Saturday, May 26, 2007

Hot Metal Bridge

I was at our Annual Conference of United Methodists this past week and we heard from a church planting pastor from Hot Metal Bridge Community Church. This church in Pittsburg is engaing the culture through drama, community, and "Bible fight clubs." (Concept is from the movie "Fight Club") Bible Fight clubs are more confrontational than your typical Bible study. There were a few things I resonated with.


"Ecclesiastical Frankenstein"

Pastor Jim talked about making disciples. How we typically approach making disciples like Dr. Frankenstein. We slap on body parts by sending people through programs rather than being in relationship with people. He said that making disciples is more like having sex; you have to get more intimate than programs allow. This certainly got people's attention! This reminded me that discipleship has always been about relationships.


I think the huge challenge for me is my busy and individual based lifestyle which often hinders me from being in significant relationship with others outside my immediate family. How do we get back to building community in a culture that thwarts it?

"Hell"

I thought pastor Jim did a nice job of making the connection between how we see hell and our ecclesiology. As a recovering evangelical myself I have had problems with turn or burn articulations of faith. I even get a little worried when guys like Rick Warren start using the "ticket" analogy for getting into heaven. It minimizes relationships ultimately because all we have to do is make sure a person has their ticket to heaven. This also keeps us from being in relationship with people. This works great in an individualistic society but I am not sure it is what God had in mind for the community of believers. I am not trying to be critical of Warren and I understand what he is trying to say. I just think that analogy limits being in relationship with people and actually "discipling."

"Missional"

Pastor Jim also talked about being "missional" rather than "attractional." This one hit me hard since in white suburban America we are more attractional and consumer oriented in our approach. This is where I thought that maybe Jim's approach is correct for his context but maybe not for mine. What looks like missional in one context may not look misisonal in another. Would hot metal bridge's approach work in middle class suburbia? If so what would it look like? I do agree that we should be missional and we do that in our church through what we call "bridge events." These are events that help us to build bridges with people in the community. It all boils down to building relationships.

"Koinonia"

This was the central message of Jim's talk. I loved his comment, "This is not about having a potluck in the church basement." Fellowship is so much more than church suppers. It really is about going to deeper authentic levels with each other. It is also essential to go to deeper levels of authenticy with those outside the church. I have found great relationships with people outside my church when I was willing to listen and get authentic. I can think of several people who I have had these kinds of relationships with; the older working woman who serves me coffee at the local shop on my way to church every Sunday, the gay guy who cuts my hair, the wiccan witch who was sexually assaulted by her pentacostal preacher, the former drug dealer I go mountain biking with, the insurance salesman looking for significance, etc. People hungering for relationship with God are all around us!

So how do we stay in relationship with those "outside the church"? I am praying about a place to hold a bible study in my community like a coffee shop, tattoo place, or bar. How about you?