Modern Contrasts . . . Tribes (pt4)

Recently entertaining some thoughts on tribe. . . foundational post here.

Islam is right in that it embraces tribal identity and all it's requirements. But in that embrace of an ultimate good there is a rejection of an equal good; namely, progress.

Western society has embraced progress (some would say idolized) at the same level, and rejected tribe (more appropriatley, in this context, communal accountability).

Why couldn't these two things grow together? In the simplest frame, it is a matter of lazyness. Progress is easy when not "weighted" with ethical constraint (think abortion), the reverse is just as true. Tribalism is easier to manage in the familial and simplistic narrative of the dark ages but when applied to an increasingly wider scope its influence is constantly challenged in a way that undermines shaky (or, in most cases, false) authority.


To do both well requires a tremendous amount of energy and focus. So much that both societies have chosen the easy route.

A proper Christian worldview requires the application and development of both. Progress and tribe are complimenting characteristics of God's redemptive narrative. The church is still figuring this out. Be patient with us as we wander. . .

Just Enough is Not Enough. . .

Are we ready for this. . . it's been sitting on the back-burner for  little too long:


it's not enough that we have passion, passion fades;
it's not enough that we give; we haven't even struggled unto death yet.
it's not enough that we love and live; we must be a people that are more than called, more than intercessors, more than conquerers;

He is seeking us out, pursuing our inner lives. If we are going to find Him at work in this day we must understand this principle:

"We are the vessels of the Living GOD, and His desire is to pour His Love, His Passion, His power into our lives; not so we can say "Gee He sure is a good God" but more so that the overwhelming, yolk-destroying, bondage breaking, truth revealing, Spirit of the Living God can have what He wants: which is the salvation of the lost, the return of the prodigals, the restoration of all broken things."

The passion that is mustered up in us at retreats or annual conferences or even Sunday morning, while it may be genuine, is still mostly us. When will we see that we must decrease so that He can increase. He doesn't want you to "get involved" in the movement; He wants to be the movement, the revolution, and for the most part He wants us to open our lives up and let Him pour more in. We run out of steam (often on the last lap) but His power not only sustains, like the old evangelists used to say, "He quickens us". (leonard ravenhill, get on it people) The passion that comes from God can't be found in expository teaching (you know that's what i'm into) it can't be paid for at "Passion International's Give Away the Spirit Rally Coming Fall 2011" (I know, right?). He must be sought day and night, on our knees and if you're already on knees then on our faces, humbling ourselves, emptying it all out, letting go of the guilt and agendas of men, embracing what Job said in the end "i was talking about things i knew nothing about, things far too full of wonder for me." The LORD desires to surround us with wonder that is too much for us to accomplish. Bigger than us is what He wants to reveal to the nations. He is bigger than our strategies/programs, our ideas, our fears, and our ambitions. There is so much more, He is so much more. . .