sicker.

Long story short, I'll get back to blogging A.S.A.P.

The Conversation: Part Two

On small groups:

Rachel: “From the time I was 11 or 12 I have been involved with two different branches of what one might consider a “mainstream” church. It follows the common liturgy and has regular small groups, but it also encourages genuine fellowship, both with God and each other. My impression of small groups (and still is) that they are not at all a “church growing” tool, but a more in depth and personal form of fellowship aside from the main congregation. I feel that small groups remind us that we are a family and can be very powerful tools to effectively prepare the church to reach out.”

Joshua (Me): I believe in small groups. I too have been in the mainstream church for most of my life (since the sinful age of four). I’m a third generation pastor, and my family (Dad, uncle, brother, grandfather) has always been at the forefront of the mainstream movement in some regard. I’ve led small groups, helped build small group ministries, and attended countless groups, so please understand I truly have a heart for small group ministry.

Clearly there are thousands of amazing small groups just like yours across the country which are functioning wonderfully. I believe this is due in large part to the hearts of those involved in the groups, and has almost nothing to do with the strategy of the institution. However, it is very difficult to separate the two these days.

In my years of ministry there are few things which have remained the same, but one of the things that has remained consistent is this; small groups grow churches, and the primary purpose of small group ministry is church growth. One would be hard pressed to find a small group strategy launched by a church institution which was not first intended to grow the institution. Although small group ministries are presented to the congregation as fellowship gatherings, almost without fail, they are implemented by the leadership for growth. I can honestly say I have never been involved with a small group ministry that was launched for any other purpose. Fellowship, although a valued result of small groups, is a secondary concern to the institution.

I believe small groups are beneficial because they foster true interaction and relationship development. I believe small groups are great for the encouragement of the saints and I believe small groups are an essential part of spiritual growth. But, my heart is broken by the intentions with which they are frequently established, and at its roots this is where I see the problem.

What is the purpose of a small group? Why are small groups seen as supplemental to the “main gathering?’ I can’t help but wonder why the institution has to present small groups as secondary to the main service. Are small groups not “church?” In my opinion, small groups are presented as supplemental because they can be dangerous to the bottom line of the institution if not handled correctly. If small groups are presented as legitimate church services, countless people would never attend the big service. Why? Small groups are places where the church has the opportunity to be the church. They are intimate. They encourage interaction with the text, they allow for questions. Friendships are made, and lives are changed. Bottom line, it’s biblical and God blesses biblical. I’m not saying it’s the only way to do things, or that we should do away with big services, but doesn’t it seem that the paradigm is flipped around some how? Shouldn’t the big production services be designed to funnel people into small groups? There is a place for large Sunday morning gatherings, but in my opinion they should be secondary.

Unfortunately, if the institution allows the small groups to be seen as “church” the need for big organizations goes away. The results would be profound. Subsequently, small groups are billed as supplemental gatherings that help to keep people going through the week until the return to “CHURCH.”

The Conversation: Part One

I’ve started a conversation with a new friend on the “Christianity vs. Christian Spirituality” series I posted. I thought some of you might be interested in the dialogue. My new friend has some great insights into the subject and the conversation is thought provoking. Let me know what you think on the subject.

On the post-modern problem:

My Friend: “I also understand your position of starting a place like Tapestry Belltown, because many are repelled all together from the mainstream church. Sometimes the best way is to start over and lead by example…but I also get frustrated at the post-modern views that the western church has it all wrong. I think both sides have something to bring to the table.”


Joshua (Me): Although it may be hard to believe, I mostly agree with you on this issue! I do not advocate separating from the “mainstream church” in every situation, and I’m not a fan of the post-modern movement. In my opinion, the post-modern movement is nothing more than mainstream Christianity with a paint job. They paint the walls neutral tones, offer emo worship, light a few candle, curse a bit more, and use real wine for communion then call themselves post-modern. In addition, I don’t agree with, or appreciate their desire to through out the tradition church. However, I do believe the that the western church has lost sight of Christ’s heart.

I have an uncle who works with, and is part of the “who’s who” Christian world. He circumvents the globe multiple times a year, and consults the church at large. I only say this because he is a trusted voice in my life and in the lives of some very influence people in the Christian community whom I respect. Much of his research sits on the desks of pastors worldwide. I’ve had many conversations with my uncle and many like him about this very issue. The common theme of conversation is this; the western church is completely lost. The international Christian community is now targeting the west for missions. The church is growing at staggering rates worldwide, but is drastically declining in the west. We’re opening a couple thousand churches a year in the U.S., but we’re closing several thousand. The decline is widely attributed to poor leadership, and apathetic believers. Christians in the west are so tied to their institutions; they’ve lost sight of being the church and reaching the world surrounding them. People are blindly following leaders who are leading them to nothing.

I will never separate from the “mainstream” church, but if I have to separate from the institution to accomplish the work of the kingdom, I will. Sadly, after countless conversations with countless pastors, I don’t see much hope for the institution. George Barna recently said that he believes the majority of mainstream church institutions will close their doors in the next 15 to 20 years. I don’t know if this is true or not, but what I do know is that the numbers continue to point in this direction.

To be honest, in my opinion, there is no such thing as the mainstream church. If we were to accurately describe the situation, we would call it the “Institution of the past.” The church is simply the church. Some of the church is wrapped up in the institution, and part of it is not. I love the church, but I don’t believe the institution can be retrofitted to be relevant again. Subsequently, I think the institution will soon be replaced, and many professing Christians will be lost, because they have no home.

If the church that is wrapped up in the institution is to be saved, it will take people who are willing to remain in the institution to be voices of change. The institution will go, but the church can be saved. In fact, much of my vision for Tapestry is rooted in this belief.

Tapestry is not an attempt to start a post-modern church, it’s not about being “emerging,” it’s not about being “progressive,” or anything of the sort. Tapestry is a result of exegeting an urban culture and finding ways to reach that culture for Christ. Seattle is the most unchurched city in the country, has the highest homosexual population pre-capita in the U.S, and is home to more dogs than children or Christians. In addition Seattle is less than 7% “churched, and the Belltown district is even worse. Belltown is Sodom and we have to find new ways to present Christ in one of the only remaining pre-Christian cultures in the country. The church has never taken root in this city and Belltown spits out church planters like a trucker sucking on sunflower seeds. Because of the extreme nature of our little sub-culture we are in a prime position to help educate the church within the institution of what is headed their direction.

Tapestry is designed to be a “Trusted voice of spiritual and cultural instruction…” We are about taking Christ to an extreme culture, and educating the church on how to do the same. What happens in the urban core will ultimately end up in the suburbs and if the institutionalized church is to survive they will have to adapt to meet the needs of a culture that is headed their direction. If they don’t…….their dead.

My Problem

I seem to have bloggers block!!! What's the deal?

Beauty and the Geek

I’m about to admit something I’m not proud of. You ready for this? Okay, here you go; I am officially of a fan of Aston Kutchers show “Beauty and the Geek.” There, I said it; I’m out of the closet!!!

If you haven’t seen the show, try to catch an episode sometime. It’s a reality show that has focuses on 16 people living in a house. Eight of the people are beautiful women; the other eight are academically inclined men. Okay, honestly they’re the absolute perfect pictures of geeks. These guys are so far gone it’s not even funny! The show forces them into situations in which they have to challenge the boundaries of their comfort zones. The geeks are faced with social issues, and the women with academic. It’s really quite entertaining.

I mention the show because the other day they showed a re-run of the final episode from last season. The final two couples where interviewed and given the opportunity to share what they had learned. Every one of them said the same thing in one form or the other. The common thought was that we can learn something about ourselves from anyone. For some reason this has stuck in my head this past week and I’ve been thinking it through a bit.

I’m a firm believer in the fact that God has purposely created each of us unique. We’re like living works of art, and although some of us look similar, much like a painting, we hold our own unique qualities that set us a part from everyone else. Billions and billions of unique paintings living life every day knowingly and unknowingly affecting each others. Each of us has had different experiences that have shaped us into beautiful expressions of God’s creativity. It’s a beautiful thing.

What if we were to start living life with this perspective? What if we actually believed there was something beautiful and meaningful about every single person we come in contact with? As I read scripture I can’t help but notice that Jesus seemed to have this perspective on people. Aside from his obvious distain for the religious legalists, Jesus truly enjoyed the presence of people.

I wonder how I would treat people if I believed they were a beautiful work of art that held information I knew could be important for my life. Better yet, what if I believed it was important to God that I treated people this way? What if I saw a piece of God in everyone? I bet my perspective on people would be completely changed.

What about you? Do you see the beauty in people?

Love/Hate

I have a love/hate relationship with New Years. Every year at this time I enjoy the process of thinking through the things I’d like to change in my life. However, I also find myself thinking through all of the things I failed to achieve the year prior. For some reason my second list is always longer than my first one. In other words, rarely do I actually change anything. This year I’ve been asking myself why this is and I’ve come to a conclusion.

A true journey of change isn’t about changing my scenery; it’s about changing the way I see. Anything less is nothing more than the same sh*t in a different place. In other words, changing my external circumstances, without addressing my internal ones is worthless.

Just something to think about.

I truly pray that your new year will be a time of real change, success, and growth, but more importantly I pray that you will experience a renewed and strengthened relationship with your creator. Have an amazing year!

Christianity vs. Christian Spirituality: Part Five

Christianity vs. Christian Spirituality: Part Five

DICLAIMER: Please understand that these are broad brush strokes and intended to incite conversation, thought and action. This is not intended to include, and or define everyone calling themselves a Christian.

Now let’s turn to the matter of Christian freedoms. This is an interesting subject and one that has more room for interpretation than pretty much any other matter in the Christian world. The difference between Christians and those who practice Christian spirituality really boils down to one view of what is acceptable for a believer to take part in and what is not.

Basically it’s as simple as this; we believe that the church is not the believer’s moral compass. In other words the church does not, nor should it, define morality. In many ways the church has established a set of moral standards that have become the test of mature Christian behavior. Good Christians don’t drink, don’t smoke, don’t hang out in bars, listen to secular music, have friends of different beliefs and or lifestyles, and so on. As I mentioned earlier in this series, this has happened because the church lives in fear of loosing people. Because of this fear the church has made an attempt to vilify anything that isn’t “holy” in order to keep people away from the potential damage that could come at the hands of the wicked world. When people are separated from the world they will naturally look for community and where better to find it than in the church.

I believe that this trend is an unintentional one, but the damage its doing is profound. Where judgment exists there will be problems. As the culture of regulation has progressed it’s taken a natural turn toward “classification of sin.” What I mean by that is the church has propagated a culture that will tolerate certain sins, but others are in a special class of their own. An example would be homosexuality.

In countless churches across the country there are men and women living together outside the confines of marriage. For some reason these folks are taken into the fold and loved on, and yet the homosexual couple is shunned and made to feel un-welcome. The mentality of regulations is so ingrained in the minds of Christians, that they can’t see the blatant hypocrisy in their midst. Although this is denied by almost everyone I talk to, the evidence is staggering. The bottom line is, the culture of regulations has inadvertently created a classification system for sin and it is turning the church inward, in sort of a spiritual nepotism.

“If you’re not a pervert (said with a hillbilly accent), we’ll tell ya bout’s Jesus.” Christianity has become the suburban, conservative republican’s religion of choice. Jesus and the other bible characters are portrayed as white men and women to the children, and the programs are geared towards certain demographics. On the flip side, churches are opening their doors and affirming every type of behavior as acceptable in the sight of God. The extremes are ruling the Christian culture and the message of Christ is lost.

The church looks at people like myself and those who live their lives with Christian principles, outside the institution of the church, as rebels. We have beer in our refrigerators, cigars in our humidors, and gay friends. We’ve been known to be seen in bars, at secular rock concerts, and from time to time smoking on the fire escape. We talk about Jesus over wine and cheese, and elder meetings usually include cigars. Our love for each other is deep and our commit to Christ is unwavering, but we refuse to accept rules that are not explicitly or implicitly instructed in scripture. Jesus is our moral compass and morality is defined by scripture.

In addition, you will find that we have a tendency to maintain a friendship base that is just as large outside the gathering of the church, as it is within. We believe, as Christ said, that we are not called to those who already believer, but to those who desperately need Christ. When the church gathers the couches are filled with an eclectic mix of sinners. Liars, thieves, gays, gossips, boastful, arrogant, promiscuous, and worse gather together to explore the truth of scripture. Some believe, some don’t, but everyone is seeking. The journey towards true saving faith is a long one for some, and rather quick for others, but no matter where an individual falls on the faith journey they will be loved and accepted for who they are, and not judged based on what they do. Sin is still sin, and truth is not watered down, but the message isn’t rules, its Jesus.

(Of course the pendulum swings in both directions. There are churches within the institution that work differently, they will actually pull seekers into their midst through doing away with the issue of sin and regulation. There has been a great influx in the institution in this direction. In these cases liberalism is running ramped and the church is being destroyed from within. However, this is an entirely different subject that we’ll get into some other time.)

Have you ever seen “Forest Gump?” A certain point, after he had been running for months, he simply stopped. Well…..I’m gonna pull a Forest Gump….

Merry Christmas

Greetings all,

I wanted to take a moment and wish all of you a truly amazing Christmas. I pray you're all surrounded by those you love and enjoying yourselves very much. Lets focus on Christ this weekend and get back to our blogging next week. I love you guy.

Warm Wishes

Joshua