I think I'm a native.
Yesterday Presbytery Speaker Glenn McDonald shared in his address about church transformation that those under the age of 39 are "natives" to the culture and those over 39 (that would include me) are immigrants. We are the foreigners who don't speak the language, share the same worldview, etc.
Would I sound defensive if I said that it's not about age; it's about mentality?
Leonard Sweet wrote "the natives" are from the same "psychographic" instead of the same demographic. They want to be in touch with the culture while also being "in tune with the Spirit." Personally speaking, I love the culture and can only pray that I'm not totally out of tune with the Spirit.
Having said this, I worry about potentially embarrassing myself (not to mention my kids) by "not acting my age."
There's nothing sadder than seeing a 50 year old woman in an Aeropostale mini-skirt talking on a pink Razr at the mall. And yet is it okay for a 50 year old woman to have a Facebook account (for work purposes, of course)?
When I read, for example, in one of our Traditional Denominational Periodicals, about
"ecclesiastical divorce" and middle judicatory money problems, the life is sucked out of me. God help us.
Dying churches are concerned with the ABCs, according to Glenn McDonald, and I've found this to be true. Congregations focussed on Attendance, Building, and Cash problems cannot possibly thrive in today's culture.
It makes the natives restless.
Phyllis Tickle (age: early 70s) is a native. Brian McLaren (age: 50) is a native. I think I might be one too. But I promise not to wear J. Crew espadrilles on my feet and ipod buds in my ears at the mall.
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14 comments:
You're probably right, since I think I am a 35 year old immigrant who is going through the citizenship process.
No Face Book.
Pop culture illiterate.
What's a Razr?
Jan, i told you yesterday, you are most definitely a native! The problem we face is that we are the immigrants (or tourists) when we participate in the PC(USA). It is not a native friendly place, it is an outpost of the old order.
I've heard a version the ABC thing as well but in a comparison of attractional vs. missional churches.
Instead of the ABC's it was the 3Bs - buildings, butts, and budget (as opposed to conversations, collaborations, and connections)
Oooh, I like Julie's comment...if I am really honest with myself, I think I always struggle with the immigrant part of myself (grew up in the church, nice girl, etc.) with the part that is, and wants to be, native (experience with alternative forms of spirituality, etc.). For me, I think I am a little in both worlds. Would anyone say this is possible?
I consider myself to be a native ... and my immigrant friends consider me to be very native ... but my daughter ... well, she says I'm not nearly as connected as I think I am. Hmmmm.
All these boxes we're supposed to agreeably place ourselves into simply do not exist in physical space time. Really now. When the herd was much smaller it was easier to organize ourselves into community groups with mutually agreed labeling. And most of us went to church back then. And had common sense.
Now there's just too many of us. It's far too chaotic. And there's not the agreement on descriptive labeling that there used to be.
I for one, (over 50 btw), refuse to give up my mini skirts because my legs are part of the last skinny parts on me. And I'm complimented every time I wear one. Especially at church.
Okay, I tuned out good old Glenn when he told the story about being missional: A pastor knocked on a single mom's door to find her smoking, the child screaming, with no diapers. She slammed the door on him. So the pastor bought some cigarettes and diapers, and spent the afternoon hanging out with the mom, smoking and changing diapers.
Um. This is not cool. I don't even know where to begin, so I'll just state the most obvious: Moms generally don't like strangers comin' around the house and getting anywhere near their child's genetalia. If a person knew anything about our current culture, then he would know this.
So, if I could speak to Mr Glenn, I would say, "Please, please, please, on the behalf of moms, and on the behalf of Christianity, stop telling pastors to sidle up to worn-out, vulnerable, moms. Do not visit them in their homes alone. Do not buy them gifts. Do not touch their children. All of this is creeepyyy."
I missed both of the speakers yesterday, and it seems like I missed a lot!
I did hear the part about natives and immigrants (I like tourists too). I think that you, Jan, are a native.
Sometimes I think you're more a native than I am.... I don't have a facebook, and decided I was too practical for the Razr!
Great comments. Responses:
Carol -- I've heard that cigarettes/diaper story before and think it's apocryphal. His point, I guess, was to meet people where they are. The whole single mom/changing diapers/smoking a cigarette for Jesus scenario was a little over the top though.
Presby Gal -- Wear those mini-skirts! My thought is that we need to be who we are -- not someone we used to be/think we are.
Neil -- my kids would beg to differ. But I find I have little tolerance -- and time -- for the ABCs.
RM -- A Razr is a cool (and easily breakable) phone.
Don't worry Jan...*I* think you can pull of the "iPod buds in the ears" look. I just wouldn't be singing your new favorite song (see yesterday's post) at the top of your lungs while walking down the street and wearing them
=)
I get the "meeting people where they are" instead of being offended that they aren't as "churchy" as you. So while I admit to a background which is kind of "churchy" I actually enjoy people who are interested in Jesus but who aren't "churchy" at all.
I think that Pres. Gal is right about boxes. And I hate to tell you this, but there is currently a reaction against technology brewing against technology by some natives -- people giving up their cell phones and their ipods and their face books... I'll try to find the reference.
Love the dialog ... why is it that Jesus' message is really pretty easy to understand ... but so dang hard to live??
Sometimes I think/know I am a native, esp. when with others of my chronological/experiential "age" who are not. Sometimes I think the best I can be is a pilgrim wherever I go - engaging, preparing, discerning. The metaphors of travel and journey - biblical as they are - tease me into new places geographically, psychographically, demographically, theologically, emotionally, educationally.
OK.
That bit from Glenn is the most depressing news I've heard as of late. A 44-year-old, I am the father of three small children and thought that that, in part, connected me to some of the emerging parts of culture.
Oh, well...
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