charlieDEAN’S Blog

On the Swerve blog, Craig Groeschel just wrapped up a series called “The Challenge of Ministry Relationships,” which is quite good.   In particular I really liked the last two posts, “Becoming Friends with Your Pastor: Part A & Part B.”  I don’t agree exactly with all 15 points, but a lot of them are spot-on for me.

Early on in my ministry I remember hearing someone say that a pastor really shouldn’t have too close of friends in his/her church because there are just too many complications.  But that just seems so inauthentic to me.

Then this past fall, I heard someone say something to the effect of, “it’s okay for pastors to have ‘best friends,’” the idea being that most pastors are so afraid of being accused of “showing favoritism” that they work hard to stay at the same shallow level with everyone.

whaddya think?

Dear Leslie,

I know you asked this question on your blog, but instead of leaving a long comment I thought I’d just write a response here.  (I’m not sure that you read this…so if you’re Leslie’s friend point here this way!)

If I understood you correctly, your second question had to do with discerning the will of God.  As I frequently, in my line of work, facing big life decisions, this comes up all the time!  I was driving home from a meeting late last night and for some reason your post came to mind and I was thinking about how I’d answer…

So, want them or not, here are some of my thoughts:

• I think when we reduce God’s will to a specific action, we misunderstand what it is God wants from us.  What I’m saying is this.  I’m not sure that God is so much concerned with whether you choose this car or that car.  I think what God is more interested in is your character, your values, you motivation.  What may be the right action for you might not be the right action for another person.  I’m pretty sure this is what Paul is talking about in a passage like 1 Corinthians 8 where he’s saying some people choose one thing for one reason and some people choose another for other reasons.  What’s most important is what’s going on inside you as you’re making the decision.
• Another thought.  It seems like there’s a lot of talk about “hearing God’s voice” these days.  I really do believe that sometimes God speaks so clearly that it’s almost an audible voice.  But most of the time I rely on the mind God created in me, the communities of faith that surround me (small group, mentors, etc.), and the character of God as revealed in Scripture.  I think that sometimes people want a “quick fix” God.
• I depend on peace.  This is a bit fuzzy, but there are times where I just haven’t felt okay inside about a decision.  I can’t explain it…I just know that there is something that I should/shouldn’t do.  I’m pretty sure that this is Holy Spirit inside me, serving as my “conscience.”

anyway…sorry for the long post…hope you enjoy the new car!

Personally, I like that churches have paid more attention to the “secular” business world in looking after the church. There’s a lot to be said for stuff about leadership, financial accountability, strategic planning and the like. Of course one can take it to far, but overall, I think that in the last 20 years or so, the net effect has been positive.

However, church is not a business. And therefore, at times, the church must choose to make poor business decisions due to a greater good or a greater call. So, here’s what I really want to say:

I quickly found out in Nov/Dec., that there is no end to all the people that want to tell you what you have to do to plant a church. Organizations & denominations have all kinds of “strategic plans” and “church plant models” that you can follow. There are “church planter boot camps” and “church planter retreats” and seminars and evaluations ad nauseum. [Of course I'm priveleged to have several friends who have walked this path before and I love to hear their experiences. It's just the "cookie-cutter," business model approach that irks me.]

I’m trying to listen. I’m trying to sort through everything and take the really good advice. But at the same time, there’s a serious sense among our leadership team, that if we had to describe how we’re leading Imago Dei it would sound more like this: “well…everyday we look up and there’s this cloud of fire in the sky and we follow it. when it stops, we stop. when it moves, we move.”

This is way more fun than simply following someone else’s “model”

• On the Freakonomics Blog, they had a contest to develop a six-word motto for the U.S.  Of course, right-wing bloggers ruined the original post but they’ve narrowed it to five.  I voted for #3…. “Caution! Experiment in Progress Since 1776″
• Was anyone else extremely disturbed by the cover on the last issue of Newsweek?  The title said, “Let There be Blood” and directly beneath that, to the right, along with other right-wing pundits was a picture of James Dobson holding his Bible up.  It bothers me a great deal that the Bible is perceived as a weapon…even if it’s only a metaphor in the political arena.
• I’m extremely embarrassed by my alma mater…but not surprised…I guess that I hoped that they were above this sort of behavior these days.  Scot McKnight had some good thoughts about this (link).
• This chart is helpful in understanding the “emergent”/”emerging”/orthodoxy/evangelical labels.  It’s not perfect…but I think it helps.
• This blog makes me laugh at myself…a lot!  At the same time, there’s an important message just under the surface about being comfortable in the skin color God made us.
• And finally…this is the funniest thing I think I’ve seen in a long time…  (ht: Tim)   … I wonder if I should work this into a series at Imago?

I was looking through the DISH Network Guide a couple weeks ago and I saw my name: Chaz Dean on the screen (I’m not suggesting everyone call me Chaz…but my sister-in-law does)

Anyway…the OTHER Chaz Dean is a hair stylist.  He looks like this:

YIKES.  (should I change my name?)

I don’t really believe that the ethos of a church can be summarized in a statement or written about. It really needs to be experienced. However, as we proceed with creating a new church, there are some underlying directives that guide how we think and process. So, for the next couple of weeks, I’m going to lay these out here. I’m sure that we’ll continue to “wordsmith” these, so here’s the first:

Everything – we believe that all of life – food, friends, work, money, pleasure, sleep – is spiritual. We do not fragment our lives – we live with a growing understanding that everything we do relates to God.

Obviously we’re using some of Rob Bell’s language here — “Everything is Spiritual” — but really the idea is much older than Rob Bell.

One of the features of modern life (I think it has it roots in the Industrial Revolution) is that we fragment our lives. We have our “personal life,” our “work life” our “spiritual life,” etc. But the truth of Scripture is that ALL of life is spiritual. God isn’t interested in having my attention for 1 hour on Sunday mornings. I am not a fragmented person. I don’t turn on or turn off my spirituality.

So here are some implications for Imago Dei:

• teachings and spiritual formation in our church has to go beyond “that was a good service” to practical and applicable on Mon – Fri as well.
• the “church” is not the sunday morning gathering. The church does gather on Sunday mornings, but the church is always a reality… church is always in session — over coffee, around tables, celebrating births, mourning at funerals, playing in swimming pools…everything relates to God.
• everyone is spiritual — if we define spirituality as the sense that there’s more to our existence than what we taste, hear, smell, touch — then everyone is spiritual, and the role of Christ followers is to help “spiritual” people connect with the real Spirit.

There’s this coffee shop that I’ve always loved.  Everytime that I’ve gone there I leave saying, “I love that place…it’s almost exactly how I would design a coffee shop/cafe.  So I hereby declare, Panache in Sheridan village as my “home coffee shop.”  It has everything that I’m looking for:

• free trade coffee (although it’s lent, so I drank a fantastic Spiced Chai Latte w/ skim milk)
• unique atmosphere (eclectic/artistic…NPR News is on the radio right now!)
• food items (I’ve not eaten a lot here…I’ll keep ya posted!)
• fish tank (if only my wife would let me have one at home!)
• board games
• books (nothing I’d read, but I admire the effort)
• piano (who knows when I might just want to get up and play for a while)
• beer/wine (for “later in the evening meetings)

When I worked up on the “north end,” Panache just wasn’t in my path…at all.  But I declare that it is worth the drive!

Yesterday I had an altercation with a grumpy old guy in the gym.

Okay, altercation may be a little strong, but he was just rude and grouchy to me about something that was really no big deal…anyway, it got me thinking…

Why is it that so many grandma’s seem to get sweeter with age, and grandpa’s bet grumpier?

At what age do you decide, “hey, I don’t care what people think of me, and in fact, I’d like everyone to know how much I hate my life!”

I hope, that as I age, I get sweeter, more graceful…not grumpier!

I was reading on another blog that Oliver Wendall Holmes once said of FDR that he had a “second-rate intellect but a first-rate temperment.”

So I sat and thought for a moment, and I’m conflicted. Would I rather have people say of me…

Charlie has a second-rate intellect but a first-rate temperment.

or

Charlie has a second-rate temperment, but a first-rate intellect.

or

Charlie has neither a 1st rate temperment or intellect…everything the man does is second-rate.

One of my favorite birthday traditions is that for the last 5 or 6 years, on or near my birthday, I’ve gone all-out and prepared a great meal — usually just for Jennifer, my parents and myself.  I know that to many of you this is a sign of psychosis…but I’d much rather cook FOR people than to be cooked for…although there are some notable exceptions…Hite being one.

Anyway…here’s what’s on the menu for tonight when Charlie Sr & Cheri come over (of course we’ll put the kids to bed first!)

• for starters, yesterday I made an Olive-Rosemary bread.  If you like olives, it’s delicious (Jennifer and I sampled last night!)  I’ll probably just slice it, and have it sitting on the counter with a bowl of olive oil, cracked black pepper and freshly-grated Parmesan.
• Salad — just greens with a balsamic-vinaigrette.  However, I’m planning to make Parmesan cheese sticks…we’ll see how that turns out.  (just throw some Parmesan in a skillet…cook it…then while it’s still hot, roll it up…sounds easy…but it’s all about technique.  Yesterday I was trying to make Parmesan salad bowls and it wasn’t working so great!)
• For dinner: a mushroom lasagna!  (3 different kinds of mushroom in a porcini-flavored bechamel…I’ve been planning on making this for about 3 months!)
• Dessert: Chocolate Pots de Creme.  I made this yesterday…they set a new bar for the word “rich.”  They taste like little cups of the richest dark chocolate you can imagine!