Great Quotes from AASHE

Time to give this blog a little pick-me-up. Since I've started Facebook, I've neglected this place. I'd like to simply put down profound quotes I heard at the great AASHE conference this week (Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education). Then I'd like to unpack thoughts about each of these in the upcoming weeks. So here goes:

"Socialism may collapse because it does not tell people the economic truth. Capitalism may collapse because it does not tell people the ecological truth." VP of Exxon/Mobil-Norway as told to Lester Brown

"Regarding sustainability, this group is great. But we really need to create the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability to save Civilization. Because that is what we're facing." - Lester Brown

"In the USA we have an economy based upon consumption. Our grandparents would whoop our behinds if they saw our credit card statements." - Van Jones

"How can we define Green Economics? How about, 'Don't just waste everything.' I mean, seriously, 'Don't be a fool.'" - Van Jones

"The mark of a Golden Age in a civilization is when its children are its most important citizens." - Peter Senge

"Industry talks about the Triple Bottom Line of "People", "Planet", and "Profit". All of that sounds like "Peacemaking" to me..." - President of Goshen College

Learning, Retention, and Churches

This graphic comes as no surprise to me; a lot of schools really get this and are changing their curriculums to increase retention and traction. However, this time it hit me in a new way - because for a second, I put on my Church hat. This graphic spells trouble for the typical worship experience in the average evangelical church in North America, of which, according to George Barna, at least 75% are in decline.

Perhaps this learning pyramid relates to that sobering statistic.

I get to experience a lot of worship services in my role as a church architect. I visit many clients a year, and usually take part in worship services along the way. The most common worship experience is often 4-5 gathering songs, announcements, prayer, and a 30 minute sermon, prayer, then dismissal. There is sometimes another song or time for response at the end. In some cases, there is "special music" or a choir anthem. In a few cases, there are original or popular video clips, or a thematic image or over-arching metaphor for the worship experience. In some cases, the sermon is puctuated with images that illustrate the points being made. In very rare instances, there's a "talk-back" time of reflection and discussion, either in groups or in a "stump the pastor" style. In these latter cases, I find I remember far more for significantly longer. There are visual/metaphor-based/multi-sensory worship experiences over 8 years old that I can still remember. In even rarer cases, such as in my previous church, 4 times a year, we gathered on Sunday mornings to serve in the neighborhood instead of conduct a worship service. And apparently our pastor took some heat for that from our denomination's local governing body.

Lets go back to the learning chart. According to the National Training Laboratory, people retain only 5% of what they experience in a lecture setting. What is a sermon?

Add the reading of words on a screen - perhaps song lyrics and scripture. Maybe some sermon bullet points. That doubles retention, to 10%. Plus, the singing is at least participatory and aimed at God and gives us opportunity to reflect and listen.

Add images, pictures, video, props, illustrations, a theme, a metaphor. We're now at 20% retention. Not too great, but still 4 times the talking head.

Add interactive discussion and Q&A. We're now at 50% retained. Ten times the talking head.

Add service projects - either internal or external - hands-on, interactive ministry with concrete results. 75% - 90% retained.

I love worshipping and, yes, I do still enjoy a great sermon. But I've been trained my whole life to be able to sit and listen to a sermon, and I'm immersed in the proprietary language that is invariably used. I listen for God's voice in what I hear and sing and seek to be transformed. What is the experience of a sermon like for an unchurched person, particularly a younger person, when they are not even experiencing a lecture format that much in school anymore? Learning is more hands-on, inquiry-based and lab-format than ever.

How did we the church get to where half of our worship services are sitting and listening to a talking head? Is it because we are still so rooted in enlightenment principles and Reformation propositional truth? Jesus' Sermon on the Mount is the greatest sermon ever given, but 1) it wasn't part of a worship service and 2) it wasn't in the temple.

I am not a theologian - but tend to think very practically and am project and results-oriented. This whole topic has really got me thinking. What if we the church were to try to invert the learning retention pyramid as it applies to church life? What would happen if whole churches got together to serve each other and the community for 2-3 hours every week, and that was the main gathering and act of worship - not as an "advertisement" to get people to come to the real worship service. Our communities would notice, and would likely stand up and cheer. The media would be all over it. We would be transformed and perhaps absorb more of the experience than mere sitting and listening. People would be drawn to a group of people that is effectively making a difference and changing people's lives (look at what happens on Extreme Home Makeover or Oprah's Big Give). Is this not the lifestyle that Jesus expects of us in the parable of the sheep and the goats?

Of course, teaching and song have precedent in the Bible and are to be part of a church's diet. I guess I'm questioning: do we need that weekly, at the exclusion of a more robust church/life experience that has traction in our hearts, minds, and communities? Could we not get the Spirit-inspired, talking head teaching experience (5% retention) better through a directed, group setting (50% retention) elsewhere or at other times? Could we have a big interactive arts/teaching/music event monthly, and, if so, actually do it better and more meaningfully than as part of a diving catch every week?

Does Keeping the Sabbath or "not forsaking the Community of Saints" have anything to do with all of this?

Correct me if I'm wrong...

Getting published!

Above is a link to an article I've written for Church Solutions magazine. In magazine form, it'll have illustrations, including I think the "stained glass" windows at Monroe Community Church!

The Heroic Dr. Matthew Sleeth

Back to the Blog... it's been too long!

Several weeks ago I had the wonderful opportunity to spend several hours with Dr. Sleeth.

I attended his presentation at the Church Solutions Conference in Phoenix, AZ. He is disarmingly childlike (not childish) in his presentation style and demeanor, which is very engaging and story-driven. This humility and very charming presentation style is almost apologetic, until you realize he is hitting you right between the eyes, heart and soul. His self-described title of "Ecovangelist" is right on. He has extensive Bible knowledge, especially as it pertains to justice and ecological issues - despite discovering the Bible relatively recently as an adult. Actually, I have seen that before with passionate leaders who meet Jesus as adults - they get "sold out" in a different way and powerfully understand the patterns of truth in the Bible. He's also hilariously funny and comes off as if he doesn't realize why everyone is laughing.

The best part of his presentation is that it was very spiritual and very motivating without resorting to guilt. In a nutshell his premise was: as Children of God we are connected viscerally to God's creation - and environmental issues are spiritual issues that begin with each of us - and it is important to continue to examine our lives in this light. Example: he was asked, "Where is a great, easy place to start this type of lifestyle reflection and improve our impact on Creation?" He explained that until recently he would have said, "Switch out all of your incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs - you'll make the investment back in less than a year, and if everyone did so we could close 22 coal-burning electricity plants..." but he has a new, more holistic answer after a lot of spiritual reflection. Now, his advice is: "Keep the Sabbath." God's plan for our lives has been to give ourselves, our man and maid servants (who are they in today's world? The short-order cook, the waitress at Denny's? hmm...) and the earth a break once a week. And to get out in it - reveling in the presence of God. We were created in a garden, the Bible begins and ends with trees, and Christ died on a tree. We are "without excuse" in recognizing God in his Creation. He told many stories and gave many examples from his own life about choices and sacrificing for the good of others. It was profoundly true, profoundly spiritual, and profoundly motivating. I'm not sure why it should be so difficult, but I would be happy if I can implement just 1/4 of what he discussed in that presentation. That is something to keep wrestling with.

As my friends and I chatted excitedly with him after his talk, he suggested we have dinner together. There, he revealed that his self-imposed rule is that he orders the same meal as the person who sits across from him, which was funny, becaus it made my buddy Jim squirm about his order for the two of them. Almost 3 hours later, we all had a profound respect for the awesome tasks God had laid before us - he as a proponent for environmental awareness as it relates to faith, and we as architects and designers of church buildings that will ultimately require huge amounts of raw materials, resources, embedded energy, and utilities over their useful lives. It was one of the more spirited conversations I've had in a very long time, and it is still resonating. How can we help the church be leaders in this movement?

A very cool aspect of his work is that people are coming to faith at secular institutions because of his presentations. People who had never seen Christianity as a lifestyle of humility and responsibility and servanthood (only fear and judgement) are responding to this "new" depiction of the gospel of Jesus. Also interestingly, Matthew felt he got a better ovation at GreenBuild (a secular eco-conference) than he does at most church-based conferences. When are we as the church going to get over ourselves? If we don't praise God, the "rocks" cry out.

Every now and then, I've encountered someone and realize, "I want to be more like them - because as a result I know I'll be more like myself - what God created me to be and to do." It's that resonance that responds to inward yearnings that just need mentoring or a case study or a catalyst of insight. Matthew - thanks for being one of those people, and I pray that I can be a small blessing to you as well!

A few weeks ago, I recommended Dr. Sleeth to Calvin College as a speaker and he is coming! He'll be there on May 1 and 2, lecturing as part of a day of presentations on environmental student projects, and Progressive AE will introduce him as part of sponsoring his visit. I think he'll be leading a chapel service as well.

Environmentalist and Christian

As a budding environmentalist and a follower of Jesus, I am asked every now and then what links might exist between spirituality and the environment. This doesn't happen very often close to where I live, since I am surrounded by many people with a Reformed (Calvinist) worldview, who even have a modern creed entitled, "Our World Belongs to God".

Other times, I'll read something written by a Christian that sees no connection between Environmentalism and Faith. Or, I read about Christian leaders trying to fire Richard Cizek, leader of the National Association of Evangelicals, because of his views on the environment. This is incomprehensible to me - he's one of the best things we have going. Thankfully, some of those critics have been shouted down by some of the more mainstream Christian leaders.

Upon encountering this mindset, I usually think and feel, "I am an environmentalist, not in spite of, but precisely because I am a follower of Jesus." It is clear to me from scripture that the world belongs to God. The apostle Paul tells us that creation points us to God and reveals his character - in fact, so much so that we are "without excuse" in recognizing God in nature. And you tell me we don't need to take care of this creation that reveals the nature of God to people who are far from him? We can trash it? We can wipe out species every day that point to and reveal the miraculous creativity of the Creator? Discipleship is not just about piety, worship is not just what we do on Sunday, and in a similar way, stewardship is not only about our wallets. We follow and worship and testify to God with our attitudes, our actions, our wallets, the way we drive, the way we compete, the way we do business, the way we pray, the way we play, and the way we consume (or not consume) resources.

Recenly, I read a challenge from a pastor that "there is no theology of ecology" and that the church ought to be primarily about the job of saving souls. If that is true and the Christian life is that easy, should the church of Jesus also not take stances on the use of money, ending poverty, abortion, immigration, AIDS, slavery, or war? Clearly Jesus was not merely about "saving souls" - he talked far more about how we use money that salvation itself. We have a skeptical mission field - we earn the right to talk about salvation with people when we live caring, responsible lives of integrity in community - which is a feature of the early Christian Church that "added to their number daily" (Acts 2).

My simplest argument is that Jesus' purest summary of the law, "Love God, Love your Neighbor" is in itself a succinct theology of ecology. If we love God we should love what He loves, and it's clear He thinks His creation is very good. Our North American consumption and disregard/ignorance for the way our habits affect the "least of these" is extremely sad. In 5 southeastern states, the majority of hazardous waste sites are in African-american communities, even though these communities only represent 22% of the population. 3rd world countries suffer even more. Who is my neighbor? Jesus made it clear that everyone is my neighbor.

I was thrilled when I read, "Serve God, Save the Planet" by J. Matthew Sleeth MD who sums up his approach to environmentalism in much the same way. (Link on right)

Incidentally, I'll be presenting on "Adaptive Reuse for Churches" at the Church Solutions Conference and Expo in Phoenix, AZ in February where I'll advocate that churches consider buying empty buildings and renovating them for use as ministry centers, rather than building new from scratch. In a future post, I will list the benefits of doing so - not the least of which is environmental. What is the most environmental building product out there? Bamboo? Cork? Wheat Board? Solar Panels? Photovoltaics? Wind Turbines? Actually, the most environmental product is the one you never use.

Green Art

Here's the clandestine work of a group of environmental artists in the UK. I especially like "Moss Graffitti" and "Secret Worlds". Create a "moss paste" and paint a message or artwork onto a wall or a building - eventually your message will appear and last until the moss colony expands and/or takes over.

OR - Create delicate little interventions in public places for others to discover. Here's a little farm crafted into the side of an old brick wall along a public sidewalk. Imagine being the first to discover such a little landscape in a forgotten crack of a building? If I had created it, it would be hard not to stand watch seeing the reactions of people who discover it. Thanks to Megan for this site! This work reminds me of an urban (albeit more kitschy) version of Andy Goldsworthy - who must endure that most of his natural sculpture of twigs and leaves and rocks and water disappears into the wilds of nature once photographed.

Or: Check these folks out -

This club goes around and fixes up forgotten landscape areas - with or without permission - in order to beautify a neglected planting bed, discourage littering, and encourage care and community ownership. There are cases of some of their "secret" interventions being noticed by local residents who take over the care and maintenence of the tulips or sunflowers they start, including these kids who caught the guerilla gardeners planting sunflowers, but then decided to get in on the act right alongside. Cool!

The World Without Us

I love the concept of this book, "The World Without Us". What would happen to the world if all of humanity left the planet? What would happen immediately? What would revert after a thousand years? According to author Alan Weisman, New York City's subways would flood within 2 days, its streets would collapse within 2 years, and Manhattan island would revert to a forest within 500 years. Apparently, he's got the science to back it up. I haven't read this yet, but am currently waiting my turn, and I truly enjoyed the website. Check it out!

How unlike this scientific perspective is from Spielberg's vision of a flooded Manhattan in "A.I.", which includes 15 to 20 stories of buildings, including the World Trade Center, sticking up out of the ocean, some few hundred years from now. How sad and ironic that it didn't take any such thing as global warming to do in those particular buildings. (BTW - Wouldn't tidal forces make quick work of any of these buildings? Think of all of the weight of the water. I'd give 'em mere weeks to remain upright, not centuries. And: were the creatures that re-encounter the perfectly preserved Haley Joel Osment cyborg boy a super-evolved humanity, our own super-evolved self-replicated robots, or extra-planetary visitors? - but I digress...) Things fall apart; atrophy reigns. But in the case of the environment, does healing takes place? I feel a Kansas song coming on. Or perhaps another annual run through Ecclesiastes.

On a related note: my friend Craig just sent me this link where we can witness the sort of atrophy that Weisman surmises would happen if buildings were simply left completely alone. The current article of WebUrbanist takes us to 7 abandoned sites and sees the way nature has already taken over, in some cases a mere 20 years since humanity left the site. This REALLY makes me want to go exploring.

Some of you who know me well - know that I am a huge fan of the subgenre of science fiction labeled as "Dying Earth" - especially Gene Wolfe's "Book of the New Sun" and Jack Vance's "Tales from Dying Earth". In both of these series, history hardly exists anymore because it has become ubiquitous. On a world so old that wherever you dig, every shovelful of earth turns up some unknown relic of the past, how do you track or explore or classify history? A relic becomes not a rare find; the ground itself is the Relic. The whole world becomes the museum - a museum can't contain it all.

I already am experiencing a strange quirk of this "overflowing container" effect in my own life. I'm guessing that we've already taken so much video of our kids (only 2 and 4 years old) that with all of the other things I will have to do for the rest of my life, I already question whether or not I will live long enough to ever watch it all.