Tag Archives: conversation

This week: bridgeWORKS | myc | poetHouse connections

I just wanted to update what’s going on this week with bridgeWORKS | poetHouse meetings.

the shepherd the knuckleheadTonight is Shepherd and the Knucklehead. Come join us as we mix it up a bit at the poetHouse art studio. This year will be one of trying new things with our traditional pub conversation experience. Be ready for story, song, poetry, art… and of course, the chance to live the question. Click HERE for more details.

William P Young the ShackThursday night is our first installment of bridgeBOOKS bridge-ing together as we dialog the books that change us. We will be starting this week, Thursday, February 5 | 7pm. We will start at poetHouse and then decide on our location of meeting when we get there.  February we will be dialoging the issues raised in THE SHACK, by William Young… pain, healing, and our image of God (however we see him.her).

gaining our footing @ Shepherd and the Knucklehead… all new for 2009

The new year… well upon us… leaves many of us trying to gain footing as we try to move forward. Many of us don’t have the footing we wish for… like we are trying to run on ice. Pushing forward with great effort, but moving slow if at all, and at the same time just doing what we can to keep from crashing down. I hear talk of hope… see flashes of vision… smell winds of change…

knucklehead… but sometimes it is hard to believe its coming. What glares me in the face so often is the insecurity and the fear that wind their ways around the things we hold most dear. It is a time for questions… all that we have asked before in our times of wonderings.

  • Who is in control?
  • How much stuff is enough?
  • Where is the safe place?
  • Who is my neighbor and what does he.she need?

We don’t have the answers all that often and I am reminded of the words of our patron saint, Rainer Maria Rilke, as he says: “…have patience with everything that is unsolved in your heart. Try to love the QUESTIONS THEMSELVES… do not now look for the answers. They cannot be given to you because you could not live them, … at present you need to LIVE the question…” I’ll try… but we need each other… we are always beginning. ALWAYS BEGINNING… and for now, we just need space for that to be ok.

2009 brings a change with our Shepherd.Knucklehead wonderings. In an effort to go less formal and less costly, we will be meeting at an even richer space, ripe with possibilities… a hub of activity –  poetHOUSE | tbd loft | minnesota ave downtown (7ish first monday of the month)

So next Monday, we dive into it again, folks. Bring a friend. Our songster is, like the loft, tbd. The question is determined and I can promise a good one… but you’ll have to wait to find out. Beverages as well, you’ll have to bring your own. No worries, there’s a wine bar downstairs. $2 PBRs if you’re lucky.

So Monday | February 2 | 7ish @ the poetHouse... Shepherds… Knuckleheads… somewhere inbetweens… see you there! (and forward this on to the other hungry ones you know)

Emerging Martyrs?

I really appreciate Ken Wytsma’s latest blog on martyrdom and how it fits into the world of following Jesus today. He writes of martyrs who suffer because they are doing what God wants them to do and those who suffer because they are going against what God wants them to do. Most often those who are not doing what God wants think they are suffering for God when actually they are opposing God.

One of the characteristics of my generation is to jettison orthodox thinking or sound doctrine as outdated and then chart a course for adventure, self discovery, experience, engagement and many other noble things. The problem is that the latter didn’t require the former. Relevant and meaningful engagement doesn’t require a rejection of Scripture and orthodox theology.

These guys, who go by many names and join many of the latest emerging movements, often run into road blocks, rejection by other Christians and have difficulties getting going or being understood and the temptation for them often is to feel justified, persecuted and that they are martyrs.

Makes me think… as most often I read things with great personal reflection. Do I feel like a martyr? I know there are many times I reflect on the slowness and the challenges of this community growing that I have embarked on. The challenges of modeling and encouraging ownership and leadership. The challenges of getting over myself and my own learning edge to be brave and get outside my comfort zone. The challenges of marking my success and value by how I am loving, by how people’s lives are changing, by how connected I am with God’s work… and not marking it by numbers, size, or converts. I find myself challenged every day… and I wonder, do I feel like it’s because I’m doing God’s work, or because I’m not.

Thankfully, I don’t feel as though I have rejected scripture or given up on doctrine. I take it all very, very seriously. Granted I see it as progressing… but the history of those who come before me is essential. I do think that there is a great deal of rejection of Christians toward some of the things coming out of the emerging church. This makes me think twice about what I am doing when I see it happening graciously and openly. So often though, these differences that we have get talked about behind closed doors or with people who agree with us. When we assume we have more of the “right” truth than the next person, it is awfully hard to hear them well. I really hope to hear from people, “Hey, you know, I don’t really agree with you on this… but you want to get some coffee or grab a beer and talk about it face to face?”

I just finished How the Irish Saved Civilization, by Thomas Cahill, and he mentions the martyrdom of the Celtic saints. I’ll do another post about this HERE… this one’s long enough.

Next steps in Community… no more playing the middle-man

So don’t get me wrong, I love getting the information. I love being in the know. I love sitting down and having the one on one conversations at the tea store or the coffee shop with those in my community or those who I am just getting to know. I am getting better and better at this… and as things begin to consolidate and foundations are built, I realize that I, Nate Bettger, am quickly getting tired.

Not tired of the conversations, or tired of the information… I love it… but tired of being the one who hears every individuals ideas and then relays them (or defends them) to the others. There are so many things that we can be saying to each other versus just saying to Nate. And so many of our ideas and thoughts, questions and ideas, need to be discussed outside of our worship gatherings on Sunday nights. So we are beginning… FINALLY…

The Sunday Night Community Dreaming Team

Or maybe we call it the scheming team, or the strategizing group… or whatever. Nevertheless, here is where we can hash it out… my place 4:30pm-5:30ish. In this way, we as those who appreciate a say in who we are and what we are doing or going to do can begin to provide input. For too long it has just been me that knows what’s going on.

And this is why I love conversation, especially with those we disagree with

And especially around the emerging church, denominations, other religions, etc…

Thanks, Tony, for putting together this amazing video. Episode 5 of Tony Jones and Trucker Frank. Anyone want to meet up for a conversation?