miletwo::network

It was at least five or six years ago when I first saw that monotone halo surrounding those curly locks on a mannequine at Urban Outfitters. “Jesus is my homeboy…” HA!  I laughed! My immediate reaction was… “yea… he’s definitely my homeboy too.”  Little did I know how radically diverse the reactions would be to this simple but powerful statement.

I’ve been talking about the concept of becoming a goer with a friend lately and have decided to put a few concepts in line prior to taking this to a larger audience. You, the faithful few who follow my blog will get to see it first.

I’ve been reading David Alan Black’s mini-book on the synoptic problem since this morning.  It’s almost done and I’ll be bummed when I’m through it. The bigger issue I’m having today is that I’ve been around the church for over thirty years and I’m just now getting to this stuff. Why is that?  I guess it’s probably my own fault.  Either somebody forgot to tell me that Paul and Luke were buddies, that Mark hung out with Peter and likely wrote his gospel as a shorthand narrative of Paul’s sermons to the praetorium, etc. or I was sleeping that day.  I guess this kind of thing doesn’t come up in a thirty minute sermon titled “STOP BEING SO DUMB!” which is about the level that pastors today are able to get to with their stubborn and inattentive congregations.

Those of you who know me are aware that I have a special fondness for this spinning mudball I stand on. It’s not because I believe God is in the rocks and trees, or because I think the world will end if I keep driving my Land Cruiser.  I love the Earth because I love the one who made it.

A recent missive by marketing guru Seth Godin reminded me of the importance of establishing a marketable brand in our communications and marketing outreach efforts. I think it’s the reason why churches with names like Mars Hill, Rock Harbor, and The Open Door are succeeding in reaching the community in ways that First Baptist of Lalaland never will. It speaks directly to how unmemorable names with common english words are, using words like: community, zone, church, first, whatever.

The “Emerging Church” or “Emerging conversation” has been generating quite a buzz for the last few years, mostly because some of their ideals and beliefs are not entirely consistent with the bible. Mark Driscoll speaks in his most recent message from Question 2 in the “Religion Saves and Nine other Misconceptions” series titled: “Emerging Church” about his connection (or lack of) with the Emerging Church and how he came to be associated with them in the first place.