monkinabus: blog of derek dominguez

New Monasticism: Shane Claiborne Interviewed on "Speaking of Faith" From American Public Media

I've passed out multiple copies of Shane Claiborne's book titled The Irresistible Revolution: Living as an Ordinary Radical. It is a challenging book based upon the questions he is asking and the personal testimony he delivers through it. Shane along with the Simple Way, an intentional community, are tangible examples of the New Monasticism slowly taking root as an alternative and authentic expression of following Christ in this time in history. The radio program "Speaking of Faith" on May 17th, focused their attention on Shane's story and the movement. If you haven't had the chance to read the book yet, this is a great way to get a taste of what is happening as the Spirit is moving in his people in fresh and vibrant ways. Click here for the MP3, podcast, or streaming audio. 

"Sent Ones": The Tutoring Ministry at the Rowland Rebele Family Shelter

Fall quarter is over and students have left for Winter Break. This week I've spent some time reflecting and evaluating the quarter, asking God to give me clarity as to how he moved in me personally but also in the ministry as a whole and in the lives of students.

Missional Order 1.1

    One of the most exciting things about working with young adults is to see them begin to catch a vision of what it looks like to follow Jesus in this North American, Post-Christian, and Post-modern culture. This year I'm blessed to work with four students from UCSC God provided, to begin to lay down a long term foundation for student leadership here at HSCC. As we've ventured forward in this process, he is bringing us to a place to see what we're doing and who we're becoming as possibly what some call a "missional order." We are seeking to hear his voice and discern his leading. 

    As part of the process we've began to discuss the first chapter of Ashley Barker's Collective Witness: A theology and praxis for a missionary order. It is beautiful and powerful little book describing  UNOH's way of living and a bit of their story. We're in the place of seeking God and asking how he desires us to respond in the particular culture he has placed us in. Some of my entries over the next few weeks will be about the questions ruminating in me as we've discussed some of the material from chapter one.

    As the culture has changed, especially here on the West Coast, from a culture shaped by "modernity" to one shaped by "postmodernism," there is the need for the church to give birth to new models of praxis and ecclesiology to maintain its witness. Missional orders in this sense "are about being new wineskin for a new era" (5.) Ashely states the church in Australia has a number of major challenges it must respond to during this time of discontinuous change facing the church. Those he listed I think also resonate with the situation of the church in many areas of North America and especially the West Coast.

    The church finds itself in a place where church attendance is dropping and has been for some time. Barna states and has been making this point clear as well as its implications. Most recently he documented this fact and its ramifications in his book Revolution. Secondly, Collective Witness states the "Christian presence is smallest among the lower economic population, the multi-cultural communities" (7.) This along with the fact that small churches which are neighborhood based are shrinking and dying when the only ones growing are the mega churches in suburban middle/upper class white neighborhoods. These larger churches often then provide "programs" for mission.

    It is within this situation the church finds itself in along with other challenges it faces. It is within this "place" that missional orders can play a key role in responding to the root causes of the current condition of the church. These orders can play a key role within the contemporary church structure to maintain a prophetic witness and "alternative dream." Ashely quotes Kevin Barr's words when he describes a missional order as,

"a small prophetic group in the Church and in the world which keeps alive Jesus'   dream of the kingdom and thus challenges the dominant culture around them with an alternate dream" (8.)

It is these type of communities emerging in this present situation, grounded Biblically and theologically, highly committed, and radical ("going to the roots"), giving birth to a renewed witness. In the rest of chapter one the book addresses the underlying causes of the crises the church finds itself in and how the church is called to respond. We are just beginning to converse and ask God what he is desiring of us, but it is an exciting and challenging time to be following Christ and asking these questions. Over the last three to four years God has been stirring in my heart a desire to participate in the process of giving birth to one of these movements.

Missional Order

    Over the last four or five years since I attended seminary. I've paid close attention to the emerging church and in particular what is being labeled "new monasticism." While I was in seminary my last year

Praying the Divine Office/Hours

One of the things I've found to aid my spiritual growth and awareness of Christ is to pray the divine hours as others have in the monastic tradition for hundreds of years. Over the last month, slowly I've been able to reorient my schedule to add more of the hours to my daily schedule to pray. It's been a blessing to observe compline before I sleep for the night and to observe the divine liturgy of Terce, Sext, and None throughout the day. I've found a great resource to aid me in my pursuit. It's titled "Benedictine Daily Prayer: A Short Breviary." For my needs it is more than thorough. It took me a bit to even dig through it and learn what to read when, but I'm slowly catching on and as I do my soul is more at peace and I pray my life is being transformed more and more into the image of Christ, for his glory, my blessing, and to see his kingdom come. Below is the hymn from Lauds this morning.

New Monasticism: Proximity Does Matter

One of the 12 marks of “New Monasticism” movement is living in close proximity to one another. As we’ve tried personally to begin to live out a rhythm of life before Christ with one another, I’ve found it difficult living on the other side of town from the brothers I’ve committed to pray with throughout the week. The ease and convenience of living next door to one another would make a significant difference.