(A parable of sorts… I had a similar idea before reading any of Peter Rollins’ The Orthodox Heretic, but consider it a tribute anyway)

They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” He took Peter, James, and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,” he said to them. “Stay here and keep watch.”

Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. So take this cup from me. Unless you say otherwise, I’ll assume that is your will.”

Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Simon,” he said to Peter, “are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour? Watch, for if danger comes we may need to leave quickly. We all know that the spirit is willing, but if you keep watch, we won’t have to prove it.”

Once more he went away and prayed the same thing. When he came back he found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. They did not know what to say to him.

Returning the third time, he said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man will be delivered from harm. Rise! Let us go to Rome! We will be safer there.”

Just after they left Gethsemane, Judas, one of the Twelve, appeared. With him was a crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests, the teachers of the law, and the elders. Unable to find Jesus, the men seized the seated disciples who had not fled to Rome, and they took them, without any struggle, to Pilate to be crucified.

An evening of worship, encouragement and teaching

Dear Westside Pastors and Church Leaders,

Recent articles have been published in Newsweek, Time, and the Christian Science Monitor regarding the speculated collapse of the evangelical church. We can either fear the collapse and retreat inside our church walls, or break down those walls and make an even greater gospel impact. Evangelicals have a rich heritage of outreach to hurting people around the world, and we are reaching out compassionately in increasing measure in our surrounding communities. Will you come and join us as we fan the flame of this year’s Season of Service with the Luis Palau Association, and as we celebrate what Portland area churches are doing to reach out beyond their walls? We will be challenged and inspired by a message from Dr. Paul Louis Metzger, professor at Multnomah Biblical Seminary and founder and director of its Institute for the Theology of Culture: New Wine, New Wineskins. We will also have the opportunity to hear from panel members who are on the front lines in loving our community and world.

Sponsored by New Wine, New Wineskins, Palau Season of Service, Beaverton Foursquare Church, Sunset Presbyterian Church, Cedar Mill Bible Church, and Common Ground Church.

For more information contact:
New Wine, 503-251-6767
newwine@multnomah.edu

Register online »

In his post titled, The Death of Americanity, Tyler suggests that Christianity in America is:

a mix of American nationalism–and all that it implies (consumerism, materialism, isolationism, arrogance and apathy, zenophobia, historical and cultural ignorance, missionization by Americanization, simple, propositional faith claims with no new way of being, etc)–mixed with anywhere from a semblance of the Christian message to a fetishization of some of its most obscure and useless dimensions…

While in my opinion Tyler correctly describes the state of affairs concerning what he calls Americanity, his post is not a cynical rant that leaves you in a state of despair.

And perhaps this is why Americanity will fail, too, because it has tried as it may to cover up the radicality of the event of the Incarnation, Crucifixion and Resurrection, the events that change everything and leave nothing in tact as it was, except as a new order of love, constituted by charity and community and zeal.

Here Tyler is trying to turn things back to the reality of Christ, and all the implications that come with Him. Whether or not you agree with his assessment of Christianity here in America and the urgent need for change, I am sure you agree with having Christ at the center of our faith.

I for one am looking forward to June 15th. It will be interesting to hear how Dr. Metzger and other panel members address this issue.

Milan and I explore aspects of the New Wine, New Wineskins paradigm and how Compassion Connect is uniting local churches to serve their neighborhood at a most crucial time.

Overflow: June 2009

Clark and I sit down and talk about the most recent developments with Second Stories, a biblical framework for community development and how to get involved.

Enjoy listening to and seeing spoken and visual art on poverty, health care, and the environment. Even create your own art! The event will be held from 6:30 - 9:30 pm, Friday, May 15 at Liberty Hall, 311 N. Ivy Street, Portland, OR 97227.

Download the PDF flyer here: OCCV In To Action Flyer

For more information, visit OCCV.

Overflow: May 2009