When I first heard of the social networking site, Facebook.com, I thought - “Great, just another way to collect loose associations - my friends are now baseball cards.” I could write twenty blogs on this topic. Many of my friends were interested in engaging with this media (they are early adopters, I suppose), but I just felt frustrated. (Partly because I’m somewhat introverted and I value loyal relationships… even when it gets difficult, and the whole machine seemed to be straight from the CIA and everyone reads / has access to what everyone writes, which makes it shallow at best.)

At the time, I thought these networking sites would become a substitute for good old-fashioned relationship… You know, the old pastime of face-to-face conversations with multi-sensory communication. As the years went by, I managed to avoid signing up to any social networking sites, until after I graduated, and my job required it. Then I became very active on these online communities, primarily with the goal of being able to communicate effeciently.

But rather quickly, I’m seeing the perks and the drawbacks. This kind of communication changes life and numbs us to some extent. It’s one-sided, layered with covert messages, “disposable” yet permanent, and rather time consuming (if one allows it to become so). Now, I’m seeing people treat other people as disposable in ‘real life.’ It’s almost as if these sites teach us to dehumanize each other. I’m not quite sure why this is, but I do not like it. It’s almost like our full color lives have turned “black and white…” (more specifically into binary code 0101010101…) I don’t think the answer is to boycott the sites - they’re a part of the culture, but at the same time, I’m looking for some constructive ways to engage in activities that value people and honor God in that context. Any ideas?

 I met Greg Scott online through his blog.  He is a teaching pastor for a network of a simple churches in Joliet, IL (southwest suburbs of Chicago).  Our conversations are always edifying - thought I’d share just one:

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me: for me, i love a good parable - i’ve got friends who make youtube video parables

4:02 PM not sure (about the hc layers) - i know that in life, we sociologically have “crowds” the “72″ the “12 disciples” the “peter, james and john” as well as a “beloved”.

4:03 PM my fear is that in church entertainment, we have lost the beauty of a “band of brothers” (or sisters) that fight for our heart and encourage us on the journey

4:04 PM my friend wrote a great piece on how the church is like a fractal community. check it out here: http://towardsimplicity.net/?page_id=925

i think this has profound implications for being a fluid, organic church

4:06 PM Greg: hmmm. I’ll check it out becasue I basically disagree with the socialogical statement you made. I don’t think that happens naturally at all and so, most people don’t have that at all

4:07 PM me: tell me more

4:10 PM Greg: Well, in our society expecially, there is a natural tendency toward selfishness and self-centeredness. combined with our “conecting” via technology (any I am not against using it as a tool) almost exclusively is creating a society that is more and more shallow, selfabsorbed, unconnected and detached -

  and we like it taht way.

  Most Christinas don’t have two or three other families that they conect with except on a sunday or a formatted small group

4:11 PM who are there 72?

  Who is intimate enough to speak to as Jesus spoke to the 12?

  RARELY do we find someone iwth a 3 or 4 that can be intimately discipled through life circumstances

  It is all too time consuming and requires more than most are willing to give

4:12 PM Okay, I’m ranting a bit, but it is going to be on e of the most difficult things that the SC’s will face

 me: yeah…maybe i should say its not a “sociological” reality, but a divine desire

4:13 PM people DESIRE community - those 2 or 3 bro or sis’ - but few are ready to see it become a reality

  sort of like Cole’s LTG’s, but more like life, less like a program

4:14 PM Greg: Well, again - are you sure?

 me: they desire community, but they don’t know how to FEED that desire.

4:15 PM not sure if that makes sense…i’m interested in your feedback

4:17 PM Greg: what I mean is that most of the 20 somethings that I run into and get a chance to talk with - are AFRAID of relational intimacy. they are avoiding it unless it comes with a built in buffer like alcohol, internet, limited time involvement such as work, etc. Several of them are now Christians and NOW they see that the life they were choosing was keeping them alone and lonely, but at the time - it was their security

  BTW - same is true with many older people as well

4:18 PM me: that sounds like a bunch of people i know

  myself included. tacit intimacy (blogs, txts) are good for keeping in touch, but few seem to know what to do with more than “keeping in touch”

4:19 PM so the big q for me is: do we even proclaim another reality? one that speaks of God’s innate intimacy he shares with himself and his creation? and if so, how?

4:20 PM Greg: It sems to me that we are entering a phase of spiritual living that will require us to encroach into peoples “space” and security - but as a culture and as a church we are running the opposite direction trying to meet the felt neds of people who are feeling things in a decidedly unhealthy way

  sorry was typing istead of finishing reading

  I think yo have to more thna ever

  and lovign enough to risk losing relationships is going to be hard and vital

4:21 PM me: good point

4:22 PM Greg: I may also just be involved in what Gpod is saying to me about this church I’m speaking at that I’m overanalyzing the whole thing too…

4:23 PM me: ya know, i think if anyone can teach us community, it is Christ…him and maybe the the most elderly in our nation.

4:24 PM they lived a life of community - neighbors in each other’s kitchen cabinets, children playing together in the street…and NO internet!

  while community would’ve been limited, it would’ve meant something

4:25 PM anytime intimacy in community is pursued by my wife and i, others consider us joining a cult or something

4:27 PM Greg: makes me wonder if there is a connection between Daniels “Many will go here and there to increase knowledge” and Jesus’ “the love of many will grow cold”

  If they called Jesus andhis follwers a cult

  we should expect the same

  maybe we should be most concerned when we are accepted as “normal”

4:29 PM me: ha, good point

  let me ask something of you -

4:30 PM trina and i are moving to chicago in the summer. i know we’ll be in contact in some way, hopefully staying in meaningful friendship and ministry together…

4:31 PM …trina and i want to pursue community hard - communion with God, and with his people. But I think friendships that help guide HOW we do that is of utmost importance.

4:32 PM through discernment, wisdom, etc, i’m hoping you’ll help us find healthy, deep community that helps us get over our self-centeredness

 Greg: Now, while I agree with you - God thinks you are completely funny…

4:33 PM Sam and I have been struggling through how worldly we have become with our possessions, home, - all the nice things we’ve accumulated over a few years

  and I should be asking you to help me consider how to give up these “hard earned” things

4:34 PM His calling is a constant reminder that we are to be a people wo “mourn”

  nothte dead around us…

  but the things we are constantly dying to to follow Jesus adequately

  If I can help you, yo have whatever I can give, but I will not claim it to be much…

4:37 PM me: great. this is encouraging. at times i get overwhelmed with the task of “casting vision of the good news” to people who have no concept of it and seem not to want it at all. it seems you’re equally as frustrated with people who just want to remain isolated and selfish.

4:38 PM Greg: I think I am past being frutrated, but that leaves me -

4:39 PM me: its great to discover that i’m running beside others like yourself- those who are truly desiring another way of life - another economy of God’s shalom

 Greg: angry is the word that comes to mind - but it is an angry at myself that asks “What are you goign to do about it?”

4:40 PM Yes, It is good form my perspective to not feel alone as well

  It helps me to be bolder

  and less fearful

4:41 PM me: that to me is good news! that to me is part of what the “church” is - learning to get over ourself and learn from others/love others.

4:42 PM Greg: yep

  a thought about your friends blog…

4:43 PM It seems like pretty much what you read from SC/HC advocates until he says, “and nobody needs to have more than two of these centered groups..”

4:44 PM At that point my interest is piqued as I have been wondering how to get the tow house churches I am working with out of thier “church in a box in a home” mentality of being happy with their circumstances and loving each other - but not reaching out to anyone else

4:45 PM And is it as simple as implementing a “2 group” expectation?

4:46 PM Your “safe” group where you are built up and encouraged - and your “dangerous” group where everything you are is on the line with Jesus?

 me: i like the language there

4:47 PM Greg: I’m wondering if I shouldn’t modify his thought to everyone NEEDS be involved in two groups to be trulyhealthy

4:48 PM I have been at the point of simply wanting to disband the whole thing just to try and split them up - but the truth is they do a LOT of ministry together. But it seldom involves more than them packing boxes or writing checks

4:50 PM Itis weird, but if churches were suddenly the targets of terrorists and people began meeting in homes

  each one of them could and would lead a SC

  But to reach out to the world around them in this way is beyond their willingness to do

4:51 PM I do have to smile, though, at the thought of Jesus drawing out the fractal diagrams in the dirt for his disciples…

4:52 PM me: ha, yeah

Last night was my first “missional learning party”. I’ve never been to a learning party before - apparently its a lot like a world cafe. There were lots of Jesus followers all talking about how they experienced God’s Kingdom breaking in - and how in other ways we have tried to live the Kingdom life and have failed miserably. The coffee shop we met at was covered in butcher paper, from the walls to the tables, hopeful of getting creative ideas drawn or written down. We shared with complete strangers in God’s family the missional impulses of our hearts…it was great.

We watched a few videos, including the incredible “Escape the Circus” video which I wrote on here. But the MC of the night introduced me to Sigur Rós, an Icelandic ambient band that has an eerily compelling sound. Their song Glósóli sent chills up my spine. Before starting the video, we were asked, “Where do you see ‘mission’ in this music video?”

I’d love your thoughts on this.

It’s fun being married - last night we had a “sleepover” where we stayed up super-late and watched a movie and snacked on anything we could get our hands on. But that also meant waking up around 10:30 this morning with not a little of that infamous “sleep” in our eyes (anyone have a better word for that stuff??).

As I was finally getting ready for the day, (it was about 11:30am), I got a call from my new friend Brad, whose friendship is another blog post altogether. For now, suffice it to say that just two weeks ago he committed his life to Christ through baptism and is pumped about sharing his faith with many of his lost friends. Brad asked, “What’cha doing this morning Mark?”

I responded with “Well, I just woke up about an hour ago, and I’ve just been enjoying the morning at home so far.”

“It’s Sunday morning! Why aren’t you at church you lazy bastard!” Brad cajoled.

It is the funniest thing, “going to church”. I didn’t really have an answer for him right then, so I just laughed along with him and we continued our conversation. Some reflections now as the day comes to a close on our little dialogue:

First, I LOVE the circles I’m running in these days. No longer am I with the “church-ified” Christians, who fear how they might look if they say what they are thinking. Brad’s response was authentically blunt, which is a refreshing joy for me, even though it still throws me off guard.

Second, while I didn’t technically “go anywhere” this morning that could be called a “church”, I am beginning to find the Church as much more of a liquid than a solid. Let me explain my free-flowing thoughts here…

This morning, we woke up together and took it easy. We both read from God’s Holy Word, then got ready as we talked about what we heard God saying to us through the pages, and where the “biblical canon” came from in the first place. Then we talked about how cool it would be to create a booklet or a website that gave seekers the chance to ask questions about the nature, function and origins of Christian Scripture.

After getting ready for the day, we continued our “church” by heading out to grab something to eat, where we bumped into a friend of mine who is doing work with victims of domestic violence and prisoners with drug problems. We scheduled a time for our families to meet up in July. His baby boy is getting so big.

As we were driving, I felt the Lord’s presence in a deep way as I listened to “Something Beautiful” by the Newsboys (audio sample here, lyrics here) and just started worhshipping and thanking God in whispered prayers for his image-rich Creation that points to a beautiful Kingdom that flows in and out of everything wonderful and beautiful and true in our lives here on earth. Inspiring…

A friend from out of town called and said he was passing through town and wanted to meet with us if possible. We invited him to join our cookout with our faith family. During the cookout, our neighbor popped his head out of his door, and we invited him over too. We shared laughs, stories, and watermelons. “Church was happening” all over the place.

“Church happens.”

Afterward, “church” flowed into a coffee shop where the conversation continued, and we met up with a friend Katrina is mentoring/coaching through some big decisions right now. They’ve been talking about everything from major life goals to boy troubles to new shoes. They’ve found their way back to our living room and the conversation is electric. I’m having a hard time staying out of it even now to write this blog post!

Church happens everywhere. It is not something you can GO to - it is the liquid movement of God’s people interacting with each other and with their world. Now when people ask “where do you go to church?” I say, “Where DON’T I go to Church!?!”

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What would happen if Christians found themselves living as the Church God created them to be? IN the world, but not of it?

What if instead of going to a spiritual goods and services distribution center to download God or encouragement, Christians learned how to hear from the Lord everywhere they went?

What would have to change about the Church if it looked less like a solid and more like a liquid, reaching into every nook and cranny of life and our culture? How would this change the world?

Things are heating up around ACU - we are having our annual “Summit” which is sorta like a wannabe Lectureship in the Spring.  Richard Hays is coming to speak which should bring on some interesting thoughts.  And I’m really looking foward to my good friends Chadd Schroeder, Ben Cheek and others are presenting their discoveries on the Pathways Project - a multi-year, multi-continental conversation on incarnational community.

Their ongoing question: how do we bring someone to a commitment in Jesus Christ (many churches have become effacious in this regard in American history), and then how do we move them past a simple decision for Christ to a healthy leader in an incarnational community - fully capable of reproducing his own missional leadership in others?  This second question has been entirely neglected by most churches in our age.

You can find times/places for this here.  And some written thoughts from Ben here.

Is it even possible to “move them” at all?  I believe it is something we can do, since Jesus told us (not to make converts or church goers, but) to make disciples of all the peoples by baptizing AND by teaching them all the ways He showed us.

But have we ever taken this command seriously?  What is it like to do this?  How do we “teach” in a way that people will actually learn?  What kind/whose of a disciple are we making?  Many have tried to ask this question, and many have gone down unhealthy roads.

But the question must be asked.

I’m looking forward to hearing what God has shown them.