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.

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

Pray4Chicago’s “flash mob” event was so fun, exhausting and a big success!  (see pictures above or at this link)  We plan to have these once a quarter or so, and continue to develop the website all throughout the year.  Alan has been such a great help in helping make this project become a reality, and many props and thanks go out to him and Sara for letting us host the event at their place.  (Read his thoughts on the event here.)

But the majority of time was not spent at their apartment.  It began with all the participants showing up to gain some orientation on what they were up to for the day.  For many, this was their first crack at prayer-walking, and needed some basics on what it was all about.

We shared some of our Chicago mission’s vision, gave some practical training on how to “pray with your eyes open” (something I was never allowed to do as a kid! ) and how to essentially see a city with God’s eyes.  We tried to be as specific as possible, but in the end, we knew that keeping things open for imaginations to run wild was the whole idea.  After a time of Q & A, we teamed people up in pairs, and sent them out to various city neighborhoods with maps, cameras, and journals.

Their job was to discover what they felt like God was doing in the city.  Different than other census reports or spiritual mapping projects, the goal of this event was to develop inspiration, not gather information.  Our dream is to see a vibrant family of Jesus in every neighborhood in Chicago – and then beyond that in close reach of every person in Chicago. So we need to know how to join God in planting a community of faith in each neighborhood.  What would it mean to be the church in Little Village?  In Lakeview?  In the South Loop?

The groups came back with amazing stories, profound discoveries, and changed hearts.  Read their reports here! I hope that some will return, I hope that more will get to experience this in the future.  One thing we hope to do next time is involve more of the house churches in our network in the event, as well as incorporate a more continued presence of prayer in between the “flash mob” events we do quarterly.  (The next one is August 8th – if you want to be a part of this, contact me!)

What if teams of people began walking the streets and praying for a neighborhood every week?  What relationships might develop?  Who might invite these teams into their lives?  Isn’t this how churches started in the first century?

I’m really thankful for each participant who gave their Saturday to this project.  I hope that it was as meaningful and inspirational to them as it was helpful for Alan and I, who now know a LOT more about these neighborhoods and hope to cultivate a community of faith their through the power of God.  May these followers of Christ never stop prayer walking, and like tilling the soil, may their shoes plough paths for other missionaries to follow them into these Chicago neighborhoods and plant a church in the midst of the city.

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!