For those leaders, onlookers, lurkers, and what not, there is a Facebook Group related to some of the things we discuss on this blog. (It does not encompass the entirety of who we are, but gives you a good impression of the things we believe and the background of our perspectives.)
Search for Misso Dei - Missional Church in Alberta to join. Here's the purpose as noted on the page: Continue reading »
This is part two of an article written earlier called "We serve like we consume". The article discusses the issues of social justice in Calgary from a Christian perspective. In this second article I wish to assert that social justice can only be adequately communicated outwardly by a community that has experience/willingness to address social justice from within first. Both of these articles were part of a talk I shared at a recent Winter Conference in Calgary over the Christmas holidays. Continue reading »
Just like our discipleship! Big box churches (what's the difference between a warehouse?, auditorium? theater? same boring colours, same anonymity, same cold box feeling....) are noticing a trend. In fact, most churches note: 20% of the people do 80% of everything. Why?! Well for starters the way we offer 'church' is to give people a no hold, non-committal service that can be consumed with from the ease of your pants firmly planted in the chair/pew. Thankfully, people, church folks or not, tend to have a soft spot for the Christmas holidays. That makes doing things the church should do all year (care for the oppressed/poor) much easier around Xmas.
I have a rising suspicion that Calgary Church (insert name here) will be meeting together as a full community Xmas 2009. In the meantime, Merry Christmas! Here are some thoughts I have on three 'issues' that I've encountered this Christmas week. Continue reading »
Christians in Calgary, in fact, 95% of evangelicals across the country get 95% of their materials from the evangelical-right in America. You know the ones, they're on TV, they think America is God's chosen nation, they hate rum and egg nog....Anyways, I was interested to read that some of the major players are starting to rethink their position. Why you say? Simply because they've noticed what we've been living all along, culture is changing.... The 'Moral Majority' is no longer a majority, their opinions are no longer status quo for regular Joe. So what's one to do? Condemn culture? Critique it? Continue reading »
For those of you interested in a little bit of the 'theology' of a new church expression in Calgary, read an article I wrote for another web site called Pomotheo. You'll get a pretty good understanding of some buzzwords Christians use these days, and also an idea of how we'll look.
Christmas is here and that means more chance to spend your $$$. Work a bit harder and longer, cause after all, in the free market economy great ideas coupled with long hours with a dash of good luck means the reward of more cash. Do we really throw your life away to this black hole, grasping for more and more? We do the money dance because our entire existence seems to hinge on someone's need to consume. We want to be served promptly when we demand, that includes our needs, our wants, and of course our experiences....
Wondering whether there’s a church community in Calgary that fits your headspace? Ever sit in church one day and ask why the language used seems so foreign compared to everywhere else we exist? I’m not suggesting there is no value in what other churches seek, but there’s got to be a different way to be connected to God’s plan for humanity than what I’m now bored/confused with.
I think there is, and I want to be a part of a movement that answers some of these questions. This movement requires like-minded people who don’t necessary look the same, but they are in a certain ‘head-space’ that exhibits certain important traits that seek to overcome the status-quo of what we’ve settled for in ‘church’. Sound like you? Continue reading »
What’s with all this jargon from Christians/churches about ‘transformation’? At last check ‘non-believers’ can be well-adjusted, healthy, productive members of society, without all the alcoholism and crack. Normal people do normal things and they seem pretty happy, so why the need for church?
There isn’t one.
At least not right off the bat.
But that Jesus fellow seems interesting……
