In chapters 2-4, Rev. McLaren tells what led him to writing the book "Everything Must Change." For years he had been haunted by two questions: What are the biggest problems facing our world? And, what does Jesus have to say about these things? He had this constant feeling that the Christian church was missing something. He wondered why the world's largest religion (33% of the world's population!) had made so little progress improving the devastating problems of the world. He had this nagging feeling that Jesus' vision for his followers was much bigger than we were living out.
He tells two stories about encounters with Christian people in Africa, who said some very powerful things. One is the son of a pastor who pointed out that he had basically heard one sermon his whole life: "You are sinners who will go to hell if you do not repent and believe in Jesus. Jesus is coming back soon, and if he does and you are not saved, you will go to hell. So, repent and believe the good news!" However as he grew he looked around him and saw incredible suffering, and he wondered why his pastors never preached on these things. All around him was genocide, violence, poverty and corruption. As he read the scriptures, he was sure Jesus would care about the people suffering under these realities in this world. And yet, the leaders of the Christian church were silent. He asked, "Did God only care about our souls going to heaven after we die? Were hungry bellies unimportant to God? Was God unconcerned about the children crying, the mothers hiding, the fathers crouching by windows unable to sleep because of gunfire?" These questions were at the core of McLaren's decades long struggle.
Later, he was in a meeting with a group of pastors in South Africa, and one young man who was working as a health care provider among the poorest of the poor in a refugee camp, says to the pastors: "You church leaders do three things and only three things. You constantly talk about healing. You constantly talk about people being born again. And you teach tithing. These things are doing more harm than good to the people in the camps! People on HIV/AIDS medication believe your words about healing, and they stop taking their medicatons, and the next thing you know, they are more ill than ever. The people do what you tell them to do to be born again, but then afterwards their problems are no better than they were before. And, the people tithe what little money they have, and the only people who are helped is YOU and your churches! What good is all of that? You are doing more harm than good! I am a believer. I love Jesus too! Don't you think Jesus is calling the church to do something to make things better for these people?"
These moments shifted everything for Rev. McLaren. How do you respond to these strong witnesses from believers in Africa? Do you think they are right? What DOES Jesus say about the poor, and the responsibility of believers? Does Jesus call us to simply make sure people's souls are saved? Or, does he call us to something more?
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Week #1 A Multi-layered Crisis
In last week's Newsweek there was a brief interview with some pirates from Somalia. These modern day pirates had taken over a Ukranian cargo ship (filled with weapons including tanks!) off the west-African coast. They were demanding $3 million before they would set the vessel free. The interview was conducted via satellite phone. When the armed gunmen on board were asked why there was such an increase in Somali piracy, their answer was this: "In Somalia all the young men are desperate. There is wide unemployment in our country... they can arrest us if they find us, but that will never deter us. What we need is money... we know it is evil, but when evil is the only solution, you do evil." Can you imagine what you would do if you felt the ONLY solution you had to a problem was doing harm to others through crime?
This story seems an apt ilustration of the "suicide machine" that Brian McLaren describes in his first chapter (pp. 3-6). He talks about four crises that are bringing about a "perfect storm" in our world that is bringing suffering, violence, fear and despair across our globe. The four crises he names are:
1. A Prosperity Crisis: Great wealth for and high consumtion by a small percentage of the world's population. These wealthy few are consuming the earth's resources at unsustainable rates.
2. An Equity Crisis: The growing gap between the ultra rich and the extremely poor... which prompts the poor majority to envy, resent and hate the rich minority.
3. A Security Crisis: The increasing danger of violence, brought on by the intensifying resentment and fear of the two groups named in #2.
4. The Spirituality Crisis: What he names as "the failure of world's religions to provide a framing story capable of healing or reducing the three previous crises."
We don't have to read Newsweek to see examples of these realities playing themselves out. Over the past few weeks there have been series of local crimes against small businesses, with desperate people robbing convenience stores. We all have seen these kinds of things throughout our lives. Those who are richer buy nice things, and out of fear of losing them they build fences or install security systems to keep their neighbors out, or band together to make laws and hire police to protect them. Nations do the same things. And none of us would argue that we should do away with our police forces or that our nation should do away with our armed forces. For those of us who have much, these things seem perfectly normal and just.
One of the things that Rev. McLaren is doing in this book is inviting us to see all of these things from the perspective of those who are without wealth, without food, and without hope for anything to improve. He is suggesting that as believers in Christ, we must recognize our contributon to the problems, and take up our responsibility of changing the systems that are ratcheting up the multi-faceted crises in our world.
For now, let's focus on these questions:
How do you respond to his descriptions of the crises facing our globe?
Has he named the truth, from your perspective?
What is he missing?
Has his description reminded you of experiences you have had of this sometimes violent intersection between the "haves" and the "have nots"?
Where have you seen these crises living themselves out in your world?
Please write your reflections and responses by clicking on "comments". Be sure to also read what others have to say!
This story seems an apt ilustration of the "suicide machine" that Brian McLaren describes in his first chapter (pp. 3-6). He talks about four crises that are bringing about a "perfect storm" in our world that is bringing suffering, violence, fear and despair across our globe. The four crises he names are:
1. A Prosperity Crisis: Great wealth for and high consumtion by a small percentage of the world's population. These wealthy few are consuming the earth's resources at unsustainable rates.
2. An Equity Crisis: The growing gap between the ultra rich and the extremely poor... which prompts the poor majority to envy, resent and hate the rich minority.
3. A Security Crisis: The increasing danger of violence, brought on by the intensifying resentment and fear of the two groups named in #2.
4. The Spirituality Crisis: What he names as "the failure of world's religions to provide a framing story capable of healing or reducing the three previous crises."
We don't have to read Newsweek to see examples of these realities playing themselves out. Over the past few weeks there have been series of local crimes against small businesses, with desperate people robbing convenience stores. We all have seen these kinds of things throughout our lives. Those who are richer buy nice things, and out of fear of losing them they build fences or install security systems to keep their neighbors out, or band together to make laws and hire police to protect them. Nations do the same things. And none of us would argue that we should do away with our police forces or that our nation should do away with our armed forces. For those of us who have much, these things seem perfectly normal and just.
One of the things that Rev. McLaren is doing in this book is inviting us to see all of these things from the perspective of those who are without wealth, without food, and without hope for anything to improve. He is suggesting that as believers in Christ, we must recognize our contributon to the problems, and take up our responsibility of changing the systems that are ratcheting up the multi-faceted crises in our world.
For now, let's focus on these questions:
How do you respond to his descriptions of the crises facing our globe?
Has he named the truth, from your perspective?
What is he missing?
Has his description reminded you of experiences you have had of this sometimes violent intersection between the "haves" and the "have nots"?
Where have you seen these crises living themselves out in your world?
Please write your reflections and responses by clicking on "comments". Be sure to also read what others have to say!
Monday, January 12, 2009
You are invited!
Welcome friends! Beginning the week of January 19, 2009, (and for each week afterwards for the next 10-12 weeks) I will offer up a small chunk of Brian McLaren's book entitled, "Everything Must Change", a brief reflection of my own, as well as a couple of questions to begin the conversation. Then, you are invited to reply.
There are a couple of simple ground rules for this discussion: First, we ask that you keep your posts relatively brief, so that others will WANT to read them! Second, we suggest that all comments to focused on the topic at hand. And most importantly, we ask that you be respectful of others! McLaren's book is provocative. Some of what he says will likely create a negative reaction in you. Some of what others say here may have the same impact, or worse! Within some boundaries, some of this conflict will be good for us all, because we will all grow! Please try to listen to people's words and try to understand their perspective before you respond. When you respond, please refrain from attacking, name calling, or demonizing those who disagree with you! Feel free to share your beliefs... but be respectful of another's right to disagree!
If you would like to take part, please order McLaren's book, read it with us, and jump in whenever you have a thought, a question, or a reaction of any kind to share.
Our goal is to be learning together as we listen well to Brian, to the scriptures, to one another, and through it all, to God. We believe that God will speak to us through you! So, please do not be shy. Buy the book. Read alongside us. And speak up! We are glad you are here!
Dave Masland
There are a couple of simple ground rules for this discussion: First, we ask that you keep your posts relatively brief, so that others will WANT to read them! Second, we suggest that all comments to focused on the topic at hand. And most importantly, we ask that you be respectful of others! McLaren's book is provocative. Some of what he says will likely create a negative reaction in you. Some of what others say here may have the same impact, or worse! Within some boundaries, some of this conflict will be good for us all, because we will all grow! Please try to listen to people's words and try to understand their perspective before you respond. When you respond, please refrain from attacking, name calling, or demonizing those who disagree with you! Feel free to share your beliefs... but be respectful of another's right to disagree!
If you would like to take part, please order McLaren's book, read it with us, and jump in whenever you have a thought, a question, or a reaction of any kind to share.
Our goal is to be learning together as we listen well to Brian, to the scriptures, to one another, and through it all, to God. We believe that God will speak to us through you! So, please do not be shy. Buy the book. Read alongside us. And speak up! We are glad you are here!
Dave Masland
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