Dance in Mali, West Africa.

This is just so Malian..... Glad to be flying back to Mali, West Africa next week.

Mali, West Africa. Beauty and Diversty

Fishing on the famous Niger river in Mali. This is a long, long way from where Man of Peace Development is working. However, Man Of Peace Staff had an opportunity to visit the river region last February. The fisherman told us that with lack of rain the last few years, more and more farmers buy a net and try their hand at fishing, and it is really depleting the river stocks. So it is a difficult ti

me for the BOZO (ethnic group) fisherman too.

If we only had a river like this in our region for farming.......But that is why Man of Peace is there. Simple gravity feed drip irrigation does not require massive volumes of water to grow a garden.

50% of Mali is actually in the Sahara desert. However, it is a beautifully diverse country. We are excited to return to work in Mali next week. The political situation in the north is an ongoing concern. However we are able to return to Sikasso region at this time.

Theological Education (Seminary) Must Change?

Nelson/Fitch - Theological Education in the 21st Century from Medri Kinnon Productions on Vimeo.

Ministers Are Not Only Those in "Staff Positions"

Not all Theological graduates need to seek church "staff positions". There are many ways to be do ministry. Bi vocational, or even working in other fields full time.  Great conversation here. 

Nelson/Fitch - Theological Education in the 21st Century from Medri Kinnon Productions on Vimeo.

Ministers - Pastors Have More To Loose In Canada

Ministers of the church have absolutely no respect or relevance in the Canadian ethos outside their church. 
Pastors in Post-Christendom from Medri Kinnon Productions on Vimeo.

Where is the church?

This Cartoon just about says it all....about church.
where is the church?

Doing Life Different!

"Spiritual direction begins when people are helped to walk more slowly, talk more slowly and eat more slowly." (Francis de Sales)

As a person with a "get it done" personality.... I am beginning to see that running ahead in my life has not always accomplished what I wanted.  

Sadly, much of my teaching, that path leadership takes today, keeps us hyper active, and exhausted, as we try to accomplish our...... "something"...... However, in the end, we have little time left for the people we love, or want to love. We excel at heaping activities and events on people. To "accomplish" all this stuff we feel needs to "get done", we can side step the greater things. I know have. 

Jesus said the highest activities in life are to love God and to love others.  Amazing how we depersonalize that from time with others, to creating programs and doing stuff "to" them, and it keeps us busy planning and executing.

This quote exposes a truth. 

• If we walk more slowly, we are not ticking off lists, and spending more time on the journey with people walking beside.

• If we talk more slowly, we say less, and we are listening more.

• If we eat more slowly, we turn eating from "energy" consumption to fuel another task, and turn it into table time with a few precious others.

I hope the next half of my life reflects this better.

AJR lost in a West African Journey

When People Refuse To Affirm Your Journey!

"Those are the things I remember, the things instilled in my life, that you've got to follow God where ever he is drawing you to go, even if the people you care about don't understand what you are doing. And I think that is a hard lesson. I think a lot of people have been so schooled into wanting peoples approval, that it is very hard to be obedient to God when the people you care about can't affirm what you are doing. And yet, where else do you go? What else do you do except follow the Lord, and trust the Lord with the consequences of what that is....."  (Wayne Jacobsen in a conversation with his 90 yr old dad on a podcast Nov, 2012)  

Being the first, and only people working among an all Islamic people in North Africa, this resonated. Fortunately, none of my family, and few of my friends (not many), have ever actively discouraged me personally. But almost everyone around me wants to hear very little about "over there". People don't actively discourage us, but they do oh so little to actively encourage us either.  What to be the best fried you can be to a person who lives and works internationally? Just let them talk, and listen, listen, and listen. They have to get the stories out for time to time or they will pop, trust me. The story has to be told from time to time. And if you ask questions, and listen, you will be offering a healing favor  to them

"Is it safe to go?", is the most common question, and it's the most annoying too.  Yes,,50% of the country was taken over by Al Qaeda and a Jehad called Anser Dine.  Is it "Risless"? No, it never is, but why run away when those affected most need you more than ever.... all in the demand for perfect and complete safety.  But out region is "relatively" secure.

Anyway, most people can't fathom doing such a "risky" thing, so avoid the subject all together. We are deafened by their silence about the whole thing. But I'm OK with that. I've moved past that maybe 10 yrs ago.

The quote, also resonated about my spiritual journey, my "ministry"' in Canada too. Stepping out of traditional paid ministry, the customary way of doing church. Turning from managing the heavy  attractional programing/special event model of church, refusing to get bogged down in local church management as a CEO, and avoiding a structure that makes the Sunday event (and a few other time slots) the main thing that needlessly consumes most of our resources (Both time and money) to maintain while burning out those who sustain it, and grows them little in return, and that reduces members to mere spectators and "volunteers" seen as recruits to fill the predefined slots in the "vision" of we "Leader(s)", in exactly the way we envision it. (INHALE)



Yes, few of the people living that dream can affirm what I am doing here in Canada either. How can church and kingdom work be so simple, so economical, and so easily repeated by ordinary people?  (I'll not even mention....so NOT burdensome....oops, that slipped out). Is this for real? For most, the church is only what we do, and how we do it, there in that building on Sunday. They simply can't fathom any other viable manifestation of the body. They have known, nor seen anything else.

Yes it's hard, and lonely, to obey God when others can't affirm the journey. 

So, yes, this conversation really resonated.
AJ

Staying On A Path Going Nowhere

"Most of us in the first half of life suspected that all is not fully working, and we are probably right...We do not want to embark on a further down journey if it feels like going down, especially after we have put so much sound and fury into going up.... The supposed achievements of the first half of life have to fall apart and show themselves to be wanting in some way, or we will not move further. Why would we?.... Scott Peck's major insight is his best selling book, 'The Road Less Traveled'. He told me personally ones that he felt most western people were just spiritually lazy. And when we are lazy, we stay on the path we are already on, even if it is going nowhere.".
(Richard Rohr. Falling Upward)

Living On The Outskirts

"I found out that God wanted me to live on the outskirts, abide on the fringe of this world so I could see things more clearly and hear His voice better. And I wasn't alone. I met other Fringe-Dwellers who had the same passions and heart that I did. I became an outcast for God, allowing myself to be more vulnerable so He could shine through me better"

Emma Jones, and recuperating MK.

It's about how I feel, and I am a grown adult. 

Techno Savy Church! But What About The Relationship?

 In my Previous post "Two Stories About Church. Technology and Relationships", I shared how we are often out of touch with building relationships,  and the use of what has become simple every day technology as a great tool to get our job done.

Well the following Sunday I was speaking at another church, in another city. They had a digital welcome center, the screen told me that they have free WiFi, and gave me instructions on how I could down load a U-Bible app, so I could look up scriptures "live" using the WiFi.

Of course there were all the modern instruments and PowerPoints and lighting...... and Hip old me used my Tablet to speak from.... and once again, " No trees were harmed in the development or delivery of this message.!"

Oh the show was good, the speaker meh? ;-) But what about the connection with each other?
Really the service was engaging, but PEOPLE were not engaging any different, before and after the service, than the chunky chipped cell phone church crew, that shuts down digital bible usage. But in all fairness, we got to chat with  sweet young girl who is in foster care.

I've said it from the "Pulpit", and unfortunately I have heard it parroted most places since. I am ashamed of my self....

We have told people that church is not about "you" it's about "Him". What you get out of it does not matter, what matters is what He get's out of it (Ringing a bell yet? Sure it does!).

All sounds good and holy, but it's wrong... Look at the theme of "One Another" and tell me our gatherings are not about "You" and "others" too.  The It's just the churches way to keep your discontent quiet. Just don't stir the pot here.  "It's just you!" It's certainly not anyone else in this place, it's just simply, plainly, always, and ONLY, you. You just need to change your attitude, pray and read your bible more.

See we have made the gathering the central main thing, the main focus of most o our tie and efforts. Despite the fact that the words "Worship Service" should never be put together, and never are in the NT. The word Worship is never used to describe a gathering of people...... eeeemmmmm Wa? Yes, we don't even use the word "Worship" or "Church" in any true biblical way.  If you say you "go" to church, you have just taught someone a false meaning of the biblical word. Check it.

I have discovered three things about these kinds of "Corrective" statements

Orphanages Create More Orphans

In Canada, Orphanages have been exposed for the sad, poorly funded, managed, and sometimes (All too often) abusive structures they are. This kind of institution is just not capable of being a healthy experience for the children put in them. Rather support a family structure., where children are integrated into a family.

I find it amazing that in Canada we have shut down all such institutions. Because the truth has been revealed about how harmful such an environment is for young children. Yet, we Canadians continue to fund the building of these very same institutions in other underdeveloped countries.

Despite the greatest staff, greatest intentions, orphanages harm a child's healthy development. They grow up to be people with NO family.... a kind of "tribless" people. Also, I was reading an IRIN article recently that claimed that the majority of children in orphanages are not parent-less anyway. Many are there simply because parents or community think the child might have a better life in the "nice" home, with three meals and possibly an education (Not always the case). Which is often more than what they can offer the children. What, if the funding was directed to those desperate families DIRECT, orphanage "attendance" would drastically decline. Without the presence of a local orphanage, the parents just carry on and keep their kids and do the best they can, and the community continues to take them. For the truly homeless, we can place these children with loving families who will care for them. This is the model we should use.

Yet Christian churches continue to blindly support the building of such things overseas, without question, without thinking about what we learned here at home. In the last twenty years, have we not read the articles, and heard the hundreds of Radio interviews with people who were raised in these institutions?


I link a very good TED video about this subject. I don't expect it will actually change what we do. Institutions always justify their existence, because we are always doing it better... "more righter"...... or we are "Christians" so our good motivations change the experience for the kids...
Orphanages, in my opinion need to close, for the health and well being of Children. Children need family, even foster or adoptive families.

"Often charity to help the poor attracts more people into poverty. One example I have noticed takes place when North Americans try to care for the needs of orphans in cultures different from our own. If you build really nice orphanages and provide good food and a great education, lots more children in those places become orphans. I see this happen all over. When we attempt to eradicate poverty through charity, we often attract more people into “needing” charity. It is possible to create need where it did not exist by projecting our standards, values and perception of need onto others. "
-- Steve Saint

Don't Plant A Church The Normal Way!

I read this great article today about what not to do as we seek to grow with others into a new faith community. I don't care for the term "House Church" as a house changes nothing for most christian people who gather in them. They do church the same old way... with the same mindsets entrenched. This article really put out some wisdom and insight. Felicity Dale did us a great service putting these out there.

The easiest way to plant a house church

It’s probably not what you think!

Most Christians, especially those from a more traditional form of church background, assume the obvious way to start any kind of church is to invite a few Christians to their home for fellowship. As other believers join them and the group gets large enough, they will multiply out into two churches and so on.

This is not the best way for several reasons:

1. The Christians will bring all their preconceived ideas about church with them. It will be more of a challenge to think in the fresh, out-of-the-box ways that simple/organic church requires. The temptation will be to do “Honey, I shrunk the church!”
2. It is more difficult to be missional–existing believers tend to focus on the gathering. Many Christians don’t have non-believers within their sphere of influence.
3. You are trying to create community where a natural one doesn’t exist. Yes, there is a “fellowship of the Holy Spirit” with all other believers, but as you add people to a group, it will take time for people to share their everyday lives together outside of meetings.
4. Multiplication usually occurs very, very slowly.

It is far easier to make disciples of those who don’t yet know the Lord, and to work within their existing sphere of influence. As their family and friends find the Lord, multiplying churches are the natural result. The advantages:

1. The problems and issues that come up are those of life, not theology or ecclesiology.
2. Community already exists and their shared lives will continue outside of the meeting context.
3. New disciples have a natural mission field all around them and evangelism follows spontaneously along relational lines.
4. It’s easy to create a vision and expectation of multiplication.

What has been your experience?  Can you think of other reasons to primarily work with not-yet-believers?

Two Stories About Church! Technology & Relationships

"Those who accept the burden of knowing do not necessarily have answers, but they are alert to alternatives and potential solutions.Those in denial can only hope that reality can be buried for a while longer." (Charles Smith)

 Some of you know that I have been living my faith outside of traditional institutions (Church buildings and their programming) for a while now.

Funny thing for a guy who planted nine churches, is it not?

I served in the box as a traditional minister for many years. However, after working in West Africa and seeing simple faith communities emerge under mango trees, communities who were also planting other new communities, my eyes were opened to the reality that we really don't need to waste so many resources on structure, staff, and programing. In the west we are CONVINCED that NO ONE could ever possibly grow healthy without participating in all this stuff we organize for them. That assumption is just wrong. Look around the world....look at how the majority around you are growing after participating in all the stuff we "offer them" to participate in. Are you out of a job yet?

So rather than continue the duplicity of living one philosophy of ministry in Africa, and another here, I joined them in both places. Now my time is spent less on management of programs and church events, and serving and gathering directly with people with a passion for personal or world transformation.

It's been a joy to step outside the box. Traditional ministry was very stressful for me. I'm not against all that, it's just that I serve and gather differently. Few have even clued into my new life change....as I don't talk about it. Ya, right, you know why..... they often don't get it, even if they get it, most don't like it. 

Anyway, this spring I had a good number of speaking dates at various church buildings. The last two times I was at a "Church" funny things happened. I have to tell you.

1. The first was I was SHHHHHHHED at a Baptist church.

 No kidding. Just as service was about to start, an older gentleman walked down the pew in front of me, stopped and looked me over, and then asked if we knew each other. I indicated that I was from a town some distance away, so probably not. He said he lived in the same area and..... That was when the old Guy and I were SHHHHHHH'ed.... from across the isle. SHHHHed so loud the whole church heard the lady in her late 60's. The whole crew was in the 60 + range.

Anyway, I was not offended. I get it.... I've run the show, remember. The service was just then starting. Someone had mounted the pulpit, and that is the moment when what happens on stage becomes paramount, and all other human interaction and relationship is to cease, nothing between you and a friend matters now. The main thing, the only important things,  are going on up there...  ;-)

Anyway, my reaction? I looked at her and smiled in disbelief, and shook my head laughing. Yep, I laughed at her.  I'm not asking you to pick sides..... I am not from that church, but I will remember this for the rest of my life. What if another visitor was not as "thick skinned"?

2. I was asked to turn my Bible off...... well...." kind a......"

Waiting For Apologies?

Apologies rarely come from the sources  they should come from the most. Life.

"LIFE BECOMES EASIER WHEN YOU LEARN TO ACCEPT
AN APOLOGY YOU NEVER GOT."
•ROBERT BRAULT-

What Has Been Said Is Not Enough!

"What moves men of genius, or rather what inspires their work, is not new ideas, but their obsession with the idea that what has already been said is still not enough." (Eugene Delacroix)

I think there are many subjects, issues, human disasters, hidden and neglected people....for whom too little has been said....

What Others Think?

"What other people think of you is not your business. If you start to make that business your business, you will be offended for the rest of your life." Deepak Chopra

How much Life Given Up?

"The price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it" (Henry Thoreau)

Don't Let Wacadoodles Get To You!

"Keep safe and don't let the wackadoodles get to you. They got to me and I suspect I will never be the same again"...... (Wisdom from a friend.. AB)

A good friend of mine, for over 20 yrs, sent this line to me in an email today.  It really resonated with me, because in our line of work:

1. We encounter many "Wackadoodles".
2. Our institution has no ethos to deal with wackadoodles. In fact the ethos is to cater to them.

3. One is never permitted to expose wackadoodle behavior, it's a cardinal rule of silence.

4. We would lose our job for exposing wackadoodle behavior because you failed to coddle them. 

Anyway, it's why I had to start serving outside the traditional box.... Here people don't have to fake that we are all doing the journey the same way, when it is clear we certainly are not. I may sit with wackadoodles, heck, I may be one myself.... But I have come to realize we are faking it.... I certainly am not united with most peoples journey. Often their vision, and direction is heading elsewhere. 
When I lived faking this faky unity, like I was taught to,  wackadoodles got the best of me.... i'm tired of them..

Early Adopters Torn To Pieces

"If there is no wise authority capable of protecting them and validating them, most prophetic or wise people and all "early adopters" are almost always "torn to pieces." Their wisdom sounds like dangerous foolishness, like most of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount to Christians, like Gandhi to Great Britain, like Martin Luther King Jr. to white America, like Nelson Mandela to Dutch Reformed South Africa, like Harriet Tubman to the Daughters of the American Revolution, like American nuns to the Catholic patriarchy."
(Richard Rohr. Falling Upward)