the church geek

Do you Book Mooch?

I like the idea, at least in theory. Lori and I have lots of books, and lots of them that we don’t really need to keep. So, a few months ago, I decided to list a few books in our inventory. I’ve given four away so far, and have requests pending out there from a few folks for some of the others.

But, I haven’t received a single book on my wishlist.

Maybe my tastes are too specific (mostly theology…imagine that!) or too popular. Or maybe the books I want are too new and there aren’t enough of them accumulated out there. I also suspect that the books I want are the types of books people don’t want to give up!

Anyway until I get a book or two back, I’m going to be very selective about sending any more of my books away. I know Jesus said it was more blessed to give than to receive, but surely he wasn’t talking about books!!

How do you trade your books?

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I’ve been tagged to play along on this new Presbymeme. So here it goes:

1) What is your favorite faith-based hymn, song or chorus.

That’s a toughie, especially since a lot of people have already said “Come Thou Font of Every Blessing” which I do love dearly. BTW, have you heard Sufjan Stevens version? it’s simple and absolutely beautiful. The one hymn though that I think I could sing every Sunday without tiring is “For the Beauty of the Earth.”

2) What was the context, content and/or topic of the last sermon that truly touched, convicted, inspired, challenged, comforted and/or otherwise moved you?

I was inspired by Joan Gray’s sermon during the opening worship at this year’s General Assembly about our call to love others as Christ as loved us. I was particularly moved by her story about the member of her congregation, who was dying of cancer, looking her in the eye as she was preparing to leave for vacation and saying “Promise me one thing: That you won’t come back early to do my funeral.”

3) If you could have all Presbyterians read just one of your previous posts, what would it be and why?

I honestly don’t come up with a lot of original stuff on my blog. However, I think the one post I’d want the PC(USA) to read is this one: The Mission and the Institution.

4) What are three PC(USA) flavored blogs you read on a regular basis?

I have lots of Presbyterian blogs in my Google Reader and I seem to keep adding more, but the three blogs that I most look forward to reading are:

Tribal Church - I resonate a lot with Carol and her husband Brian’s faith journey, as in some ways it’s similar to my own. Plus Carol is one prolific and thoughtful blogger on issues of ministry.

A Church for Starving Artists - Jan’ s reflections and thoughts on church and ministry in a post-denominational world are groundbreaking. More pastors, elders, and congregations, need to hear and be challenged by her voice.

The GA Junkie - How can you not love a blog with that name? Steve provides insightful and balanced analysis of issues not only in the PC(USA) but of other reformed denominations as well.

5) If the PC(USA) were a movie, what would it be and why?

Oh, I don’t know, for some reason the one that comes to mind is “The Savages.” It’s about a brother and sister who are forced to deal with their estranged and dying father. On my most cynical, least hopeful days sometimes I think that is the situation of our denomination.

Tagged: Since the whole Presby world seems to have already been tagged on this one, if you’ve read this and haven’t played along already, I say “Tag, you’re it.”

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I gave up on regularly updating and maintaining my blogroll a long time ago. The job was way too cumbersome and the list of blogs I followed fluctuated quite a bit.

Now, thanks to this sage advice from Jake Bouma, I have updated my blogroll. From here on out, it will remain updated due to the great features available with Google Reader.

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One of the joys of being in San Jose at GA is meeting up with folks I’ve only known virtually.

So far at this Assembly, I’ve met up with Shawn, Steve, Mark, and Brian (Mr. Tribal Church.) It’s been fun to have these virtual friends materialize right before my very eyes.

Another virtual friend, whom I can now add to that list is Bruce Reyes-Chow. Not only did he materialize before my very eyes, my hopes and dreams for him to become moderator also materialized before us last night.

In her usually insightful and thoughtful way, Jan offers some great thoughts on what this perhaps means for our denomination; a ray of hope and perhaps a new day dawning.

Congrats BRC and let us all hope and pray for a new church for a new day.

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One of the greatest bands from the eighties, Journey, is back with new frontman, Arnel Pineda, from the Philippines. Pineda’s voice is eerily reminiscent of Steve Perry, one of the greatest rock voices ever. Pineda’s story can be found here. (H/T: Smart Pastor.)

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Bruce Reyes-Chow has graciously responded to the five questions I posed to him. Bruce is standing for moderator of this year’s PC(USA) General Assembly.

Aside from being a fellow church geek, Bruce is a blogger and he plays a pretty mean game of Scramble (a boggle-esque game) on facebook.

BRUCE’S DISCLAIMER: These responses are done in a free-flow manner as if we were sitting at a cafe sharing a cup of coffee and are not edited or vetted in the same manner as with official publications.

1.) You are a busy man, with a young family, and a pastor of an active, vibrant church. What on earth has motivated you to run for moderator?

As I have answered in at least one other “interview” that the real reason I am doing this is because of the nation-wide potluck sampling that I will get to partake of should I be elected. “Mr. Moderator, would you like a side of starch with that helping of starch?”

The short answer is that I believe that the church has helped me to grow into who God is hoping me to become and that we as a church should now be doing the same thing for the next generation of Presbyterians. At one point, the focus was rightly on my generation. The church was for my development hoping that my generation of servants would move into leadership someday. I firmly believe at all levels of the church, that day is now. And while we are all in a continual journey of faith, I sense that my role in the church is changing. Rather than the focus being on what I need the church to be, i must now shift into helping to prepare the church for what is to come. I hope to now be about the work of ensuring that there is a meaningful place for my three daughters that draws them to God not just because of obligation but because the church understands their culture and their needs in a way to be able to both comfort and challenge them in their faith.

I am also motivated by the obvious movement within the church of folks who are ready to move beyond traditional areas of conflict and get on with doing the ministry of Jesus Christ in the world. I think there is a whole community of people who no longer abide by age-old polemics and ideological loyalty, but rather engage in values based ministry that is much more freeing and compelling. These are the folks that are missing from most of the conversations about the future of the church and I believe that, because of my experience within the structure of the church, I stand in a unique place where I might be able to create some space for those missing voices to be heard.

2.) What do you think the PC(USA) is going to look like in 20-30 years?

I really have absolutely no idea or guesses at this point . . . and I am okay with that. What I HOPE the PC(USA) looks like is more about its approach to ministry rather than it’s size and or structure. I hope that we will be a gathering of people that hold common values about the presence of Christ in the world. I hope we are not just fiscally sound, but financially generous. I hope we value a breadth of clergy roles and the many different ways we NEED clergy to be in ministry. i hope that we are a church that my children have been drawn to and through that experience are not preparing the church for their own childcare and what the church is to become next.

3.) Name 2 or 3 of your favorite religious writers (theology, spirituality, church development, fiction, you name it…) and briefly, why?

Sorry . . . here are 4, call me wild and rebellious
B.A. Garrish helped me frame my understanding of Communion in his book, Grace and Gratitude.
Brian McLaren has given words to my growing understanding of what it means to be a postmodern Christian in A Generous Orthodoxy
Molly Fumia helped me understand transformation of person and community in Honor thy Children
Carlos Bulsan reminded me what it means to honor the past while moving into the future in America is in the Heart

4.) Who has been your most important and influential mentor in the faith?

Jesus.

and . . . the Rev. Dr. Virstan Choy who has been a friend, colleague and mentor from my days a wee teenager to more recent experiences as one of our General Presbyters. Virstan has been a model of grace and humility that is flavored with a dry wit and a prophetic mind that gets to the heart of the complexities of living the Gospel in a world that often seems overwhelming.

5.) I see you’re an A’s fan, when is the AL ever going to give up on the DH? (Real pitchers bat…)

No comment as you are so clearly on the wrong side of the fence on this one
Go A’s!

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Per his invitation, these questions are directed to Bruce Reyes-Chow one of our candidates standing for Moderator of this year’s PC(USA) General Assembly.

I’ve not yet met Bruce personally, but we’ve gotten acquainted via the blogosphere. Bruce has promised to respond in 5 days or less, so look for his answers here soon.

1.) You are a busy man, with a young family, and a pastor of an active, vibrant church. What on earth has motivated you to run for moderator?

2.) What do you think the PC(USA) is going to look like in 20-30 years?

3.) Name 2 or 3 of your favorite religious writers (theology, spirituality, church development, fiction, you name it…) and briefly, why?

4.) Who has been your most important and influential mentor in the faith?

5.) I see you’re an A’s fan, when is the AL ever going to give up on the DH? (Real pitchers bat…)

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If you could care less about denomination shop talk then feel free to skip this post!

This year, I am a commissioner to GA, which is our denomination’s bi-annual gathering and the largest governing body of the church. It is a big responsibility, especially with the volumes and volumes of overtures that are being considered this year.

One thing that’s been fun to watch is how the GA moderator election is unfolding this year. The GA moderator is elected to run the meeting for the week and then he or she spends the next two years serving as kind of ‘talking head’ for the church.

There is always a lot of public attention given to this role and to this election, especially in this year when so much information is getting out ahead of the actual meetings. Thanks to the blogosphere, I bet I know more about these four candidates than anyone has ever been able to known about the various candidates in previous elections. Personally I think this a great thing.

At the same time there is another arguably more important election that will happen during the week of GA; that election is for the role of Stated Clerk. The stated clerk is the highest office or position within the GA. It is a very important position/post, certainly more so than the Moderator. Cliff Kirkpatrick has served in that important post for twelve years (which is longer than I’ve actually been a Presbyterian!)

This year there is one ‘official’ candidate nominated by the nominating committee who is an insider within the GA offices, having served there for many years. There are three other candidates, who were interviewed through the nomination process but were not nominated as the ‘official’ candidate of the committee.

Considering the importance of this position in the life of our denomination, I must admit I know next to nothing about the four candidates who are running, beyond the name recognition of the ‘official’ candidate. In my assessment, the level of information, dialog, and interest, about this particular election is nothing compared to what is happening for the role of moderator.

Maybe I’m just looking in the wrong place for that information, but really shouldn’t we be paying just as much if not more attention to this election?

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I’m really looking forward to General Assembly this year as I’m going to be a commissioner. I was a TSAD (theological student advisory delegate) in 2004, so I’ve sort of been there and done that. But one of the primary reasons I’m really looking forward to this experience will be for the chance to meet up with folks I’ve only come to “know” through the blogosphere: folks like Shawn, Bruce, and Mark.

Speaking of Shawn, if you’re going to GA and if you are a blogger, check out his post on GA Web 2.018.

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1.) I really enjoyed this little essay by Elin Ljung on Adam Copeland’s blog. It is part of a series on the Bible in which Adam is inviting guest bloggers to submit the essays.

2.) Maybe you’ve seen this already as it’s popped up a few times on the blogosphere, but just in time for lent you can discover which city struggles the most with each of the seven deadly sins.

3.) Here’s another photo that I’ve enjoyed this week.

4.) Jason Byassee offers some thoughts on Bumper Sticker Politics.

5.) Where do you fit on the emerging/emergent map? I think it’s funny that on this map ‘evangelical’ fits right in the center of ‘Orthodox Christianity.’ I wonder what the Eastern Orthodox would think of that? Lots of emergent theology seems more consonant with Eastern Orthodoxy than evangelicalism does.

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1.) One place I occasionally discover stories for sermons is Geoff Pound’s blog Stories for Speakers and Writers. Geoff shares a compelling excerpt form Steve Martin about the strained relationship between him and his father.

2.) Put on your thinking caps: Tony Jones is running a contest seeking new metaphors for the atonement.

3.) The last time I bragged about my Vanderbilt Commodores, they promptly lost 4 out of their next 6 games. But, now riding a four game winning streak and sitting at 21-4 they appear to be back in early season form. Yesterday they manhandled the venerable UK Wildcats handing them their worst loss since 1989. I wonder if Kentucky wishes they had “Ten Loss Tubby” back at the helm?

4.) Here’s another beautiful photograph, for your enjoyment.

5.) As a pastor I struggle knowing how much I should make my political views and support of candidates known…having said that here is one reason I am supporting Barack Obama for President.

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1.) I think this is a pretty good outreach idea: Your church, the wi-fi sharer. This is something I could even see working at my church, if we could find and outfit such a space that would be comfortable enough for folks to want to hang out in.

2.) Jan always asks good questions. Here she asks what if we didn’t keep membership roles.

3.) What excuses have you heard used in your church, especially among the leadership? Carol highlights a few of her least favorite things heard in church. I’m sure this one will generate lots of comments.

4.) If you don’t check in on Smart Pastor regularly, you really should. He always points towards good quotes, interesting links, and tech ideas/resources you need to make your ministry better.

5.) Check out Collective Lens: Photography for Social Change. Tom, who pointed me to this, is the sort of blogger I’m pretty sure I’d be friends with if I met him in person. His photo on collective lens is here.

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I just discovered I was tagged by Adam Copeland on one of those meme thingys…this one related to books.

1. One book that changed your life
Ummm…that’s an outrageous claim for any book, but I suppose two books come to mind: The Divine Conspiracy by Dallas Willard and Traveling Mercies by Anne Lamott.

2. One book you’ve read more than once
I’m not generally prone to re-reading books. Once is usually enough for me. But as a kid I absolutely loved the book The Mutiny on the Bounty and re-read that novel a number of times.

3. One book you’d want on a desert island
Somewhat contrary to my previous comment, I have re-read parts of the Lord of the Rings Trilogy. If I were on a desert island, I think a one volume set containing these three books would keep me entertained for a pretty long time.

4. Two books that made you laugh
The author who makes me laugh the most is Sherman Alexie. I’ve only read two books of his, Flight and Ten Little Indians, and they both made me laugh.

5. One book that made you cry:
Crying while watching a movie? Yes. While reading a book? No. I suppose the book that came the closest was “The Great Deluge” about New Orleans and Hurricane Katrina. Having lived in New Orleans for nine years, the book broke my heart.

6. One book you wish had been written:
Why do we think the world needs one more book??

7. One book you wish had never been written:
All of the Left Behind Series. If I were to have a book burning, these would be on the top of the pile.

8. One book you’re currently reading:
Everything Must Change by Brian McClaren. I got it for Christmas and have been carrying it around in my book bag, but I still am only half way through it. That’s usually the way it goes for me, I either completely devour a book or I carry it around for months in my book bag and eventually finish it or put it away on the book shelf. I’m pretty sure I’ll finish this one.

9. One book you’ve been meaning to read
Gilead by Marilynne Robinson. I live in Iowa, the book takes place in Iowa. I’m a pastor, the book is about a pastor. I SHOULD read this book. I started it once but it didn’t grab me. I probably need to give it another chance.

Since this is a meme, I’m supposed to tag some folks. Since I don’t know who likes to play along with these sorts of things this is a shot in the dark, but I’m going to try these folks: Shawn, Mark, Chad, kim, and Jody

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1.) On Semper Reformanda, Thom Stark offers some reflections on a funeral gone bad. The question: Is a funeral an opportunity to provide families and friends with a chance to grieve, or is it a chance to reel them into the Kingdom? While this pastor chose the latter, I say let’s error on the side of hospitality and grace!

2.) The Book of Acts: Is it descriptive or prescriptive? Julie Clawson offers some insights in relation to Barna’s new book Pagan Christianity.

3.) Thanks to Bruce Reyes-Chow, I’ve become huge a fan of Yelp, a website where you can rate and review restaurants, stores, services, and, yes, even churches. Check it out and see what has already been reviewed in your area.

4.) What’s good parenting? Check out the Meanest Mom on the Planet.

5.) Josh Brown has some thoughts after watching some kids playing ’sniper’ in the park. I’m reminded that the doctrine of ‘total depravity’ is also about the depravity of society that ingrains our kids with the values of violence and war. Friends it all starts at an early age!

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1.) Tony Jones offers an excerpt from his new book The New Christians in which some boys in South Africa are very pleased with the result of the move of the Spirit at Tony’s Church.

2.) You really need to see this incredible photo of snow flakes on another one of my favorite photoblogs the daily dose of imagery.

3.) Ever wonder what Pastors do all week when they’re not in the pulpit on Sunday? Find out here.

4.) For you pastors out there, here is the good news and the bad news.

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