Equality for Women

Next Sunday we begin a four part series on Equality for Women. The Leadership of our Faith Community take the Egalitarian view. Rich, Winn and I are going to each take a Sunday to teach and tell our stories on how we came to hold this view. The Fourth Sunday we are going to do a panel discussion and open dialogue with the community.

We have modeled our view for years. It seems most people that belong to our community accept this view also. However, we thought it was time to talk openely and do some teaching on the subject. There is a very big, inflential church in our city that holds a complementarian view. The complementarian view in our humble opinion is oppressive to women. It seems the more influence this church gets the more we are hearing questions as to "why" do they teach oppression of women? We want to be clear on where we land on this issue. We also want to be honest and look at the Scripture and wrestle with some of the hard texts. For those interested there are many good books on this topic where the issue has been addressed by scholars. Here is one such work by N.T. Wright on Women in Ministry.

I am looking forward to this series. We want to be known for the place where women can be free to fulfill their God-given gifts, talents and callings.

First Course Completed

I emailed my course work for my first 8 credits toward my doctorate! 26 page journal, 15 book reports, and a 21 page summative paper. This was one of the more challenging projects I have had to do in a very long time. I loved the reading and the lectures. I had a very difficult time with the writing. I learned a lot about how to manage my time with the writing. For instance, I won't read all 15 books again and then go back and write book reports...not a good way to get the work done.

Now I am working on my next two courses so will have to put in a very large order to Bean Books!

Next O.T. Theology which I am hoping I can do as an Independent Study with Winn Griffin. Winn is acting as a mentor and editor for me as I go through this process. What a gift he is! He has traveled this road twice himself so he has much to impart to me.

I am also going to take the Off The Map conference in November for credit. Go here
for all the details of a party you won't want to miss. I am looking forward to seeing many great folks from around the country at this event. Also, the guests that will be facilitating discussion are some of my favorite people.

It's nice that Bakke Grad School offer this kind of learning experience as course work.

Summer has been interesting. Lots going on. I am hoping for a silent retreat in September! Still working at getting Turning Point off the ground. The faith community is doing well. I have to say it again...I love the faith community I serve. Real people that have found a way to love Jesus in the midst of all their struggles and brokenness.

I was at an event this summer that was over the top "religious" I sat listening to all the blah, blah, blah that religion offers and all the while had to deal with the anger and frustration in my own heart...by the way this is a spiritual discipline for me...sitting through that kind of event and not go away judging...real observations, yes, judging that's another level for me..anyway...the point being, the next morning when I got to our worship gathering it struck me once again how incredibly wealthy I am to be in relationship with the people of VCC.

This was a brief interruption of my blogging break!

Thoughts on Leadership

Today I am writing book reports and working on my summative paper for OVI.

I am also reflecting on leadership. This summer our community is going to gather to discuss what leadership at the Vineyard might look like. We are going to have a meal and use thoughts from different sources to help with the discussion. Several years ago I read a little book, In the Name of Jesus, by Henri Nouwen. A couple of thoughts then that I think could be helpful today:

Christian leaders cannot be persons who have well-informed opinions about the burning issues of our time. Their leadership must be rooted in the permanent, intimate relationship with the incarnate Word, Jesus, and they need to find there the source for their words, advice and guidance. Through the discipline of contemplative prayer, Christian leaders have to learn again and again to the voice of love and to find there the wisdom and courage to address whatever issue presents itself to them. Dealing with burning issues without being rooted in a deep personal relationship with God easily leads to divisiveness because, before we know it, our sense of self is caught up in our opinion about a given subject.

This book is small but rich. Like the thought above I realize how many times I am quick to respond with my opinion from a place that has not taken time to be with God. There is something so true about spending time in contemplative prayer, being present to God, that carries me into situations and being present to it...in other words, I find myself not so quick to respond with my opinion when I practice contemplative prayer consistently...I find that instead of offering a quick opinion I slow down and ask questions and listen.

I am looking forward to these times of discussion and reflection. We will also use some thoughts from Brain McLaren's article "Dorothy on Leadership", the Nouwen book and "Missional Leaders" by Roxburgh....

McLaren at the Vineyard

Here is an event we are looking forward to. If you are around let us know if you can make it.

Brian McLaren with Off The Map

Vineyard Shoreline – 17712 15^th NE Shoreline WA 98155

June 13^th 9:30 -11:30 AM

$20 per person at the door

Brian will talk about his new book, evangelism and take questions on any topic

Random Goings On

Today I am at the office preparing to officiate a wedding and speaking for our Sunday gathering. It's raining in Seattle. It has been a beautiful, record breaking week and now the rain actually feels nice.

I am finishing up Overture I for my DMin program. My deadline is June 30th, the pressure is on.

I am working on the Strategic Plan for Turning Point which includes planning our first annual fund raiser...we have a great planning team for the event. It is going to be good fun.

I am seeing the beginning possibly (I almost don't want to say it) of the facility community center dream form. The local YMCA wants to use the building for youth summer camps. I met with a woman from the community who is interested in starting a "community living room" she is a barista and would like to do a coffee shop with free wifi and have youth volunteers to staff it as job training and leadership development. I think it's a great idea. I am praying for all the pieces to come together. We would also like to be a venue for local artists...so in some discussions about that. Very exciting times ahead!

Recently read "Simply Christian: by N.T. Wright -- I highly recommend it. I really want to do a spiritual exploration group with it for people interested in exploring the Christian faith.

Thinking about how to form a group from within our faith community who would be interested in meeting some and discussing missional leadership. Something is coming together though not fully yet. We don't want it to be leadership development classes or the such...just a space to gather and discuss dreams, passions and what does a missional leader do...that kind of thing.

Lot's going on...life is very good!

Enough diverting...back to preparing

Recent Happenings

It's been a while since blogging. Lets see...
We went to Winn's hooding ceremony at George Fox in Portland. Winn is a friend, he received his second doctorate degree which is a big accomplishment... it was fun to be with him and his family for part of the celebration.

Last Thursday through Saturday I went to Whidbey Island with about 35 women from my faith community. We went on a retreat. It was pretty amazing...my friend Sharon, who is studying spiritual direction and a new friend, Anita facilitated the retreat. We had meaning, fun, great food, great conversation...there was singing, laughing, collaging, praying, walks on the beach and so much more...it is times like these that I am reminded how rich my life is...

Life is so full right now but good, very good...

Today my friend Jim was in my office. He was opening mail and someone sent him some promotional stuff...a button that said I heart (a picture of a heart) my job...he left it on my desk...after he left I looked at that button and smiled...I heart my job!

I am finishing my reading for Overture I in my program...almost completed my 4000 pages! Next I need to do about 25 book reports and write a paper...then I complete Overture I. I am going on a study retreat with my friend Deb the first week of June since school keeps getting pushed to the back of my schedule...we are going to go to her beach house and finish up our writing...

Rich's birthday is at the end of the month...have a surprise 3 day trip to the sun planned with some friends...

Lots to do right now with next steps for Turning Point, VCC and school...

Spring is here

I am thankful I live in a place that has four seasons. I really love all of the seasons. Everytime a new season begins, I think, this is my favorite season. I think I have finally realized that the seasons so reflect the way I view this journey.

This week started with news of two deaths. One person I only knew from reading his blog, a young man, a father, a church planter, a husband that has lived through losing his first wife to cancer and now losing his own battle with cancer. The other, an older man, my god-father, he was 82 and died unexpectantly and suddenly. He was in great health, still worked 5 days a week...

Death, sadness, despair...then I wake up and it is spring...there is something about coming out of the literal season of winter, death, and waking up and it is spring that reminds me of the story I live in...that there are seasons...that out of death will come new life, that in our relationships and in times of death and despair there is joy in the morning, in the spring, when new life appears...

As I approach the end of the lenten season and follow Jesus as he turns his face toward Jerusalem, death, despair I also have an inner joy that says, I know that's not the end of the story...there is new life, what all that encompasses I have no idea...that's why I follow Jesus, why I want to learn from him...that someday...when all things are put to right...I will see clearly what it all means...but now...mourning and joy...they go hand in hand

Thoughts from NT Wright

We were gone at the start of Lent. I wanted to have some times of noticing and participating in Lent this year...it's a bit late, however, I have been reading and reflecting on the upcoming Holy Week. We begin with Palm Sunday and we will have a Tenebrae Service on Good Friday and then of course an Easter Celebration...I love this time of year...with Spring in the air...time to clean, plant, watch as the death of winter comes to life...

As I was reading some articles on Easter and Resurrection, I came across this (I need to have someone teach me how to hyperlinnk) if you are interested, NT Wright has an article on Resurrection and a parable for us today...you will have to cut and paste into your browser. It's worth a read and then I would like to hear your thoughts...

http://www.ntwrightpage.com/Wright_Resurrection_Postmodern.htm

Bangkok

We arrived Bangkok late yesterday afternoon. We got to our hotel, security checked our van for bombs...there is a bit of unrest here, demonstrations in the streets. Our hotel is beautiful, right on the river. We stayed at the hotel, had dinner and went to bed.

This morning we had a delicious breakfast, let Alex swim for a few hours then we started our adventure into the city. It was a bit like being in a movie. We took a water taxi from the hotel up the river and got off at the sky train. We took the sky train into the city and went to look for some shopping.

Our first stop was like a high end US mall. We asked some folks where to go and ended up in a Tuk Tuk (small cycle with a seat on the back) and were off through the back streets of Bangkok. He took us to a building and said we could shop for clothing. We went in and realized this wasn't what we thought it would be. But, I wanted to shop for a dress for my son Michael's wedding in July and we were in a shop that had Thai silk and a tailor. I ended up being fitted for a beautiful silk dress and jacket which is being delivered to our hotel tomorrow evening...

what a fun experience...

then our Tuk Tuk took us to the MBK -- a shopping mall with bartering---I think it has 10 floors of every kind of shop you could imagine...

We had so much fun bartering for gifts and a few things to bring home....

4 hours later we were back on the sky train to the pier and on the water taxi to our hotel...

We are sitting in the business center checking email and blogging...

We are off to shower and go to dinner...then tomorrow back to MBK....

We can't go to the street markets because of the mobs demonstrating, they told us it wouldn't be safe for Americans...

We have one more day in Bangkok, then we leave very early on the 17th but gain a day coming home so we arrive Seattle the 17th around 11:30 a.m.

I was dreading Bangkok, it 's not so bad...we had a great day

Our last day on Koh Phangnan

We are down to the last day on the island. Nicole is keeping Alex for us at the beach so we can have some alone time...we are puttering around the island, buying a few gifts for home and then we are going to do something very adventurous...shhhh don't tell anyone...we are getting tatoos...yes, we are...there is a very talented artist here that does the lettering in beautiful Thai...we have watched many of the people here get them and so we decided our last day we would...I am a little afraid...I don't like needles but we are going to do it....

We leave tomorrow morning from here on a speedboat back to the island of Koh Samui, then fly to Bangkok where we will spend 3 nights and 2 days...then home on St Patrick's day...if anyone reading this sees Aaron will you remind him to pick us up at 11:30 a.m. on Friday? Does anyone know how Mr. B is doing?

Back to our last day on the island...it has been wonderful....

Thoughts after the wedding

The last two days have been magical. On the day of the rehearsal, Nicole took Alex for a few hours to give Rich and I some alone time. Rich had his first Thai massage! woohoo...he liked it! We went into the little village and bought a few trinkets and then back to get ready for the rehearsal. Doing a rehearsal on the beach had some challenges but all went well and then we went to the pool bar overlooking the bay for a beautiful, delicious Thai buffet. Lots of toasting and very fun. Had some great conversations with some of the young people that will be traveling on with nicole. Side note: Do any of you remember the 1970's hit song "Just call me Angel of the morning" by Merrilee Rush and the turnabouts? A remake by some Thai artists is playing every where we go here...so funny, I remember my high school dances...during the rehearsal dinner the bar was playing Led Zepplin and Pink Floyd and Michael Jackson...it seems so funny to hear those tunes here... Yesterday the wedding was surreal...picture 50 people on a beach, torches, candles in the rocks, it was still daylight, around 5:00 -- the resort has a sound system on the beach so the music was hooked in through an ipod -- Erika walked in to a Dave Matthews song, not sure which one but it was stunning...the whole thing from the ceremony to the dinner following to the all out dancing party in the sand after...what a memory! Alex did his share of dancing! Break dancing in the sand -- such a fun night.... Today we are pretty much exhausted -- oh yeah, I fell down the steps last night..on the way down to the beach after the ceremony, I missed a step and have pretty skinned up knees and hands....makes for going in the salt water tricky today... We are spending the day at the pool, just hanging out...tonight we are going to a bbq on the beach... Alex was invited by one of the local families to come to their daughter's b'day party yesterday...I wish we could have gone...couldn't go because of the wedding... Several of the local people came to the wedding...people erika and nicole met when they were here last year for 5 weeks and have hung out with since being here again... I met several local people who told me they love my daughter! Also have had some great conversations with the hotel staff...a few of them worked on Phuket and after tsunami came here...interesting stories...the staff here are so kind, they treat Alex like a prince...I'm not sure how he will readjust to reality! Back to the pool...

Grid Blog for International Women's Day: Fear

When the idea came up to write on smashing patriarchy I was a little hesitant. Why? Because in certain traditions of the Christian church you open Pandora’s Box when you talk out loud about this topic…so your choice is to remain silent on an issue that causes injustice. I can’t do that anymore. Not when it comes to the issue of power.

I have a few simple thoughts regarding “big voices” such as mega churches that especially emphasize patriarchy or as stated below, “control by men of a disproportionately large share of power…

Someone said or I read recently in regards to women in leadership, that nothing can be truly human that excludes one half of humanity…

Good, smart Christian thinkers disagree on women in leadership or more specific ordination of women. When smart people study out the Scripture and see opposite results I wonder why one would not error on the side of freedom rather than oppression of people? It doesn’t make sense to me. Jesus was inclusive of all. He made room for women…here is a website if you are interested in studying equality.

What do we do with women like Jackie Pullinger or Mother Teresa? Do we say they were out of biblical order because they taught men? How arrogant…how condescending…how conceited…how haughty…how egotistical…how bigheaded…how proud, wait don’t these words describe the people you know or hear that espouse patriarchy?

I recently read a book, Divided by Faith, in it the author explains that in the late 19th Century Christians, good Christians, smart Christians published why slavery is biblically sound, socially sound, etc, etc, etc…

After all we have learned about oppression in so many ways why wouldn’t we want to follow the way of Jesus? The way of sharing power, restraining power and including everyone?

I wonder if fear is an underlying driver to not accept women leaders? Please don’t respond with biblical arguments, as I stated before, smart people have studied the Scripture thoroughly and land at an egalitarian view of women and men leading. I am more wondering if it isn’t fear that causes men and women to buy in to patriarchy? I wonder what would happen if men and women found a way to co-lead as they did in the garden?

Day 3 on Koh Phangan

It's 10:00 a.m. here on March 8th...that means it is 7:00 p.m. on March 7th at home. Alex is fried from the sun. We keep total block on him all day but the sun is intense and he doesn't take a break from the water at al. Today he is has to rest from the water. He is a trooper. He doesn't complain and he is having a blast. I talked Rich into trying a Thai massage today...he has some adventure in him... Today at 4:00 we have the wedding rehearsal then a rehearsal dinner at the pool bar which overlooks the pool and the bay...it is beautiful... Tomorrow is the wedding....it's going to be beautiful, the ceremony makes me cry just reading through it... Rich saw a komoto dragon on his walk this morning. There is an area of the beach that has large rocks...he was walking through and saw a 5 - 6ft very thick komoto dragon and wouldn't you know it he didn't have his camera... Back to the beach...

We landed in paradise

We are finally here. Have been on Koh Phangan for one full day now and we are having a blast. We thought we were going to have to spend the night on Koh Samui because we ended up there so late (the ferry to Phangan doesn't run at night) but when we finally arrived at Samui, Nicole surprised us there...she had hired a speed boat to come and get us and bring us straight to Phangan...we were so relieved because we were exhausted, plus we were so happy to see her!

We are in paradise...this island is beautiful..we are in a cottage overlooking the beach...the Thai people are so nice...so hospitable...we spent the day between the pool which overlooks the bay and the beach body surfing...Alex got a little sunburned yesterday...we are keeping him covered in sun block today..we cannot keep him out of the water...

The beach is white sand, coral, warm water...it is breathtaking...

I got a Thai massage yesterday...it was 500 baht which is 12 USD and it was better than any massage I have ever had...so relaxing...I think I may have a daily massage...

Alex exchanged his money and thinks he is very wealthy, he has 100,000 baht!

Yesterday, we had lunch -- thai beers, pad thai, spring rolls, fried rice, Alex pizza...it was so delicious...our bill was 1245 baht which is about 30 USD...amazing!

The beach is great, about every 100 yards you can have a massage or spa treatment...

The wedding is Thursday evening, we are 15 hours ahead of PST...there is about 40 people here for the weddding...fun meeting new people in such an unusual setting...

Tonight we are walking to a village for dinner...I can tell we have a few more adventures ahead of us...and much relaxation!

Got to get back to the pool...

1st Leg of our journey down

We made it! We left Seattle at 12:20 a.m. and are now on a 7 hour layover in Taipai...it is 10:00 a.m. here so 6:00 p.m. Seattle time...

our 14 hour flight was easy...just got on and went to sleep..we all slept well...woke up watched two movies had a meal and we were landing in Taipai...

Sad thing is there was a flight directly to bangkok when we arrived but they wouldn't let us on unless we paid an extra 260.00 per person...so we are hanging out at the airport...nothing here but a couple of shops and this free internet room...

next stop bangkok, then fly to koh samuai...spend the night and take a ferry to koh phanghan...

Our trip to Thailand begins with a story

Rich, Alexander and I are going to a little island in SE Thailand. We have been planning this trip for almost a year. My daughter's best friend is getting married on the beach on March 9th. They asked me to officiate the wedding and they bought Rich and my tickets six months ago. The tickets came in the mail in October. We were leaving March 2nd and returning March 17th. At Christmas we decided to buy Alex a ticket and bring him along....

We planned to go to the airport on March 2nd at around 8:00 p.m. thinking we would get there super early, check in and hang out. The groom and about 20 other people going to the wedding were all on our flight.

Wednesday we went to bed so excited...at midnight my cell phone rang, it was my niece asking me why were not at the airport. The groom didn't know my cell number so he called her worried as they were boarding the plane and we were not there..it dawned on me, oh my gosh...March 2nd at 12:40 a.m.

We missed our flight...

We were in shock...

We cried...

I emailed my daughter, she is already in Thailand with the bride and others and was so excited we were on our way...

We called the airlines to see if we could get on the next flight....they were closed until 6:00 a.m.

We cried...

I began looking online for any possible flight to Bangkok in the next few days...

At 2:30 I took a sleeping pill...

At 6:00 a.m. I called China airlines and they rebooked us for March 4th at 12:40 a.m. with a very minimal change fee... they were very helpful...

It will take longer as our connecting flights had to be rebooked as well so it will take us 24 hours longer than planned to get to the island...

We are going to the airport at 8:00 p.m. tomorrow night...

We are still in shock that we missed it...funny how one's mind can lock into something and then not be able to see the obvious...I think there might be some sort of life illustration in this but don't quite see it yet..

The good news...we will get there...

So our vacation begins...

Currently Reading

A Theology as big as the City by Ray Bakke - For school and VCC book study--go here to review or join the discussion
http://www.quicktopic.com/34/H/QwmZNfayAay
or here and click on the left link to discuss
http://vineyard-cc.org/

For school:
Transforming Mission by David J. Bosch
Part I - New Testament Models of Misson chapters like Luke-Acts Practicing Forgiveness and Solidarity with the Poor
or Part 2 - Historical Paradigms of Mission - chapters like the Missionary Paradigm of the Eastern Church
Part 3 - Toward a Relevant Missiology - with chapters like Mission as the Quest for Justice
I am just beginning this book...

Also for school:
The Female Advantage - Women's Ways of Leadership by Sally Helgesen
Really enjoying this book...

Thailand

I just lost a long post...second time today that's happened...so frustrating...

Okay, cloing comments from me on my rant..bottom line, I think it's extremely bad manners...

Nicole, my 26 year old daughter left for SE Asia on Tuesday night...she will be gone four months...traveling with friends through Thailand, Vietnam, Lous, Camodia, she would like to get to India. Rich and I and Alex are meeting her here http://www.panviman.com/phangan/index.html for her best friend's wedding...I am officiating the wedding on a white, sandy beach. We will be gone a little over two weeks on the small island of Koh Phangan...nothing really there except the resort, the beach and a small village. I am looking forward to rest, sun and getting some reading finished for school. I have about 2000 pages to finish and reports to write so it will be nice to have some downtime away from everything to read...I am also looking forward to spending time away with Rich and Alex and the bonus is to be there with Nicole and her friends...

I don't think Rich and I would have ever chosen a vacation in Thailand. When I was invited to officate with expenses paid we realized again the way gifts come to us

all of a sudden the period key on my computer has stopped working

time to reboot!

Exit Etiquette - Warning this is a rant

One of the most painful things about pastoring/leading in a faith community setting is disappearing people. I know it is part and parcel for working with people but I still don’t know how to deal with the pain which causes anger which causes reflection on the anger and so on…

For those of you who do the same or similar work, you probably know what I am talking about. For those of you who don’t maybe you could listen with an attitude of trying to understand?

People come into the faith community. Some people, especially those who have grown up in church come with hurt and legitimate wounding from past experiences. I have a lot of empathy – I have had terrible/abusive/self-serving leader experiences on more than one occasion in my 30+ years of being in different churches…(4 to be exact). So, I want the faith community I serve to be a place of healing.

When people come in, there are some that come with a sense of what community should be…there seem to be many different expectations. Here is the experience I find most painful…when I or when I observe others in the community invest time and genuine effort trying to get to know someone and let relationship unfold…then the person is gone, gone from any contact… there is not so much as an email or conversation that says “thanks, it was nice to begin to get to know you and the community but this isn’t the right fit for me so I won’t be around anymore” or, “thanks, it was an experience trying to get to know you and the faith community, but the truth is, I think you guys are way off, no offense but this isn’t the place for me”, or, “just wanted to let you know I won’t be around anymore, don’t want to go into the why, but wanted to let you know I noticed you tried to have relationship with me, thanks”

Am I wrong? Is there no church-faith community exit etiquette? I don’t mean the one or five time visitor that’s looking – I mean people who get invited out and over and in other ways have been intentionally noticed and people have tried to get to know them…

For those of us who choose to be in community that has a front door for people to come and go through it would be nice and less painful to have some exit etiquette….

Any suggestions?

That’s my rant, thanks for reading…

Two Week Intensive

Today I finished my first two weeks of a DMin progam at Bakke Graduate University and I am manic...Two weeks of rapid fire lectures and interactions with people (other than a handful) I had never met before...

So much to process...both in what I heard and what I experienced...I feel like my world was stretched wide open and I'm not sure what or how the expansion will reform me...

I am very thankful for this opportunity...

I am continually in awe of the Most High for giving me people in my life that make this sort of thing possible and I hope they all know who they are....

not the least of, my faith community for the space to follow this path...

My brain is somewhat fried...

Peace