FutureChurch

2010 is a big year for us South Africans - World Cup and all. It's also the 4th Amahoro Gathering, in Mombasa from May 3 - 10. I've been to two Amahoro Gatherings and have found them immensely significant, since Amahoro is on the other side of the coin to the emerging conversation (taking place in Western contexts) as it looks at the impact of the colonial narrative on the Gospel, and where that leaves us now.

Brian McLaren spoke about "Post-modern and post-colonial": two sides of the same coin, in Johannesburg just before the first Amahoro Gathering, in 2007. It's one of the 3 best talks I heard that year.

There are many things I like about Amahoro: the family reunion feel, the people, the diversity, the topics we address, and that we're taking theology developed in Africa by Africans seriously. Kenzo Mabiala is the resident theologian of Amahoro; he completed his doctorate under D.A. Carson before returning to the Congo to head up a theological college.

Carson asked him why he was interested in the emerging church conversation (primarily happening in the West), and Kenzo answered that the emerging church is asking the right questions.

For more information: The Amahoro website.

And now to encouraging comments on this post: why is it important to understand how the Gospel was shaped by the rise of the colonialism, and what are the implications for those who live in post-colonial contexts?

Technorati Tags: Amahoro postcolonial postmodern

I like Andrew Jones. He's a missionary who's been around for ages, and probably has the most complete history of the emerging church movement (blogged, not in a book).

I'd like to draw a few quotes from him, firstly from Emerging Church Movement (1989 - 2009)?:

"In my opinion, 2009 marks the year when the emerging church suddenly and decisively ceased to be a radical and controversial movement in global Christianity. In many places around the world, the movement has already been either adopted, adapted, or made redundant through the traditional church catching up or duplicating EC efforts."

"In 2009, the emerging church either grew up, stopped being offensive, switched gear from experimental to normal, became the new mainstream, or a bit of each."

Technorati Tags: Emerging Church

Telling someone to simply believe and it will be so seems problematic to me, and an awful lot like The Secret. Initially it might seem like an encouragement to believe in the power of G-d as a demonstration of childlike faith and a refutation to the wisdom of the world because we are entering into a trusting relationship with G-d the same way a child would. However, if/when G-d doesn't do what the person is trusting Him to do, the person is left to draw the following conclusions: either G-d doesn't love me (or worse), or I do not have enough faith (because "he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind" - James 1:6), or G-d is saying "No" or "Not yet."

None of these are good options, except perhaps the last one, which at least assumes that the person has a strong enough frame of belief to know that G-d loves them and that they have enough faith.

In addition, we cannot have faith that G-d will help bring about what we're asking for without us doing something to help bring it about ourselves. I do not understand why some Christians say that "God does all of the work; we do none of it." I do not know why these same Christians pray, "Thine Kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven," as if the only role of the Church is to pray for G-d's kingdom to come on earth while doing nothing to help usher that kingdom in themselves.

Continuing from my last post on transformation I'd like to suggest that are different methods of intervention (or "modalities") when we're talking about a person intervening (professionally) with another person/s. These are: training, consulting, therapy, mentoring, coaching.

Consulting is when I have the skills and am hired to do the job (and there's no imparting of skills/knowledge).
Training is when I can't necessarily do it, but can show other people how to do it (like an international rugby coach who's an excellent coach but hasn't played at international level before).
Mentoring is when I know how to do it, and I show you how to do it, ideally by walking alongside you for a period of time.
Therapy is when some part of you needs healing, and we fix it.
Coaching is the process of answering the question, "What do you want, and how will you get there?"

(Note: these are the definitions I use, and I've heard plenty of others use some of these words interchangeably, so feel free to disagree with my usage).

I've listed some modalities of professional interventions above (if you'd like to add anything to the list please do so in the comments) which I hope makes the following point: when somebody wants to be transformed, it's important to know which modality is appropriate to use.

Technorati Tags: coaching consulting God intervention mentoring therapy training Transformation

The whole concept of "transformation" has fascinated me for a while now. To transform is to make a thorough or dramatic change in the form, appearance, or character of something. The field of personal development is focused on personal transformation and many Christians speak about transformation: of people, of society and of the planet.

In addition Christians believe that G-d transforms human lives when He is invited to co-habit "inside" someone.

I'm not so much interested in the fact of transformation as I am in the process and in the "how". How does somebody get transformed? Does it happen very quickly or much slower? Should we count on instant transformation of lives as something to be expected of God (and call it "faith") or is there some kind of "working with" G-d which happens - and if so, how does that "working with" G-d work? What sorts of things should we expect to happen, and how will we know once they have? Can we ask G-d to work specific things in us, or is the outcome completely determined by Him and Him only?

Technorati Tags: faith psychology Transformation

Do you know what emergence is? Finally, a cartoon which explains it!

My friend Jacques posted a great article comparing the heart with a guitar (in the category "reasonate" - I love that!). He writes,

We can make music in such a way that it draws others in — in creating a loving space where all contribute and get a chance to shine. May we learn to listen to the Music. May we learn to listen to our hearts again, and learn to play again. May we learn to make music together!

I find it interesting that many guitarists (myself included) seem to stop learning after a while, like we’re happy with the set number of chords and songs we can play, and we settle into a rhythm of predictability. It’s like, “I’m good enough for now...” And then there are others who go on to discover alternate tunings, and jazz chords, and what playing in a duet is like, and perhaps a band...and maybe going on to record...or even playing next to the campfire, singing the heart out.

And so the metaphor is complete :)

Technorati Tags: music

Cobus van Wyngaard writes:

I’m back, and I’m a different Afrikaner than I was a week ago. I’m back, and I’ll be going in a slightly different direction theologically than I did a week ago. The change was in identity, in the direction that I take in my personal story. It’s the kind of change where I know that most probably nothing will change today, or tomorrow, or in the next week even. But in weeks to come, I will have to process the experiences, the challenging conversations, the meaning of the new relationships, the emotions, the thoughts on my people, my history, my culture, and in a years time, maybe something of what happened this week would become part of who I am on the deepest level.

He continued with I am an Afrikaner, I owe my being to this continent.

The Beeld newspaper picked up the scene of reconciliation between Adriaan Vlok (former Apartheid Minister of Law and Order) and Sean Callaghan (former member of Koevet, an anti-terrorist unit). The journalist was amazed that Sean has returned the act of foot washing in an act of asking forgiveness for using Vlok's name as a swearword.

Barbara Hillaker blogs:

Following a brief history of South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission, there was a panel discussion which included a man named Adriaan Vlok. Mr. Vlok spent 10 years as minister of police for the apartheid government. Yesterday afternoon, he shared how God had moved his heart toward reconciliation. He told some amazing stories about the ways God has led him to seek forgiveness and reconciliation with people who suffered deeply as a result of his actions as minister of police. On several occasions, Mr. Vlok has washed the feet of those who've been wronged by apartheid, as a symbol of humility and service.

Cori Wielenga writes:

But perhaps more than any of the stirring talks, I appreciated all the spontaneous conversations I had with Kenyans, Burundians, Ugandans, Rwandans, Zimbabweans, Australians, Americans and South Africans I would normally not speak to. These conversations, normally over meals, were more transformational than any planned event at Amahoro.

Melanie Lorenz from Nieu Communities says that Sometimes I really hate being “white.” as well as reflecting on The ministry of presence.

Joe Reed from Nieu Communities:

Up front, I have to tell you… I have NO idea how to explain what God has done in the last week here. My jaw is still on the ground in awe of what He is stirring in my heart, what He is doing across the continent, and how He is bringing MASSIVE healing to deep wounds everywhere. For me personally, it’s changing a lot of deep deep things that I have no words for. All I can do is share you this story. There’s much more to process in the coming days, weeks, months, and years ahead. (yeah, it was that big of a deal).

Tom Smith askes, "What does it mean to be white and African?"

Mark Riessen from Australia has given some initial thoughts as well as some context.

Technorati Tags: Amahoro

Amahoro ended yesterday and I headed back to Joburg, giving a lift to a few people. First, we dropped Philbert Kalisa off at Khotso House, which was significant in itself. Khotso House is where the South African Council of Churches is housed. Their website describes their mission:

"As a National Council of Churches and Institutions, the SACC, acting on behalf of its member churches, is called by the Triune God to work for moral reconstruction in South Africa, focussing on issues of justice, reconciliation, integrity of creation and the eradication of poverty and contributing towards the empowerment of all who are spiritually, socially and economically marginalised."

The SACC was hardly mentioned in my formative Christian years, and if it was, it was always in the context of "those Christians who had lost the plot of what Biblical Christianity was all about" - and that they were working for things which Jesus wouldn't have cared a whole lot about, because what was really important was preaching the word, evangelism, discipleship and a personal quiet time, not all that other stuff.

Khotso House was bombed in 1988, with the aim to make the building unusable. Adriaan Vlok was ordered by former state president PW Botha to do so, and was granted amnesty by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. He spoke this week at Amahoro, and was part of a powerful scene of healing with a member of Koevoet, a notorious Apartheid-era death squad.

Technorati Tags: Adriaan Vlok Amahoro Curtis Love Nieu Communities Paul Kiviiri peace Philbert Kalisa Rwanda Uganda

The Amahoro gathering is going really well - we've had some fantastic conversations and some demonstrations of deep reconciliation. I'll post more about that later. I've been recording the talks - here they are so far (in order) with:

Edward Simiyu - The ministry of presence (2.67 MB)

Kelly Nikondeha - The Amahoro story (2.44 MB)

Transfiguration - Claude Nikondeha (17 MB). Claude's notes are here and his powerpoint presentation is here.

Postcolonialism and why it matters - Dr Kenzo Mabiala (21 MB). Kenzo's notes are here: What Is Postcolonialism.pdf.

Intro to "New Wineskins" - Monte Wilson (1.12 MB)

A 10 minute broad sketch of Apartheid - Muzi Cindi (4.08 MB). This is a commentary which runs alongside this presentation.

The Church and Apartheid - Moss Nthla (8.63 MB)

The legacy of the TRC and the reformation of SA society - panel with Adriaan Vlok (25 MB)

[Added: 10 June 2009]
The African Reformation - Brian McLaren

Questions to Brian McLaren about his talk - The African Reformation

The Reformation of the Church - Paul Verryn (13 MB)

Panel discussion on Xenophobia (chaired by Trevor Nthlola) (19 MB)

Amahoro in a global context - Brian McLaren (1.94 MB)

[Updated: June 11]

Meet the Amahoro board - Claude Nikondeha (1.50 MB)

The Del Camino Network for Holism - Roberto Guerrera (3.58 MB)

The Transformation of the African Child - Spiwo Xapile (9.68 MB)

[Updated: 12 June]

Women and the reformation of communities - Rene August (17 MB)

Mohinda's story of the Congo (6.34 MB)

Technorati Tags: Adriaan Vlok Amahoro Brian Mclaren Claude Nikondeha Edward Simiyu Kelly Nikondeha Kenzo Mabiala Monte Wilson Moss Nthla Muzi Cindi postcolonial Rene August Roberto Guerrero Sean Callaghan Spiwo Xapile Trevor Nthlola