Soul Renovatus

“Sticky” Ideas [Made to Stick] [Chapter 2: Unexpected]

Part One:             Introduction

Part Two:             Sticky

Part Three:           Unexpected

Part Four:            Concrete

Part Five:             Credible

Part Six:              Emotional

Part Seven:          Stories

Part Eight:           Conclusion

The point: Sticky Ideas surprise and break patterns.

Surprise

Have you ever watched the NOOMA film called “Luggage” (number 7 on Forgiveness; you can buy all 24 here.) ? It’s one of the memorable films of the 24-part series.  It’s a hardcore teaching on forgiveness, but what most people remember is the ending.  We follow this woman walking through an airport, obviously wrestling with forgiving someone.  At the end of the film, she is driving her car from the toll booth, Rob says, “'Cause you never know when you’ll have another chance,” and as soon as she drives out onto the road, BOOM! Her car is crushed by a flying dump truck, and the film ends.

The shock is always evident the first time you see it, but you never forget it.  Why?  Chip and Dan Heath say that sticky ideas are unexpected.

If you reflect on moments in your life that you remember, how many of them were unexpected?  I remember when I was 9 years old getting a Louisville slugger bat.  We would go this open field called the Red Barn because it had…well, a red barn. There was a huge tree line in the back that stretched up to the heavens (at least we thought so because we were 9), and no one had ever hit a home run over the tree line.  It basically involved a crushing of almost major league steroid proportions; even high-schoolers would consider it an accomplishment.  I am proud to say on my 9^th birthday, I became the first person to accomplish such a feat. 

I remember that moment not because of the Louisville Slugger, but because of what happened after I hit the ball.  I looked down at my bat, and like Roy Hobbs in The Natural, I cracked my bat.  I only had one hit with it, and it was the best hit ever seen at the Red Barn.  I don’t know if I would have remembered that moment as much if I didn’t crack the bat.

How many of our ideas involve some sort of surprise?  How many memories involve something unexpected?  How many of those surprises made you want to find an answer or resolve what you just experienced?

Breaking Patterns

I like routine.  I like rhythms.  When those routines and rhythms are broken, our brains automatically start paying attention more.  It’s like a hand on the hot-stove moment.  The impulses in our brain shock us, make our hairs stand up, and break us out of our normalcy.  The plain fact is breaking patterns gets our attention. 

Now, it’s easy to get gimmicky trying to make our ideas surprising.  An interest of mine is watching Super Bowl ads.  Advertisers seem to get the most creative (probably because they have a lot more money invested with a bigger audience) in helping their products stick during the Super Bowl. I remember an ad a few years back with the “cat herders;” instead of herding cattle or sheep, the wranglers talk about herding kitties.  It’s definitely unexpected, but for the life of me I can’t remember what company made the ad. 

Contrast that with the Cindy Crawford ad from years ago.  Cindy Crawford, a supermodel in her prime, getting a drink as two boys alleged display googly-eyes toward her.  They comment on all of the features that seemingly talk about the model, but in the end you realize they were talking about the Pepsi can she was getting from the vending machine.  Unexpected, and if you remember last chapter, simple = core.  Pepsi used the surprise to enhance their core message.  Buy Pepsi, it’s better than models.  As much as I have problems with the morals of it, I remember the commercial and the company. Gimmicky surprises don’t reinforce your core message.

The Heaths then sum up these first two chapters in helping ideas stick:

“… a good process for making your ideas stickier is: (1) Identify the central message you need to communicate—find the core; (2) Figure out what is counterintuitive about the message—i.e., What are the unexpected implications of your core message? Why isn’t it already happening naturally? (3) Communicate your message in a way that breaks your audience’s guessing machines along the critical, counterintuitive dimension. Then, once their guessing machines have failed, help them refine their machines.” [72]

Ministry

I think one of the problems in teaching is what goals we set.  Many times, I have a bunch of information that I want to convey, and try to find creative ways of getting my point across.  The Heaths tell us, “We need to shift our thinking from “What information do I need to convey?” to “What questions do I want my audience to ask?” [88]

I remember a teaching I did a couple of years back about how we are all-together, yet separate.  Puzzle pieces are great concrete visuals to communicate this (which is next chapter).  I told them how the body of Christ is like a puzzle (which I’m sure many of have used as illustrations…keep doing it!), and asked one question, “What puzzle piece are you?”  I had a cute Winnie-the-Pooh puzzle, and I shared how I didn’t want to be Pooh’s face, I wanted to be an edge piece.  So I cut Pooh’s face in half. 

Putting together a puzzle is fun, but cutting Pooh’s face in half is memorable.  Does it help others ask questions?  In our youth ministry, we always give space at the end for student’s to ask questions.  We have one core message we want to communicate, but we leave space for them to ask questions.  What a great habit!

Keep your ideas simple, and surprise them.

Next: Sticky ideas are compact.

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“Sticky” Ideas [Made to Stick] [Chapter 1: Simple]

Part One:              Introduction

Part Two:              Sticky

Part Three:            Unexpected

Part Four:              Concrete

Part Five:              Credible

Part Six:                Emotional

Part Seven:           Stories

Part Eight:             Conclusion

 

The point: Sticky ideas are Simple. Simple = Core + Compact

I imagine for those who consider themselves communicators, the ideas in this book may not be new.  However, great commu

 

nicators synthesize tons of old information and breathe fresh words into them; this book seems to do that to my soul.

When you read this book, you’re going to read TONS of examples. At times it may seem a bit repetitive.  I agree, but each has its own distinct way of nuancing their point.  In this case, the first part of making and idea stick is to make it simple.

Core

Simple = dumbing down, right?

Wrong. The authors say simple is getting to the core of an idea.

They use the Army’s CI (Commander’s Intent) as an example.  The CI is a statement about the end objective of a mission.  With thousands of soldiers on a mission, it’s important to keep priorities in line.  But how do you keep that many

people on the same mission with all of the unpredictable factors involved?  The mission must have a core statement that everyone can adhere to. While this may seem to stifle other’s ability to improvise or create, the Heath’s say, “When people know the desired destination, they’re free to improvise, as needed, in arriving there.”  Contrary to what some may think, revealing the end goal actually frees others to be more creative. 

They suggest paying attention to jounalists, who convey all of the information of a story in the first paragraph. "Don't bury the lead," they say.

Remember Bill Clinton’s phrase in his first election?  “It’s the economy, stupid.” This was selected over emphasizing the three main parts of his campaign. His advisor told him, “If you say three things, you don’t say anything.”

The Heath’s mention that having too many options for people t creates decision paralysis.  They mention a study involving college students taking a final exam, whose grade would determine the future path of their career.  One group of students would know the results before they left, the other group would have to wait a couple of days. During this time, a Hawaii trip was offered at a rock-bottom price.  The students could purchase the trip, not purchase it, or pay an extra fee to lock in the price until a couple of days afterwards.

The same percentage of students bought the Hawaii trip whether they passed or failed! The differences was in when the two groups were told the results of the exam.  Most of the group who waited for the results paid the extra fee, even though the percentages said that they would purchase the trip regardless of whether they passed (to celebrate!) or failed (to recuperate). The psychologists said “people can driven to irrational decisions by too much complexity and uncertainty.”  If you are trying to find the core of an idea, you must not give many options, and better if you just give one.

Compact

It’s not enough to have the core of an idea, you have to share it, and that takes work too.  How do you convey more information in such smallspace?  How do we make them compact enough to stick?  Consider the following example:

Look at the following letters for 10-15 seconds, turn away, and write down as many from memory as you can.

J FKFB INAT OUP SNA SAI RS

Go ahead, do it.  Trust me.

…

…

Done? How many did you remember?  Six or seven? Let’s try another experiment.  I will give you the same set of letters, 10-15 seconds to look, then write them from memory again.

JFK FBI NATO UPS NASA IRS

Go.

…

…

How did you do?  Better, right?  Why did you remember the second set of letters better? Chip and Dan Heath say it is because you were drawing from experiences and memories you already have. The first example was recalling raw data, the second was concepts. They call them flags.

Every memorable proverb in history are always simple. Not only that, Cervantes said that a proverb is a short sentence drawn from long experience.  Our brains have ton of prerecorded information stored; flags help us recall them more effectively. 

This is what makes analogies so great. Have you ever heard someone try to explain the Trinity?  What is the number one attempt of how to explain God's Truine nature?  The egg? The sun?  But both of those analogies are information we already have stored, right?  (Both are also not the greatest examples of explaining the Trinity, but I digress).

The key in making simple ideas stick is to what the Heaths’ call having a generative analogy.  It gives enough information up front to be useful, and as more memories are stored, you can give a little more, then a little more in the future. How did I teach fractions to my daughter? I used pie, of course!

The authors mention Southwest Airlines' motto to its employees: “We are THE Low-cost airline.”  Does this deal with every single detail?  No.  But it does help them decided whether or not to offer chicken salad on flights from Vegas to Houston (which they said no, by the way, even when customers demanded it…they are THE low-fare airline).

I mean you HAVE to love the no baggage fee from them, right?  They are THE low-fare airline. I can see them throwing the penalty flag right now on the commercial.  Flags, right?

Ministry

Like I said in my introduction, I am in youth ministry, so much of the lens I see this book through involves communicating to people.  What fascinates me about this book is trying to intersect it with preaching/teaching.  We know that students and adults don’t remember 5% of what we say after 2 hours. Do we just pray and hope for the best?  “God will help them remember what needs remembered.”  Sure, I agree, but as communicators, shouldn’t we always try to hone our craft? I mean, there are multiple learning styles and personalities, shouldn't we take that into consideration?

When you preach or teach, is it participatory? Do you have people just fill in blanks?  Do you always have three points? The expositional preaching friends of mine might be going ballistic, and trust me, I’m not telling you to dumb down Scripture or your messages or whatever ideas you come up with, but I do want to challenge you to ask yourself, “What do I really want people to remember (and do) here? What is the core idea here?

I remember a teaching I did on the burning bush with some 5^th and 6^th graders a while back.  While many seem to be familiar with the story, we tried to change it up a bit (the next chapter talks about sticky ideas being unpredictable), and we omitted all of the names of the characters and just told the story. 

The idea I had was to help students ask the question, “God, do you hear us? Do you really care?”  All throughout the story those questions kept popping on the screen. I’m not really sure how effective the teaching was (do any of us know, really?), but I do remember students in their small groups talking to their leaders about that very question, which is exactly what I had hoped for.

Look, I’m not a master communicator, but I am always trying to find ways to make things stick.  Find the core of your message.  Make it compact.  Draw on flags that your audience already knows. Keep it simple.

NEXT: the 2^nd part of making ideas stick, Unpredictability.

 

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"Made To Stick" review [Introduction]...

"Sticky" Ideas:

Sticky seems like a gross word.  Recently, a book called "Sticky Faith" has come out.  It's an important book in youth ministry and eccliesology; systematically walking through adolescent faith development that lasts for a lifetime. While I appreciate the research of the book, I just can't get over this title.  It just sounds gross.  I know..."sticky-notes" Mike, right?  Yea, I get it.  I still think it's an awkward title.

But I remember it...

I recently picked up (or downloaded on my Kindle Fire technically) a book by Chip and Dan Heath called Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die.  I was interested because as a communicator, I am pursuing ideas becoming memorable.  The title "Sticky Faith" seems gross to me, but I don't forget it.  Chip and Dan Heath tap into this notion for an entire book, and I think is a great asset for any communicator.  

Chip and Dan share several stories over the years of how great ideas (and not so great) ideas came to be.  From the Ad Council's drug campaign with the egg in the frying pan (This is your brain, this is your brain on drugs...any questions?) to Subway's horrible naming of their employees (seriously, do you think EVERY employee is a "Sandwich Artist?"), Chip and Dan foster a sense of nostalgia with the countless stories they recall. The book shows six principles of how ideas can stick, and I want to take some time reviewing each.  

My hope is that this review can help anyone communicate effectively. Whether it be businesses, churches, families, or  fantasy sports leagues, the Heaths' words will inspire anyone trying to hone their craft.

The Six Principles for Sticky Ideas (which they label as SUCCESs) is as follows:

1. Simple

2. Unexpected

3. Concrete

4. Credible

5. Emotional

6. Stories

I plan to discuss each one of these, particularly focusing on youth ministry/church communication.   However, this is a business communication book; so many stories deal with advertising and marketing.  I found the book to be profound in how I approach curriculum, preaching, and teaching in general.

In youth ministry, we try so hard to help our teachings to be memorable. The Heath's have vital advice. I hope it's as helpful to you as it is for me.

 

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Rejection…

Just a little over a week before Christmas, and still no employment.

I have never felt this much rejection in my entire life. When I’ve applied to jobs in the past, it’s only taken about 2 times before I landed somewhere.  This season, it’s been over 10 times. From churches to even seasonal, I just can’t seem to make it to the final stage (or it gets changed entirely).

I was talking with a friend of mine and he asked, “Have you noticed any patterns in why you’re getting turned down?”  

I can’t put my finger on anything.  I really can’t.  They all have been different reasons. Some places didn’t think I could fit in a “traditional worship” setting.  Others went with a part-time direction instead of a full-time one.  Others just simply won’t tell me. So I sit here again, feeling the pressure of having to find anything very soon.

So many times, I hear people say, “Well, God has a plan.”  “Obviously, God didn’t want you to have that.”  My advice to those who say these words, please don’t say them. They’re not helpful.

Trying to understand what’s happening is beyond those words.  I haven’t felt more confident in my gifts and abilities than ever, yet I have felt the most rejection at this time.  

I’m even contemplating whether or not I can’t be in full-time vocational ministry anymore.  As each opportunity comes and goes, so does my confidence.  

Every once in a while, I get reminders that God is still using me, that people still appreciate my efforts in the past.  Sometimes, I think they were a waste. This is completely natural to feel in the midst of this time.  While I had hoped that some role would come my way, my hopes have now turned into wishes. I just don’t know how this is going to work out anymore. 

Right now, it’s easy to say the right words, to say that this will only last a short time.  The honest truth is, I don’t know how long this will last.  My past failures are only intensified in this season.  The “Keep Going” file (the file I keep to remind me that I am making a difference) is beginning to feel dry.  

If I’m not careful, I just won’t care at all anymore.  Thankfully, I’m not there yet.  

I am still praying that the right fit comes.  Until then, I’ll just take it a day at a time. 

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The waiting game…

This is always the time that stinks.

Waiting to see what the next chapter beholds. Or I think my wife put it more accurately, "We're starting a new book, not a new chapter."

I had 2 good opportunities for roles I thought I would at least make to the final stage in. I didn't make it to the final stage in one, and I didn't even get called to interview for the other. I'm not sure what to make of it.

Granted, we have limited ourselves by saying we're staying in the Grand Rapids area. There have been tremendous opportunities all over the country that would be pretty sweet. But we have committed to Grand Rapids for many reasons.

It's not worth going into the story now, but we didn't move to Grand Rapids because of my vocation, and we made a decision that we would never move because of my vocation. We wanted a place where we could put down roots for once, without the threat of being fired, without the uncertainty year to year if a church wanted to keep me, without the uncertainty that we would have to start over…AGAIN. This was the major decision we made when moving to Grand Rapids.

Now, sitting with a Masters of Divinity, comes the haunting reality that something substantial must come my way soon, and that it's in Grand Rapids. A hard bargain to find indeed. But we are certain about our decision. There are too many circumstances which are keeping us here. And quite frankly, we don't want to leave. As it was when we sensed God calling us to this city, we would have to see the same type of crazy events unfold if we were to try to move away from this place. I hear many people who tell me, "You're so gifted…surely God has a place for you." I believe that in theory, but at this point, it's truly hard to believe. This is the valley right now. I don't doubt my gifts at all. In fact, I feel more confident than ever in them. I am praying and hoping that someone else believes in them too, and that it's something I can exercise while living in Grand Rapids.

I've been away most of this month with Group Workcamps as an MC/Worship Leader. I feel most at home here. It's probably one of the few moments where I feel I exercise many of my gifts to the best of my ability. I see God do things through me that are impossible on my own. It's continued confirmation that I'm wired to be this particular kind of person. SO the question becomes is how this will pan out.

What excites me most is that we have lived in one place for 5 years. It is sadly the longest time we have ever spent in one place. We're starting to put down roots, and yet I still sit in the awkward place of wondering whether someone wants me vocationally. Blame it on my own choices geographically. I get offers from friends (and keep sending them) all the time from all over the place, but I know that God is done with us here in Grand Rapids.

That is the only thing I know. I am trusting that God will help us discern what's next.

I have to…

…what else is left?

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Evaluating Ministry Success...too subjective?

I was pondering writing a book on pastoral ministry success, but from the approach of conversing with church leadership on healthy evaluation systems. Most I have talked with and read seem to think the topic is too subjective. So many factors seem to be involved: sociological, economic, denominational, generational, etc... However, many of my friends, including myself, have been flogged in the name of “success.” I am compelled to write a book that can help pastors and churches navigate these waters in healthy ways, but there are so many directions, layers, and stories to research. Considering the lack of material published on the topic, I want to find a way to write a resource that is useful both for pastors and church leadership. I am convinced that there is a through-line somewhere; there must be something objective we can look at to evaluate success in the healthiest of ways.

So far, here are some issues that I’ve put on the table that contribute to evaluating success in church ministry:

-Personality
-Personal Sin Issues
-Personal Organization/Administration
-Leadership Skills
-Organizational Structures
-Capitalism and Consumerism
-Biblical Definitions
-Family History/Emotional Health
-Views of Failure
-The word “success” itself
-Cultural Definitions
-View of numbers, quantitative growth
-View of Qualitative growth
-Healthy measuring tools

How this can weave itself into an effective book I’m not sure. I’m also not sure if there is research that can speak into this considering most think it is too subjective to evaluate. Maybe the book would be anecdotal at best. My hope is that it might be helpful to pastors and churches. At this point, it’s quite possible that a series of blog posts might be in order. I am really not sure if the ideas and truths I am discovering have any merit or usefulness. I do feel passionate about the topic, and considering the numerous horrific stories I hear on the subject, feel compelled to at least venture down this road and see where it goes.

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A project I'm interested in developing...

Over the years, I have been wounded by definitions of success in ministry. The causes seem to be faulty systems, philosophies, and my own deficiencies.

As I have journeyed through seminary, I have discovered this topic over and over again, yet find a variety of answers to the question, "What is a successful ministry?" I have contemplated undergoing a project to find out the answer. Is there actually a workable model we can use, or at least translate? What are the assumptions behind doing such a project?

There are many questions, but I've been dying to get to the bottom of it. So many variables are involved in answering the question, including the influence of consumerism. I feel compelled because many of my friends and colleagues over the years have been burnt by this question (including myself), and I'm curious on even if there is a workable answer or tool.

I know some have written books on this. I'm not sure if my contribution could be valuable or not. What do you think?

Or even more, what are your thoughts on the subject? What are some books, articles, or thoughts that have been helpful?

I am dreaming on how I can continue to make this a reality, which I foresee involves a lot of writing and research. We will see where it goes.

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Am I really helping?

I had to write a reflection paper on part of the book, When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty Without Hurting the Poor.  

We only had to read one chapter, but I just couldn't put the book down and just read the rest of it.  After reading it, I would say it's a must read for anyone engaged in any mission effort or trying to encounter those in poverty in any circumstance.

I would also recommend anything Dave Livermore writes, including Serving With Eyes Wide Open, Cultural Intelligence, and his new book What Can I Do: Making a Global Difference Right Where You Are.  Dave's writing is well researched in rooted in current experiences with this issue.

I decided that I would post the reflection paper I wrote on the first book I mentioned.  Hope it is helpful or least enjoyable.

Over the years, I sensed a growing tension when I planned short-term missions efforts.  As our group was serving, I started to ask the question, “Who are we serving?”  Looking back, I was ashamed to be honest with the answer, us.  I am grateful for the opportunities I served and led, and I am ashamed that I enabled a broken system so beautifully articulated in the book, When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty Without Hurting the Poor. 

            The authors stress three important distinctions: relief, rehabilitation, and development.  Most short-term missions efforts or even any initiatives I led and/or participated in before coming Mars Hill were more in the relief realm.  Relief is supposed to aid in the immediate suffering of someone when going through a crisis.  I was excited that we were able to make someone’s home more beautiful, but upon further reflection, realized much of what I was doing was something the residents could have done themselves (in most cases).  After years of this pattern, I questioned whether I was really trying to help myself or the people I was (allegedly) serving.  What was interesting as I looked back on my experiences is that the moments that seemed more helpful or sacred were the relationships that were being built throughout the week.  A concurrent sadness came when I realized that I would most likely never see them again.  I could imagine the disappointment from residents when we left, going back to the way things were before, almost viewing that week as a pipe dream. 

            This is not saying that all of these efforts were in vain.  Some of the places we visited were connected to a local agency or church who saw these people day in and day out, but I wondered whether our presence was really helpful, or if just giving materially might have helped out more.  Currently, I have a very hard time going to a place outside of our local context, never to visit again, and thinking that is called missions.  This book served as a confirmation to the tension I felt all of these years.  I felt ashamed and relieved.

            Another convicting part of this chapter was reading on the way we paternalize the poor.  As much I as I want to think I’m not operating under a middle-class, or white-privilege mentality, I do by the systems and cultural assumptions I promote.  If someone said “I have life figured out better than you do,” most people would be offended, and rightly so.  What was hard for me is that I was saying this phrase by my attitude and actions toward mission.  I thought, “If only I could come in and fix this, THEN they would have a better life.”  How many times have I heard the comment, “They taught us so much more than we taught them?”  Maybe I should pay attention to structuring how I serve around the second comment than the first. 

            What was even harder to swallow was the churches I served (this includes me) was proud to display how we were “serving the world for Christ.” Then showing a thousand photographs on what great servants we were, and the smiles we brought to those “poor” people.  Sadly, I still see many churches display this attitude, which makes me grateful to be in the place that I serve currently.  Having more cultural intelligence is messier work, but definitely redemptive.

            I think it’s easy to beat myself up for what had happened in the past.  I have asked God forgiveness for my arrogance.  My hope is that I will pursue the harder work of development, or at least discerning which of the three types of help is appropriate.  I also hope I can be more proactive in efforts of raising poverty awareness in educational settings.  Given what seems to be a middle-class model of education, many in poverty are trying to survive this system with seemingly no progress. While the task seems daunting, I feel my journey is starting to necessitate thinking through these kinds of issues.

            I am grateful for a place like Mars Hill that is not only thinking critically through these issues, but is engaging them head-on with integrity and wisdom.  The principles in this book must be taught to the North American church if we are to truly love those who are hurting.

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A glimpse of what I'm learning in Torah class...

This is an article synthesis I wrote for my Torah class regarding how the book of Genesis is structured.  This was the beginning of "unlearning" everything I had thought about Torah that I mentioned in a previous post.  

I'm posting this because I felt proud of the synthesis, and because I wanted to see that some difficult questions from the Scriptures (in this case Genesis) can be answered by looking at the Hebrew text.  I AM NOT a Hebrew scholar in the least bit, but it sure brings some clarity to some questions, especially Genesis 38. This article argues against Genesis being a combination of "fragmented stories," and more for a unity of the entire narrative.

I am not sure if the Hebrew font will show up in the post, but I'll give it a shot anyway.  This has not been graded (yet), but I felt was a good summary of T.D. Alexander's, "Genealogies, Seed, and the Compositional Unity of Genesis."

If it's helpful, great!  If not, at least I know where I can find it in case I lose it...:)

When one picks up an English Bible and reads the book of Genesis, an initial survey suggests a structure for reading it.  These chapters and verses give readers a presupposition that it is faithful to the original author’s intent.  Even many commentaries and critical articles highlight this assumption. However, this presupposition leaves some confused on why certain parts of Genesis seem to be incoherent to the rest of the book. This incoherency leads some critical works to argue why Genesis must be interpreted as a series of fragments. T.D. Alexander, in his article, “Genealogies, Seed, and the Compositional Unity of Genesis,” vehemently challenges this claim. He argues that through examining the original language of Genesis itself, the author has provided a carefully detailed and clear structure to how the book should be read.  The arguments Alexander proposes provide clarity to many of the questions many modern commentators have consistently proposed.  Alexander argues that the book of Genesis is composed to focus on a main family line, whom enjoyed a unique relationship with God (established in two everlasting covenants), and established the foundation for a royal dynasty. All of the text therein, revolves around this thought, and provides a consistent plot throughout the entire narrative, bringing a unity that most modern commentators seemed to ignore.

            Alexander begins his argument by highlighting the word tOwdVlOwÚt, meaning “descendant,” “account,” or “generation.”  This word serves as initial headings for structuring the book of Genesis.  The major sections of Genesis are divided among Adam, Noah, Abraham, Jacob, and Joseph (2:4, 6:9, 11:27, 25:19, 37:2), while the subheadings highlight lists of descendants within each of the five main family members.  Alexander argues that these serve not only as headings, but plot development markers in the narrative, focusing the readers’ attention to particular details within each section.

            In addition to tOwdVlOwÚt, Alexander argues that the word orz, or “seed” as another proof for Genesis’ compositional unity.  This provides an even narrower focus on a particular family line the reader should pay attention to throughout the narrative.  Various features of this line include focusing on younger sons (Isaac, Jacob, Joseph) receiving blessing, God’s gracious activity (Sarah’s old age, Rebekah and Rachel’s barrenness, among others), subsequent promises to these descendants, and laying the foundation for a future royal lineage.  The narrative of Genesis, Alexander argues, continues to repeat these markers throughout each of the descendants, alerting the reader to pay attention to the pattern that develops. 

This understanding, for example, sheds light to the confusing Genesis 38 story of Judah and Tamar. Most readers seemingly are confused on its placement within the narrative, in addition to it interrupting the flow of the Joseph story. However, Alexander highlights that Judah is a focus within the Joseph the narrative (43:8-9, 44:16, 44:18-34, 46:28), noting the blessing Judah receives, his descendants leading his older brothers (again, a prevalent theme in the main family line), and the setup of the royal lineage coming through Judah’s descendants.  This is one of many examples within the narrative of Genesis solidifying Alexander’s argument for compositional unity.

Alexander’s article not only provides significant evidence to the unity of Genesis, but elevates the text itself as critical to interpretation.  While many hold the Bible as the Word of God, Alexander pushes these even further suggesting the Genesis text itself provides a detailed, unified structure of compositional unity, inspiring its readers to acknowledge its divine authorship.  His highlights of the author’s use of tOwdVlOwÚt and orz provide an intentional, clear, and unified structure, providing lucidity to many texts within that seemed out of place.  These markers highlight structuring the rest of Torah, and subsequently, the Bible as a whole.

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A fascinating thought on "women in pastoral ministry..."

I've been reading an evangelical ecclesiology (how you understand "church") book, and ran across a small section about women in the community of the church.

In the seminary I attend, although we accept women openly in pastoral studies, I think the way they are treated in the classrooms and community is an uphill battle most of time.

To be frank, I am supportive of women as pastors.  I will have to tell that story sometime in another post.

However, in this book, Exploring Ecclesiology, Harper and Metzger present a great argument for women in pastoral ministry (don't know if they intend to or not, but it's good nonetheless).  It's an argument that I've never considered before, and it's beautiful.

The authors use a combination of texts, Matthew 22:23-32, Ephesians 5, and Galatians 3:28 in talking about this structure that's highly debated.  In the Matthew text, a scenario is presented by the Sadducees where the husband of a woman without children dies.  In that culture, the status of women was severley low.  The significance that women played in the culture were essentially child-bearers.  If a woman did not have children, they were practically considered insignificant.  In this culture, if the husband died and had no children, the widow would be looking to marry one of the brothers (if available) in order to continue the family lineage.  

The Sadducees map out a scenario where the woman married six different brothers, all of them dying.  They then ask Jesus, "Who will she be married to at the resurrection?"  Jesus answers that there will be no human marriage as we understand it at the end of all things.  Essentially we will be married to Christ.  

Harper and Metzger take it further by saying if there is a hierarchical structure with Adam and Eve (whatever you believe about that), that structure does not exist in heaven.  Because of this, using Ephesians 5 as support for being married to Christ and not a spouse, and Gal. 3:28 stating that there is no designation between Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female (some argue this is religious, political, and biological designations), then for us to claim a hierarchal structure for church community leadership is not in line with what heaven is like.  And if we are trying to proclaim the kingdom of God (in a sense, heaven coming to earth) here and now, then proclaiming a hierarchical structure for church community leadership is operating in the wrong type of future.

I love this argument, not just because I am egalitarian, but because it makes sense.  

The "women in pastoral ministry" debate is another series of posts altogether, but this argument is extremely convincing, and I was shockingly surprised to find it in an evangelical ecclesiology book nonetheless. 

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