Over the last 9 months I’ve taken a hiatus from the monologue that is blogging as I’ve been pursuing my doctoral work with Len Sweet at George Fox Seminary in Portland while pastoring full time in Los Angeles. Technology and less sleep have allowed me to do both at the same time while allowing me to be with my wife at home all but 5 days of the year.

The doctoral work I am doing is in the field of Semiotics and Future Studies and working with Len has literally rewired my brain a million times over.

My focus and dissertation will be on Narrative Ecclesiology in New Media World. Dissertation names are really good at making things sound more complicated and fancier than they really are…so, here’s a little excerpt from my ever growing dissertation that might make it a little more digestible:

Throughout human history, the predominant way that communities have answered questions of origin and purpose have been through the communication and remembering of stories. These stories arise out of everyday experiences and help shape a community’s identity, giving it meaning and purpose. The Church, like any other community throughout history is most whole when it is able to communicate, remember, and embody its narrative identity. Inversely, communities become fractured when their narrative identity is diluted, or even worse, forgotten. However, Western Evangelicalism is currently experiencing a pervasive spiritual amnesia where the Church at large has forgotten how to tell stories about its origin and its mission. As a result, the Church has co-opted other stories, namely the story of consumerism, causing the identity of the Church to dilute and deteriorate.

So, I’m back to blogging but my entire focus for the next few years will be revolving around this issue. Namely that the Church has forgotten its story and needs help remembering. As a dreamer and follower of Jesus who’s in love with the Church, my hope and prayer is that my work will help the North American Church be more sensitive to the voice of God that is quietly and sometimes loudly inviting them to allow their identity and mission to be found in the greater context of God’s unfolding Story rather than in the Story of Consumerism.

Artwork by deviantmonk

In fiction, setting includes the time, location, circumstances, and characters, everything in which a story takes place, and provides the main backdrop and mood for a story. But stories are often more than fiction. In fact, as humans we tend to piece together and make sense of the moments in our lives in terms of stories that we tell about ourselves. As we tell the stories of our lives to others, we naturally provide the setting or backdrop against which everything is unfolding - “It was at the grocery store of all places where I met her…” “when I was at home last night the phone rang…”

While the Bible is 75% narrative, many Bible scholars and theologians remind us that the Bible is not just a random collection of stories pieced together over a few centuries. Rather, the Bible is the God-breathed unfolding Story of God that spans all of eternity. Not only is it the greatest and truest Story of all, it is a Story that invites us in and demands a response from us. The setting of this Story is larger than any stage or movie set ever constructed for the setting is comprised of all of creation. From the largest galaxies down to the tiniest sub-atomic particles, everything is the setting in which God’s glory is displayed. Even the humdrum moments of our lives provide the backdrop for the unfolding Story of God.

Michael Lodahl, in his book The Story of God says, “The Bible affirms that the God of Israel, who would later be unveiled decisively in Jesus Christ, is the Creator and Sustainer of the universe. It is concerned with the who of creation…Genesis 1 is a narrative sermon against idolatry.”

From the outset of the Bible, we are made aware that the entire setting in which this grand story is about to unfold, is all created by God.

For today: Be hyper-aware of your surroundings and see them through the lens of a setting in which God’s Story is unfolding right now at this very moment. Does this change your perspective in your day to day routine?

BILL HYBELS

Hybels is the founding and senior pastor of Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, IL, and the chairman of the board for the Willow Creek Association. He convened The Leadership Summit in 1995, following a God-given prompting to help raise and develop the spiritual gift of leadership for the local church. Both visionary and passionate about seeing every local church reach its full God-given potential, he speaks around the world on strategic issues to Christian leaders and is a best-selling author of more than 20 books.

TONY BLAIR
One of Great Britain’s most internationally recognized statesmen, Tony Blair served as Prime Minister of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from 1997 to 2007. During his tenure he helped transform Britain’s public services in education and health care and is widely credited for his contribution towards assisting the Northern Ireland Peace Process. He continues to be active in public life today, working as a key leader in the international community’s efforts to secure peace in the Middle East. He also advocates on issues of personal interest, including Africa and climate change. In 2008, he launched the Tony Blair Faith Foundation, which promotes understanding between the major faiths and increases understanding of the role of faith in the modern world.

BONO

Bono is the lead singer of Irish rock band U2, which has sold more than 140 million albums and won numerous awards, including 22 Grammys. A well-known activist in the fight against AIDS and extreme poverty in Africa, he co-founded DATA (Debt, AIDS, Trade, Africa) in 2002, The One Campaign in 2004, and Product (RED) in 2006, and was named TIME’s Person of the Year for 2005. Interviewed for the Summit in 2006, he challenged church leaders to mobilize against the ravages of global AIDS and poverty. Be a part of the continuing story, as Bono talks in an exclusive video about the church’s inspiring response and about his continuing life journey as a “single issue protagonist.”

CHIP HEATH is an author, consultant, speaker, and popular professor at Stanford’s Graduate School of Management. His unique research on what makes ideas succeed has been featured in a wide range of popular media programs and publications.

DAN HEATH is an insightful and engaging communicator, widely recognized business consultant, researcher, and entrepreneur. He has an MBA from Harvard Business School and is co-founder of Thinkwell, a publisher of innovative textbooks.

CRAIG GROESCHEL has a passion for leading people to become fully devoted followers of Christ. LifeChurch.tv, in Oklahoma City, is one of the country’s first multi-campus churches reaching more than 18,000 people with 40 weekly worship experiences in 12 locations including an Internet campus.

DAVID GERGEN

Editor-at-large at U.S. News & World Report and political analyst for CNN and PBS, David Gergen has served as a White House adviser to four presidents; Nixon, Ford, Reagan, and Clinton. He is also a professor at Harvard’s School of Public Leadership. The author of Eyewitness to Power, he firmly believes that by identifying the traits of other leaders (and learning from their mistakes), we can increase our own effectiveness and leadership potential.

WESS STAFFORD

Dr. Wess Stafford, President of Compassion International, is an internationally recognized advocate for children in poverty. Founded in 1952, Compassion is one of the world’s largest Christian child development agencies, partnering with more than thousands of local churches in order to serve more than one million children in 24 countries. He’s earned degrees from Moody Bible Institute, Biola University, Wheaton College, and Michigan State University. He is the author of Too Small to Ignore; Why Children Are the Next Big Thing.

ANDREW RUGASIRA

Andrew Rugasira is the Founder and CEO of Good African Coffee, an African-based social enterprise that brings quality coffees to the global market. Prior to founding Good African Coffee, Andrew was the CEO of VR Promotions, Ltd. which was featured in president Bill Clinton’s 1998 tour of Africa. Andrew was nominated the Young Global Leader 2007 by the World Economic Forum. He graduated with honors from the University of London, and lives in Kampala, Uganda, with his wife Jacqueline and their children.

DAVE GIBBONS

Dave Gibbons is the founding pastor of Newsong Church, a multi-generational, multi-ethnic, multi-continental, multi-site church in Irvine, CA, named as one of the most innovative churches in America.. Gibbons also leads the Newsong Global Alliance, a catalytic church organization with expanding, worldwide reach. The author of The Monkey and the Fish, Gibbons is a vision-oriented leader known for his insightful thinking on the future of the church. He brings expertise on “Third Culture” leadership.