Reformissionary

LifeWay Tim Keller Interview

My buddy, Chris Turner, works at LifeWay and had an opportunity to interview Tim Keller a few days ago.  Go listen. Here's an accompanying blog post from Chris.

As always, you can visit my Tim Keller Resources page for more from Dr. Keller.

Pastoral Fellowship 2009

Great meeting and discussion today with a group of pastor/church planter friends here in suburban Chicago. Thanks to Joe we get some details.

Music Monday 1.26.09

Boom! It's Music Monday!

I got Animal Collective's Feels (MP3 download) a couple of years ago. I found it weird and difficult to enjoy.  It's grown on me and I like it now.  The new album, Merriweather Post Pavilion, sounds absolutely glorious. The reviews are very good. If you are an MP3 downloader, you can get it now, and you should.  It's $8.99 at Amazon.  I'm waiting until tomorrow when the CD is officially released. You need to watch this outstanding video for "My Girls" off the new album...

Arcade Fire is one of the best bands in the world. I have no doubt about that. Here they are with what I think is their best song, "Intervention," at Obama's Inauguration staff ball. It's an in-crowd camera, but it turned out pretty good...

If you have never gotten The Velvet Underground's classic album, Loaded, it's only $6.97 as an Amazon MP3 download. It's a great album. Pitchfork gives it 10/10 and says "there's no excuse for not owning this album." Get it.

Lots-o-Links 1.21.09

Kent Shaffer over at Church Relevance has determined that Reformissionary is the #27 church blog in the world.  Some good blogs on the list, and I'm honored to be there.  It's the best system of measurement I've seen for judging the popularity of a blog. Impressive, Kent.

I've started a new church blog (Doxa Blog), though I don't know exactly the role it will play yet. Working on it.  I have the domain doxablog.com, but right now it's only masking the link to this blog and it's a headache.  Also working on a Facebook group for Doxa. 

My new article: When Doctors Are Stumped

Joe Thorn is blogging again

Two talks on Questioning Evangelism

Paste Magazine anticipates 29 movies in 2009

Scot McKnight says some nice words about my photography, which I have long neglected

5 Reasons Why Consensus Sucks...true

Our Church Restart: Name Change

In April of 2004 we came to Calvary Baptist Church of Woodstock, Illinois. It was a small church that had serious issues.  I told the Pastor Search Committee before the church called me here that it sounded like a dead church that needed to restart.  They called me here and it's been an uphill battle ever since. But we are finally in the place of working through the transitions we know we need.

A little more background.  Just under a year ago our church chose to start heading in a new direction: adopting a new name, constitution, and leadership structure, possibly selling our property and more.  The church then chose an Interim Leadership Team (ILT) to replace the "church council," which was the leadership group the church had for several years before I came.  The ILT has been put in place to work through the transitions above and lead the church until eldership can be adopted in our constitution and elders are installed.

The first of the changes the ILT is working through is adopting a new church name.  We chose "Doxa Fellowship" on Sunday.  Doxa is the Greek word for "glory" and is found in words like "orthodoxy" and "doxology."  "Doxa Fellowship" won't be officially/legally adopted until we adopt a new constitution and choose a restart date and do all the crap needed to make it legal, but we are going to start using it immediately.

The ILT came up with this name after working through the following criteria.  I said more about each point during our discussion, and some points overlap and fit in similar categories, but these are the points I made to explain why the leadership chose "Doxa Fellowship."

1. Identity, Calling, & Mission – We want our name to have meaning, to help identify us by our calling & mission. To mention our church is to mention our mission.

2. Unique in McHenry County – It’s best if people outside our church hear our name and have no other church in mind.

3. Not Location Focused – We are a church for McHenry County, not just Woodstock. A name describing us in Woodstock will be too narrow. A name describing us in McHenry County may make people think of the city of McHenry. So a non-location specific name will work best.

4. A Brief Identifier – For both church members and folks who live in McHenry County, it’s helpful to have a name they can say in 1 word, though our official name will be longer.

5. Web Domain Options – Most visitors first find us on the internet. A more unique church name leads to a better domain name and easier web discovery.

6. Creativity in Branding – Church branding is often based on name & mission and we want a name that gives some freedom for creatively branding our church.

7. A Name Worth Discussing – When people hear of our church we want the name to peak their interests, draw out questions about the name and/or church. A typical church name often leads to no response from people. A more unique name, based on identity, calling, & mission, opens doors for conversation.

Molly Update 1.20.2009

It's been a while since I gave you a full update of how Molly is doing.  If you don't know, my wife was diagnosed in 2007 with Chiari I Malformation. You can catch up here.

This is as good as Molly has felt since surgery in September of 2008.  It seems that the neurologist's effort to get Molly sleeping has worked wonders. 

Molly is taking medication every night just before bed and she is sleeping much better.  The neurologist thinks that the very difficult post-op problems and the rounds of steroids she took got her inner sleep clock way off.  He also says she likely has "brain damage" both from the surgeries (as with any surgery) as well as from the scar tissue that forms from exposing the brain and other tissues to the outside world.  She's in bed every night at right about 9pm and up at 6am or so. Over the past few weeks there is a marked difference in how good she feels, which is obvious to me as well.

Mol's balance issues are still there a bit, but not too bad.  She hasn't used a cane for many weeks now.  She is able to go to the gym and do low-impact stuff.  She also uses the treadmill at the house. The neurologist doesn't want her running, though she really wants to.  She does power-walking.  She has also just started using a Wii Fit, which is pretty cool.  It's really helpful for her with balance issues as well as other exercise.

The brain issues, including finishing her thoughts and doing more complicated mental calculations and similar stuff is still obviously there.  She is playing Brain Age daily on the Nintendo DS Lite that I got her for Christmas, as the doc recommended.  She is also, almost daily, playing some games (like Mancala) that require her to use fine motor skills.  Her ability to do simple things, like pick up a penny, has been finally improving.

All-in-all, Molly has been greatly improving and now has a bunch of energy and motivation.  We really want to thank everyone who has been praying for her recovery.

We are still looking to a second opinion in February, if that appointment works out. It may be pushed back.  That's the next step, and it will determine the steps after that.

Music Monday 1.19.09

New Beirut.  Zach Condon and the boys are headed toward a Mexican sound.  Very cool.  New video...

Fleet Foxes were on SNL...

I've been looking into some new stuff. I found Ezra Furman and the Harpoons through Filmspotting. I like their sound (MySpace). Joe Thorn has led me to Isis (MySpace). I like them so far, as does Pitchfork (also). After discovering my need, Cameron Mizell threw me a copy of Bruce Springsteen's Nebraska. Awesome! Thanks Cameron. It will help me practice (fool around) with my harmonica.

Amazon MP3 downloads worth checking out:$5 --> Slumdog Millionaire Soundtrack & Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon.  $1.99 --> R.E.M's Automatic for the People.

External Elegance of the Internal Excellencies

Glory is the external elegance of the internal excellencies of God. Glory is what you see and experience and feel when God goes public with His beauty!

Sam Storms on p34 of One Thing: Developing a Passion for the Beauty of God.

Music Monday 1.12.09

I've enjoyed everything I've heard from the dreary and dark Woven Hand. Biblically and theologically haunting music/lyrics. Check this Tiny Desk Concert.

Here's a video (not great quality) of Jeff Tweedy, some Radiohead guys, and Liam Finn playing Radiohead's "Fake Plastic Trees."  Because of the quality, it will probably only be really enjoyable for folks who already love Tweedy/Radiohead/Finn or who have "Fake Plastic Trees" streaming constantly running through their heads (like me).  But as a fan of all, it's very cool. (via)

The Black Cab Sessions are always fun, and a great way to find new-to-you artists or some of your favorites singing newer songs. Ryan Adams...

I've been discovering some 2008 albums that are high on 'best of' lists but I hadn't heard.  I mentioned Welcome Wagon last week, but now I have video...

Ra Ra Riot is a ton of fun. Try them out at Daytrotter and enjoy this Letterman appearance...

Let me end with The Gaslight Anthem.  Matt Redmond commented on my blog last week, curious about what I think of The Gaslight Anthem. Having never heard of them I checked their MySpace and loved it.  Pitchfork does too. Early Springsteenish.  The title track is really great and I want to share it with you. Check the lyrics as you listen/watch...

sub•text Forum with Al Hsu

If you live in or near the Chicago suburbs, there is a great opportunity to learn about and discuss suburban life and ministry, as well as network with other suburbanites. Our first sub•text forum with Al Hsu, author of The Suburban Christian, is coming on Saturday, January 17th at Redeemer Fellowship in Saint Charles, IL from 10:30am - 2:00pm.

It's free and anyone can attend. Check out the rest of the info at sub•text.

Church Replanting: Acts 29 Audio

At the Dallas 2008 Acts 29 Boot Camp Elliot Grudem and Matt Adair spoke on church replanting.  Grudem's talk was really outstanding and convicting.  Adair's talk was helpful as well, and includes the QnA session.  As someone working on a replant, this is good stuff.  Here's the audio from the whole conference.

And if you are in the area and/or looking to plant, you should attend the Raleigh, NC Boot Camp next month.

Music Monday 1.5.09

My buddy, Kevin Cawley, has listed his favorite 20 albums of 2008.  Some good stuff on there, including The Welcome Wagon.  I totally missed this album and just ordered it online because I love their stuff at MySpace.  Paste has a nice article.  Sufjanesque sound.  From their label, Asthmatic Kitty...

The Welcome Wagon is a married couple, the Reverend Thomas Vito Aiuto and his wife Monique, who execute a genre of gospel music that is refreshingly plain. Their hymns are modest and melodic takes on a vast history of sacred song traditions, delivered with the simple desire to know their Maker—and to know each other—more intimately.

Bon Iver covers The Outfield's 1985 hit "Your Love." Cooler than cool...p>

Alaska in Winter with "Berlin." Crank it!

If you like Conor Oberst, and you should, then you probably will like David Dondero's Tiny Desk Concert. For a taste, here's his video for "Rothko Chapel." You may want the lyrics nearby.

The 2009 Reformission

I've identified 10 changes I want to see in my life in 2009.  Call them resolutions if you like.  I have much more I could say about them, but I wanted them to be somewhat brief here.  The first 3 are general and pervasive through the next 7, and are things I've been working on for years (ordering not important).  The last 7 are more specific (and in order).  I know that it's really God who works change, and that everything below should say "Lord-willing" after it, but just accept that up front if you would.

10. A year of clearer boundaries.  I'm thinking of several areas here including the areas of hospitality (more at #6), personal organization, what I do in my different workplaces, time with my wife (more at #2), what we let our kids do and not do, etc.  This isn't about "tighter" boundaries necessarily (well, maybe in a few areas).  But muddy boundaries make for a muddy life.  Clarity is, well, clarifying. 

9. A year of fewer excuses.  I'm sick of my mind running to look for better excuses for why things aren't different, better, possible.  I've been working on this area for some time because it's a tough one for me. I'm going to work at dropping excuses, admit when I'm wrong, and press on.  "Do or do not. There is no 'try.'"

8. A year of greater risk.  Comfort is an easy default mode for me.  Risk is a sexy word to me, and a sexy idea.  But all too often it's a word and idea and not much else.  This year when I catch myself being too protective or fearful (also see #7) I'm going to try and let go and go for it.  I'm still going to count the cost, I'm just going to try and not selfishly count the cost.

_____

7. A year of saying what needs to be said.  I'm a prophet-type guy.  I used to be the guy who would say things and then find out later that I was actually very bold and courageous and truthful and transformational, though at the time it didn't feel at all courageous.  I've been tamed a bit, and I'm sick of it.  This year I'm going to speak when I feel led to instead of feeling later on that I should have said something.  This will result in things from more direct evangelism, to more regular meetings with church folks who are slacking, to a louder public voice in my city, to many other things. 

6. A year of expanding our "public" space.  I'm thinking mostly hospitality and relational discipleship here.  Some things have led us to restrict levels of private space and too rarely invite people in.  Most of those things are stupid and selfish.  We are going to try to open our home more, enjoy the company of friends and strangers more, etc.  We used to influence people more through things like letting them be around parenting situations.  This worked especially well with university students.  We don't do that enough anymore.  We have been really changed over the years by hanging around older Christians, pastors, and others and watching their life, asking questions, and just sitting and soaking in the relationship.  We need to be more intentional about being there for others.

5. A year of scheduling mission.  This has always been something I've done, but it's waned and I want to get serious about it again.  Unscheduled mission is always easier for me (ALWAYS!) when scheduled mission is happening.  So really this will help scheduled and unscheduled mission.  I've already added some significant chunks into my winter schedule. I'm going to vary the locations, means, and approach.  Along with this I have some ideas from last year that we shelved until some core changes happen at our church, which are coming very soon (see #4).

4. A year of church transformation.  Starting in a few weeks the changes I've been working for at my church for more than 4 1/2 years are finally going to start happening.  We are working on reconstituting, restarting, and renaming our church.  That's just the beginning.  Last year we made some important decisions and went through some real pain to make what's happening in 2009 a reality.  Should be a busy, fruitful, exciting, and risky year.  I'll try to keep you posted here. 

3. A year of discipling our children better.  Last year discipleship was just ok.  We are still not close to what I want for my kids.  I have a picture of what I want to see in their lives, of how I want them to experience the gospel, truth, faith, ministry, and compassion.  Now we will day-by-day begin, one stroke at a time, to paint that picture. 

2. A year of rediscovering my wife.  The end of 2008 was really difficult for my marriage.  We never grew apart or stopped loving or liking each other or anything like that.  But most of my readers know how really tough these last few months have been.  When you spend all the time thinking about how your car isn't working right you never get to experience the joy of being on the road.  You get too focused on the problems.  Same with our relationship.  We need to get out and feel the wind in our hair and hug a few turns on the country roads again, even if Molly's issues mean it will be at a slower speed.  This means things like getting date nights back in order, finding more time in the evenings to just hang and talk about something other than what's wrong with Molly, and me stopping being such a jerk. :)

1. A year of responding better to the Holy Spirit's promptings.  I've noticed, especially over the last half of the year, some things in my life that just aren't in order.  They get better, and then worse again.  I going to spend more time preaching the gospel to myself.  I'm going to refresh the disciplines while also simplifying things a bit.  I'm going to be more protective of times of silence and solitude. I'm looking forward to a growing intimacy with the Lord over 2009.