West Coast Evangelicals - Playful, Passionate, Proactive

Hanging out with West Coast Evangelicals at Thrive 2009 -- through Bayside Community Church, it's a new conference attracting several thousand enthusiastic attenders.




Religious Innovation in Sacramento

California is birthing another wave of religious innovation through a very active megachurch you may never have heard of -- Bayside Community Church.

Image via Wikipedia

Talk to any Californian. No one would have predicted a dynamic religious movement coming from Sacramento. Maybe San Francisco? L.A.? Sure. But not the distant land considered by many to be a suburb of the Bay Area. Now, Sacramento has built up a vibrant metropolitan community that participates, even accentuates, an interesting mixture of the the rich aesthetic and economic ethos of both Southern and Northern California.

With a nicely architectured site in Granite Bay, the large "mother church" of Bayside hosts several thousand attenders at their weekend services. At a glance how Bayside shares several characteristics with Saddleback Community Church:

• a growing urban population,
• an active economy,
• a range of cheaper housing options,
• and much land still available to build facilities.

The casual-yet-practical style of ministry includes:

• a clear-talking preacher who's written best-selling book,
• a musically-versatile worship pastor with muscle shirts and cool hair,
• and an army of smart back-room administration-savvy paid and volunteer staff who accomplish the welcoming, assimilating, and energizing ministry for this local population.

But all that's happening at the Granite Bay site is just a beginning.


Growing "Thriving" Churches

Bayside also has had great success initiating other congregations in the area - eleven so far, and more on the way. These churches aren't competitors but spiritual colleagues who together produce a dynamic, cooperative network of ministry around Sacramento.

The combination of enthusiasm and the practical demand of talking and training leaders led to the creation of the Thrive conference, now heading into its 6th year.

This conference is "hot." The 2009 conference completely "sold out" six weeks in advance.  Over 2,600 attenders plus another 450 volunteers makes 3,000+ participants this weekend.  

Thrive is cool, fun, and interesting. It brings together prominent speakers and authors from around the country Franklin Graham (son of evangelist Billy Graham and head of the non-profit organization Samaritan's Purse) was a highlight this year.

A re-run of last year's conference produced by Bayside is available on youtube:

And views into this year's 2009 conference are just now being posted:

Also, they are already planning for 2010 and making room for over 5,000 registrants.  John Maxwell is a headliner, Hillsong worship is coming in from Australia, others are being confirmed.

The success of the conference (did I mention this year it sold-out six weeks early?) is spurring another new development, a new network for church innovation.

I'll write more about this new network -- what it highlights about American religion -- real soon.

New De-Con Motto: Love the Believer, Question the Belief

I just read another compelling de-conversion story from my favorite "former-fundie," Christine Vyrnon. You can also go back and read my other recent posts on de-conversion.Image by Getty Images via Daylife


In the wake of Rick Warren's inaugural prayer comes another story (and a few rants) from former Christian and de-conversionist Christine Vyrnon. Oooh boy, she seems kind of mad.

Still, her post is an interesting, emotionally-saturated response to the mix of religion and politics.

Most interesting to me?

First, her description of her pre-de-conversion "JC Posee,"

I had miraculously survived an Evangelical Lutheran liberal arts college with barely a scratch to my Faith and therefore they considered me quite world-wise (ha! joke's on them).

We compared notes and occasionally made fun of the intolerance of our evangelical, fundamentalist belief system. We encouraged each other not only in our Faith, but our spiritual and secular musical and thespian endeavors. We “broke bread” together with irony and laughter. We discussed how to not get hung up on the letter of the biblical law while honoring God’s Word, the Bible, as ultimate Truth.

Post-grunge, mid hip-hop, pre-hipster… my JC Posse.

(Here's Christine's re-worked Jesus image on right.)

Second, her absorption (or re-absorption) of the tenets of forgiveness and love,

...while I try to sort through my emotions of yet another evangelical pastor blessing a head of state, while I steel myself for potentially 8 more years of yet another brand of evangelical christianity, while I test my ability to stomach 8 more years of watching politicians and religious leaders giving head and hand jobs to each other above and below the table to the point of a twisted orgy, I HOPE to practice overcoming my (self)righteous anger.
Image via Wikipedia
Love and forgiveness is the evangelical christian's cornerstone. I am determined to return it to them “seventy times seven” (Matthew 18:22).

Third, her determination to "out-evangelical the evangelicals" brings her to her new "de-con" motto. She writes,

"Love the Sinner - Hate the Sin" is soooo Bush era politics.

My new motto:

LOVE the Believer. QUESTION the Belief.

Once again, Christine surprises me with her remarkable compassion for people while utterly rejecting the conservative beliefs they hold.

A few other reactions to Rick Warren's inaugural prayer:

• The Inaugural Invocation by Rick Warren
• Was Rick Warren's Invocation Less Inclusive Than He Let On?
• Rick Warren gets mixed reviews

Warren-ology - Comparing Rick Warren & Billy Graham

Here's a quick post after reading Mark Silk on the Spiritual Politics blog.

Seems like the discussion among the religious historians comparing Billy Graham and Rick Warren is continuing to heat up. Duke University Professor Grant Wacker just gave a presidential speech concluding the meetings of the American Society of Church History.

Wacker, who wrote the fabulous book Heaven Below: Early Pentecostals and American Culture, is currently writing a highly anticipated biography of Graham (having obtained rare access to his archives), so his ideas are further fueling the fire. Image via Wikipedia

Overall? I think the jury's still out. Graham has had decades of public/political ministry, and Rick Warren's has just started.

Still, there's a lot of colorful commentary out there. Silk offers a quick summary of Graham's ministry, saying,

Graham got to where he got because, over his six decades in American public life, he became more adept at slipping punches than Muhammad Ali in his prime. Many were thrown, from left, right, and center, but Billy danced away from most to become the best known Protestant evangelist and the most iconic American religious leader of all time.

How did he do it? In part by force of personality, in part by having perfect pitch for what appealed to his vast middle-class, moderately conservative white Protestant followers, in part by sticking to his message of getting people to decide for Christ, in part by a shrewd determination never to let himself get boxed into an ideological corner.

He quips that Billy Graham's socially progressive views are still decades ahead of today's evangelicals, saying,

One might say that the so-called new evangelical agenda is simply the latter-day Graham agenda.

You can read all of the post, and connections to an earlier discussion is here.

My previous Warren-ology posts are here.

Rick Warren-ology - Yet Another Update

(Photo Credit Mark Avery/ Reuters)

I was intrigued with yet another article about Obama's choice of Rick Warren to do the inaugural prayer. And, once again, the writer shows that Warren's rise to the national stage is new and his politics not to be equated with those on the far right.

Further, the writer pushes Obama not only as more moderate than his more strident Democratic supporters but also as committed to bringing evangelicals into mainstream America. An interesting point, and one to watch as to whether it will actually pan out.

From the article:

Obama is well aware of Warren's politics and the symbolism of his presence on the inaugural stand, and he is clearly signaling his determination to include evangelicals in his government of national unity.

Obama does not want an administration dedicated to vindicating long-excluded groups, but rather one that shows how those who have been excluded can, once invited inside, become just as mainstream in their skills, credentials, and opinions as any member of the East Coast establishment: He believes the same to be true of evangelicals.

The full article can be found here.

My own original post on Rick Warren and Saddleback Community Church is here, and my last follow up on Obama/Warren/Prayer is here.

Other articles

• Interesting Opinion Piece on the Choice of Warren as a Shift in Belief Systems
  
• Warren's church removes anti-gay statements from website.
• Maddow: Obama Choosing Warren For Invocation Is The 'First Big Mistake,' A 'Lose-Lose Proposition'

Evangelicals "Fear" Obama's Administration?

Here's an interesting article that plays on the dichotomy of Religious Right with Antagonistic Left. Although this particular article at the end moves away from a narrow characterization, this story has been re-played in other national newspapers to bring out the "hype" of "fearful evangelicals."

From the article:

Obama has endorsed faith-based initiatives and conversation about the role of religion in public life. Despite the objection of gay rights activists, he plans to have Rev. Rick Warren, a popular evangelical minister, deliver the invocation at his inauguration.

But conservative evangelicals, who had a great deal of access to the Bush administration and influenced its policies on abortion and other issues, worry that Obama's commitment to listen to the concerns of evangelicals comes with caveats on issues such as same-sex marriage and hiring gays and lesbians.

More moderate evangelicals say conservatives' concerns are premature and unwarranted. David Gushee, professor of Christian ethics at Mercer University and president of Evangelicals for Human Rights, said Obama's record and appointments have less to do with the concerns than his affiliation with the d-word.

No, not the devil—Democrats.

You can read the full article here.

What do you think?

Other articles

• Murray Fromson: Controversy, Controversy
• Obama Senior Advisor David Axlerod Defends Warren
• Obama Plays Right, The Left Faints

Video Dialogue on Religion and Politics in 2009 from Amy Sullivan and Steven Waldman

Recorded on January 1st, here's a video dialogue from Amy Sullivan and Steven Waldman on religion and politics in 2009 I found on Blogging Heads.tv:

Religion and Politics in 2009

1. Why Steve likes Rick Warren at the inauguration (07:03)
   
2. Is Obama converting Warren into a moderate? (05:17)
   
3. Evangelicals defy pundits by sticking with GOP (10:33)
   
4. Sorry, lefties—Obama really does like faith-based initiatives (08:45)
   
5. Memo to Obama: Ignore pro-life voters at your peril (10:18)
   
6. Why Christians no longer go to church on Christmas (03:03)
   

If you prefer, you can also download an mp3, and also mp4 or other formats available on the site.

Religion Predictions for 2009

Image via WikipediaHappy New Year! The new year is a time of predictions, so I thought I'd add a few of my own predictions for religion in America for 2009. Here I focus on American church life.

10 Predictions for Religion in America 2009 (mostly focused on congregations and their leaders):

1. Rick Warren's inaugural prayer will continue to draw disproportionate commentary and criticism well into February.

2. Barack Obama and family will join a church in Washington, DC -- but the actual choice is not likely to draw much attention.Image by Getty Images via Daylifet likely to draw much attention.
3. The Evangelical Left will continue to define itself by promoting leaders, putting out books, creating networks, and defining theological stances on issues like environmentalism, homosexuality, globalization, church and sate relations, and international relations.

4. While public affiliation with the Religious Right among Christians will shrink, the overall commitment among this group will deepen and polarize.Image via Wikipedia
5. Church leaders get ready: With continued economic woes, Easter Sunday Services will draw even larger attendance than recent years. Churches will also see growth in membership, catechism classes, and baptisms for both children and adults.

6. "Need ministries" of all sorts will be stretched in new directions with lay offs, foreclosures, and bankruptcy continuing through the next year. Biggest adjustment? Financial crisis counseling for upper-class and upper-middle class members.

7. Since church donations are likely to decline, church services will be affected.

• Local churches will physically move services to lower-rent spaces if they currently rent pricey facilities;
• Churches with significant mortgages or maintenance needs will open their buildings to other (and more) churches as renters; and,
• We may see churches closing from lack of ability to pay on their buildings.

8. Drops in funding will provoke more overseas missionaries to come home. They will seek more funding or leave the field and pursue further education, pastoral ministry, or another profession.

9. New church starts with funding will decline, but church starts without funding will rise. This will spur unanticipated innovations in how "church" works. And more pastors are likely to draw on income from other work beyond their church salaries.

10. Finally, developments in Israel, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia (and especially any religiously motivated terror attacks in the coming year) will continue to provoke discussions on religious tolerance and religious diversity.

What are your predictions? 

Other prediction articles

The Get Religion blog from the Oxford Centre for Religion and Public Life also posted a few nicely considered predictions --

Posted by E.E. Evans here,

Posted by Terry Mattingly here,


and Posted by Douglas LeBlanc here.

Why most 2009 prediction columns are boring and obvious

Rick Warren-ology - A quick follow up

I posted an article yesterday about Rick Warren, his politics, and the development of Saddleback Community Church on this blog (scroll down a few lines) pointing to an expanded post the Religion in American History blog.

Then today I found an article that just came through the Associated Press (through Google News) that paralleled my own comments about Warren's relationship to other conservative evangelicals.

My original post is here, and the AP article is here. (Hat's off to Scott Thumma at Hartford Seminary who is quoted in the article, a sociologist who really knows this stuff.)  

Rick Warren-ology -- Some Background on Rick Warren and Saddleback Community Church

Just in time for Barak Obama's inauguration, I wrote a brief article on Rick Warren and Saddleback Community Church as a contributing editor to the Religion in American History blog, 

"With Pastor Rick Warren's inaugural prayer and the debate surrounding President Obama's invitation for him to give it, I am reminded of how little people really know about Rick Warren and his Southern California church. Warren's abrupt appearance on the political stage have various commentators sweeping this successful church leader into rants reflecting old culture-politics against the Religious Right mingled with a smattering of stereotypes about 'megachurches.'

"To give a bit of background, here's my quick attempt to fill in a few gaps."

The article gives background on the "migrants" to South Orange County and includes some background on the ministry philosophy of Saddleback Community Church as a seeker church in the Los Angeles region.  Saddleback is more than just a West Coast Willow Creek.  

More background on the development of religion in Southern California can be found in my book on Mosaic in Los Angeles and my book on Oasis in Hollywood.  

You can read the full article here.