This is a diagram I drew in class last January. I was relating an observation about life and more specifically discipleship in the exurbs. Here’s the gist of it.

*Built on the 1/3′s life model (1st Third – Formation; 2nd Third – Productive Time; 3rd Third – Giving Back)

*The first third for the most part are years where people are receiving and learning to give.

*Giving often goes hyper in the 18-25 age group as people are learning, passionate, free…and don’t have many obligations.

*They have time

….. (Let’s Fast Forward)

*After 55 (roughly) people have time again. The kids are gone + they have a lifetime of experience

*This group is often more financially stable

*They are often retiring soon…again they have space.

*They can be discipled and hopefully disciple others.

….. (What I’ve Come To Grow Deeply Concerned About)

THE LUMP!

*25-55: Mortgage(s).Careers.Kids.Soccer.Dance.Acting.School.Family.Friends(sometimes).
Football.Basketball.Cheerleading.Gymnastics.Trying to get a Workout in. Multiple Jobs.ETC.

*Oh yeah, church…which in the 21st century world most often = events

*Church events (worship, small groups, fellowship, retreats, mission trips)

*Those in The Lump…don’t have or don’t make the time. There is no space to be in a community no margin for time or often for giving of resources.

*At best what is most often happening is drive-through or 1 hour church which is far from discipleship.
Usually the worship gathering is all people give the community and discipleship isn’t happening.

*To be honest I’m not sure what what’s happening…what we are replicating/making.

…

What do you think? We batted this around in class for a while.

Are my fears real? If so how do we turn it around?

If we don’t, the suburbs/exurbs are lost.

“I am convinced that if we are to get on the right side of the world revolution, we as a nation must undergo a radical revolution of values. We must rapidly begin the shift from a “thing-oriented” society to a “person-oriented” society. When machines and computers, profit motives and property rights are considered more important than people, the giant triplets of racism, materialism, and militarism are incapable of being conquered.”

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., “Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break the Silence”

…taking a class on Reading the Bible in context/from a historical perspective? You know all of that fun first century stuff that you guys always ask me about, and then I talk for way too long. Seriously though, our “church” culture seems to be riddled with scripture one liners that strip the words away from often what was really being said – leading to great plaque sales at LifeWay but really dangerous teaching at times. So how do we read the scriptures in their context? How do we dig into the history? What facts are important? What resources are available? How do we build healthy Bible reading skills and disciplines?

It looks like in 2012 I’m going to partner with the Spring Hill United Methodist Church to offer an 8 session class on this topic. We’ll meet weekly & I’m thinking it will be in the evening though I don’t know which evening yet. Message me if your interested & I’ll put you on the info list

…taking a take a trip to Israel in 2012? I’ve had people after me about this, leading a trip to Israel, for about 5 years now so I’ve decided to give it a try. I’ve got a company that I’ve worked with before on this kind of thing who will handle all of the logistics. It will be a smaller group (5-10 would be nice…10-15 I think would be perfect). The last time I went we took 80+ people. Never again I say…never again. Message me on this one as well & I’ll put you on the list. Oh yeah, I’m thinking September/Octoberish.

…a fried turkey for Christmas Eve/Christmas Day? I’m going to be frying up some for friends & will do one for you if you’d like one. It’ll be $20. You can provide the Turkey or I can get it for you & add it to the $20. I intend to do them on Saturday afternoon so they’ll be perfect for Saturday evening or they keep really well for a Sunday meal. Again…just message me to set it up.

…me to quit with my tasteless unabashed selling of myself? Okay, that’s it.

Peace ~

William