We moved into our Nashville apartment on Aug. 13. The boys have started school and will start baseball this week. We have spent most of our time this week getting our home in order. We did make it to the Writer's Night at the Bluebird Cafe. We also went out for pizza with Spencer's baseball coach and met with a new church plant here meeting at Panera. Just getting our feet on the ground. We have much to learn about a new culture and are glad for the adventure. God is good.

"You came to this planet to be remarkable. You do that by being yourself, using your gifts, and shining your light. ... It is your obligation to swing for the fences. Whether or not you make the home run is beside the point."

I just returned home from meeting with a friend. Tara, not her real name, works here on the Northeast side of Madison, we've been getting together occasionally for the past 3 years. Today Tara shared with me some of her dreams -things she wants to do with her life. Among other things, she wants to conquer her fear of roller coasters and learn to ski before she is 25. She is thinking about her life and wanting to make the best of it. As I listened to her talk, my thoughts went on a path from "she is so young, plenty of time" to "she is on the right track, how can I be a part of encouraging her" to "if she just does what is on her list now, and then makes another and another, she will end up just where she belongs." Tara, as many of us are, is in a battle with the voices that are telling her what would be a good use of her life, what would indicate success. (She should be getting married and having children - that would be a good use of her life.) Real or imagined- those voices can be real "dream killers". Tara will be on the right track if she knows what she is about and sticks to that. We are not all meant to live the same life. We all have dreams, they take on many different shapes. I have many conversations about dreams, goals, and how to we ought to live our lives out in relation to them. It is a passion of mine to see people relating properly to their dreams and not giving up on them and allowing them to die. I love to see dreams released. That is where I see the glory of God.

I left our meeting feeling encouraged. We discussed taking another step on this journey together, I committed myself to pray for my friend. I arrived home with my sails full. I opened the door to the sound of a house full of boys playing - and waiting for lunch! The wind was picking up. Then, as we popped the pizzas in the oven, Gene delivered a couple updates regarding our progress in partnership development for our next adventure. As he did, the wind just seemed to disappear- just that fast. Now, with my sails luffing, "in irons" I sat.

Now, while I have not become an avid sailor, I did learn a little something that has been useful to me in life so, here is a a little sailing lesson:

Being 'caught in irons' refers to a boat sitting at, or very nearly, head to wind with sails luffing and no forward motion. Left alone any boat will eventually drift out of irons with a 50-50 chance of coming out on a desired tack. here are a number of situations which can cause a boat to go into irons, the most common of these is a failure to complete a tacking maneuver. o bring a boat out of irons under control it is necessary to examine the effect of the rudder. A rudder generates steering forces by virtue of the flow of water along it's surfaces in the same manner that lift forces are generated by the airflow across the sail surfaces. So, if your sail is not taking you forward, look to what can - consider another tool, the rudder in this case

Did you know that Levi and Strauss began making durable clothing because they weren't making enough selling their tents to miners? Did you know that Milton Hershey wen bankrupt before he started making chocolate bars? When one dream dies, another will be born in its place, if you don't give up.

To establish a network of life-changing, reproducing communities of Christ followers both locally and globally that impact their communities as they live out the Kingdom life.

We will not give up, we will move forward - we'll position the rudder, do the work of getting ourselves out of irons. We will work hard and do the next thing. My latest life coaching mentor and author Vicky Moran says this, "you don't have to do it all today, buy you do have to do today's share." My friend Lavon said to me today, "Just do the next thing, don't project yourself out so far".

So, when you are sitting in irons, the wind and the sail is failing to move you forward, consider the rudder. What gifts, what advantage, what skills do you have to get you moving forward? I am glad to have mentors, friends who believe in us. Today, God sent a friend who despite her own exhaustion, picked up the phone when I send up my flare. Our major advantage: We are kids of the most High King! We are certain of our calling. So, Sail on!

As I peered out our kitchen window this morning I was considering all the questions I have right now: When will we sell our house? Why Nashville? Why can't I go back to the comfort of an office and a consistent paycheck? Why?

It occurred to me, this is exactly why we are embarking on this next adventure in our lives--an adventure that we believe God has taken 5 years for us to understand. He wants us out there--where the people we want to influence for the Kingdom are. But, even beyond that He wants us to be the people who take what we have learned in the classroom and help answer people's questions. Questions people are often afraid to ask in church.The number one thing people usually say to me when they find out I'm a pastor after conversing with me a bit is: I'm sorry. Why? Because they assume they offended me in some way. Maybe it was their language, their attitude, their something. It used to make me chuckle because of how consistent it was, not it makes me sad. Why don't they say, "Oh, you much be a person who is full of love, grace, and truth"? No, they say, "I'm sorry." The second question is almost always--just that--a question. "Gene, what do you think about . . . ?" Something of that nature. Somewhere people learned it wasn't okay to ask questions in church. Maybe for awhile, but after awhile you'd better stop asking tough questions. It shows doubt or lack or spiritual growth. Really? It shouldn't be the case, but often it is. I have learned a lot these past 2 1/2 years because I haven't been in the position to just talk without giving people no chance to talk back. People have great questions. Not only that, they often ask the same questions that I still have after all these years. I've also found out that people are often processing things a lot differently than I think they are. I'd rather journey with someone for a lifetime so that they can journey with God for a lifetime, than to journey with them until they continue to ask questions too long for my comfort. We believe God has called us to Mind the Gap. To be people who journey with spiritual seekers--an abundant group I might add. This is our hearts desire.

Reaching the Cultural Creative

Along our journey we have had several mentors and friends speaking into our lives regarding our mission. Some time ago, our friend Lavon mentioned Earl Creps and his upcoming journey to Berkely. After reading his book Off Road Disciplines and resonating with it completely, we began reading and listening to other work that Earl Creps has “out there”. We have not ever had the opportunity to meet Earl Creps, Lavon speaks highly of him. We almost got to speak with him on the phone….but I suppose that doesn’t really count for anything. Anyway, we have had some sense of affirmation by tracking his journey from afar and wanted to share with you this:

CLICK HERE and listen.

Who is shaping our culture?

By Arundhati Bhanot

There is an emerging group of people the world over, who are working to evolve a new set of values, to take up issues that are close to their heart

There is a growing movement involving about hundred million people in the USA and Europe, weaving a new cultural fabric, reframing how we see the world today. They are called the Cultural Creatives, a term coined by Paul Ray (Ph.D. in sociology).

Ray in a book co-authored with Sherry Ruth Anderson (Ph.D. in psychology), The Cultural Creatives: How 50 Million People Are Changing the World, writes: ''These creative, optimistic millions are at the leading edge of several kinds of cultural change, deeply affecting not only their own lives but our larger society as well. Innovation by innovation, they are shaping a new kind of American culture for the 21st century.''

READ FULL ARTICLE

"Denatured Church" by Gilbert Bilezikian

Alone_in_crowd Gilbert Bilezikian offers insights into why the church in America is moving so slowly and why mega churches are having little impact on our culture. Here are a few of his thoughts:

The church is "denatured" through...individualism

“But the church in the West is being overtaken by individualism, which entails increased material pursuits, so you can afford to be self-sufficient. Strong anti-community forces are at work. Family life is practically non-existent as we are pulled away in different directions.”

The church is "denatured" through...embracing the values of culture

“The bane of the church is that it becomes worldly. Instead of imparting the Word and becoming an agent of change, it adopts the values of the world and integrates them into its structures and life."

The church is "denatured" through...an over reliance on corporate tactics

“The biggest problem is the definition of its leadership structures. There are very clear directives in the New Testament for how the church is to be constituted, on the basis of community, which implies congregational participation, consensual decision-making, accountability of leaders to the congregation. Leadership should not be directive but developmental.”

However, Mr. Bilezikian says the church has discarded these directives and replaced them with worldly models of leadership, such as those found in corporate business. So we find the pastor as CEO. “We even adopt the language, for example, calling them senior pastors. Where does that come from?”

He says today’s highly hierarchical models of leadership smack of government, military or political administrations and they result in the Church becoming institutionalized.

“Instead of being a movement, it becomes an establishment. This is not new, of course - it started when the Roman Emperor Constantine established Christianity as the state religion.”

Read the complete interview

How are you working to keep your church from being denatured?

the inspiration behind the phrase

...is a warning to train passengers to remind them of the sometimes significant gap between the train door and the station platform. It was first introduced in 1969 by the London Underground rapid transit system.

Some station platforms on the London Underground are curved. Since the cars are straight, the distance from the platform to the car at certain points is greater than normal, and the phrase "mind the gap" is painted in capital letters along the edge of such platforms. A recorded announcement is also played whenever a train arrives at a station, consisting of "mind the gap" repeated several times. (Wikipedia)

Not too long ago, Jim Peters shared with us something that he learned, where "mind the gap" becomes a metaphor for the gap between our authentic self and the self that we put on the platform for others to see. It is in that gap that we can hide what is really going on and come to believe that that self on the platform is who we really are. It may be who we want to be, but if we are not mindful of that gap we are at risk of falling prey to the many temptations that will come our way. So, in short, to become who we are created to be, we must mind the gap. Just as with the trains, we may never be able to completely close that gap - but it is there and could be harmful nonetheless. Gene has a whole series of talks on this. So, right now you are either thinking "I would like to hear more." or "What Gene did in a series of 45min. talks, she did in a paragraph."

Needless to say, after Jim's words to us that day in Indianapolis, after a summer of Gene giving talks in churches based on this "mind the gap" warning, along with another "mentor" of mine (regretfully I have never actually met him), author Parker Palmer speaking of a "tragic gap"... this phrase has taken on a life of meaning.

This phrase has come to be not only a metaphor for authenitic living personally but also in the Kingdom. As we develop relationships with the people in our community - in the marketplace and the neighborhoods - we are finding another tragic gap. The gap between the Kingdom of God and a population of people who are becoming more prominent in our culture - the "cultural creatives". This is a whole people group who if they do not know Jesus presently, they are spiritual seekers who are no longer listening to the church as a valid voice in their search. We love the way these friends think and agree with many of the values they hold dear. We, as Christ followers, also think that if they really understood the Kingdom of God and all that Jesus taught us, they would find what they are looking for.

Paul had a similar experience in "minding the gap", we read about it in Act 17.

Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: "Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you.

So, we live our lives in our "Athens" and get to meet the people of our "Areopagus" we are compelled to proclaim to them the good news of the Kingdom of God. A Kingdom that is full of love and peace. A Kingdom that has the power to restore the planet. A Kingdom that brings life where there is death, healing where there is sickness, substance where there is famine.
Mind the Gap.