Letters From Paphos: Burning Man and the Church

Why Do I Call This Letters From Paphos?

Because that's where Paul went on his first mission trip.

Acts 13:1-6
1In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. 2While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." 3So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off. 4The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus. 5When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. John was with them as their helper. 6They traveled through the whole island until they came to Paphos.

Monday, May 22, 2006

Burning Man and the Church

I'm reading this amazing book about "the church" in this century and what does it open with?

Burning Man.

Money quote: "And yet, once you've been to the Nevada dese

rt and tasted something as overwhelming as Burning Man, what does the contemporary traditional church have to offer you?"

They follow with, "We, the authors, take the view that the transformative power of the gospel of Jesus Christ is greater than anything offered at Black Rock. But we are realistic enough to admit that unless the church recovers its role as a subversive, missionary movement, no one who has been to Burning Man will be the least bit interested in it."