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Great Expectations . . . The Musical
By Mark D. Roberts | Thursday, April 30, 2009
A couple of days ago I saw Great Expectations: The Musical. It was performed at the Boerne Community Theatre by the Teen Troupe. Now I might have seen this musical simply because Great Expectations is one of my favorite novels, but I was significantly motivated by the fact that my son, Nathan, has a major role in the performance. He played the role of Joe Gargery, Pip’s brother-in-law, mentor, and father figure. (Photo: Nathan, standing, sings to Pip “Ever the Best of Friends.” Yes, Nathan does have red hair!)
This musical version of Great Expectations is a decent adaptation of Charles Dickens’ original. Of course much had to be cut to make it fit into 90 minutes or so. I was particularly disappointed with the disappearance of Uncle Pumblechook, one of Dickens’ most pompous, laughable characters. And the ending of the musical was rather weak, but so is the ending of the novel. (In fact, the official ending of Great Expectations is the second one written by Dickens, a happier but less convincing ending, in my opinion.)
I love Great Expectations for many reasons. It is full of surprises (none of which I’ll spoil here, in deference to my son the blogger). The characters are fascinating. The local color is rich, as is usually the case with Dickens.
But what I love most of all about Great Expectations is the way goodness proves to be redemptive, even through suffering and hardship. In fact, the basic goodness in the novel belongs to none other than Joe Gargery, the character played by Nathan in the musical. At first, Joe’s kindness and patience seem simplistic and naive. But, in the end, the ripple effects from his goodness touch many characters. I won’t say more than this. But I was thrilled to have my son playing one of my favorite roles in one of my favorite stories. (If someday he can play Javert, my life will be complete. Talk about living vicariously through you son . . . wow!)
I doubt you’ll be able to see Great Expectations: The Musical. This adaptation, by David and Karen Coons, is rarely performed these days. But you can read the novel, and this I HIGHLY recommend. Like me, you may have read it years ago in school. But I promise you that an adult re-reading will pay rich benefits. If you want a special treat, listen to the novel read by Frank Mueller. He is an absolutely superb reader, whose various voices are convincing. You can find it at Audible.com or iTunes.
Topics: Recommendations | 2 Comments »
Scot McKnight on Laity Lodge
By Mark D. Roberts | Wednesday, April 29, 2009
My last couple of posts focused on Scot McKnight in light of his recent visit to Laity Lodge. Today I was pleasantly surprised to discover that Scot blogged on Laity Lodge.
I want to highlight his post, not only because he liked Laity Lodge, but also because of what he said about it. I can blog and blog and blog about how great Laity Lodge is, but you might wonder if I’m biased since I am the Senior Director of Laity Lodge. Scot is an outsider, and one who has seen plenty of Christian retreat and conference centers. His opinion counts for a lot, at least in my book. (Photo: Scot and his wife on Circle Bluff, with the Laity Lodge retreat center way in the distance along the river.)
Here are a couple of excerpts from Scot’s post, which is entitled: “Sacred Space in Texas: Laity Lodge“:
If I were a pastor or a youth pastor, if I were a small group in Texas, and if I lived within 500 miles of Laity Lodge — I’d do everything I could to get folks to spend a weekend retreat at this beautiful setting in the hill country of Texas.
We took a long hike up to Circle Canyon (?) [Circle Bluff] and we admired for lengthy spells the hummingbirds … and the awesome water in Frio River … and sights and sounds. All in all, Laity Lodge is sacred space for so many people and we are honored to say we’ve been there. The colors, the architecture, the setting … aesthetics at work.
Think about taking your group there … we’ve even thought of how we can get folks from up this way to go down for a retreat.
So, there you have it, a first-timers’s review of Laity Lodge. It is, truly, one of the most wonderful, restful, restorative places on earth. I believed that long before I joined the staff. In fact, that’s one major reason I joined the staff. What a privilege it is for me to help steward one of God’s gracious gifts!
By the way, we still have some room left in a few of our summer retreats. You can find the schedule here. Why not join us this summer for solid teaching, fantastic music, delicious food, warm friendship, and unsurpassed refreshment of your soul? (Photo: Laity Lodge from the bank of the Frio River.)
Topics: Sharing Laity Lodge | 1 Comment »
Scot McKnight: The Blue Parakeet
By Mark D. Roberts | Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Yesterday I described Scot McKnight’s recent visit to Laity Lodge. Today I want put up a brief review of his latest book, The Blue Parakeet: Rethinking How You Read the Bible (Zondervan, 2008).
Initially, the most striking thing about The Blue Parakeet is it’s bright yellow color and odd title. What, one must wonder, does a blue parakeet have to do with reading the Bible? Scot explains this in what is effectively the second introduction to the book. As it turns out, McKnight is a bird-watcher. (A year ago I would have found this rather odd, but now that I live in a place with lots of interesting birds, I can relate to Scot’s fascination with our winged friends.) One day while he was watching sparrows in his backyard, Scot saw an unusual flash of unusual blue. It turned out to be a blue parakeet, no doubt an escaped pet. Scot was surprised, and so were the sparrows, who didn’t know what to make of the blue stranger. In time, they managed to get along with the parakeet, even though it had initially interrupted their routine.
According to Scot, there are passages in the Bible that are like this blue parakeet. They surprise us. They confuse us. They interrupt our otherwise comfortable reading of the Bible. What we do when we encounter these blue parakeets matters, especially for those of us who consider the Bible to be the authoritative guide for our faith and life. Scot explains his point this way:
Chance encounters [with blue parakeet passages] somtimes lead us deeper into thought. The passages I mentioned in the previous chapter [concerning Sabbath, tithing, foot washing, charismatic gifts, and surrendering possessions] as well as comments from students are for me “blue parakeet experiences.” When we encounter blue parakeets in the Bible or in the questions of others, whether we think of something as simple as the Sabbath or foot washing or as complex and emotional as women in church ministries or homosexuality, we have to stop and think. Is this passage for today or not? Sometimes we hope the blue parakeets will go away – as I hoped. (Kindle location, 357)
The rest of The Blue Parakeet is Scot’s effort to explain how we do and how we should interpret the Bible. In technical terms, this is a book about biblical hermenutics (the study of we interpret the Bible). It assumes the authority of Scripture and takes seriously the nature of the biblical text and especially its challenges for contemporary interpreters.
I found several features of The Blue Parakeet much to my liking:
• Scot’s style is casual and engaging. He has written for ordinary folk, not for scholars, though his ideas reflect a scholar’s knowledge. (Scot is a fine New Testament scholar and professor of biblical studies at North Park University.)
• He pays special attention to the narrative flow of Scripture and urges us to read biblical passages in terms of this narrative.
• He defends his positions strongly and clearly, though not tearing down those who would disagree with him. Scot is not a polemicist.
• His extended example of how we read biblical texts that speak of women in ministry is a helpful one. Even if you disagree with Scot’s conclusions, he’ll give you things to think about.
• He is honest about his own struggles to understand the Bible faithfully.
I would recommend The Blue Parakeet especially to Christians who are wrestling with how to interpret the Bible in a way that is faithful, both to Scripture and to our context today. I wish I had this book when I was in college and worrying about issues of biblical authority and interpretation. I could also see The Blue Parakeet being well used in adult class and small group studies.
Topics: Book Reviews | 10 Comments »
Scot McKnight at Laity Lodge
By Mark D. Roberts | Monday, April 27, 2009
Part 1 of series: Sharing Laity Lodge: 2009
Permalink for this post / Permalink for this series
This past weekend we were pleased to host Scot McKnight at Laity Lodge. Many of my readers will be familiar with Scot because he is, among other things, a prolific and influential blogger. Jesus Creed, Scot’s blog, is one of the most widely read Christian blogs. It appears in the “Faith Blog” section of Beliefnet.com, which is the Web’s largest clearinghouse of things religious. (Photo: Scot holds forth in the Great Hall at Laity Lodge.)
But Scot McKnight is not merely a popular blogger. He’s also a fine New Testament scholar, whose books I used to require when I taught seminary classes. Officially, he’s the Karl A. Olsson Professor in Religious Studies at North Park University (Chicago, Illinois). Scot is also a prolific author, who has written well over a dozen books on a wide range of topics, from academic studies to more popular books. In 2004, Scot’s book The Jesus Creed won the prestigious Christianity Today book award in the “Christian Living” category. Another of Scot’s surprising books is called Praying with the Church. It is an outstanding introduction to liturgical and shared prayers for people from traditions in which spontaneous prayer is the order of the day.
Scot’s contribution at Laity Lodge was outstanding. He is a fine scholar who is able to communicate in a popular, engaging style. He does not flaunt his scholarship, but rather uses it as a solid basis for his teaching. Scot also has a delightful sense of humor, and is able, among other things, to laugh at himself. Though he takes his content seriously, he does not take himself too seriously!
Scot’s teaching content was based on some of his recent books: The Real Mary, The Jesus Creed, Praying with the Church, and The Blue Parakeet. But he didn’t just rehash old material, or, worse yet, read portions of this books. Rather, he summarized some of his main points, illustrating them creatively and helping us connect to them personally.
One of Scot’s persistent points was that Christian spirituality is not just a matter of developing an inner glow, even one that shines outward. It is also doing what Jesus said, loving our neighbors as ourselves, and giving cups of cold water to those who are thirsty . . . especially to those we’d rather not have to get involved with. “Responding to other people with mercy and grace,” Scot observed, “is almost always inconvenient.”
This is worth a second read. “Responding to other people with mercy and grace is almost always inconvenient.” As someone who likes convenience, I don’t like this. I don’t disagree with its truth, but I don’t like it. I must confess that I sometimes let my desire for convenience and comfort defeat my commitment to acting with mercy and grace. Scot has challenged me to allow the Lord to work on this part of me.
For years, I have held Scot McKnight in high esteem. Now, having had the chance to meet him and sit under his teaching, my esteem is even higher.
Topics: Sharing Laity Lodge | 3 Comments »
Sunday Inspiration from The High Calling
By Mark D. Roberts | Sunday, April 26, 2009
Finally, I Confessed
Finally, I confessed all my sins to you
and stopped trying to hide my guilt.
I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the LORD.”
And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone.
Psalm 32 expresses David’s joy in experiencing the freedom of God’s forgiveness. But, for a while, David did not rejoice because he refused to confess his sin (v. 3). God’s tough but gracious discipline brought David to the point that he laid everything before the Lord without holding back. He stopped trying to hide his guilt from God (v. 5). The result of his full confession was God’s forgiveness, which led to David’s rejoicing: “Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight!” (v. 1).
I have seen this sort of scenario play out in many lives. As a pastor, I have been privileged to listen to people who, after years of struggling with guilt, have finally been able to confess their sin to God. The resulting experience of forgiveness and peace often leads to exultant joy.
Often, the very sins that haunt us the most are the ones we have the hardest time confessing. Our shame over our failure keeps us from telling God the truth of what we have done. Yet, by the power of his Spirit, when we are set free to be honest about our worst offenses, then we are finally able to know the transforming power of divine forgiveness. We can experience in real-time the truth of 1 John 1:8-9: “If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.” From all wickedness!
QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION: When have you experienced the transforming power of forgiveness? Are you being dragged down by guilt because you have not confessed certain sins? What keeps you from confessing? What helps you to be more honest with God in your confession?
PRAYER: O Lord, how I thank you for your forgiveness. There is little in life more wonderful than the knowledge that you truly forgive me, not just for the “little stuff,” but for the “big stuff” as well.
Yet you have required us to confess our sins to you so that we might experience your forgiveness. Through Christ, full forgiveness is ours. Yet when we hold back from telling you our sins, we close our hearts to the wonder of your cleansing. So help me, Lord, to tell you the truth about myself. Even and especially when I feel ashamed about my sin and am tempted to keep quiet about it, help me to speak openly to you, so that I might know the freedom and joy of forgiveness.
Most of all, Lord, I thank you for taking my sin and guilt upon yourself, offering righteousness and freedom in exchange. All praise be to you, O God, for the forgiveness I have through your grace in Christ. Amen.
_________________________________________________
Would you like to receive a Daily Reflection like this one in your email inbox each morning?
Here’s how . . . .
This devotional comes from The High Calling of Our Daily Work (www.thehighcalling.org). You can read my Daily Reflections there, or sign up to have them sent to your email inbox each day. This website contains lots of encouragement for people who are trying to live out their faith in the workplace.
Topics: Sunday Inspiration | No Comments »
Another Reason I Love Spring
By Mark D. Roberts | Saturday, April 25, 2009
My daughter and my dog enjoying a spring afternoon . . .
Topics: Spring | No Comments »
Opposing Views: An Intriguing New Website
By Mark D. Roberts | Friday, April 24, 2009
I’ve recently become aware of a new website called Opposing Views. The headline of this site identifies it as in Beta mode, so I assume it’s very much a work in progress.
The main point of Opposing Views is . . . to present opposing views on a variety of contemporary issues, including: gun laws, condom distribution, U.S. foreign policy, child discipline, the power of prayer to heal, bottled water, the existence of God, same-sex marriage, and many more. Their major categories are: Politics, Society, Health, Money, and Religion. Under these categories they include a wide range of subjects.
Opposing Views gathers “Verified Experts” who weigh in on opposite sides of issues. They are required to express themselves in a civil manner. (See their page, “Civility 101″.) Readers are invited to add comments, who are also expected to adhere to the values of “Civility 101.”
The people producing Opposing Views are identified on the website. I recognize a couple of their names, but am not familiar with them. I do recognize many of the organizations or individuals that have been identified as experts, including: Amnesty International, John Piper, Baptist Press, American Atheists, Focus on the Family, AFL-CIO, the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Rights, and the National Right to Life Committee. As near as I can tell, the experts represent a genuine diversity of opinion on major issues, are are people who are articulate spokespersons for their cause.
Of course, being the suspicious person that I am, I wonder if Opposing Views has some sort of agenda besides facilitating authentic conversation about issues. If, for example, they utilized strong experts on one side of an issue and weak experts on the other side, then this would show some sort of bias. But I haven’t seen anything like this so far. In fact, I’ve been impressed by what seems to a balanced collection of voices.
I suppose a potential danger in Opposing Views approach is that it might over-emphasize differences on certain issues. In my experience, sometimes the people on the poles of an issue are less insightful than those who are more toward the center. I don’t know if Opposing Views will allow for moderate voices outside of the comments.
Nevertheless, I am impressed with the stated objectives of Opposing Views and with what they have managed to produce so far. I believe we desperately need places in our world today where people of differing opinions can discuss and disagree with intelligence, candor, and civility. It seems like Opposing Views seeks to be this sort of place. More power to them! I hope they succeed. And, needless to say at this point, I recommend that you check out this website. And if you’re able to give some feedback in my comments, that would be great.
Topics: Recommendations | 6 Comments »
Another Way of Doing Business
By Mark D. Roberts | Thursday, April 23, 2009
I was in Seattle this week for meetings at Seattle Pacific University. Several of us who are associated with Laity Lodge got together with SPU faculty from various disciplines: business, economics, organizational psychology, theology, brain science, and marriage and family. We discussed our common vision for the integration of theology, psychology, and business, especially with regard to raising up servant leaders who are living out their faith in every part of life (Photo: SPU in the spring.)
For some time, I have been aware that SPU was doing some ground-breaking work in the area of faith and business, but I was impressed by how the School of Business and Economics, in partnership with other SPU departments, has developed a new vision for faithful free enterprise. The motto of the business school is: “Another Way of Doing Business.” They explained what they mean thus:
[I]n the School of Business and Economics (SBE), we start with the premise that the purpose of business is to serve. In particular, it is to serve the community by providing the goods and services that will enable the community to flourish (an external goal). It also serves by providing meaningful and creative work that will allow employees to express aspects of their identity on the job (an internal goal).
This philosophy of service reverses the dominant paradigm. Profit generating continues to be critically important but no longer as the end of the business activity. Rather, it is the means by which sufficient capital is attracted to the organization to allow the organization to do what it should be doing – that is, to serve. Shareholders are entitled to a fair return on their investments as the means to the ends of serving customers and employees.
Of course, efficiency, revenue generation, and profit-making remain critically important aspects of any business. Profit is as essential to the health of an organization as air is to the health of a human being. Without air, no matter how noble his or her aspirations, a person will die. This does not, however, mean that breathing is the ultimate goal of human existence. Likewise, generating profits is essential but not the appropriate “end” of the business enterprise. [Excerpt from an SBE brochure.]
If you find this intriguing, and I certainly do, I’d highly recommend that you listen to an address by Jeff Van Duzer, Dean of SBE. It’s on the topic: “How Business Contributes to Human Flourishing.” You can download the MP3 here or at this iTunes link.
I was struck, not only by the vision for business at SPU, but also by their commitment to interdisciplinary conversation about business (and other matters). In academic institutions, it’s rare for members of the business, psychology, neuroscience, and theology faculties to work together on projects of mutual interest. It almost seems as if they don’t have mutual interests. SPU is to be highly commended for their exemplary effort in this regard.
Seattle Pacific University is a Christian school with historical associations to the Free Methodist Denomination. The university’s statement of faith explains that they are “historically orthodox,” “clearly evangelical,” “distinctively Wesleyan,” and “genuinely ecumenical.” I know that several of their faculty are Presbyterians, so the Wesleyan commitment of the university does not shut out those of us with Reformed leanings.
If you’re considering a career in business, I’d highly recommend that you check out SPU for undergraduate or graduate education. As a plus, you’ll get to live in Seattle, one of my favorite cities (in spite of its well-earned reputation for drizzle, balanced by its equally well-earned reputation for coffee and seafood).
Topics: Recommendations, Faith and Work | 12 Comments »
Unfashionable by Tullian Tchividjian, Part 3
By Mark D. Roberts | Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Today I’m finishing my review the book Unfashionable by Tullian Tchividjian. As I did yesterday, I will quote portions of the book and then add my comments.
“God’s ultimate purpose for Christians is not to bring them out of this world and into heaven, but to use them to bring heaven into this world. As we hallow God’s name and do God’s will in how we think, feel, and act – even when it means being unfashionable – the power of Christ’s resurrection flows through us, and as a result we bring heaven’s culture to earth; we give people a foretaste of what’s to come. In this manner we continue the work Christ began and will one day complete” (p. 61).
This statement will surely raise some eyebrows, perhaps even some critical voices. Billy Graham’s grandson and the heir of D. James Kennedy’s pastorate is saying that getting people into heaven isn’t the main point of Christian mission??!! In fact, Tullian is sounding a whole lot like N.T. Wright here, in Simply Christian and Surprised by Hope as well as his many other writings. More to the point, Tullian is sounding a lot like the New Testament and its eschatological vision. But is he denying the soul-saving mission of the church? See the next excerpt for his answer.
“Therefore, the mission of the church is spiritual and physical, individual and cultural. God wants us to involve ourselves on the rehabilitation of hearts and houses, souls and society. We’re to care about the renewal of both people and the environment. This requires word and deed, proclamation and demonstration. God is renewing human hearts and recreating all things through his church. This is our mission to the world” (p. 62).
This is a powerful statement. I’m reminded of something my mentor Lloyd Ogilvie used to say when people wanted to focus the ministries of Hollywood Presbyterian Church too narrowly: “We must not submit to the tyranny of the either-or.”
“For a long time now, I’ve been convinced that what happens on New York (finance), Hollywood (entertainment), Silicon Valley (technology), and Miami (fashion) has a far greater impact on how our culture thinks about reality than what happens on Washington DC (politics)” (p. 65).
Here Tullian plainly distinguishes himself from the Religious Right, including his predecessor at Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church, D. James Kennedy. Though not denying the value of Christian political involvement, Tullian puts far less hope in its potential for social transformation. I think he’s right here, though we mustn’t forget the political efforts of people like William Wilberforce, whom Tullian notes as well (pp. 63-64).
“In becoming Christians we don’t need to retreat from the vocational calling we already have. Nor do we need to justify that calling, whatever it is, in terms of its spiritual value or evangelistic usefulness. We simply exercise whatever our calling is with new God-glorifying motives, goals, and standards ¬ and with a renewed commitment to performing our calling with greater excellence and higher objectives” (p. 85).
As you might well imagine, I cheered when I read this paragraph. Tullian’s vision of vocation is right down the line of Laity Lodge. Of course doing our work according to God’s standards is often mich more easily said than done. That’s one reason why we have an entire website devoted to The High Calling of Our Daily Work.
“Therefore, every day and in every circumstance, we need to be consciously and rigorously translating our faith into the language of the culture we’re trying to reach.
This is the challenge: If you don’t contextualize enough, no one’s life will be transformed, because they wpn’t understand you. But (and this is whatvwe’ll look at next) if you contextualize too much, no one’s life will be transformed, because you won’t be challenging their deepest assumptions and calling them to change” (pp. 89-90).
This is the sort of nuance I was hoping for. Contextualizing the Gospel is essential for mission, and this involves adapting to a culture, at least to an extent. In the latter chapters of Unfashionable, Tullian spells out in more detail what this means for us. Using Ephesians 4:22-24 as a guide, he addresses specific issues of Christian living. One of his major emphases is that we must be a community in which the Good News is proclaimed and lived.
Conclusion: Of course there’s much more in Unfashionable that I have been able to deal with here. If you’re intrigued, I encourage you to purchase the book for yourself.
Topics: Book Reviews | 1 Comment »
Unfashionable by Tullian Tchividjian, Part 2
By Mark D. Roberts | Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Today I’m continuing the review I began yesterday of the book Unfashionable by Tullian Tchividjian. My plan is to quote portions of the book and then add my comments. This way you’ll hear Tullian’s own voice as well as mine.
“The point I want to drive home in this book is that Christians make a difference in this world by being different from this world; they don’t make a difference by being the same” (p. 9).
First, a comment about style. This sentence exemplifies Tullian’s clear, snappy, occasionally hyperbolic prose. He knows what he wants to say and he says it with passion. I never felt lost in a tangled web of words as I was reading Unfashionable.
But the hyperbolic tone of this sentence also gave me pause when I first read it. Surely we don’t make a difference in the world simply by being different from the world. And, sometimes, aren’t we to be like the world in a way? What about Paul’s “all things to all people”? Doesn’t the Incarnation itself suggest that we need in some sense to be like the world we’re trying to reach? I hoped that Tullian’s effort would wrestle with the tricky challenge of being “in but not of” the world.
“I want to help you reimagine the potential impact of a radically unfashionable lifestyle. I want to show you what God-soaked, gospel-infused priorities look like in relationships, community, work, finances, and culture — and how those priorities can change the world” (p. 10).
This sounds promising. Being unfashionable isn’t the main point, but rather the by-product of being authentically Christian. And I like the inclusive vision of what true Christian living will impact.
“We need to remember that God established his church as an alternative society, not to compete with or copy this world, but to offer a refreshing alternative to it” (p. 15).
Yes, indeed, though this would lead, I think, to a certain competition between the church and the world. The church is not just one more institution within this world, but an instance of another world that is invading this world. This inevitably leads to competition, or spiritual warfare, as it is often called.
“Ironically, the more we Christians pursue worldly relevance, the more we’ll render ourselves irrelevant to the world around us” (p. 17).
Again, this is one of Tullian’s rhetorically clever statements that leaves me hoping he’ll sort out ways in which relevance is helpful and ways in which it is not. He right, of course, that there is a difference between “pursuing relevance” as a goal in and of itself, or as a means of gaining worldly approval, and using relevance to relating the Gospel to the genuine needs of people and the issues of our day.
“I’m not saying, of course, that rejecting worldliness means one must remain culturally clueless. Just the opposite in fact. To avoid being pressed into the world’s mold, every Christ follower must work at gaining an accurate understanding of how culture works — where and how it influences the way we think and live” (p. 28).
This is pointing in the right direction. Presumably, our cultural analysis will also help us see when culture is negative, positive, or neutral in its influence. If, for example, our culture is growing in its appreciation of narrative, that might not be so bad for biblical Christians. In this case, culture might be our friend.
Tomorrow I’ll finish my review of Unfashionable.
Topics: Book Reviews | 3 Comments »
Unfashionable by Tullian Tchividjian
By Mark D. Roberts | Monday, April 20, 2009
Today I’m participating in the “blog tour” for Unfashionable: Making a Difference in the World by Being Different, by Tullian Tchividjian. First, I’d like to introduce the author.
I had not heard of Tullian Tchividjian until March 19, 2009. On that day I noticed a USA Today story with an intriguing headline: “Billy Graham’s Grandson to Lead Famed Megachurch.” The article introduced the Rev. Tullian Tchividjian, whose mother, Gigi, is a daughter of Billy and Ruth Graham. Tchividijian, the story explained, was recently elected as the Senior Pastor of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Florida. This church had been led for five decades by Dr. D. James Kennedy, who was a notable televangelist who had made quite an impact as a member of the Religious Right. As I read the USA Today story, I thought to myself, “Man, I need to pray for Tullian. He has a double legacy: grandson of Billy Graham and successor to James Kennedy. Yikes!” And so I did offer a prayer for Tullian, even as I resolved to pray for him regularly.
Little did I realize that one day later I would meet Tullian Tchividjian at the Christian Book Expo in Dallas, and even serve on a panel with him. You might think I would have known in advance who would be my discussion partners for the “What is the Gospel?” panel. But, for some reason, I didn’t gather that information. Anyway, I had the privilege of meeting Tullian on Friday morning, March 20. In this meeting I learned that he pronounces his name TOO-lee-un cha-VIJ-in, though his full name is William Graham Tullian Tchividjian. He impressed me as friendly and humble. (I didn’t see any sign of a “Billy Graham’s Grandson” tattoo.) His contribution to the panel was solid and helpful. Tullian is a bright, articulate, theologically-nuanced, enthusiastic communicator. I doubt I would have associated him with Billy Graham if I hadn’t known about their relationship in advance. But, with such knowledge in mind, I could see evidence of Tullian’s genetic connection to the most famous preacher of the last century, and the one who led me to Christ in 1963. (Photos: Tullian Tchividjian and Billy Graham.)
A few days after the CBE panel, I received a request from the folks who were organizing a blog tour for Tullian’s newest book, asking me to participate. Having met him and heard him speak, I felt confident that his book would be well worth reading and reviewing, so I signed on for the tour.
With that background, let me turn to the business at hand. Unfashionable, published by Multnomah, is 171 pages long, plus another 12 pages of a study guide for individual or group use. The addition of this guide makes Unfashionable very useful, especially for small groups or adult classes.
Perhaps one of the best ways for me to introduce you to this book is by quoting from the preface. Here’s Tullian’s list of the top-ten signs that you may be too fashionable:
10. You can look around at church and notice that everybody is basically the same age as you are and they look and dress pretty much like you do.
9. You can’t stand singing a worship song that was “in” five years ago—much less singing a hymn from another century.
8. It’s been a long time since you disagreed with anything said by Oprah. [MDR: Ah, nuts!]
7. You’ve attended a “leadership” conference where you learned more about organization and props (structural renovation) than proclamation and prayer (spiritual reformation).
6. Your goal in spending time with non-Christians is to demonstrate that you’re really no different than they are, and to prove this you curse like a sailor, drink like a fish, and smoke like a chimney.
5. You’ve concluded that everything new is better than anything old OR that everything old is better than anything new.
4. You think that the way Jesus lived is more important than what Jesus said—that his deeds are more important than his doctrine.
3. You believe that the best way to change our culture is to elect a certain kind of politician.
2. The church you’ve chosen is defined more by its reaction to “boring, traditional” churches than by its response to a needy world.
1. The one verse you most wish wasn’t in the Bible is John 14:6, where Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” That’s way too close-minded!
So, how did you rank?
It is telling that the form of this top-ten list is something made “fashionable” by David Letterman. Tullian is not arguing that Christians must become separate from the world and its modes of communication. In fact, he believes that “contextualization” is a necessary component of Christian mission. We need to communicate in culturally-relevant modes if we’re going to be used by God to transform lives and, indeed, cultures. So Unfashionable does not make an idol of being out-of-step with everything in our culture. Rather, it challenges us to consider carefully how we adapt to culture and when we break with it.
Since this post is getting rather long, I’ll stop my review here, and continue tomorrow where I’ve left off. But, in the meanwhile, let me encourage you to buy Unfashionable. It’s a fine read and well worth your time and money.
Note: As always when I do a review, if you click on the link you’ll be able to purchase the book from Amazon. Since I get a few cents from Amazon for every book sold, I am donating everything I make from this review to charity. This should obviate concern that my positive review is financially self-serving.
Topics: Book Reviews | 2 Comments »
Sunday Inspiration from The High Calling
By Mark D. Roberts | Sunday, April 19, 2009
The Roller Coaster of Genuine Faith
You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing.
You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy.
My children like to ride roller coasters. So, as a dutiful father, I often join them. I actually enjoy some roller coasters, the ones that are relatively smooth. But the ones that jerk me around from side to side are a pain in the neck . . . literally! Nevertheless, I hang in there with my children because being in relationship with them makes it all worthwhile.
Psalm 30 can feel like one of those rough roller coasters. It begins with David’s praise of God, who delivered him from what seemed like certain death (vv. 1-3). Thus David calls others to join in his celebration (vv. 4-5). But then, just as he felt “secure as a mountain,” the Lord “turned away” from David and he felt “shattered” (vv. 6-7). In desperation he cried out to God for mercy (vv. 8-10). The Lord responded positively, turning David’s mourning into dancing and endless thanksgiving (v. 11-12).
Those are quick and dramatic changes of direction in only twelve verses. Thus Psalm 30 illustrates what might well be called “the roller coaster of genuine faith.” Though the twists and turns of our life might not be quite as abrupt as David’s, nevertheless we know what it’s like to move from security to shattering, from blessing to begging. And, by God’s grace, we also have experienced, like David, the deliverance that comes after the trauma.
Psalm 30 models for us how to live in relationship with an unpredictable God. When we are blessed, we offer thanks and praise. When it seems as if God has abandoned us, we cry out with abandon. Just as there is nothing neat and tidy about Psalm 30, so it is in our relationship with God. Yet David’s example encourages us to stay in that relationship even when we can’t figure out what God is doing. We hang in there on the roller coaster of faith because being in relationship with God makes it all worthwhile.
QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION: Has your relationship with God ever felt like a roller coaster ride? When? Are you someplace on that ride right now? Are you as free as David to stay in relationship with God no matter what happens? Why or why not?
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I must admit that a lot of me wishes that relationship with you were not such a roller coaster. Sometimes I’d prefer a nice, peaceful, predictable boat cruise. Indeed, there are times like that in life. But they don’t last. Before long, I’m hanging onto you for dear life once again.
Perhaps it would be more accurate to say that you’re hanging onto me for dear life, my life that is dear to you. Thank you for not letting go of me when I am consumed by fear or doubt. Thank you for hearing my prayers even when they’re not especially nice . . . or theologically appropriate.
Lord, today I’m thinking of people I know who are in the middle of a scary roller coaster ride with you. Hang onto them, Lord. Reassure them with your presence. Bring them to a place of peace and rest. Help them to have confidence that you will never let go of them. Amen.
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This devotional comes from The High Calling of Our Daily Work (www.thehighcalling.org). You can read my Daily Reflections there, or sign up to have them sent to your email inbox each day. This website contains lots of encouragement for people who are trying to live out their faith in the workplace.
Topics: Sunday Inspiration | No Comments »
When in Tulsa . . .
By Mark D. Roberts | Saturday, April 18, 2009
Recently I was out and about in Tulsa, Oklahoma. I visited this fine city for the first time in order to preach in the chapel of the First Presbyterian Church of Tulsa and give a luncheon lecture. I was most impressed by this church. The people I met were friendly. Their facility is vast and aesthetically pleasing. I loved the classic sanctuary with its marvelous stained glass window (see photo). I enjoyed meeting several members of the First Church staff, including the Senior Pastor, Dr. Jim Miller. When I visit a vibrant, visionary church like this, I am encouraged about the state of the church in America, including, I might add, my denomination, the PC(USA), in which First Pres Tulsa is a leading congregation.
I stayed overnight in the Crowne Plaza hotel in downtown Tulsa. It was convenient and comfortable. But it had two features that made me smile. First, there is a Starbucks in the hotel. No need to trek all over town to find a decent latté in the morning! Second, and more significant, the Crowne Plaza includes a Daily Grill restaurant. This was one of my favorite restaurants when I lived in Orange County, California. There are a couple of Daily Grills in Texas (Austin, Houston), but I haven’t been able to check them out yet. There are two items on the Daily Grill menu that I enjoy: meatloaf and Cobb Salad. I should not that neither is inexpensive. But both are worth a few extra bucks on a special occasion.
My favorite restaurant in Tulsa, however, is the Blue Dome Diner (photo to right). Jim Miller and his staff took me to breakfast there. What a treat! This classic diner has exactly the sort of food you’d expect in such a place, only better. I had oatmeal, Grandma’s Oats, to be exact. It was fantastic. The more youthful members of the First Pres staff had delicious egg dishes, with fried potatoes, French toast, and you name it. Whew!
The Blue Dome Diner does not have a blue dome, by the way. It is across the street from one of Tulsa’s landmarks, which does, in fact, have a blue dome. I asked Jim Miller if the building had once been an Eastern Orthodox Church, because it looks quite a bit like the small sanctuaries you see all over in places like Santorini. But, alas, the blue dome was built for more terrestrial functions. 
In fact, it was once the Blue Dome Service Station. It opened in 1925 as a Tidal Oil Gas Station (later, Gulf Oil). Given its location right on Route 66, a highly-traveled east-west highway in those days, the Blue Dome Station thrived. But with the building of the interstate highway system, the gas station turned into a bar sometime in the 1940s or 1950s. The building was neglected until 2000, when a Tulsa businessman purchased the property in order to preserve and use it. The Blue Dome Station is now the home of Arnie’s Bar, though the space under the dome is used as an artist’s studio.
A recent article in The Journal Record of Oklahoma City tells the story of the Blue Dome Station. Here’s what it says about the building’s origins: “A June 1925 advertisement in The Architectural Record supports that, with Acme Brick touting its product used in designs patterned off the grand Hagia Sophia dome by architects Lawrence Blue and Fred Knoblock.” The Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, Turkey, is the “mother church” of Eastern Orthodoxy. Its dome is similar in shape to that of the Blue Dome Station. However, it is not blue. You will find blue domed Eastern Orthodox churches in places like Santorini, an island off the coast of Greece. (Photo: Some blue domed churches in Oia, a city in northern Santorini)
All in all, I was impressed by Tulsa. A smaller city, it is clean, attractive, and growing. If you’re ever in town, I highly recommend the First Presbyterian Church and the Blue Dome Diner.
Topics: Out and About | 6 Comments »
I Love Spring!
By Mark D. Roberts | Friday, April 17, 2009
My mother and my dog enjoy a spring afternoon in Texas . . . .
A Redbud tree blooming at Laity Lodge . . . .
Thank you, Lord, for springtime!
Topics: Texas | 3 Comments »
Check Out The Divine Commodity by Skye Jethani
By Mark D. Roberts | Thursday, April 16, 2009
When I was asked to participate in the blog tour for Skye Jethani’s new book, The Divine Commodity: Discovering a Faith Beyond Consumer Christianity, I had mixed feelings. I do think it’s essential for Christians (including me) to discover a faith beyond consumer Christianity. So I was inclined to recognize the value in Jethani’s book. Yet, I’ve read plenty already that bemoans the materialistic nature of American Christianity. So I wondered if Jethani would simply rehash valid but well-worn gripes. I would have been inclined to turn down the book tour invitation for this reason, except I knew something of Jethani’s writing from pieces I’ve read elsewhere. I knew him to be a creative and engaging author. So I took the risk of signing on to the tour.
As I expected, Jethani’s book does offer a critique of Christian consumerism. But I did not expect him to go well beyond the familiar argument that we Christians care too much about “stuff.” In fact, he shows how this care shapes our Christian faith, our churches, and our mission.
As I expected, Jethani does this with insight and a delightful writing style. He is a brilliant thinker and a top-notch writer. But I did not expect him to interact so ingeniously with art, especially the art of Vincent Van Gogh.
As I expected, Jethani’s critique of “consumer Christianity” is trenchant and well worth reading. But I did not expect his proffered solutions to be equally insightful, gripping, and somtimes even surprising. I was challenged, both intellectually and personally, but The Divine Commodity.
While I was reading Jethani’s book, Newsweek ran a cover story on “The End of Christian America.” It occurred to me that many of the ideas in The Divine Commodity related to this article, and vice versa. So my question for Skye Jethani asked him to comment on these connections. Here is our interchange:
Mark:
I would like to ask you to talk about the relationship between your book and the recent Newsweek cover story on “The End of Christian America.” I can think of several interesting connections, but rather than asking about these, I’d rather give you free reign to comment on how you see The Divine Commodity relating to state of Christianity in America, and especially its purportedly waning influence.
Skye:
I believe the North American church is in a time of “creative dislocation.” I agree with Dr. Mohler, who is quoted extensively in the Newsweek article, that we are seeing a remarkable cultural-shift, and that the “Judeo-Christian consensus of the last millennium has given way to a post-modern, post-Christian, post-Western” culture. Where I depart from Dr. Mohler is when he calls this a “cultural crisis which threatens the very heart of our culture.”
Christianity is indeed losing its privileged position of cultural authority in North America, but this dislocation is creating the conditions for God to do something new within and through his people. For those who believe the church and its mission can only succeed by maintaining control of schools, institutions, and governments, then I can understand why trends outlined in the Newsweek article would stir worry. But my guess is that these folks have bought into what I call The Daisy Cutter Doctrine (as discussed in Chapter 9 of The Divine Commodity).
The Daisy Cutter Doctrine is the belief that God’s huge mission can only be legitimately accomplished with huge methods. For example, to impact the United States for Christ, Christians should seek control of the United States Government. Or, if we want to shift cultural values Christians should be producing Hollywood blockbusters that promote the virtue of monogamous, heterosexual marriage. The idea is that a big mission requires big methods for a big impact.
But with Christianity and the Church becoming increasingly marginalized in our culture, the opportunities for massive cultural impact are shrinking. This, I suspect, is what has people like Dr. Mohler so concerned.
I am not.
The overwhelming witness of Scripture is that God transforms the world using the smallest and most unlikely methods—the outcasts, the underdogs, the forgotten, and the under-resourced. Last week was Passover and Easter. In one story the most powerful empire on earth is defeated and plundered by a band of poor slaves in communion with God. In the other story, the powers of evil and hell are defeated by the death and resurrection of a poor itinerant preacher from the backwaters of Galilee.
Beyond the testimony of Scripture, a glimpse at the state of global Christianity shows that many of the places where the faith is growing most rapidly are also where it lacks a privileged position. China may be the most vivid example, or among the Dalit (Untouchables) of India.
For those church leaders that have great concern over the “decline” of Christianity in America, I believe The Divine Commodity carries a message of enduring hope. God may be simply refining his church and burning away the cultural dross that we’ve acquired from our privileged position. This refining may be painful as we lose institutions, facilities, and even some previously impactful ministries. But in the end I have great confidence that Christ’s Church, even in America, will prevail. For when we are weak, then we are strong.
Mark:
Thanks, Skye, for this thoughtful answer.
So, blog-reading friends, I highly commend The Divine Commodity by Skye Jethani.
To check out other “stops” on Skye’s blog tour, see Chris Fann’s blog.
Topics: Book Reviews | 6 Comments »