Emergent Brethren

After some bugging from a friend (thanks Martin) I recently bought two books (The Tangible Kingdom and Church Unique). I began reading the Tangible Kingdom on Monday night and finished it last night. It isn’t a long read. It was a good one though….another needed reminder to be missional and incarnational wherever I am.

So I was reading the book and came across some really good quotes all throughout the book, but the one that caught my attention the most, as it states my issues very well. is from Henry Nouwen.
“More and more, the desire grows in me simply to walk around, greet people, enter their homes, sit on their doorsteps, play ball, throw water, and be known as someone who wants to live with them. It is a privilege to have the time to practice this simple ministry of presence. Still, it is not as simple as it seems. My own desire to be useful, to do something significant, or to be part of some impressive project is so strong that soon my time is taken up by meetings, conferences, study groups, and workshops that prevent me from walking the streets. It is difficult not to have plans, not to organize people around an urgent cause, and not to feel that you are working directly for social progress. But I wonder more and more if the first thing shouldn’t be to know people by name, to eat and drink with them, to listen to their stories and tell your own, and to let them know with words, handshakes, and hugs that you do not simply like them, but truly love them. ”

So that got me thinking of ways of living this quote out in my daily life. So here is what I am committing to do:

1. To visit the local Starbucks between 2-3 per week. Hang out there. Do work there. Meet with youth and others there. Seek to have a presence there.

2. Host a neighborhood picnic either during the remainder of summer or during early fall.

3. Learn how to say no. A quote from the book spells out more about this, “Since the word missional theologically means to be sent, leaving is where living like a missionary really begins. Leaving isn’t just about going overseas. It’s about replacing personal or Christian activities with time spent building relationships with people in the surrounding culture.”

4. Be outside more. Play in the front yard with my kids. Take more walks around the neighborhood. Pray as I am walking around the neighborhood. Start up more conversations.

These are just some commitments that I am making in order to be more missional. Keep me accountable by asking how I am doing with these things.

“My First allegiance is not to a flag, a country, or a man. My first allegiance is not to democracy or blood. It’s to a king and a kingdom”- Derek Webb “A King and a Kingdom”

The other week as I was on vacation I was reading these words on the page of the book Jesus for President. My wife and I and our two kids were vacationing for a few days at Virginia Beach before heading to Richmond for the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference. As I sat on the balcony of our hotel room reading Shane Claiborne’s book (which is all about justice, peace, the empire, etc..) I heard a rumbling noise from the air. At least once every hour a military jet (or two or three) came flying overhead making a ton of noise.

I kept thinking, “How much money is being spent on these flights? How much does jet fuel cost? How much of my taxes are going to fund the machines of war?” I tell you what… it was a surreal experience to read about the kingdom of God and the desire that God has for his people to be people of peace and to hear the war jets flying overhead.

It was good to meet many of you at Annual Conference this past week… NOW, PLEASE take some time to post and respond to posts here… it will make this a much richer experience for all of us!

 What’s happening in your context that you are excited about?

What book or books are you reading that you have found helpful and would share a synopsis of here?

What are your dreams for the coming year?

What are the challenges you are facing right now?

When can we meet again?  Where?

 What neat creative worship elements would you share with us?

You get the idea… now let us know!

Next year, the General Board’s Congregational Life Team is sponsoring a video contest to see who can best creatively interpret next year’s theme: “The old has gone! The new has come! All this is from God!”.

For more information, please take a look at the Video Contest Information Form and Video Contest Entry Form.

If you’re not a multi-media or video editor person, please pass this information to someone who is!

Please feel free to get in contact with me for any questions:

Jeff Glass
888-826-4951
jglass_gb@brethren.org

Last night I was at home and flipping the channels (Okay I only have 6 channels to flip through) and came upon a documentary on PBS.  I believe it was called Carrier and focused on life on an aircraft carrier.  I didn’t watch much of it, being solidly committed to pacifism.  But I watched enough to hear some very interesting quotes.  One that stuck out to me more than any other was spoken by a 20 something guy.  He said something like, “We are here to bring peace.  Peace by power.”  Peace by power?  That got me thinking about peace and our world.  It also got me thinking about the Roman Empire and the Pax Romana (the peace of Rome) in which Jesus found himself living.   The Pax Romana was not a peaceful idea. In fact it was only brought about because anyone who spoke up against Rome or in some way brought “trouble” to Rome was severly dealt with. They would be crucified outside the town with the understandable message, “You mess with Rome and you will end up like this.” So the Peace of Rome was brought about through Violence…

So the comment last night reminded me of Rome and the empire. I began to wonder about the Pax Americana. How much of our peace as a country has been brought about by violence? Can peace be brought about violently or is that an oxymoron? I truly believe that peace is not done by power but by love, grace, service, and mercy. It’s about power under (service) and not power over. (Thanks to Greg Boyd for these words) True peace is only found in Jesus and can’t be brought about by demanding, fighting, and violence.

I then did a search on the term Pax Americana and found an amazing quote by John F. Kennedy.  I agree with him wholeheartedly, and I will work to bring about peace in our world (not just absence of war, but peace of mind, heart, soul, spirit, and in all of creation) I end with his quote. 

I have, therefore, chosen this time and place to discuss a topic on which ignorance too often abounds and the truth too rarely perceived. And that is the most important topic on earth: peace. What kind of peace do I mean and what kind of a peace do we seek? Not a Pax Americana enforced on the world by American weapons of war. Not the peace of the grave or the security of the slave. I am talking about genuine peace, the kind of peace that makes life on earth worth living, and the kind that enables men and nations to grow, and to hope, and build a better life for their children — not merely peace for Americans but peace for all men and women, not merely peace in our time but peace in all time.^[3]