Godgrown

Updates from November, 2009 Toggle Comment Threads | Keyboard Shortcuts

• 

  Mark 11:03 am on November 14, 2009 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: Jonathan Haidt, seth godin ( 5 ), ted talks ( 3 )   

  The Secret Rules of Liberals and Conservatives 

  Interesting video (above), eh?

  Each tribe in America has certain taboos that make them cry out to their constituents, “Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!” ([youversion] Col. 3:21-23 [/youversion]) For liberals, its gluten, genetically modified foods, gas guzzling cars, and the like. Just try to order a steak at a vegetarian restaurant, and see the looks you get! Its amazing how many pious rules and regulations health-conscious have set up for their own personal quarantine. For conservatives, they make no mistake about it – personal ethics like curse words, drinking alcohol, or voting for big government policies. Doing these things or involving yourself with people who do will keep you out of the “inner circles” of the Tribe.

  There are literally thousands of other tribes out there with the same spoken or unspoken boundaries on what they are willing for you to accept. Sports tribes, politics tribes, business tribes, family tribes, etc.

  When you cross that border, you are no longer considered clean by your tribe. You “are off the deep end” and they now consider you an outsider.

  Paul makes the case that in Christ, and in the Christ-Tribe, we are no longer to condemn (or be condemned) with such rules. There may be other benefit in driving a Prius, but your association with Christ is not made or broken on that. More importantly, following all these rules will get you no closer to the real problem – the evil and divine “ME” in all of us. Only Christ can set you free from your selfish desires. You are in his family – and as such you are set free from the bondage of worldly constraints. In a very real way, you have already died – and the limitations of an earthly life no longer apply to you. Now your life is brand new, and following Christ is the only path out of self-centeredness and into resurrected life.

  Each tribe in America has certain taboos that make them cry out to their constituents, “Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!” For liberals, its gluten, genetically modified foods, gas guzzling cars, and the like. Just try to order a steak at a vegetarian restaurant, and see the looks you get! Its amazing how many pious rules and regulations health-conscious have set up for their own personal quarantine. For conservatives, they make no mistake about it – personal ethics like curse words, drinking alcohol, or voting for big government policies. Doing these things or involving yourself with people who do will keep you out of the “inner circles” of the Tribe.

  There are literally thousands of other tribes out there with the same spoken or unspoken boundaries on what they are willing for you to accept. Sports tribes, politics tribes, business tribes, family tribes, etc.

  When you cross that border, you are no longer considered clean by your tribe. You “are off the deep end” and they now consider you an outsider.

  Paul makes the case that in Christ, and in the Christ-Tribe, we are no longer to condemn (or be condemned) with such rules. There may be other benefit in driving a Prius, but your association with Christ is not made or broken on that. More importantly, following all these rules will get you no closer to the real problem – the evil and divine “ME” in all of us. Only Christ can set you free from your selfish desires. You are in his family – and as such you are set free from the bondage of worldly constraints. In a very real way, you have already died – and the limitations of an earthly life no longer apply to you. Now your life is brand new, and following Christ is the only path out of self-centeredness and into resurrected life.

  

  Mark, Alan, and Agent B are discussing. Toggle Comments

   
  • 

    Agent B 10:13 pm on November 15, 2009 Permalink

    Very good words.

  • 

    Alan 3:29 pm on November 16, 2009 Permalink

    But what about those of us who want to drive a pious Pius to pick up a cheap steak at Whole Walk-Mart Foods? Or those of us who voted an Obama/Palin ticket after church at the First Episcopal Church of Christ?

    I water my home grown organic produce with a water gun replica AK-47 and children’s tears!

  • 

    Mark 9:47 am on November 17, 2009 Permalink

    alan = crazy amazing

  Reply Cancel reply

  Required fields are marked *

  Name *

  Email *

  Website

  

• 

  Mark 10:28 am on May 22, 2009 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: seth godin ( 5 ), tribes ( 2 )   

  Tribes: The New Way to Change the World 

  Ever wondered how to change the world with the thing you’re most passionate about?  Watch this video to find out:

  I read Godin’s book Tribes earlier this year, and found it enlightening.  This video is a quick summary of the book by the author, plus his theory on a process for those interested in changing the world.  He looks over countless organizations, and through history at movement leaders and then draws some conclusions.  Why is it that Ghandi was successful in bringing about liberation and true change in India?  How did Martin Luther King rally a battered and bitter people into a movement of civil rights?

  

  It begins by telling a story.  Frederick Buechner is quoted saying,

  To truly tell the story of anything well is to tell the story of everything.

  And while I’ll need your help in the comments section below to help me on the author of this quote, another tribal storyteller said,

  If you want to change the world, tell an alternative story.

  The story will enlighten some, and enrage others.  Don’t spend all your time coddling those who you are upsetting – focus on those who are ready to dive headlong into the story you both believe in.

  Next, you must connect your tribe.  Most people are most interested in the connection anyway!  Find fresh and exciting ways for those passionate about similar values to meet and engage one another to see spontaneous connections made.

  Ask yourself: “Who am I already leading?”  Focusing on leading is where change comes from.  In fact, people are waiting on you to lead them.  That is what it means to lead a movement for change – to ask questions, to build consensus, to peak curiosity, to develop a new tribal language…but its ultimately about your willingness to be committed to the cause.  That is what separates the tribes that matter from those that don’t.  Your willingness to lead a tribe through any circumstance is essentially the tribe’s best chance at meaningful change in the world.

  Tribes are where change comes from.  From the ballot box, to the grocery store (check out the new WikiChoice), to the church – committed tribes of regular people making extraordinary decisions and seeing dramatic change.  So get out there and lead your tribe – we need you to.

  

  miller is discussing. Toggle Comments

   
  • 

    miller 7:18 am on May 24, 2009 Permalink

    good stuff Mark! i’m not sure i’m with you all the way on this but i love how you stress connection to those who want to be connected. we need to cut loose from those who just want to argue or resist. focus on those who are in!

    i like the visual of a tribe… i also love the visual of a caravan. there’s an old saying “the dogs bark, but the caravan moves on!”

    we gotta keep rolling because there’ll be some in each place we pass through who’ll climb aboard and come along.

    peace

• 

  Mark 7:57 am on March 3, 2009 Permalink | Reply  

  Eschatechnology 

  

  We live in amazing times.  Technology is advancing in amazing ways, and it has profound implications for how we live our lives.  The very fact you are reading this is proof.  I really love keeping up with the latest news; new gadgets, widgets, social-technology in particular has been something that I find fascinating.  In some ways I suppose its a throwback to my geekdom, but maybe there is something more.

  There are more ways for us to be and do the work of the church every day in this fast-paced world.  We seem to be moving toward a persistent connection, an “eternal communion” of the saints.

  Let’s call this “eschatechnology.”

  I’ve written on technology before, and recently I’ve been tossing around ideas regarding how faith communities can discover and collaborate with each other in ways never before thought possible.  Blogs of course have already become part of the strategy, as have social networks.  (We recently set ours up for the organic network we’re a part of in Chicago.)  Wikis have become the new church councils, where doctrine and theology are discussed and discoveries are made.

  I was reminded of this as I was reading 1 Cor 16 this morning on YouVersion, an online bible and reader community.  Paul is suggesting a method for the Corinthian disciples to give generously to the Jerusalem church who was in need.  He mentioned sending off not only the donations but also some ambassadors from Corinth to greet and encourage the Jerusalem community.  Paul even mentioned that if schedules worked out, those Christians could come along with Paul for the journey.

  Talk about a visual for the blood of Christ flowing through his body!  No amount of technology, blogs, online social presences, Second Life profiles, webcasts or whatever can take the place of flesh and blood relationship.  It’s a beautiful thing when disciples can connect together and share in true fellowship.  When a handfull of hard-earned cash can exchange hands rather than be sent through a Paypal account, when a full embrace replaces a “facebook poke,” when a fireside chat is chosen over a chatroom.

  That said, let’s not drop the tools we have to connect throughout the rest of our lives.  I’m excited to see how Christians in our organic network begin to work together, creating events, serving the poor, training leaders, and sharing resources through technology.  I’ll be sure to report back here (on my blog) what we find!