Here are two more tracks from Budapest last week. Some of you are asking for the whole album - dont worry - just a few more to go - be patient. These two numbers are related to the monastic flavor of church in the emerging culture (did you read the article on Punks into Monks from the last blog?
TRACK 3. THE BAPTIST MONK
This is my favourite track title on the album. It carries great shock value with its juxtoposition of the evangelical and the Catholic, the active and the reflective, the city and the desert. I cant say that I actually know any Baptist monks, even though I have suggested that the Baptists should create some monastic orders. There are some Baptist communities that are on the journey - Lower Greenville Baptist in Dallas, for example, has a Celtic prayer room and has Taize nights on Tuesday. St Thomas Crookes in Sheffield, a Baptist/Anglican mix, is on the way to becoming a order rather than a church. They have prayer three times daily. 24-7 Prayer are starting up monastic structures they call Boiler Rooms. I have met Vineyard monks from Ohio who take vows and share a common purse.
It is a growing trend that postmodern spiritual seekers would rather be a part of a small, committed order or team on a journey than be an attender in a large, impersonal worship service. Postmodern churches will increasingly include the monastic model as well as the ecclesiastic. Patrick Johnstone, in his book "The Church is Bigger Than You Think" argues that church has always existed in 3 forms - the gathering (ecclesiastic), the community in training (I call it the monastic) and the sending/travelling band (apostolic). Modernity divided church into CHURCH (the ecclesiastic) and PARACHURCH (the seminaries, missions, youth ministries, etc). What we are seeing now is intentional communities and travelling teams that not only support the church - THEY ARE CHURCH.
TRACK 5. THE COUCH AND THE PILGRIM TRAILS.
Pilgrimage is becoming the way of missions for postmodern young people. Pilgrimage is a two way experience - giving your gift and receiving a gift from the culture. Celtic pilgrims went to get books and they told the story of Jesus on the way. A pilgrimage is an open ended journey that God could change at any moment, like He did with the Apostle Paul. Pilgrimage often involves working and studying along the way. What we are seeing is an increasing amount of pilgrims travelling around the world in a Spirit led adventure with God. Rising up also is the support system to assist them - houses of hospitality, well worn trails where people have gone ahead, festivals where they gather as a large group. There are pligrim points of interest and learning, and available couches in the homes of believers around the world for a new generation of couch-surfing apostles and prophets.
TRACK 3. THE BAPTIST MONK
This is my favourite track title on the album. It carries great shock value with its juxtoposition of the evangelical and the Catholic, the active and the reflective, the city and the desert. I cant say that I actually know any Baptist monks, even though I have suggested that the Baptists should create some monastic orders. There are some Baptist communities that are on the journey - Lower Greenville Baptist in Dallas, for example, has a Celtic prayer room and has Taize nights on Tuesday. St Thomas Crookes in Sheffield, a Baptist/Anglican mix, is on the way to becoming a order rather than a church. They have prayer three times daily. 24-7 Prayer are starting up monastic structures they call Boiler Rooms. I have met Vineyard monks from Ohio who take vows and share a common purse.
It is a growing trend that postmodern spiritual seekers would rather be a part of a small, committed order or team on a journey than be an attender in a large, impersonal worship service. Postmodern churches will increasingly include the monastic model as well as the ecclesiastic. Patrick Johnstone, in his book "The Church is Bigger Than You Think" argues that church has always existed in 3 forms - the gathering (ecclesiastic), the community in training (I call it the monastic) and the sending/travelling band (apostolic). Modernity divided church into CHURCH (the ecclesiastic) and PARACHURCH (the seminaries, missions, youth ministries, etc). What we are seeing now is intentional communities and travelling teams that not only support the church - THEY ARE CHURCH.
TRACK 5. THE COUCH AND THE PILGRIM TRAILS.
Pilgrimage is becoming the way of missions for postmodern young people. Pilgrimage is a two way experience - giving your gift and receiving a gift from the culture. Celtic pilgrims went to get books and they told the story of Jesus on the way. A pilgrimage is an open ended journey that God could change at any moment, like He did with the Apostle Paul. Pilgrimage often involves working and studying along the way. What we are seeing is an increasing amount of pilgrims travelling around the world in a Spirit led adventure with God. Rising up also is the support system to assist them - houses of hospitality, well worn trails where people have gone ahead, festivals where they gather as a large group. There are pligrim points of interest and learning, and available couches in the homes of believers around the world for a new generation of couch-surfing apostles and prophets.
