The American Church & The American Dream

I’m at Exponential conference for church planting and made my way into Mike Breen’s breakout (he’s one of the Godfathers of the missional movement)

I tweeted this today…

“Just had my mind blown by @Mike_Breen He argues that the American Church isn’t working b/c we’re not pursuing the American Dream. REACTTION?

This of course HIT A NERVE because it is very difficult for us to deal with. Sob much of what we say today about the church and the American Dream is how we need to battle against consumerism – which has replaced the American Dream for most of us in America today. This is what Mike Breen was pointing us to…

The true “American Dream” was about the overthrow of the feudal system where an overlord gave the peasants what was needed to live. They would farm the land that was owned by the overlord and pay their taxes to the owners. The pursuit of life, liberty & happiness was the idea that no man/woman had to live under someone else’s thumb but could pursue and secure those things for themselves

Breen argues that the only American system in our culture to still hold to the overlord giving the peasants what they need while the peasants work the field and pay their “taxes” is the church. When people leave churches on Sundays they say “did you get fed?” essentially is the peasants saying “we need our overlord to give us what we need and if they don’t we’ll go live under another overlord.

The American Dream within the church would be to overthrow the overlord’s and empower all the people to pursue the calling of a disciple in every aspect of their lives – not just sit and wait for the overlord to provide. This is how the “American Dream” would be realized in our churches and it’s what we see in the early church because the “leaders” were constantly being killed but the “people” were the one’s who continued to reproduce disciples.

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As I look back on all that has happened – and really all that I have been able to accomplish over the last two years – I am amazed.  God has been so good to me and one of the ways I’ve experienced his goodness is the investment others have made in me in the form of coaching. I have had several coaching relationships that have been instrumental in helping me discover ways around obstacles that once seemed insurmountable.

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Life or Business Coaching is a collaborative partnership and creative, thought-provoking process that can transform a person’s life, and the lives of the people they lead. A coach supports you, helps you define what you truly want, and then comes alongside of you to achieve your goals, maximizing your personal and professional potential. The coaching process helps you navigate through blocks that get in the way of your achievements, and uses a future framework that focuses on solutions, causing you to consistently move forward. Unlike counseling or therapy, a coach does not provide advice, but rather draws the answers out of you to help you uncover your deepest passions, moving you from great potential to potent, purposeful living. -Sal Vasquez

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[Re]view :: Year [1] :: Just Starting

We have experienced a strong measure of God’s grace over the last year.  Over the next few days I wanted to share some very specific ways that’s happened for us…

We’re just getting started.  On Sunday I compared our church with my daughter Eva who is about to turn 1.  As a 1 year old she can do a few things but she’s just beginning to develop.  We don’t expect her to walk, talk, imagine use the bathroom (though that would be nice).

Sunday I simply asked the question – what if what we’ve seen this far is like Eva learning to crawl.  It’s just the beginning.  If God can do this in a year what could he do in five?  Can you imagine what we’ll be celebrating on our 18th birthday?

I can’t wait. Let’s go year [2]!

[Re]view :: Year [1] :: King Jesus

We have experienced a strong measure of God’s grace over the last year.  Over the next few days I wanted to share some very specific ways that’s happened for us…

Jesus really is King.  How else could you explain the stories I’ve shared over the last couple of days.  There shouldn’t be money for a church like this.  There shouldn’t be people who would give up their jobs to come work for a new church.  There shouldn’t be people who would sacrifice their lives for others.  There shouldn’t be people who don’t believe in Jesus joining us in his mission.  There shouldn’t be people who hate church attending a worship gathering every single week… and yet that’s what we’ve seen this year.

How is it possible?  Jesus is King. He’s come and is coming again and because of that renewal is possible.