Tamara's Blog

The Gap Between Belief and Everyday Life

In my Transforming Contemporary Culture class, one of the books we are reading is The Shaping of Things to Come: Innovation and Mission for the 21st-Century Church by Michael Frost & Alan Hirsch. I am really enjoying this book so far (which makes up for the ones I'm not).

One interesting discussion that the authors bring up is in reference to Robert Banks' discussion in Redeeming the Routines about the gap that exists for many of us between "church life" and "real life." Hmmm, sounds like a thread of she said that they said that he said...'cuz it is...

Take a look at these 10 points that Banks makes. How many of them ring true in your life?

1. Few of us apply or know how to apply our belief to our work, or lack of work.
2. We only make minimal connections between our faith and our spare time activities.
3. We have little sense of a Christian approach to regular activities like domestic chores.
4. Our everyday attitudes are partly shaped by the dominant values of our society.
5. Many of our spiritual difficulties stem from the daily pressure we experience (lack of time, exhaustion, family pressures, etc.).
6. Our everyday concerns receive little attention in the church.
7. Only occasionally do professional theologians address routine activities.
8. When addressed, everyday issues tend to be approached too theoretically.
9. Only a minority of Christians read religious books or attend theological courses.
10. Most churchgoers reject the idea of a gap between their beliefs and their ways of life.

[Taken from Frost & Hirsch, The Shaping of Things to Come: Innovation and Mission for the 21st-Century Church, 19-20.]

My Summer 2008 Course

Last Monday, I started my 8th course (of 18) at Fuller Theological Seminary called Transforming Contemporary Culture. Here is an excerpt of the course description from Fuller's site:

Modern culture has marginalized all organized religion. Mainline church membership has declined and new forms of church are being developed to address the needs of the post-modern generation. Although the primary focus in this course is on the Church in North America and Western Europe, modernity is a universal phenomenon and these changes are being felt globally.

This course proposes a new paradigm that is actually applicable worldwide: missionary engagement as the basic stance of the church toward modern/postmodern culture. This requires that key questions be examined: Why has the church largely failed to challenge modern culture? How can we step outside our culture in order to see ourselves through "missional eyes"? How is a missionary approach different from the conventional evangelistic approaches of the Church? What types of global issues must the Church address if it is to be effective in reaching out to contemporary culture?

This culture class is a bit different than the last course I took on pop culture. Remember the Eli Stone survey? I'm in a new group again. There are 5 of us - with 3 being pastors and 2 living in Europe. I have my work cut out for me.

My Major Assignments

In this class, I will be pairing up with Mayra, one of the first friends I met at Fuller, to develop a "culture watch" report. We need to pick a cultural theme, and then collect relevant articles in the media and analyze them.

I'll also be comparing and contrasting two Hollywood films - so don't be surprised if I ask you to take another online survey to get your perspective. I have a great list of films to choose from.

Finally, the major paper is a case study that will have something to do with Semper Vita, the non-profit organization I'm helping set up. More on Semper Vita later this week.

Back to the homework...

Survey Results: Television and Eli Stone Survey

Back in March, I asked many of you to participate in an online survey for a class project (Henriet and Tamara's Final Project Survey). Henriët was hoping for at least 20 responses, but I had more faith than that and so I set the bar higher at 50.

Now if you know anything about survey response rates, you'd understand that Henriët's expectation was much more realistic. Well, forget the stats - because you blew them right out of the water with 117 responses! You guys are awesome! Thank you!

Who Took the Survey?

For those who took the survey, you may recall (I know, I know, it's been awhile) that we asked up front about your personal beliefs, and at the end, we asked if you were a boy or a girl, young or old - you know, the typical demographic questions.

Here's a quick, unscientific snapshot of who took the survey:

• Age: 46% were 31-45; 42% were 46 or older; 12% were 30 or younger.
• Gender: 55% female; 45% male.
• Location: 60% western US; 30% the rest of US; 10% outside US.
• Worldview*: 70% had a biblically-based worldview; 30% did not.
• Attend religious service in last 6 months?: 85% yes; 15% no.

* This was a somewhat subjective call on our part based on how you responded to the personal belief questions. Several people elaborated more in the comments, which was very beneficial.

The TV Shows We Love...and the Ones We Don't

We then asked you about the types of shows you liked to watch. Some clear patterns emerged here:

• Game shows: 67% of you are not interested at all. So who's watching Deal or No Deal?
• Spiritual/religious shows: 93% of the non-Christians Just Said No. Overall, 54% of you said no.
• Science fiction: Again, not a favorite with 62% voting "not interested."

So what types of shows do you guys like? Cable news, crime drama and network news. Go figure.

Guess what the #1 TV show was on our list? Home Improvement at 67%! Touched by an Angel was next on the list at 46%. I still miss that show. And the least favorite? Overall, it was The Simpsons at 31%; however, 50% of the non-Christians really like the show.

About Eli Stone

Some of you made it to the Eli Stone questions. If you didn't get to answer these questions, it's because you hadn't watched the show - primarily because it was new and you hadn't heard of it. However, the hilarious fill-in-the-blank response of why folks hadn't watched the show is because it was past their bedtime! Going back to that age demographic mentioned earlier...

The questions in this section of the survey were a bit more complicated. We were just trying to see if Eli Stone could stand up as a "theological aesthetic" in our culture. In other words, could the show be used to form aesthetic judgments about popular culture? Huh? Yup, I hear you.

Overall, the responses from those with a biblical worldview showed mixed, inconclusive results. However, the responses from Christians who didn't necessarily espouse a biblical worldview indicated that Eli Stone was a perfect model. The non-Christian responses were split down the middle.

The Paper and the Grade

The first paragraph in the conclusion of the paper sums up well what our project was all about:

This paper serves as a case study to demonstrate the value and necessity of developing an appreciation, approach and ability to interpret various forms of popular culture. It focuses on a television show that demonstrates postmodern thinking and a spiritual motif. These elements are particularly useful in interpreting popular culture.

With these survey results in hand, along with Gordon Lynch's methodology in Understanding Theology and Pop Culture, and a "discussion" with the notable theologian, Lesslie Newbigin, we cranked out a 41-page paper! 

And yes, we did get an "A." Thank you again for your help!

Blowing the Dust Off This Blog (cough, cough)

Hello again! It's been awhile - actually a long while - since you last heard from me. The last time we chatted, I asked you all to participate in a survey for a school paper - and WOW! - the response was tremendous. THANK YOU! I'll post the results from the survey later this week so you can see for yourself. Interesting stuff.

Much has transpired in the last few months, so in the spirit of pithy headlines and snappy descriptions, here's the Top 10 headlines in my life:

1. I went Mac.

   And will never go back. Yup, I bought a 24" iMac for personal use and I love it! I still have my Dell laptop, which I'm using right now to write this post. Seems that Microsoft Windows Live Writer (the best blogging tool out there!) doesn't work on a Mac...whaddup?!

2. Noetix no more.

   In April, I said an emotional goodbye to my employer of 7 years (actually 17 years if you add in its parent company). It was weird leaving the "family nest," but my friends and colleagues sent me off with a suitcase full of hugs and well wishes.

3. New job, same roots.

   I've returned to my roots working for a consulting company, but I'm not a consultant. Check out the press release on Forbes.com to see what I'm doing now. It's really kewl.

4. School's in session.

   I took last quarter off to ramp up on my new job, work on Semper Vita (see #5), and give my eyes a break (that's a story for another day). My break is now officially over. I start class again. Today. The doors open at 8:00 AM. I love summer school...I love summer school...I love summer school...

5. Semper Vita is in its 9th month.

   If you've talked to me in the last two years, you've probably heard me mutter something about "Semper Vita." Well, next week, the interim website for Semper Vita is rolling out, so now you'll be able to learn what all the fuss has been about. Stay tuned for more.

6. My Seattle Mariners, my oh my!

   The team really sucks this year. We're in last place in MLB. They just "let go" of all the top dogs who've allowed us to fall into this deep hole. There's still ~90 games left - plenty of time for a worthy comeback. Go Mariners go!

7. Another blog on ConversantLife.com.

   I have been invited to be a contributing blogger on ConversantLife.com - a site devoted to connecting faith to news and culture. I'll be approaching the conversation from a technology perspective. Stay tuned for that announcement too.

8. Jeannie releases her first book.

   My good friend, Jeannie Keneley, released her first book this month. It's called Beyond My Yesterdays: A Woman's Journey from Darkness to Light. Go check it out on Amazon.com. Congratulations Jeannie!

9. I'm changing my picture. Finally.

   I got a slough of pictures taken recently, so I can finally switch out my "peephole" picture in the banner of my blog. You will soon see that I really do have hair - actually, it's pretty long now. I'll switch it out this week.

10. Coming up.

    This week, watch for: survey results for the Eli Stone paper (mentioned earlier), a video on how to say Thank You to our troops (it's great!), a recent report on the current vision of the American Dream (times have changed), and a link to a visual diagram that explains why Barack Obama is able to decline participation in the public financing system. If you like pictures like I do, you won't want to miss this one.

Got a Minute to Take a Survey?

If you have 5 minutes to spare (well, maybe 7) and you are in the mood to help out two desperate (okay, maybe desperate isn't the right word) seminary students working on a different kind of final project for their Theology and Pop Culture class, then we have a survey waiting for you:

Henriët and Tamara's Final Project Survey

Catchy survey title, huh?! It describes what it's for, but it certainly leaves you hanging if you want to know what it's about. In a nutshell, my friend Henriët and I are in the same Theology and Pop Culture class at Fuller. We are doing a joint final project that will help us with Semper Vita, the new non-profit ministry organization we recently formed.

Our final project mixes a little bit of television...with a little bit of post-Christianity (huh, what's that?)...with a little bit of "Eli Stone"...with a little bit of theological discussion with Lesslie Newbigin (who's now dead). It's quite an interesting mix - and we're still curious ourselves about how it's all going to come together - so that's why we're asking for your help by participating in this survey. Your input will help contribute to some of our observations and conclusions.

What's the Survey Going to Ask?

The survey has three primary sections, with a handful of questions in each:

• Personal beliefs - about God and spirituality in general
• Television - your likes & dislikes
• "Eli Stone" - a new show on ABC

If you've never seen "Eli Stone," it's on Thursday nights at 10 PM PT. If you have time and are interested in seeing the show, please take time to watch it before responding to the survey. Otherwise, just take the survey. We're interested in (and need) your feedback either way. 

We also respect your privacy. All survey responses are anonymous, which means we'll have no clue who responded and how each person responded. We're just interested in the summary results - and lots of responses!

The Clock is Ticking

The survey will be open until midnight on Friday, March 14th. Our final project is due on Friday, March 21st. We will publish the summarized results on our blogs soon thereafter. So what are you waiting for? Please click away to...

Henriët and Tamara's Final Project Survey

 

THANK YOU!!

I'm Sorry, You're Not the Biggest Loser

Those words are the "kiss of death" and your ticket home on NBC's The Biggest Loser - similar to Survivor's, "The tribal council has spoken." Whereas most of us traverse through life trying not to be a loser of any kind - on this show, the bigger the loser you are, the better.

In my Theology and Pop Culture  class, we're supposed to review a movie or TV show in a public forum. Read on to see why I've chosen to write about The Biggest Loser.

Why I Like the Show

I've watched this show somewhat religiously since it first aired. The only other reality TV show that has ever captured my attention is Donald Trump's The Apprentice (even though this season's Celebrity Apprentice has not enticed me yet).

What sets The Biggest Loser apart from other reality TV shows is that whether you like the contestant(s) or not, you want them all to win lose in a very big way. When someone is told the words, "I'm sorry, you're not the biggest loser," you hope and pray that they will continue on with the new lifestyle habits they have learned as they head back into the reality of their own lives - the lives and lifestyles that helped land them a spot on the show in the first place.

How It Works

Contestants leave their families and loved ones for a few months for a chance to win the grand prize of $250,000. The real prize, however, is learning how to safely lose weight - without surgery - by eating right and exercising. The candidates are divided into teams - fully equipped with a team trainer and top-notch exercise equipment - and each week, they must weigh-in in front of the entire viewing audience. Ouch!

Some contestants have lost upwards of 15+ pounds in a given week, but the average tends to hover in the 3-8 pound range. At the end of one season, Erik Chopin, the winning contestant, lost 214 pounds! He looked and felt great - but so did the rest of the candidates that season who didn't win the money. Instead, they won...

A Transformation Into a Better Version of Themselves

What is so amazing to watch is how these candidates' attitudes change about themselves and their life as the weight begins to drop. What's even more amazing is watching how their families and friends respond to them after they return home. Not only has the contestant's  personal life been transformed, you also sense the rippling effect this transformation is going to have in the lives of those around them.

Lots of tears are shed as people begin to consider this new life ahead of them - the new possibilities, the new dreams, the new outlook, the new experiences, the new freedom, the new versions of themselves.

Who Have You Inspired Lately?

The Biggest Loser is not a spiritual or religious show by any stretch, but I can't help but think about one of things that Jesus taught: "Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it" (Matt 10:39). As these Biggest Losers lose part of themselves - for example, their physical weight, plus all the unhealthy thinking that accompanied it - in return, they gain their lives back - for themselves and for all those around them. They are truly an inspiration to all of us.

A Question for Christians: What kind of life transformation have you and those around you experienced as a result of you losing your life to Jesus? Would you say you are an inspiration? What does this newer version of yourself look like as compared to the old you? Is it time to start "eating" right again and "exercising" what God has so graciously given you?

Like I said, The Biggest Loser is not a spiritual show, but if you know me, I can't help but think beyond "I'm sorry, you're not the biggest loser." On the show and in my daily walk with God, those are not the words I want to hear. I want to be the Biggest Loser of them all! How about you?

My Winter 2008 Courses

My break from school is almost over. I had hoped to get caught up on a few more things these past few weeks, but instead my body opted to override my planned list of to-do's with some high-quality sick time.

For those of you who have known me for awhile, you're quite familiar with that huge STOP sign my body throws out there every once in awhile to catch my attention. This time, I didn't fight back. I rested instead. For many days. Almost guilt-free.

The Fun Begins Again on January 7th

On Monday, my next two Fuller courses begin:

• Lifelong Development with J. Robert Clinton (required) 
• Theology and Pop Culture with Craig Detweiler (elective)

I am really looking forward to both courses. My friend, Henriet, who is just three courses away from finishing up the same Masters program, already took Lifelong Development, and says this course is right up my alley. GoTtA lUv ThAt. Henriet will also be taking the Pop Culture course with me as one of her electives. GoTtA lUv ThAt 2.

It will be great fun to catch up with my Fuller cohort again in the Lifelong Development course. We haven't interacted a lot since our August "shindig." I hope I still recognize everyone. :)

Cheers to my last Homework Free weekend!!

Fuller Update: 5 Down. 13 To Go.

I am now on a 4-week break from school. On December 7th, I officially completed three more courses in my MAGL program at Fuller Theological Seminary:

• Character, Community & Leadership
• Biblical Foundations of Mission
• Collaborative Approaches to Ministry

The Biblical Foundations course was the most challenging for a variety of reasons, but I'm very excited about walking away with a new pair of lenses in which to view the Bible and the world around me. My final paper was entitled: On Missional Living: "Do I Have to Say the 'J' Word?"

Classes begin again on January 7th. I am signed up for two courses: Lifelong Development (a program requirement) and Theology and Pop Culture (an elective). In the meantime, it's...

Time to Catch Up

Over the next three weeks, I will be posting quite regularly so that I can share some of the kewl - and mostly fun - happenings and things I've stumbled upon in my world during the last few months. Lots of kewl videos and light reading coming your way, so just sit back and enjoy the show...

Days 12 and 13: Saying Goodbye and Thank You

Wow! It was just 12 days ago that I was meeting my Fuller cohort in person for the first time. I can't speak for anyone else, but I know that after spending two weeks with this group, I am a changed person. A better person. A very blessed person. Thank you to my fellow cohort-mates. It was an amazing ride!

Some of Our Accomplishments (besides becoming smarter seminary students)

• Cohort Name. We are the 13th MAGL cohort; therefore, we decided to call ourselves Apollos 13. Pretty kewl, huh?
• Demolition Power. Some folks helped bring down the walls as a service project in Pasadena. I hear we have some real animals in our group.
• Baseball. As reported earlier, six people experienced their first major league baseball game. The home team won and everyone had a great time.
• Facebook. In an effort to stay connected and give each other grief 24x7, we set up a private group. We even invited our profs and academic advisor. This is a first-time experience for most of us on Facebook, including me.

Thank You to Fuller Faculty

On behalf of the cohort, I want to thank some key individuals from Fuller for fostering such a great learning environment for all of us:

• Dr. Mark Hopkins. The one word that sticks out when I think of Mark is gracious. He oversaw our entire visit and was our instructor during the first week. Mark was instrumental in helping our cohort transform from a group of like-minded individuals to a community of grace and love.
• Dr. Shawn Redford. Shawn is a remarkable and well-educated instructor. He gave us all a new pair of glasses through which we could read and understand the Bible. I suspect that many of us will be forever changed because of the stimulating ideas Shawn presented and the discussions he provoked.
• Deb Flagg. Deb is our cohort's academic advisor. She is wicked smart and is just as gracious as Mark. Her main objective is to make sure each one of us finish our program well. Our cohort is well served with Deb on the journey with us every step of the way.
• Chris Nelson. Chris takes care of all of the administrative issues for the MAGL program. He made sure that our two-week visit went over without a hitch.

Thank you Mark, Shawn, Deb and Chris for a memorable and rewarding two weeks!

Day 10: Eric Bryant

Oops! I forgot to post Day 10 of my Caleefohneea adventure. The kewl factor of that day (Tuesday) was having Eric Bryant from Mosaic LA join some of us for lunch.

Many of the folks in my cohort had heard about Mosaic LA. This was an opportunity for them to learn up-close-&-personal about the church and about Eric's new book, Peppermint-Filled Pinatas: Breaking Through Tolerance and Embracing Love. [I also wrote about Mosaic in May.] Everyone really enjoyed Eric's visit. Thank you Eric!

Eric does a lot of fun videos. One of my favorites (so far) is this 1-minute promo video for his book. Check it out!