Reclaiming The F Word

Public Service Announcement?

Most of the speaking I do is for closed or semi-closed groups - at conferences, assemblies, convocations, etc. Doing an "open to the public" event is a little scary but also kind of exciting. I'm going to be speaking on "Reclaiming the E Word: Waking Up To Our Evangelical Identity" on Thursday, June 5, at 7:00 p.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church in Des Plaines, IL. This is a pre-assembly event for the Metro Chicago Synod and all are welcome. There's no charge. If you're in Chicago, I hope you'll come say hi. If you're not, spread the word to all your Chicago friends. Tell them to say they came because of The F Word. It'll make me smile. (And also make me a little less nervous.) Thanks.

Map It.

One Last Excerpt from Reclaiming The E Word

This is the last excerpt from my newest book, titled Reclaiming the E Word: Waking Up To Our Evangelical Identity, which is due out in the spring. This book reports on the results of a "deep dive" I did, along with a team of researchers from the ELCA's Dept. of Research & Evaluation, into several of the fastest growing, large congregations in my denomination. All of them lean right, theologically and otherwise, and in the current Bible wars would probably be more inclined to ask "What does the Bible say?," as folks in the literalist/traditionalist camp would do, than the question I'm more inclined to ask, which is: "What is God saying to us today through the Biblical narrative?"

There are, in fact, of bunch of things about me that would make the leaders of these big churches uncomfortable. And vice versa.

But I came away from this research project WAY more interested in what we have to learn from these folks than I am in "fixing" anything I may think they may have wrong. Each one of them has been built on the idea that to be a Christian is to be evangelical. That is, they really believe - and have organized around the idea - that we have good news to share with the world. Frankly, I was inspired by my visits to these congregations. And I very much appreciated their willingness to have us peeking over their shoulders. I believe that, if we dare to listen, they can help wake us up to some very important things.

This is an excerpt from the final chapter, which is called "Waking Up To Transformational Power":

Another E Word Excerpt

My newest book is based, in part, on a research project I co-led which did a deep dive into a couple of large, growing ELCA congregations to see what we could learn. One thing popped out at us about the people we interviewed in these places: They all believed that, when God gets a hold of you, something HAPPENS to you. Chapter 6 of Reclaiming The E Word: Waking Up To Our Evangelical Identity, which due out in the spring, is called "Waking Up to Transformational Power." Here's a little excerpt:

Troublemaking as a Spiritual Discipline: An Excerpt from Reclaiming The E Word

After an all-night push last week, I was finally able to finish up the manuscript for my newest book, "Reclaiming The E Word: Waking Up to Our Evangelical Identity." It's due out in the spring. This is an excerpt from chapter 5, which is called, "Waking Up to Our Common Call." The main point is that, for the church, there can be nothing in our life together that is more important than our call to share the good news with others.

Nothing.

Reclaiming The E Word <=> Reclaiming A Priesthood of All Believers

I'm hoping that, as late as the manuscript is, my publisher will still be able to get this book out in the spring, as scheduled! Each chapter of "Reclaiming the E Word: Waking Up To Our Evangelical Identity" is built around one of five things I discovered during a "deep dive" into several large, fast growing congregations in the ELCA. (I did this project together with the folks at the ELCA's Department for Research and Evaluation.) This is an excerpt from chapter 4 (based on the #3 thing we discovered), titled "Waking Up To A Purposeful Life."

This Week's Excerpt from Reclaiming the E Word

Here's another excerpt from chapter 3 of Reclaiming the E Word: Waking Up To Our Evangelical Identity, titled "Waking Up To A Vital Word." This book, which is due to be published in the spring of 2008, emerged out of a research project I did with the team at the ELCA's dept. of research and evaluation. We did a "deep dive" into a couple of the fastest-growing large congregations in our denomination and we discovered they had 5 key things in common. One of these 5 is a commitment to wrestling with the Biblical story. Even though the people in these congregations (which all lean to the Right a little or a LOT) and I are not necessarily on the same page when it comes to "how" to read the Bible - as a confessional Lutheran, I don't believe we can take it literally - the fact that in these congregations people are taking the Bible seriously is making all the difference. I believe the rest of us have something to learn from them:

Waking Up To The Real Deal: Another Excerpt from Reclaiming the E Word

My editor has been patiently waiting for the final manuscript of "Reclaiming the E Word: Waking Up To Our Evangelical Identity." Here's a third excerpt. This one is from chapter 2, titled "Waking Up To The Real Deal," which argues that an evangelical life - and an evangelical congregation - has a story to tell that springs from an encounter with a living God. The book is scheduled for publication in spring 2008:

"As I’ve become a bit more sophisticated, at least from a theological point of view (I still get a little nervous if there is more than one fork at my place for dinner), I have come to understand that the 'experience' of God’s presence isn’t reliable enough to build your faith on. In fact, assigning too much value to personal experience when it comes to God can be downright dangerous.

Back in the Day: Another Excerpt from "The E Word"

The next book in my reclaiming series is due out in the spring. I'm working on the final draft. Here's another excerpt from chapter 1, titled "A Wake Up Call":

"According to modern church historians, mainstream (also sometimes called “mainline” or “ecumenical”) Christians, including most Lutherans, climbed into bed and pulled the covers over our heads sometime after about 1980.

And who could blame us?

A Sneak Peek At "The E Word"

I'm in the final stages of getting my next book ready for the publisher. It's being called, "Reclaiming the E Word: Waking Up To Our Evangelical Identity." It's due out in the spring. I'll post some excerpts here as I go. I'd be happy for any feedback, comments, etc. that you have to offer. Book writing, unlike blogging, can feel like a very static - and one way - activity. Actually, it's killing me! Sharing my work here, I think, will help keep me motivated to keep going.

These couple of very short excerpts are from the first chapter: "A Wake Up Call." Although I am writing from a clearly Lutheran perspective, my intended audience consists of all centrist and progressive Christians, particularly those who are members of mainstream congregations and mainline denominations. And the first main point I make is...