A Living Alternative

This joke was told to me this week by a new friend I met at the bookstore:

Once upon a time there was a small Franciscan community and Benedictine monastery that were next to one another. One day each community felt that God was calling them to send one of their own to live for God in the world. After much prayer, a friar and monk were selected, blessed and sent into the world. With little more than the clothes on their backs, they embarked on their journey together.

Both men, however, were uncertain of what to do. Most of their lives had been spent in theis isolated communities. Neither had ever had a job outside of their vocation. After much thought, they realized that they both had worked in the kitchen preparing meals for their brothers. To that end, they opened a small fish & chips shop.

Before long, their tasty food was famous across the land. People travelled from far and wide to eat their fish and chips. One day the pope himself arrived and tasted their food, and loved it.

"That food was delicious, my son," stated the pope, " Simply wonderful! Are you the fish fryer?"

Humbly, the Benedictine brother shook he head and answered sincerely:

"No, your Holiness, I'm the chip monk."

Today is my wife's birthday. Kim is an amazing woman. She is my best friend, my partner, a leader whose example I would be lucky to follow- and whose leadership I often follow! She is beautiful and brilliant. She is gentle and powerful. She is amazing in every way.

This year she has said that it is the first year she feels old. She has her reasons- the youth pastors we work with are, for the first time, largely younger than her, for example. It has her a little bit down. To me, I am blown away by how much she has done in her life at only 28.

She moved to a new continent, lived and served in Vancouvers Downtown Eastside (Canada's poorest community), moved to Winnipeg's inner city, has pioneered (and continues to pioneer) radically new models of missions for our organization, is part of YWAM Western Canada's leadership team, has been suggested for the YWAM Canada Leadership team and is a member of the Mission Adventures North American leadership team. And these are just the highlights.

Beyond that, however, she is the most loving and gracious friend I have ever known. Her maternal instincts are blossoming, making our upcoming adoption more and more exciting. She will be an amazing Mum (not "Mom", mind you). I can't wait to see her in action.

I love her with all my heart! I am not always the best husband, but if I am getting any better at it, it is a credit to her love, grace and patience with me.

When I started this new blog, I chose the name "A Living Alternative" with a very specific intention. When asked why he did not rebuke the sinfulness of the people around him, St. Francis of Assis responded:


In an era where Christians are largely known for the sin they oppose, this wisdom could not be more timely. Francis calls us to face the compromises of our culture by becoming living alternatives with how we live. As sin is defined, not by what it is, but by what it fails to be (thus it's meaning "to miss the mark"), so to our approach to facing the systemic sin in our world should be battled by becoming that which is fails to be. For example, in the face of rampant individualism, we must embrace radical community, not simply condemn it as wrong.

Along this line, I am starting this meme to challenge your creativity:

1. Consider aspects of our culture where we have too easily compromised, issues that you passionately oppose.

2. Then, ask yourself what it would mean for you, both as and individual and as a part of a community, to be a living alternative. Write about it.

3. Link back here to this post.

4. Tag others to participate.

I am tagging the following people (who, of course, can decline):

-Duncan McFadzean - response posted here
-Kingdom Grace - response posted here
-Erika Haub - response posted here
-John Smulo
-Mark Van Steenwyk - response posted here

Others:

-Paul Mayers
-Larry
-Marla
-Sherill
-Brunette Koala
-Sonja

Missional, Meme

Last week I asked for some questions from you, the readers of this blog. Thankfully, in the 11th hour two people posted some great questions, which I have been thinking about over the last day or so. The first set of questions come from my friend Duncan (whose blog is a daily must for me):

I'd really like to ask you about what books you read in your life that you found most helpful to bring you to the point of where you are at?

This is a tough question to answer for two reasons. First, I read a lot of books, which makes it hard to choose. Second, as my last post pointed out, I am an INTJ, which means that I have a very broad and diverse range of topics and genres, all of which feed into the chaotic, intuitive brain of mine. That being said, let me give you an overview of a few.

When I was in high school, I couldn't get enough of (the late) M. Scott Peck (who I later learned was also an INTJ). "A Different Drum" is still a great resources on some aspects of spirituality and community. "Streams of Living Water" by Richard Foster is a wonderful celebration of the best of Christian diversity, exploring Biblical, historical and contemporary examples of each tradition. Henri Nouwen's works are essential to my faith, especially "The Return of the Prodigal Son". Dorothy Day's "A Long Loneliness" is perhaps one of the few biographies that I couldn't put down. Her diaries, ranging from the 1930's through until 1980, have recently went to print as "The Duty of Delight", which I have been loving.

Fiction is also important to me. Aside from my literary tastes, John Grisham's "The Street Lawyer" played a major role (along with Day) me landing in the inner city. Anne Rice's recent Jesus novels- "Out of Egypt" and "Road to Cana"- have been deeply enrichening for me. Stephen Lawhead is also a long time favourite of mine.

Who has influenced you most?

Again, this is hard to answer. My family, both immediate and extended, play an important role in my life. One side is French Canadian, the other Italian Canadian, which means big, vocal and well-fed relatives. I think it is in this context that my love for community was born. However, above all, it has been wife, Kim. This isn't just me being sappy, but an acknowledgment of the grace, love and patience with which she has helped me become who I am meant to be.

What's your hopes for Winnipeg, Canada and the church for the next decade?

My hope for Winnipeg is largely focused on our West End community, in which I would love to see an increasingly active and connected network of Christians from many traditions to build a community around Christ that impact the larger city. My hope is that the church in Canada will carry on our pioneering spirit in learning what it means to be missional Christians to our neighbours and the world. Genuine community is my passion, so seeing this emerge in the church at large would be a dream come true for me.

The next ones come from another blogger I follow faithfully, Mary:

What is your favorite passage of Scripture and why?

One of my favourite verses is Jeremiah 33:3:


Again, probably a reflection of my personality, the idea of God inviting us to call on Him to reveal great and mysterious truths in exciting to me. It drive me to pursue God to understand that which I do not understand (and there is a lot I don't understand!).

Is there a passage of Scripture with which you are currently wrestling?

I always, ALWAYS struggle with the Sermon on the Mount. Growing up, a few people taught me that Jesus never intended that we try to live out His radical commands in this revolutionary teaching. I didn't buy it then and I don't buy it now. Again, it is a radical manifesto that would revolutionize Christian communities if we spent time trying to live it out.

On this line, Grace tagged me in this meme (started by Brother Maynard), asking what my favourite book of the Bible is and why:

Aside from the Scriptures already mentioned, the book of James has always been critical to me. It demands that I walk the walk if I expect to have any authority when I talk the talk. Faith without incarnationally embracing it is useless, empty, dead- not faith at all.



Missional, Meme, Books, Church

It has been weighing heavily on my heart, of late, as to whether I am cut out for the ministry I am in. Or rather, I have wondered if, within my calling to this context (of which I feel confident), am I doing that which best suits the strengths and giftings God has given me. At the heart of it is the more frightening question: If I am not doing what I should be, what price am I paying for it? What price is the community paying?

This week our little community is spending some time looking at our individual and communal giftings, strengths and weaknesses. Among other things, we are utilitizing the MBTI and Strengths Finder, both of which I have great confidence in. The first is a temperament/personality indicator which I have used personally and in community for more than 10 years with great success, helping people get a general understanding of the dynamics of who they are. The second is a more recent test developed with Gallup to help discover the five core strengths of an individual with resources on how best to apply the knowledge. Together, they can be a very affirming and inspiring combination.

Here are my results (in very brief form) for you to consider:

MBTI Profile: Jamie - Introverted iNtuitive Thinking Judging (INTJ)

The INTJ takes his energy from the inner world of thoughts (and, maybe, emotions). He prefers dealing with patterns and possibilities for the future, and making decisions using impersonal analysis. His life is organized on a logical basis. He is a strategist, identifying long term goals and organizing life to meet them. He tends to be skeptical and critical, both of self and others, with a keen sense of deficiencies in quality and competence. He often has a strong intellect, yet is able to attend to details that are relevant to the strategy. (Note: What this brief description doesn't cover is the degree to which I rely on my intution, something that is very hard to explain).

Strengths Finder Profile: Jamie

-Input: People strong in the Input theme have a craving to know more. Often they like to collect and archive all kinds of information.

-Intellection: People strong in the Intellection theme are characterized by their intellectual activity. They are introspective and appreciate intellectual discussions.

-Ideation: People strong in the Ideation theme are fascinated by ideas. They are able to find connections between seemingly disparate phenomena.

-Learner: People strong in the Learner theme have a great desire to learn and want to continuously improve. In particular, the process of learning, rather than the outcome, excites them.

-Strategic: People strong in the Strategic theme create alternative ways to proceed. Faced with any given scenario, they can quickly spot the relevant patterns and issues.

It doesn't take a genius to see a pattern emerge here. I am deeply motivated by ideas, learning and understanding. More than this, though, is the deep conviction that those ideas effect change. My choices about living the way I do, while an obedient response to God's call, are also fueled by the conviction that my ideals must be personal embraced, tried, tested in order for me to have the integrity to talk about them. To that end, despite the emphasis, I have felt strongly that I was not to pursue formal education.

The introversion part of the equation is, perhaps, one of the hardest for me. First, let me make something clear: an introvert is someone who receives/replenishes their energy through being alone. While some introverts can be socially reclusive and awkward, that is NOT a reflection of their introversion (except, perhaps, insofar as it is an example of unhealthy development of introversion). I am a strong introvert in many ways, but I am very social. I could go on, but let's not get off track.

My introversion means that I do not make a lot of new friends easily or quickly. I need time apart to survive, but work in a ministry that provides little time or consistency. As a result, I am not a natural at building quick repor with strangers (something moderately important for missionaries and church planters). In fact, looking at the detailed descriptions (which I am not simply accepting uncritically) I wonder if I am not setting myself up for failure.

Perhaps it is this realization that convinces me that we need partners to join us. I want to remain hopeful that we will find them, but I am not sure where they will come from. And I also see that these dynamics are a significant part of the burn out I experienced last year, which could easily return if this remains unresolved.

People are very encouraging to me, which I appreciate. However, I know that the answers to these questions are becoming time critical. Your prayer and support are much needed.


Missional, MBTI, Strengths Finder, INTJ

My blog has been experiencing some frustrating hiccups, so I wanted to send some updates that will help.

First, if you are commenting, please select "Identified author" or "Anonymous", as the other option isn't working. At any rate, "Identified author" is the option best for comments who are not Blog.com users.

Second, and more importantly, my sidebar issues seem to be solved. So if you have wondered why I wasn't linking to you, check again, as my blogroll is now fully showing (at last!). If you want to be on my blogroll, let me know via the comment section. I generally won't link a blog that doesn't in some way engage issues of faith.

Also, I am open to link exchange, again with similar themed blogs. Thanks!

Peace,
Jamie

St. Francis pursued a life of genuine discipleship. And yet, his example stands in stark contrast for what we so often call discipleship today. Francis embraced a spiritual formation that called him into a community. Community is a popular topic these days, especially as individualism continues to prove itself empty.

Francis, however, was drawn to a very particular kind of community, one of shared participation in the life, suffering and resurrection of Christ. This requires that we realign our lives around entirely new values, often counter to our culture or even our own "self-interest", for it draws us to a community of service to Christ, especially Christ in the other. It means that we do not live our lives for ourselves, but for Christ and for our neighbour. Let me repeat that and truly consider the implications: We do not live our lives for ourselves, but live entirely for Christ and for our neighbour.

So what does this look like? Here are only a few points to consider:

-Genuine community must daily wrestle with the tension between the individual and group as a whole, for neither is more valued than the other. While community rejects the excesses individualism, it is the true champion of individuality. More than a mere democracy, it seeks to move with consensus, recognizing that, at times, the lone voice is that of Holy Spirit. This is one of the most rewarding and demanding battles you will ever engage.

-Genuine community faces the challenge of pursuing unity without escaping into uniformity. This does not mean that we will have nothing in common- in fact, the common patterns of living we share are critical. Rather, it recognizes that the stresses that diversity bring, when embraced, transform into the richness of encountering Christ in the other.

-Genuine community is not built in a day. It is a slow, intentional process of building of hospitality, mutuality and trust. However, as we resist the impulse to use power to achieve our "goal" of community, it means we will have to learn to relate in and through the inevitable (even necessary) tension and conflict that will arise. As David Augsburger pointed out: "This process is not accelerated by coercion, facilitated by persuasion, achieved by seducation. It is create through invitation."

One of the things that has amazed me since I started blogging a few years ago is how many questions I get via email, phone, mail, etc. as a result. I am by no means an expert in any field of study or practice, but my writing seems to resonate with some of you. I really appreciate the vote of confidence, so thanks!

However, I never want to presume I know what you want to read or what interests you. I can generally follow the flow of my own experiences and the overall mood of the blogosphere, but I thought it would be easier to go directly to the source:


Ask your questions in the comment section- be they personal, ministry related or other- and I will do my best next week to answer the most frequent (and interesting) ones. I am genuinely interested in hearing what you want me to write about, so please send in a few suggestions. Thanks!

This Scripture has become increasingly important to me over the last few years. I particularly appreciate the translations that maintain the wording "do justice". To "act justly" seems far too passive and responsive, whereas "do justice" is demanding and proactive. I wanted to understand this idea better, so I applied my (amateur) theological and exegetical skills. What I found was exciting to me.

The word "do" in this context is used quite frequently in the Old Testament. In one of it's first usages, found in Genesis 2:3 (NASB) we read:

"Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made." Gen. 2:3 (NASB)

The word "made" is the same as "do" in Micah. Notice that in the Hebrew that there is reference to both "created" and "made" (a point unfortunately lost in many translations). The word for "create" implies just that- to cause something to be out of nothing. "Made", however, infers producing, becoming, making, labouring, working, etc. In other words, in the process of Creation, God not only called things into being, but also shaped and worked those created things for His purposes.

When we understand this in the context of the Micah reference, we see that it is not simply call us to live lives that avoid injustice, but rather that we are to forge and fulfil, to prepare and provide, to make and maintain justice around us. When we consider that, through Christ's work on the cross, even evil can be turned for good, so to must we understand the justice can- MUST be made even in the face of the greatest injustices. It must be done with hearts filled and fueled by mercy (as mercy was extended to us), which in turn calls us to humility. However, it is what God requires of us.

The word "do" is clearly and unequivocally connected to tangible, real-world action- to work, service and sacrifice. It must include prayer, but cannot be only prayer (for pray turns not God towards us, but us towards Him). It can include advocacy, but cannot simply be a voice raised (for our cries are empty without the embodiment of the love we proclaim). It is a call to us as community of believers to live our lives in radical contrast to the unjustice realities of the Empire in which we find ourselves.

What are the injustices, big and small, in the world around you right now? How can you make justice with your choices, big and small, both as an individual and as part of a community of faith? What prayers for justice could you be the answer to?

It is really exciting for me to announce that, as of last week, Kim & I are through the home study process for our adoption. The recommendation was glowing! All our paperwork has been submitted and the current payments made. Our files will be approved in Manitoba, then sent off to Ethiopia. There it will be reviewed and they will work to find a child to match our dossier. We could receive a referal in 5 months or in 18 months. So now we wait.

For those who have been following our Adopt-A-Pixel fundraiser, you will see that we have raised about 15% of our goal so far. I cannot tell you how blessed we are for the generosity of people like you who stand with us in this way. For nearly 15 years I have been living on the financial gifts of others, relying on it for almost every need, a humbling dependence. It has deeply shaped me.

However, I never anticipated that our ability to have a family would depend on the gifts of others. The deep sense of powerlessness that we face with infertility, coupled with a career choice that left any alternative financially unlikely, could be crippling to us. And yet, because people like you have stood with us in prayer, friendship and generosity, we not only hold off despair, but we are filled with hope.

Keep standing with us in this, as we have a long way to go. We are working hard to find other sources of funding, but your continued support and advocacy in this endeavour is still needed. Again, thank you so much!