Recent Entries
Mar 5, 2010 church planting, missional, reflecting
Some of you may have heard me share some parts of my family story before. I love to share the stories that make me a walking contradiction as a individual, that contradiction being half of my family (my Father’s side) is from a long line of inherited Scottish blood that runs through our veins, which is full of a violent pursuit for freedom and of individuals that run deep with pride. Though, on my Mother’s side, my family history is rich with over sixteen generations of Anabaptist heritage – a confession of the Christian faith that is humble, peaceful and full of simplicity. Yet, the contradictions don’t stop there, my first name, Jeffrey, means “God’s Gift of Peace” and my last name, “McLain”, stems from the Gaelic name “MacLaine of Lochbuie” which means “Son of Gillian the Battle Axe“. From a Scottish Clan, that hosts a slogan “Vincere Vel Mori” (Conquor or Die) I find myself progressive but influenced by the Anabaptist side of calm simplicity.
There are also many beautiful stories of history that have been passed down generation to generation on both sides of my family, and through my genealogical research I have come across many more interesting stories from both my Scottish side and my Anabaptist family. Perhaps one of the most compelling and one that speaks the most of God’s provision, is that of my relation to Jacob Engle and the instrument he was to be used in God’s orchestra to announce a new aspect of the Kingdom of Heaven to this earth. Jacob Engle, was the founding Pastor of a community of followers of Jesus called the “River Brethren” meeting in Marietta, Pennsylvania along the Susquehanna River; which would give way and become the Evangelical Anabaptist denomination we call the Brethren In Christ Church.
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Mar 4, 2010 missional, rebuilding
Myron Augsburger, is a household name to just about any Christian – especially those of Anabaptist roots (Mennonite, Amish, Brethren In Christ, etc). His seemly non-stop research into our Anabaptist theology and active role exploring our Anabaptist heritage has served to be revolutionary to most Mennonite and Brethren-In-Christ churches.
Myron Augsburger is definably known for his various theology and Anabaptist history and heritage books. He also has been defined as a historian as he oversaw the production of a movie a few years ago called “The Radicals” about Michael Settler and the early days of the Anabaptist movement. (You can view the trailer for “The Radicals” by clicking here). Eastern Mennonite University has declared an infamous ranking role for Myron as the Endowed Chair of Theology (go there…). He also served as the President of E.M.U for quite sometime.
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Mar 2, 2010 reflecting
The radio is known for killing our favorite songs, we all know that the minute you like a new single on the radio, it isn’t much later till we are all tired of it because they are playing it on the top of every half and hour. Before we know it, all our favorite songs are now songs we are tired of listening too.
Actually, sometimes with a new CD this same pattern takes place. I get a new CD and I drain the energy right out of it by recycling it over and over, every time I get a chance to listen to it and it isn’t long to that CD that once felt energerizing now feels tired, dry and tiresome.
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Mar 1, 2010 missional
I am far from a believer in Christian subculturing, though I do interact in it regularly in my jobs. I am talking about especially the marketing of Christian Music, Christian Festivals and Christian hang outs. I understand we want positive influence for ourselves, our kids and positive influences that speak life to our neighbors, neighborhoods and the culture we live in, but it is the “Sacred” “Seclusion” aspect that really gets me down.
There isn’t only “Christian Subculturing” but “denominational Subculturing” where we also have art, music and things that are just declared right and sacred because of their importance and theological basis of coinciding with a denominations belief and structure.
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Feb 22, 2010 misc
Most of you know that I belong to a Conservative Mennonite Church which currently does not really participate in the happenings and dealings with the general conference of Mennonite USA churches. However, since I was born and raised in Lancaster, Pennsylvania – the majority of my friends, justice work and heritage spins through the MennoniteUSA world and predominantly the Lancaster Mennonite Conference.
Being all that said, I have never attended a General Conference or MennoniteUSA convention for a few reasons, one of the obvious being that I was interning and attending a Vineyard Church, called the Lancaster Vineyard. Other reasons being the distance and my career, but the top reasoning being – none of the themes has really ever “grabbed me”. I have been to a few get togethers and open-discussions on “peace and justice issues” and “Anabaptist Church Planting” – but never overly impressed with the themes of the Mennonite USA conventions and conferences, till the plans for 2011 for announced.
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Feb 10, 2010 reviews
I am a Christian who believes that Jesus calls us to live a life of Non-Resistance, it has been interesting explaining that belief to those who don’t share my convictions, especially when they are close friends or family. Probably one of the most common responses I have heard, is that of the old saying – “It is easy to be for peace in times of peace”. It is also a question that every believer in Non-Resistance must face some point in my life, it is something we must find a answer for, what is our answer in times of oppression and resistance? I think that same question applies for everyone and I think most people at some point in their life have explored the questions of limits, as they ask themselves thing like; How far will I go to protect myself, my family, a friend, my belongings and my beliefs?
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Feb 10, 2010 reviews
Menno Simmons is “The Fugitive”, a former Catholic Priest to a Radical Reformer and Hunted Fugitive
It’s 1544. Menno Simmons, a leader in the new-and persecuted-free church movement, is on the run from the authorities in the Netherlands. With a price on his head, he stops to catch his breath on a darkened farm. He prays, “Lord, what do I do now?” – From the back of “The Fugitive”
Though I like to read, it isn’t often that I read a book that is fiction. I am not one to read novels or fictional stories. Besides some special classical reads, I can probably count on one hand how many times I have read a book classified as “Fiction”. However, in 2008, I read a book that grabbed my attention of the bookshelves at the Mennonite Historical Society in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. “The Fugitive” is a book about Menno Simmons, one of the most influential pastoral voices in the foundation of the peaceful sect of Anabaptists known as Mennonites.
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Jan 13, 2010 misc
I have a few concerts coming up, Press Releases for them have been sent out…
Chart-Topping ‘Article One’ to Perform at Free D.C. Human Rights Show http://all.org/article.php?id=12460
‘Kids in the Way’ at Human Rights Event in D.C. Jan 22 http://all.org/article.php?id=12459
Hope you can all make it out to the free concerts and take part in the discussions there.
Jan 4, 2010 reviews
Some of you know that I am working on applying for some seminary classes at “Mennonite Brethren Seminary” in Fresno California. Luckily, I am doing accredited classes online, and not having to relocate to Central California.
Since 2005, I have been actively pursuing steps towards Church Planting in the Huntington Beach area; I just launched my “18 month countdown” to plant (visit it online www.huntingtonbeachchurch.org). During that preperation, I felt taking some classes on Biblical Interpretation as well as Discipleship and Ethics wouldn’t hurt.
As I was applying I came to find out, that Logos – the Bible Software company, has some awesome chances for people to win money for Seminary.
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Dec 27, 2009 church planting, reflecting
A friend of mine, in his blog, proposed questions on the topic of tithe in his recent post that is looking at the apparent un-sever-able tie between the need of tithe and the costs of operating as a church.
I made a few comments on his blog, how the american church needs to learn to work with less. However, I have been chewing on this topic, all week. As someone who studies to someday Church Plant a “simple church” in “megaland” “Southern California”; I continued to ask my self questions on this topic this week and come to some of reasoning for me on how not only are American Churches needing to work with less, but they need to figure out how to do MORE (then we are now) with LESS (then we are getting and demanding, now).
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Dec 23, 2009 reflecting
The Holiday Season leading up to Christmas is full of mythical diverse characters and well seasoned stories that are designed to remind us of what this time of the year is about. I think that is my favorite part of Christmas and the surrounding Holiday Season is the vintage memoirs and stories that still serve to make this time of the year magical – even in our adult years when we feel the magic we felt as kids, is now beyond us. One of those well reminding seasoned stories full of a diverse of mythical characters is Charles Dickens; “A Christmas Carol”. It has become our family tradition to reflect on the story but to watch the classic George C. Scott movie based on the book. When Charles Dickens first published his enriched child fairytale book, “A Christmas Carol” in 1843, I wonder if that he knew what a timeless inspiration it would become or that it would inspire many other movies, stories and tales based on his beloved writing. One of the reflections that stuck out to me this year in this classic piece is the opening interaction between Scrooge (Uncle) and his nephew.
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Oct 28, 2009 reflecting
When I was scrolling through blogs I subscribe to, I came across a recent posting from Steve of the Young Anabaptist Radicals, in which Steve shortly and smartly addresses this issue of “What Does It Mean To Be Anabaptist?” Taking the movement to a deeper level then our Anabaptist Churches have (Mennonite, Amish, etc). It is written in a very descriptive format for those who are not Anabaptist and are merely just asking the questions; “Who are the modern Anabaptists?” and “What truly is an modern Anabaptist?”
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Oct 8, 2009 responding
A few years ago I was at a baseball game with my wife and my friend Matt. We were at a Lancaster Barnstormers Game in Lancaster Pennsylvania. I love baseball, always have – shy of Disc Golf and Ultimate Frisbee it is the only sport I like. Sitting just two sets behind the dug out for the New Jersey team was tempting, too tempting for someone like me who can lack filter at times. The Team had ego, and they were playing rough – and the umpires were feeding into their hands. The first innings were already full of sloppy strikes and safes’ at first base that should have been called outs. Then we were up to bat again, and the pitcher delivers a missile like fastball into the clean up batters face. The Batter is down on the ground. Then the next batter is up, he is hit too – our benches stand up and begin to come onto field, ‘Cylo’ the mascot stops dancing on the dugout; I am yelling at the Umpire “Throw him out, Throw him out”. However the umpire does nothing and the Jersey team continues to play dirty and more almost pegging pitches.
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Oct 7, 2009 responding
Friends allow me to introduce a friend to you, and allow me to introduce a opportunity to you. I am not one to ask for things or to mass email people in this matter, but as I chewed on this all day I felt the need to.
My good friend and mentor, Jerry Shannon, served as my Pastor in the Lancaster Vineyard Church for over six years. I have always felt a calling to subcultures, missionial movements, community rebuilding and a roundabout journey, to reuniting with my Anabaptist heritage – all which I was given the freedom to follow God in under Jerry’s leadership. I interned under Jerry and served under him on the Church Leadership team – and learned much from his openness to God’s leading through the spirit. I had found a home in my church, after a domino effect of brokenness through church abandonment.
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Sep 15, 2009 reflecting, reviews
As I watched a Historian Speak the other Day at a Music Festival I was attending, she addressed the four main “legs” of Christianity, and tried to systematically explain into which leg every mainline and common church denominations fit into. As she broke down where even some smaller church types fit into, she almost purposely skipped over the Anabaptist movement of the church. I watched on from the side stage of the festival; sitting under a large canvas tent as the rain fell harder and harder outside, waiting for her to make sense of our unique pietism and peaceful movement – however no explanation came on which leg we leaned. Was it spirit led? Was it justice based? Was it Sola Scripture? I began to drone out her discussion as I became memorized by the pouring rain and entered thoughts on our movement and the full spectrum approach it took at the time of our succession.
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Sep 11, 2009 reflecting
I am committed to living a non-resistant lifestyle. To some of you that is no surprise – and yet to others that might be a shock, bad theology or it might be just confusing on what that means. Perhaps the bigger surprise for some, is that I believe Jesus not only demonstrated this lifestyle – but has called us as the church and as Christians that make up the church to live it out as well.
For some of you, like I said, you are going to view this as bad theology – but regardless please continue to bear a little longer with me as I continue this brief note. I would like to present to you perhaps some of my story, but more a few simple points to “chew on” in your thoughts.
Recently, I had a discussion with a reformed Baptist woman during my travels to California who believed that the ‘tradition’ of non-resistance and pacifism began and ended with the Anabaptist and Historic Peace Churches. She said sometimes she doesn’t know where the Historic Peace Churches (Mennonites, Brethren, Brethren in Christ, Amish, Quakers, etc) get their ‘traditions’ and why they continue to pass down a tradition that has no biblical evidence or mandate.
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Feb 22, 2009 reflecting
Historical Spotlight is a special column, where we take some time and anaylze the forebearers of our anabaptist faith, that helped shape and form our foundations. We hope to explore the trials, tests, failures and examples from those who went before us and both be encouraged by them and grow from them. Perhaps one of the biggest issues in the church is the lack of understanding of who we are, and where we came from, this is in response to provide such an education.
This is probably a common picture and name to a lot of us, and then to others it may be completly a new face and a unknown image in dark etching. Dirk Willems was one of the earliest Anabaptist leaders. Dirk lived out his faith to such extremes that he volunteerly gave his life to Christ’s calling for his life to help a enemy, which ended in martyrdom in 1569.
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