- qBefore you begin, bookmark this page. I can't tell you how many times folks tell me they can't find their way back here. -Doug
Welcome
I hope this online course helps you think about how you might rebuild healthy spiritual community in your context.
1. The four modules
Module 1: Our Story
- How and why we started this rethinking journey.
- Ugly stuff that happened to us (to prepare you).
- A dusty old academic model that helped us find our way.
- How rethinking our language, reworked our whole worldview.
Module 2: How a Different Story Shapes Different Institutions
- How the world our quantum physicists are describing is making it possible to imagine very different kinds of spiritual communities.
Module 3: Norms and Practices We’ve Learned Along the Way
- Start with a different story, we build different communities.
- This module is what we learned, doing that.
- Different ways to approach pain and power.
- Different ways to think about ownership of spiritual community.
- Empowering people to own their own spiritual communities.
Module 4: Working the Circle
- The organizing matrix we use to re-construct spiritual community.
How we’ve organized our community to help one another do the things—that if we will do—make it possible tomorrow—to do things, we cannot yet do.
2. "What Do You Think" in each lesson
1. There’s a “Before You Watch, Think About This” part
The lessons are ideas, sure they are. But for ideas to be relevant to us, it’s helpful to frame them in the context of our own experience. Give this question a minute or two before you start.
2. There’s a “Tell Us What You’re Thinking” at the end
This is where you tell a story from your own life that’s relevant to the story. The whole point of this course is for us to build community. This is a first step to getting to know one another.
3. Video chats
The online threaded discussion part (“Let’s chat” at the end of each lesson), is an invitation to an online space for discussions. The intent there, is to get to know one another well enough to connect personally (online). Video chats. Online groups. A place to learn together, support one another.
4. Self-Pacing
Go through the course at the pace you like. But two things…
- You know . . . deadlines, are motivators. I’ll trust you to keep yourself motivated and keep moving forward.
- Maybe a good way to do that, a) participate in the zoom chats, and b) finish the assigned lessons before the zoom happens.
I’m glad you’re here. I look forward to getting to know you personally.
Doug
Module 1: Our Story
Lesson 1. How Our Journey Began
Before You Watch, Think About This...
Think of a time you experienced a religious person…
Acting in a way that contradicted the values they profess
(bonus points if it’s a religious leader)
Why do you suppose that happens so often?
Video Lesson
Tell Us What You're Thinking
What’s the furthest down the rabbit hole you’ve gone?
What’s the most challenging core belief or value you’ve questioned?
(Use the “let’s chat” link below.)
Module 1: Our Story
Lesson 2. A Warning Before We Begin
Before You Watch, Think About This...
Think about a time (from history or personal experience)…
A new idea (or new way) was rejected by an institution or authority.
Why do you suppose that happened?
What was going on inside the rejecters?
How about the rejected?
Video Lesson
Tell Us What You're Thinking
If you were to go all in on this moment of Reformation…
What would you lose? (or, what did you lose?)
Was it was worth it?
(Use the “let’s chat” link below.)
Module 1: Our Story
Lesson 3. Why Is Christianity Irrelevant To You?
Before You Watch, Think About This...
Think about someone you know…
Who thinks Church, or Christianity is irrelevant.
Why do you suppose?
Video Lesson
Tell Us What You're Thinking
If you had been one of those college kids…
Would you have had an answer?
What would you have found irrelevant about Christianity?
(Use the “let’s chat” link below.)
Module 1: Our Story
Lesson 4. Some History (For Courage)
Before You Watch, Think About This...
Think about someone courageous in history who inspires you.
Have that person in mind?
What is it about that person you find courageous?
Video Lesson
Tell Us What You're Thinking
In your context…
What would “living boldly” look like?
What kinds of pressures push back on living that way?
(Use the “let’s chat” link below.)
Module 1: Our Story
Lesson 5. Change Our Words. Change Our Brains.
Before You Watch, Think About This...
Think of some words for “God” that do not imply a supreme being with human-like characteristics. If that was our primary way of thinking about God, what changes?
Video Lesson
Tell Us What You're Thinking
Talk about your own experience with words.
What are some religious words that have felt jangly to you?
Why do you suppose they felt that way?
(Use the “let’s chat” link below.)
Lesson 6. Building Uncertainty Churches
Before You Watch, Think About This...
What is an area you have less certainty than you once did?
Think of an external factor (culture, society, history) that influenced you.
Video Lesson
Tell Us What You're Thinking
Of the suggestions for “how to build a different kind of church…”
Which is hardest for you to imagine? Easiest? Most pressing?
(Use the “let’s chat” link below.)
Module 2: How a Different Story Shapes Different Institutions
Lesson 7. Building More Sinful Churches
Before You Watch, Think About This...
If you have experience in church, how was sin talked and thought about? How did that shape you?
Video Lesson
Tell Us What You're Thinking
If a modified approach to sin would change our institutions…
Which changes would you want to see implemented?
Imagining that could happen, what would be the resistance points?
(Use the “let’s chat” link below.)
Module 2: How a Different Story Shapes Different Institutions
Lesson 8. Building Oneness Churches
Before You Watch, Think About This...
Think about a time you were “them” — in a group of “us.”
Why did it happen? What did it feel like?
Video Lesson
Tell Us What You're Thinking
Self-Awareness. Conflict Resolution. Social Action.
Of the themes rooted in a oneness narrative…
Where will you experience resistance, if your community moves this way?
(Use the “let’s chat” link below.)
Module 2: How a Different Story Shapes Different Institutions
Lesson 9. Building Agnostic Churches
Before You Watch, Think About This...
What afterlife story did you grow up in? How did it make you feel?
Hopeful? Fearful? Confident? Insecure?
Video Lesson
Tell Us What You're Thinking
What do you think motivates so many to abandon the traditional Christian afterlife story? What is gained/lost when we do?
(Use the “let’s chat” link below.)
Module 2: How a Different Story Shapes Different Institutions
Lesson 10. Building Chaos Churches
Before You Watch, Think About This...
A religious experience you’ve had.
A spiritual experience you’ve had.
How did you distinguish between the two?
Video Lesson
Tell Us What You're Thinking
Fowler’s “Chaos” Stage (Individual-Reflective) . . . as you imagine (or remember) it, why is it often so painful?
(Use the “let’s chat” link below.)
Module 2: How a Different Story Shapes Different Institutions
Lesson 11. Building Mystical Churches
Before You Watch, Think About This...
Have you ever had an experience . . . feeling connected to something bigger than yourself?
Video Lesson
Tell Us What You're Thinking
Have you ever felt disconnected from firsthand spirituality? Why do you suppose you were?
Bonus question: What do you think impedes firsthand spiritual experience?
(Use the “let’s chat” link below.)
Resources
Rethinking Our Story: Chapter 14. A Beautiful Story Gone Bad
Rethinking Our Story: Chapter 15. Fuzzier Than We Thought
Rethinking Our Story: Chapter 16. Shall We Even Keep an Afterlife?
Rethinking Our Story: Chapter 17. Hammering Out a Better Story
Easter Lesson 2023:
Audio (start at beginning)
Video (start at 40:26)
Lesson 12. Normalizing Pain
Before You Watch, Think About This...
Think about a time you experienced moderate to severe pain. How did you react?
Video Lesson
Tell Us What You're Thinking
Remembering a time you experienced pain . . . what did you learn?
Did you learn it alone . . . or was your community a part?
(Use the “let’s chat” link below.)
Lesson 13. Normalizing Ownership
Before You Watch, Think About This...
Think about a time you were part of a communal decision making process. How did it go? What went well? What went badly?
Video Lesson
Tell Us What You're Thinking
Going back to the “Think About” question…
As you reflect on a communal decision-making experience…
Tell about a factor (or two) that influenced how it went (well or badly).
(Use the “let’s chat” link below.)
Resources
Lesson 14. Practicing Authority
Before You Watch, Think About This...
Have you ever (directly or in directly) had your voice shut down in a religous community? Got the message . . . “your input isn’t welcome here.”
Video Lesson
Tell Us What You're Thinking
In some context — maybe not church…
Tell about a time someone intentionally empowered you.
Did it work? Not work? Either way, tell about why.
(Use the “let’s chat” link below.)
Lesson 15. A Quick Caveat
Video Lesson
Lesson 16. Practicing Discernment
Before You Watch, Think About This...
Think about a time a decision worked out great, and the underlying reason it did.
Video Lesson
Tell Us What You're Thinking
Answer the “Think About” question . . . in reverse.
Tell about a time you made a decision you regret.
How might practicing discernment have changed things?
(Use the “let’s chat” link below.)
Resources
2014 Lesson:
Ok, Doug… How? How to make the hard choices?
Lesson 17. The Communal Practices
Before You Watch, Think About This...
Think about a time you felt you belonged to a group. Did you belong from a distance? In a social way? A personal way?
Video Lesson
Tell Us What You're Thinking
Have you been in a community where you could talk about your flaws and still belong after you did? If so, tell about it. If not, tell about why you couldn’t.
(Use the “let’s chat” link below.)
Lesson 18. The Contemplative Practices
Before You Watch, Think About This...
Think about a time you acted in a virtuous way, and it felt authentic, natural, to do so.
Video Lesson
Tell Us What You're Thinking
Tell about any experience you’ve had with meditation or contemplation. What have been your challenges?
(Use the “let’s chat” link below.)
Resources
A few contemplative practices to Google…
Mindfulness Meditation
Body Scan Meditation
Centering Prayer
The Welcome Prayer
Ignatian Examen of Consciousness
The Lovingkindness Meditation
Lesson 19. The Learning Practices
Before You Watch, Think About This...
Think about an area of life you have been resistant to change. How did it go?
Video Lesson
Tell Us What You're Thinking
Tell about a time you’ve been resistant to a specific change. How did it go? Did you end up changing? No? Why do you suppose?
(Use the “let’s chat” link below.)
Lesson 20. The Serving Practices
Before You Watch, Think About This...
Think about a time you acted to benefit someone else without expecting anything in return.
Video Lesson
Tell Us What You're Thinking
How has “serving something greater than yourself” impacted your personal growth?
(Use the “let’s chat” link below.)
Lesson 21. Working the Circle (Conclusion)
Video Lesson
What Are You Thinking?
What are you thinking?