4 Key Questions

"Missoula - you either get it or you don't." That's what our realtor told us when we first met her, and I think she was on to something.

Missoula is a very special place - we get that much already. But we also have an awful lot to learn about the specifics, what's happening, when, where, etc. As we settle into this community, our greatest desire is to understand Missoula on it's own terms - what makes it special, and where does it still need work. That means we need to ask a lot of questions and try hard to listen well. And that's where we need your help.

Over the coming months, it's our goal to meet with as many people as possible - people outside the church, people who are invested in the community, those who really "get Missoula." And what we'd like from you is not your money, not your commitment, nothing like that. Nope! All we want to know is how you'd answer 4 Key Questions...

1. What is it that you LOVE about Missoula? - What makes Missoula such a beautiful place? What makes it special? What makes you want to live here? What sets it apart from all the other cities out there? (basically, tell us what you think makes Missoula the greatest place in the last best place) :-)
   
   
2. What is it that you DISLIKE about Missoula? - What are the downsides to Missoula? Where does it come up short? Need improvement? (basically, we want to understand the dark side of Missoula, if there is one - what are the needs? the parts that aren't so good? Every city has stuff that is broken, and we believe we should care about those things to too...)
   
   
3. What are the hopes and dreams of Missoula? What are its fears and concerns? - I realize this one's a little harder, and if you don't feel like you can speak for the community as a whole, just give us your perspective. What we're really looking for here is trajectory - where is Missoula going? what does Missoula hope to become? and what potential pitfalls could waylay it on that journey?
   
   
4. What kind of church does Missoula need? - Finally, from your perspective, what would it look like for a church to really love the city, to love its people well? What kind of church could best serve Missoula for the next 20 years? This is where you get to really tell us what you think about the church. And you can even rant if you'd like - we want to hear it all!
   

That's really the gist of what we're after. And we'd be more than happy to buy you a coffee or beer in exchange for your input. We're not going to proselytize or try to change you or anything like that.

Nope, we just want to listen. We'd like to hear from you simply because we really DO value your opinion, as people who know Missoula a whole lot better than we do. So please, do us a favor and help us see life from your perspective!

Hope to see you soon!

A Picture of Grace

So in case you haven't heard, a local church here in Missoula made headlines last week when they responded to three kids (ages 18 and 19) caught vandalizing the church property by "giving them Xboxes instead of exile."

Reaction has been rather mixed overall - some positive, but much negative (or at least 'puzzled'). If my kids' experience is any indication, the buzz on the playgrounds at school is largely to the effect of "Hey! Now I know how to get ahold of one of those cool new Xboxes that I've been wanting for Christmas!"

Hmm... So what do we make of this?

Looking at things as charitably as possible, I think we can at least appreciate SHEC's desire to respond differently rather than in typical knee-jerk, throw-the-book-at-'em fashion. Of course, those who are a bit cynical might call this a publicity stunt, but I doubt it - I'm willing to assume that their intentions were noble, that they really desired to respond in a biblical, gracious manner, in a way that actually helps the kids that did this.

Of course, that raises some key questions.

Is this really a helpful response? (I'm not convinced that what these kids need is an Xbox).

And is it really loving? (It's easy to pass the plate and toss in a couple hundred bucks to make us all feel like we've done something significant - like putting off our Christmas shopping till the last minute, and then simply dropping a big wad of money on a gift to cover up for the fact that we really didn't put a lot of thought, or love, into the whole endeavor).

I have a feeling that the really loving response would be a whole lot cheaper (in terms of dollars), but a whole lot more costly (in terms of time and personal sacrifice) - what would it look like to actually invest in these kids lives, on a personal, individual basis? What would it look like to show up at their trial? To follow up in person? To talk to their parents? To take time and get to know them as people? To understand why they would do something like this? To learn what makes them tick? Of course a response like this probably isn't going to generate headlines...

[As an aside, the author of 4&20 Blackbirds astutely observes a difference in how SHEC responded to these guys, vs. prostitute J.C. Nouveaux. What would it look like to respond the same way to both, by reaching out personally to both? I for one would love to sit down and just talk with someone like J.C, or these guys, in both cases to get to know them as they are, where they are...]

All of this leads to perhaps the biggest question of all - is SHEC's response really a picture of 'grace' at all? I'm not sure that it is.

For starters, 'grace' is not simply "a second chance" (because after all, if we're all really damn messes deep down, chances are we're going to blow our second - and third, and fourth - chances as well).

'Grace' is also not simply "unconditional love" or "blithe acceptance"(because after all, God's love is not simply unconditional either) - no, real grace cares so much about people that it is not content to simply leave them where they are, wallowing in the consequences of their bad decisions. Real grace cares. Real grace rescues. (And let's be honest - how many of us really give a rats ass about these kids, anyway? How many of us actually care whether or not they make bad decisions and screw up their lives? I suspect it's very few of us do...)

No, grace actually brings something to the table - something necessary, valuable, essential, lifegiving. I'm not sure an Xbox qualifies in that regard (maybe I'm just old fashioned, but I have a feeling most 18 year olds would benefit more from hard work and a father worth respecting than from more time in front of a TV screen).

Real grace is also costly. Not in terms of dollars and cents, but personally. Real grace is a wife refusing to leave her lusting husband (even though he probably deserves it), not because he's great, and not because she's great either, but simply because of who he is - her husband, the man she made a commitment to when they were married.

You see, whatever grace is, it's a long term proposition - it doesn't just offer the possibility of favor, on the condition of change; instead it starts with favor, and that actually brings about the change. Real grace actually accomplishes something, like a chinook in February. It melts hearts. It breaks logjams. It brings change. And it's often very, very messy.

It's almost certainly not very worthy of much public attention, at least not until years later when hindsight reveals just how much change grace has wrought.

So where does all this leave us? I'm not sure that SHEC did the wrong thing by responding the way they did, but I'm not at all convinced they did the right thing either. Not simply because I don't think that what they did is going to accomplish anything, but rather because I don't think it's a picture of what grace really is.

So what would I do instead? I'm not sure. But I'm pretty sure it wouldn't involve an Xbox.

What If...

What if there was a church for people who have given up on church? A place that...

• ...welcomed you as you are, regardless of your spiritual convictions?
  
• ...encouraged you in your spiritual journey, wherever you are in that process?
  
• ...allowed you to be completely honest about your struggles, doubts, and flaws?
• ...wasn't afraid of the hard questions, and didn't shun those who disagree?
  
• ...didn't claim to have all the answers, and admitted when they were wrong?
  
• ...believed it's possible to know God without turning off your brain?
  
• ...worshiped God from the heart, with creativity, mystery, and artistry?
  
• ...tried hard to honor Jesus by taking all of his teachings seriously?
  
• ...met real needs in the city, without asking for anything in return?
  
• ...cared about things that matter, like peace, justice, and true friendship?
  
• ...embraced all types of people, no matter what?

What if there was a church like this? Would you check it out?

All Souls Missoula is a grassroots effort to be this kind of church, by being these kind of people. It's a safe place for friends, families, and people in process to explore faith and experience real community. It's a place you can feel good about bringing your friends to, not because we're perfect, but because we're in this together, and we're excited at where it's going. What if you could help us get there?

What If...

What if there was a church for people who have given up on church? A place that...

• ...welcomed you as you are, regardless of your spiritual convictions?
  
• ...encouraged you in your spiritual journey, wherever you are in that process?
  
• ...allowed you to be completely honest about your struggles, doubts, and flaws?
• ...wasn't afraid of the hard questions, and didn't shun those who disagree?
  
• ...didn't claim to have all the answers, and admitted when they were wrong?
  
• ...believed it's possible to know God without turning off your brain?
  
• ...worshiped God from the heart, with creativity, mystery, and artistry?
  
• ...tried hard to honor Jesus by taking all of his teachings seriously?
  
• ...met real needs in the city, without asking for anything in return?
  
• ...cared about things that matter, like peace, justice, and true friendship?
  
• ...embraced all types of people, no matter what?

What if there was a church like this? Would you check it out?

All Souls Missoula is a grassroots effort to be this kind of church, by being these kind of people. It's a safe place for friends, families, and people in process to explore faith and experience real community. It's a place you can feel good about bringing your friends to, not because we're perfect, but because we're in this together, and we're excited at where it's going. What if you could help us get there?

What If...

What if there was a church for people who have given up on church? A place that...

• ...welcomed you as you are, regardless of your spiritual convictions?
  
• ...encouraged you in your spiritual journey, wherever you are in that process?
  
• ...allowed you to be completely honest about your struggles, doubts, and flaws?
• ...wasn't afraid of the hard questions, and didn't shun those who disagree?
  
• ...didn't claim to have all the answers, and admitted when they were wrong?
  
• ...believed it's possible to know God without turning off your brain?
  
• ...worshiped God from the heart, with creativity, mystery, and artistry?
  
• ...tried hard to honor Jesus by taking all of his teachings seriously?
  
• ...met real needs in the city, without asking for anything in return?
  
• ...cared about things that matter, like peace, justice, and true friendship?
  
• ...embraced all types of people, no matter what?

What if there was a church like this? Would you check it out?

All Souls Missoula is a grassroots effort to be this kind of church, by being these kind of people. It's a safe place for friends, families, and people in process to explore faith and experience real community. It's a place you can feel good about bringing your friends to, not because we're perfect, but because we're in this together, and we're excited at where it's going. What if you could help us get there?

What If...

What if there was a church for people who have given up on church? A place that...

• ...welcomed you as you are, regardless of your spiritual convictions?
  
• ...encouraged you in your spiritual journey, wherever you are in that process?
  
• ...allowed you to be completely honest about your struggles, doubts, and flaws?
• ...wasn't afraid of the hard questions, and didn't shun those who disagree?
  
• ...didn't claim to have all the answers, and admitted when they were wrong?
  
• ...believed it's possible to know God without turning off your brain?
  
• ...worshiped God from the heart, with creativity, mystery, and artistry?
  
• ...tried hard to honor Jesus by taking all of his teachings seriously?
  
• ...met real needs in the city, without asking for anything in return?
  
• ...cared about things that matter, like peace, justice, and true friendship?
  
• ...embraced all types of people, no matter what?

What if there was a church like this? Would you check it out?

All Souls Missoula is a grassroots effort to be this kind of church, by being these kind of people. It's a safe place for friends, families, and people in process to explore faith and experience real community. It's a place you can feel good about bringing your friends to, not because we're perfect, but because we're in this together, and we're excited at where it's going. What if you could help us get there?

What if...

What if there was a church for people who have given up on church? A place that...

• ...welcomed you as you are, regardless of your spiritual convictions?
  
• ...encouraged you in your spiritual journey, wherever you are in that process?
  
• ...allowed you to be completely honest about your struggles, doubts, and flaws?
• ...wasn't afraid of the hard questions, and didn't shun those who disagree?
  
• ...didn't claim to have all the answers, and admitted when they were wrong?
  
• ...believed it's possible to know God without turning off your brain?
  
• ...worshiped God from the heart, with creativity, mystery, and artistry?
  
• ...tried hard to honor Jesus by taking all of his teachings seriously?
  
• ...met real needs in the city, without asking for anything in return?
  
• ...cared about things that matter, like peace, justice, and true friendship?
  
• ...embraced all types of people, no matter what?

What if there was a church like this? Would you check it out?

All Souls Missoula is a grassroots effort to be this kind of church, by being these kind of people. It's a safe place for friends, families, and people in process to explore faith and experience real community. It's a place you can feel good about bringing your friends to, not because we're perfect, but because we're in this together, and we're excited at where it's going. What if you could help us get there?

Who We Are

Welcome to All Souls Missoula, a curious little community of faith, in Jesus, but one where you don't have to share our convictions in order to be our friends. Thanks for checking us out. It means a lot to us.

So who are we, anyway? That's a good question. Here's the short answer.

In Fall of 2006, two families - the Cryders and the Sutherlands (obligatory family photos here and here) - packed up all their earthly belongings and move to Missoula in order to start a church from scratch (crazy, huh?).

Early on, we were known simply as The Missoula Project; when we finally began meeting for informal worship in the Spring of 2008 we felt it was time to pick a church name that captured who we are - we've been All Souls Missoula ever since.

Today, All Souls is a vibrant worshiping community that has adopted the phrase "working to renew the city socially, culturally and spiritually" to describe why we exist and why we do what we do. We want to be a church that Missoulians appreciate whether or not they ever attend our gatherings.

We realize that many these days are wary of the church. Some of them left years ago, turned off by hypocrisy, religiosity, or their own inability to measure up. Others have never ventured in, but find themselves wondering if real Christianity actually exists. We desire to plant a church that is accessible to people like these - ordinary folk looking for honest answers. To this end, we desire to speak clearly and freshly, in a way that is intelligible to those who are not religious insiders. Consequently, we will strive to avoid buzzwords and catch phrases as much as possible.

We also recognize that some have been burned by the church in the past. Some have learned the hard way that everyone has a creed, and every creed has consequences. People like these want to know where we are coming from, and where we are going. That's a good thing, and we desire to be very upfront - about who is welcome, about our core values, and about where we stand. Consequently, we will strive to spell out exactly what we believe and why, and how it all plays out (want a practical example? Check out our thoughts on Jesus and smoking pot).

Most importantly, we value your input. If you have comments, questions, or suggestions, we'd love to hear what you think (whether you agree with us or not!). So make yourself at home and have a look around.

Once again, welcome to All Souls Missoula. We hope to hear from you soon!