parables of a prodigal world

It's been about 9 months or so since my last act of processing/synthesizing the latest segment of my Christian journey . Figured its about time for another one. So, in no particular order... 10. You can either embrace humility, or get crushed by the reality of your relative insignificance vis-à-vis the big picture. 9. God is unfair. If that claim bothers you, look at it again, this time from His perspective. 8. Love works. 7. The more I think about theistic evolution, the bigger my vision of God's grace becomes. 6. Never trust a guy who touts narrative theology and the importance of storytelling, then opens a Twitter account . 5. I want to love people more than I love people. 4. My attention is most ardently focused on circumstances and events where God is not present, and that by a rather large margin. 3. I get the sense that my "most Christian" actions are not my actions at all. 2. The more I want to love people, the more I love people. 1. I've found that praye...

If pressed, most Christians in my sphere of contact, both here at Parables and in my brick-and-mortar life, would tend to say they believe in some variation of a " Theistic Evolution " framework, that is, in the God who created a billions-year-old universe from which humans evolved. Me too. But do we REALLY believe that? Do we FAITHFULLY believe that? I don't think so, because we don't tend to speak, think and act on the assumption that its true. That's not necessarily our fault, however. The scientific data that supports Theistic Evolution, though massive, is relatively new (evolutionarily speaking). It really hasn't had enough time to penetrate deeply the language, the thought processes, the "heart-and-soul" of those of us who would cognitively assent to it. What would be the implications if we REALLY believed in Theistic Evolution, that is, if we had FAITH in it. 10 things, at least... 1. We MUST conclude that the Bible is not "our final aut...

Don't get me wrong. There's plenty in The Shack that, in BW3's words , "needs to make a pit stop for some more theological tune ups." But then there are some moments where you just gotta stop and say, "Bullseye!" Here are my top 10 said moments... 10. "...I don’t need to punish people for sin. Sin is its own punishment, devouring you from the inside. It is not my purpose to punish it; it’s my joy to cure it." 9. "Seriously, my life was not meant to be an example to copy. Being my follower is not trying ‘to be like Jesus’ ... I came to give you life, real life, my life. We will come and live our life inside of you, so that you begin to see with our eyes, and hear with our ears, and touch with our hands, and think like we do. But, we will never force that union on you." 8. "Judgment is not about destruction, but about setting things right." 7. "I’ve never taken control of your choices or forced you to do anything…To ...

On the eve of New Year's Eve (or New Year's Eve Eve, if you prefer), I made a few predictions about Emergent/Missional/Post-Evangelical in 2009 and asked my readers to vote on the likelihood of each one (oh, BTW, I've finally decided to use "Missional" rather than "Emergent/Missional/Post-Evangelical" in '09; even though I like the inclusivity of the latter term, and I'm gonna have to go back and re-arrange some Tags, etc., I was starting to come down with a mild case of carpal tunnel syndrome, so something had to give). Thanks to everyone who utterly wasted a minute or two of their life to participate. Well, the results are in!!!! So without further ado, in order of ascending likelihood... And, the Emergent/Missional/Post-Evangelical (last time, I promise) prediction for 2009 most likely to actually occur, according to you..... Now all we can do is wait and see. Grace and Peace, Raffi ...and if you enjoyed this post, then please consider subsc...

2008. I did the whole "reflections" thing with my Top 10 Emergent/Missional/Post-Evangelical Blog Posts of 2008 a few weeks back. Turned out to be wildly popular (HT: TSK ). (By the way, anyone who's getting tired of my mentioning/playing-off-of the success of that post, rest assured, this will be my last act of such blatant traffic-consciousness). Now it's time to look ahead. So here are my top 10 Emergent/Missional/Post-Evangelical predictions for 2009. As with the Top 10 Blog Posts, and in keeping with the permeable definitions inherent in our little movement, these predictions touch on various aspects/dimensions of E/M/P-E: some tech, some theology, some...well, you'll see. Also, in keeping with the theme of "looking ahead," this list offers something that the Top 10 Blog Posts didn't: INTERACTIVITY, BABY!!! That's right, we're getting high-tech here at Parables. Now, you can join in the fun by letting the world know what YOU think about...

Lotta buzz generated by the Top 10 Emergent/Missional/Post-Evangelical Blog Posts of 2008 . TSK's shout-out didn't hurt. Not too many dissenting voices out there, as far as I've heard, so I might've hit the nail on the head for once. The natural next question is, "How do I get my post listed in the Top 10 Emergent/Missional/Post-Evangelical Blog Posts of 2009 ?" Good question. Here's some pointers that I gleaned while looking at the posts that made the '08 List : 10. Give an example of the practical consequences of that which you are critiquing. (HT: Jared ) 9. Laugh intelligently at Emergent. (HT: Jonathan ) 8. Write a balanced, insightful review of a wildly popular book. (HT: BW3 ) 7. Laugh intelligently at Evangelicalism. (HT: ProdigalJon ) 6. Get deep. (HT: Kathy ) 5. Write a good post with a great title. (HT: Tom ) 4. Say something unique about something common. (HT: David ) 3. Bridge gaps. (HT: Eugene and Scot ) 2. Rant/Vent eloquently....

If you're looking for objective criteria, rhyme or reason to this list, rest assured that there is none. Some of the posts were included for their impact. Some for their humor. Some for their beauty. Some for their wisdom. Some were by Emergers. Some were about Emergers. Some were by Emergers about Emergers... In other words, there were no hard-and-fast rules. Kinda like "The Movement Formerly Known as Emergent" (See Post No. 1). So without further ado, MY list of the top 10 Emergent/Missional/Post-Evangelical blog posts of 2008. 10. Osteen-Esque Entitlement and Knowing Your Place at Gospel-Driven Church Jared Wilson's biting commentary on the Victoria Osteen / flight attendant story. A poignant parable about the real-world consequences of the prosperity gospel. 9. Top 50 Possible Reasons Why You're Not Emergent at Missio Dei Jonathan Brink's classic list of...well, the title speaks for itself. Like all good comedy, it's real-ness makes it even funnier...

I spent the weekend pondering/praying through some of the issues raised during last week's debate between N.T. Wright and Bart Ehrman on " The Problem of Evil ." Given the time restraints and the format imposed by the organizers, Wright and Ehrman could really do no more than to give their overarching views on the issue. I was hoping to see more interaction, more dialogue than debate. Nevertheless, this is such a huge topic, perhaps the hugest of all topics, maybe we were all expecting more than could have been delivered in a single evening (or in a single lifetime). But enough points were raised, enough new angles offered, to keep me busy, spiritually and intellectually, for the greater part of the weekend. Here's what I came away with, in no particular order other than the order in which these pop to mind. I'll start with my most controversial discovery: 1. Some professing atheists are more Christ-like than many professing Christians. 2. We tend to pose "T...

Brother Maynard sums up the issue better than most. The term "Emerging Church" is dead. Good riddance, I say. Too misunderstood. Too much reading into it. Too ill-defined. Too much having to defend the term against what it isn't. Here are 10 other terms that are too misunderstood, too ill-defined, requiring too much of my time and energy to defend them against naysayers and detractors. I'm therefore dumping all of 'em: 1. Jesus 2. Christianity 3. Atonement 4. Justification by Faith through Grace (along with "Justification," "Grace," and "Faith") 5. Sin 6. Righteousness 7. Cross 8. Bible 9. Disciple and, of course... 10. God I might have some trouble communicating from here on in in. Pardon me if my posts become a little vague while I try to come up with different terms to express theses concepts. It's all for the greater good. [ Still working on this one ] and Peace, Raffi

My pastor asked me to introduce a teaching series on Romans to our congregation. I laughed. "Haaa..ha..haaaaah...haah...haa! You want me to do what ! Romans?! " "Romans," he replied. He was serious. "You're serious," I said. "I'm serious," he replied. He was serious. "Why not just ask me to introduce world history," I replied jokingly. He didn't laugh. He was serious. "You're serious," I checked one last time. He was serious. So yesterday I spoke to our congregation about Romans. It was serious. Here are 10 things I learned in preparing for that presentation. Maybe not the "top" 10, but more of the first 10 that popped to mind. 1. Romans is BIG. 2. Paul was a genius. 3. God is BIG. 4. God is a genius. 5. No one can ever "know" Romans. 6. I'm no longer concerned whether I'm justified, glorified, sanctified, or deep fried; I know that I'm loved, and that's enough for me. 7. I w...

The conversation around the blogosphere (or the small slice of it that I follow) has forced many of us to re-think many facets of the Emerging/Emergent movement. Steve Knight has a list of some of the pertinent posts concerning the conversation over at Emergent Village (I was honored to see my Open Letter listed among them). I'd add Jonathan's recent post at EV to the list as well. I've followed the conversation pretty closely. Here are 10 things I've learned as a result, in no particular order: 1. There are far more Emergents than simply those that use the label. 2. It is immensely difficult to sustain a movement without clearly delineated borders; that's made me sad. 3. Names are really important...far more important than we can ever realize. 4. I've understood why, when Moses asked for God's name on Mt. Sinai, God said what He said. 5. While Jesus' yoke will turn out to be light, it can feel as heavy as a solid-wood cross along the way. 6. The opp...

God gave me a sense of humor, I've tended to use it as a self-defense mechanism. God gave me intelligence, I've tended to use it as an excuse not to listen to others. God gave me courage, I've tended to be reckless. God gave me a yearning for truth, I've tended to gather information. God gave me a yearning to love, I've strived to possess others. God gave me rights and responsibilities, Responsibilities? God gave me the ability to discern, I've tended to locate the weakest aspects of people and ideas. God gave me a perfectly-designed machine in which to live, I smoke and eat too much fast food. God gave me His Spirit, I've sought to find myself. God gave me His Son, I'm not worthy of Him. Grace and Peace, Raffi

10. God is not a major topic of family discourse. 9. When words don't work, use the same words in a higher volume. 8. The amount of love you show others is directly proportional to your mood that day. 7. Don't try things that are too dangerous. 6. Daddy's "yes" is not always yes, nor his "no," no. 5. Jesus is not a major topic of family discourse. 4. Follow the rules without question. 3. Those who follow the rules are "good." Those who don't are "bad." 2. Material possessions are really, really important. 1. People outside the immediate family are to be tolerated at arm's length, if not feared. Be careful, moms and dads. Grace and Peace, Raffi

...to be reformed by the gospel but always ready for fresh reformations by that same gospel: to recognise that God has more light to break out of his holy word, and that this may lead us to do things in new ways, sometimes setting us free from tired structures and sometimes creating new structures for new gospel purposes. - N.T. Wright , After GAFCON (June 30, 2008) I hate it when...I expend a lot of effort in targeting, detailing, describing, and analyzing weaknesses. The patient is in the emergency room, and we need to move from diagnosis to triage fast, in my opinion. It’s way easier to talk than to actually do, and the people I respect the most spend less and less time critiquing and more and more time serving, loving, showing hospitality, listening, visiting, solving, caring, worshiping, praying, and so on. We really need to be careful about this – especially those of us who blog, write, speak, broadcast, and so on. Jesus didn’t say, “I was in prison and you wrote a book for me, I...

10. Never underestimate the principalities and powers; in fact, assume that you won't even see 'em coming. 9. God speaks to you in a manner that He speaks to no one else. 8. The last segment of my Christian journey was very unlike the segment before it, or the one before that. 7. The closer you get, the bloodier the battle. 6. The most dangerous times are those immediately after you sense that you've accomplished a task for which you were called by God. 5. Give me a couple of hours, and I'll put together a rather compelling argument for any moral position using nothing but Bible verses taken out of context. 4. Blogging has re-wired my brain to work in a noticeably different way...and not necessarily for the better. 3. There is a yet-unexpressed Grand Unification Theory of Theology, and it will be doctrinally comprised of roughly equal pieces of each and every denomination out there. 2. I tend to preach to the choir. That is usually a colossal waste of time. 1. I should ...

Epilogue Top 10 (+3) Excepts from "Surprised by Hope" I thought long and hard about a tailpiece to the Pirate Review Series. My initial thought was to do a piece about what I've learned from the book, how its changed my perspective, etc. But inasmuch as the book is a compilation of so much other material by Wright (lectures, sermons, articles) that has been around for a few years now, and inasmuch as I've devoured all of it, and inasmuch as trying to describe how it has all changed my perspective would be like trying to describe how Einstein's work changed the perspective of the scientific community in the early 20th century, I figured that may be too grand a task. The short answer to how Wright's work, as summarized in this book, changed my perspective would be this: "I was blind but now I see." So I opted instead for a somewhat more easily digestible final post, a list of my top 10 favorite quotes/excerpts from the book. I've tried to structure...

As I mentioned in yesterday's post , Dallas Willard's " The Divine Conspiracy " is one of my all-time favorite reads, and that's despite the fact that I fundamentally disagree with Willard about his treatment of the Beatitudes. I agree with Richard Foster in that, when we consider its comprehensiveness, its accessibility, its depth, and its warmth, it is one of the greatest books of this generation. My copy is scattered with highlights and underscores of various sections. Here, then, are my Top 10 (+2) favorite excerpts from the book: 12. Unlike egotism, the drive to significance is a simple extension of the creative impulse of God that gave us being...We are placed in a specific context to count in ways no one else does. That is our destiny. 11. Some years of reflection and further experience with Jesus and the kingdom enabled his people to describe him in lofty language as "the icon of the unseeable God"...But that was not yet. It was to still uncompr...

Something interesting I noticed while perusing some of the mandatory year-end Top 10 lists. Beware of titles. For example, Time Magazine's web site posted its Top 10 Religion Stories of 2007 . Included in the list were stories such as Mother Teresa's personal letters that may have revealed that she could not sense God for the last half-century, the homosexual controversy in the Episcopal church, and the hot-selling books about atheism. I don't know, I guess those might be "Religion Stories" per se , but for me, something like Yahoo's Top 10 Inspirational Stories of 2007 , which included stories about the One Lap-Top Per Child Project, Ishmael Beah's memoir "A Long Way Gone," the $100 million anonymous donation to Erie, PA, and Everson Walls donating his kidney to former Dallas Cowboys teammate Ron Springs says "Religion" to me a lot more powerfully than the overt stories about "Religion." I don't know, maybe it has som...