A Potential Church Planter Makes ... The Decision

During the recent 2011 General Assembly, there was at least one potential new church planter following along with the convention via Twitter. His name is Jimi Jobin (@JimiJobin on Twitter), and he's talented young emergent church planter based in Las Vegas, Nevada. Here's his humorous (and hopeful) response to what he saw at GA:

The Decision

The glare from the stage lighting bounces off his bright pink shirt as he takes his seat. The cameras rolling, silence so thick that even the producers scurrying behind cameras have begun using hand gestures as they prepare to go live in only a few more seconds. For months it seems the entire world has been anxiously awaiting this one moment. The moment when the standard bearer of a new generation chooses which team he will play for. The moment of ... the decision. 

The interviewer checks his notes once more and then smiles at the camera as a voice counts down, “five ... four ... three ... two ...” The theme music roars like a wall of sound, robust and warlike, summoning the attention of the millions of viewers around the world. The interviewer's voice drips with suspense as he begins in trepidation, “Ladies and gentleman, this is it. Tonight we will finally know which denomination Jimi Jobin has chosen, which faith community will have the privilege, nay, the HONOR, of receiving within it's ranks one of the most talented, respected, and promising young Kingdom builders of his generation.”

The cameras slowly zoom in on Jimi's face, his formidable neck-beard and beaky nose giving him that “look at me I probably read books outdoors with flip flops on” kind of vibe. The interviewer turns and faces the all-star, pausing to draw out the moment. “Jimi. Are you prepared to make your decision? Which denomination will you choose to serve God through? Will it be the American Baptists, who you've said you respect for their moderate stances? Or the Southern Baptists, who are responsible for Jerry Falwell and his Liberty University, the school at which you were educated? Or will it be the lesser known up and coming Missionary Church, with their unique blend of Mennonite and evangelical theology? The world is waiting to know, what, Jimi Jobin, is your decision?” A bass erupts with a BUM BUM BUMMM clapping like thunder through the studio at the mention of the segment's title.

Jimi leans forward and clears his throat, he sets his eyes into the camera and speaks deliberately, “I have decided, that I will take my talents to the Christian Church, Disciples of Christ.” 

The interviewer throws his head back in obvious shock. “Wha—what? But you've never even been affiliated with them. Aren't you literally 95% done with the ordination process with Missionary Church, why not just finish your paperwork? Or at least join the Southern Baptists, for crying out loud your bachelors and masters degrees are from their flagship university, you could walk on as a starter! Why in the world are you choosing the antiquated, diminished Disciples of Christ? You've got it all! The neck-beard, that beaky nose! Any denomination would welcome you with open arms!”

Jimi leans back in his chair, crossing his legs and touching his finger tips together as he thoughtfully looks up. “Actually,” he begins, “that's not really how it is. Sure I have that reads books outside with flip flops on look, and that's attractive, but denominations are only interested in me until they find out what books I'm reading outside with my flip flops on. The Missionary Church seemed like a good fit, until I submitted my theological statement, and they were turned off by my reluctance to decide who was in and who was out of the Body of Christ. The Southern Baptists loved me until I told them that I'd rather give my vote to a politician who prioritizes the poor than one who starts another war. It seems every denomination isn't so much interested in who I am, as they are in me becoming who they are. But the Disciples of Christ aren't like that. They are interested in who God created me to be, and they value friendship and unity over exclusivity and policy. They seem less interested in being right, and more interested in being right beside you. It's beautiful man. With them I feel like I get to be part of this inviting, generous, compassionate, graceful movement that is obsessed with restoration and resurrection. You have no idea how rare such a thing is, until like me, you have toured the other denominations looking for a home.”

The interviewer leans in to respond, “But Jimi, the Disciples of Christ are a denomination full of old people. They use stodgy liturgy and wear those weird cloth things around their necks. You aren't like that. You are a postmodern, hip and with-it young guy. Your a pair of black thick-rimmed glasses away from being the next rock-star-mega-church-Rob-Bell heir apparent! You won't fit in with the Disciples!”

“Well that's not true at all,” Jimi snorts as he leans in toward his interviewer. “Sure they have a large number of mature leaders, but those leaders are not stodgy and prohibitive. The Disciples of Christ are a denomination which expressly forbids getting stuck in any particular point of view, it's built into their theology that by inviting more people to Christ's table of communion the Disciples will themselves be changed by the experience. They aren't the type to circle their wagons, they are the type to swing wide the gates and eagerly seek people different from themselves. Other denominations seek people too, but not so they can learn from them. They only want to assimilate you into their borg, increase their number without suffering new ideas. But not the Disciples of Christ. They may value a few traditional items like the robes, the hymns, or the pipe organs. But it doesn't bother me because I hope that when I'm 75 years old people don't show up at the church I founded and start ripping away my worship preferences like spoken word poetry, painting, or tweeting my cynical gripes during the group prayer. See, denominations are like bloodlines, and a shallow gene pool is bad for the next generation. That's why the Disciples recently built a bridge to a group of Christian misfits who's theological makeup may be a phenomenon never before seen. Emergents like me are marked with suspicion by everybody except the Disciples. They are the only ones who aren't afraid of us. That's why postmodern wunderkinds will start flocking to them. For that creative flexibility and earnest unity. Honestly it's what I've wanted my whole life.”

Visibly satisfied with Jimi's answer, the interviewer leans back and crosses his legs. His hand curtsies as he asks, “Well, now what happens, Jimi? Certainly Sharon Watkins is watching this broadcast, will you be calling her soon to take the next steps toward ordination as a minister with the Disciples?”

Jimi chuckles as he answers, “I'd settle for a call from Don or Susan Dewey. But to tell you the truth I'm not so much interested in church planting as I am ministry planting. The world has enough self-interested gatherings of self-interested people to promote mutual self-interest. We need more outward-looking gatherings of Jesus impersonators who are less interested in where they will meet or what equipment they have and more interested in being a movement for wholeness in a fragmented world.”

The interviewer furls his eyebrows. “Isn't that last part the exact motto of the Disciples? Aren't you just sucking up at this point? Seems sort of pathetic, don't you think?”

Jimi laughs nervously and rubs his palms on his legs as he answers, “What? Oh, I was just riffing there. Now that I think about it, I guess that is their motto. Heh, but hey that just shows you how in sync I am with their way of thinking, right? You don't think the Deweys will think I'm desperate, do you? I'm not, you know, I'm an all-star who's in high demand ...” Jimi's winsome smile slowly fades as his face relaxes and his eyes meekly look into the camera. “But seriously, I am desperate. Desperate to stop searching for my people, and desperate to have a people to bring others home to. Desperate to live out my faith with a community which values me for who I am, and wants to cultivate the potential they see in me. The real decision isn't who we choose in life, but who chooses us. That is the most powerful quality in the Disciples of Christ. They choose everybody. How can you say 'no' to that? If they will choose me, then I choose them back, and that's the only decision that matters.”

Jimi's trance-like stare with the camera is broken as he realizes his intensity is a bit much, even for primetime. He smiles and glances back at the camera, “Seriously, Deweys, call me.”