McLaren Shook Me Up
2008
June
11
Be sure to check out my travel partners Jay and Janet. They are both blogging on our trip and are a lot of fun to hang out with as well.
I have not been quiet about my questions when it comes to Emergent and with Brian McLaren. Heading to Chicago I knew I was going to hear him speak in person for the first time and I was pretty interested to see if he would either be awesome, or go too far for me. I also read Philippians 2:1-4 yesterday, that was very convicting for me (more on that next week). So here you go…McLaren was incredible. I mean, incredible folks. Here is what he had to say:
- He began talking about how the issues people have with church and issues in the world have no overlap or intersection. Both he and I found this troubling.
- His entire talk was about answering 2 questions:
- What are the top global issues?
- What does Jesus say about them?
- Human beings have 3 desires which create 3 human crises.
- Prosperity (hurts the environment, we take out more than we put back in)
- Equity (poverty)
- Security (war)
- We promote fire escape Christianity, the kind where we care most about getting people to heaven. Yet Jesus came to usher in the kingdom of God on earth. Example is the Lord’s Prayer: “on earth as it is in heaven.”
- Line of the day for me: “Our theological systems render the results we are seeing now.” I’m still working through this, but it definitely hit hard. I spent my entire first year of seminary figuring our my theological system. Yet it has its flaws which McLaren really points out here.
- We shouldn’t see Jesus’ redemptive work on the cross as opposed to us serving the world. It isn’t an either/or but a both/and.
- He ended with 5 ways artists can make a difference. 5 ways artists can help their congregations feel empowered to reach outside of themselves:
- Lead integral worship (view of the whole character of God, all his attributes)
- Humanize the other (demonstrate love to all)
- Humanize ourselves (feel our emotions)
- Revalue creation (celebrate creation as God’s artwork)
- Revalue our relationships and connectedness
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Tyler Braun.
I think the theological issues always stand out the most for me.
I tend to hold onto theological systems. It’s almost as if we are trained to do this.
I saw this today and it cracked me up! http://sharpiron.files.wordpress.com/2008/06/jesus-jargon-2.jpg
I know that I need to be less theological and more loving…pure and simple. I don’t know why I fear letting go of having to be certain. Security? I don’t know. god’s teaching me though and I’m willing to learn.
Glad this has been an impacting trip for you.
brent- they do for me as well brent, which is why it hit so hard. i had to think long and hard about how my theology could be leading many towards individual security. i think our theology focuses so much on the end game and not on how we can impact the world which is something that Jesus clearly cared about. yet even when I say that people think I’m getting political. both of these things are the problems that McLaren addressed.
I knew it! I knew it! I knew you’d see the light and realize that McClaren isn’t just some libral nutzo. Sounds like he outlined his most recent book. If you liked his talk you should pick up a copy of Everything Must Change. Glad to hear you’re enjoying Chicago. I’ve been a few times and it’s definitely a cool city. Weird to think I’ll be living there in a little more than a year. Take care, Tyler.
Brian McLaren really touched me when I sat in his class last year. I come from a very conservative background, but have realized that there is a bit more to learn. He encouraged me and gave me lots to think about.
hey ric- what part of chicago is north park at?
jan- i have someone on my team that went this year that talked about the same mclaren thing last year too. they said it was really incredible.