This will be an abridged version....I should probably start writing a book...

So I'm on the road with Mike. I was excited because he had never been to the Upper peninsula before. I had grown up going to Mackinac Island, the Bridge Walk, and doing day trips. Even went to Marquette for a Varsity Basketball retreat in high school. But this time I had different eyes.
First of all it was funny to see brake lights come on as we passed cars. Or to see front bumpers dip in the distance. [We rented a car. A Impala that was Michigan State Police blue.] One thing did bother me about the car, it was registered in Kentucky. We stuck out like sore thumbs anyway. I felt like it was a neon sign on top of the car.

Themes I want to point out that seem to coincide with emergent ministry:
Relationships are more valuable, period...
If a relationship is hindered by something, you trim that something back. Everyone we met were examples of this, but here are two blaring examples. We were at a restaurant which had these killer sweet rolls, as big as my head. There as a picture of this baby holding on one on their menu. The waitress starts to talk about the little boy in the picture. He's 12 now and wants everyone to know that he's not a baby anymore. He's even started making his own jams and sauces. ['Cuase what else do you do if your 12 and your family owns and pretty much lives in the restaurant? You cook stuff and you sell the "home runs."] Anyway, the waitress is telling us about this boy, and even starts to go and get the stuff to show us what he made, then realizes that we just gave her our order. We may be sitting in the restaurant because we're Hungary. The relationship was more important to her then her duties at the time. I'm not saying duty isn't important. I am saying that at the time, it was ok for her to talk to us, and not rush off to get our food. That needs to be ok more often. The second example was at a motel we stayed at, called the Shorewood Motel. Janet talked to us about 40 minutes when we got there to check in. Then her husband Frank stepped in and we were there with them for a total of 1 hour and 45 minutes. [Mike was doing the pee-pee dance by then. Frank had to rest his back too.] This was way beyond making us feel welcome for business sake. The most I've squeezed out of hotel peops is 10 minutes. They wanted to talk. Frank and Janet wanted to know us. It was a joy to know them. When I'm back in the Escanaba area again, I know where I can hang my hat.
What we call church...
As we were driving to Copper Harbor we saw a church by the side of the road. The sign said "Historic Church and Museum." On the way up we thought it said "Historic Church museum." It could have said that. It isn't a "working" church. The Church won't die out. There are already emergent, and progress modern churches out there. I don't believe Jesus would let his bride die, that doesn't make sense. That church is no longer relevant in it's community. There may even be believers somewhere in that community. They may drive somewhere, have a small group, or worse have no fellowship. I hope to some level they have fellowship. Now that I think of it, a lot of us go to church every week and have no fellowship/connection. That is probably worse to be alone in a crowd. How many years have I done that very thing? Many I fear. All I know is that on that road that day. I wasn't a lone. So eventually we got back on the road.
Before we headed south we saw the end of the roadd! We missed breakfast that morning because there's only one place open during the week in April. And only for breakfast. So we had Honeybuns, jerky and bad coffee from a gas station in Calumet. Ahhh road trip food. Good thing I'm not a trucker, I'd weigh 400lbs. Hope this left you hangin'... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

So I don't know if you read or watch the news, but there has been a recent pile of political poo being strung about with the 'filibuster'. I by no means will blog on politics, cause that isn't even my style, but I will comment on this strange tactic that slows and derails plans.

To disagree is one thing, but pouting never got anyone anywhere. If you read the description of what a filibuster is from our friends at Wikipedia, it mentions Strom Thurmonds 24 hour filibusting delay of the Civil Rights Act of 1957, the current record. I have seen threads of filibusting within church circles, and it is really a sad ploy to get someone's way. I have seen pastors trump up and buy in to conspiracy theories, causing them to never buy in to what may create new life. Being in the south, where I have seen folks clamor for the good ole days, saying it worked then, it should work now, and even folks who wouldn't have minded winning the war.

But the real filibuster, is Satan. He lies and impedes, so he can get his way, which is destruction. Just go see Star Wars - Revenge of the Sith, and observe the Emporer filibusting, so he can get his way. The church is suffering from the slow walk, the cow walk, the delaying of God's work, cause we are buying the lies, we are buying 'what works in other churches so it must work in ours', instead discovering how God wants to work.

rant over with, i will go find a happy place now . . .

Thought I would give you the line-up for the U2 concert...
Despite your anger and hatred I still love you all!

Jordon Cooper is a Methodist pastor living in Canada. Jordon publishes a blog that is widely read and he is considered by some an uber blogger. Jordon is a down to earth emergent voice that all should consider in their submerged state. There is a current battle right now, only in it's infancy if you ask me, between emergent types and mainline institutional types, if you would like to know more about this battle, I will send you to the battlefield. Jordon posted this past Wednesday, while he was laid up with a bad back, some thoughts on this emergent "threat". Here is the LINK.

Some questions come to my mind, from Jordon's post. My wife and I are pregnant, our first one, and we are of course anxious with this kid, the unknown, the fascinating change, the upcoming pain, ya know the birthing process. So comes to my mind this emerging generation, people who do not want our church, this irrelevant museum of stale bread. The answer for them is a faithful community that they can be reached by, and then to grow at. That is of course the answer for us all, God desires for us to be with His people, growing in all forms. So the question to us is, are we ready for that painful birthing process? To be a part of it is to be in the midst of the unknown, the amazing new life that will come with change, and pain. Are we, who have these thoughts and dreams of a new body within the Church of God, ready?

These questions are out of order, in sequence, not like in Judge Judy. Jordon also asks - Can you see it? Can you see this context that the church needs to exist in? I think our western culture has arrived in many ways, at the place where we are our own worst nightmare.(Like Newbigin in England) A generation is coming that will not care about your pews, that will not care about your worship, that will not give a rip about your savior, and we have churches that exist today that obviously don't care about them either. (By the way, how did you vote in November?) If a church can remove people on the basis of who they voted for, the more secular world will win, because you can find a place in the world to feel welcome.

What I see, are people craving a spiritual experience. And they want to be loved. And if they can't find that in the church, that is sad, because they will go somewhere else to get it, just like Bob and Susie Churchgoer will church shop till they find what they are looking for.

I don't apologize for having more questions than answers. I sort of use the Socratic method on myself, if that is possible. Maybe it would be possible if I were a two-headed monster.

Randy you suck. You saw you U2, and I didn't. And then you wrote a cool homily on your heart, and made me cry. Did they sing Until the end of the World?

Wow, so I'm in The Windy City @ the United Center. Just hangin, playing Tetris on my phone while some band named Kings of Crap or something [I don't remember their name, but I'd rather be in the dairy section, hearing a brass rendition of "Good Vibrations".] So I'm waiting for the headliners. Maybe some of you have heard of them, there name is U2. [That whole thing was a surprise by my wife. SWEET!!!]
Bono pushes me sometimes, well a lot of the time. But I got to hear him give an intro to miracle Drug that would preach. It did speak to me. He talked about how great the human mind is. How we can be inspired by our friends, family, and most of all, by God. He is the one that has inspired us to do so many great things. I looked at the crowd around me and they were dumbfounded. "Did Bono just talk about God?" Ahhh yup. The guys have been talking about Him since the 70s. I also saw Bono, in his flamboyant way, struggle down to the stage as he sang, "...I can feel your love teachin' me how, your love is teachin' me how, how to kneel, kneel..." I saw a man pointing people to God, the whole way. I know what your thinking, heck I'm thinking it too. Is this man a stellar Christ-like example? Mmm no. Mmm yes. Am I, I AM? No. Yes. Would my life look different if I have been a rockstar for 25 years? Yes. For good and bad? I think so. Have you seen the Nooma video "Sunday?" Rob Bell talks about how God wants our hearts. He wants what we do, but the most important thing is that He has our heart. Our do, will come from our be. I know this is not an original thought. It's one that I try to live by. I saw that heart in Bono. As much criticism that has come to U2 from the Church, I saw a heart that was seeking God and loving Him. That is more than I can say for most of my life. I dare say a lot of what I've seen of the Church. What am I trying say? I didn't expect to encounter I AM at the United Center. But I worshiped Him there. I was changed there. hmm. [Help me process.] How can I allow God to create an ethos of change in my circle of infulence? I don't have a sweet sound, a light and graphic show with these tight color changing lights, or an ear ringing volume in ministry. Well I guess I have a heart. A heart that yearns to be used. To be changed. God has my heart. Thats simply is it. "...all because of you, I AM..." You've sent me. Blessed be the name of the Lord!

I think one thing we are missing in the Church of God is life. Some of you may have seen some signs in the CHOG where life is dripping away. I struggle with seeing so many who refuse to admit that THIS ISN'T WORKING, they won't admit it, and perhaps they cannot. There is so much to cherish within this movement, but when Golden calves have taken the place of true spirituality, then we need to head down a different path. Check out this entry from an emergent blogger -

Dwight Friesen
"one of the first principles of quantum physics is that "life exists at the edge of Chaos"; real life, abundant life at the very edge of chaos. There is little doubt that emergent may lead to chaos and uncertainty, which we as Christians understand in part as the cross. And so, in a time like ours when Western churches appear to be failing and our structures are facing their own deaths there is an invitation to the edge of chaos. Emergent may be one such invitation."

This is what scares the hell out of church folks. That life as they know it, the life of the church, will no longer exist, once they are dead and gone. Some have reacted in ways that many have in history, by building large pyramids of faith, hoping that those structures will become a wonder of the world. Others have gone on the offensive, trying to root out the "unholy" infidels.

Perhaps we need a Post-Reformation Church of God movement, but instead of rejecting everything like our foremothers and fathers, we celebrate our foot-washing stories "at the edge of Chaos". How do we do that?

Locomotion means - active movement.