Q….Ideas that create a better world?

I never understood much of the debates surrounding 'culture.' I always thought certain voices in the church would get the inevitability of cultural change and the younger generation will naturally assume the culture they are participating in. For this reason I consider conversations about the aesthetic dimension of culture (the arbitrary part at least) to be unhelpful. When will we understand that certain people are just doing church in the way they do all of life? The evangelical world definitely needs to have more conversations about homosexuals et al. Most are open to the idea of sharing God with them but have no clue what that might look like. Best efforts usually look something like smiles and nods. I really enjoyed the talk from that leader.

A REFLECTION ON THE Q CONFERENCE IN CHICAGO Ken Meyers (drkenneth1031@gmail.com) 30 April 2010 / Chicago Not much has changed with the evangelicals. They are hugely focused, uniformly conservative, and culturally aware. The Q Conference meeting in Chicago attracts lots of millennials and technology and sound bites. They know who they are and where they are going. Over my years of conferences and continuing education, I find it helpful to stay in touch with the evangelical stripe. Theologically, they can find theologians who support their theories. But over time, they do make accommodations, just like the rest of us. They gave up keeping women out of ministry. They gave up calling environmentalists tree huggers. They gave up calling social justice acts of liberals. So, where will their next accommodation come from? It appears it will be with the gay community. That was evidenced when one of the “three-minute” presenters spoke of his ministry to the Chicago gay community and pleaded for the “gatekeepers” to open the gates and build bridges to this humanity created in the image of God. The presentation was extraordinarily personal and powerful. There was a stunned silence in the room. At the conclusion, only a small unsure applause was followed by a select few. The moment generated a pregnant pause – this matter is now on the table. Accommodating for the kingdom of God – there is a lesson to be learned from these evangelicals. They are fast learners. The difference is their accommodation does not change their theology – gay folks will still be sinners, but it appears the evangelicals will now talk to them. Lesson for the progressive community – be hugely focused, uniformly conservative, and culturally aware for the sake of the Gospel.

You heard Andrew Marin speak? Whoa! I *heart* that man... and did the plan to convert a billion muslims include having more babies so you can raise up little missionaries? b/c there was a guy teaching that at a deacons retreat my husband attended last year... bizarre. And also? I love the tie and suit wearing, nursing footwear look. I despise the "trying to look cool" look. In the words of Derek Webb re: the church "You can dress her like the culture, but you'll shock them just as well" People see through the masks.