I think all religious communities, like our earth, are on a collision course with their demise. And it’s our own fault, not the “world’s”. I’ve been mulling some thoughts around. If we are going to survive into the future, our communities need to:
- get and stay small (like the best farms);
- be autonomous but accountable to other communities (like tribes);
- be indigenous in expression (local creativity and freedom of expression);
- see love as the new hermeneutic of our books (instead of obedience, justification, salvation, etc.);
- reject even the subtlest forms of coercion (no imposed agendas);
- abandon visionary thinking (love without the oppression of expectations);
- cultivate thinkers who explore the reconciliation of all things (global intelligence);
- commit to long-term or even life-long oversight (relationship);
- build an attitude of resistance to success-story thinking (anti-pop);
- engage all sciences, religions and philosophies with an open, compassionate and humble mind (dialogue).
And that’s just the beginning.
Check out my tees HERE. I’m growing my inventory all the time. And check out my art HERE.
Contributions to nakedpastor are greatly appreciated.
45 Comments
Trackbacks
- cage Important Knowledgebase | MMA Cage
- The Counter Intuitive Church « re-dreaming the dream
- Naked Advice from “Naked Pastor” « tangence: (n.) …
- 10 Survival Tips for Faith Communities | hand to the plough
- Digging a lot » Blog Archive » what if…number 17
David Hayward is a pastor artistically stripping to the essential.
Hear, hear!
stephy: i hear ya!
i concur…amen…or what have you!
very nice, i’ll be quoting this for a long time. but don’t we need an acronym to remember this by? sailcvftre is just too hard to pronounce
Some of these things seem mutually exclusive…
How do you abandon visionary thinking but cultivate thinkers who explore reconciliation? What do you mean, i guess, by saying that you would abandon visionary thinking?
And in all of this, isn’t there an implied or even overt agenda being imposed?
by visionary thinking i mean leadership imposing goals and visions on a community. it doesn’t mean, however, that we stop thinking about how to do this more thoroughly, or how to learn how to love others outside our box. hope that helps.
is it being overly suspicious and cautious to ask “where is jesus” ?
Enjoyed this very much.. so much of what I would like to say.
mark – Not a theological expert, but I think the point is these are thing Jesus would do.
I agree with KimT’s implication in that final question.
David, your 10 commandments (sorry, survival tips) contain a whole lot of prescriptivism, some of it hidden behind word screens.
How, for instance, do you “cultivate thinkers” without leading them into your vision?
Do you want to “reject”, “abandon”, “commit”, “build” and “engage” all on your own, or do you want to get others to come with you?
There is much food for thought in your suggestions, but it is obviously a vision that you want to lead others into. So polemic phrases such as “no imposed agendas” or the “oppression of expectations” rather oversimplify the issues.
1. get and stay small (like the best farms);
——What happens if the tribe wants to go big?
2. be autonomous but accountable to other communities (like tribes);
—–How much accountablity?
What if the tribes accountablity decision for me is wrong? Or is the tribe always right?
I wonder how long #5 will take to become a reality with accountabilty to another tribe?
3. be indigenous in expression (local creativity and freedom of expression);
———I wonder how long the tribe will put up with my freedom of expression?
Some in this blog tribe have already answered that question.
4. see love as the new hermeneutic of our books (instead of obedience, justification, salvation, etc.);
——–What is the tribes definition of love?
Where does the defintion of love come from? Mao, Stalin, Buddha, Bush, Obama, Jesus?
Does the tribe get to vote on what love is?
5. reject even the subtlest forms of coercion (no imposed agendas);
———THE WHOLE LIST IS AN AGENDA
6. abandon visionary thinking (love without the oppression of expectations);
——–You have been married 29 years. Do you believe Lisa has absolutely no expectations of you?
7. cultivate thinkers who explore the reconciliation of all things (global intelligence);
———–Shoots # 6 all to h—.
8. commit to long-term or even life-long oversight (relationship);
———-Isn’t that visionary?
Does autonomy allow me to forego #8?
9. build an attitude of resistance to success-story thinking (anti-pop);
———–Isn’t that visionary?
Resistance! Won’t that take away from someone autonomy?
10. engage all sciences, religions and philosophies with an open, compassionate and humble mind (dialogue).
———–Why? Not all sciences, religions & philosophies are equal?
Do I still have the autonomy to NOT engage those things or is it mandatory in your utopia?
fishon
“And that’s just the beginning.”
Anyway you could save yourself some embarrassment and also make it the ending?
dissidens: i’ve always appreciated your biting sense of humor.
others: i personally feel that goal-setting and vision-casting language has so permeated our thinking that to suggest otherwise is totally unacceptable.
To be “spiritually healthy and numerically strong.” Both/and, there needs to be significant critical mass to sustain a community. I believe that anthropologists have said this is around 150. But to be spiritually healthy – this is number one.
Good list. Still thinking.
gary: i’ve heard roughly the same… 120 actually is what i read somewhere.
again…not even with cartoons – you are freakin brilliant!
Dear Naked – I’m starting some new missional activity for our denomination soon…I’m happy to be part of your growing tribe!
It does help. And I would agree that goal setting and vision “casting” has permeated out thought processes. Is there a way to reclaim the language or the original intention without buying into the “follow these 7 steps and pray this prayer, turn around three times and click your heels” mentality? Because the language has permeated my thinking too, but I resist the “magic” answers that so many seem to seek or expect.
kimT. the first and most important step is realizing that our thinking has been dominated by a certain paradigm. once we see that, perhaps we’ll be able to think clearly.
Read this post and immediately thought, “has someone else been reading Frank Viola?” Regardless, I agree with what you’re saying, and may your tribe increase! (But not too much — see point #1.)
dude! awesome! have you read “Tribal Church” by Carol Howard Merritt? i’ll also be posting my recently completed doctrine of the church for i had to write for doctrine class.. i think you’d like it. i’ll notify ya when it’s up.
the only problem i have with it is “the visionary thinking” part. i get what you’re going after but i think it could be articulated differently. it’s one thing to have a vision, that’s nice… but it’s quite another to BE the vision. incarnation baby! if you are, then you will infect and the vision will grow and be the tribe’s vision… like the first tribe led by a man who later was killed for it, but arose 3 days later because we couldn’t stop the vision.. and his tribe infected the whole world.
RAWK!
xlnt david.
I wish I could reconcile #5 and #10 with 98% of what passes today for Christian thinking.
Number 1 and 8 are spot on! I volunteer for my youth group and number 8 is exactly what is needed the most often times in churches. Spirituality is not merely individual; it’s also very communal. I don’t want to come off as an anabaptist, but it’s so true!
“All the believers were together and had everything in common…They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”~Acts 2
“is it being overly suspicious and cautious to ask “where is jesus” ?”
Mark,
Jesus.
Oh…Him again.
Can’t we just concentrate on ourselves for awhile!?
I’d become religious again, if that community lived.
I still suspect that I would get thrown out of your tribe for not following the rather explicit vision in your “survival tips”.
I have visions, goals and aspirations for my own life (not for others ‘cos I’m not a leader). I am deliberately and enthusiastically committed to my local church.
I actually enjoy (and deliberately read and listen to) some of the visionary thinking that you decry (probably a few preachers who are on your hate list).
However, when leaders try to enlist me in their own vision, sometimes I agree because it fits in with mine (and then look for ways to apply MY calling and gifts to further the cause), other times I just do my own thing because I don’t identify with what they suggest.
Vision and freedom are not NECESSARILY mutually exclusive. I would even say that “goal-setting and vision-casting language” can be a very positive thing – until somebody uses it as a weapon to beat others over the head with.
Victor: “hate list”? i understand why we use that kind of language. it makes sense in this world. i try not to use it or think that way. i don’t hate people who do because i myself struggle with it.
Your list sounds good but I’ll rely on my old buddy grace to pull us through-wether it comes in the shape you described or not!
It’s so similar to my own abservations and reflections I made a couple of years ago! Plus you are speaking (I hope) as a practical pastor. This code must be written earlier or later. Thank you brother.
brilliant
Who knows. Maybe when “Christians” become part of this world you’ll be able to implement some of those ideas. Until then, being Christian will just keep you disconnected or not “of this world”. I suggest we go big and all become “HUMAN”
TitfoTag:
Could you lend me your rose-tinted spectacles so that I can get a more optimistic perspective on what is “Human”?
Victor
Ok. Here’s the view. We all bleed red. We want to love and be loved. We wish our world would be more communal. We wish we could communicate better. I ask you, how does being Muslim first, Jewish first, Christian first, lead to a Global connection?
Do people need religion to fail in the “global connection”?
Nope. Its just one of many.
how does being Muslim first, Jewish first, Christian first, lead to a Global connection?
——–It doesn’t. That why Christ died on the Cross that we might all become Christ followers.
fishon
Hate list::
David you say: i try not to use it or think that way. Denial does not make it so. Your most recent cartoon oozes with subtle hatred. You did not create it in a vacuum.
fishon
I would like to see you expand each of these points in a separate post. It is difficult to understand what you are really trying to say in some of them. I appreciate your thinking and your art. It seldom fails to make me think differently about my own situations.
Interesting exchange, fishon and TitforTat. The Jesus story, as the ultimate expression of love, transcends religion. TitforTat, you express the heart of Jesus better than most religious followers I know.
My friend Gabriel lists his Facebook religion bio as “religion is the politics of spirituality.” As we move closer to the spiritual center, the kingdoms of religion and politics become dull and powerless, replaced by an organic reality that binds us together from the inside out, not the top down. This is the globally unifying love Jesus spoke of – not religion, but unending forgiveness, undying compassion, loving one’s enemies, praying for those who despise you, and avoiding the creation of religion in place of these universal ideals.
Bruxy Cavey, in his book The End of Religion, maintains that Christ never intended to start a religion, but rather saw religion as the problem. Jesus left a legacy which transcended, disrupted, and overcame religious posturing and hierarchy. His followers didn’t. Says Cavey, “I am fascinated by the fact the no matter how hostile people are towards organized religion, especially the Christian religion, these same people often tend to have a soft spot in their hearts for the historical Jesus. Sure they may recast Jesus in their own image as someone who shares their own ideas, but that shows all the more their desire to adopt Jesus into their lives. Even though the Christian religion repels them, they know enough not to blame Jesus.”
Theologian John Stott says something similar, “There are many people who are critical of the church yet who, at the same time, retain a sneaking admiration for Jesus. In fact, I have never met anybody, nor do I expect to, who does not have a high regard for Jesus Christ.”
tom: i’ve thought i might do something like that. thanks for the clue.
well said john L.
fishon: i fail to see how my cartoon evokes hatred. I’m poking fun at pastors, of which I am a member… that we are suckers for admiration. how’s that hatred?
John L.
Thanks. One thing as I look at “Our” world is, I see many people who resemble Jesus. Or they resemble traits we wish to aspire to that we attribute to him. The list is many, the sense is the same. Im here, youre here, the only world I know is the world I see. If I cant get it right here, what makes me think I can get it right somewhere else. We all know the call of our hearts. I just wish some days that I could get out of my way(pain) to allow myself to hear it. Funny thing, I get fishon. I will be glad for the day when I dont. I think if that time every comes I will know unconditional love. Maybe thats the lesson the “historical” Jesus figured out.
John L…I wd agree with yr point in the quote from ‘The End of Religion”…”I am fascinated by the fact the no matter how hostile people are towards organized religion, especially the Christian religion, these same people often tend to have a soft spot in their hearts for the historical Jesus.”
But the problem for many is that the historical Jesus,if we can uncover him, comes all wrapped up in the language of the ‘Christ of Faith’, so the question becomes,” What do we,as post-modern seekers of Spirit and meaning,really need…’A Faith in Christ ‘or ‘A Faith like Christ’? Any response?
I vote for the faith ‘of Christ’.
“get and stay small” (NP)
It’s really not all about ‘size’ (now there’s a cliché) – but about meaning and purpose (a role) for each member of the community. Foster that and you can literaly have a church the size of a city and be ok.
“be autonomous but accountable to other communities” (NP)
I agree 100%. Each little community is uniquely it’s ‘own’ but is neighbors with all members of the faith (the whole ‘body’ analogy). Accountability – now there is one thing lacking in churches these days.
“be indigenous in expression (local creativity and freedom of expression)” (NP)
I like the ‘indigenous’ idea (of course I would – lol) – because its keeping the community creative and open. Within the confines of one another we should all be able to share with one another in a secure way.
“see love as the new hermeneutic of our books” (NP)
I agree 100%. Paul stated this one correctly ‘hope, faith, and love…the greatest of these is love’. Without love as the core piece – the other 2 become weakened.
“reject even the subtlest forms of coercion (no imposed agendas)” (NP)
I think agenda’s need to be flexible – is this the point?
“abandon visionary thinking (love without the oppression of expectations)” (NP)
I tend to think the need for vision is part of any community – don’t want to be stuck in a desert for 40 years do ya? But even the vision has to contain flexibility and grace in it’s expectations.
“cultivate thinkers who explore the reconciliation of all things” (NP)
I would almost say this is one of the key aspects of the word ‘gospel’. The good news is concerning reconciliation.
“commit to long-term or even life-long oversight” (NP)
Participating in anything less is really a waste of time.
“build an attitude of resistance to success-story thinking (anti-pop)” (NP)
I am not against people ‘suceeding’ but it’s what success is being defined as is truly the key. People like ‘positive reinforcement’ and knowing they accomplished something – and what that means to the community…it just needs to be meaningful I think. For example – accountability is a type of success.
“engage all sciences, religions and philosophies with an open, compassionate and humble mind” (NP)
I agree. If we cannot dialogue with a variety of people from a variety of walks of life – then we limit what we mean to the community around us. Talk is good – even if I think – talk can be cheap.
hey societyvs, thanks for your response. good thoughts.