Posted by Chris on Sep 17, 2010 in
Life 
I write this post from Flipnotics, which I think of more as my living room than a coffee house. The rustic patio bar nestled in the hills of 78704 is a refuge for those trying to hold on to the hippie lifestyle, an office for freelancers and the hope of the open mic scene.
Recently, I ran into an old coffee friend here who asked me, “so, are you still religious?”
The other night I met a pastor’s prodigal son who has left behind his religion, but has embraced the teachings of Ken Wilber. As we discussed the differences between the concepts of integral spirituality and the claims of Jesus Christ, another friend chimed in “I respect religion, you know, culturally.”
It’s hard to respond to these statements. The more learn about Jesus, the more dangerous I see religion. I don’t claim that I’m some “spiritual but not religious” type, who strike me as wanting to feel something without having to live in community, tradition or authority. The “not religion but relationship” line sets up for an individualism at the expense of the surrounding world.
These questions took Jesus three years to answer, and when he did, it got him killed. You can know God, traditions are helpful, personal practices are transformative, and community is necessary. But that can be very different than religion: culturally bound, guilt inducing, creativity damping, and, most dangerously, a tool of the state.
Jesus spoke of a kingdom, demonstrated a deep love for others and cared for the poor. He had a deep respect for the stories of the Hebrew tradition, but not the religion of his day. His followers responded with a new way of living: a humble, communal lifestyle where you give everything away.
Joining the Kingdom, rejecting the trappings of your world, yet loving it deeply is fundamentally different than being religious. It’s also requires years of demonstration, something you can’t share over a beer.
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Tags: Austin, flipnotics, Jesus, mission, Missional, religion, spirituality
Posted by Chris on Jun 18, 2010 in
Culture,
God 
I’m not really a sports guy. I’ll attempt to play almost anything, and enjoy an occasional day at the ballpark. But I can think of a million things I’d rather do than spend two hours watching a game.
Not surprisingly, I’m even less interested than the average American in the world’s most popular tournament.
The other day at work, I witnessed two friends watching a game. One was clueless, and asked a series of questions about how the tournament worked and the rules of the game. Now, he has something new that he enjoys, and the bond between them has grown.
My attitude is a far cry from that of Jesus, who was born poor and spent thirty years as an average Jew and manual laborer. This earned him the credibility for three years of meaningful ministry.
I might not get the World Cup, but I do claim to care about my co-workers and neighbors. Doing so means learning to express interest in what they love and care about join them in that, and celebrate with them.
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Tags: futball, Incarnational, mission, Missional, soccer, world cup
Posted by Chris on May 12, 2009 in
Church,
God,
Life Bellow is the official fundraising letter for my summer mission trip. Please keep me in your prayers!
______________________________________________________
Dear Friends and Family,
I hope this letter finds you well. As you know, I have spent the last few months asking God, “what’s next?” After months of prayers, God has begun to open doors for me to return to Austin, Texas this fall, where I hope to partner with a local church in reaching out to college students and young adults. God has also answered the question of what do I do in the mean time?
This spring I was approached by a local mission organization, Global Journey, about joining them in a unique summer mission trip. Global Journey sends young adults to countries all around the world, to help missionaries on the ground and to help the participants determine ways that God might use them all across the world. This year’s trip will make stops in India, Uganda, France and Nicaragua. My role on this trip would be to participate in serving the missionaries, and provide spiritual and cultural guidance to the participants.
I would like you to consider how you might be able to assist me in covering the cost of this trip. My goal is to raise $8000, which covers the cost of travel, lodging and food. By supporting me in this special opportunity, you’ll be comforting Indian orphans like those seen Slumdog Millionaire and sharing the gospel with the growing Muslim population of Europe.
I realize that many of us are suffering due to the financial struggles that have hit our country. If you are like me, it is sometimes hard to remember that God is the one who provides for us, recession or not! Remember that God loves a cheerful giver, and prayerfully consider if God wants you to help provide for this mission opportunity. Global Journey is a part of Hope for Life Ministries, a non-profit organization. You can give on-line at www.globaljourney.org or by mail at Hope for Life Ministry, 408 S. Seguin Ave., New Braunfels, TX 78130. Whether you can give fifty cents, or fifty dollars, anything will be appreciated.
Whether or not you can support me financially, I hope you will commit to pray for me and to follow this journey. You can contact me anytime at 512-461-9207 or at chrismorton82@gmail.com. I’ll be talking about this journey, as well as the rest of my adventures at my website www.chrismorton.info, or you can follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/chrismorton82.
I cherish the friendship God has given us, and I hope to hear from you soon.
Sincerely,
Chris Morton
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Tags: global journey, mission, mission trip
I write this post from Flipnotics, which I think of more as my living room than a coffee house. The rustic patio bar nestled in the hills of 78704 is a refuge for those trying to hold on to the hippie lifestyle, an office for freelancers and the hope of the open mic scene.
