Who. We. Really. Are.

I’ve (Ryan) got it all wrong.

It’s okay to admit when you don’t quite get it right. When someone regularly asks me, “What’s Brew Theology?” I respond with the common saying, “We exist to Brew Theology and create healthy, meaningful and eclectic dialogue in pub communities.” That statement has been on social media, our BT website, and I’ll even introduce the Denver gatherings with this line all of the time.

“What’s wrong with that statement?” one may ask.

Well, “to Brew Theology” is definitely correct, but perhaps we have the second part backward.

We DO create healthy, meaningful and eclectic dialogue, but that’s not why we exist; that’s simply what we DO. It's like the difference between BEING & DOING! They are connected, but unique.

We are ultimately creating interfaith communities across the country. The BEING part is the community aspect. 

And how are we doing that?

We create these communities through healthy, meaningful and eclectic dialogue in pubs.

It may seem minor and first glance, yet I believe there’s a critical distinction.

So, from now on when someone asks me, “What’s this brew theology thing all about?” it’s important to get the words right.

It’s been a ton of fun being a part of what I believe is a movement of radical love transcending tribal boundaries, bringing people of all faith walks and inter-religious ideologies to the table in order to experience nontraditional, meaningful community. Brew Theology is not just a theoretical idea, and it’s not solely people who share ideas; it’s a very real community of incredibly interesting people wrestling with imperative issues that matter in the real world. We find common ground, and we also disagree on many topics. At the end of the day, in all of our nerdy particulars, we understand we share the same air, soil and sun. We are learning how to be better humans together…  We’ve been able to cultivate and witness our Denver community evolve and take shape over the past three years as a shining example that is hopefully making the world a bit brighter, one conversation (& brew) at a time.

Community.

It’s pretty important gang.

“We exist to Brew Theology and create interfaith communities through healthy, meaningful and eclectic dialogue in pubs.”

When Church Stops Working - Part 3

We ended Part 2 of this series, When Church Stops Working, with these words:

Wherever we see the good news of lives being made whole….

That. 

Is.

Church.

This means we have to have much bigger eyes, some creativity, an expansive consciousness, a heart that beats and breaks for the universe, and an ability to ask the ongoing question, “Who is being left out of this beautiful thing called life?”

Jesus didn’t come to earth to create another religion. He came to wake people up! We have to transcend our views of orthodoxy, get beyond Christianity as the best thing since sliced bread, and reengage the world with tangible shalom written all over our complex hearts! We get to partner with what spirit is doing within us, around us and in others to unveil life to the fullness: light, hope and healing to the nations. That’s good news!

Can I get an old school, Amen?

When I say, “church,” what comes to mind now that you’ve been trying to process a new way to live?

Okay, let’s get practical. 

I’ve got friends who plant seeds in local, urban gardens and cultivate a harvest of veggies that are given away outside coffee shops, breweries and local parks! 

I know people who organize peaceful protests in the city and mobilize the crowds toward social justice on behalf of people of color.

I have a friend who brings people downtown to feed the homeless every day. 

One of my buddies organizes online communities through diverse, theological topics, bringing people together to chat over fantastically critical topics.

I’ve got friends who sing hymns in bars with pints of beer held high!

Speaking of pubs, the interfaith/ inter-religious/nonreligious communities that engage in meaningful dialogue every week across the nation via Brew Theology is another excellent example of damn, good news!

Whether it’s bringing neighbors together for dinner, creating opportunities for communities to extend themselves on behalf of the poor or volunteering with friends at the local school, it is time we allow ourselves the freedom to say that spirit is moving in all kinds of fun ways; no institution or religion has the sole keys to these movements of love. 

We all have something to give regardless of our religious heritage, whether it’s our time, food, skills and/or conversations. As the saying goes, “build a longer table, not a higher fence.”

Sadly, the “church” has been notoriously known for the latter, which is why people are looking for love and belonging in other places. So, let’s have grace around the table! 

Let’s eat.

Let’s drink.

Let’s remember the critical words from the apostle Paul, “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” 

These powerful words should infiltrate the souls of humanity. The dream is to be one humanity! That, my friends, is a beautiful dream. In all of our particularities: race, gender, sex, religion, etc…. we are one!

Let’s end with some of my favorite and inspiring words from Buddhist monk, Thich Nhat Hanh:

We have different roots, traditions, and ways of seeing, but we share the common qualities of love, understanding and acceptance… the most precious gift we can offer others is our presence. When we are mindful, touching deeply the present moment, we can see and listen deeply.” 

I’d love to hear from you! What kinds of fringy, good news LIFE is happening in your city, town, neighborhood? What ideas do you have moving forward?

When Church Stops Working - Part 2

People simply aren’t going to “church” anymore. This isn’t shocking; it’s become the Sunday-Funday norm. Notice I said “church” (more on that later). If you scan cities across the nation on a Sunday morning, you’ll observe a massive exodus fleeing the pews, scattering in hundreds of directions: coffee houses, parks, back yard brunches, the mountains, downtown marches, lakes, beaches, and of course, couches! 

As I stated in Part 1 (Read HERE), "they (church leaders) are literally rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic." Professional pastors are fatigued, racking their brains wondering where they can find the next, relevant model to bring people back in the church doors.

I posed the haunting and perhaps frustrating questions, what if they don’t come back, and “they” (whomever “they” are) find other things in their weekly rhythm that bring them joy, hope, peace and goodness?

Before I dive into that question in more depth, let’s go back to the question, “Who/ What/ When/ Where/ Why/ How is church?”

Did you think about it?

Let's do a tad nerd session, and then get to the basics…

Ekklesia!

That’s the Greek word used in the New Testament for church. It refers to an “assembly,” but when you break it down and look at the ancient beginnings of this spiritually fringe movement, it’s much, much deeper.

Ek = "from/ out of" 

Kaleo = "to call"

Essentially, it’s the “ones called out”

This is an organic assembly, not a static group of people stuck in a building on Sunday morning doing a routine service. The earliest Christians were people who were moved by spirit and lived a life of good news (that’s actually where we get the word, “evangelical,” a word that has sadly been culturally hijacked beyond comprehension!). These earliest followers of Jesus were Jews who saw an expansive view of God’s kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. 

While they continued to meet in the Temple courts and practice their covenantal religion of Judaism, they saw that spirit was on the move, calling them back to their Abraham roots: a blessing to all nations – Gentiles! 

Breaking bread was an act of intimacy. The earliest followers of Jesus extended their table to all people regardless of tribe, the status of one’s foreskin and dietary restrictions. 

All were welcome… all were accepted… all were loved! 

Compassion, mercy, extravagant love and healing were at the heart of this organic movement of radical good news, liberation and oneness. This kingdom was about KINship! 

Everyone was filled with AWE and WONDER!

People were actually deeply moved to be a part of this thing called, “church.” 

It’s time we reexamine what this “good news” of “ekklesia” means today in a world that is more polarized than ever before – a western world that is no longer interested in “church,” but way more interested in other activities that bring joy!

It’s time we expand our understanding of church and are awakened to what spirit is doing in our midst today! This will be really hard for many people because change is just freakin' hard as hell! 

It's time we ask a different set of questions that radically move beyond the 4 walls of just "church."

So...

Where do you experience the divine, and/ or that which you perceive to be pure, good and holy; where do you go that awakens your soul, and gives you genuine rest?

What group(s) of people do you see doing good work in your city?

If you have children, whom do you want influencing your kid’s life?

Where do you find acceptance?

What kinds of conversations are shaping the world toward real progress?

Where are the walls of hostility, oppression and tribalism knocked down?

What's happening in your neighborhood?

Who needs some TLC?

Go there… 

Go to those places and be with those people. 

Taste and see that it is good! 

Wherever we see the good news of lives being made whole….

That. 

Is.

Church.

The Fruit?

Brew Theology brings different worlds together; these worlds collide in an intentionally beautiful posture of respect, openness and grace.

This practiced value of open, tangible pluralistic dialogue would’ve felt foreign to many religious kids growing up with an agenda to convert someone over to their “superior” side of perceived truth. These colliding worlds are still very odd amongst many religious folk that are looking to "win" someone over to their team. Due to this norm from many people’s dutiful heritage, when guests visit our gatherings in the Denver community they desperately want to know, “Can I, in all seriousness, be genuinely honest here?”

This is a question newcomers have in the back of their mind, and we’ve sincerely heard people voice this question on several occasions.

So many people are suspicious with the important question lingering in their soul, “Where’s the bait and switch?”

I (Ryan) remember a friend of mine who now contributes to our gatherings by writing content and coming on some podcasts, asking me the 1st time we met, “What are you really doing here? Is this just one of those emerging thingies where you are going to start a worship service and try to convert everyone to Jesus?”

“Is there a secret agenda?”

“C’mon! Really, Ryan?”

My answer is a bold, resounding and heartfelt, “No!”

And for some people this answer is unsettling because many of us have come from a tradition that is so bait-and-switch agenda driven that if what we are doing isn’t leading someone to Jesus (or one's version of Jesus), we wonder if it’s worthwhile. That’s the worldview, the subconscious, and the embedded truth that many have yet to fully deconstruct.

Ultimately, Janel & I want to see these kinds of rich and deep, conversational communities that we experience in Denver pop up across this country because real, beating-heart-people across the faith spectrum profoundly NEED it today. Yet, I still hear from people who think I’m running an evangelistic ministry. Sure, it’s “good news” (if you wanna look at those words in their truest rootedness), but not an ounce of it is conventionally churchy and there is no proselytizing – no bait and switch game here. I had an hour-long conversation with someone who finally asked, “Okay. So, respectful dialogue is great and all, Ryan, but what’s the point? Is the goal to just let people BE and not have an agenda of leading them to Christ?” Another person asked, “Where is Jesus in the conversation?”  I had another ministry leader ask me, “So, where’s the fruit in all of this?”

#Facepalm

Don’t give me the fruit business, man! Those questions are foundationally missing the entire point and it may take a few high ABV barrel aged beers to finish those tough conversations.

But if you wanna get all fruity (and I’m not talking about the new fruit beer craze), how ‘bout the fruit is the fact that hardly anybody really does THIS open, interfaith dialogue community thing well in our polarized country, and we ARE doing it… I wanna scream, “The fruit is IN the conversation!”  The conversations create deeper and more honest community for the common good! Can I get an Amen? Although, if I used the word, “fruit” with our BT people, they may start throwing fruit at me.

I’ve said this before, but sometimes it is critical we say the same message time and again before it really begins to sink in… There are many churches with incredible and gracious people across America (And I sincerely mean this because I do have hope and love for the church, and I believe many churches are doing incredible things in the world...) that have massive budgets, killer buildings, top-notched staff and great marketing that says, “All Are Welcome” (Yes! I do believe many of them actually DO Welcome all people with loving, open arms!), yet so many “Spiritual” yet dechurched people are not buying that “welcome” sign anymore. Sadly, it’s been overused and abused. Countless people who have left the church are looking to find belonging, but a place much different from previous places that promised “safe” belonging. And they aren’t looking to find a “one-size-fits-all" model of religious goods. Beloved yet disenfranchised human beings are looking for brave and beautiful places to work out their shit, and get real with other people that are going to allow them to be real in all of their weirdness, mess, crazy ideas and interesting journeys. Unhappy yet sacred humans who are trying to find the spiritual spark in new places are looking to be loved no matter where they stand across the theological, political, economic, racial, sexual and gender spectrum. Let's give people the opportunity to freakin' breathe!

I’ll say it again… The FRUIT is IN the conversation. Let’s collide and #BrewTheology with true openness, and a generous posture to learn and grow from everyone.

Dialogue: A Key To Peace

Buddhist leader Thich Naht Hanh speaks of DIALOGUE being a key to peace in his book, “Living Buddha. Living Christ” while making the following statement:

“Different religious traditions can engage in dialogue with one another in a true spirit of ecumenism. Dialogue can be fruitful and enriching if both sides are truly open. If they really believe that there are valuable elements in each other’s tradition and that they can learn from one another, they will also rediscover many valuable aspects of their own tradition through such an encounter. Peace will be a beautiful flower blooming on this field of practice.”

We do NOT do dialogue well at all in our western world. Americans royally suck at having a meaningful conversation across differences. Screw peace and blooming flowers. We’ve created a nasty bed of thorns. And we really can’t blame the right or the left (as if scapegoating ever worked toward progress).

This process starts with looking in the mirror. The western world has been conditioned to behave in such a way that if someone believes in a different deity or interprets a religious passage in a differing light, we absolutely freak out. We have become polarizing, black and white, binary thinkers, and it’s affected our ability to connect with other humans. But what would happen if we simply sat down, took a deep breath and listened without feeling so damn threatened? Our identity must not be susceptible to the fears of pluralism and seemingly strange nuances within a particular religion whether it’s streams of Christianity or flavors of Atheism. We must slowly appreciate the other as a fully loved and accepted human, a person who shares this same planet and breathes in the same precious air.

In addition, Thich Naht Hanh makes the following statement about appreciating the other:

“We have to appreciate that truth can be received from outside of – not only within – our own group. If we do not believe that, entering into dialogue would be a waste of time. If we think we monopolize the truth and we still organize a dialogue, it is not authentic. We have to believe that by engaging in dialogue with the other person, we have the possibility of making a change within ourselves, that we become deeper. Dialogue is not a means for assimilation in the sense that one side expands and incorporates the other into its “self.” Dialogue must be practiced on the basis of “non-self.” We have to allow what is good, beautiful, and meaningful in the other’s tradition to transform us.”

I absolutely love the fact that I (Ryan) rarely write the content anymore for our Denver Brew Theology gatherings. I did for the first year, but soon realized that there were other gifted and intelligent and simply diversified views out there… and guess what? It worked! I get super excited when we bring in speakers who have content that I’m clueless about… I’m fully open, and it’s a beautiful thing! I thoroughly enjoy it when my friend, Liz, who is a Buddhist, writes content on Buddhism because I get to learn from her. I am opened to being transformed and my Christianity doesn’t feel threatened by it. Quite the opposite: It’s amazingly liberating!

People across the western world visit pubs and coffee houses in droves. And fluid conversation always happens in a bar or a coffee house. That being said, I have had multiple people tell me that the kind of honest and raw conversations being held at these venues are lacking substance and intentional focus for many individuals. Sure, there’s a lot of prosting going on (and maybe other things. Wink. Wink.). What happens in pubs is a lot of good-times fun, but there’s something missing. On the other hand, there is another kind of prosting going on in religious circles, but it often lacks diversity. And it is often one tribe doing its own echo-chamber, self-gratifying service without any attention or priority toward the “other.” These venues often lack the rawness, honesty and diverse vulnerability that are typically offered in a pub or a coffee house.

Brew Theology brings both worlds together. With fierce loyalty amongst friends and strangers across open tables, we passionately PROST with beers held high and crazy, diversified hearts in one prosting-accord. We have tapped into the secret that Thich Naht Hanh calls a key to true peace: Dialogue!