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Am I a church planter?

Published
by
Todd
on Monday, June 16, 2008
in Breathe and Church
. 18 Comments

Am I one of these?My senior year of college, I got connected with a group contemplating a church plant in Los Angeles. The idea was fresh and exciting. And I liked the people spearheading the plant. Unfortunately, their plan was to move to L.A. in 2008 or 2009, and I was ready to get out of Searcy. No matter how cool a plan, how cool the people, it wasn’t worth staying at Harding.

After graduation, I knew that Hayley and I were coming back to Wichita, and that we would plug into Central cChurch of Christ – the church at which Hayley grew up and at which I interned the previous summer. I assumed that I would engage in youth ministry (as a sponsor) and Hayley would continue working with children.

That went well for a while, but I honestly had less time, energy and passion for youth ministry than I expected. I also, slowly but surely, lost my connections with the teens – both in terms of personal relationships and the desire to communicate with them as I used to (which usually involved my hitting my head on a chair or acting the fool in some other, equally creative way). I also felt much more drawn to people my own age, people who were turned off by church. Turned off by institutions. Bored by traditions.

People a lot like me.

Then I met Cliff, and as I’ve mentioned before, the combination of Cliff and Velvet Elvis led me down a path of asking, “What’s next for the church?” And obviously, today I’m exploring that through Breathe.

I subscribe to a couple of blogs from current and former, now successful, church planters. I’m impressed with their passion, commitment and thought that goes into every decision. I think their plans are amazing. I sometimes grow jealous of their success.

But I don’t feel a connection to them. I don’t feel like we’re doing the same thing. I don’t feel like I’m a church planter.

So, friends, the question I pose to you today: what makes a person a church planter?

Happy Monday.
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Back in the groove

Published
by
Todd
on Monday, June 9, 2008
in Random
. 6 Comments

Friends, I have returned from Phoenix, Arizona. I was there, celebrating the marriage of my ol’ college chum and Theatron pal Sam Peters to Brooklynne Travis-Peters. (I can neither confirm nor deny the possibility of Brooklynne using a hyphen.) It was a beautiful ceremony, but it was outdoors, in Phoenix, in June, in a tux. So…I got hot.

But my heat-suffering wasn’t the low-point of my trip – it was my airline “adventures” that stole the show. On my way out there, I missed my connection in Denver due to weather. I arrived in Phoenix at 10:30 instead of 6:15. Which in CST is 12:30 a.m. Needless to say, I was a sleepy fellow.

On the return flights, we hit some nasty, nasty turbulence on our way into Denver. It wasn’t terrifying, but it wasn’t fun either. Unfortunately, on our way into Wichita, I experienced terror such as I have never felt before. I’m not afraid of flying – mostly because I’ve never had reason to be. I don’t mind turbulence too terribly much. But I do mind my plane turning on its side and doing a significant dip, while picking up speed, going through an electrical storm.

I sincerely thought that I was done for. I think the two pilots to my right (they were out of uniform, and only later did I discover they were pilots when they said, “That was the worst I’ve ever experienced”) thought we were done for. All the women (and probably men) who screamed thought we were done for.

It. Was. Terrifying.

But, I am alive and well.

As is my wonderful wife, Hayley. And today marks the 25th year of her being alive and well. Since she no longer maintains a blog of her own, leave your comments here, wishing her well and providing words of encouragement for arriving at her mid-20s – I’m not sure she’s handling it well.

Happy Monday.
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Best Music Video Ever

Published
by
Todd
on Friday, May 23, 2008
in Random
. 4 Comments

This is flippin’ brilliant.

Happy Memorial Day Weekend everyone!
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(h/t: Paul Isakson)

Wrong Question

Published
by
Todd
on Tuesday, May 20, 2008
in Breathe
. 7 Comments

I appreciate all the feedback on the strip club posts over the past couple of days. There has been some very helpful criticism and ideas expressed.

But I think when I asked the question, “Would you go to a church in a strip club,” I’m asking the wrong question (as new commenter Jamie helpfully pointed out in a follow-up email). Calling Breathe a “church” doesn’t really capture who or what we are.

This is something we’ve struggled with since we started talking. “Movement” seems too broad and pretentious. “Non-profit organization” isn’t accurate (although we are certainly experiencing success at not turning a profit). And “church” is far too narrowly defined in the minds of most individuals.

This something we’re going to continue struggling with and through. And we know that. But we’re not going to allow uncertainty about how to refer to ourselves interfere with our certainty about what we are called to do.

What are your thoughts? Any ideas for a descriptive title for us?
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My thoughts on the club

Published
by
Todd
on Monday, May 19, 2008
in Breathe and Explanation
. 6 Comments

I wasn’t sure what to think. I stared at Cliff, wondering if perhaps this friendship of ours was a bad idea; hanging out with him was taking me to unfamiliar and uncomfortable places. Formerly this was figurative. But now, with this idea, it became quite literal.

He had just told me that he thought Breathe, our burgeoning movement, should meet in a strip club.
As I started contemplating the implications of that suggestion, I begin to recognize the brilliance of the idea. Admittedly, my mind went instantly to buzz that could be generated about a “church” meeting in a strip joint. But then, my mind moved to the bigger idea - the fact that our location would say more about us than any website, news story or flyer ever could. First, that we aren’t doing things the traditional way. Second, and most importantly, that we care about all people, even those typically ignored, degraded or judged.

I knew that the idea was going to be a stumbling block for many people. I knew that people wouldn’t get it. Or that people would get it, but disagree. But after two gatherings there, I have no doubt that we are in the right place.

In the comments of the last post, Sam’s Dad raised the point that Jesus would befriend strippers, but wouldn’t hang out with his disciples at a strip club. While I can neither deny nor confirm the scriptural foundation of that point, I will say that I have no idea how I would have befriended Sully, Shannon, Chuck or Dave had we not been gathering at their establishment. I have no idea how I would have grown comfortable discussing significant issues with them. I have no idea how I could bring up God with them.

But I do consider them friends (particularly Chuck the bouncer - that guy is one of the nicest people I have ever met in my entire life, which does make me question his bouncer-credentials). Serious issues have been discussed. They have heard (and actively listened to) God-things.

So my thoughts on the strip club: Breathe is where it is meant to be, doing work that it is meant to be doing. I am unconcerned with the “appropriateness” of our location. I am unconcerned about the roadblocks we will face. I am unconcerned about the less-than-attractive décor we have to battle every week.

I am concerned only with embodying the person of Jesus to Sully, Shannon, Chuck, Dave and all the other patrons who walk through the doors of Club Sensations seeking temporary satisfaction but end up encountering the Eternal.
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Would you come to Breathe?

Published
by
Todd
on Thursday, May 15, 2008
in Breathe and Quick Question
. 19 Comments

Would you go to a church that met in a strip club?

Why or why not?

Thanks for the input.
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I recognize that there are a number of factors that would need to be considered when deciding whether or not to attend a church – their doctrine, their values, their theology, their flavor of communion cracker, etc. Let’s just assume for the sake of the blog post that this church’s stance on all those fell acceptably within your comfort zone.

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