from sunny san diego

I'm at the National Pastors Convention in San Diego this week. Great to get away! Good time to relax, hear some challenging ideas from some great thinkers like Brian McLaren, Doug Pagitt, Phyllis Tickle.

Having fun with my family and hanging out with Josh.

I've had some interesting discussions with different pastors about how they perceive some of the activities going on this week. Worship has been led by a really dynamic worship leader…very sincere, emotional, charismatic. The songs have been typical praise songs popular in last ten years. Band is great, fancy light show. It’s the kind of worship I really enjoyed and connected with a few years ago, but these days seems a little hollow or empty to me. Feels more like a show than a worship experience.

I’ve talked with a few others to get their perspective. A couple of younger folks, “emerging types,” feel as I do about worship—some even more critical. Feels like the emphasis is on us, our energy and emotions, not on God, even though the words were about or sung to Him.

But some of the pastors who are a little older (45-55), think the worship is great. One said it wasn’t anything new, “nothing out of the box,” but that the leader created an atmosphere that was really powerful. They were wondering how to re-create that atmosphere in their church.

It made me think about what we are doing at Convergence. There is always a tendency to want to recreate a particular feeling or atmosphere; but I think we really want to create something that is our own, something that reflects our community, our people.

Anyway, it's interesting how different the opinions were about the worship. There is so much diversity, even in our church culture, and got me thinking —churched and unchurched, modern and post-modern, high energy and contemplative…

A lot of thoughts going through my head. Great seminar earlier in the week with Brian McLaren and Richard Twiss about the Bible. All the heat Brian takes about not respecting or valuing Scripture is crap. I was amazed at how much thought and energy he puts into seeking and learning and living Scripture as God intends. I really believe he has a much higher view of God's Word than those who quote it randomly and out of context in order to criticize others. I know my love for God and Scripture is growing as God works through people like Brian and Doug.