(e)mergent Voyageurs

When I started this new blog, I chose the name “A Living Alternative” with a very specific intention. When asked why he did not rebuke the sinfulness of the people around him, St. Francis of Assis responded:

In an era where Christians are largely known for the sin they oppose, this wisdom could not be more timely. Francis calls us to face the compromises of our culture by becoming living alternatives with how we live. As sin is defined, not by what it is, but by what it fails to be (thus it’s meaning “to miss the mark”), so to our approach to facing the systemic sin in our world should be battled by becoming that which is fails to be. For example, in the face of rampant individualism, we must embrace radical community, not simply condemn it as wrong.

Along this line, I am starting this meme to challenge your creativity:

Missional, Meme

Last week I asked for some questions from you, the readers of this blog. Thankfully, in the 11th hour two people posted some great questions, which I have been thinking about over the last day or so. The first set of questions come from my friend Duncan (whose blog is a daily must for me):

I’d really like to ask you about what books you read in your life that you found most helpful to bring you to the point of where you are at?

Who has influenced you most?

What’s your hopes for Winnipeg, Canada and the church for the next decade?

The next ones come from another blogger I follow faithfully, Mary:

What is your favorite passage of Scripture and why?

Is there a passage of Scripture with which you are currently wrestling?

On this line, Grace tagged me in this meme (started by Brother Maynard), asking what my favourite book of the Bible is and why:

To read my answers, visit my new blog:

Missional, Meme, Books, Church

It has been weighing heavily on my heart, of late, as to whether I am cut out for the ministry I am in. Or rather, I have wondered if, within my calling to this context (of which I feel confident), am I doing that which best suits the strengths and giftings God has given me. At the heart of it is the more frightening question: If I am not doing what I should be, what price am I paying for it? What price is the community paying?

This week our little community is spending some time looking at our individual and communal giftings, strengths and weaknesses. Among other things, we are utilitizing the MBTI and Strengths Finder, both of which I have great confidence in. The first is a temperament/personality indicator which I have used personally and in community for more than 10 years with great success, helping people get a general understanding of the dynamics of who they are. The second is a more recent test developed with Gallup to help discover the five core strengths of an individual with resources on how best to apply the knowledge. Together, they can be a very affirming and inspiring combination.

To read more of this post, visit:

St. Francis pursued a life of genuine discipleship. And yet, his example stands in stark contrast for what we so often call discipleship today. Francis embraced a spiritual formation that called him into a community. Community is a popular topic these days, especially as individualism continues to prove itself empty.

Francis, however, was drawn to a very particular kind of community, one of shared participation in the life, suffering and resurrection of Christ. This requires that we realign our lives around entirely new values, often counter to our culture or even our own “self-interest”, for it draws us to a community of service to Christ, especially Christ in the other. It means that we do not live our lives for ourselves, but for Christ and for our neighbour. Let me repeat that and truly consider the implications: We do not live our lives for ourselves, but live entirely for Christ and for our neighbour.

So what does this look like? Visit my new site for these important points:

Hey there!

For some strange reason, some of you are still visiting here, my now retired blog.  Perhaps you found it via a search engine, a link or are signed up for the feed.  In fact, we I am still getting more hits here after so many months! So here’s the scoop:

Please update your blogrolls, bookmarks, feeds and links.  See at the new site!

Peace,
Jamie Arpin-Ricci

Previous Post – Books For Sale & Blog Hiatus

After more than two years of writing here at (e)mergent Vouageurs, I have decided to retire the blog for good. I cannot overstate how significant this blog has been to me, both personally and in ministry. There are many people who I now consider dear friends who I might otherwise not have met. I have had the chance to speak, both virtually and in the flesh, to people all over the world, learning from them as much (and probably more) than they from me. It has been really good.

However, this does not mean I am leaving the blogosphere. In fact, after this short blogging break I have been on, I will start blogging right away at my new site, A Living Alternative (with a far easier to remember URL, www.missional.blog.com). With the last few months of stress and uncertainty (which is by no means completely resolved), I have felt a need to make a clean start, embracing a new perspective and approach for life and ministry. In keeping with this, I thought a new site would help with this new beginning.

I should also say that this shift of blogs is not an attempt to distance myself from the emerging church. I hope my site will still engage the conversation as much (if not more) than ever. However, as a good friend recently encouraged me, the personal is the universal. What I mean is that at the same time as I hope to explore faith and missionality including and beyond that emerging church, I also want to write more intentionally from my own context and experience. To this end, I thought a blog with a less explicit focus would be a better approach.

So, I want to thank everyone who has faithfully read and commented here at (e)mergent Voyageurs. I truly hope you will continue to share the journey with me over at A Living Alternative. I would love it if you would add my new blog to your blogroll and help get the word out. Remember, the blog can be found at www.missional.blog.com.

Pax et Bonum!
Jamie Arpin-Ricci

Previous Post – Missional Casualties To Come

A few people missed my announcement in my last post, so I thought I would briefly sum up. For an indefinite period of time I will be discontinuing my blog. The stresses of our current situation are leaving me little time and energy to do much, other than work. I love writing and I greatly enjoy the community I have discovered through the blogosphere and hope to return soon. Please pray that God will guide us in the right direction.

Before I go, I wanted to let you know of an opportunity. As we are seeking to lower our expenses in this tight time, we are also working to simplify our lives. One benefit of such times is that it inspires us to lighten our load. As a result, I went through my personal library, sorting books for the bookstore. However, because of our pressing needs, I have also pulled out many that I want to bring to a used book dealer for some money (every little bit counts).

Before I do that, I realized that several of the books might be of interest to some of you. Now I am not going to put any value to the books, so let me know if any interest you and what you think they are worth. I will charge actual postal costs for shipping them (usually about $3 for an average paperback mailed in Canada). The PayPal option on the sidebar will make it easier. First come first serve.

Please do not request through the comment section, but email be at:

jamiearpinricci AT gmail DOT com

Thanks all!

Jesus Mean And Wild: The Unexpected Love Of An Untamable God
by Mark Galli (HC – mint)

The Next Generation Leader: 5 Essentials for Those Who Will Shape The Future
by Andy Stanley (PB – mint)

The Desire Of The Nations: Rediscovering The Roots Of Political Theology
by Oliver O’Donovan (PB – mild wear)

If Jesus Were Mayor: Transformation and the Local Church
by Bob Moffitt (PB – mint)

If Grace Is True: Why God Will Save Every Person
by James Mulholland & Philip Gulley (PB – mild wear)

Praying Like Jesus: The Lord’s Prayer in a Culture of Prosperity
by James Mullholland (HC – near mint)

Jesus And The Father: Modern Evangelicals Reinvent the Doctrine of the Trinity
by Kevin Giles (PB – mild wear)
Developing Your Prophetic Gifting
by Graham Cooke (PB – mint)

The Last Eyewitness: The Final Week (The Voice)
by Chris Seay & David Capes (HC – mild wear)

Christology and the New Testament: Jesus and His Earliest Followers
by Christopher Tuckett (PB – mild wear)

Preaching Re-Imagined: The Role of the Sermon in Communities of Faith
by Doug Pagitt (HC – mint)

BodyPrayer: The Posture of Intimacy with God
by Doug Pagitt & Kathryn Prill (HC – near mint)

Being Church Where We Live: A Vision for the Body of Christ
by Ron McKenzie (PB – mint)

Velvet elvis: Repainting the Christian Faith
by Rob Bell (PB – near mint)

Uprising: A Revolution of the Soul
by Erwin McManus (PB – mint)

Where Do We Go From Here?: A Guidebook for the Cell Group Church
by Ralph W. Neighbour, Jr. (PB – some wear)

The Medium and the Light: Reflections on Religion
by Marshall McLuhan (PB – mint)

The Human Being: Jesus and the Enigma of the Son of Man
by Walter Wink (PB – mint)

Cracking the Gnostic Code: The Powers in Gnosticism
by Walter Wink (PB – mint)

Searching For God Knows What
by Donald Miller (PB – mild wear)

Jesus Rediscovered
by Malcolm Muggeridge (PB – some wear)

Compassion & Solidarity: The Church for Others
by Gregory Baum (PB – near mint)

Images of Jesus: How Jesus is Perceived and Portrayed in Non-European Cultures
by Anton Wessels (PB – some wear)

Butterfly In Brazil: How Your Life Can Make A Difference
by Glenn Packiam (PB – near mint)

Out Of The Question, Into The Mystery: Getting Lost In The Godlife Relationship
by Leonard Sweet (HC – mint)

Summoned To Lead
by Leonard Sweet (HC – mint)

Faithquakes
by Leonard Sweet (PB – near mint)

SOLD – The Sacred Way: Spiritual Practices For Everyday Life
by Tony Jones (PB – mint) – SOLD

SOLD – The Ragamuffin Gospel
by Brennan Manning (PB – mild wear) – SOLD

SOLD – Post-Modern Pilgrims: First Century Passion for the 21st Century World
by Leonard Sweet (HC – near mint) – SOLD

SOLD – Intelligent Church: A Journey Towards Christ-Centered Community
by Steve Chalke (PB – mint) – SOLD

SOLD – Spiritual Classics: Selected Readings for Individuals & Groups on the Twelve Spiritual Disciplines
by Richard Foster & Emilie Griffin (PB- some wear) – SOLD

SOLD – The Emerging Christian Way: Thoughts, Stories & Wisdom for a Faith of Transformation
by Marcus Borg & others (PB – near mint) – SOLD

SOLD – Christ and Culture
by H. Richard Niebuhr (PB – some wear) – SOLD

SOLD – David’s Truth: In Israel’s Imagination & Memory
by Walter Brueggmann (PB – mild wear) – SOLD

SOLD – Using God’s Resources Wisely: Isaiah & Urban Possibility
by Walter Brueggmann (PB – mint) – SOLD

SOLD – Out of The Silent Planet: Book 1
by C.S. Lewis (PB – worn) – SOLD

SOLD – Perelandra: Book 2
by C.S. Lewis (PB – some wear) – SOLD

SOLD – That Hideous Strength: Book 3
by C.S. Lewis (PB – worn) – SOLD

SOLD – Everything That Rises Must Converge
by Flannery O’Connor (PB – near mint) – SOLD

SOLD – How Movies Helped Save My Soul: Finding Spiritual Fingerprints in Culturally Significant Films
by Gareth Higgins (PB – mint) – SOLD

SOLD – The Transformation of Culture: Christian Social Ethics After H. Richard Niebuhr
by Charles Scriven (PB – mild wear) – SOLD

SOLD – The Sacred Journey
by Frederick Buechner (HC – wear to dust jacket) – SOLD

SOLD – Why Not Women?: A Biblical Study of Women in Missions, Ministry and the Church
by Loren Cunningham (PB -mint) – SOLD

SOLD – Affluenza: The All-Consuming Epidemic
by John De Graff & others (PB – near mint) – SOLD

SOLD -This Beautiful Mess: Practicing the Presence of the Kingdom of God
by Rick McKinley (PB – mint) – SOLD

SOLD – A Theology Of Liberation: 15th Anniversary
by Gustavo Gutierrez (PB – mint) – SOLD

SOLD -The Deity Formerly Known As God
by Jared Stevens (PB – mint) – SOLD

Recently I have been exploring the shift of the church in the West to more missional mindsets and practices.  It is really encouraging, especially in the Canadian context, to see this pattern reveal itself in the Body of Christ.  However, I have also begun to see (and feel) what some of the long term consequences of this shift will look like.

As a missionary with the (so called) “parachurch” organization Youth With A Mission (YWAM) for nearly 15 years, I have been able to serve in (what I an confident is) my vocation through the generous financial and prayer support of family, friends and churches.  However, in the last few years, we have seen a dramatic drop in our support, which we are now realizing is nearing a $10,000 annual drop.  We’ve been able to make some of this up through renting (though our tenents are missionaries, so we give them a significant break) and my writing (which is not consistent enough to be sustainable).  This has happened as the personal cost of being in ministry has went up.

I started doing some digging and found that one major factor for the drop has been that churches (and people in those churches) are giving more towards their own missional endeavours, thus not giving as much to outside missionaries, organizations and projects.  As many people believe that parachurch organizations exsist only because the church isn’t doing all it is called to do, the result is that few feel they have any responsibility for the well being of those groups or individuals.  And so missionaries everywhere are seeing this decline.

Please don’t get me wrong.  I am not saying people are selfishly or callously cutting us loose.  I am excited to see churches and Christians owning their missional role in the Body of Christ.  While I might argue that we need to find a way for these too often alienated groups (local vs. para) to work together for a mutually beneficial solution, this does not seem to be happening at this stage.  Again, I do not say this critically, but the power is with the local church and, unless they decide otherwise, this problem is not something to get many people’s attention.

On a personal note, the result of this shift has led my wife & I the closest we have ever been to leaving the mission.  We entered into our calling with the assumption (perhaps naive) that the systems and relational supports that launched us into our ministry would always be there.  As adoption is likely to be the only way we will ever have children, and as the cost is so high, we face the possibility that our dream of a family will also be casualty.  So I find myself 30 years old with a high school diploma, few marketable skills, increasing debt and a ministry community who depends on our leadership.  I am tired, confused and, for the first time, genuinely scared.  We are not blaming anyone.  If anyone gets the blame, it is ourselves.

I truly believe that a coming trend that the emerging/missional church will need to respond to is how to honour and care for those people who have been faithful in older systems of missional service that, perhaps, are not longer sustainable given the new shift.  I know it is a real problem already for ourselves and for others in similar situations.

Which leads me to a small announcement: given the overwhelming stress we are under at this time, I am trying to find ways to take the burden off, and as a result will be taking a break from blogging here for an indeterminate period of time.  I hope I will be back soon, but I can’t say for sure.  Your continued prayer is needed.

As I mentioned recently, a current writing project has me emersed in the histories, cultures, traditions, etc. of St. Francis and the Franciscans.  As an inevitable extension of this, I have also been looking at other monastic traditions, religious orders and practices of faith from these different fields, which has been incredibly rewarding.  One particular shift in perspective that has captured me is the idea of mission as pilgrimage.  Of course, this idea is by no means new, though it is new to me.  While not a comprehensive approach to mission, it does provide a powerful corrective that is needed in our context.

To be a pilgrim is to enter into a journey, where our hearts are changed along with our surroundings.  It is not- cannot be- a static reality, but a dynamic story that moves us further and deeper into the heart of God, engaging the missional vocation He has called the Church to embrace.  If we enter into this task with the prideful assumption that we have arrived, we alienate ourselves from the world and thus them from Christ.

To be a pilgrim is to longingly pursue, an acknowledgment of that we are found wanting.  Why else do we undertake this journey if not to learn, to grow and to discover?  We are not coming to the world as its saviours, but as fellow travellers we meet on the road of life, with whom we share the love we have received, not by our own merit, but by God’s grace.  It is summed up in the quote by Australia Aboriginal activist, Lilla Watson, who said: “If you have come here to help me,  you are wasting your time.  But if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together.”

To be a pilgrim is to share the road with fellow pilgrims.  Our journey of discovery and growth finds its fullest expression in the life of missional community.  Our pilgramage towards Christ is a journey in becoming more like Him.  With every step, we die to self and resurrect together into His Body, incarnationally embodying His mission as a community where we could not as individuals.

To be a pilgrim is to willing embace marginality, leaving behind the security of the freedom and affluence of our lives.  As we leave the center for the margins, we inevitably (and necessarily) identify with those on the margins.  We cannot make a missional journey towards Christ without moving in the direction of the poor.  After all, what better destination is there for pilgrimage than Jesus, who Himself taught that we would discover Him in the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the naked, the sick and the prisoner (Matthew 25).

In an age where triumphalism, colonialism and individualism undermine and corrupt our missional life, embracing mission as pilgrimage can help us rediscover God’s intention for us in exciting new (or old) ways.  Beyond the abstraction of these ideas, I am eager to explore the implications of this on my life and ministry.

Previous Post – Am I Really An Emerging Christian – Part 2

I had two more posts in this series- the last being my conclusions, which I will touch on here- the next being a look at how I weigh in with respect to common hot topic issues and criticisms. However, I have changed my mind. Or rather, I have had a change of heart. As most of you know, there is a fair bit of… energy in respect to criticisms and character attacks on the blogosphere just now. I won’t weigh in, because I think there are serious issues on either side of the argument(s) both in respect to the nature of the “debate” and the substance being discussed. I am afraid my intended post would only serve as fuel to the fire.

So, am I really an emerging church Christian? Yes and no. Yes, I am clearly engaged in the conversation and affirm much of its direction and intention. Yes, I find resonance in much of the content and praxis of the emerging church. Some would cite my blog title as a clear indication, though in truth it is emergence as scientific, philosophic and systems phenomena that originally inspired me. That said, to say an absolute no on this would be silly. On the other hand, I can also say no- with some qualifications.

For me, the emerging church conversation has been about finding a voice and community to go along with the natural direction of my faith journey as an Evangelical Christian. There was a time where even identifying with the “E” word would have been something I would have avoided. While I still avoid the title, it has less to do with wanting to distance myself from anything or anyone as it is not wanting to burden my faith with too loaded a title. Perhaps that is why I am also hesitant to taking on “emerging” as a title too.

Perhaps it is semantic- and I certain don’t people to think I am heading for cover to avoid attack- but I have been inspired, challenged and somewhat shaped by the emerging church, but not defined by it. I don’t look at it as a theological field in which I want to pitch my tent, but an inspiration the gives me direction. I am glad it is here, but I do fear that by over defining, organizing and consolidating the movement, it will become something it is not- namely one distinct option against the others.

Now I am not so blind as to say it is without fault. I cannot affirm everything that many who speak from it’s context say or do. Mind you, neither will I use this blog to call out their failures- it isn’t fear or compromise, but context. I won’t use this medium in that way, whether it is to correct emerging Christians who I think go too far or their/our critics who I feel have it wrong. The emerging expressions of Christianity need genuine critics, as we are all too prone to become the thing we seek to avoid. When that criticism comes unjustly, we should be VERY sure before firing back in response. Is it really necessary?

All this to say that I believe we see things change in the emerging church in coming years. From the outside it will look like interest is waning, conversation breaking down- which some critics will wrongly interpret as the whole thing collapsing in on itself as they predicted. In truth, this is the pattern of change. From the idylic vision of community in Acts 4 to the heated debates of Act 15. In some ways, the emerging church as we know it will die (and is already doing so), but as it’s seeds are scattered and die, so too is new life being birth in the Church in places where the “conversation” had never been.

So what does that mean for me? It simply means that the emerging church is not a hill I am willing to die on, but neither am I calling retreat. I think both options work off the wrong premise. I am one Christian out of millions seeking to be faithful in serving and loving God, His Children, His Church, His Creation. If the emerging church conversation plays a part in that process, then so be. If it ever stops doing so, I have lost nothing.

Does this make sense?