REFLECTIONS --
Honestly, I did not know what to expect from this group for ten weeks. I enjoyed the time of dwelling in Michigan with the cohort, but it lasted only a few days; besides, we are all Bible nerds, people who are spending time and money to get a masters degree in this stuff. As I pulled people together for this experiment in Luke 10, I thought carefully about including all church-involvement levels and ages. As it turns out, due to our intern and a visiting friend, we also had different fluency levels contributing weekly. I realized this assortment created an unpredictable interaction with each other and the Bible. However by the end of our time together the diversity designed a beautiful mosaic of colors, stories, cultures, and perspectives, and shone new lights on the passage.
The group seemed somewhat anxious about the experiment in the beginning. Many wondered how long it would take to before the weekly meetings using the same passage would become tedious. The first week, we could hardly stay on topic – I wondered if they thought they had been invited to a “Vent in the Word” instead of “Dwell in the Word” group. A lot of energy was spent herding the group back on track by asking, “How do you see this connected to Luke 10?” During our final time together, several members commented on how disperse and sporadic the group was at first; Brandon, our semester intern shared, “I could not understand what was going on because of the language barrier and I wondered how on earth it would work for ten weeks!” By the end, Brandon was a crucial contributor and people listened to him patiently as he shared his insight. Our first week Zacca could not remember the name of his relatively friendly looking partner or what he had shared! Several people strayed far from the perspectives presented in pairs. During our final debrief, the group talked about how they learned to truly listen to each other and to the Bible, experiencing formation through the words read and shared, as opposed to only seeking information.
By the third week there was a transition from obligation to eager expectation of our meeting time, which served to bring out deep connections in our relationships, especially regarding personal histories. Many members of our community had very difficult family circumstances. Alê was raised in a home where she witnessed alcoholism and physical abuse between her parents, Vini was raised by a physically abusive foster mother, and Vanessa spent eighteen years of her life in an orphanage where she encountered abuse from other children and the leaders. These people found a safe place where their story became a valuable element to the group dynamics. The group as a whole learned the value of listening to people’s stories and backgrounds. This brought increased personal understanding among the group, and as a natural consequence, willingness to extend grace and compassion to one another.
In most aspects, three weeks into the experience marked a new depth for the group. We became spiritually, emotionally and physically more comfortable and attached, which I noted directly affected the group’s ability to reflect on the twelve Lukan verses. As the weeks rolled by, stunning topics came forth from the passage! Even though we began slow and shallow, sure enough the children, youth, and adults began extracting lessons and parallels surprising even to themselves – as Zacca shared, “Each time we read [the passage], it takes a new shape.” These individuals began to see themselves in the story of Luke 10, and the more they connected their narratives to Luke 10, the more they recognized the passage in other aspects of their life and wanted to share it with their larger context. My husband took this exercise to the drug rehab clinic where he serves weekly; Vini, who teaches I.T. at an after school program, began to use Luke 10 for devotional time with his students; Zacca, who manages an auto parts store, discussed Luke 10 with his clients and employees. Especially the theme of peace invaded our vocabulary daily. Vanessa prayed for peace over the door of her school every morning as she was opening for students. Brandon spoke peace to most people he encountered in his day, even shouting from the car window at Ituanos passing on the sidewalk! Luke 10 became a part of the vocabulary, and lenses through which we interpret our surroundings.
I also prompted the idea of communal discernment as we inhabited Luke 10 and different questions, doubts, and life choices came to the surface. We spent time in silence as a group, listening to the Spirit, and prayed for each other’s needs at the end. Initially the period of silence proved to be difficult for some in our group, and the prayer requests at the end were generic and impersonal. However, after a couple of weeks, people became comfortable with opening specific needs in the gathering, and truly seeking to contribute to each other’s lives. It also became more natural for the participants to direct their comments to each other, instead of always speaking to me, which enriched the communal discernment. During our final meeting Deborah shared, “This is not only a Luke 10 group, but also a Luke 5 group – we carry each other to the feet of Jesus,” clearly describing how the Spirit merged our lives together.
I distinctly remember the weeks where epiphanies burst forth in someone’s mind and the group sat at the edge of their seats as the person developed their insight. One week the discussion revolved around the image that all of us are wolves in someone’s life – we are not innocent. Another week one of our friends found in the text an interpretation of a dream that had bothered her for a couple of days. The sixth week of our time together, most of the Inhabitants cried as insecurities and struggles with low self-esteem were vulnerably disclosed. These were precious moments where we recognized the sacred space created by the Spirit through Luke 10.
As we connected and grew from this time together, I realized they wanted to bring other people along. A group that started with twelve often had seventeen people in the living room circle. Even though I debated in my mind talking to the group and clarifying that we had to limit the number, it became obvious that visitors were brought as a natural response to the excitement over such a healthy, deep, and intimate community. Several visitors became loyal, weekly participants and expressed thankfulness for the opportunity to look at this Scripture with new eyes. One of our later additions commented to me, “I have been looking for such a group as this for a long time.” Many individuals in churches search for meaningful and vulnerable community experiences, and the Inhabitants of the Word family responded to this common need. Even when it was difficult for some of us to go to church in the morning, Sunday evenings were sacred and protected.
When I asked them to consider what God may be doing with this group, Vini answered “God made us into missionaries. “We were gathered to be sent.” (which sounds a lot like Kiefert.) They understood that God sends them to all the places where He intends to go, to take peace, to cure the sick, and to proclaim the nearness of Kingdom. The focus group shared, “God has taken us from religious people to inhabitants of the Word.” As we discussed how we impact the community daily from our affinity with each other and the passage, Barbara raised the question of how this experience should impact the church – “we must invite the church into another way of understanding the Bible and listening to each other.” The group began to brainstorm about sharing this journey with the congregation. They decided to personally invite one friend that lacks a strong bond with the church and begin a Dwell in the Word group next February.
The personal transformations seen in this group are inspiring! Zacca made a personal commitment to no longer complain about circumstance, “How can I take peace if I complain?” Alê extends hospitality with ease and recognizes that receiving people in her home is a blessing not a reason for anxiety. Deborah’s family recognizes her inner peace even while she fights through deep grief. Vinicius, who has never had a stable home, travels to Itu faithfully every weekend to be with his new extended family. Alemão and Osmar have decided to rent a home together so they can be living “two by two” and provide each other with the needed support.
“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). This verse captures the essence of our experience of inhabiting Luke 10. As we continue on our journeys of taking peace, cure, and the presence of the Kingdom to people in our community and church, may we recognize the rays of His glory throughout our days.
quarta-feira, 23 de fevereiro de 2011
SOAKING IN THE WORD
It’s a beautiful group! There are 12 of us, between the age of 9 and 41, 6 girls and 6 guys. Our stories are as varied as our colors, and our involvement with the local church ranges from “family members” (participating in 80% of the activities), to “outside strangers” (loosely connected).
We will gather every Sunday evening from Sept 12th until October 31st at Alessandra and Zacca’s house, over bread and butter, fresh coffee, orange or passion fruit juice, and homemade carrot cake. It’s a small house, and 12 of us will huddle around a table for 4 to share a physical meal, and a spiritual banquet.
Each week, every time we are together, we will read Luke 10:1-12. It’s an image-saturated passage, with strong commands to go, to proclaim, to offer peace. We want to explore and reconsider as a community what it means to respond to Jesus in and with our culture. We want to carry the messages of this Scripture back into our daily dynamic lives, and not leave them as static words on thin pages.
This is dwelling in the word: inhabiting, soaking in the relevance and movement of words spoken centuries ago, but that still carry us into new understanding and action within and for the sake of our world. At the end of our time dwelling as a group (by then a family, I am sure), I hope we can help each person better understand their own story as a fusion with the greater epic being written by God.
We will gather every Sunday evening from Sept 12th until October 31st at Alessandra and Zacca’s house, over bread and butter, fresh coffee, orange or passion fruit juice, and homemade carrot cake. It’s a small house, and 12 of us will huddle around a table for 4 to share a physical meal, and a spiritual banquet.
Each week, every time we are together, we will read Luke 10:1-12. It’s an image-saturated passage, with strong commands to go, to proclaim, to offer peace. We want to explore and reconsider as a community what it means to respond to Jesus in and with our culture. We want to carry the messages of this Scripture back into our daily dynamic lives, and not leave them as static words on thin pages.
This is dwelling in the word: inhabiting, soaking in the relevance and movement of words spoken centuries ago, but that still carry us into new understanding and action within and for the sake of our world. At the end of our time dwelling as a group (by then a family, I am sure), I hope we can help each person better understand their own story as a fusion with the greater epic being written by God.
Sociology and Doctrine at Home: An analysis of Itu, Brazil.
The Itu Church of Christ for the last eight years has hosted a bilingual
summer camp combining Texan churches and local teenagers. This year as the camp
leadership team selected exciting music for a flashmob at the mall, one song burst
forth in unison from the Brazilian staff: “O que é, o que é!” They knew true Brazilians
in the audience would instantly connect to this iconic song, resonating with the
feelings carried through a marred history, corrupt present, and yet hopeful future
for a joyful people.
To live, and to not be ashamed of being happy
To sing, sing, sing, at the beauty of being an eternal learner
My God, I know that life could be much better, and it will be
But that does not keep me from declaring
It is beautiful, beautiful, beautiful.
The positivity and energy reflects the Brazilian reputation world-wide along with the stereotype as a coffee-drinking, samba-dancing, soccer-playing, loud-speaking, partying people.
Occupying more landmass than the continental United States, Brazil ranks fifth in the world for its size. In the fourteenth century, the extensive Brazilian coast facing the Atlantic gaped open as a doormat for Europe by which Portugal invaded, settled, and extracted resources from Brazil’s rich land. Portugal had found the perfect combination of natural resources and native manual labor, soon initiating a tradition of abuse and exploitation of the people and the land. The Brazilian people speak of their history with a negative tone and point to Portugal as the beginning of a long road of political corruption in their national leadership. Colloquially, Portugal provides the favorite object of mocking jokes, similar to blondes in American humor. Unfortunately, the Portuguese lacked vision for development and investment in the colony. The chronic abuse of power, that still prevails today, lead the majority of Brazilian people to become disengaged from the political system, and disillusioned with government as a whole.
Only in the past fifteen years has Brazil presented any political stability. Since 1808 the leadership turned from imperialism to a complete dictatorship between 1930-1945, changed to a military regime between 1964-1978, and finally peaked with an impeached president in 1992 who had followed the path a few mediocre presidents. Despite the political volatility, Brazil continued to progress industrially because of its abundant resources valuable for exportation: coffee, soybeans, oranges, sugar cane, steel, and other products. However, because the generated money was managed poorly, in the 1980s during the presidency of José Sarney, Brazilians faced inflation of over 80% per month. Families walked around supermarkets with four or five carts and purchased products for sixty days in advance. The currency weakened to the extent that the government six times in less than ten years dropped the zeros off the end of the bills and changed the name of their currency. In 1998 Fernando Henrique Cardoso assumed presidency of the country. He had been exiled to France and Chile during the military regime as a sociologist with expertise in the philosophies of Karl Marx. Cardoso brought economic strength to Brazil through the Plano Real, the Real Plan, which changed the national currency to the Real and introduced competition to the market by importing cheaper products. Finally Brazil had elected a leader interested in investing time and energy into the country and in nurturing it back to health.
With a visionary government in place, Brazil grew beyond the expectations of the public, and today has emerged as one of the four promising economies of the world - the “B” in B.R.I.C. The exported goods today encompass steel, aircrafts, and petroleum, all of which bring a significant boost to the national economy. Even though many citizens have strong opinions against the current president and the government, Lula has represented Brazil well internationally, building bridges for relations with other countries worldwide.
As Brazil establishes its credibility internationally, the responsibility of the state of Sao Paulo swells as it pulses the national economy. Sao Paulo hosts the largest concentration of national and international industries due to the cheap migrant labor coming from Northern Brazil, the efficient infrastructure for transportation, and the ideal climate for agriculture among other factors. The state provides over 33% of the country’s GNP and holds the fourth lowest illiteracy rate in Brazil. The city of Sao Paulo, as the fifth largest metropolis in the world and the largest city in South America, has over nineteen million citizens.
Abundant economic power provokes extreme poverty; the rich depend on the proletariat to build their fortune. Poverty invades the busy avenues as cardboard slums and filthy children overrun the streets. Brazil’s socioeconomic disparity is shocking and widespread. The situation further escalates as a result of prejudiced high and middle classes, low public awareness, and little effort invested in social justice initiatives by the people of the community. With a lack of compassion and a lack of understanding, a deep disconnection continues to distance wealth and poverty.
Seventy miles west from the capital lies Itu. The population of 160,000 pales in comparison to the booming megapolis of Sao Paolo. It stands as one of the oldest cities in the country, having celebrated its 400th anniversary in 2010. Originally, the enormous square mileage of Itu was divided into profitable coffee farms with purse strings held by a handful of wealthy Italians. Today extremely wealthy businessmen from Sao Paulo city using Itu as a peaceful bedroom community steer the town’s politics, which are also impacted by the extremely traditional founding families from Italy who have dominated Itu since 1610. Hand in hand with the Ituano traditionalism and wealth walks the Roman Catholic Church. Its citizens affectionately reference the town as “The Small Rome” and claim to have more catholic churches per capita than any other city in the world.
Not only in Itu, but also nationally, the Roman Catholic Church powerfully influences Brazil. The Jesuit mission arrived on the Portuguese boats in the 15th century and planted its deep roots by proselytizing as they educated the natives and established chapels at the center of every village and town built by the Lusitanian occupiers. The Roman Catholic Church became extremely powerful and wealthy as it dominated land and played a lead role in the politics and culture of the country, therefore, naturally associating itself to society’s elite. In reaction to the military regime, during the 1970s, leaders within the Brazilian Catholic Church began following the cries of Liberation Theology, activating social justice movements to liberate the oppressed by society. However, as the country broke free from the shackles of the strict regime, the Liberation Theology fervor lost its force, giving place to the Charismatic Reformation. This Reformation came as a response to the high percentage of Brazilian “non-practicing” Catholics, a side effect deriving from a religion that maintains a stiff posture and keeps itself inaccessible to the simple and warm population of Brazil. The successful Charismatic wave won many people back to active faith within the Catholic Church. It presented connectable and lively priests as mascots of the movement who borrowed elements from the thriving neo-Pentecostal movement such as deep emotion and manifestation of the gifts of the Spirit. However, Itu remained rooted in traditional, highly liturgical Catholicism.
If then, traditional Catholicism is associated to the powerful and elite sliver of the population, then neo-Pentecostal movement is the religion of the proletariat. These churches bank on people’s sense of disenfranchisement from the government and their lack of voice in the country’s economic direction to preach a need for distance from the corrupt powers of this world and for subordination to the ultimate will of God to receive health and wealth. The movement began in the early 1900s in the poorest part of the country, Northern Brazil. It migrated south with the population who moved to the more industrialized regions of the country in search of jobs. Since the 1970s, the neo-Pentecostal Churches now have attracted followers throughout the southeastern region, which includes the states of Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais, and Espirito Santo. Today they own colossal structures built on main avenues of focal cities such as Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and Salvador. One brain child born out of the movement is the Igreja Universal do Reino de Deus, which continues to accrue both wealth and followers within its temples that seat up to fifteen thousand. The conservative messages coupled with large promises lure the oppressed and uneducated by offering a hope for the future and a guaranteed spot in heaven.
Within the tropical country, the third religious culture of significant importance is the mainstream Protestant denominations, which arrived in the mid-19th century and derived from Europe and United States. Their rational theology baptized by the Enlightenment arrived to propose educated explanations to religious thought, attracting primarily middle class citizens with fascination and core beliefs in academia. The typical protestant membership, composed of stable families, represents the flourishing middle class who are only cautiously involved in the economy and politics of the country. The Churches of Christ in Brazil fit this category, so much so that when preparing missionaries for South America, the principal recruiting agency trains recently formed teams to aim their efforts towards the middle class sector in important Brazilian cities.
Although the Itu Church of Christ gathers representatives from all socioeconomic levels, the majority of the members live as middle class, some transferring from other Protestant denominations, and high class, mostly with a traditional Catholic background. The social network of these members has created connections that build strong bridges between the church and municipal authorities. The apparent wealth and absence of strong charismatic manifestations have left the local neo-Pentecostals reluctant to interact with the church, even in ecumenical gatherings. The bicultural leadership (American and Brazilian) is dynamic. It invites the initiative and input of the members for events and ministries and enables a strong sense of community and family.
The interviews conducted with people from the congregation reveal additional information about how the national and regional sociological factors deeply impact people’s doctrinal point of view. Furthermore, the puzzled looks and long search for words after each question during the interviews proved how unlikely people are to think through doctrinal issues for themselves. For the most part, churches have trained believers to repeat neatly composed statements of faith or to recite verses, but rarely trained their members to consider their personal opinion and formation behind the delivered gospel package.
The definition of God presented by the majority of the participants included the words “distant,” “observer,” “Creator,” and “Spirit,” indicating a formality and a mystical view of God. These traits are rooted in the Catholic understanding of God the Father, whereas Jesus comes as the more accessible version of divinity. The Catholic interaction with Scripture also points to a lack of intimacy and accessibility of the divine book. Many Catholic homes in Itu will have a Bible sitting near the front door opened to a favorite passage, commonly Psalm 23, under a glass casing to protect the pages from the settling dust. Scriptures are only understood by the trained clergy and are too complex and spiritual for laymen to process. Interviewees both from Catholic and Protestant backgrounds portrayed the Bible as a book of rules to be followed in order to achieve salvation. These responses present an interesting comparison when placed next to the American perspective of a relational God and of Scriptures as stories from which we can extract life lessons.
People that presented the Bible as a rulebook commonly interpreted sin as directly related to the act of breaking rules, especially breaking one of the Ten Commandments (except when it comes to keeping the Sabbath which can be ignored with ease). Sin is offensive to God, and one must repent from sin to receive salvation. These were black and white issues to the interviewees, which proves an emphasis on reason and rationality connected to the Protestant roots.
The definition of mission of the church most polarized the interviewees, some saying it is principally to convert non-Christians into a follower of Jesus and to perform acts of social justice serve as bonus points along the way. Others claim that social justice is exactly what Jesus left as the mission of his body, with this second answer generally being offered by younger Christians between seventeen and thirty years old. Historically Liberation Theology in Brazil (with Leonardo Boff as the Father of the movement) was criticized by the traditional sector of the Catholic Church, receiving accusations for drifting away from the mystical and eternal realm and concentrating on the physical and temporal realm. Boff also bluntly criticized the hierarchy of the Catholic Church and their minimal involvement with the obvious social disparity, which stunted any meaningful advance the movement would have in the country. To this day, the general population of Brazil does not take interest in impacting the socioeconomic imbalance. However, extensive efforts have begun within the Itu Church of Christ with current ministries devoted to offering hospitality and building relationships with the homeless and the addicts of the community. The volunteers in these endeavors were eager to cite social justice as the mission of the church.
The culture of Brazil is naturally so welcoming and warm that the definition of fellowship provided by the interviewees was simply a confirmation of the obvious. They stated that fellowship included spending time with people over a meal at home or church, enjoying an event, serving in a ministry together, sharing life stories, or inviting other people to be a part of the healthy community. Brazilians highly value community with their friends and family, and a positive church context becomes an extension of this meaningful connection to people.
Brazil does not have a smooth and uplifting history. The dark colors of exploitation, corruption, and oppression have stained its past and have distorted its political system and its trust in the national leadership. Only the last two presidents have taken interest in efficiently managing the country and working towards international credibility. The Catholic Church has played an ambiguous role, both bringing the transforming gospel story, but also muzzling movements that would decrease the Church’s power in the country. Through all this, Brazilians have not allowed their frustration to take over. They have kept their faith in God and continue to display their exuberant beauty and hospitality as they continue to fight for a more comfortable future for their family and the country. The appreciation for their story and their beliefs will help direct the population’s sustained effort to pursue progress. For church leaders, the study of sociological factors from the past and present also brings clarity as they tend to the foundations of the faith and continue to build on the people’s history.
Castilho, Andressa. 2010. Interview by Alice Kaiser, 2 December. Itu, SP
Delgado, Matheus. 2010. Interview by Alice Kaiser, 2 December. Itu, SP.
Flashmob, Itu, SP, 9 July, 2010. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKlobM3uveE)
Giponi, Joao. 2010. Interview by Alice Kaiser, 2 December. Itu, SP.
Giponi, Felipe, 2010. Interview by Alice Kaiser, 2 December. Itu, SP
Goncalves, Antenor. 2010. Interview by Alice Kaiser. 4 December. Itu, SP
Goncalves, Paul. 2010. Interview by Alice Kaiser. 4 December. Itu, SP.
Gomes, Laurentino. 1808. Sao Paulo: Editora Planeta, 2007.
Gonzaguinha. “O que é, o que é”. 1982. (http://letras.terra.com.br/gonzaguinha/463845/)
Mauer, Cristiano. 2010. Interview by Alice Kaiser, 6 December. Itu, SP.
Motta, Marcos. 2010. Interview by Alice Kaiser, 2 December. Itu, SP.
Oliveira, Izaias. 2010. Interview by Alice Kaiser, 2 December. Itu, SP.
Pedro deMarco, E-mail to author, December, 6, 2010.
"Wikipedia." The Free Encyclopedia. Available from http://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sao_paulo. Internet; accessed 6 December, 2010.
summer camp combining Texan churches and local teenagers. This year as the camp
leadership team selected exciting music for a flashmob at the mall, one song burst
forth in unison from the Brazilian staff: “O que é, o que é!” They knew true Brazilians
in the audience would instantly connect to this iconic song, resonating with the
feelings carried through a marred history, corrupt present, and yet hopeful future
for a joyful people.
To live, and to not be ashamed of being happy
To sing, sing, sing, at the beauty of being an eternal learner
My God, I know that life could be much better, and it will be
But that does not keep me from declaring
It is beautiful, beautiful, beautiful.
The positivity and energy reflects the Brazilian reputation world-wide along with the stereotype as a coffee-drinking, samba-dancing, soccer-playing, loud-speaking, partying people.
Occupying more landmass than the continental United States, Brazil ranks fifth in the world for its size. In the fourteenth century, the extensive Brazilian coast facing the Atlantic gaped open as a doormat for Europe by which Portugal invaded, settled, and extracted resources from Brazil’s rich land. Portugal had found the perfect combination of natural resources and native manual labor, soon initiating a tradition of abuse and exploitation of the people and the land. The Brazilian people speak of their history with a negative tone and point to Portugal as the beginning of a long road of political corruption in their national leadership. Colloquially, Portugal provides the favorite object of mocking jokes, similar to blondes in American humor. Unfortunately, the Portuguese lacked vision for development and investment in the colony. The chronic abuse of power, that still prevails today, lead the majority of Brazilian people to become disengaged from the political system, and disillusioned with government as a whole.
Only in the past fifteen years has Brazil presented any political stability. Since 1808 the leadership turned from imperialism to a complete dictatorship between 1930-1945, changed to a military regime between 1964-1978, and finally peaked with an impeached president in 1992 who had followed the path a few mediocre presidents. Despite the political volatility, Brazil continued to progress industrially because of its abundant resources valuable for exportation: coffee, soybeans, oranges, sugar cane, steel, and other products. However, because the generated money was managed poorly, in the 1980s during the presidency of José Sarney, Brazilians faced inflation of over 80% per month. Families walked around supermarkets with four or five carts and purchased products for sixty days in advance. The currency weakened to the extent that the government six times in less than ten years dropped the zeros off the end of the bills and changed the name of their currency. In 1998 Fernando Henrique Cardoso assumed presidency of the country. He had been exiled to France and Chile during the military regime as a sociologist with expertise in the philosophies of Karl Marx. Cardoso brought economic strength to Brazil through the Plano Real, the Real Plan, which changed the national currency to the Real and introduced competition to the market by importing cheaper products. Finally Brazil had elected a leader interested in investing time and energy into the country and in nurturing it back to health.
With a visionary government in place, Brazil grew beyond the expectations of the public, and today has emerged as one of the four promising economies of the world - the “B” in B.R.I.C. The exported goods today encompass steel, aircrafts, and petroleum, all of which bring a significant boost to the national economy. Even though many citizens have strong opinions against the current president and the government, Lula has represented Brazil well internationally, building bridges for relations with other countries worldwide.
As Brazil establishes its credibility internationally, the responsibility of the state of Sao Paulo swells as it pulses the national economy. Sao Paulo hosts the largest concentration of national and international industries due to the cheap migrant labor coming from Northern Brazil, the efficient infrastructure for transportation, and the ideal climate for agriculture among other factors. The state provides over 33% of the country’s GNP and holds the fourth lowest illiteracy rate in Brazil. The city of Sao Paulo, as the fifth largest metropolis in the world and the largest city in South America, has over nineteen million citizens.
Abundant economic power provokes extreme poverty; the rich depend on the proletariat to build their fortune. Poverty invades the busy avenues as cardboard slums and filthy children overrun the streets. Brazil’s socioeconomic disparity is shocking and widespread. The situation further escalates as a result of prejudiced high and middle classes, low public awareness, and little effort invested in social justice initiatives by the people of the community. With a lack of compassion and a lack of understanding, a deep disconnection continues to distance wealth and poverty.
Seventy miles west from the capital lies Itu. The population of 160,000 pales in comparison to the booming megapolis of Sao Paolo. It stands as one of the oldest cities in the country, having celebrated its 400th anniversary in 2010. Originally, the enormous square mileage of Itu was divided into profitable coffee farms with purse strings held by a handful of wealthy Italians. Today extremely wealthy businessmen from Sao Paulo city using Itu as a peaceful bedroom community steer the town’s politics, which are also impacted by the extremely traditional founding families from Italy who have dominated Itu since 1610. Hand in hand with the Ituano traditionalism and wealth walks the Roman Catholic Church. Its citizens affectionately reference the town as “The Small Rome” and claim to have more catholic churches per capita than any other city in the world.
Not only in Itu, but also nationally, the Roman Catholic Church powerfully influences Brazil. The Jesuit mission arrived on the Portuguese boats in the 15th century and planted its deep roots by proselytizing as they educated the natives and established chapels at the center of every village and town built by the Lusitanian occupiers. The Roman Catholic Church became extremely powerful and wealthy as it dominated land and played a lead role in the politics and culture of the country, therefore, naturally associating itself to society’s elite. In reaction to the military regime, during the 1970s, leaders within the Brazilian Catholic Church began following the cries of Liberation Theology, activating social justice movements to liberate the oppressed by society. However, as the country broke free from the shackles of the strict regime, the Liberation Theology fervor lost its force, giving place to the Charismatic Reformation. This Reformation came as a response to the high percentage of Brazilian “non-practicing” Catholics, a side effect deriving from a religion that maintains a stiff posture and keeps itself inaccessible to the simple and warm population of Brazil. The successful Charismatic wave won many people back to active faith within the Catholic Church. It presented connectable and lively priests as mascots of the movement who borrowed elements from the thriving neo-Pentecostal movement such as deep emotion and manifestation of the gifts of the Spirit. However, Itu remained rooted in traditional, highly liturgical Catholicism.
If then, traditional Catholicism is associated to the powerful and elite sliver of the population, then neo-Pentecostal movement is the religion of the proletariat. These churches bank on people’s sense of disenfranchisement from the government and their lack of voice in the country’s economic direction to preach a need for distance from the corrupt powers of this world and for subordination to the ultimate will of God to receive health and wealth. The movement began in the early 1900s in the poorest part of the country, Northern Brazil. It migrated south with the population who moved to the more industrialized regions of the country in search of jobs. Since the 1970s, the neo-Pentecostal Churches now have attracted followers throughout the southeastern region, which includes the states of Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais, and Espirito Santo. Today they own colossal structures built on main avenues of focal cities such as Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and Salvador. One brain child born out of the movement is the Igreja Universal do Reino de Deus, which continues to accrue both wealth and followers within its temples that seat up to fifteen thousand. The conservative messages coupled with large promises lure the oppressed and uneducated by offering a hope for the future and a guaranteed spot in heaven.
Within the tropical country, the third religious culture of significant importance is the mainstream Protestant denominations, which arrived in the mid-19th century and derived from Europe and United States. Their rational theology baptized by the Enlightenment arrived to propose educated explanations to religious thought, attracting primarily middle class citizens with fascination and core beliefs in academia. The typical protestant membership, composed of stable families, represents the flourishing middle class who are only cautiously involved in the economy and politics of the country. The Churches of Christ in Brazil fit this category, so much so that when preparing missionaries for South America, the principal recruiting agency trains recently formed teams to aim their efforts towards the middle class sector in important Brazilian cities.
Although the Itu Church of Christ gathers representatives from all socioeconomic levels, the majority of the members live as middle class, some transferring from other Protestant denominations, and high class, mostly with a traditional Catholic background. The social network of these members has created connections that build strong bridges between the church and municipal authorities. The apparent wealth and absence of strong charismatic manifestations have left the local neo-Pentecostals reluctant to interact with the church, even in ecumenical gatherings. The bicultural leadership (American and Brazilian) is dynamic. It invites the initiative and input of the members for events and ministries and enables a strong sense of community and family.
The interviews conducted with people from the congregation reveal additional information about how the national and regional sociological factors deeply impact people’s doctrinal point of view. Furthermore, the puzzled looks and long search for words after each question during the interviews proved how unlikely people are to think through doctrinal issues for themselves. For the most part, churches have trained believers to repeat neatly composed statements of faith or to recite verses, but rarely trained their members to consider their personal opinion and formation behind the delivered gospel package.
The definition of God presented by the majority of the participants included the words “distant,” “observer,” “Creator,” and “Spirit,” indicating a formality and a mystical view of God. These traits are rooted in the Catholic understanding of God the Father, whereas Jesus comes as the more accessible version of divinity. The Catholic interaction with Scripture also points to a lack of intimacy and accessibility of the divine book. Many Catholic homes in Itu will have a Bible sitting near the front door opened to a favorite passage, commonly Psalm 23, under a glass casing to protect the pages from the settling dust. Scriptures are only understood by the trained clergy and are too complex and spiritual for laymen to process. Interviewees both from Catholic and Protestant backgrounds portrayed the Bible as a book of rules to be followed in order to achieve salvation. These responses present an interesting comparison when placed next to the American perspective of a relational God and of Scriptures as stories from which we can extract life lessons.
People that presented the Bible as a rulebook commonly interpreted sin as directly related to the act of breaking rules, especially breaking one of the Ten Commandments (except when it comes to keeping the Sabbath which can be ignored with ease). Sin is offensive to God, and one must repent from sin to receive salvation. These were black and white issues to the interviewees, which proves an emphasis on reason and rationality connected to the Protestant roots.
The definition of mission of the church most polarized the interviewees, some saying it is principally to convert non-Christians into a follower of Jesus and to perform acts of social justice serve as bonus points along the way. Others claim that social justice is exactly what Jesus left as the mission of his body, with this second answer generally being offered by younger Christians between seventeen and thirty years old. Historically Liberation Theology in Brazil (with Leonardo Boff as the Father of the movement) was criticized by the traditional sector of the Catholic Church, receiving accusations for drifting away from the mystical and eternal realm and concentrating on the physical and temporal realm. Boff also bluntly criticized the hierarchy of the Catholic Church and their minimal involvement with the obvious social disparity, which stunted any meaningful advance the movement would have in the country. To this day, the general population of Brazil does not take interest in impacting the socioeconomic imbalance. However, extensive efforts have begun within the Itu Church of Christ with current ministries devoted to offering hospitality and building relationships with the homeless and the addicts of the community. The volunteers in these endeavors were eager to cite social justice as the mission of the church.
The culture of Brazil is naturally so welcoming and warm that the definition of fellowship provided by the interviewees was simply a confirmation of the obvious. They stated that fellowship included spending time with people over a meal at home or church, enjoying an event, serving in a ministry together, sharing life stories, or inviting other people to be a part of the healthy community. Brazilians highly value community with their friends and family, and a positive church context becomes an extension of this meaningful connection to people.
Brazil does not have a smooth and uplifting history. The dark colors of exploitation, corruption, and oppression have stained its past and have distorted its political system and its trust in the national leadership. Only the last two presidents have taken interest in efficiently managing the country and working towards international credibility. The Catholic Church has played an ambiguous role, both bringing the transforming gospel story, but also muzzling movements that would decrease the Church’s power in the country. Through all this, Brazilians have not allowed their frustration to take over. They have kept their faith in God and continue to display their exuberant beauty and hospitality as they continue to fight for a more comfortable future for their family and the country. The appreciation for their story and their beliefs will help direct the population’s sustained effort to pursue progress. For church leaders, the study of sociological factors from the past and present also brings clarity as they tend to the foundations of the faith and continue to build on the people’s history.
Castilho, Andressa. 2010. Interview by Alice Kaiser, 2 December. Itu, SP
Delgado, Matheus. 2010. Interview by Alice Kaiser, 2 December. Itu, SP.
Flashmob, Itu, SP, 9 July, 2010. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKlobM3uveE)
Giponi, Joao. 2010. Interview by Alice Kaiser, 2 December. Itu, SP.
Giponi, Felipe, 2010. Interview by Alice Kaiser, 2 December. Itu, SP
Goncalves, Antenor. 2010. Interview by Alice Kaiser. 4 December. Itu, SP
Goncalves, Paul. 2010. Interview by Alice Kaiser. 4 December. Itu, SP.
Gomes, Laurentino. 1808. Sao Paulo: Editora Planeta, 2007.
Gonzaguinha. “O que é, o que é”. 1982. (http://letras.terra.com.br/gonzaguinha/463845/)
Mauer, Cristiano. 2010. Interview by Alice Kaiser, 6 December. Itu, SP.
Motta, Marcos. 2010. Interview by Alice Kaiser, 2 December. Itu, SP.
Oliveira, Izaias. 2010. Interview by Alice Kaiser, 2 December. Itu, SP.
Pedro deMarco, E-mail to author, December, 6, 2010.
"Wikipedia." The Free Encyclopedia. Available from http://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sao_paulo. Internet; accessed 6 December, 2010.
6 month curriculum - CONTEXT AND GOSPEL
Ali Kaiser
This semester has challenged me to analyze profoundly my surroundings and interactions with such. As I engage the readings and projects for my classes, I realize how many facets exist in my ministries, and how each carries specific needs and calls for particular attention.
In previous projects for this course, I have carefully described the multiple layers of my context as I more deeply develop a connection between the gospel of Luke and my life of ministry in Brazil. As I elaborated further for this assignment of a six month curriculum plan, I spent time crafting discussions, resources, and applications for each layer, connecting it to the most relevant Lukan theme. In this paper I will present a rough outline for each of the four levels of my context, some which will last as long as six months, whereas other themes and contexts do not lend themselves to such an extensive period of time yet still aim to meet the uniqueness of the context’s needs.
SOCIAL JUSTICE IN NATIONAL CONTEXT
As seen in previous papers, I recognize an acute need for the expansion of the Social Justice movement in the Brazilian culture – not only do we experience a vast need, but also we lack initiative and examples of Social Justice movements in our society.
In October I made connections with two very important and impressive organizations that are open and available to discuss the importance of Social Justice culture in their line of service. One institution works with favela children, offering them extra-curricular activities and tutoring; the other is the city office in charge of juvenile delinquents that have served their sentence and must meet for a period of six months of probation.
Both organizations rely on staff that lacks support, resources, and training to sustain the emotionally strenuous labor of serving such underprivileged population. Therefore, in both scenarios I will first offer training and motivation to the employees and emphasize their role in the Social Justice movement in the community, and call them to create awareness in their community of Social Justice service.
For such training and motivation sessions, I will present the following topics for discussion:
a) The sociological study of hidden rules among economic classes. This information opens our eyes to assumptions many times unseen that cause much of the frustration when working across economic levels.
b) Learn from other organizations. Recognizing the importance of trading experiences with other social justice organizations further expands our knowledge and network.
c) Use art as inspiration. Present songs, movie clips, poetry, and paintings that expose the need for Social Justice in our culture or that come as a positive result of such movements in our country. In this discussion I will insert passages of Luke as a respected literature source that speaks of Jesus exercising Social Justice (read 1:26-28; 4:40; 8:1-3 -- What can we learn from Jesus in Luke about this theme? Highlight the topics of inclusion of women, the corrupt, and the poor in his life story.)
d) Plan citywide seminar. Invite the leaders of both organizations to propose to the mayor a seminar of Social Justice awareness offered to the population of Itu.
This flow of topics will present necessary support tools to the employees, encourage their role in the organization as essential tools for a better society, and empower them to teach our communities more about service to the underprivileged and outreach to the marginalized.
Important observation: These conversations are contextualized for non-Christian organizations, although discussion on Luke will be highlighted. The purpose is to develop the practical implications of the Lukan theme, not to discuss the theoretical relevance.
COMPASSION IN THE LOCAL CHURCH
The theme of compassion presents itself in two ways in this context:
1. How does the church extend compassion to the community?
2. How does the church extend compassion within the church?
1. To answer the first question, I will invite the church leadership team and the benevolence ministry leaders to combine for a discussion of Jesus and compassion in Luke (expanded in the Kaiser Outline paper). I will also use this material while training the group of volunteers for our medical campaign, CURA, in the months of May and June.
2. As for the second question, we will introduce in February (and will continue until December) a video series called “Telling Our Story,” where every month two members of the church will offer their video testimony during worship on Sunday. Compassion stories of Jesus in Luke will be read at the opening of the videos. This series will emphasize the availability of compassion within a community when we share our stories.
Both perspectives on extending compassion hold significant value in the life of a congregation, and largely influence the health of the church both looking inward and outward.
SIMPLICITY IN THE YOUTH GROUP
The strong Lukan theme of simplicity is most relevant to our ever-consuming youth culture. The leadership team and I will present this theme in 4 phases, knowing that each phase will surpass one week’s worth of discussion:
Phase 1. Luke 9:10-17 → “We never have enough.” Discuss the materialistic obsession in our culture, showing commercials and songs that emphasize the constant pursuit of wealth.
Phase 2. Luke 12:32-34→ “I will provide.” Discuss Jesus’ call to live a simple life.
Phase 3. Luke 10:1-12 → “What now?” What commitments can we make as a community in relation to this theme?
Phase 4. Watch the movie “Into the Wild.”
I hope to challenge this age group to reconsider what material norm they will allow themselves to follow. Oupersonal story with the group about our decision to live a simple and communal life.
HOSPITALITY IN OUR HOME
Since I live in a communal home, the hospitality theme most closely connects to this level of my context. Jesus, however, has opened my mind to understanding hospitality also as the act of being received, not just receiving.
With our home, I plan to carryout the discussion of hospitality in Luke (as developed in Kaiser Outline paper), and call the house to the following actions:
1. Make the four sentences visible in our home, such as painting them on the living room walls.
2. Invite one family/month to share Friday evening dinner with our home.
3. Invite ourselves over to share a meal with a family once a month.
4. Keep a journal about the experience of opening our home to a family and entering another home as a family.
We receive between 40 and 50 people/ week at our home, but I know our non-nuclear family will gain much from receiving hospitality and blessing people within their most personal setting.
As I imagined a six-month curriculum for my context, I did not want to simply expand the Bible study aspect, but create a semester full of pragmatic initiatives for each of my ministries. As I reviewed the four strong Lukan themes I chose to weave into my ministries, I am pleased to recognize their relevance, and excited to watch each community learn and grow from the exposure to Jesus in Luke.
This semester has challenged me to analyze profoundly my surroundings and interactions with such. As I engage the readings and projects for my classes, I realize how many facets exist in my ministries, and how each carries specific needs and calls for particular attention.
In previous projects for this course, I have carefully described the multiple layers of my context as I more deeply develop a connection between the gospel of Luke and my life of ministry in Brazil. As I elaborated further for this assignment of a six month curriculum plan, I spent time crafting discussions, resources, and applications for each layer, connecting it to the most relevant Lukan theme. In this paper I will present a rough outline for each of the four levels of my context, some which will last as long as six months, whereas other themes and contexts do not lend themselves to such an extensive period of time yet still aim to meet the uniqueness of the context’s needs.
SOCIAL JUSTICE IN NATIONAL CONTEXT
As seen in previous papers, I recognize an acute need for the expansion of the Social Justice movement in the Brazilian culture – not only do we experience a vast need, but also we lack initiative and examples of Social Justice movements in our society.
In October I made connections with two very important and impressive organizations that are open and available to discuss the importance of Social Justice culture in their line of service. One institution works with favela children, offering them extra-curricular activities and tutoring; the other is the city office in charge of juvenile delinquents that have served their sentence and must meet for a period of six months of probation.
Both organizations rely on staff that lacks support, resources, and training to sustain the emotionally strenuous labor of serving such underprivileged population. Therefore, in both scenarios I will first offer training and motivation to the employees and emphasize their role in the Social Justice movement in the community, and call them to create awareness in their community of Social Justice service.
For such training and motivation sessions, I will present the following topics for discussion:
a) The sociological study of hidden rules among economic classes. This information opens our eyes to assumptions many times unseen that cause much of the frustration when working across economic levels.
b) Learn from other organizations. Recognizing the importance of trading experiences with other social justice organizations further expands our knowledge and network.
c) Use art as inspiration. Present songs, movie clips, poetry, and paintings that expose the need for Social Justice in our culture or that come as a positive result of such movements in our country. In this discussion I will insert passages of Luke as a respected literature source that speaks of Jesus exercising Social Justice (read 1:26-28; 4:40; 8:1-3 -- What can we learn from Jesus in Luke about this theme? Highlight the topics of inclusion of women, the corrupt, and the poor in his life story.)
d) Plan citywide seminar. Invite the leaders of both organizations to propose to the mayor a seminar of Social Justice awareness offered to the population of Itu.
This flow of topics will present necessary support tools to the employees, encourage their role in the organization as essential tools for a better society, and empower them to teach our communities more about service to the underprivileged and outreach to the marginalized.
Important observation: These conversations are contextualized for non-Christian organizations, although discussion on Luke will be highlighted. The purpose is to develop the practical implications of the Lukan theme, not to discuss the theoretical relevance.
COMPASSION IN THE LOCAL CHURCH
The theme of compassion presents itself in two ways in this context:
1. How does the church extend compassion to the community?
2. How does the church extend compassion within the church?
1. To answer the first question, I will invite the church leadership team and the benevolence ministry leaders to combine for a discussion of Jesus and compassion in Luke (expanded in the Kaiser Outline paper). I will also use this material while training the group of volunteers for our medical campaign, CURA, in the months of May and June.
2. As for the second question, we will introduce in February (and will continue until December) a video series called “Telling Our Story,” where every month two members of the church will offer their video testimony during worship on Sunday. Compassion stories of Jesus in Luke will be read at the opening of the videos. This series will emphasize the availability of compassion within a community when we share our stories.
Both perspectives on extending compassion hold significant value in the life of a congregation, and largely influence the health of the church both looking inward and outward.
SIMPLICITY IN THE YOUTH GROUP
The strong Lukan theme of simplicity is most relevant to our ever-consuming youth culture. The leadership team and I will present this theme in 4 phases, knowing that each phase will surpass one week’s worth of discussion:
Phase 1. Luke 9:10-17 → “We never have enough.” Discuss the materialistic obsession in our culture, showing commercials and songs that emphasize the constant pursuit of wealth.
Phase 2. Luke 12:32-34→ “I will provide.” Discuss Jesus’ call to live a simple life.
Phase 3. Luke 10:1-12 → “What now?” What commitments can we make as a community in relation to this theme?
Phase 4. Watch the movie “Into the Wild.”
I hope to challenge this age group to reconsider what material norm they will allow themselves to follow. Oupersonal story with the group about our decision to live a simple and communal life.
HOSPITALITY IN OUR HOME
Since I live in a communal home, the hospitality theme most closely connects to this level of my context. Jesus, however, has opened my mind to understanding hospitality also as the act of being received, not just receiving.
With our home, I plan to carryout the discussion of hospitality in Luke (as developed in Kaiser Outline paper), and call the house to the following actions:
1. Make the four sentences visible in our home, such as painting them on the living room walls.
2. Invite one family/month to share Friday evening dinner with our home.
3. Invite ourselves over to share a meal with a family once a month.
4. Keep a journal about the experience of opening our home to a family and entering another home as a family.
We receive between 40 and 50 people/ week at our home, but I know our non-nuclear family will gain much from receiving hospitality and blessing people within their most personal setting.
As I imagined a six-month curriculum for my context, I did not want to simply expand the Bible study aspect, but create a semester full of pragmatic initiatives for each of my ministries. As I reviewed the four strong Lukan themes I chose to weave into my ministries, I am pleased to recognize their relevance, and excited to watch each community learn and grow from the exposure to Jesus in Luke.
CONTEXT and GOSPEL
Now that I have spent significant time describing the many levels of my context and demonstrating how its needs match the themes Luke offers, I will develop a presentation of my discoveries within the Dwelling in the Word community in which I participate on a weekly basis.
The “Habitantes da Palavra” (Portuguese translation for “Dwelling in the Word”) comes together as a group every Sunday evening. We meet in the home of Zacca and Alessandra, a very simple and small house that we overcrowd with fourteen people, food, and great conversation. The composition of this community offers a variety of life stories and ages (ranging from 9 to 42) which brings much depth to our discussions centered on Luke 10:1-12.
I chose to involve this group in the conversation about the Lukan themes and my context for a couple of reasons. First, these friends have grown intimate with this particular gospel. For six weeks now we have made parallels of Luke to our personal lives and contributed our ideas to each other. We find this gospel invading our conversations outside of our meeting time and recognize the relevance and truth in the issues the text brings forth. Each person will have much to consider and offer on the topics of social justice, hospitality, compassion, and simplicity seen in Luke and how to put these into action in our surroundings. The second reason to involve this particular group lies in the beauty of the representation of every layer of my context as seen in the following: a couple of teenagers from our youth group, five of the local church leadership team, all of my home-mates, and one of our homeless friends. Using this focus group pulls us out of theory and into application.
I will conclude our eight weeks of reading Luke 10 on November 7th, offering this material with a similar format to our ongoing conversations, which consist of many questions, inviting personal experience, and communal discernment through the Spirit. I want to open each topic by referring our group to exemplary passages in the gospel that deal with the theme, asking them to reflect on Jesus’ interaction with the theme, and encouraging them to imagine how the theme can apply to a specific layer of my previously described context. I do not want this to emerge as a one-sided presentation- such as a sermon- but a time and place for the community to exchange practical ideas of implications and applications of the challenging themes. This implies the need for a fluid outline, with room for spontaneous interactions and my honest acceptance of answers and opinions shared that evening.
OUTLINE FOR CONVERSATION ON LUKE & CONTEXT
For opening group discussion:
- What are big themes we notice in Luke 10?
- Where do we see these themes repeated throughout the gospel?
Focused thoughts from Luke:
- 4 themes emerging repeatedly:
1. Social Justice→1:26-28; 4:40; 8:1-3
(emphasis on Eduardo’s participation – our homeless friend)
• How do we see this theme relevant in our culture and country?
o Discuss how Brazilian history created “guilty until proven innocent” attitude towards humans, distorting our ability to interact with everyone, specially underprivileged and marginalized.
• What can we learn from Jesus in Luke about this theme?
o Highlight the topics of inclusion of women, the corrupt, and the poor in his life story.
• How can we represent Jesus in our culture and country in relation to this theme? Give practical examples.
o Suggest speaking to municipal authority, sharing our perspective on the lack of social justice movement in Brazil, and proposing a city-wide seminar to expose community service initiatives that exist in Itu.
2. Compassion → 10: 25-37; 15:11-32
(emphasis on church leadership participation)
• How do we see this theme relevant in our local church?
o Highlight benevolence ministry – how can we expand to demonstrate more compassion? (Connect this theme to the situation with the gypsies next door…)
• What can we learn from Jesus in Luke about this theme?
o Connect compassion extended to enemies and to people who share their stories (encourage the sharing of stories as a way to teach compassion to the church).
• How can we represent Jesus in our church in relation to this theme? Give practical examples.
o Propose the purchase of basic food items for the gypsies and the delivery of this food to them.
o Encourage personal testimonies as a part of Sunday communal worship.
3. Simplicity → 9:10-17; 10:4; 12:32-34
(emphasis on youth participation)
• How do we see this theme relevant to our youth?
o Mention the adolescent fever towards new cell phones, clothes used to establish identity, and the media’s influence on our definition of “need.”
• What can we learn from Jesus in Luke about this theme?
o Read Jesus’ radical statements about material simplicity.
• How can we represent Jesus in our youth in relation to this theme? Give practical examples.
o Speak of our personal decision to simplify clothing/house/car.
4. Hospitality → 9:4; 10:38
(emphasize Nossa Casa participation)
• How do we see this theme relevant to our home?
o Discuss the following phrases Randy Harris uses to define hospitality: there is no one else I’d rather be with; there is nothing else I’d rather be doing; there is nowhere else I’d rather be; I will remember this.
• What can we learn from Jesus in Luke about this theme?
o Explain the apparent reversal of hospitality through being welcomed instead of hosting and the transformational conversations that happen in the home setting (10:5; 11:37-52; 24:44-49).
o Expand on the following thought: when we rely on the hospitality of others, we ultimately rely on God to provide for our needs.
• How can we represent Jesus in our home in relation to this theme? Give practical examples.
o Advocate 1) spending time with friends one-on-one to exercise a hospitable spirit, and 2) accept invitations into people’s homes as a demonstration of hospitality, simplicity, and reliance on God.
As I consider the depth and quantity of the material, I recognize the potential need to divide the themes into two separate conversations so as not to overwhelm people. I look forward to these discussions with the representatives of my different contexts, and I expect the culture of this group to facilitate a highly interactive conversation regarding each theme and anticipate practical changes we can initiate.
The “Habitantes da Palavra” (Portuguese translation for “Dwelling in the Word”) comes together as a group every Sunday evening. We meet in the home of Zacca and Alessandra, a very simple and small house that we overcrowd with fourteen people, food, and great conversation. The composition of this community offers a variety of life stories and ages (ranging from 9 to 42) which brings much depth to our discussions centered on Luke 10:1-12.
I chose to involve this group in the conversation about the Lukan themes and my context for a couple of reasons. First, these friends have grown intimate with this particular gospel. For six weeks now we have made parallels of Luke to our personal lives and contributed our ideas to each other. We find this gospel invading our conversations outside of our meeting time and recognize the relevance and truth in the issues the text brings forth. Each person will have much to consider and offer on the topics of social justice, hospitality, compassion, and simplicity seen in Luke and how to put these into action in our surroundings. The second reason to involve this particular group lies in the beauty of the representation of every layer of my context as seen in the following: a couple of teenagers from our youth group, five of the local church leadership team, all of my home-mates, and one of our homeless friends. Using this focus group pulls us out of theory and into application.
I will conclude our eight weeks of reading Luke 10 on November 7th, offering this material with a similar format to our ongoing conversations, which consist of many questions, inviting personal experience, and communal discernment through the Spirit. I want to open each topic by referring our group to exemplary passages in the gospel that deal with the theme, asking them to reflect on Jesus’ interaction with the theme, and encouraging them to imagine how the theme can apply to a specific layer of my previously described context. I do not want this to emerge as a one-sided presentation- such as a sermon- but a time and place for the community to exchange practical ideas of implications and applications of the challenging themes. This implies the need for a fluid outline, with room for spontaneous interactions and my honest acceptance of answers and opinions shared that evening.
OUTLINE FOR CONVERSATION ON LUKE & CONTEXT
For opening group discussion:
- What are big themes we notice in Luke 10?
- Where do we see these themes repeated throughout the gospel?
Focused thoughts from Luke:
- 4 themes emerging repeatedly:
1. Social Justice→1:26-28; 4:40; 8:1-3
(emphasis on Eduardo’s participation – our homeless friend)
• How do we see this theme relevant in our culture and country?
o Discuss how Brazilian history created “guilty until proven innocent” attitude towards humans, distorting our ability to interact with everyone, specially underprivileged and marginalized.
• What can we learn from Jesus in Luke about this theme?
o Highlight the topics of inclusion of women, the corrupt, and the poor in his life story.
• How can we represent Jesus in our culture and country in relation to this theme? Give practical examples.
o Suggest speaking to municipal authority, sharing our perspective on the lack of social justice movement in Brazil, and proposing a city-wide seminar to expose community service initiatives that exist in Itu.
2. Compassion → 10: 25-37; 15:11-32
(emphasis on church leadership participation)
• How do we see this theme relevant in our local church?
o Highlight benevolence ministry – how can we expand to demonstrate more compassion? (Connect this theme to the situation with the gypsies next door…)
• What can we learn from Jesus in Luke about this theme?
o Connect compassion extended to enemies and to people who share their stories (encourage the sharing of stories as a way to teach compassion to the church).
• How can we represent Jesus in our church in relation to this theme? Give practical examples.
o Propose the purchase of basic food items for the gypsies and the delivery of this food to them.
o Encourage personal testimonies as a part of Sunday communal worship.
3. Simplicity → 9:10-17; 10:4; 12:32-34
(emphasis on youth participation)
• How do we see this theme relevant to our youth?
o Mention the adolescent fever towards new cell phones, clothes used to establish identity, and the media’s influence on our definition of “need.”
• What can we learn from Jesus in Luke about this theme?
o Read Jesus’ radical statements about material simplicity.
• How can we represent Jesus in our youth in relation to this theme? Give practical examples.
o Speak of our personal decision to simplify clothing/house/car.
4. Hospitality → 9:4; 10:38
(emphasize Nossa Casa participation)
• How do we see this theme relevant to our home?
o Discuss the following phrases Randy Harris uses to define hospitality: there is no one else I’d rather be with; there is nothing else I’d rather be doing; there is nowhere else I’d rather be; I will remember this.
• What can we learn from Jesus in Luke about this theme?
o Explain the apparent reversal of hospitality through being welcomed instead of hosting and the transformational conversations that happen in the home setting (10:5; 11:37-52; 24:44-49).
o Expand on the following thought: when we rely on the hospitality of others, we ultimately rely on God to provide for our needs.
• How can we represent Jesus in our home in relation to this theme? Give practical examples.
o Advocate 1) spending time with friends one-on-one to exercise a hospitable spirit, and 2) accept invitations into people’s homes as a demonstration of hospitality, simplicity, and reliance on God.
As I consider the depth and quantity of the material, I recognize the potential need to divide the themes into two separate conversations so as not to overwhelm people. I look forward to these discussions with the representatives of my different contexts, and I expect the culture of this group to facilitate a highly interactive conversation regarding each theme and anticipate practical changes we can initiate.
defining my context
mi casa, tu casa.
It’s a small house, smaller than one might imagine after hearing about the movement going on inside. The metal farm bell hangs next to the closed gate and ivy wall, and when it’s rung the entire neighborhood knows someone has arrived. The house sits at the back of a lot four times its size, and has the built area of approximately 600 square feet, which include 2 bedrooms, a kitchen, a living room, 2 bathrooms, and a garage (the guys’ room). There is a large front yard (Brazilian standards), with 7 different fruit trees, an attempt at a garden (plans in the works), and a pergolado (a wooden structure, similar to a gazebo, but square). The pergolado is an external extension of the house, and serves as the eating area, nap area (in the hammock), and a place where life-changing conversations hover over the leaves of the trees, waiting for the next companions to have a seat.
There are six of us that live here. Yes, six: Mark (my husband), Barbara, Brandon, Carioca, Manu, and myself. We call ourselves a “non-nuclear family”. Mark and I have a room, and Barbara has her own room, but she has to share the bathroom. The guys have made the garage into a very comfortable habitat for 4. The living room couch often hosts 2-3 friends on the weekends. Twice a week (Thursdays and Fridays) we receive homeless and youth, each night between 30-40 beautiful people come to share life. Our home hosts life. We are couched in between the local church building we serve with, and the bus station, and both receive very different crowds. One caters to the middle class, the other to the low income. One has a parking lot for the expensive cars that park once a week, the other welcomes the sojourners dependent on public transportation. One has the mission to offer donations from their excess, the other is dependent on the city’s low budget to function. And we chose this location on purpose: to bring the rude and the crude realities to encounter each other over a meal, sitting at the same table, dancing to the same music, wondering about the same questions, struggling with the same disconnection. This home invites you to open your wings.
As we’ve listened to our friends share their first impressions about entering our home, many details stand out in their memories: the surplus of sleeping bags, always anticipating the unknown visitor; the Kombi VW bus, to carry the most amount of people; the messy scribbled walls, used to visualize new ideas and dreams; the lack of TV, to emphasize human interaction and connection; the music, used to awaken, to inspire, to calm, to unite. All of these items (or lack there of) are symbolic of the identity we want to carry, they are ways we want to express our calling to live simple and communal life.
But there is one common aspect to every room of the house that I find the most symbolic of the life style we’ve chosen. Every cabinet, every closet has no doors. Our kitchen pantry is wide open, as well as our dishes and appliances clearly exposed. Our clothes hang with no protection (often slightly dirty from the breeze bringing in dust), and are surprisingly unissex. Our toiletries are on open shelves (Carioca had 3 tooth brushes chewed up by the dogs last month!) and available to whomever is using the bathroom. Our shoes hang on walls, and we use the first pair of flip flops we can reach. The front door is never locked.
We want to question what there really is to protect in this world. We want people to know that what is available in the house, is available to them. We want to expose our lack of organization in a way that helps people understand they don’t have to have it all together and spotless and sterile to come and contribute to this home. And yes, sometimes it’s frustrating, and it’s messy, and it’s crowded, and it’s cluttered (because after we receive all the donations to pass on), and the grass grows too tall (literally), and this is when we have to count on other’s abilities and availabilities to help us clean and eliminate and simplify and refresh.
This is our house. This is our home. This is my context, creating the synergy that inspires me and others.
It’s a small house, smaller than one might imagine after hearing about the movement going on inside. The metal farm bell hangs next to the closed gate and ivy wall, and when it’s rung the entire neighborhood knows someone has arrived. The house sits at the back of a lot four times its size, and has the built area of approximately 600 square feet, which include 2 bedrooms, a kitchen, a living room, 2 bathrooms, and a garage (the guys’ room). There is a large front yard (Brazilian standards), with 7 different fruit trees, an attempt at a garden (plans in the works), and a pergolado (a wooden structure, similar to a gazebo, but square). The pergolado is an external extension of the house, and serves as the eating area, nap area (in the hammock), and a place where life-changing conversations hover over the leaves of the trees, waiting for the next companions to have a seat.
There are six of us that live here. Yes, six: Mark (my husband), Barbara, Brandon, Carioca, Manu, and myself. We call ourselves a “non-nuclear family”. Mark and I have a room, and Barbara has her own room, but she has to share the bathroom. The guys have made the garage into a very comfortable habitat for 4. The living room couch often hosts 2-3 friends on the weekends. Twice a week (Thursdays and Fridays) we receive homeless and youth, each night between 30-40 beautiful people come to share life. Our home hosts life. We are couched in between the local church building we serve with, and the bus station, and both receive very different crowds. One caters to the middle class, the other to the low income. One has a parking lot for the expensive cars that park once a week, the other welcomes the sojourners dependent on public transportation. One has the mission to offer donations from their excess, the other is dependent on the city’s low budget to function. And we chose this location on purpose: to bring the rude and the crude realities to encounter each other over a meal, sitting at the same table, dancing to the same music, wondering about the same questions, struggling with the same disconnection. This home invites you to open your wings.
As we’ve listened to our friends share their first impressions about entering our home, many details stand out in their memories: the surplus of sleeping bags, always anticipating the unknown visitor; the Kombi VW bus, to carry the most amount of people; the messy scribbled walls, used to visualize new ideas and dreams; the lack of TV, to emphasize human interaction and connection; the music, used to awaken, to inspire, to calm, to unite. All of these items (or lack there of) are symbolic of the identity we want to carry, they are ways we want to express our calling to live simple and communal life.
But there is one common aspect to every room of the house that I find the most symbolic of the life style we’ve chosen. Every cabinet, every closet has no doors. Our kitchen pantry is wide open, as well as our dishes and appliances clearly exposed. Our clothes hang with no protection (often slightly dirty from the breeze bringing in dust), and are surprisingly unissex. Our toiletries are on open shelves (Carioca had 3 tooth brushes chewed up by the dogs last month!) and available to whomever is using the bathroom. Our shoes hang on walls, and we use the first pair of flip flops we can reach. The front door is never locked.
We want to question what there really is to protect in this world. We want people to know that what is available in the house, is available to them. We want to expose our lack of organization in a way that helps people understand they don’t have to have it all together and spotless and sterile to come and contribute to this home. And yes, sometimes it’s frustrating, and it’s messy, and it’s crowded, and it’s cluttered (because after we receive all the donations to pass on), and the grass grows too tall (literally), and this is when we have to count on other’s abilities and availabilities to help us clean and eliminate and simplify and refresh.
This is our house. This is our home. This is my context, creating the synergy that inspires me and others.
Assinar:
Comentários (Atom)