Hi,
again and again I meet people who discribe my and our lifestyle as a modell of doing “church”. Well, It is acutually no modell it is a diffrent paradigm. How to talk to a fish about water? How to talk to people who are so convinced in modell-thinking that it maybe makes some sense to reflect on ones paradigms? The more I walk down the road I am on, the more I become totally helpless with this kind of people! At the same time I have wonderful conversations on following Jesus with people who never would step in a setting that is labled with “church”. Crazy world!

Have a great weekend!

Hi,

today I met Fred. As I was writing, I was wondering what he was doing. So today was the day to find out I thought. He still looked very tired and sad. I told him, what I was thinking. He did not comment on that, but started to ask me questions on what I was doing. So I told him. New Job, Family, my journey with Jesus etc…

Then he told me. He told me his journey and I was simply perplex to find out, that he was solidly integrated in the empire. Wow! I never thougt that. He was very strong on his biblical standpoints and the everything was has to grounded in the word of God, etc…

The thing that confused me was not that much his standpoint, but the way he expressed or showed me his convictions was rather disappointing. He behaved like a guy from the spiritual elite. It was not really possible to connect with him. I felt, that I was in one of his boxes and not able to jump out.

Well, I thought this was a god thing and it maybe was. But I do not really understand what happend. After a hour or so, we said goodbye. He was very bussy…

*Personal data changed

Hi,

I recently was part of a seminar that tackled with the subject of the so-called emerging church. My part was to introduce cultural shifts in our society along the 7 cultural institutions each culture has (Language, Family, Religion, Economics, Technology, Arts&Leisure, Government).

The participants came mainly form a churchy background. It was very funny to see how some tried to fix the contents of the seminar into their system of thinking or their concept of church or what ever. Phrases like “we are doing that for 10 years already…” were heard sometimes. Or “Our young poeple do not fit in your description…” . Well… how do you talk to a fish about water?

I realised for my self two things in that.

1. It is hard to learn and to develop when one is BELIEVING in his system

2. In order to develop, one has to let go of some things (the question then is how to choose the “right” things…).

Hi,

Last night I was sitting with Jim* in the “Weinerei” We had a fine Meal and some good Wine. A lot of really nice people where there. Everyone seemed to be in a good mude. A lot of laughter, a lot of “deep conversation” was going on. Friends met, lovers where cuddling on a couch. Aaah, just the right environment to relax from an intense Weekend.

While we were talking a man came into the resaurant. He walked from table to table, offering one of these “Newspapers” made by homeless people. As I could see it, no one bought an issue. I did not buy one either. Our table was the last one before he left the restaurant. He opened the door, turned around and said quite gentle “goodbye” into the restaurant -not to a person directly- and rushed away.

I was sitting there wondering, when this man had his last meaningful conversation. Everyone just nodded (including us) their heads when he was approaching a table.

It is a hard job to sell something that the most people buy, if at all, out of charity. You must feel worthless when you are dependent on someones charity. (I know it is good that these people can actually DO something with their talents and time etc. there is value behind projects like these).

There is a lot of information exchange and information flow in Babylon. But to it seems like there is little dialogue between people. How can we overcome the deadlocked channels of information flow which exclude so many people? I have no answer to that. I simple think that it is really odd when a person says goodbye that no one hears that, and that the person himself is not expecting a respectful answer.

*All personal data changed!

Hi,

I came from a meeting the other day with a potential client. It was a good meeting. We discussed problems on a very high level (hugh). Happy as I was I wandered through my city. We had a fine meal over lunch and so I was looking for some fruit. I passed one of these fruit shops, where they offer you fresh-pressed juice, fruit-salad and all that stuff. So I decided to by an apple and paid. It was just then, that I realised that the guy behind the desk is Fred*. He looked really tired. No, somehow empty and sad. He did not identify me, so I asked him: “Hey you are Fred!?” I am Marcus! He looked at me and then it dawned on him. Then silence for a moment!

I came to know Fred around 10 years ago. We worked together at a youth camp. He was so on fire for Jesus, so full of energy and passion. We met one more time and discussed all the stuff on revival etc… then we lost sight of each other. Years later, he contacted me. Meanwhile he was living in Berlin. He wanted to meet but it did not work out. We lost contact again. Now I meet him again. In his job environment. Surrounded by empty bottles, fruit and a lot of dishes he had to clean in the kitchen.

No energy, no passion but empty eyes, sadness and with a deep sigh he said: “Hey, I have to tell you my story”. “lets meet next week”. Sure, I said. We exchanged mobile numbers. We said goodbye and I left.

As I was walking to the station I saw a lot of people, a lot of emptiness and a lot of sadness.

And I was wondering whether all these people have someone they can turn to and say: “Hey, I have to tell you my story!”

Have a good night.

Marcus

*All personal data changed!

I got it. For a while I thought of a new concept for this blog, as I said here. So, now I think I have got an Idea that could work out well.

Maybe every other week, or at least once a month I will write a letter. A letter from Babylon. A letter is normaly addressed to someone. In my case the letter is directed “to whom it may concern!” There will be no other categories. Just the letters. for orientation, content-wise, I will keep the tags.

Thats it. I am looking forward to this journey.

Ah one more thing: names and all personal data are chanched!!

My Family and myself have done a huge Step towards “our Babylon”. Well it is an interesting journey. I am pretty much absorbed these days and we will see what the next Steps are… I started to write this post on the 19th of May 2008 (hugh).

I am working on it again today, the 13th of September 2008. In the meantime, we have moved to Berlin, (Germany) and I started a new Job. It is a huge and deep step into creation. I love it. At the Moment I do not know how this blog will procede. What shape and content it will have. I need some time to sort it out. Is there anybody who is reading this stuff altogether? Just wondering…

…to write that much in the past and it looks like that this will be the case for next weeks aswell. Keep being patient on me. Thanx. I am still walking!

Some random thoughts…

I major step for the Body of Christ would be to tear down the walls of the church which withheld them to live in creation and subsequent to come closer to babylon. Most of christian activity is inside the 4 walls and if not, than a project OF the CHURCH is launched to address society. This project comes out of the 4 walls and from above down to society as a final solution or answer.

The problem is, that the church and babylon do not understand each other. There is a communication problem that comes out of the subculture of the church. So church has to unlearn a lot in order to reconnect with society. Therefore: The walls must disappear so that HIS people can learn to live with the people in our communites. It is about sharing of life with them. To hear, not to speak, to listen with our heart and emotion to their stories. A Place where the wall is installed in our minds are the theological institutions. There is nothing wrong with theological education but what is the aim of it. It should have the aim to train theologians to translate theological aspiration and know how for the masses of people in our societies and not just for the few within the 4 walls. Theology should work on concrete social, political, spiritual questions of our societies. What is the concrete theological-based alternative to the common tools to approach unemployment? What do we have to say to the decline of our cities? Therefore theology has to become interdisciplinary. Who has to understand our message? So often the approach of the church to society was, to tell THEM how and where THEY have to change. But I think it is up to us to OFFER a true alternative.

How do I use the term ” Babylon”? I use it in at least these ways.

1. For me Babylon stands for our society. By “our society” I mean any society. So an interesting question would be whether “Babylon” and “Creation” is the same or not. Or is Babylon in Creation?
2. Babylon is my Context. So that means Meiningen, Germany and some other places I travel to. I could say, that I am looking for Babylon wherever I am. I try to be sensitive to the “exile places” of my surrounding.
3. And now, while I am writing and reflecting, I find another connotation of Babylon. Babylon and the church/people of God/ body of Chris or what ever you name it, is devided from Babylon. So Babylon is, in that case, everything outside of Gods Lordship.

I will find out, how long I can run with this description. But I already guess, that I have not arrived yet. Its a long way to Babylon.