To answer that question, I think an analogy is helpful. Of course, every analogy breaks down at some point, but still, I think there may be some value in this one.

I guess I see the church as being kind of like a computer—that is, a unit capable of doing amazing things. How does it work? By utilizing a processor and an operating system. Both are essential, but one is hardware and one is software.

In the religious context, it’s tough to say sometimes where the processor stops and the operating system begins. To me, the processor of the Christian church is simply the story of Christ. It’s our reason d’etre and the very thing that drives us. Everything else is part of the operating system. Our worship patterns, our teaching style, our discipleship methods—the works. These are the elements that are subject to frequent updates.

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But there are many in the Christian community who would disagree with me. Their processor—their chip, as it were--would seem to be soldered to a particular church model. “But our approach is biblical!” they insist.

To be honest, I’m not all that interested in debating the chip as I’ve defined it. But I am willing—anxious, even--to take a hard look at what I perceive to be our operating system. And that’s really what TheOoze is about.

We’re a community where people who use different operating systems—be it Baptist, Pentecostal, Orthodox, Catholic, Adventist etc.--learn from each other. Just as someone in the computer world might recognize the merits of the Mac interface but work on a PC, I think it’s possible to see value in more than one operating system. That is, to be a Calvinist without necessarily spelling anything. Or to cherish the quiet reverence of the liturgy while appreciating spontaneous, guitar-driven worship. Increasingly, I see church structure, theology and doctrinal positioning as part of the church’s operating system. The only thing that is hard-wired is Christ.

To take the analogy a little further, I see TheOoze becoming a place where everyone puts on a red hat from time to time. As a community, we largely reject the shrink-wrapped, popular software that comes with our machines, but rather, gather together to find and create software more in keeping with who we are. We’re willing to play with Linux in a Mac and Windows world.

I guess I see
HREF="http://www.theooze.com/soularize">Soularize as a celebration of open-source code. It’s where people from all kinds of computing (read: Christian) backgrounds come to spend time with each other. They listen, share, collaborate, hang and worship. If you’re interested in securing a monopoly, or taking over the world, it’s probably not the place for you. But if you’re willing to join in the conversation, try out some shareware and see what’s happening, I’d love to have you join us.
Still, Soularize is not for the faint of heart. It’s a place where you may encounter bugs and viruses. As we beta-test new ideas, your whole system may crash. You may need to reboot your computer or reformat your hard drive. You may uncover glitches in your system or find strange gaps in your code. At the same time, however, you may find the perfect patch for your system, an intriguing update or an exciting new software title. Or maybe you’ll just enjoy hanging out with some other programmers who are trying to do ministry in a new matrix. Whatever the result, we hope this gathering will be the first of many.

What do you think? Where does the church’s operating system begin? What does it mean to unpackage the church? Other thoughts? I would love to hear your feedback on our
message board.

Fellow hacker,


Spencer

Other "heresy" I think I believe...

href="http://www.theooze.com/updates/index.cfm?ID=377&CATID=6">Does Sin Disgust God?


Jabez and Jezebel


Unpackaging the Church


A Trinity of Transition

P.S. I got a wonderful birthday present Saturday when I got to hold Gracie for the very first time and sing to her. At this point, she’s still on a respirator and remains vulnerable to infection. Just getting her into my arms was a 15 minute process and one not without its risks. Nevertheless, it was interesting to see the way her oxygen intake and heart rate increased with touch. Thanks again for remembering us in prayer. It means a lot.

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Book of the Week

Simplicity: The Art of Living (1992)


by Richard Rohr; translated by Peter Heinegg


I've always been intrigued by the notion of simplicity. Father Richard Rohrer--America's foremost Franciscan--is a best-selling author and one of our speakers at Soularize. Even if you're not joining us in Seattle, I think you'll find this one a worthwhile read.

Video of the Week

What Dreams May Come (1998)


starring Robin Williams, Cuba Gooding Jr., Annabella Sciorra


Here's a great example of a "spiritual" film--the kind of stuff you can expect to see at the HREF="http://www.damah.com">Damah Film Festival. Just what might the afterlife look like? The film's producer, HREF="http://amazon.imdb.com/Name?Deutsch,+Stephen+(II)">Stephen Simon is helping with Damah and has become a good friend of mine over these last few months. He would never call himself a Christian, but he's certainly a deeply spiritual man. Remember that Damah begins at the end of Soularize.

CD of the Week

HREF="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00005NI5Y/theooze">Love and Theft (2001)


Bob Dylan


Here is what I hope will be the latest installment in Bob Dylan's spiritual journey. As you probably know, Dylan attracted a lot of attention when he released HREF="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0000025GW/theooze">Slow Train Coming back in 1979. "He's become a Christian," everyone said. But as time went on, there was some doubt about just where he stood. I'm looking forward to hearing an update. The album is set to be released September 11.

LINKS

HREF="http://www.emergentvillage.com/index.html">Emergent Village


A brand new spot on the Web backed by some well-known friends of mine. The site’s purpose? To foster, “a growing generative friendship among missional Christian leaders.” Check back often to see how the site is progressing.

HREF="http://www.reata.org/flash.html">Interview with God


When Reata Strickland, a graphic artist from Tuscaloosa, Alabama, created this flash animation, she had no idea how popular it would become. Drawing 500,000 visitors in its first six days, the site soon had to be moved to another server. Today, more than 10 million people have seen this simple presentation. It’s a testament to the power of story.

HREF="https://createpdf.adobe.com/index.pl/4206793725.41439?BP=IE">Create Adobe PDF Online


If you’ve ever tried to share resources with others, you know that file formats can be problematic. One solution is to use something like Adobe’s PDF. At the moment, you can do a few uploads on their site for free--you know, try before you buy. I used mine for Soularize.