No Intention of Really Being Missional…?

Paul writes – Long-term blogging friend Chris Erdman recently directed my attention to a New York Times article – Mass Market Epiphany [click on title of article to read it in full] – written (7^th March 2010) by Ross Douthat. Douthat opens with this sentence: 

“…Mysticism is dying, and taking true religion with it. Monasteries have dwindled. Contemplative orders have declined. Our religious leaders no longer preach the renunciation of the world; our culture scoffs at the idea. The closest most Americans come to real asceticism is giving up chocolate, cappuccinos, or (in my own not-quite-Francis-of-Assisi case) meat for lunch for Lent…” 

Now this article resonates with another recognition that I’ve found true in my own life – spiritual formation is hard work, but this is no “pelagianism” (pulling your self up by your own bootstraps) – this is the hard work of putting yourself often and regularly on the way of grace. It’s the consistent and hard work of committing ones life to a spiritual practice or practices (see Richard Foster’s classic Celebration of Discipline). 

"Douthat", Chris writes:

Addresses two of the chief themes of [Chris’] blog and website:

1. There’s a real need to make spiritual practice accessible to ordinary people.
2. These practices are best resourced from deep within a tradition. 

But he [Douthat] also issues a warning:

• Spiritual awakening and transformation takes work; in out-dated language—”discipline,” even “renunciation”—or language more current, “muscle,” “perseverance,” or “guts.”

Without such work, whatever spiritual awakening we think we’re pursuing just might turn out to be little more than a fad…” 

You can read Chris’ full post here.   

Now, I’d read both of these articles – Chris Erdman’s blog post, and Ross Douthat’s NYT column – in conjunction with Alan Roxburgh’s blog reflection: What the Dalai Lama Might Teach Us. Alan, quoting / paraphrasing MACLEANS Magazine columnist Andy Lemey: 

“…An infatuation with the Dalai Lama is the Goldilocks solution for a culture that finds its traditional religion too hot and atheism too cold. His exoticism marks him as authentic, and subjecting his teaching to critical scrutiny is beside the point, as there is never any chance we are going to engage his teachings seriously enough to be challenged by them. We instead want to bask in his distant spiritual glow…” (bold text, Alan’s. Italics, mine)

All three are hitting the nail on the head: I can have in my book shelves books by the Dalai Lama, books on Buddhism, Christian spiritual formation, spirituality, Desert and Monastic spirituality etc etc. But, because a response to these writer/teachers/practices requires a commitment to perseverance and discipline, i.e. to hard work and doing (in response to grace and the work of the Spirit in our lives), there’s little chance in our fast paced, hyper-stimulated world, that we/I’m going to make the hard choices and commitments.

Let me hazard, in closing, that this is true also of mission and the practices of mission. We can attend all the workshops, training sessions etc, but if we don’t or can’t make the commitments to the practices of being missional, including gathering with people, listening (and discerning) in all the diversity of ones life and the diverse contexts we find ourselves in; the practices of being good neighbours; change management and transition (I'm thinking particularly of these practices in established congregational contexts, but this also apply to small group dynamics), missional learning (i.e. a commitment to the practice of reading, of understanding what it means to be missional and why mission-shaped practices and presence etc are needful), creativity (being willing to think and experiment outside of the box etc), then nothing will come of our good intentions.

Comments

[len]

Case in point. My wife and I attended a meeting here where a new pastor was candidating.. here from the UK. Good teaching and great examples. Ended with a challenge for people to LIVE out what they believe around hospitality and mission. Afterwards many smiling faces as speaker and members mingled. My wife, knowing that we were heading back out to help a single mom back many boxes on this evening, seized what seemed a good opportunity to ask for help. Amazing how the smiles faded. No one responded.

[steve]

Great final para Paul.

Steve

[Paul Fromont]

Thanks Steve and Len. I guess life-stage is an issue (in terms of time/energy/resources). Other issues, I think, around remunerated / full-time versus those holding down full-time jobs outside of a church / academic context... etc. I reflected today that its practical missional emgagement and commitment practices requires others who share the passion and commitment - likeminded/differently gifted. That's one of the hardest challenges I face - like-minded passionate people to share the load/journey.

This struck me when last year I initiated a monthly coffee/discussion group to share stories and reflect on church/mission/kingdom. However, as my year got busier and I got more tired, it got more difficult to carry things alone.

I felt increasingly guilty that I couldn't sustain a continued facilitation role. And interestingly, though this is no criticism of those who did commit to those conversations, I haven't had any proactive contact from those people asking about continuing the group, offering ideas, encouragement etc. They have busy lives too.

For me this highlights the loneliness of trying to facilitate and grow something mission-shaped from nothing, and the pressures that are on people with (young) family and work commitments etc

Len, if I lived in Kelowna you would have had me around to help you and "B"...!

[Merv]

Hi Paul,
As one of the members of the group, I have to say how much I did enjoy the times we had together. I looked forward to the companionship & conversation and appreciated that you brought us together.

I understand the burden of leadership & I’m sorry you felt alone in this. You’re right – we all have busy lives , but busy-ness (or uncertainty) shouldn’t have prevented me from continuing the conversation.

Shalom, Merv

[Paul Fromont]

Thanks Merv - As I said, absolutely NO criticism of anyone in the group. We loved the get-togethers too and appreciated the commitment of everyone for the period we did meet. For me, part of the discernment is looking for signs of energy and passion (and that's as much between K and I - we like others in the group come from often very different places, experiences, and needs). Sometimes their evidence is obvious; while at other times they're not, and that can often be the natural cycle of things. It's something I appreciate and value in Ignatian spirituality - working with energy, desire, and passion - working with signs of life.

A good example of just sitting with something and doing nothing occurred over the course of 2009. I was asked to consider a role. I gave an initial response, which included raising some concerns, but then I let the matter lie. I did nothing proactive to push the issue. But over the course of the last six-months of the year the conversation was reinitiated by those who were asking - several times, in fact. I continued to resist / do nothing other than acknowledge the request and express both continued interest and concern. But by the second or third time, I had to really take the invitation seriously and focus my heart and head. The concerns remained, but I felt peaceful and therefore committed myself to the role for a year, after which I said I would review my continued involvement in the light of that experience.

Now, part of that process is my temperament - I'm not an Enneagram "3" for example!

I remain open to possibilities that might emerge; and may indeed be more proactive as we get into winter and a season of natural hibernation and often less busyness.

And, as you note in your comment, "uncertainty" can be a factor - a very legitimate factor which can highlight that people may be in different places and looking for different things. And that's fine too, but it can also be a part of the cycle of life and death. If you recall our discussions and the summary sheet we pulled together, there were overlaps, and there were also fairly significant differences.

All of these things and more feed into the complex nature of group dynamics and influence its duration or otherwise.

Thanks for your comment Merv and the opportunity to reflect a little more on whats happening for me. I appreciate it, as always.

p.s. your car looked good on the "first cut" of "Moon" :-)

Take care
Paul