From Sampler to Sower

There is much to dismantle, much to overturn, much to rebuild, much to imagine and create and there are many seeds to be sown and grown.

Everything Must Change by Brian McLaren

With those words, Brian McLaren ends the introductory chapter of his book Everything Must Change: Jesus, Global Crises, and a Revolution of Hope. And I must admit, I find those words just a bit inspiring. The emerging church has been about the business of dismantling some one the self-serving concretions of Christianity that came with its establishment as one of the major centers of power in society. There’s been a lot of deconstructing, a lot of overturning.

But there hasn’t been as much rebuilding, imagining and creating as I might hope. Pockets of creative re-imagination can be found here and there, especially within the last decade, but it’s a process that is only beigning and I have hopes that McLaren’s book will carry that reimgining forward in regard to the global crises facing our world. Constructive criticism has it’s place, but in the emerging church there are times it seems like there is far too much criticism and not much construction. I suppose that too is part of the everything that must change.

In that same concluding paragraph McClaren suggests an optimal way of reading his book: “slowly and thoughtfully . . . with some friends if possible.” Truth be told, my first time through the book was none of the above. But recently a colleague of mine, Paul Ward, invited the Nazarene youth pastors in our area to read the book together. He even set up a blog where we can discuss what we read.

And so I’m embarking on my second journey through these pages – a little more slowly, a little more thoughtfully, and this time with some friends along for the ride. I’d like to invite you to be among those friends. I’ll be posting my reactions to the reading both here and on the Anderson Zone Youth Pastor’s blog. Feel free to read along and jump into the discussion in the comments below. Let’s do McLaren proud and create a little conversation.

Now to summarize . . .

Hope Happens

McLaren begins by noting his discomfort with the conventional questions which much of Christianity finds itself focusing on.

Why do we need to have singular and firm opinions on the protection of the unborn, but not about how to help poor people and how to avoid killing people labeled enemies who are already born? Or why are we so concerned about the legitimacy of homosexual marriage but not about the legitimacy of fossil fuels or the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (and in particular, our weapons as opposed to theirs)? Or why are so many religious people arguing about the origin of the species but so few concerned about the extinction of species? (EMC, p 3)

McLaren notes that what we really need is to rediscover the message of Jesus which is not so much a Hitchhikers Guide to escaping this galaxy but a call to citizens of his Kingdom to seek to do His will on earth as it is done in heaven. Too long we’ve used the philosophy that “This World is not My Home” to excuse our calloused inaction regarding injustice in our world, especially considering that such an idea is unscriptural.

McLaren goes on to categorize the global crises to which the subtitle refers in four broad categories:

1. The Prosperity Crisis – or the environmental collapse caused by the pursuit of wealth through unsustainable industry
2. The Equity Crisis – or the growing social gap between the rich and poor, its attendant animosity and distrust
3. The Security Crisis – or the threat of ever-increasing violence that stems from the growing animosity and distrust between the various sectors of our world
4. The Spirituality Crisis – or the failure of religion to provide what McLaren calls a “framing story” capable of redressing the issues created by the other three crises.

And it is this framing story that this book intends to pursue. McClaren claims he is seeking a “fresh vision” of Christ and his message, an understanding that Jesus came not only (or not at all) to save us from his angry Father, but rather from our tendency to act in ways that create the crises that threaten our world. McLaren wants more than “the popular and domesticated Jesus, who has become little more than a chrome-plated hood ornament on the guzzling Hummer of Western civilization (EMC, p 6).”

Such an encounter, he argues, will inspire a revolution of hope. It will lift us from the lethargy of despair and will energize redemptive activity in the world. It will help us to begin to plant the seeds of a better future for our world.

At the end of each chapter McLaren includes discussion questions to facilitate group dialogue. I’ll address those here and invite you to do so in the comments below.

Discussion Questions

1. As you begin this book, what are you most excited about? Confused or curious about? Eager to learn more about? What feelings has this chapter elicited in you?

I already alluded to this, so I won’t belabor the point here. But what excites me the most is to see the chance to move beyond deconstruction and get to rebuilding. I’m hopeful that this book will move beyond pointing to problems and begin suggesting solutions, or at least responses.

2.What are your impressions of the author? Is he winning your confidence or do you feel some of the skepticism he identified in the opening paragraphs of this chapter?

I wouldn’t mention this if he hadn’t asked, but my initial impression of the author is that he is a little smug and self-assured. From his implication that anyone who doesn’t understand Christianity the way he does is either “an angry and reactionary fundamentalist . . . a stuffy traditionalist . . . a blase nominalist . . . a wishy washy liberal . . . a New Agey religious hipster . . . a crusading religious imperialist . . . [or] an overly enthused Bible-waving fanatic” to his subtle reminders of his popularity based on the “couple hundred thousand people who have read my previous books” I find myself somewhat put off my his self-assured tone. And I find myself wondering how often I come off the same way. I’m not really skeptical of his premise – I’m already a pretty hopeful guy – I’m just skeptical of the way McLaren presents himself at times. Which surprises me — I’ve gone out of my way to hear him speak in person whenever possible, and I don’t think he’s really all that arrogant. It’s an inaccurate perception of the author based on the reading of this chapter.

3. How do you react to the summary of global crises in this chapter? . . . Think of issues you’ve seen in the headlines lately. How do they fit under these four categories?

First, I find the inclusion of the equity crises to be very perceptive. We’re quick to notice environmental breakdowns and outbreaks of violence, but to see that behind these crises is inequity is insightful. However, I wonder where the much covered economic collapse falls into these four categories. It would appear that our world’s way of doing business unsustainable, both environmentally as well as economically, so I wonder if it fits under the prosperity crisis. It seems the collapse is largely result of the desire to make money without production, and thus one more symptom of the prosperity crisis. But it would seem that any response to the crises covered by this book must now also demonstrate that they are economically feasible in this new situation.

4. This chapter introduces the subject of hope. How would you describe your level of hope about global crises as you begin this book?

My theological tradition makes a big deal about what we call “the radical optimism of grace.” So it should come as no surprise that I feel extremely hopeful about our grace-enabled ability to transform our world. Of course, typically that phrase is used to describe the hope that Jesus desires not only to rescue his followers from the guilt of their sins, but also to actually enable them to live holy lives. And it’s used by people who are typically pretty pessimistic about the world in which such a rescue takes place. But I serve a Christ, through whom and in whom God was reconciling the world, not just the believing parts of it, but the whole world to himself. I serve a Christ who came to destroy the devil’s work. And I serve a Christ who promises “anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father (John 14:12, NIV).”

The final three “questions” relate to the mechanics of weekly discussion group meetings, something that is not quite so applicable to this medium of discussion, so I will conclude here. Again, I encourage you to read the book and join in the discussion. Leave your comments below.