Kevin Hackenberg: producer, director & cinematographer spoke at October Brunch

First Take the Rubber Chicken Out of Your Own Eye

Especially for those raised in the church, our faith and religious life can take on a language all its own. We don’t just have dinner - it’s a time of fellowship. Disappointments and frustrations are trials, that usually have their own season.  Not to mention being born again, dying with Christ, and eating His flesh. Ewwww. 

It can sound a little crazy. And what may be worse, this secret language can reinforce barriers between those in and outside the faith. When we try to communicate our faith, it’s easy to lapse into Christian-ese or the script we learned years ago at a youth group retreat. When that happens, conversations shut down.

Many of us are aware of this problem but aren’t necessarily the best at self-policing. Kevin Hackenberg, a Philly-based filmmaker and our guest speaker in October, has a solution: take ourselves a little less seriously. 

By poking fun at our own hypocrisies and seemingly strange rituals, we can be more alert to where our insular words and habits can be off-putting. Getting outside these patterns can make us more present, humble, and vulnerable in our outreach and relationships. 

For Kevin, comedy is the great equalizer we need that can puncture our safe bubbles by communicating in the medium people already know and where the audience already is: popular culture. 

Click the Listen Button for more on the role of film, good art, and why Christians should embrace the vulgar (yes, really).

Live Your Best Life Now, Here In Wonderful Exile!

As a country, it seems like we never get out of campaign-mode these days, especially for D.C. dwellers. Between election dates it’s just a mad scramble to make or block policies always with an eye on the next campaign that will finally put the right people or person in charge - then we can relax - THEN everything will be fixed - then things will be great!

Even in our own lives, there’s always just one more thing keeping us from being our “best selves.” One more promotion. A raise. A better apartment. 10 less pounds. A dog. A spouse. Kids! 

With all our focus on a future time when all will be right, the people and needs of the world around us are easy to brush-off in the face of “not yet!” “Not now!” When I have things more together - when I have time or cash!” And we think, “I’ll get to that as soon as I’m in a better place.” 

But as Jerry explains at this month’s Navigators 20s/30s brunch, Jeremiah 29 reminds us we “can’t wait for our real lives to begin.” And doing so, placing all our hopes on that one more thing or person to fix us, risks the sin of idolatry.

Even in the midst of disappointment, daily frustrations, half-baked careers, and the burden of our cosmic incompleteness - this uncomfortable exile from the real lives we’re supposed to be living - we’re called to grow gardens, build homes, and create a future. Not based on our desires, but in the rich soil and rocks of the everyday where God has planted us.

Nan Swift shared her experiences in the hard places of life... how can they be good?

When we’re struck by catastrophe, large or small, it doesn’t help to say ‘it’s all good.” Hear Nan’s take on a better perspective and how to push through..

What is Discipleship, anyway?

Discipleship. It’s such a fuzzy term and we believe it needs some attention. Doug described what we mean by it, and he brought one of his young friends to come along and add his input to the mix. We hope this sparks your interest because we’re working on a series of discipleship tools and concepts to be illuminated this year. What in the world does it mean to abide in Christ? How do I lead a Bible study? What are the essentials of the gospel message? How do I live this out, anyway? What about work, community, relationships, all that stuff? We’ll be talking about it.

We caught Doug’s audio and the handout. I hope this helps you.