Sacramental Living » Discipleship

Still Detoxing

Brian Niece — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 15:27:02 +0000

A co-conspirator of mine recently reminded me that institutional and cultural detox is painful but necessary.

I would add, it likely is also a life-long process.

Some days I wish I had taken the blue pill instead of the red one. In the movie The Matrix when Neo reaches for the red pill, Morpheus reminds him “I’m only offering you the truth; nothing more.”

Some days the truth stinks.

It wasn’t so long ago I was on staff at a large, respected church, had closet full of nice clothes, a nice house, nice friends, etc. But somewhere along the way I got offered the red pill. Now I”m making just above the poverty level, spending my work time with those below and well-below the poverty level.

The church institution has become unreal to me and my wife. As has the US American culture. What is more real, more true, is the reality of the One who is the Way, Truth, and Life.

But this more real way is indeed painful.

Though I’ve never detoxed from street drugs, I spend lots of time with those who have or are presently detoxing. It’s an ugly process. Everything your mind fights against, your body wants to embrace. It truly feels like life and death.

The financial comfort, the good social standing, the good standing within the institutional church … all these things I know are shams. I know it in my head. I know it like the deepest of convictions. But the rest of me struggles with a sense of loss for these things.

The majority of the “respectable” folks consider me and my wife wacky, mistaken, bitter, or just flat out wrong. Those opinions are painful.

A large portion of my clergy peers don’t understand why I left “real ministry,” nor do they see their own complicity with the negatives of institutionalism. Their limited understanding and denial is painful.

Long time friends and even some family occasionally just don’t get us. Believe me, that’s painful.

I realize that when Jesus declared that those who follow him must leave behind family, friends, and attachment to institutions and culture, he meant it.

Separation from those within the institutional and cultural milieu is not fun. It’s easier when there are sojourners to dialogue with.

And it does feel like a matter of life and death. Every day part of me dies. And only through hope do I trust it is a necessary part of my life I must lose so that I might be saved.

I guess this post comes from a place of loneliness. A loneliness I share with Jeremiah and the prophets, Jesus the Nazarene, and even Neo and crew.

Do you share it too? Are you detoxing from institution and culture? Is it painful?

–

Brian Niece
www.brianniece.com
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God’s Goodness Specified

Brian Niece — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 22:43:05 +0000

During the past year I’ve spent in exile, I’ve dreamed of what will be when …

…when we are in different surroundings, or

…when we get back on our feet, or

…when I start (and hopefully complete) my PhD work, or

…when, when, when

Each time that sense of longing for a different future arises, the Spirit has a way of directing me back to the present. And I’m blessed to remember (again) that God’s goodness is not out there somewhere, but right here, right now.

A passage of Scripture I’ve been meditating on daily this month will be a lifelong touchstone for remembering God’s goodness.

I’d like to share it with you.

“If you get rid of unfair practices, quit blaming victims, quit gossiping about other people’s sins,

If you are generous with the hungry and start giving yourselves to the down-and-out,

Your lives will begin to glow in the darkness, your shadowed lives will be bathed in sunlight.

I will always show you where to go. I’ll give you a full life in the emptiest of places—firm muscles, strong bones.

You’ll be like a well-watered garden, a gurgling spring that never runs dry.

You’ll use the old rubble of past lives to build anew, rebuild the foundations from out of your past.

You’ll be known as those who can fix anything, restore old ruins, rebuild and renovate, make the community livable again.”

–YHWH, The LORD our God as rendered in Isaiah 58.9-12

The goodness described here is a very specific goodness, from a very specific God, in a specific context. This specificty requires my response and involvement; and the involvement of my family and community. This specificity graces me with light and thanks.

–

Brian Niece
www.brianniece.com
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What is Sacramental Living?

Brian Niece — Thu, 21 May 2009 21:59:21 +0000

“More and more, the desire grows in me simply to walk around, greet people, enter their homes, sit on their doorsteps, play ball, throw water, and be known as someone who wants to live with them. It is a privilege to have the time to practice this simple ministry of presence. Still, it is not as simple as it seems. My own desire to be useful, to do something significant, or to be part of some impressive project is so strong that soon my time is taken up by meetings, conferences, study groups, and workshops that prevent me from walking the streets. It is difficult not to have plans, not to organize people around an urgent cause, and not to feel that you are working directly for social progress. But I wonder more and more if the first thing shouldn’t be to know people by name, to eat and drink with them, to listen to their stories and tell your own, and to let them know with words, handshakes, and hugs that you do not simply like them, but truly love them.”

- Henri NouwenRelated Posts:

Some Excellent Quotes from Jim Wallis

Brian Niece — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 13:16:06 +0000

Some randomness from Wallis’s Call to Conversion.

“Community is a place to grow in truth, wholeness and holiness. The only way to propagate a message is to live it. That is why there can be no conversion without community. Community makes conversion historically visible.”

“The ability of people to move to a new place tomorrow depends on the love and acceptance they feel today . . The only thing greater than our awareness of each other’s sins is the awareness of God’s love for us and God’s desire to see us healed and made whole. The principal lesson of community is. . that God breaks in at the weak places.”

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The Frustration of Foolishness

Brian Niece — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 14:43:40 +0000

I love the Pauline letters to the Corinthian church. I’m amazed that he included in those writings some of the things he did.

Paul must have known that his reading audience in Corinth would be reading these letters thinking, “Paul is a complete idiot,” “He doesn’t grow the church the way Apollos does,” “Paul is weird,” “Paul sure seems stuck on himself and his way of following Jesus,” “Paul just doesn’t understand what it’s like to live in Corinth,” and so on.

I find myself identifying with Paul’s missionary plight more and more in recent days. I wish I didn’t. I mean, even the religious elite in his own movement (i.e. Peter and the Council at Jerusalem) would look down on him … not to mention his former tribe (the Jewish leaders).

And yet, in the face of opposition from every side, and even from those who should be supporting him, Paul writes:

But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong. - 1 Corinthians 1:27

It’s frustrating to be considered foolish. It’s frustrating to have “the system” breathing down your neck because leaders have aligned themselves more closely with the cultures of this individualistic, business-driven world than they have the Prince of Peace and God’s Kingdom.

Part of me wants to see the “shaming of the strong.” God forgive me for that, even as much as I forgive the strong.

Still clinging to foolishness …

SO TELL ME SOMETHING:
How do you deal with walking the foolish path of Jesus?

——

Brian Niece
www.brianniece.com
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Quotes for the Incarnational Journey

Brian Niece — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 15:57:37 +0000

My heart’s cry:

To go where healing love is needed, and give it in a way in which it can be received, often means acting in the teeth of our own interests and preferences, even religious interests and preferences. Christ risked his reputation for holiness by healing on the Sabbath; he touched the unclean and dined with the wrong people; he accepted the love and companionship of a sinner (that most wonderful of all remedies for the wounds of sin). He loved with God’s love and so went straight to the point: What can I do to restore my fellow creature and how?

–From The Light of Christ by Evelyn Underhill

SO TELL ME SOMETHING:
How easy or difficult is it for you to be like Christ in these ways?

——

Brian Niece
www.brianniece.com
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Ascension and The Church

Brian Niece — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 22:58:34 +0000

I watch this video every so often. In light of recently finishing N.T. Wright’s Surprised By Hope I watched it again today. Great stuff by Darrell Johnson:

SO TELL ME SOMETHING:
How does the Ascension change your perspective of who the Church is to be?

——

Brian Niece
www.brianniece.com
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We Need Culture Change in the Church

Brian Niece — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 18:47:02 +0000

Over at Young Clergy, I stumbled on this little gem which aptly describes why we need culture change in the church for a new generation of clergy to be welcomed, nurutured, and sustained:

I am finding out time and time again that we do not have a welcoming culture, but a culture that says it is your job to become one of us. Do the paperwork in a timely matter and that proves your worth. Do this and do that and that will show you care enough…

I have learned that a call for a pastor should not be a call to “come be one of us, do what we want you to do.” No, no, no. The call comes from God and invites us to go be agents of change, renewal, and vision.

It seems that our Church culture has not embraced this movement yet.Related Posts:

Not Living By Bread Alone

Brian Niece — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 17:02:04 +0000

God has been working in me. My relationship with Jesus has been reaching new levels of trust and discernment. I’m still trying to process and live it out. I’ll share with you some of what I’ve been discovering …

Through the transitions in life as of late, God has provided for us by Heather working a couple more days a week while I play Mr. Mom. It means I get work done at odd hours. But the chance to experience life with my kids has been incredible.

Yesterday, our 3-year old, Eliot, ate like a human garbage disposal. His hunger was bottomless. He had two bowls of cereal and applesauce for breakfast. Crackers, yogurt, and grapes for “second breakfast.” More grapes and cheese crackers for a snack. A turkey sandwich, pretzels, and yogurt for lunch. Even more grapes, cornbread, sesame sticks, and apricots for afternoon snack. Chicken nuggets (his and some of mine), mixed fruit, fries for dinner. Then more cereal and grapes at separate times before bed!

I was amazed how much he could put away! I was even more amazed that he was eating just about every hour or so. He’s growing, changing. And he needs to be nourished constantly.

Then, while struggling to sleep in the middle of the night, these words came to my mind: “Humans don’t live by bread alone, but by every word that issues from God’s mouth.”

Jesus was so close in relationship with his Father, that he carried on conversation with him throughout the day. He wanted the nourishment from God to be just as regular, satisfying, and growth-inducing as regular food for his body … if not more so.

I’ve been learning to trust Jesus more. To lean into God’s unfailing love and acceptance of me. To be in conversation with the Father at all times.

Just like Eliot eating constantly for his body to develop in a healthy way, we need to be in constant, aware, open, trusting relationship with God so that we may grow more into the likeness of Jesus Christ.

It’s not just a Sunday morning thing (or whatever time and day we may gather for community worship). It’s not just a private prayer time once or a few times a week. It’s not just in fellowship with other believers every so often. It’s not just in relationship with not-yet believers. It’s not just in our family time with children and parents. It’s not just in the compassionate lifestyle actions that we may engage in.

Life and relationship with God is all of this, and more, at all times, with all that we are, trusting all that our God is!

The ways and times to “do church” are becoming completely insignificant to me. The life enjoyed by “being church” is the path I’m on. It’s not popular. It’s confusing on all sides. It means I can’t plan my future so much as trust God’s working in my present until he accomplishes his purpose in me.

What is God’s purpose? The same for all of us really: to be drawn into relationship with God, to be caught up in the community of our holy Parent, and the befriending Son, and the loving Spirit; to be shaped into the likeness of our oldest brother — Jesus Christ.

God, work out your purpose in me and my family however you choose. AMEN.

SO TELL ME SOMETHING:
How is God nourishing you these days?

——

Brian Niece
www.brianniece.com
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Sharing the Journey

Brian Niece — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 12:34:20 +0000

Who feels pressured on all sides? Or who feels pulled in multiple directions?Me … and me, too! I’d bet we all do.

The challenge (and great mystery) is how to effectively cope with all the pressures in a healthy way.

I’m convinced the only way to deal with our pressures is to lean into each other. To help each other carry the burdens.

In his letter to the Galatians, Paul writes

“Live creatively, friends. If someone falls into sin, forgivingly restore him, saving your critical comments for yourself. You might be needing forgiveness before the day’s out. Stoop down and reach out to those who are oppressed. Share their burdens, and so complete Christ’s law. If you think you are too good for that, you are badly deceived.” (Galatians 6:1-3)

Think you aren’t creative? Stoop to help someone carry their burdens and face their pressures. Be forgiving. Think less of yourself and more of someone else. You’ll discover you are being creative in finding ways to carry out Christ’s law (by the way, Christ’s law is that we love one another as Jesus has loved us).

I’m hoping, with God’s help, to be more creative than I’ve ever been in living this way. Less of me; more of Christ.

SO TELL ME SOMETHING:
How are you living creatively these days?

——

Brian Niece
www.brianniece.com
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