January 4th at Icon's GRAND OPENING we'll be starting a message series entitled, "What's Missing In Church?" We'll be going through Icon's 5 core values and the first one is Authenticity. This is a blog from a few months ago about just that...

AUTHENTICITY

Last week, Adam and I met for dinner at the Snoqualmie Falls Brewery. I’ve wanted to check this place out for awhile. Good food, great beer, but even better conversation. The talk eventually moved toward Icon and Adam admitted to me that he just didn’t feel “good” enough to be a part of a team starting a church. See, Adam is the type of guy that what you see is what you get. I’ve always admired his humility and honesty. He has a way of refreshing those around him. He unknowingly inspires me to be a better man.

I sat there sipping my beer thinking about how much I can relate to Adam. I always envisioned guys who start churches as spiritual giants with perfect faith and steadfast devotion. I, on the other hand, am very far from this picture. Sometimes I find myself trying to pray and I wonder if I’m talking to thin air. Just the other day, our Internet was down, and my computer found out that I can have the mouth of a sailor. (no offense Andrew) What in the world are we thinking? What kind of church will we create?

An authentic one.

Icon will be authentic. What if, as a community we dare to be honest and humble as we share about our spirituality? Will Icon have the same effect that Adam has had on me? Will people leave feeling refreshed and less burdened because we are open and vulnerable about the mysterious God of the universe? Will Icon unknowingly and gently inspire people to live better lives? We will strive toward building a community of faith where we do not overcompensate or misrepresent our spirituality. We are all in transition. None of us have arrived. We are a community on a journey together. What you see is what you get.

Questions

Last week, I had dinner with this really cute couple. They are engaged to get married and I get to officiate their wedding. As we were getting to know each other I brought up the subject of spirituality. Mike told me that he had a lot of questions still and asked if that was okay with me. I told him that I have lots of questions too and that’s natural because God is very big. It was exciting to see Mike breathe a sigh of relief when he understood he was in good company.
I used to think doubt is an obstacle toward faith. I now realize doubt is the doorway. As I read about Jesus, I never once see him react harshly to someone with an honest question. He seemed to prefer the company of those openly searching. Jesus even said things like,

“Who needs a doctor: the healthy or the sick? Go figure out what this Scripture means: 'I'm after mercy, not religion.' I'm here to invite outsiders, not coddle insiders." -Matt. 9:11-13

Icon will be a community daring to walk through the door of doubt. We will strive for authentic faith by answering honest questions. We will journey together in pursuit of a God that very much enjoys our company.

Cinnabon

Feeling super random today. I think this snow has got me climbing the walls. Man was not meant to sit on his butt playing facebook poker with Tom till 1:00 am. (no offense Tom)

Anyway, I did manage to get out of the house yesterday for a little bit. Laura and I took Linc to the mall to get a picture with Santa. While waiting in the line with other exploited consumers I decided to venture out and find some food. I thought to myself, "Self, what about Cinnabon!?"

Cinnabon is one of those places that's a mall favorite, you know? It's been years since I've had one. Back in Jr. High, I remember getting dropped off by my parents at the mall. My friends and I would play Street Fighter 2 in the arcade and get owned by some chubby, older, sweaty guy.(1) We'd then dare each other to go up and talk to a group of girls. But we'd always top off the mall adventure with a visit to Cinnabon. Oh, the glory of it all! The thick icing. The barely baked dough. The grease left over in your to-go box. They'd always be fresh and out of the oven inviting young Jr. Higher's like us into their taste bud, Narnia like, adventure.

This is what I was expecting as I left the Santa line. What I found was something different.

What happened to Cinnabon? Poor, poor cinnabon? Instead of the bouncing, happy, flour sprinkled bakers designing their latest delectable masterpiece I found a greasy,(2) unshaven, hung over, community college student offering me the last, stale, heat lamp hot roll. I thought quickly, and asked if he could make me one with pecans on top. This way he'd be forced to roll me one from scratch and my Jr. High memory would be restored! He went in the back and consulted his boss. His boss came out and explained to me they could not accommodate my request. I walked away empty handed with my memories fading, and my heart breaking.

Oh, how the mighty have fallen.

When I returned to the child exploitation line Laura asked me, "Are you okay? You look like you've been crying."

"I'm fine honey." I mumbled. "Just hungry."

1. Said guy would later be ushered out of the mall by mall cops for shop lifting hosiery because we narked on him. But that's another story.

2. Probably arcade guy's younger brother.

Here's one from a few months ago but one of my favorites:

It’s late. But Laura says I write better when it’s late. Less inhibitions I suppose.
On July 1st Washington implemented a law forcing drivers that wish to talk on a cell phone to wear a blue tooth head set. This has really been bothering me and I have still refused to submit to the rules. Instead, I just randomly hang up on you while we are talking because I saw a cop and I didn’t want him to pull me over. The funny thing is, I love new gadgets. I just asked for a subscription to “Wired” magazine for my birthday. I DVR a tech show every day and love hearing about interesting things coming out of Japan. I consider myself an early adaptor. It’s not that I’m reluctant to change. I can’t stand wearing the blue tooth headset because I don’t want to be like that guy.

You know what I’m talking about? The guy who strolls into Starbucks closing some important deal and wants the entire place to know about it. He continues his conversation while ordering his drink just to show off his multi-tasking prowess but is uninterested in looking the barista in the eye and actually acknowledging her as a human being. He scowls at the poor college kid that made his drink for taking longer than five seconds and then storms out while yelling, “Sell Sell SELL!” Okay, perhaps that’s a bit hyperbolic but you get my point. I don’t want to become rude, inconsiderate, unapproachable, calloused, and shallow. That’s the guy I don’t want to be. Every day, I risk getting a ticket because I’m afraid I’ll turn into that guy. Okay, now stay with me, this is going somewhere redemptive. (I hope)
I remember having a similar feeling creep into the pit of my stomach when I began investigating Jesus. I recall feeling conflicted because the stories I read and the possibilities that were presented sounded so fulfilling but I was afraid I would end up looking like someone else.
I was interested in Jesus, but uninterested in becoming the Christians I knew.

I found myself desperate to know God but equally desperate to retain my God given personality. Can you relate? I want God but I don’t want to be that guy. I don’t want to picket abortion clinics and gay bash. I probably won't vote republican. I don’t want to alienate myself, wear goofy t-shirts and call everyone “brother”. I don’t want to become the intolerant, judgmental, holier than thou guy with no sense of humor.

A few years ago I was working in a big church and walking through the halls during a conference we were hosting. I noticed an older gentleman looking confused and lost so I offered to escort him in the right direction. He accepted the offer and as we were walking he asked,

“Are you a pastor here?”
“Yes I am.” I responded politely
“You don’t look much like a pastor.” He didn’t offer this comment as a compliment but it has stuck with me.

See, I’m learning who God has created me to be and growing in confidence in his creation. I’m allowing God to craft who I am and I’m starting to trust him with the outcome. I’m trusting because I’m learning he doesn’t want me to be that guy either. God has created each of us uniquely. He points out areas that aren’t healthy. He celebrates the parts that are distinctly you. He enjoys the small idiosyncrasies of you. He is not interested in cookie cutter followers but welcomes diversity. However, it’s up to you and me to trust him in the process. And believe me, knowing God is certainly a process.

So, I’m going to try out the blue tooth. I’m going to trust God in the process. I’m going to trust that he is not going to turn me into that guy. I, the Kyle Reynolds full of doubts, questions, and quirks will get to know God. Care to join me?

What Would You Not Wish On Your Worst Enemy?

This is mine.

A tiny sliver of soap. I jumped out of the shower momentarily to check under the sink for an extra bar but came up empty handed. I was forced to rub my hands together for several minutes. I felt like a ship wrecked survivor on a desert island trying to make fire in order to create enough lather to be remotely productive.

The whole ordeal was immensely unsatisfying.

What would you not wish on your worst enemy?

oh, and this my first post on blogger.com. I've finally joined the big leagues.