I don’t know if you are willing to go through the rigmarole of packing up your family and car (assuming you have one… loser… we borrow one!), making sure you have the necessary tent, sleeping bag, and stepping out gear (you know what I mean, Hero), while slumming it with one or two extra friends, whilst entering the vortex of a Back to the Future scene for us more mature attendees.

As I have rolled over the # 30 apex in recent…ish years, each year that I attend The Parachute Festival, as I have watched the little grunts mill around the village, seeking to have their 15 seconds of attention, come redemption, I begin to feel more and more aged.

Sucking it up, each of the recent number of years, subsequent to our return from Egypt, I mean Australia, in recognition that we are caught in the web of the “superstar grunt” years, vicariously (we have a teenage son), we do the damage and head north.

In the year of this reflection, our son, turned 15, staying on site, while, those more mature (my wife and I) and immature (our other two younger sons) reclined in a more genteel setting, with the Outlaws (Inlaws for those perplexed), in the Tron of all places!

Before I get into some reflections, at the outset, consider this… What do you think about the Parachute Experiment?

The reason I ask is that this Festival can illicit some pretty strong opinions in the Christian fraternity. Often these opinions seemed to be grounded more in what Parachute could be, than in what it actually is. Their guilt being more in the opportunities that they miss, more than what actually takes places.

To be fair, I do empathize with such a position, as I do believe that, given the resources, the number of people who attend, with the opportunity to truly impact this nation for Christ, Parachute could do more than they are already doing.

Nevertheless, when the said is done doing, I am genuinely thankful for Parachute.

Even though I don’t necessarily agree with all of their positions, as outworked in what takes place with some things at the Festival, I think I get their context and what they are trying to achieve (mistakenly or not). As an old man, who is becoming an old man, I am stoked that my son can see National/ International acts up close and personal, seeing and hearing their witness for Christ (modeling), to be enveloped in a context with a majority of ministries from NZ, and some from around the world who are presenting a cultural movement for my son to connect and invest his life in, while also enjoying some male tomfoolery and bonding time.

Let me not forget, seeing the aforementioned son walking around in the Village with a wrestler’s mask on… that was a definite highlight (I can’t bring myself to say “not”, maybe “Tui” will do)!!!

Now that we are all feeling warm and fuzzy, let’s have a group hug… Na… send in the hounds.

Let me now be a little more critique-ical, if I may. After all, what is love if truth is absent!

I do wonder if Parachute has somewhat of an confusion crisis. Maybe this comes from trying to cover so many bases, that in the end, these begin to conflict with one another. I mean if you want to keep getting bigger and bigger, with numbers being paramount, you are going to be faced with some pivotal decisions, and the driver at the wheel may not be as discerning as he should. What wins out in the end, a philosophy of ministry based on gospel, or a philosophy of money based on the profit?

This is no perfect world, and while numbers are important, I wonder if the temptation to grow and be successful.. period, is something that Parachute needs to more diligently consider, in light of some decisions that they have made.  In other words, would Parachute be prepared to put something in place that might possibly shrink the numbers, so as to do a more effective job of being a catalyst for Gospel emancipation and proclamation in a New Zealand context?

What do you think?

Let me give what I believe is an example to exemplify what I am blogging about…

In this example, it is not what Parachute is doing, it is what they could be doing. If Parachute would take this advice (I am sure I am not alone in thinking this), not only would I think that this would bring more glory to God, edify the righteous, but it would also be pragmatically effective (what more could you want). Now that I have been blogging for one year, I am confident that I now have the attention of the Parachute hierarchy who are no doubt following my writing… snicker, giggle, into raucous laughter!

Here is some advice in the form a little note…

Dear Parachute,

“If you are wanting to encourage more Christians to attend and widen the base, there are many Christians, particularly those who are past their krunk-rock days, who are not that excited about watching the next hero krumping (if you have no idea what I mean, reader, use your noodle, google).

Yes! Parachute! You do a great job of bringing some of the best Christian international acts to our shores, and we are gratefully blessed (although steady on with the price hikes). May I say that this year was no exception (in fact, I was stoked with the line-up, more on that at a later date), but what about having this same intentional philosophy and commitment to the conference component of each Festival… Now there’s an idea!

Thanks for Listening… By the Way, I Come Cheap (and a little nasty)”

Man of Spin

Now, given Parachute’s pulling power, they are in a prime position to bring some of the best Bible preachers, teachers, apologists, evangelists, etc, in the world to our shores. Yes, the answers to these questions will be different for different individuals, but one could at the very least see some more diversity in this Christian unity. Now I know Parachute are want to bring in their theological/ praxilogical buddies, but this philosophy needs a serious overhaul (while I am sure others will disagree, “choice” Joyce Meyers does not do it for exegetically>expositionally, in my, trying to be humble by God’s grace, opinion).

Therefore, Man of Spin will help Parachute along the way… Just imagine this lineup (Note, this lineup is neither exhaustive, inspired, nor inerrant).

Mark Driscoll or Josh Harris - Both guys are continuationists, which would fit the Parachute bill, are young and well known for their writings, and would relate to a younger context, but significantly, both are meat packers. One of these guys could be the main speaker at Main Stage (They could even go for Louie Giglio, and he has spoken at Hillsong, for Heaven’s sake, so there should not be an issue here… Even Greg Laurie is coming to NZ, why not combine the visit).

D. A. Carson or Tim Keller – These could complete a Book/ Topical Study, in one of the smaller contexts, over 2 or 3 days. Both men minister in different theological contexts, and are not ideologues, with Keller recently speaking at Bill Hybel’s gig, after Hybels’ affirming that Keller’s Prodigal God book, “wrecked him.”

William Lane Craig or J. P. Moreland (another continuationist) or Greg Koukl or some other apologetics guy… Hey, why not use local guys like Matt Flanagan or Glenn Peoples, who I would think would be more than armed, ready and dangerous enough for such a context.  There are plenty of quality individuals around, just look at the Philosophy departments on US campus’ – Evangelicals Everywhere, apparently.

Let me be fair, a positive sign was the addition of someone like John Stonestreet from Summit Ministries (No, I didn’t hear him, but the ministry is pretty good from what I know), but Parachute has such an opportunity to affirm and put Scriptures like 2 Tim 3:16,17 into practice.

Please give us some meat with that candy. We have our knife and fork at the ready!

As one naval-gazes about the potential here, Parachute has the opportunity to practice what is so lacking in so many of our contexts in New Zealand – to hold both the more creative ways of worshipping God with the more didactic, instructional ways in both hands, not viewing these as somehow adversarial, but as friends.

It is sad that, very often, you have to go to two different churches, from two different theological traditions, to experience both relevant, powerful singing-music, where God is worshiped, lifted up, and glorified, where there is also good use of the arts, which is also combined with an extended time (a good 40 minutes… I don’t mind more) of expository preaching from God’s Word.

I am not using hyperbole when I state that it is tragic that in my sphere of knowledge, one seems to have to look at ministries from other shores, to see what could be exemplified by Parachute, in a festival context, to the churches of New Zealand, which so desperately need to see this in action.

This could begin such a groundswell, that, who knows where this could lead. Look, now you have gotten me excited and I’m beginning to sound all… “you finish the sentence!”

Time is money and I am still broke, therefore, I have taken enough of your time, and I will digress some more next time, so please come back.

Next Time?

Yes, Next Time, where Man of Spin will digress on the experience of Parachute 09, as we begin the countdown for Parachute 20-10!

If you are going to Parachute this coming year, let me know what you are excited about, and in line with this digression, what changes you would like to see happen!

For the Fame of His Name

Man of Spin