LeadershipConneXtions

Culture: Our Context and Our Conversation Partner

We are always rooted, located and formed in a cultural context. 

We always live out our faith (follow Jesus) in a cultural context.

We always read the Bible, theologize, practice our spirituality and experience Jesus in a cultural context.

Fundamentalism was that Christian approach (and it is found in other religions as well, especially Islam) that believed the cultural context was unimportant, if not evil. Fundamentalism preferred separation from culture and went the route of isolation. 

Carry this to an extreme and you begin to look, sound and act like an Amish person who takes this approach to its extreme. Ironically, the Amish are finding ways to be a part of culture when it suits their purposes.

Fundamentalism was naive and just wrong in thinking they were above being influenced by culture.  (That is another post sometime.) Nevertheless, their approach made them pretty irrelevant when it came to mission and transformation (not to mention the arts, academics, etc.).

It is pretty obvious that our culture influences us and that we are called to influence the culture. The way to do this is to admit we are all situated in a context and that context has an influence on us. And to engage in a conversation with that culture.

Sometimes, our culture will set the agenda for our theology. By this, I mean our culture will raise the questions, put forward the issues, provide the situations and experiences . . . and we will have to address this.

Right now, for example:

(1)  Our economic times are a situation that should lead us to meaningful consideration of issues of wealth and poverty, what is enough, why are we always wanting more than what we need and can afford, and so on.

(2)  With the incredible rise in social networking (think FACEBOOK), what does this say to us about community, friendship and how should we respond as the people of God to this?

(3)  The church is in slow decline in North America. Evangelism as it use to be practiced is rarely fruitful today. How do we function missionally as God's people? 

And this list could go on.

The best theology and the best spirituality is not practiced in an ivory tower of academia, nor in a ghetto/fortress of religiosity. They are done in the challenging but necessary context of our culture.

Two conclusions:

(1)  Engage your culture, keep your Eyes Wide Open and observe, pay attention, notice and understand the signs of our times.

(2)  Have conversations with the culture. Speak and listen. Raise questions, offer tentative answers. Keep the conversation going.

Brian Rice

Leadership ConneXtions International

A Millennial's Guide to Millennial Guides

I just read this article and thought you may find it of interest.

It's short.

Here is a Fast Company article on the millenials and some books about them.

Brian Rice

Leadership ConneXtions International

Witnesses

My friend and colleague at LWCC, Rob Tucker, recently spoke to our staff team about being witnesses. Rob led us through a nice process of thinking about past and current models of "witnessing" and then into some considerations of emerging approaches.

He talked about what worked . . . what isn't working as well . . . and what might work in the days ahead.  (I'm pretty sure that wearing this t-shirt  pictured is not going be that effective.)

Rob talked about the Nike - Lebron James - NBA campaign that uses the slogan . . .

We Are All Witnesses

. . . which is a reference to witnessing the spectactular play of Lebron James and then telling others how good Lebron is. It was a powerful illustration.

I've been thinking about this word WITNESS a lot more in the days since that meeting.

At first it sounds pretty old fashioned, but the more I think about it - I like it.

It's a good word.

It's a biblical word that was, above all, used in reference to Jesus.

And I think it is a good metaphor for leadership. The leader as WITNESS.

Of course, how one chooses to be a witness will make all the difference. I think that the leader as witness is the leader who knows her or his story, who knows the story of God in Christ and who is able to weave those two stories together into the Story of Us.

What have you born witness to so far today?

Brian Rice

Every Monday Matters

Hey, I want to clue you in to a really, REALLY, REALLY cool idea!

There is a new book out called:  Every Monday Matters: 52 Ways to Make a  Difference.

There is a website devoted to this and you can access it at:

www.EveryMondayMatters.com (just click on this link).

It is an idea that we can make a difference. We can make a difference in lots of little ways. Lots of little touches, day after day, week after week, have a BIG cumulative impact.

This idea is about living a life of service to others.

This idea is about living a life of encouragement of others.

This idea is about living a life of vitality, generosity, and gratitude.

This idea is about living a life of influence.

You wont' find Scripture verses or doctrinal statements in this book. That's not what it is about. What this book is about is giving practical ways to serve the world in the name of Christ.

You won't even find distinctively religious or biblical or Christian suggestions. It is simpler than that. it is about being a decent and good human being.

Which I think Christians ought to excel at so we can earn the right and gain the trust to bring Jesus into the discussion.

Get a copy. Start doing something good and new every single week. Pass the word. Start a movement. Be blessed and be a blessing in Jesus' name.

Brian Rice

Cultural Creatives and the New Realists

Michael Frost (in Exiles: Living Missionally in a Post-Christian Culture) describes a growing group of people known as the cultural creatives or the new realists.

These people cross political lines, and they are viewing the world differently from the mainstream. They may be as many as 26% of the U.S. population. Here are five things that characterize this group:

1. Ecologically sustainable products and services and concern for the whole planet.
2. An insistence on authenticity, personally, at work, in business and politics.
3. Bringing women's issues into public life.
4. Reporting the news differently, to see the big picture, and first-person stories, and good news too.
5. Bringing spirituality into American life.

Leaders who want to influence this group will have to address these issues in meaningful ways.

Click here for more on Michael Frost and his organization.

Brian Rice

Communitas (Missional Communities)

I had mixed reactions reading Exiles: Living Missionally in a Post-Christian Culture by Michael Frost. Overall, I liked much of what he said. At the same time, I found some things rather lacking. At times, I actually thought his book was a bit too "modernistic" in its feel. Too many lists and too many rather superficial judgments on matters that are not his area of expertise.

For example, I think he is at his weakest when he addresses spirituality.  But when he addresses issues of mission and culture, he is at his best.  And he is provocative when he talks about how the church engages with mission and culture.

For me - one chapter alone was worth the price of the book and that is Chapter Five - The Exile's Esprit de Corps: The Promise That We Will Serve a Cause Greater Than Ourselves.  His insights on communitas and liminal experiences are just profound. 

Authentic Christian community occurs when a group of believers commit themselves to a grand purpose of missional involvement in the world around them.

I can't begin to do it justice. Get a copy and read that chapter.

Brian Rice