Irresistible Revolution #4

I've just got back from an evening at church, with Shane Claiborne and the Rend Collective Experiment on their Upside Down Kingdom Tour.

My mind is buzzing.

Before the evening started, I was also buzzing, with a mixed sense of excitement and nervousness.

Excitement because I've heard how awesome the Rend Collective are, and because I'm part way through one of Shane's books, he's a respected author and speaker that is renowned throughout the world for his missional heart and lifestyle... I suppose I am a little ashamed to say that I do get swept up in the awe of celebrity culture (if awe is the right word..). I can honestly say though, that this is something I'm working out with the LORD because I know that it's not really OK.

Anyway.
And nervousness because I honestly expected that Shane would come across as 'holier than thou'... Probably with some right to do so.

But he didn't. At all. He was genuinely and astonishingly humble. He was just so normal. And modest.

And very, very funny.

Dressed in his usual baggy attire, he told story upon story of experiences he'd had with the homeless in Philadelphia, with Mother Theresa in Calcutta, and numerous other stories of kids and people who he'd loved with the love of God, in the way he knew how to. Whatever that looked like at that moment in time. Just meeting needs, prefers others above himself, loving his neighbour.

But he didn't preach in a way that made the congregation feel guilty.

No, he spoke with joy and encouragement. He laughed and told jokes and the funny stories where God stepped in to a situation in quite unbelieveable and amusing ways!!

The abundant life Jesus calls us to isn't boring or dry. It's exciting, perhaps a little dangerous, on the edge, fun, joyous and FULL!

There's a lot I've been left thinking about. Hence the buzzing mind.

I took notes (always good, as I have a brain like a sieve!) so I'm just gonna put don't down some quotes from Shane's talk that stood out to me and perhaps and the days go and I get time to process them I'll write more fully about them (have put in bold ones that have particularly stood out!!):

'Christians should not be normal. They should constantly be questioning the patterns of the world.'

'The best things in life should be given away.'

No one is above reproach. And none of us are beyond redemption.'

'The closer we are to God, the less we want to throw stones at people' (my actual fave! In the light of Jesus and the woman caught in adultery. So challenged about this one, and think it's very true.)

(quoted from the Iraqi guy Shane had a convo with, in reply to Shane's comment 'I'm surprised at how many Christians there are here) 'This is where it all started. America didn't invent Christianity, you know. It only domesticated it. We're praying for the church in America.'

'It's not a question of whether or not we'll be extremists, but of what sort of extremists we'll be. I want to be Extreme for love.'

'God doesn't want to change the world with out us' (another fave... so when we're asking 'Why doesn't God do anything about all the bad things in the world, we should then be asking ourselves why we aren't doing anything about all the bad things in the world - since He's given us the mandate and His Spirit, to go do something about them!!)

And finally, in answer the the question, Where do we start? Shane answered:

- Start small.

- Have a vision for family bigger than biology.

- in Matt 25, when Jesus asks us questions about our life, the questions aren't doctrinal. They're relational and practical, did you feed the hungry, clothe the naked, tend the sick, visit the imprisoned, house the homeless? Bear that in mind!

Phew.

So much deep stuff tonight. Along with an incredible set from the Rend Collective. Talented, Worshipful, fun musicians using their gifts for God's glory and to edify the church.

Beautiful.

There has definitely some stuff been stirred up in me and God has and is pointing out a few areas for my 'starting small'...

Starting today.

(make sure you have a listen!)

Irresistible Revolution #3

I now carry Irresistible Revolution with me in the bottom of my bag when I go out, in case I get a spare moment and a chance to get stuck in. As well as my bookmark, loose sheets of notepaper mark my pages so I can write notes as I go, on parts that particularly stick out to me or challenge me. I'm really making an effort to not give up reading this one!

To date, I have read up to page 39 (which consists of the Foreword by Jim Wallis, Introduction, The Authors Note and the first few pages of Chapter One). I wanted to blog some of my thoughts to help me properly digest what I'm reading, so I'll post a quote and let my thoughts run on it..

‘The whisper cries out for God to save the church from us Christians and breathe new life in to the aging body.’[1]
I think the reason this passage stood out is because of the 'saving the church from us Christians' part. Firstly, it makes me think of the quote from Brennan Manning, 'The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today is Christians - who acknowledge Jesus with their lips, and walk out the door and deny him by their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable.' It makes me sad. Sad to think that I'm probably one of the Christians that is being spoken about here... But secondly, it makes me think that surely, all Christians can not be represented here. There are some who have got it right, who are so stained with the mark of Christ, so full and over-flowing with the Spirit that the joy of God in them bubbles over and reaches out to those around them, like a breath of fresh air. If the whole body was 'aging' and decaying, we wouldn't be bearing fruit would we?

‘New prophets are rising up who try to change the future, not just predict it.’[2]
This makes me excited and nervous..
Excited because to me, this is a sign that God is moving and that people are taking Him and their gifts seriously, these 'new prophets rising up'. Excited because change is occurring. And because prophets tell of what God is doing and going to do and we get the chance to be involved in this.
But it makes me nervous because prophets were the ones who God sent when Israel was in a state, ignoring Him, and in desperate need of rescuing. I know the world is in that state already, but most people aren't listening to the prophets. A lot of people don't care.. It also makes me nervous because Jesus warned us about false prophets and it's our responsibility to discern what is true from what is false...
Harold Camping for example, whilst in essence doing the right thing by investing time and finance to warn people about the end times, was false in predicting the date and time of Christ's return, and his eschatology was debatable... But his example does lead to questions like, what are we seriously doing to warn people of Christs return? And what else are we doing other than informing people of the after-life? Are we loving and serving? Are we meeting the needs of the needy? Providing for our children in the future? For our children’s children…? Are we showing people the life of joy and freedom that is available to us today, not just in the future?

‘The truth is that much stands in the way of God’s will for the world.’[3]
Yes. Earthly, material things. But Christians too probably.

‘If I’m awesome we have a problem… only God is awesome.’[4]
Originally I was worried about what the book was gonna be like, and what Claiborne's attitude was gonna be. I didn’t really know what to expect, but figured that he might take the view that he’s right and I’m probably wrong, and that I need to be a better Christian so here’s how to do it... I'm coming to realise that that's my default way of thinking when faced with someone who I assume to be superior to me in theology / spirituality / intelligence / general life cirmcumstnace etc.etc. That I'm gonna be told that I'm wrong, and I should do better.
Anyway, perhaps this is why this phrase stood out to me coz already throughout the book, it's clear that Claiborne thinks of himself as very ordinary, and normal. He's down-to-earth and I haven’t detected a hint of an attitude anything like what I thought I might. He is honest, blunt, and challenging (even in the author’s note!) but he’s not arrogant and he knows that God is the only one worthy of glory and exultation through this.

OK so I've run out of time to write.. I'll continue the next time I get a moment! So far so good though I think, and I'm really enjoying this!

---

[1] Claiborne, Shane. The Irresistible Revolution (Michigan: Zondervan, 2006), 23.

[2] Claiborne, 24.

[3] Claiborne, 25.

[4] Claiborne, 27.

Irresistible Revolution #2

I haven't yet got past the intro. It's a shame really coz I have lost the urge to just sit and read.

It's to be expected really, but I'm not sure why. I've only been a 'reader' for about 18 months now, and I have recognised already, the serious difficulty I encounter when I attempt reading factual / teaching / theological books.. I seem to only enjoy stories, tales, novels, poems, and the odd biography here or there (but creatively written and by about an interesting person!).

I have the desire to read them, but as soon as I start, I sub-consciously switch off and give up. Many a book has ended up at the side of my bed, collecting dust as I neglect to read it.

I feel like I should be reading books like this, but I just find them dry and although challenging, not massively inspiring or gripping... They don't capture me and can't manage to hold my attention.

It's a shame really, and it's not that I don't like the book, or that I don't intend ever to read it!!

It's happened with Velvet Elvis (Rob Bell), Don't Waste Your Life (John Piper), Courageous Leadership (Bill Hybels), Crazy Love (Francis Chan) and others until now this one, Irresistible Revolution (Shane Claiborne).

All well known and top selling authors.. but perhaps just not for me.

I shall persevere with this anyway, and see where I get to.

Watch this space!

Irresistible Revolution #1

I finished my book this morning (Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers) and I don't know if you ever feel like this but I get it whenever I finish a good book.. it's like an insatiable thirst to keep reading.

So while I'm in this mood I'm gonna start (or attempt) Shane Claiborne's Irresistible Revolution.

I know quite a few people who have read this, who have been challenged and said great things about it.

But I'm gonna admit here that I'm nervous to start it. A little scared, if I'm really honest.

I think it's because I'm expecting to be challenged and caused to ask and answer difficult questions.. and I'm not sure I'm ready. I can't be challenged on something and then just go on with life normally and ignore it.. The book's tagline is living as an ordinary radical.

I'm not very radical. And as a bit of control-freak, routine-dependent sort of person (GOLD), the word 'radical' is not one I willingly or easily embrace.

Like I said, I'm not sure I'm ready for this.
But I'll try and see.

And already thinking about it, following Christ is radical. In today's world anyway. And if I'm doing it right. But I know this is a journey and by no means have any of us yet 'reached the goal' as Paul puts it. So I suppose I'm already there in terms of radicalness. I'm running the race already. And this book will give insight to the life of a guy who might be able to share a few tips..

And if now isn't the time to read it, I'll put it down for a while until it's right.

What I'd like to do (no promises though!) as I attempt to read this, is blog my thoughts as I go along. So I'm not gonna just power through this to tick it off as done and add it to my reading list, I'm gonna think about it and let it sink in.. and then blog what I'm thinking!

I had this idea when reading the first page:

Dedicated to

all the hypocrites, cowards and fools ... like me.

May we find the Way, the Truth and the Life

in a world of shortcuts, deception and death.

Already I am challenged because I put Claiborne on a pedestal.

My preconceptions of him, that came purely from ignorance and assumption, were that he would be amazing and righteous and have it all sorted.

This sorted that one out.

He is humble and admits that he is a hypocrite, a coward and a fool. Like me. That's what I feel like. Don't we all sometimes, I wonder? When he says ordinary radical, that's just what he is.

But we've got an extra-ordinary God :) and I'm reminded that it's Christ I am following, and trying to imitate, not Shane Claiborne!
Good thing to bear in mind as I go from here!!

And I agree wholeheartedly with his last two lines there. I'm reminded of the words to Jimmy Needham's Not Without Love benediction (click to listen to it on youtube)

"Now I finally see that Christ is what Christ offers"

It is only Christ who offers the Way where we know only shortcuts and dead-ends, the Truth when we know only lies and deception, and Life when all we know is death and decay...

Yes and Amen. I pray that I would come to know Christ more through this, and that He will shine through me as I go about living my life for, with and in Him.