Well, Chapter 8 is the longest chapter in the book. It also appears to be crammed with the most content, so far. I liked the chapter, but I have to admit that I was ready to move on. The final paragraph sums up the chapter and offers my greatest challenge.
"The incarnational big-story gospel will require a place of discovery, where people will be able to see the truth before they hear about it. This place will not be a location but a community of people who are inclusive of everyone. These people will be making eternity attractive by how they live such selfless lives now, and will be modeling life in a New Kingdom in ways that will make it easy for other people to give it a try. People like this aren't desperate to convert everyone; they are desperate to be like Christ and to be where Christ is. Their heartbeat to be transformed into the image of Christ, and to pray and work for little specks of transformation in everyone and everything they touch. Success if faithfulness. The rest is up to God." (p81)
Of the paradigms described, I definitely fall into the Postmodern paradigm. I was raised and trained in the Western paradigm, so I live with a bit of a tension. I love the discovery zone, asking questions and preferring to find Truth rather than be told truth. I am growing more pluralistic in my relationships, which also produces an irritability in me when it comes to others who are not. I do long for gratification over security or legacy, but I understand that my ultimate gratification can only be found in Christ. I distrust institutions, have a disdain for tradition and I would often rather deconstruct everything, which often leads me into cynicism and criticism of just about everything. I am learning that modeling love and truth is a much better influence, though. I definitely react to anything in the church that "looks too canned or appears to be a product or program," but I still default to this. I know that transformation is the ultimate goal, but I'm not sure how to measure it.
In a nutshell, all my intuition about following Jesus, leads me into something different than what I was raised with. I long for more than what I've experienced, even though much of what I experienced was good. Many people misunderstand my drive for something new and different, with a bad past. I had a good church experience - once I got into high school. I believe I have a healthy respect for my past, but it is not blind to the shortcomings, nor is it blind to the fact that the game has now changed. I grew up on the edge of a paradigm shift and while much of me made the shift, it took longer for parts of me than others. That said, I'm still in transition and I am enjoying the ride of my life. Thank you for hopping on board for some of it.
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I definitely grew up Western. How could I help but do so as I grew up in the 60'/70's. But throughout my life, I have grown to be disenchanted with the church as defined as an organization, but not the church as defined as a community of believers who are trying to follow after Christ.
I think it mostly comes from seeing the vast majority of people who sat on a pew and never seemed to evince any kind of Christ likeness, other than church attendence, which isn't really Christ like. It's just a habit. I can do with out that in my life, and do want to become like that at all. Nor do I want my children to either.
If I were asked to recount my best 'church' experiences, I would describe those moments that revolved around relationships that I developed with others. The ones that let to eating together, visiting with one another, studying together, hunting together, etc... any point where life was shared and conversations were had which challenged me to stay in the game and follow hard after God. The church that is defined this way has names like, Steve, Mark, Terry, Angie, Elizabeth, Bela, Cameron, Bev, Alexis, Alex, Nik, Jeff, Mom, and so many others that I haven't named here... friends, both new and old, and family that I would choose over a church service any day. Through the years their very lives, intertwined with their words, are what has had an impact on my life. The names that I named weren't churches (organizations) but were the church (Christ followers). Organizations don't become Christ like, people do.
The shift in paradigm for me is how I see what I define as the church, and what the church does. We must stop being an organization that demands service from it's members, and start being the varied collection of christ followers who look to see how we can serve others.
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