scotthodge.org: Caffeinated Disciples

Caffeinated Disciples

Still sucking the caffeine out of The Gospel According to Starbucks by Leonard Sweet. Here are a few beans for ya. Chew on 'em, grind 'em up...

Jesus didn't call the disciples to regular discipleship. Regular disciples would have stayed in Jerusalem, founded a school, studied the words and works of their master... But Jesus wasn't regular. He commanded his disciples to scatter, to go to the ends of the earth...

Jesus' command ensured that the disciples would go out to the people, not sit and wait for an interested few to come to them.

The calling that shaped the lives and work of the disciples reflects direct experience more than distanced intellect, action more the erudition, boldness and chutzpah more than careful planning and deliberation.

The first-century disciples are a much closer fit to today's well-curve world than are the church's modern-era ways of thinking and doing.

How willing are we do dip into the well:

at the edge of the knowledge where scientists and ethicists ponder the implications of gene manipulation, stem cell research, and the many other life-sustaining/life-ending decisions?

at the edge of violence where armies and terrorist factions battle over who will be most feared?

at the edge of technology where computers begin to think and react like humans, where the line between biological and mechanical life seems to blur?

at the edge of wilderness where the threat of extinction hovers over species, and the extermination of habitat endangers the ecosphere, making even our weather patterns more extreme?

at the edge of mission where Jesus' name has never been heard, where his name is used only as a curse, in the most distant corners of the earth, in the hallowed-out hearts of our cities?

at the edge of hope where people are dangling at the ends of their ropes, their heads in nooses of hopelessness and despair?

Posted at 09:25 AM in Books, Emerging Church, Following Jesus, The World | Permalink

Comments

Hi Scott. Long time lurker (sorry bout that). I've been thinking about reading this book. What stops me, beyond getting the highlights here, is that sitting at Starbucks allows me to observe and come up with my own skewed perspective in this highly caffinated Starbucks world.

Lately, I've been thinking about trust. We trust Starbucks. We trust it to be informal. We trust it to be accepting. We trust that the friendly greeters and Barristas will remember that we like our vente no fat double cupped whipped caramel machs 175 degrees AND that our dog is sick. Strangely, for me, the Starbucks community is all about trust. I even trust that everyone there shares my interests because, well, they're there too.

I bet if we'd been hanging out with Jesus, walking around Galilee, he'd know how we liked our coffee. He'd serve us regardless of our dress, attitude or disposition. We'd trust him with that.

Posted by: Chris | June 05, 2007 at 10:30 AM