Modell or paradigm?

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!

emerging something…

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…).

Tear down the walls

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.

Clarification on “Babylon”

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.

By accident…

… I found this Post. Just without comment.

Go!

Here I am, writing my first post on this blog. I started to write some english posts on my other blog, but I came to the conclusion that it makes more sense to start an extra one for my english-speaking audience. First of all I ask for patience regarding my english. Sometimes I really struggle with the grammar. Nevertheless I would like to Introduce two posts to this blog, which are the reason for me to start this blog. These Post are the starting point of some of my reflections on some subjects.

•  I kissed church goodbye and
•  I kissed movement hello!

If you read those post, you are on track with this blog. 

Well what should I say? It is good to stay where we belong, in Babylon (Jer 29,5-8). We have to live were we belong, and we have to find ways to…

…seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. 

 For that we need the guidance of Jesus and the friendship and fellowship of his followers. The church as it is, is not the answers to that task. Maybe it has not to be the answer. Maybe it is about a whole new understanding of creation. That is my journey, that is my way so far.