Stuck in a Christian cage….
This is from Pam Hogeweide of Portland, Oregon. Thanks Pam for making us think about whether we too are in a Christian cage.
(The following excerpt is taken from the book, The Relevant Church, a collection of writings by emerging church leaders. This comes from the chapter, God is in the Pub, by Dustin Bagby. Dustin is part of a church in New York City called Mosaic Manhattan – and he is also a stand-up comedian.)
To make an impact on the twenty-something culture, leaders need to be involved in “real” culture, not just Christian “subculture” events. If you are a musician, then you should be in the music clubs performing on weekends, not just at Christian coffee houses. If you are a comedian, you should be working the comedy clubs during the week as a way of meeting people and impacting the community. If you are an athlete, join a league and play with a random group of people, not just a church league. We encourage people to use their gifts, not just “in here”, but “out there.”
Unfortunately, many people who grown up in church were taught to avoid culture at all costs. They were taught that we need to form an environment in which to live and then invite other people to join. The problem is that the people who we are inviting to join are not coming. Now it is time to ” get out there” and meet them. I find most of Jesus’ teachings are about going and harvesting. I hear very little about sitting back at an event and hoping people who are not followers will attend. Jesus always went to where the people in need were.
A few years ago I came to the uncomfortable realization that my life had become narrow. Nearly all of my friends were evangelicals. My time was spent week after week at church meetings with the same people until it became a blur.
I was stuck in a Christian cage.
After a summer of cynicism (that maybe I’ll write about some other time) I decided it was time to break out. I dropped out of every ministry I was involved with. Suddenly my busy, churched-up calendar was uncluttered. No prayer meeting to run to. No Sunday school lesson to prepare for. No team meeting or prophetic gatherings to schedule in.
No more, thank you Jesus, choir practices to attend.
I determined to be on the look-out for an opportunity to serve the city I call home. I live in Portland, Oregon, one of the prettiest cities in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. I adore this town, having lived here with my family for over 11 years. It is home.
There are a kazillion ways to get involved in volunteer work in Portland. I began to prowl the non-profs, surfing the internet and Craig’s List, looking for something, a non-churchy something, that I could connect to. I considered women’s shelters, soup kitchens, youth centers, and literacy programs. What about services to immigrants? Teaching English? Meals on wheels? The smorgasbord of volunteerism was staggering.
Finally, I found one, a good fit, since I’m a writer, called Write Around Portland (www.writearound.org). This non-profit group facilitates writing workshops for people who “might not have access to the power of writing and community because of income, isolation or other barriers.” Like low-income people, at risk teens, prisoners, people in recovery and others.
I applied to be a facilitator. Soon I found myself in a room full of strangers being trained to conduct writing workshops.
My first assignment begins in a few weeks. I’ll be a part of a small team that will lead a series of workshops for incarcerated women and their daughters.
I’m going from my former Christian prison to the women’s prison… .
And I have the most wonderful anticipation that I will find Jesus present in the writing workshop. Thank God he is not caged up in only church services.
Dustin Bagby is right when he says Christians need to use their gifts, not just “in here”, but “out there.”
That’s what I aim to do, Dustin, that’s what I aim to do.
September 1st, 2006 · 11 Comments
Categories: OA Stories
Richard Pool said
am September 1 2006 @ 3:26 am
I love this story! Not because of the cage but because of your escape! In the UK we have what we call “Evening classes”. They’re all about adult education and you can do everything from bricklaying to a foreign language to a university access course.
I’ve often toyed with the idea doing one but I’ve always struggled to find the course I want. I’ve also thought of setting aside some of our church’s budget to pay for people to do an evening class so that the Christians get out amongst the not-yet-Christian world.
I hope your writing class goes really well.
Helen said
am September 1 2006 @ 6:37 am
Thanks Pam – I think being intentional is what it’s all about.
Our lives are busy enough that if we don’t plan our time out and make time to be with people who don’t share our beliefs/lives already it’s unlikely to happen, because we barely find time to get to our regular meetings.
Pam Sardar said
am September 1 2006 @ 6:44 am
Congratulations, Pam! It is so easy to get stuck in that cage. I think we all get guilty of it…even missionaries! My kids go to a Christian school and we go to an International church filled with Christians from all cultures. We do get a chance to meet lots of different folks there, but life has to be intentional for us to have the courage to ‘get out there’ no matter where we live.
My husband spends the majority of his time with those who are seeking truth. I used to struggle with that at times, but now I see what he saw years ago. Building genuine relationships with ‘those Jesus misses most’ (to quote a friend!)creates opportunity to learn so much.
Let’s stay out of the Christian ghetto and be creative in finding ways to serve and love in our own communities. I remember going to the juvenile center with our church a few years ago. Sunil spoke and it was powerful (God uses church teams too) but I wondered what it would be like to scratch the program and just visit kids with no agenda…just listen and learn.
April Terry said
am September 1 2006 @ 7:56 am
That’s absolutely awesome, Pam! It gives me so much joy to find and hear about other Christians who are doing the same thing.
Several years ago, we were the praise team of a very traditional church. We left because they eliminated our service while my husband and I were on vacation. When we left, I started a ministry to convalescent homes.
This direct ministry to the old folks has been such a growing experience for our entire family. My husband, my son, and I joined together with good friends to create a wonderful sending of God’s love into our needy community.
I understand completely and totally identify with that Christian cage that you were in, and I can tell that I never felt the presence of God like I feel Him when I am holding the cold, weak hand of a senior who never gets visitors and has tears streaming down his/her cheeks.
Helen said
am September 1 2006 @ 8:08 am
April wrote:
Wow, April…that is so powerful.
Mike O said
am September 1 2006 @ 9:04 am
I’m still in the cage, but the door is open and I peek out once in a while
… I’m working on it.
For example, one lady in our church is a bartender in a small town north of us. Nice lady. A couple of us are going to go there just to have dinner and sit at the bar and chit chat with her for a while. I am 100% comfortable with that, but it still feels somehow forced. It shouldn’t feel forced. It should just happen.
Oh, well, we’ll get there.
Jim said
am September 1 2006 @ 10:12 am
Mike- thanks for your openess
Pam – You are a killer writer
Helen said
am September 1 2006 @ 12:03 pm
I agree (with both comments)
Bruce Logue said
am September 1 2006 @ 12:44 pm
Pam Sardar, would you write us a blog about how it is doing OA’s where you live? We’d love to hear more.
Use the “Send a Story” link above, if you can.
Thanks,
Bruce
Pam Sardar said
am September 2 2006 @ 12:54 am
Thanks Jim and Helen!
Bruce, I’d be delighted. Give me a day or two to get my husband on the road.
KSG said
am September 5 2006 @ 9:29 am
wow, Pam (H) thank you for this post… (along with your others from the off-the-map idealab ie cussing xians, etc.) The analogy of a cage is very apt and certainly applies to a large portion of Xianity.
Please tell us how you came to “see” the cage.