Why Beyond Sunday? Imagination!
An introductory series exploring why it's important to forge a path for the other 167 hours a week.
The Muppets are a vision of church for this new era.
But before I get too carried away, let me tell you why I’m even doing this.
Creating spaces for people to go Beyond Sunday together.
There are so many churches that provide wonderful services, programs and everything else that has come to define this era of Christianity. Including the church I work for.1 This isn’t a community in competition with the dominant expression of church. We’re not here to usurp the norm or even critique it… although we may do that from time to time. In love.
I want Beyond Sunday to serve as an AND or an OR for believers, not a competitor to the Sunday service-based church. So no matter where you find yourself on your spiritual journey, even if you’re totally off the path, Beyond Sunday is for you.
Let’s IMAGINE ways of following Jesus that embrace the uniqueness of His people and the fullness of His movement.
Imagination is critical in this particular moment in time
We are living through particularly volatile times. Protests, strikes, pandemics, war, recessions… while fairly common throughout history as individual events, they seem to have joined forces over the last few years to create a towering Voltron of misery. How many times have you heard the phrase “unprecedented” in the last 5 years? Easily more than my first 35. As Bob Dylan once sang (poorly), “the times are a-changing.”
Many of the institutions and structures we’ve relied upon have lost significant trust or collapsed completely. The lack of anchors and gatekeepers contribute to a significant rise in our collective anxiety.2 Mental health struggles are an epidemic. Depression, anxiety and trauma are multiplying at rates faster than we can heal. Many of us are carrying unexplored grief, which sits compounding in the dark regions of our souls until it presents at an inopportune time. We cannot keep going like this. Something has to change.
That’s why IMAGINATION isn’t just important right now… it’s absolutely necessary. If we don’t first believe it can be different, it never will be. We have to embrace new ways of thinking about and interacting with our world. The old ways of thinking got us where we are, which means it cannot get us out. I believe the innovation, beauty and creativity the world desperately needs already exists within us, waiting to be unlocked and cultivated.
The Muppets guide us to embrace our dreams and imaginations to create something beautiful (and messy)
I’ve always loved the Muppets. You probably do too. But as a grown up I’ve come to see that they’re so much more than kids characters. The Muppets represent the little voices within us that truly believe things could not just be “better” (whatever that means) but more beautiful, kind and fun. And folks aren’t just invited on the journey, they are an essential part. There is room for everyone, and we all have a part to play in whatever the big adventure is. If that isn’t the Church, what is?
Paul chooses to describe the Big “C” Church3 as the body of Christ. And in his letter to the church at Corinth, Paul tells us we all have a role to play. Every single body part matters. And we all have special gifts (we’ll get to that another time). Using that as a foundation, I’m compelled to imagine an expression of church that embraces the inclusivity and activation of all believers. A church for The Church. A Muppet Show.
With a focus on Sunday service, the current dominant expression of church has created a sideline where believers can observe and cheer, but not be part of the action (often known as ministry). This has been incredibly helpful and a way to love people who aren’t quite ready to go “all-in” on following Jesus. Skeptic new believers and people who have been hurt by the church have healed and grown on the sidelines, away from pressures of volunteering and serving. That is good. But that’s not how I imagine Beyond Sunday. Here, as in life, there are no sidelines. That means everyone is in the game.
Don’t get me wrong, this will always try to be a welcoming and loving space for all people. However, this is an opt-in space. You don’t have to be a part of this; Beyond Sunday is something you choose. And if you choose to be a part, I want to help you. That means challenging you beyond your comfort zone and introducing ideas you may not necessarily jive with right away. You cannot grow without discomfort. From a spiritual perspective, God uses tension to make you more holy. Nearly every interaction Jesus has in the New Testament creates tension.
One of the biggest problems I’ve observed on the spiritual sidelines is that many people don’t believe they have anything to offer “in the game”. Like they’re just supposed to be consumers. That is a lie from the pit of Hell. God calls you a masterpiece, “created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”4 You bring something unique to the table that nobody else can bring. God made you that way. Nobody embraces this “everyone plays” mentality better than the Muppets. No matter who you are, where you come from, or how weird you feel, you aren’t just welcome to join the community, you are a contributing member. You have a part to play.
Do you want to join us to forge a path Beyond Sunday?
With Kermit as the MC and activator, this community of oddballs, misfits and weirdos join together to imagine (and do) something beautiful. That’s the vision I see for Beyond Sunday. I hope you’ll join us.
Instead of a call to action, I’ll leave you with this poignant quote from The Muppet Movie that perfectly captures the vibe:
Fozzie: Hey, why don't you join us?
Gonzo: Where are you going?
Fozzie: We're following our dream!
Gonzo: Really? I have a dream, too!
Fozzie: Oh?
Gonzo: But you'll think it's stupid.
Fozzie: No we won't, tell us, tell us!
Gonzo: Well, I want to go to Bombay, India and become a movie star.
Fozzie: You don't go to Bombay to become a movie star! You go where we're going: Hollywood.
Gonzo: Sure, if you want to do it the *easy* way.
Fozzie: [to Kermit] We've picked up a weirdo...
I hope we pick up more weirdos! We won’t think your dream is stupid.
Love y’all!
An idea taken from a great book I’ve read recently: Mark Sayers, “A Non-Anxious Presence: How a Changing and Complex World will Create a Remnant of Renewed Christian Leaders”
My belief and understanding of Church (AKA Ecclesiology): The Big “C” Church is the universal collection of believers for all of time. We are the Church, the Ekklesia, the called-out ones. Jesus said the gates of Hell shall not prevail against us. The Little “c” churches are the local expressions of church that we see all over the world. In America, they are usually 501c3 organizations. Because they are local and contextual, I believes churches are temporary.
Ephesians 2:10
I mean...I can totally see Gonzo loving Bollywood, though. (Whether they'd love him is another question, I suppose.)
More seriously, I love this impetus. Thanks for the connection with our similar efforts at the Pilgrimage Online!
I’m really excited about this journey! This is exactly what I need.