I get a one line email last night.  It asks me:  “What do you mean by “two years of not being challenged?”  I have not met the author (to my knowledge.)

Oh boy.  You know when someone asks you a simple question,  and you automatically realize that you may have messed up something up?  Is it just me?  I figured as much…

I go to re-read my email sent out a couple of days ago for contributors, partners, friends, which is aimed to thank folks and inform them about the new stuff going on at CQ Missional.  I’m getting the feeling that something I wrote could be taken the wrong way, and I’m thinking, “man, when you write up something quickly and shoot it out there- people who don’t know you read it, and you’ve got to do a better job of communicating your heart.”  I’m also reminded that when you shoot from the hip- you usually hit your foot first.  In the email,  I started some communication about a new “gap year” program we’re starting next year for community college students, and other high school grads.

Here’s what I read that I had written just one day before:  “Students are not usually thrilled about it, parents however, like the great value of it. “It” is going to Tulsa Community College for your entry into college life. The Tulsa Achieves program is free for qualifying students and a great choice financially. However, many students who stay in Tulsa for community college have 2 years of not being challenged, wishing they were somewhere else, and playing it safe and not engaging the promise of this time of life. Instead of really exploring a life calling and preparing to enter vocational training with confidence, they do a lot of hanging out.”

Hum…  Its that true?  Well, I am sure it is for some people.  In fact,  I know it is for some people.  However, my statement can be read as a judgment on the quality of what TCC offers.  That was not what I was after, especially because the Achieves program is exactly the kind of thing that excites us about living in Tulsa.  Its great.  It provides choice for those who haven’t had it before.  It gives opportunity.  Its city wide.

The notion that students don’t grow or develop during community college really says more about the student than about the college.  Our growth is always our own responsibility.  You know, like we were taught in grad school, that our outcomes are always a marriage of an experience plus our belief about the experience.  Attitude is everything, and people mine beauty from any place every day, and folks also blow it and fail to capitalize on something beautiful right in front of them, every day.

TCC has done a beautiful thing in the Achieves program and as I have commented on numerous occasions, what is a good thing will just keep getting better and better because of this injection of life into the community.  Here is the “to the point” explanation and purpose for the TCC Achieves program from their website:

What Is Tulsa Achieves?
TCC helps eliminate the financial burden of attending college by providing additional funding to fill the “gap” between financial aid and the cost of attending college.

For eligible students, Tulsa Achieves pays up to 100% of tuition and fees for a maximum of 63 college credit hours. As a gap-funding program, Tulsa Achieves pays any remaining balance after all state, federal and private aid and grant funding have been applied. There is no cost to the student!

Why did TCC start the Tulsa Achieves Program?
The answer is simple – Students in Tulsa County should have the opportunity to attend college based on an ability to achieve, not an ability to pay.

It’s all about giving back to, and improving, our community. By increasing the number of Tulsa County residents with higher education degrees, we can increase the number of skilled professionals available in the Tulsa job market. We hope to encourage students to graduate high school and engage their community through service learning/volunteer service. With Tulsa Achieves, TCC is helping to ensure that Tulsa continues to grow, just as Tulsa has ensured the growth of TCC.

This deal is SO what we want to promote in Tulsa, and any words that imply that they aren’t doing a great thing here- are just misplaced, and not what we want to communicate.

Can community college be the best possible choice for people trying to move towards their life calling?  Absolutely.  Even without “us?”  Um….yep.

Is it possible that students who stay in Tulsa to engage an education at a place like TCC might need what we offer to help them move forward in life, to pursue their unique role in making the world a better place?  I am convinced the answer to that one is yes also. We help people take responsibility for their potential on a personal level, and engage the adventure of what is right in front of their face- such as their potential contribution to this community.  Many people just need a personal challenge and relationship that helps them go to this place.

So, maybe a better way to have written that paragraph would have been:

“Some students may not be thrilled about it, parents however, like the great value of it. “It” is going to Tulsa Community College for your entry into college life. The Tulsa Achieves program is free for qualifying students and a great choice, giving tons of students the opportunity for free tuition to TCC’s growing academic  programs. The TCC experience also can offer a seamless academic transition to 4 year state Universities.  While having TCC and the Achieves program here is such a great resource to our city, many students who stay in Tulsa do not use their time to develop their unique role in the world.  Many don’t seek out the challenge that leads to growth during these years and play it safe instead- living in a holding pattern until they go on to a 4 year university, choose a major, and live on “their own.”   Instead of really exploring a life calling and preparing to enter vocational training with confidence, many students hang out, do their work, and wait.  We believe we can come along side of  students during this time, and help them engage the foundational questions of who they will be.  The result will be a student ready to engage more specific vocational and life training with courage and confidence- knowing who they are, and ready to dive into that adventure.”

The lesson for me?  James tells us: “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak…”  I’m reminded that my perspective is limited, and I quickly forget that others have the ability to broaden my little window.   My quick words don’t give the whole story, and as I have experienced more times than I would like to admit, the crow doesn’t taste like chicken. I’ll eat it though (salsa  might help).

We look forward to serving people as they discover their unique role in making the world a better place.  Thanks to folks like TCC and the Achieves program who are doing that same work.  Our program to help students with their unique role in this world, called “GPS” will take off this August.

ck

For several years, I claimed the song “Elias” by former indie jam band, Dispatch, to be my favorite song of all time. While the song may have lost a bit of its luster to me over the years, it is still way up there on my list of greatest songs of all time. And one of the main reasons it has remained up there is the story that literally surrounds it. The story the leads up to the writing of this great tune, and the story that has continued because of it, is truly remarkable.

It all started back in 1994 when Chad Urmston, former Dispatch member and current State Radio frontman, went on a trip to Zimbabwe where he met and befriended a simple, but wise, gardener named Elias. As Chad watched Elias work hard and struggle to provide for his wife and two sons, he was amazed at his ability to love despite his circumstances. He grew to care deeply about Elias and from there, one of the band’s most beloved songs was birthed. For those who have never heard it, it is a beautifully written song, that starts off with a prayer in Elias’ native tongue Shona.

But the most exciting part of the story, is what has taken place after the writing of this great song. First there was the fundraiser, started by two friends of band, which accumulated to $13,000, guaranteeing Elias’ boys an education. Then came the grassroots organization, the Elias Fund, which works with local initiatives to empower Zimbabwean through strategic partnership and resource allocation. The song has also inspired the band to start the Dispatch Foundation which has a similar mission to build and support community growth in Zimbabwe. And there have been multiple benefit concerts all because of of this one song.

The obvious conclusion is to look at this story and to recognize the impact that this song has had on Elias and the rest of his community over in Zimbabwe. As great as it is, the song isn’t what I want to focus on. Very few of you who are reading this are actually song writers, and those of you who are can’t just go out and say “I’m gonna write a song to inspire change in an impoverished country”, and then make it happen. And Chad didn’t do anything significant when he wrote this song. He was just doing what he was created to do, what he had done before and is continuing to do today as he writes songs for State Radio. What was significant was his choice to go to Zimbabwe, and not just to visit and take pity on them, but he chose to engage in relationship with the people there. It was the relationship that he developed with Elias. That is what was significant.

So I encourage you. Wherever you are, whatever you do. Take the time and put forth the effort to engage in relationships and then keep doing whatever it is God created you to do. Change will happen.

Being a father of two incredibly cool kids I am overwhelmed daily with a few quotes, “Hey dad!” “Dad, look at me.” “Dad, come see what I built.” “Dad, look at this, it is cool.” “Dad, watch me.” If I am being quite honest I get tired of hearing the word “Dad” sometimes. However,  I know what my kids are yearning for: Acceptance, Applause, an Encouraging Word, a little bit of Dad’s time and love…

I am also a big fan of the show “American Idol”. Now before you judge me on watching very shallow TV, hang-on. I love the stories. Last week they featured a girl who grew up in a very strict home. This girl basically seemed to live in the shadow of her parents, and at every waking moment she did her best to please them but it never seemed enough. Well, the girl broke free and was now sitting in New York City plastered on the TV waves. She sang and she made it. Tears of joy streamed down her face. American Idol proceeded to tape as she called her dad. The dad said, “Hello” and the first words after “Dad, I made it to Hollywood” where, “DAD, ARE YOU PROUD OF ME?” Now I am not much of a crier but the tears flowed. All the girl wanted was to know that her dad was proud of her.

I have friend that is an incredible athlete. In fact, this kid has more talent in his big toe than most have in their whole body. He was all-conference, all-state, and more in football and ended up playing at the collegiate level for a couple of years. Unfortunately, some bad choices ended it all. While he was struggling with this loss I began asking him tough questions. Who are you? Where you going? Why can’t you move on?  The bottom line was he missed the roar of the crowd. He missed the pat on the back when a fumble was recovered or a pass intercepted. He lived for the applause now it was gone.

As I sit back and watch person after person give to the tragedy in Haiti, I hear their silent, “Look at Me!” pleas for acceptance. Now I am not judging their heart or intentions because I think they do want to help, but if we are honest, we are crying out for the attention, the applause, the moment always. Just like my kids saying, “Dad look at me!” or the girl on American Idol saying, “Dad, are you proud of me?” or my friend missing the roar of the crowd when a job was done well. So the question becomes when the world, crowd, mom or dad don’t give you your acceptance, where do you go? We all want it. We all need it. But where you get it is very important, and it could mean life or death. Lastly, going back to motivation, are you only motivated to serve, clothe, feed, love during tragic events or big sponsored events so you can get the attention or  praise, or can you do it all for no applause, no pat on the back, no acceptance and feel secure in who you are made to be? I can’t  help but think that it is those who never get noticed in the world that make the most impact. What do you think?

Martin Luther King Day is one of my favorite holidays.  My family has a long standing tradition of gathering early in the morning, lighting candles, and walking through the neighborhood singing “We Shall Overcome”, and then we make an effort to work as a family to do our little part to eradicate various injustices.

Part of that statement is true.  It is one of my favorite holidays.  You probably wouldn’t know that, however,  unless you asked me about it- because I like most families, just try to enjoy an extra day off.  It is important, though, because it keeps the story of the value of people in front of me.  This day keeps the story alive, of the struggle of people who see themselves as being made in God’s image- and the people who see them as less than that- and will do whatever it takes to repress that vision.

My family had the opportunity to go to the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis last year on our way to Florida, and the experience was powerful for me to say the least.  After an hour or two of reading of the struggle, watching video clips, and sitting in the bus where Rosa Park’s said “I am tired.” and refused to move; I found myself standing next to the place where King lost his life on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel.  I stood looking through a plexiglass window at King’s room to my right and straight ahead was the balcony.  The building across the street from which the shots came was in my line of sight as well.  Something caught my eye when looking down at the balcony deck- there was a square in the concrete which had been cut out and new concrete poured in it.  The square was approximately 18 inches long and wide, to my recollection.   Not sure where I got the information, if it was someone there, or a sign through our self guided tour, but I became aware that the square was the clean up work by the owner of the motel.  This square of concrete was where MLK’s blood was, and it was stained, and not able to be cleaned.  So, the owner, cut the blood stained concrete out, and poured new cement in its place.

This kind of clean up happens every day where there is violent crime, and also where there are tragic accidents.  The clean up helps the rest of us not think about, or even know about, what happened at that spot in the past.  This is helpful for our communities.  In this case, though, it reminded me that with this murder- the life cut short led a struggle affirming God’s image in all men.  His was an imperfect life, full of contradictions, and yet not afraid to speak of justice and the peaceful way of Jesus.  People joining in grabbed hold of their identity as image bearers and had the revelation that jail time, pain, or even death could not stop them from taking that identity on to themselves as individuals.  There was unspeakable freedom in understanding this, and true community as African Americans and any other people who had experienced a generational repression started to own their place in America with diginty.  There was a consistency starting to happen between people’s inner lives and how they hoped to express themselves in the outside world.  Even more importantly for all of us- there was a collective assumption of identity that created a wave of change and courage, and for that matter- conflict.

And, while MLK the man is not by any means solely responsible for Civil Rights progress; he was a life that was a part of creating hope and helping people live with courage.  He helped people believe that they had value.  He challenged people who worked so hard to preserve their own power and deny worth in others.  So while this man was a larger than life character, his blood got cleaned up and the square on the balcony spoke to the enormity of this life, and the value of every man.  I stared at the square and started to cry.  My children got uncomfortable as Dad was all emotional and weird.  I couldn’t stop, as I was broken- so sad that this life of great value created such a story, was cut down so quickly, and the evidence of his murder got removed by a concrete cutter.

As I walked away from the museum, and drove with my family for our vacation to Florida, I was struck with the knowledge of the value of every person.  Every person as being made in God’s image is made to be a creator and contributor, and some take this idea to heart and live it out in ways that make the world a better place.  They live it out in ways that personify the prayer of Jesus when he prayed “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”  I was also stuck with how true power that creates sustainable change comes from the bottom up, from stables outside of Bethlehem, from streets in Selma, where people live every day.  When people choose to believe that they have a unique role to play in this big story- things change for the better.  God help those who fight to deny this identity in people, and God help us when we are asleep to this identity and choose to orient ourselves toward consumption.

The balcony square can remind us that:  every life has value, every life ends on earth, while our lives may intersect with tragedy- we can leave an impact that can go on for generations.  truth lives.

What unique role will you, will I, have in helping the world become a better place?

I hope to continue developing these ideas.

Chris King

MEDIA REVIEW 2009
MUSIC
1–Animal Collective, Merriweather Post Pavilion
This was an easy number one choice for me. By far my favorite album of the year. Some of their other stuff can be a little bit weird, but they pulled it all together for this album. The whole album is brilliant.
2–Phoenix, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
Very electro-pop. But really good pop songs. This album is not just Lisztomania and 1901. Its a great album to listen to from start to finish. I especially like the instrumental songs.
3–The Swell Season, Strict Joy
I am not a hardcore The Frames fan, but since the Once Soundtrack and seeing The Swell Season in concert, I have found myself listening to these guys non-stop. They played the majority of this album when I saw them in concert. It left me in great anticipation of the release of Strict Joy and it didn’t disappoint.
4–Andrew Bird, Noble Beast
I saw a live concert on OETA of Andrew Bird and it gave me a greater appreciation of Bird and his music. He plays like nine different instruments. Really like this album.
5–mewithoutYou, It’s All Crazy! It’s All False! It’s All a Dream! It’s Alright
This was a tough choice between mewithoutYou and Pearl Jam. I landed on this album because their lyrics are so fantastic. Every Thought A Thought of You, Timothy Hay, and Cattail Down are great tracks.

Honorable Mention
Pearl Jam, Backspacer
Pete Yorn, Back & Fourth
Matisyahu, Light
U2, No Line on the Horizon

MOVIES
1–Up
Pixar does it again. Up was funny, insightful, and moving. Interestingly, my top three movies of the year are all kids movies. Not sure Fox is considered a kids move, but still animated. Up took number one of those three. Also, interesting that both Up and Wild Things deal with a idealism.
2–Where The Wild Things Are
This isn’t really a kids movie either. I thought Jonze did such a good job visually and with the story. The story was great on the surface and also incredibly deep. I found it to be deeply profound on lots of levels.
3–Fantastic Mr Fox
One critic said, “Proof that Pixar doesn’t have a monopoly.” I like that.
4–Avatar
It was tough for me to put this here. But I was dazzled by the 3D cinematography and by world that Cameron created. The story was lacking, but I was so impressed with everything else. It was either this or Star Trek here but the special effects of Avatar seduced me.
5–Sherlock Holmes
This movie was very enjoyable. I like Guy Ritchie’s other movies as well, but I think what made me like this movie so much was that I like the show House so much. After watching this movie I saw so many parallels between House and Holmes. Actually, House is Holmes and Wilson is Watson. I love House and that’s why this movie makes it here.

Honorable Mention
Star Trek, The Soloist, 9

TELEVISION
1–House
The two hour season premiere was so incredible. I grew a greater appreciation for House this season, and I already had high appreciation for this show. The writing is not matched by many other shows on TV right now.
2–Survivor
Great season. Survivor is my guilty pleasure.
3–Modern Family
The dad, Phil, makes the whole show for me. And any show involving Al Bundy has got to intrigue you.
4–30 Rock
I am jumping on the bandwagon late here, but I now have an appreciation for the writing and the characters on 30 Rock.
5–Important Things with Demetri Martin
This only aired for six episodes but I still laugh at the thought of some of the characters on the show.

Honorable Mention
Community, FlashForward

BOOKS
1–Flickering Pixels, Shane Hipps
At some point during this year I was promoting this book to so many people, it was as if Hipps was paying me to spread the word about his book. I heard Hipps speak in Michigan during the summer and instantly got Flickering Pixels. The book is about technology but is also a great commentary on our culture. I kept saying as I was reading this, “I can’t believe I never knew this stuff.”
2–A Million Miles in a Thousand Years, Donald Miller
Someone forwarding Miller’s book said, “This book read me more than I read it.” I like that.
3–Orthodox Heretic, Peter Rollins
Rollins is a genius. This is a very insightful book. He sees the angles that other people don’t.
4–Follow Me To Freedom, Claiborne & Perkins
I really liked the banter back and forth conversational format of this book.
5–The Book Of Basketball, Bill Simmons
700 pages. On the NBA. Who writes a 700 page book on the NBA? Better question, who reads a 700 page book on the NBA? He is actually a hilarious writer and has great sports knowledge. He does go by the Sports Guy. This was an enjoyable book.

Honorable Mention
Drops Like Stars by Rob Bell

That is all for 2009. Thoughts on this review? What are your picks? More reviews to come…

Self-care is a topic that often surfaces quickly in a therapy session.  And quite often, any suggestion toward tending to one’s own needs is quickly met with the assumption that self-care is selfish.  Many a client says, “But isn’t that selfish?”  or something like, “I don’t want to be a self-centered person.  My sister (or brother, or parent, or friend…) is very self-centered and I don’t want to be like that. ”

So I’ve started using the image of a bicycle wheel as a metaphor for one’s life.  A person who is centered occupies the core of their own life — the center of the wheel, where all the spokes meet.  A person who is self-centered lives out on the spokes and leaves the center empty.  They constantly need other people to fill their center.

The person at the center of their own wheel has something to give — an energy that flows out along the spokes and into the lives of other people.  The person living out on the spokes of their own life has trouble giving to others because the energy has to come from the center — and they are not present there.

The centered person assumes responsibility for their own basic needs, that life at the very center of their being.  They practice basic self-care.   They may not (in fact probably won’t) get all their needs met every day, but their life has an overall pattern of taking responsibility for themselves — paying their bills, getting physical nourishment, tending to their own spiritual life, seeking out and investing in healthy relationships, to name a few.   So when another person does meet a need for them (buys them lunch, offers a listening ear, prays with or for them, etc.) they can see it as the gift that it is.  There is a gratefulness for the other person and an awareness (and acceptance) of the gift.

On the contrary, someone who does not assume responsibility for their own needs must constantly ask other people to do so.  They are often demanding, asking everyone else to focus on them because they have not properly focused on their own center.  When someone else meets a need for them, they are only breaking even.  There is a lack of gratefulness because of the assumption that others will meet their basic needs.  Moreover, they have a hard time giving to others because all of their energy is toward getting others to do the work they have neglected in their own life.

Sure, there are people who in the name of self-care expect everyone else to bend to their plans.  But that is in fact the opposite of centered.  The centered person can make their own decisions and let others make  theirs.  The centered person doesn’t need everyone else to work around their needs and wants, because they have already established a life pattern that nurtures their center.  They don’t need someone else to do the work they are already doing.

A few questions to ask yourself today, this week, this month, this year:   Am I taking responsibility for my own basic needs, or am I expecting others to meet them?  Am I able to give from my center, or is it constantly empty?  Are there daily or weekly (or monthly or yearly) things I can do to live at, and nurture, the very core of my being?  Daily time to eat meals and exercise and get adequate sleep?  Built-in rejuvenation time?  Time for relationships that are life giving for me?

You may need to say no to a few things you usually say yes to.  But a little self-care can go a long ways.  All the way out from the center and into the lives of the people around you.

About 4 years ago I had a conversation with my father in-law who at that time was just my girlfriend’s father.  He took me out to lunch to get a better feel of who I was and my background.  It was a few days prior to father’s day.  We talked for quite some time and he asked me innocent questions of my past, present and where I wanted my future to be.  I’ll never forget how he seemed truly interested in the things I told him and my plans for life.  He asked me about my father and let me know that my dad must have been a good one because he did a god job on me.  Unfortunately I had to let him know that my mother is to credit because she was my father and my father was a let down and no where to be found in my youth.  He went on to ask me questions about him, in which some I didn’t have the answers to because I didn’t know much about him.  In the effect that it was close to Father’s Day and my father in-law is a God-Fearing, spiritual, Bible quoting, wonderfully challenging man, he challenged me to do something I will never forget…he said I should call my father on Father’s Day.  I was slightly shocked because my wife (Rebecca) had been challenging me to talk to my father as well ever since we started dating.  I asked him why he thought I should call him,  he said “The Bible tells us to honor thy father and mother, period.”  I had a very perplexed look on my face, and then he continued, “It doesn’t say honor thy father and mother only if they are really good people and parents, it just commands us to honor them.”  That statement haunted and consumed my thoughts for about 2 years.

A couple months ago I saw the film “Precious: Based on the novel Push by Sapphire.”  It was one of the most brutal, honest, painful, sad, and hopeful movies I have ever seen.  It was about a 16 year old girl’s journey of learning to read and write while dealing with physical, emotional and sexual abuse, being raped by her father and beaten by her mother.  She was pregnant with her second child, both children given to her by her father.  Her resilience was fascinating and her drive to learn and make her children’s lives better than her own gave me a vision of hope in which I have never seen.  It was one of the most beautiful films I have ever seen.  I was moved by this story, although it was fictional it was derived from real life situations that women have been in.  I am going to stop here with the description of the plot because I feel it is a film that everyone should see and I don’t want to spoil this inspirational story, read the book too, it will rock your socks off…neither the movie nor the book are for young audiences.

Now how do those two completely different paragraphs even pertain to anything I could be thinking?  This I shall explain.  Precious has caused me to do a lot of thinking in the last couple months, helping me realize the amazing blessings I have had in my life and the way God has always seemed to get my back.  It’s helped me count my blessings in my life with the situation I have with my father.  My wife was even led to say “I feel as though I should never complain about anything in my life ever again” after watching Precious.  I have been stirred up in thought about my own father after watching this movie.  My situation with my father is not at all in any way similar to Precious’ situation, it just made me think about bad fathers in general and how up to about 2 years ago my father hadn’t been really a father to me at all.  I began to think about others in my situation or in worse situations such as Precious and how earthly fathers are so important to the foundation and growth of a child.  When there is a lack in a male spiritual mentor it does truly effect a child. I didn’t realize it effected me until about 2 years ago when I was 24 years old.  It was quite a pivotal moment in my life when I woke up and realize that I was severely depressed by the status of my father and I’s relationship.  The feeling was suffocating and crippling, I felt as though I could not properly manage  loving my own children (when I have them one day), unless have some sort of relationship with my own father.  To make a long story short, we had a talk and I told him how our relationship was going to be, and what I needed and expected from him.  It turned out a lot better than what I was anticipating, he seemed to respond to my pain and relate with my feelings.  It seems that this trend of fathers has been in many generations of my family besides this one, and unfortunately my father had fallen into that mold.  Our relationship has grown tremendously and my father has been able to inspire me to understand reasons why I love him, which is quite refreshing (hope and resilience, like Precious).  This was truly inspired by the challenge that my father in-law and wife had issued me some years ago, and it’s one of the many reasons I love both of them with all my heart.  If you were or are in a situation that Precious was in would you be able to honor your father or mother?  If you were or are in a situation more like mine with a father or mother that shares empty promises and was never there for you, would you be able to honor your father or mother?  Think deeply and hardly.

This post isn’t going to be controversial, I don’t think.  Although the topic: What is CQ Missional?- has proven to be controversial for some, confusing for others, and a great learning process for me- interestingly enough.

This post is about the words we use that help us describe what we do, and what we’re about. We want to get to the point in the description, and have clarity (something I’m not always great at, I like the “stream of consciousness” stuff).

Here is the answer: CQ Missional helps people discover their role in making the world a better place. Its not rocket science.  We want to help people…help people.  And while these words may sound a bit “vanilla”, they are all on purpose, and each has an important meaning and context.

Those words have risen to the top in the last 5 months- as I have fumbled trying to explain how we do things and what we offer and how that is unique or enough like what the people  want to hear. Some people have chosen to not work with us because the language doesn’t sound like something we hear at my church- and that causes them concern. Thats ok.  I just want our words to be honest, real, and easy to understand for anyone we may encounter- and I’m praying that is how we operate as representatives of CQM as well.

We do believe that Christ is the center of the story. I also know that we will work with people from all walks of life- and I am jazzed to interact with all of God’s children, and ….help them discover their role in making the world a better place.  A better place in a “Lords Prayer” sort of way…  That is our working definition of Missional- and it has much to do with the Lord’s prayer when Jesus prays “Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

I’ve found my time explaining what CQ Misisonal is to be very interesting in what thoughts and questions the process has brought up in my own mind.  This is good, and not easy.  I want to explain what we do because it is a unique approach, and there is a vision attached. However- I am discovering that my own need to position us as “unique, creative, out of the box, …” motivates my stream of words. It starts to look like I’m the center of the story at that point.  To contrast- I would rather be part of a work that cares about the people we come across, and simply does the things we do well to help people find their unique role in the big Story.  If we get to help people…. help other people… (making the world a better place); then we’re doing our job.

So- helping people discover their role in making the world a better place… this is what we do. I’ll write more in future posts about the purpose of each of the words and the connectedness to what we’re about as a community.  I will also use this blog to post upcoming book excerpts for us to wrestle with.

I’m looking forward to the dialog.

Please engage our different blog posts which will be produced almost everyday by a variety of friends.  These are different people who provide engaging questions and content all around the “missional” life. You’ll find opinions and questions that will be diverse and expand the “missional” thread- shoot back with your perspective! I want you to help us think.  Maybe we can help you as well.  We want to be a community that helps people, and having our assumptions challenged in this group can be one way that we help each other grow. I am so thankful for our blogging partners, and excited about the content, stories, and most of all- the lives they live. Our agreement with our team goes for 6 months, and we promise not to edit or censor  their content- trust is a big fat word around here.

I also look forward to contributing weekly and connecting with readers as someone who cares, and who is a fellow journeyman. Not Journey, as in “Don’t Stop Believing” with short guy with mullet Steve Perry belting it out (thats excellent as well…) but more like sharing the life journey.    As we walk together with this community, we will have shared experience.  Shared experience plus reflection is big time way that our ears and eyes are opened to mission and purpose.  God is speaking to us all the time.  I look forward to seeing what you and I are discovering.

Here is an interesting story of some “missional” people where words and life meet to be a part of “Kingdom come”- or in everyday language- “making the world a better place.”
http://www.parade.com/news/2010/01/17-why-we-gave-away-our-home.html

Till next week,
Chris King

Nearly twenty years ago now, I was sixty feet up an eighty foot cliff.  I found myself paralyzed by fear and uncertainty.  The person on the end of my rope was a nineteen year old who had never rock climbed before.  Although I knew the equipment would work and keep me safe, I did not have the same assurances about him.  Running out of strength, my mind clouded and I could not find a way forward.  In the next moments, I fell.  The rope held, as did my belayer, and I quickly completed the climb with little effort.

Looking back I see in this short encounter the essence of my experience on Frost’s “road less travelled”.  You see going down the less travelled path has been for me less some spectacular scenario and more simple choices. These choices are moments when I could have stayed trapped in what I knew or risk something unfamiliar; I was compelled into the unknown.  Whether it was the first time I started thinking for myself in high school rather than let teachers tell me what to do or start asking the tough questions about the faith and doctrine that had been programmed into me as a child, these were the points in time where my life path has been determined. 

Just like after falling on my climb, I realized that my fear was perceived rather than real, when I started listening to the restlessness, dissatisfaction and inconsistency in my set of beliefs about God and began asking different questions, I found that the fear I had about questioning what I thought was truth was more perceived fear rather than real fear.  I discovered that God was not afraid of my questions.  In fact, He was calling me into those questions. 

For me what has been at the end of the “road less travelled” is a real chance at life beyond fear.  The message that I heard and believed when I was young made me jealous, afraid, critical and distant just like the God I thought I had to serve.  What I discovered was freedom that did not depend on my performance but a peace to be found in the assurance of my acceptance by God.  For the first time, I have started liking myself, not fearing other people and experiencing something of the deeper mystery of God’s actions for humanity (Robinson, 2009) . What questions are you being called into right now?

“If the world is saved, it will not be by old minds with new programs but by new minds with no programs at all” (Quinn,1999).

This quote has stayed with me now for over a decade.  There is a haunting truth that I fear if we do not understand will result in much of the same, lifeless activity in the name of faith.  It has been the words of Eugene Peterson which has helped me understand the perilous nature of programs.  Spiritual formation, coming to understand and trust who God says we are, is a relational work.  The most important things in life: trust, love, forgiveness, compassion, acceptance are all relational. 

Programs are not.  Programs are efficient, clean, planned and antiseptic.  They are planned around abstractions and goals primarily of one person who wants to change other people.  Programs, no matter how well intentioned, are always focused on the planner and they leave the participant as generic receivers of the planners goodwill.  Programs are well organized means of relating without the need for real relationship.  We need “to recognize the unrelational ways set before us in the community—principles and abstractions, causes and programs—and see them for what they are, substitutes for love” (Peterson, 2005). They will not solve our toughest problems nor will they help us experience life and love.

So Quinn asks the necessary follow up question, “If programs don’t work, then what does?  What works so well that it never occurs to anyone to create programs to make it work?” I have come to a conclusion that the alternative to programs is process.  Perhaps even process is still too contrived but we live in a culture with schedules and slots of time rather than living in contexts where we naturally engage the natural processes of life together.  So process is an acceptable substitute for programs. 

Process does allow for some organization but it is an organization of the context and of starting points but not outcomes.  Process requires an adventurous courage and real relationship if done well.  Process asks questions without the need for any particular answer.  It sets out in a direction without a preconceived destination.  It requires ongoing listening and openness to what shows up in our interactions right now.  The content of process is not predetermined but co-discovered in our interactions together in a particular place at a particular time.  The outcomes are not reproducible on a mass scale for they are the product of a particular set of relationships.  Process honors mystery and thus makes it possible for us to encounter what we cannot even imagine.  What are you looking for in life?  Who is accompanying you in the search?  How are you searching?  Are you willing to be a new mind with no program?