"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......"
Again, a church full of grey heads, and a 70 yr old man gets up talking about how they had a professional check the sound system to isolate the cause of an occasional "Pop" that occurred on the speakers wireless mic. He listed the various causes. Cell phones was one possibility. So they asked us to turn them off for the service...
I almost rolled in the isle laughing as all these BIG, HUGE, chunky, old, worn, and chipped flip phones came out of purses and pockets, and were turned off. Yep, phones of that era ALL made some kind of anoyingly loud music when you turned them off (Remember that?). So our hymn, after the opening hymn, was three verses of sanyo, samsung and motorola, sounding their tones all over the building, as phones powered down. That was about as modern as the gathering was ever going to become. I put my smart phone in airplane mode, and then "silently" shut it off too.
However, later the speaker got up with a really sad PowerPoint going, the scripture references were projected, though not any of the text. So, not thinking, I powered up my Samsung Galaxy Nexus Google phone...... with Android 4.1 Jellybean and a crystal clear 4.6 display... and used my bible program to look up the scriptures, like I always do. I have not used a paper bible in probably over 2 years. I use my bible app on my phone, tablet or computer....I even speak from a tablet now. No more paper, so I'm able to say, "No trees were harmed in the production or delivery of this sermon."
Anyway, as I looked up passages, the leader who made the cell announcement (I know him) came up to my ear (back pew- it's where I sit these days when I go to a building) and said.... "Blackberries are the worst offenders...." I said sorry I will turn it off...
After I powered down, I was giggling at the fact that, 1. blackberries are distinctive, and this was so obviously not one. 2. I now was no longer able to read my bible, or follow the scriptures any more at this church.
I did not bother to explain to him about airplane mode. The wonderful old guy would not even understand airplane mode even if I did explain it. The "Technician" simply said "Cell Phones", end of story now.
So here I am.... a modern culture person, using modern culture technology and very at home in the progress of this technological world. I can no longer read the word of God in that church. I have adopted technology freely and openly, and unlike most others in the church, I don't see it as a threat. For as many negative things people cite, I can cite dozens of positive elements.
Church folks around here don't understand that the real issue is not the technology, nor how it is used, in most cases. The real issue is that modern technology and current social customs, manners and genres clash with US as outside people try to be part of our sub culture. This causes both the church crowd, and the techno visitor, PAIN. Do we understand the world of today?
Oh, and a funny side note; The church has no idea that there were eight adjacent WiFi signals beaming through their building (how would that affect wireless mic's?), and one of those adjacent WiFi signals is called "Too Much Spare Time".
I kid you not. "Too much spare time" is an open signal, with two bars, being beamed from somewhere next door. Both my wife and I logged on and used the wifi signal before church. I'm convinced a techno neighbor does it just to ding the church folks next door, unaware. The signal would only be found by a "smart phone", iPod or tablet crew, not the chunky old flip phone crowd there.
All I know is that what we are doing is so out of touch.. It's not even about how we are doing the things..... it's about how we, as people, are relating, or not, inside the structures offered. It's about how we relate to normal daily technology of this world too.
I don't have the answers, but I do know there are better alternatives and solutions than, SHHHHHH...... stop reading your digital bible in church.
PART #3 The Techno Savy Church! But What About The Relationsip?
AJ
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