Archive for the ‘CAI’ Category

Reflections of a Middle Man

Wednesday, September 1st, 2010

These are some reflections of a middle man.  I have as many friends now who would consider themselves outside of the church as in – or outside of the Christian world view in a sense.  It is strictly 50/50.  So, I can understand and in a sense, advocate for two sets of people.

I try to advocate for Jesus and the church.  I try to advocate for outsiders in the church.  I admit it is a tight rope.  It comes of the byproduct of the incarnation and incarnational living.

So I am always in a tight spot.  Consider this, regarding the homeless dilemma in the community – they perceive me as representing the church community – and they ask me to raise awareness for our friends on the streets.

Meanwhile, many in the church community don’t see me as representing the church community, and of course, because I don’t attend a church.  In some ways it makes sense and I understand it.  But look a little deeper and you will see that I partner with churches, and am creating a different kind of church (note, I did not say “better,” but different kind…)

It comes to fruition when I post on facebook.  I recently posted about potentially starting a new church (based on the APEST model) – decentralized leadership with a multiplicity of gifts and no clergy laity divisions to be brief – and the reactions were fascinating.  Some are saying well it is about time and some are saying that is the worst thing you could do Jeff…

But, here is the tricky truth – I don’t care – it isn’t for me – it isn’t for myself.  I started this journey for “outsiders” and to them I commit myself (the marginalized and the forgotten), and then I commit myself to my friends who have made a similar commitment (loving these friends)

For this reason alone, to support my friends, to sustain a movement, we are considering “church.”  But I will remain in the middle, with my ear to the ground and listening to how those people who hate church, don’t believe the gospel, feel forgotten and abandoned by God and His people, or just have questions about our culture – while also striving to walk with God and awkwardness with His people, sharing the good news, believing in world transformation here and the in the next…

I have come to terms with perhaps living in Exodus for the rest of my earthly existence, until reaching the promised land.

Posted in CAI, Uffizi Mission, homeless, jesus | 2 Comments »

Top Ten Reasons for Hitting the Streets

Sunday, August 1st, 2010

There are times, like this Wednesday night, that I want to go full on Marvel or DC Comics style prophet.  I have had enough – heard enough stories, seen enough despair.  I don’t want to wait any more.  I don’t want to stall until I carry a harp, and I don’t want anyone else to stall in hopes of some heavenly choir.  I want to see hard work accomplished.  Shalom is hard work – not an ideal that comes easily, yet fully available as a part of God’s historic plan.

It would be easier if Santa Barbara did not have the resources – if I were somewhere in the world that did not have the numbers as far as church goers, or if it lacked finances.  We lack neither – maybe we lack vision and resolve.  Like Jesus who turned His face to Jerusalem knowing there is no turning back – this is what we need.  So, here are ten reasons for the church to hit the streets:

#1 – Following Jesus – In Mark, the first call of Christ is heard on the streets.  He has come directly to the streets to cry out the gospel and seek followers.  These followers would continue walking the streets with him during His years in ministry.  We are His followers, we are asked to do the same.

#2 – You will find your life again – The Christ centered community is actually built for the streets.  Eph 4:11 and on has both a sending out and gathering structure.  But, the sending out comes first – the mission outward keeps us feeling alive and close to Christ, as much as gathering.

#3 – You will become educated – Fox News, Oprah, CNN – maybe they are currently educating the masses, but nothing beats the real education on the streets.  Why are people really homeless?  You will find out?  Why does the East fight the West in Santa Barbara – come find out on the East Side or the West Side.  The streets can give you a new kind of diploma.

#4 – Shalom or Year of Jubilee will become real – Biblical concepts become real visionary possibilities.  Out of the head, into the heart, and through the hands and feet.  Are these deadened to be forgotten concepts, or God’s ideas that may in fact create a new way for United States survival and blessing?  Come join us and you can tell me.

#5 – The Church will grow again – ok, so the last I knew, there were 7 churches closing per each new one started.  Let’s just be real – perhaps we have lost contact with the culture that Jesus so stridently walked with in his time.  John 1:14 – He came to the neighborhood?  Have we?  Do we know the neighbors in our city.

#6 – People are perishing.  I am biased – I believe in a holistic gospel.  I believe Jesus does not want men and women on the streets to die.  I believe he does not want pregnant women on the streets to be on the streets – for the good of the woman and the child.  (do we know what street stress does to the unborn?)  What about the West Side orphaned?

#7 – You will smile at what God does.  I smile all the time (in the midst of the difficulties)  Carrillo kids swimming over at the pool at the Village, or using the library, or beginning to desire Jesus at Man Talk or Young Life.  Gator at Pershing telling me another joke or street kids trying to hide their smoke outs (so obvious friends)  Seeing some friends get off the streets…

#8 – My heart and brain are not big enough as I head toward 50 – Sometimes I can’t remember names I should know because I have interacted with them one hundred times – come on.  I have a vision capacity but we are well beyond that.  Sometimes I stop in conversations mid way because I have no idea of what to say or do next.  You may be the next key ingredient.  In fact, maybe God wants you to take my place :)

#9 – This is Your City – The more you hit the local streets, the more ownership you feel.  And, stewards we are (said this like Yoda!), so it should feel like our city.  This is what happened to me, the deeper I went in, the further in – the more I knew that God wanted me to declare the reality of the streets to you (lovely reader).

#10 – Want to know God more?  I just think that we grow in our love for God and our neighbors as they become our friends.  I am desperately close to God.  This has been a new thing for me.  It is impossible for me to do alone and without Him (and you).  My understanding and appreciation for our founder has increased exponentially.  My understanding of His love and power has increased as well.

Consider me a spy, seeing the land, and bringing back a good report.  Hear me saying that Jesus prospers in the mess – and He can do this.  We cross the rivers of culture in love this round – the love of God compels us – nothing more is needed.

Posted in CAI, Pershing Park, The Village, Uncategorized, West Side, Westmont, homeless, jesus, santa barbara, shalom | 2 Comments »

asking the right question

Friday, June 25th, 2010

I think you could convict me often of considering, or asking, the wrong question.

One of the wrong questions is, “is this a church?”  Meaning, evaluating what is happening with the Uffizi under the consideration of whether it passes the church litmus test.

It is a continual tension, because I work for a church planting organization.  I live in a Western culture looking for some kind of a gathering, observable structure that is solid and not liquid.  I live with 2o years of church life in me.  There are multiple voices that can speak in this conversation.

I have resolved that the better question may be, “Is God in this?”  Can you see something of Jesus in what is happening in the people involved, in the people around the swirling liquid relationships.  I don’t think this purely as escapism or my own phobias (though they are surely in the percentage), but more because I do see God in this.

I see the love of God all the time.  I saw it yesterday when some of the Westmont interns were at the pool at the Village with 25 or so kids from the neighboring Carrillo Apartments.  These kids look forward to every Thursday afternoon when they get to come over and swim for two hours.  They line up outside apt 55 early so they are sure to get to swim.  I just find it in the joy I see in those kids and the love that the Westmont students and Westmont grads have for them.

I see that God is in this when I go to Pershing Park, and I talk with a woman who wants to come and serve.  She has been to the park a couple of times, and now is bringing her organization.  She is in tears talking about how wonderful she believes this meal sharing is.  I also see the sick at Pershing Park walking over to the DWW team and finding care and concern, where often they find disdain at other places.

I find it when I get to talk with some of the Westmont interns openly as we walk together.  I get to walk with many of them as we talk about what they are experiencing – the ups and downs, the inner conflicts, the struggles with God.  I love being able to be real and give them space to be themselves.  I like getting to know new friends – friendship itself is something that God is in.  I experience it too when I sense loss when these new friends move away to new places, head back to school so I don’t get as much time with them.

I see God in my own wrestling even in these questions.  I find Him again addressing my own ego.  Things have grown – exponentially.  I have been given the charge to remain a servant until death, and so God continually addresses my pride.  When I feel it rise up – I want to go somewhere and start a new initiative where once again I am of no reputation.

We need to ask the right questions.  I don’t want to ask the wrong ones any more.  I am reduced again today to wanting to learn to love and be loved, to be fully human as I am drawn toward the divine.

Posted in CAI, Pershing Park, The Village, Uffizi Mission, Westmont, jesus, santa barbara | 3 Comments »

The Untamed Movement – A New Chapter Begins

Friday, March 26th, 2010

At this point in my life, I feel as though I am living the destiny intended for me since high school.  I can’t tell you how many times I was kicked out of class, caused trouble, and just all around stirred up things up chanting my favorite mantra, “question authority.”  Before my graduation, my principal called me in just to warn me that if I tried anything, I would never see my diploma.

Yet, at the same time, I read hundreds of books about God.  I would yes, tell the universe :) , that I wanted to know the truth and let others know the truth.

I was untamed.

About 25 years later I have found myself again – both the tame and the not tame in one person – as I have hit the streets with Jesus to see what is out there, and to bring others with me.  I could not have asked for bigger things than what I am getting to witness now, primarily because of the faithfulness of fellow Jesus followers to take the plunge, the risk, the leap of the high dive.

The movement is on its way – with churches joining in, with the wiles of the Westmont revolutionaries, with folks even of no Jesus orientation yet with a determination to serve.  Shalom seems to call for everyone.  I love it!

And so, after a week with Westmont students covering the city in prayer and service, the team extends itself in unbelievable ways.  Eleven Westmont students want to intern on the West Side this summer.  Five individuals are interested in working with me for at least a year through Christian Associates International.

To top it off – God gave us free access into the Carrillo Apartments to begin a brand new movement of love!

And Rich and I begin a new initiative in April to reach the late night life on State Street downtown.  A team is developing for this as well, where we can journey in pubs and bars together, extending friendship and grace to a new sub-culture.

We are untamed and ready to go!

So, this Wednesday, Alan and Deb Hirsch will be in Santa Barbara to be the untamed duo with us (they just published a book by that name!)… you have to know that Alan Hirsch has helped me tremendously.  His books Shaping of Things to Come and The Forgotten Ways gave me the blueprint for developing a “movement.”  And Deb Hirsch is an inspiration of love and truth.  You always feel loved, but not necessarily safe!

There are great challenges ahead – trying to get a family into a motor home and out of their van; helping a friend get into teen challenge and detox; helping a West Side family fill an empty fridge… but the God who is love is able – this is what I have witnessed.

Thanks to all of you who have prayed, given financially, given your time, joined the movement.  Our God is hearing the cries of the poor in our city.

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Posted in CAI, Uffizi Mission, jesus, postmodernism | No Comments »

Organizing Around Mission

Wednesday, March 11th, 2009

I’ve read these books, all either written or co-written by Michael Frost – The Shaping of Things to Come; Exiles; ReJesus.  So, it was fun to be able to hear him speak at our recent leadership conference with Christian Associates.  (Hey, all these are good books to get by the way)

The major point I walked away with – it is a good thing for the church to reorganize itself around mission, but the odds are against us really doing it.  What I mean by that, is that we share the language but not necessarily the willingness to just go out and do it.

There were some frustrated men and women at the conference, who wanted to go further out into culture, but they didn’t want to leave their churches behind.  I understand that, because I am still working to partner with the existing church in my city, because I believe in the transforming power of Jesus and His people (even in the midst of a slightly drowsy stupor).  That is why we must begin in mission together, because it is hard to move out after we have created an overall culture of security for us and our children.

There are two reasons I can see for beginning with mission and then seeing what comes out of it, and basing what comes out on the sub-culture we are in.  #1 – God is a missional God (and very interested in justice I might add!)   Yes, I am still interested in theology, so if we go there we have to embrace the God of mission, who is clearly in our big book.  Consider the Exodus, where God hears the cries of His people and orchestrates a historically incredible movement in and movement out, of Hebrews and non-Hebrews, who will constitute His people of faith.  But the whole deal is about blessing the whole earth (remember Abraham).  And one real long wide eyed look at the remarkable Jesus and His foolishness with hanging out with the fringes will remind us of this as well.  Was He really a friend of sinners and partiers, or did he just wear the name tag?

I have to tell you a few times I just had to tell my CAI friends that we just plain have to go, and not worry about the ramifications.

How about reason #2?  Well, you may say I am a humanist (remember Jesus was 100% human too!), but I believe the second reason to just go baby is for the sake of the forgotten, ncglected, missed folks who don’t know the fullness that Jesus offers.  I still believe that Jesus is good news, when He is not reduced to a slogan or a single promise.  The news that He is with us, in the midst of our local history, is good news for people I know, even if they don’t fully embrace Him.  I know He is near them – that is enough to keep me going no matter what the result.  How many friends live on the edge tonight?

I happen to know 3-5 friends every week, whether on the West Side or on the streets of our city who could use both our real friendship and the practical reminder of the presence of God.  We are talking thousands in our city – we will all know this to be true when we are with them.  We will hear it straight out.

So thank you to all of you who have lead the way for me – from my local friends to people like the Frosts and Hirsch duo.  But books alone won’t do it, some of us have to be dumb enough to try in our own local contexts.

This next week there will be 50 or so Westmont students spending a week on the West Side, serving the local community in prayer, kids clubs, service projects, putting in a playground…  The number of foolish practitioners is growing!  A Missional God is calling again, and there is a growing response.  I will try to get some info out on this site as we go along.  

Thanks for all the prayers, love, and support.  I can’t let myself off the hook, and I can’t let you off the hook either.  God is Spirit, and Love, and Mission.  Let’s look like Him before we go be with Him.

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