15 years ago when the internet was new Dr. Tony Campolo was kind enough to let me interview him for an article as I launched Faith Inkubators. He gave to me a quote that I have used often in my speaking. I asked: “As a sociologist, what would you say is the healthiest thing a teenager in America can say?”
His answer: “We always do it this way at my house.”
Nine words. Nine pregnant words. Nine words filled with challenge and possibility and hope.
Next week I am hosting the first of many UMC thinktanks (FINKtanks) in the mountains of Colorado. It will be my first major foray outside of the Lutheran world which I have served for the last 30 years of ministry.
After that, I will be taking Tony's quote to 50 cities and, godwilling and the flood don’t rise, will be calling for the end to Sunday School as we know it and the rebirth of Christian education “Every night in every home.”
A He Qi poster will be given to thousands of pastors this spring, along with a simple call to make these simple steps the NORM the Christian family “every night in every home”.
If what I'll be calling for - caring conversations, scripture, faith talk, prayer and blessing - are the only things a child gets from their parents every night – we can turn Sunday School into Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, everyday school. SS will shift from a spiritual warehouse for drop offs into a wonderful place to equip parents and kids to BE the church during the week. It will also morph into a nice supplement to family Christian education - rather than its replacement. And, in non-churched and under-churched areas of post-Chritsendom, it can be aimed a wonderful seeker event each week aimed smack-dab at non-Christian homes and street outreach.
I am inviting Len Sweet, Bill Easum, Joani Schultz, Tony Campolo, Marco Oestreicher and a handful of other people I respect deeply to simply offer prayers for us as we begin with the UMC. I would covet your prayers this week, too.
I am starting with the Methodists grassroots leaders. I got the names by asking their district superintendents to give me the brightest and best they knew in their districts. This first event for a dozen next week will be followed up by me in 50 cities this spring/summer. A second tier of leaders will be gathering at two events in the fall. In 2010 we’ll start adding other mainliners... Before they become flatliners.
At the same time, we’ll be connecting these folks with China through my dear friend Dr. He Qi (www.heqigallery.com) and into Australia and Indonesia through our patner down under, Peter Eckerman.
I know you are very busy, but if you’ve got 5 minutes to offer a prayer for the mainline, beginning with the Methodists, I’d be obliged
Any contact with Western PA Ann Conf? Praying for your circle of influence that God has given you
Posted by: Gary Pen | March 30, 2009 at 09:31 AM