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February 24, 2006
There is some great weekend reading out there, so let me suggest some.
1. Tyler Williams has put together a couple of movie lists for theologians. The first is the Essential Films for Theologians: "The Director's Cut", followed by the Essential Films of 2005 for Theologians. He has putten together a really beautiful list of films, some of which I have, and haven't seen. I noticed several that I have waiting for me at Netflix.
2. Here is a great post about Donald Miller by Joe Thorn titled, Mark Coppenger and Blue Like Jazz. This post by Joe was in response to a lecture given by Mark Coppenger at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary about Blue Like Jazz by Don Miller. HT: Brent Thomas and Steve McKoy. I brought Donald Miller out to our college group in October of 2005, and it was one of the best things we have done. He thoughts really resonated with my students, and those who drove from all over CA to come see him speak. I love this quote from Thorn:
Mark did make a good point early on. He said that in the book Don was being "real" (little r) which is easier than being "Real" (big R) meaning pointing beyond human experience to The Truth. I think that can be a helpful thing to discuss, and of course I agree with the premise. But I think the reason so many were intrigued with Miller's realness (little r) is because the church has been very good at pumping out the Real while not being very real.
I think the church sometimes has not been very good at realness (little r), and my students appreciated Miller's realness with them. They didn't all agree with him, whether it was his views on politics, economics, Jesus Christ, Christianity, etc...but they at least felt he was being honest and real...and passionate.
3. Peter Leithart has strung some interesting and informative views on modernism, postmodernism, etc, etc. Check it out. HT: Smart Christian
4. Ben Myers has a post on a topic I have yet to see before, and that is Essential Building for Theologians
5. Chris Gonzalez has a great post on Confessions of a Pastor. This is a discussion II would like to pick up sometime next week with Chris and any others. I responded to Chris with some comments, but I want to explore this issue more. I think that we live in a different time, and preaching has changed. No longer do many pastors, at least of my generation, stand behind a pulpit. Maybe a music lectern. And if they aren't authentic and real with their congregation, then they've lost their congregation. Chris and I might be different on this issue since we work primarily as college pastors. College students require an authenticity that is nothing like I have seen before.
I don't think it is something that we can manufacture or teach. Maybe we can grow into it. And it is probably cyclical...sometimes we are authentic, other times we are not. I don't preach from behind a pulpit, and I don't stand on a stage in hopes of placing myself within my college students, and not above them. Though I am their leader, I believe in leading from within, than from above or from outside. This is a concept Henri Nouwen draws out in, In The Name of Jesus: Reflections on Christian Leadership, which is the best book on Christian leadership out there, and required reading for all of my leaders.
Also, there is a difference between being authentic and vulnerable with your congregation, and bleeding on them. We are required I believe to be authentic and real...struggles and all. But it is not to be a time where we put ourselves on the counseling couch for 50 minutes in front of everyone. Some things should be shared, and others should remain private.
Okay...we can pick up on this later. But I think this issue is huge, and one of the biggest factors in how people choose churches and it is growing to be a growing issue as the "younger" generation is thirsting for this.
Technorati Tags: theology, films, Blue Like Jazz, architecture, modernism, postmodernism, Christian leadership
Posted by rhett at February 24, 2006 11:57 AM
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