New Conspirators

Quotes from The New Conspirators: Creating the Future One Mustard Seed at a Time by Tom Sine (IVP Press, 2008).

The following are all quotes from Sine’s book unless noted otherwise.

Since this vision(Western Dream/American Dream) for the better future is defined primarily in economic terms, it shouldn’t be a surprise that God’s creation and, indeed, humanity are both seen largely in economic terms as well. God’s good creation is seen as nothing more than provision of the resources needed to achieve this dream. In this view persons are seen as largely deriving our sense of identity, self-worth and even life purpose in economic terms – how well we play our roles as producers/consumers. Since the ultimate is defined largely in economic terms and because economic forces run the world, there is obviously little room left for God. Those of us who choose to believe in God are encouraged to view him as an absentee landlord who may come to our Bible studies and prayer meetings but who doesn’t have a great deal to do with what is happening in the “real” world. (80)

Brian Walsh and Sylvia Keesmaat see diverse messages “all telling the same story . . . Economic growth is the driving force of human history, consumer choice is what makes us human, and greed is normal. If we live in an empire, it is an empire of global consumerism.” (Colossians Remixed: Subverting the Empire: IVP Press, 2004, p. 85)

It is important to recognize though that not only those involved in the prosperity gospel but many of the rest of us in the church have uncritically embraced the Western dream as God’s dream. Somehow we haven’t realized that it enshrines individualism and pursuit of self-interest, defining the good life in largely economic terms, as the individual pursuit of more – more economic upscaling, more choices and more experiences. (82)

“Despite the barrage of advertising that tries to tell us otherwise, the more materialistic we are, the less free we are,” insist Hamilton and Dennis (Affluenza: When Too Much is Never Enough: Crowns Nest, 2005, p.15). “Why? Because we must commit more of our lives to working for our material desires. And the more acquisitive people derive their sense of identity and their imagined place in society from the things they own, yet the symbols that confer self-worth and status are at the whim of external forces . . .” (88)

. . . “like grass through cement,” it is God breaking through the rock-hard horror of our world with surprisingly small blades of life and promise. Any vision of God’s homecoming future must include more than middle-class Christians looking forward to their souls being redeemed and making it safely home to God. It must also include imagery . . . of God’s love changing the lives of our poorest neighbors and transforming the brutal conditions under which they live. (103)

If you want to see what the future shalom future of God looks like, look at Jesus. Every time we see Jesus heal the disabled, open the eyes of the blind, hug the kids, feed the hungry, set the possessed free, forgive the sinner and raise the dead, we are shown a glimpse of what God’s purposes are for the human future.
(Tom Sine, The Mustard Seed Conspiracy; Word, 1981, p. 101.)

In Jesus, God’s new order has actually broken into our troubled world. We are invited to be a part of this good news and follow Jesus by passionately living into that new world that is already here, not just with our spiritual lives but with our entire lives.

Jesus not only demonstrated the compassion of God’s new order, he embodied the right-side-up values of that order in an upside-down world. One of the first things Jesus did was to create a new countercultural community – a living, breathing example of the right-side-up aspirations and values of God’s new order. Those first disciples discovered that following Jesus was a call to a whole-life faith that would change their lives spiritually, morally and culturally.

Let me clarify. When we join this movement, we are not building God’s new order on earth through our own efforts. Through the life, death and resurrection of Christ, God is actively at work in our world today, using our ordinary lives in ways we have never imagined to give expression to God’s new order, in anticipation of that great homecoming day when all things will be made new.

Remember that Jesus; empire was not ushered in with pomp and circumstance. It had its origins with a baby born in a cow stall in an undistinguished village in the Roman Empire. When Jesus began teaching, he made clear that his new empire would be unlike any empire the world had ever seen. It came on a donkey’s back. It’s “imperial council” was comprised of a handful of unemployed fisherman, a couple of I.R.S. agents, a prostitute and some other hangers-on. Jesus demonstrated how to wield his imperial power by washing feet, telling stories, and playing with kids. Jesus’ empire is based on the absurd values that the last should be first, losers are winners and the most influential in this empire should clean the toilets.

Members of this empire are instructed to love their enemies, forgive their friends, always give twice as much as people ask of them and never pursue power or position. Jesus insisted that those who are a part of his empire shouldn’t worry about finances, but simply trust God. The resources to run this empire were basins, towels, and leftover lunches. This empire also developed a reputation for constant partying – almost always with the wrong kind of people.

Seriously, is this any way to run an empire? Imagine what would happen if you ran a political, economic or even religious institution with these bizarre values. Clearly, it wouldn’t have much of a future. These values might even get the leader assassinated. It is essential we remember that this unlikely empire is destined to defeat the evil that victimizes our lives and brutalizes God’s world. (121)

I am convinced that we don’t need a simplified version of the American or Western Dream; we need to reinvent it! We need to discover that God calls us to an image of the good life and better future that isn’t only simpler but also much more festive than anything the consumer mall can offer.

The first community of the followers of Jesus were “an island of one culture in the middle of another, a place where the values of home were reiterated and passed to the young, a place where the distinctive language and lifestyle of resident aliens are lovingly nurtured.” (Stanley Hauerwas & William Willimon, Resident Aliens: Life in the Christian Colony. Abingdon, 1989, p. 12) (226)

A biblical approach to stewardship should be based on the assumption that all we have is God’s. If that is true, then it is no longer a question of “How much of mine do I have to give up?” but rather “How much of God’s should I keep, in both a church and a world where needs are so great?” (246-247)

Jim Elliot, who lost his life in mission to the Auca Indians, wrote shortly before his death, “A man is no fool to give up what he cannot keep to save what he cannot lose.” (247)

Once we decide to follow Jesus by participating in the great reversal, the first question we need to ask is: How much is enough? How much floor space do we really need in our homes? How much wardrobe? How many vehicles? How much do we really need to spend on weddings, entertainment and vacations? Clearly if we find ways to reduce our needs and wants, we will free up more time and resources to invest in God’s call to be increasingly a part of God’s quiet conspiracy. (248)

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you-you of little faith? Therefore do not worry, saying, "What will we eat?' or "What will we drink?' or "What will we wear?' For it is the Gentiles who strive for all these things; and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
Matthew 6:25-33 (NRSV)

. . . or as Matthew 6:32-34 is paraphrased in Eugene Peterson’s book, The Message (NavPress, 1993, p. 21) . . .

People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.

Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.