ron jackson
by: John O'Keefe
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1. how do you define "postmodern" in relationship to culture and theology?
Frankly, to me the term postmodern is getting kind of worn out. Most of the people I know use it to sound like they are “hip” with what’s going down and such. With that said it is helpful to have a word or phrase that sort of defines what is happening in our culture. Since I have spent most of my ministry in “age-level” work in the church, for me Postmodernism (is that a word?) is basically a new package on an old concept. “Nobody has a right to tell me what to think or do or feel!” (That goes back to the Garden,) For me it is a shift in “authority.” As a culture have moved from an organizational authority, the church, the government, the school, the administration, whatever, to an individually based authority. “It is what I feel, what I think, what I want to do.” Therefore most of the old “tricks” do not work. When I started out in youth ministry you could “GUILT”, students in to doing just about anything or you could call their commitment to the organization into question and they would jump right back into line and do what they were supposed to do. That just does not work any more. My students by in large have been told since early childhood that they don’t have to do anything they don’t want to and if anyone tells them different, then Mom and/or Dad will come to the rescue. All that said the needs and behavior of my students has not changed that much over the last 20 years, what has changed is NOW the culture (schools, society, media, etc.) tends to support the behaviors that the church has ethically, morally and spiritually frowned upon. (What was the question? Did I answer it?)
2. what makes "the edge" different from other churches in the area?
First, we are not a church. Although some of our students see us as “their church”. The EDGE is an extension of College Church of the Nazarene and as a leader of the College-age ministry, here at College Church I work very hard to communicate and teach that we are a PART of the greater church here in Olathe as well as the Church of the Nazarene and the Church of Jesus Christ at large. With all that said what makes the EDGE distinctive are two things. First, we have a large number of college and college age students in one place. That in itself is unusual and a whole lot of fun. Second, everyone who is a part of what we are doing WANTS to be here. Let me explain, most of my adult life I have worked with teenagers in a local church setting. At any given event or activity we have always had 5% -10% of the students in attendance who were “compelled” to be there, compelled mostly by their parents, but sometimes by a boy friend or girl friend or to fulfill some obligation. The EDGE on the other hand, is composed of college aged young people that by in large only do what THEY WANT to do with their free time. Whether we have 50 or 300 at an event or worship service everyone there wants to be. The energy that creates is difficult to explain, but wonderful to enjoy.
3. do you find being connected to a denomination hard?
Not at all, I came to the full realization of who Christ was and what he did for me just before my senior year at the University of Alabama. After my conversion, I spent the next 4-month looking for churches. The Nazarene church in Tuscaloosa did more that reach out to me. They were a part of God’s transforming work in my life. God AND the Church share in that transforming work in me and I would have been lost without them BOTH. Yes, God could have used another congregation and/or group of people to accomplish his work in my life. However, the fact of the matter is I, am a Nazarene because God directed me to this church and I believe in her doctrines and polity because I have chosen to. That does not mean I am blind to her faults and problems, it does however, mean that this is not someone else’s church it is my church. That is a choice I have made and one that I encourage the students in my ministry to make.
4. where do you see "the edge" in 10 years?
I had a discussion yesterday with our junior high pastor we were talking about where our youth ministry at the church was 10 years ago and the huge difference in what we are doing now. I cannot say what we will be doing in 10 years, but I can say one thing. If I’m here, I am committed to keeping what we are doing culturally relevant. It very well could be exactly the same thing we are doing now, more that likely it will not but it could. The thing about “keeping up” is, sometimes it means just keeping. (Does that make sense?)
5. how does the "bible belt" culture effect "the edge?" - both positively and negatively -
Positive is, I have a lot of students who are at least familiar with the church and the gospel.
Negative is, I have a lot of students who are at least familiar with the church and the gospel.
6. is "the edge" connected to a wider emerging church community (excluding denominational connections)?
I am not sure what you mean by “emerging church community”. However, we try to keep what is happening in what I call the “church at large” and participate when we can in the inner faith stuff that is happening “out there.”
7. what have been some of the "hard moments" you have had to deal with at "the edge" that helped form the community?
We are in the process of one of those hard moments right now. Two weeks ago, Dr. Tom Lytle, one of the brightest young professors I have ever known, passed away. Tom taught at the University that about 2/3rd of our students attend. Less than a year ago, Tom was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Tom was not only a professor at the college he was also a mentor, friend and a teacher on our ministry team. He was a devoted husband and a father of 2 school age boys. His death has “shocked” our community and to be honest we are still dealing with it. Most of us (me included) KNOW things about God and his sovereignty, but KNOWING and feeling are two distinctly different thing. We will be all right, but right now, it is difficult not only to talk about, but also to understand.
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