MBCC Blog

Follow Up // "Weakness into Strength"

So, this morning we explored "Evangelism" and all of the craziness behind it.  I am always so impressed - not surprised - by the level of engagement that folks are willing to be part of in services.  Thank you. 

Normally, this follow-up would also include a VODcast, but some dork (Initials BRC) set up the camera and then stood up front just outside the camera view.  Nice.  So this week, you can download the Sermon Slides (PDF) and Nick will get the PODcast up at some point.

If you are interested in the clips used today here are the links:

• Christian v. Christ Follower // Bumper Stickers [YouTube]
• Jesus Camp //Rachel at the Bowling Alley [YouTube]

 

Until then, what do you think . . . how can you be a part of claiming and redfining Evangelism MBCC Style?

Evangelion

I haven't looked at the blog yet, but I'm assuming that I'm not the first person to post or continue talking/thinking about the subject of evangelism as we discussed it this morning. I'm a person who would have talked but everyone was saying such great stuff, I felt like listening. People said what I was thinking too, which is great. It's great to be part of a like-minded community

I grew up in an evangelical church, but the term "evangelical" doesn't hurt my soul as much as the term "fundamenatlism" but that's a posting for another day. While the term doesn't bother me, what the group who calls themselves "evangelicals" have done to "evangelism" does. Here's what I don't like:

1. The Gospel has become information instead of a Person. (God loves you, people are sinners, God sent Jesus to die for your sins, He was crucified, dead and buried and then rose again on the third day - got it? Ok, you're in.)

2. Grace has been wrongly understood to apply only to the moment of "conversion" (see #3) rather that a gift when which we live every day.

3. Conversion has been interpreted as an event rather than a process.

4. Relationships are developed with a destination in mind.

I could elaborate on all this, but it would be redundant and I'd rather have other people leave comments and do their own elaboration.

Since we tend to do church in video clips, during church today the film running through my mind was The Big Kahuna. It came out in 1999 or 2000 and starred Kevin Spacey, Danny DeVito and Peter Facinelli as three travelling salesmen trying to land a big deal. Peter Facinelli was a young Baptist gentleman who was new to the business and was being trained by these more seasoned professionals. He was what we'd consider a traditional evangelical who interpreted scripture literally and spends a lot of energy trying to convert DeVito and Spacey. Finally, DeVito's character sits him down and gives him this speech:

"It doesn't matter whether you're selling Jesus or Buddha or civil rights or 'How to Make Money in Real Estate With No Money Down.' That doesn't make you a human being; it makes you a marketing rep. If you want to talk to somebody honestly, as a human being, ask him about his kids. Find out what his dreams are - just to find out, for no other reason. Because as soon as you lay your hands on a conversation to steer it, it's not a conversation anymore; it's a pitch. And you're not a human being; you're a marketing rep."

Brilliant. That's pretty much what I wanted to say. I should have led with that.

Small Group Tonight - Responding to Suffering

Hi there - I hope anyone who is interesed can join Lisa and I at her place for small group tonight. If I may say so, she and I are quite bright and the discussion is always interesting :-)

Sunday's discussion was on being prophetic and how that sometimes has communal consequences. See Bruce's post for follow-up info. Last night, Lisa and I discussed my current life transition balancing a new job and what that means for me spiritually. I have discovered that I have neglected my own spiritual development and it's beginning to show, so I need to re-evaluate and adjust. One of my favorite quotes is from Bill Hybels' book Too Busy Not to Pray (an excellent read). He says that "busyness is the archenemy of spiritual authenticity."

My current situation got me thinking about not just being prophetic to community, but being prophetic to self. What truth do I need to hear from myself? What consequences are there? What do I need to add and what do I need to give up?

Join us tonight as we talk about this and, I'm sure, many other fascinating things. E-mail me with questions or for directions/instructions. We're meeting at 7:30 now, instead of 7, because it's easier for folks to get home from work, eat, and then make it over to Lisa's. Hope to see you tonight!

Rejecting the Prophets

Bruce seems to think that this past Sunday's sermon was a bit off his usual game. I supose we could let him on the secret that his sermons are always crap!

Just kidding! I actually thought this Sunday's sermon was one of the most important and profound sermons I've heard in a long time. It is very easy for us individually and corpoartely to become complacent when it comes to our faith. We get to a point where we plateau spiritually and we miss out on the new things that God might be doing. There is very little in our lives that holds us to account when we know that God is leading us in a direction and we choose not follow.

The a biblical standpoint, the prophets (including Jesus) consistently shook people out of a mindless following of the status quo. They made people uneasy. I'm sure there was a lot of squirming going on around Isaiah, Micah, and Amos. And isn't that the point of this series? Being a follower of Christ can and often does take us into places we'd rather not go to do things we'd rather not do. That certainly isn't the entirety of the Christian life, but it is a key part of it. Where the prophets particularly excelled was in the area of calling people out on their attitudes towards those who were typically ostracized from community (the poor, widows, orphans, foreigners, etc..)

I felt very challenged during Sunday's sermon. Though a place like Mission Bay doesn't out right ostracize people, we can perpetuate a certain sensability, one that says that church is for the well educated and upwardly mobile. I think our rejection tends to fall into the "sins of omission" category. We hear about and are constantly surrounded by suffering and yet ignore its results and its causes and do little if nothing to alleviate te suffering.

It is hard to talk about these things without sounding accusatory I think that might have been part of why Bruce didn'tlike his sermon. The truth is that we are all indicted on this and probably always will be. That doesn't mean that we should shut our ears to the prophetic voice and ignore the suffering. I think we have to find practical ways to engage with the suffering and do what we can where we can.

I've felt very convicted in the last few months. I've felt like I haven't done enough in helping MBCC move in a direction where we are regularly engaging in the needs of our communities. I'm excited about the opportunity to work with Project Open Hand. It is great to see that there are organizations like this one that care about the well being of those who are ostracized from community. One of the Project's main foci is to provide good nutrition for those who are living with HIV/AIDS, disabilities, or who are just suffering the isolation that many face as they age. The volunteer opportunities allow us to work in the kitchen to prepare meals for these folks and possibly even to deliver them to their homes. While we are still working the details of this particular event, my hope is that it goes well so that we can make this a regular collaboration and engage in the full range of the Project's services.

I don't publicly applaud my supervisor often because...well...he's my supervisor and want people to know that the brown on my nose is all natural. It is also because he has horrible taste in music and films! But applaud Bruce for taking on a really hard topic. Even in my limited experience as a preacher, I have had the feeling of  knowing I said something important, but not necessarily liking the way it came out. It's good to be challenged once in awhile and even better when we can rise to the challenge.

Follow Up // "The Risk of Rejection"

Here is some follow-up info from this past Sunday's sermon.

Sermon Resources for "The Risk of Rejection"
Audio/mp3  // Video/mov // Slides/ppt

Christ Follower/s VOD/PODcasts

Welcome to MBCC Podcasting of Sunday Sermons:

Download and Listen to the first two parts of the sermon series "Christ-follower(s): The Complexities of Committing Your Life to Jesus"  the Lenten series at MBCC. Listen to Bruce in...

Part 1: "Can I Afford to Follow Jesus?" Audio Mp3
Part 2: "The Art of Forgiveness" Audio/.Mp3
Part 3: "Sitting in the Sadness" Video/.Mov
Part 3: "Sitting in the Sadness" Audio/.Mp3
Part 4: "The Risk of Rejection" Audio/.Mp3
Part 4: "The Risk of Rejection" Video/.Mov
Part 5: "Weakness into Strength" Audio/.Mp3
Part 6:  "The Innocence of Hope" Audio/.Mp3
Part 7: "We can't believe my eyes, or can we?" Audio/.Mp3
 

 

Don't forget us when you're famous ;-)

While Nya Jade is pretty cool, who is that dashing keyboard player in the back?
Yep, it's our friend Kenny who plays keyboard with San Francisco-based, Nya Jade and is in the newly released video, "Live" which debuts today on VH1 Soul Today.  I just watched the video and it really very good.  So if you get a chance, help them get some play by watching it via as many of the following formats and time.

VH1 Soul: TODAY March 19th, 10am and 6pm
VH1 vSpot: Online Video
YouTube: Online Video

Congrats Kenny and Nya!

Congratulations Leslie

This past Saturday Leslie Veen completed her "Trials of Ordination" and will be a real live Minister of the Word and Sacrament pending her ordination on April 29th.  Lots of mumbo jumbo to say that she has complete the school, passed the written exams, passed the oral examination and will now have a worship service to make it official.  See Leslie's Post about the day.

MBCC is crashing the party, so be sure to mark your calendar for April 29th, 4:00pm @ Calvary Presbyterian Church for Leslie's Ordination Service.  And let's try to behave, no doing the wave!

Math Teacher Needed - ASAP!

Hi All - I have a good friend, Lisa Nelson (she played percussion at the Christmas Rock), who teaches at Bridgemont High School and they have a desperate need for a part-time Math teacher. I'm posting her e-mail below. Please e-mail their Executive Director at the e-mail address below. Tiffany

dear friends,

i need your ideas, prayers, and Christian networking!  do any of you
know anyone who's good at math, a christian, loves teenagers, and is
in need of a part-time job in san francisco?

we (at bridgemont high school--near sfsu)  lost our 1st math teacher
at semester, because he had to take a little leave to have heart
surgery.  his replacement, Dr. Yoo, is a seminary student who has been
working part time at both chabot and at bridgemont.  he's finding
himself too overwhelmed by his workload to stick around until the year
ends, so we're desparate for a replacement to start a.s.a.p. (until
the 1st or 2nd week of june).  if it works out, this could turn into a
full-time job for next school year.

the job is 2 classes:  pre-calc and geometry.  these kids need a good
teacher who will care about helping them learn something.  they've had
a rough year of it, being bounced around from teacher to teacher, with
a bunch of subs in between.  please pass this along to anyone who
might be interested, and let them know that they can learn more about
bridgemont at bridgemont.org

if you know anyone who might be interested, please forward this to
them, and have them send a resume and contact our Executive Director,
peter tropper, at principal@bridgemont.org

thanks!

xo,   lisa

What are they saying about MBCC

If you have not been over to Yelp to see the reviews of MBCC, you must get over there and see the latest reviews.

• Tricia, we miss you too.
• Lisa, would Jesus expect comfy chairs?

Believe it or not we have had folks visit MBCC because they saw us on Yelp, so if you have something good to say, please feel free.  And if you want to see what other mbcc yelpers are doing, visit my profile and then click on "Favorites"