TRENDY

There is this word, this adjective I use to use all the time that I never ever say anymore. That word is “edgy.” A few years ago you would hear me use it to defend something, sell something, or describe something to the people I do ministry along side of. Until that one fateful day when I overheard my senior pastor using the “E” word. I remember my reaction – “he doesn’t know what he’s talking about, he doesn’t even know what “edgy means” he is just being a poser copying me!” Then I though to myself, “what exactly do you mean when you use the word “edgy,” do you even know what you’re talking about or are you being a poser yourself? I had been using this word for a few years and come to think of it, I wasn’t even sure I knew what it meant. Just like the many students that I work with, I too can become obsessed with cool, self-focussed, impulsive, caught up in the moment and trendy. Okay, I admit it. I have from time to time, slid into an adolescent approach to faith and mission. Rather than asking myself is this helpful, constructive, meaningful or dare I say, “true” I resorted to words like “edgy” hoping to sort of round off the edges of a scandalous and foolish sounding gospel – hoping to be “relevant” above all things. I guess what I’m trying to say is that being “edgy” is not really my purpose as a follower of Jesus – being obedient to Jesus and true to His gospel is.  “the roller coaster of clever new theologies has subjected clergy to one fad after another…We have no stake in saying something new that is of little use to the church more interested in saying something true than something new.”  Will Willimon & Stanley Hauerwas

                              

~ by bobswan on September 26, 2007.