It is fairly clear to everyone that the Christian Church (as it has existed for decades) in this country MUST do something different. The flight from the traditional church to the land of SBNR (Spiritual but not religious) is leaving church pews and congregational funds depleted – and the local church's future doubtful. I’ve been watching from the side lines, listening and waiting to see what kind of creature the evolution of the Church will become. I found an interesting creature today…I thought I’d share her with you…
“When Christians really critique me for using salty language, I literally don’t give a shit.”
As reported by The Atlantic, “This is what it’s like to talk to Nadia Bolz-Weber, the tattooed Lutheran pastor, former addict, and head of a Denver church that’s 250 members strong. She’s frank and charming, and yes, she tends to cuss—colorful words pepper her new book, Accidental Saints. But she also doesn’t put a lot of stock in her own schtick.”
Bolz-Weber brings a refreshing and candid – albeit somewhat shocking – perspective to church leadership. There is certainly vivid life in her message and perhaps a hint of a reframed theological perspective that will feed the metamorphosis of the church. For example, in contrast to the expected stand of many religious folk that we all stand in judgement by a higher, pure version of ourselves, Nadia proclaims, ““Sometimes I can be an asshole, but it’s almost as though I can hear Jesus saying”—here, Bolz-Weber cleared her throat a little and moved her voice one half-step lower, perhaps trying to imitate bro-Jesus—“‘uh, that’s okay, it’s not that I, like, love you and claim you despite that. I love you and claim you because of that.’”
Wrap your mind around that one…
I’ll leave you to the full article in Atlantic to discover and ‘dissect’ this new 2.0 version of pastor, and suggest you follow my lead and pre-order her new book, Accidental Saints.