reyes-chow :: FAITH

Why a naked Easter just might be a better Easter

[image: mrMark]

Okay, so I stooped to the "provocative post title" shenanigans, but it popped into my head and I couldn't resist . . . sorry.  But as our prez is known to say, "Let me be clear . . ."  I am not talking about literally being naked on Easter.

Please.

What I am talking about is our need to put on the big production on Easter Sunday.  Now before the cantata, drama and passion play mafia come after me, I do understand that this is THE special time in the life of the Christian church and I know that there is a natural inclination to do it up big time in celebration of the Resurrection.  I get it, I do.

But.

What if our Easter Sunday was just like every other Sunday.  Sure we can have some special things: meals, egg hunt, lillies even, but why not have the service structured and feel like it would on most Sunday's?

And here is why I think this is a good idea.

First . . . Every Sunday should be Resurrection Sunday.  When folks come to church on Easter, if it is a compelling service, I want them to know that this is how we roll every Sunday.  The risen Christ, God and the Spirit are always what grounds and moves our worship experience.  Sure, Easter is special because of the focus and meaning, but the style and structure, if you like it . . . come on back.  It is too easy for folks to say, "We really liked the service" and then somewhere in the back of their mind be thinking, "Well, it's Easter so of course it's going to be special." How awesome would it be to then be able to respond, "Thanks . . . this is pretty much what we do every Sunday." A seed for future connections may indeed be planted. 

Second, I beleive that how we expend energy communicates so much to those who are visiting.  If we put a ton of time and energy into something that even smells like it is being done in any way to glorify those who are part of the church, then I think we send a dangerous message.  Nurturing our children through games and silliness, gathering around a meal, offering meaningful and compelling worship, YES, but full-out productions that appear to be an attempt to impress, NO.

In the end, I think this is a question of congregational self-esteem.  Do you feel like your regular service is compelling enough to move the spirit of those who attend at on any given Sunday?  If not, then your "regular" service needs "re-tuning."  Gone are the days when people are willing to bear with the service and rightly so.  We should all set and strive to meet high exceptions for our worship experiences.  And by expectations I do not mean "perfection" and "proficiency" but worship that truly reflects the context and reality of the community gathered.  In a way, naked, stripped of all the "stuff" we think will draw people.  Because when it comes right down to it, the most effective form of evangelism is to be the church we claim to be: a gathered group of misfits, forgiven through Christ and grateful to God.

In other words: an Easter people, today, tomorrow and always.

MBCC Mii Jesus raising a ruckus.

Oh now we gone and done it!  Our 2008 "Come and Follow Mii" postcard has totally blowuptuated in the gaming world.  They laughed, the cried, they defended and they mocked.  And in the end I think it is pretty awesome that an small idea born at the end of a book group over bubble tea and laughter has created such a level of conversation.

Unlike many at MBCC, I am not a gamer, so these websites - and much of the vernacular used within them - is totally foreign to me.  Still the blend of thoughtfullness, passion, anger, judgment, humor and insight was fascinating.

Here are three sites w/comments worth taking a look at or you just need to google "follow mii" or "mii church" and you'll get a bunch of links.  [Ongoing List]

kotaku.com
gonintendo.com
digg.com

You really have to read the comments yourself, but here are a few highlights that show the breadth and depth of the reactions.

On the color of our Wii Jesus // omicron1

Also, on racial issues: Jesus' human body would have been similar in race to his Israeli parents - neither white nor black, per se, but a sort of deep tanned skin color - sort of like the Mii above. However, as we really don't have any photographs of Christ's Bar Mitzvah, it has fallen to various church elders to reconstruct Christ's visage in their own mind's eyes and transcribe it to statues and paintings - thus we have black Christs in Africa and white Christs in Europe. It really doesn't matter either way, to be honest.  

On MBBC's irreverace // Chibi Forte

Can you say “emergent”?  “Seeker sensitive”, perhaps?  And, obviously, “irreverent”?  Really, this whole idea of “Churches being relevant to the culture” is driving me nuts. Can’t we just stick to sermons that are preached exegetically and reverently and go from there?  I mean, I would begrudgingly let them pass muster in a few areas on their website (membership classes, membership not equaling true conversion, lack of clown communion, etc.), but the sheer irreverent attitude and the pathetic mission statement disgusts me, frankly.  I’ll keep listening to my John MacArthur and John Piper, thank you.

On the intent // OnLegendary86

It's not sacreligious dude. Jesus was a man who had fun and danced and drank wine. There is nothing wrong with some cool advertising that makes people look at Christians and think of church differently.

There are many observations to make from the comments, least of all the passionate and strong opinions that are shared about the church and Jesus.  There seems to be both a reverence and repulsion about the church as well as assumptions about what kind of community MBCC is.  Again, fascinating.

In the end, like our website, if it offends you at that level, MBCC might not be a place where you will be fed.  But . . . if you could take it for what it was, a playful attempt at wit and welcome, MBCC might be a place for you.

Again, fascinating.

MBCC Easter postcard tradition continues

Every year MBCC puts out some kind of Easter graphic.  In the past we have been visited by peeps and bobble heads. The tradition continues in 2008.

ABOUT THIS YEAR'S POSTCARD
This years "postcard" once again design by Debbie Yoon.  For those of you who are not video "gamers," this year's postcard is in reference to the worldwide craze that is Nintendo Wii.

MBCC INVITATION
FACEBOOK EVENT

2007 Peeps

2006 Bobble Head