Yes, at long last, an actual new podcast for the new year. While I give you an update on what’s been up in my life and how that has unfortunately sidetracked Wired Jesus way too much, I also reflect on Brad Stine and Godmen. In a nutshell, Godmen seems to be a postmodern version of PromiseKeepers but charged with a healthy dose of 21st Century reality, WWF, and a radical vision of Jesus. The result? An amazing response by guys turned off by a wimpy version of Christianity and an angry response by Christians, particularly mainliners and evangelicals, for selling out to a jock culture. Check out the links and judge for yourself. Between GodMen and my situation here, it just illustrates that the larger culture inside and outside the church don’t really get the changes that have happened in the last 15 years and what that means for being church right now. My own tribe, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, is being told this by inside leaders just like I have been telling the congregation here.
As I mention in the podcast, ministry has been particularly challenging and hectic here, particularly since November and that has eaten into podcasting. However, the arrival of my new MacBook Pro and the departure of my old Dell, should be a sign of better things to come – once Apple fixes the faulty line in port. Here’s to better days and more podcasts.
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Great to hear from you again. I wondered what was up. I can relate oh so much to your experience. I too have been traveling the expectation merry-go-round. I wish there was a better way, or you know… if people whould just be honest would be a refreshing change.
Glad your back
Godmen seems to have a John Eldridge/Wild at Heart thing going on. Great. I thought WAH was awesome. The follow up on that is what is difficult. The Christian Life as a series of meetings sucks. And that’s all that most men’s ministries are.
Personally, I needed to find a friend. I am a lone wolf by nature. I believe that most men are. But what has been most important in my life the past several years is having a best friend who would not let me lose touch with him. We get together for breakfast every Wednesday, talk about whatever we are dealing with, encourage each other, and confess our sins. This never has happened for me in a group of Kumbaya buddies. It’s just not intimate enough.
Whether it’s at Promisekeepers or Godmen, I don’t think it’s going to be meaningful unless you find a friend.
Hear, hear!
I had the distinct pleasure of being a pioneer for a brand new church some fifteen years ago. It was _just us_. I was the Jr. Worship director (long-haired 18-year-old hippie freak that I was). And the thing was, we all NEEDED each other.
We started in a high school auditorium – and the church really wasn’t going to make it unless we all did our part. And THAT is what for me made it chuch. The relationships made the church.
Very quickly, most of the members were in a hurry to get out of that phase and into the more “institutionalized” M.O. of the church, and that very was disheartening. My guess is that the membership didn’t want to be relied on. But the church’s popularity grew to the point that they now have four services a Sunday, each one a packed house. And the magic there in the early days is long gone.
There was that spirit of the early church (as describd in the book of Acts) – getting together and meeting in each others homes. It’s a slippery thing to hold on to, though.
Mark
I’m always glad to hear your podcasts….however infrequent. I certainly can understand how your “real life” work has sucked the fun out of your little side hobby, but I also heard you explain that this is part of who you are. You were called, just as you are, and to be effective you need to be you. I hope you find the freedom and joy to continue to share WJ on a REGULAR basis. What you have to offer is indeed needed and worthwhile to a global community of faith. My prayer is that your local church will take on the honor of being part of this wider community and support your efforts. Blessings to you for the peace that passes all understanding.