that's it, im movin to seattle.

So on the way back from Cincy Believe, someone started up Mark Driscoll's podcast from the community of Mars Hill, Seattle.  It was on humor in the bible, and it was amazing.  It was the first time I'd been exposed to this podcast, and I've been a regular listener since.  Three things:

This summer I was given Dick Staub's, "The Culturally Savvy Christian,"  which I initially hated, then liked, and now love.  Listen to Mark, pick up Staub's book, and then continue life with a better perspective of Jesus and culture.

"Go to the city and see what people are doing with their time, talent, and treasure.  Who or what are they worshipping other than Jesus?"  Then he identified some modern-day temples, i.e. a restaurant, sports arena, big screen, or another person.  I work with non-christians, and after some reflection, MOST of our conversations are those four things.

"Timeless truth, timely method."  Mark had several criticisms of emerging churches.  I'll save you the chatter, but his opinion is that such things like Jesus as the only way, hell being reality, the virgin birth, and all other debated ideas in the emergent church is primarily how the gospel is being distorted and/or compromised.  The scripture content was Acts 17, and Mark elaborates on the effectiveness of Paul being in the city (where culture is made), meeting with people, and quoting the poets or "rockstars" of their day as a better way to relay Jesus.  He affirmed the mission of Mars Hill was to present the timeless truth of Jesus in a timely, or culturally relevant manner, which in the opinion of a twenty-something, will absolutely appeal to every twenty-something.  and above.  and below.

He talked about "creative class cities," which is something I haven't heard of, but through the wonders of wikipedia, was able to learn about in 2 minutes.  These urban arena's are where most of America's ever-changing culture comes from, and listed were Chapel Hill, Seattle, Portland, Austin, and San Francisco.  What enables these cities (according to Dr. Richard Florida of Toronto),  is the "3 T's,"  or talent (a highly concentrated populus of talent in all of the arts), tolerance (for all of the diversities), and technology (a large population of feigns for the cutting edge).  Something I'll do more reading on.

And a side note, if you live in Joplin, let's put on some new eyes and stop treating this city like an overgrown-midwest-hick-town and start shaping it for the city we really desire, one that's exciting, productive, artistic, and utterly in love with Jesus.  That said, I have no practical ideas on how to make this happen.  :0)  And if you still don't want to love Joplin, or just plain love everything about the Mars Hill community, then Jon Hill said it best at the end of the humor sermon, "That's it, I'm movin to Seattle!"

Really?

Across from me is a professor at MoSo, I'm not sure of what, discussing with a student, in a thick accent, COMPLETE with bad grammar (get ready for it...), the gun she's recently purchased and how she'd like to say a thing or two to those "(insert expletive) arabs driving up the oil prices and ruinin' [definitely leave off the "g"] our economy."  Because gas prices are apparently the only indicator of the instability of our economy, and it's no one's fault but those (expletive) arabs.  

And while we're on the conversation of professors at Southern, I'd like to say this about the emails I receive from my psych professor:  "Alot" is two words.  I fortunately had an English teacher teach me this.  Let's repeat the mantra:  "a lot, two words.  a lot, two words.  a lot, two words."

Let's add the absence of these things to the list of what I miss about a D-1 school.  

it's all about perspective

So while casually browsing through the JoMo library, I discovered "The Interpreter's Bible: A Commentary in Twelve Volumes,"  and while I'd like to say that I've wowed the world and read the first 9 volumes in a month, the truth is, I started with volume 10, and I'm still on volume 10.  Yes, they're that good.  

I love reading.  Finding words I don't know or thoughts I've never thought or discussed is a cool discovery in the whole adventure, but my favorite, my absolute favorite thing to have happen when reading is to discover, right there in print, an idea that I've had or something I've felt, but could just never quite articulate.  I love finding someone who can so eloquently put into words some truth I've known but couldn't speak.  And it happened this morning, in this "great read" over coffee and a bagel.

Epehsians 3:17-19

"...And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power together with all the saints, to grasp how high and long and wide and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge-that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."

Aside from having heard it in a popular song or two, this section of scripture was introduced to me during a particularly rough period of time in my senior year by Janice French, who prayed these verses over my life.  Two months and one cool encounter later, we again met as a d-group and she discussed why she chose this verse, and these words have since in my life always been a reminder of God's persistence in pursuing me, and His ability to take care of me in all of the ways that I need.

So as I'm reading this exegesis and exposition, there are three significant things that stick out to me, all of them ideas that we know and are familiar with, but they are just said so well, I thought I'd share it as a reminder.  

"Every life has some kind of roots and foundations: the beautiful and distinctive thing about the Christian life is that it is rooted and grounded in love."

"The highest knowledge of God and of his truth is not an individual attainment, nor a privilege reserved for a few.  It is given to the community of Christian believers, and it can be appropriated by an individual only as he shares in the life of the community...[height, depth, width, length], i.e., the full scope of the divine purpose; the redemptive activity of God in all it's perspectives."  Community, community, community.  I had a conversation over the summer about how my Christian life came to be.  My very first church event, ever, was Believe in the 8th grade.  I didn't get it (grace) then, I didn't know the "Jesus story," but Believe was my first taste of community.  That was enough to get me interested.  Now, every time the Believe Dream Team rolls out for a new event, I just think of all the 8th graders in different cities in a different era with different backgrounds, but with one true and common thing to learn: the beauty of community.

And this last one, this is long, so trek with me.

"God is a 'Thou' and not an 'It.'  To know something as an 'It' is one thing.  To know something as a 'Thou' in a love relationship is very different."  He then uses a couple of illustrations, but here's my pick:  "A psychiatrist, in so far at least as he is a scientist and not also a friend, may deal with a patient as an 'it.'  The relationship is impersonal.  The Christian minister and fellowship deal with the 'it' as a person--one to be forgiven and loved...indeed the contrast between the two forms of knowing is infinite.  They belong to different worlds of experience...all personal 'I-Thou' relationships are different in kind from 'I-It' relationships.  The 'I' is no longer master.  No person can be manipulated as can a piece of matter or a rational idea.  A personal relationship involves either love or hate, either trust or distrust, either committal or withdrawal.  The dimensions of experience in a love relationship become infinite."  

Changing "It" to "Thou" constitutes an entire shift in worldview.  Choosing to approach God in that way signifies the change that takes place inside.  That was me in the 9th grade at summer conference "getting it" for the first time, and this is the first time I've thought of articulating my conversion in this way.  Thank you Mr. Theodore Wedel, whoever you are.

sully's bucket list

learn to:

ride a horse
fly a plane
speak arabic and french
play guitar and piano
write a contributing article to the times.
publish a book
build furniture
publish melange (oliver!)
live abroad
finish 20 classics
spend some time in the middle east

...sounds about right.

believe

one down, nine to go, with much better performances on my part.

"mad" is not an emotion that just naturally comes out of me, but i saw it over the weekend, and i didn't like it. things to work on: patience, gentle answers (to the same questions that were asked and answered 50 times prior), and efficiency.

see you in cincy.