Correct me if I am wrong, but the whole premise of Monvee is to make spirituality easier. I'm not sure spirituality is supposed to be easy. I think authentic spirituality is supposed to be hard and time consuming - it's going to cost something.
I don't know, man. Seems like spiritual guidance for people who want the quick fix. Almost as if the emphasis on the result and less on the journey.
The premise is to make spiritual growth less complicated, not easy. It must be time-consuming and it must be costly. Monvee is some ways similar to the rules of St. Benedict or Ignatius except that monvee help you craft a 'rule' that is designed for you. It will include learning, and relationships, and devotional practices and serving, but not in a cookie cutter fashion.
Monvee is just supposed to help you 1) avoid unnecessary dead ends (like obsessing over journaling cause that's what your pastor does to grow when it won't help you) and 2) give you some way to be structured about your intentions to grow when most people are haphazard. The difficulty of growing is no excuse for bumbling along and expecting growth to just happen. Having a plan matters. Having a better plan (ie one that targets your areas of needed growth in a way that honors your personality) matters too.
Chris, wouldn't one definition of "easier" be to make things "less complicated."
I can't help but think that the idea of Monvee, to streamline the process of spirituality, while being good in theory, doesn't also help feed the consumer mindset rampant in North America. People are always looking for the quick fix, and I cannot help but feel that the look of Monvee, what it is offering and how it is offering it, makes it look like a quick fix.
Even the church leader's video you posted above is a marketing research tool. It's just such a turn off.
If the we are concerned with spiritual growth, I don't think we say "Take a look at this website." And I know that is not the purpose of Monvee, but I cannot help but think that is what it communicates.
This is a really interesting conversation, Chris and Jason.
I don't know enough about Monvee to be either a critic or a fan, but I think you both bring up good points.
"Take a look at this website" may feel like an odd way to direct someone toward spiritual growth. But if instead we say "Read this book," I wonder if we'd encounter resistance from earlier generations of Christian spiritual directors.
I mean, there was a time before the printing press. I wonder if book reading felt too modern and easy and accomodationist when introduced. It's certainly different than adhereing to a rule or become a disciple/apprentice.
If we aren't calling people to the monastic life, how then do we avoid selling out?
Jason, what's your preferred method of fueling spiritual growth?
Read "Faith Undone" by Roger Oakland....I just started reading it today and the name Bob Buford was mentioned and connected to new age ties and mysticism. He had high esteem for Peter Drucker...Peter Drucker was greatly influenced by existential philosopher and mystic, Soren Kierkegaard. And so my church is promoting monvee... my husband says, "don't follow the masses . even at church! " But I researched Monvee and checked out the endorsements... and , remember, no coincidences...Bob Buford is endorsing Monvee! Do your research and be a Berean of the Word! Just give me Jesus...plain and simple...How did the apostles grow with out the Bible?? I was told at church the creators of Apple put it together..hmmm Don't like it ...won't do it. I will share Jesus with whoever the Holy Spirit tells me too. Amen!
Sorry, Chris. Call me old fashioned, but this format in practicing "spiritual growth" still feels too market-driven to me.
ReplyDeleteJason-you are old fashioned. :)
ReplyDeleteSay more, what about it seems "market-driven". Is it too cool to be spiritually valuable?
Correct me if I am wrong, but the whole premise of Monvee is to make spirituality easier. I'm not sure spirituality is supposed to be easy. I think authentic spirituality is supposed to be hard and time consuming - it's going to cost something.
ReplyDeleteI don't know, man. Seems like spiritual guidance for people who want the quick fix. Almost as if the emphasis on the result and less on the journey.
You are wrong. :)
ReplyDeleteThe premise is to make spiritual growth less complicated, not easy. It must be time-consuming and it must be costly. Monvee is some ways similar to the rules of St. Benedict or Ignatius except that monvee help you craft a 'rule' that is designed for you. It will include learning, and relationships, and devotional practices and serving, but not in a cookie cutter fashion.
Monvee is just supposed to help you 1) avoid unnecessary dead ends (like obsessing over journaling cause that's what your pastor does to grow when it won't help you) and 2) give you some way to be structured about your intentions to grow when most people are haphazard. The difficulty of growing is no excuse for bumbling along and expecting growth to just happen. Having a plan matters. Having a better plan (ie one that targets your areas of needed growth in a way that honors your personality) matters too.
Chris, wouldn't one definition of "easier" be to make things "less complicated."
ReplyDeleteI can't help but think that the idea of Monvee, to streamline the process of spirituality, while being good in theory, doesn't also help feed the consumer mindset rampant in North America. People are always looking for the quick fix, and I cannot help but feel that the look of Monvee, what it is offering and how it is offering it, makes it look like a quick fix.
Even the church leader's video you posted above is a marketing research tool. It's just such a turn off.
If the we are concerned with spiritual growth, I don't think we say "Take a look at this website." And I know that is not the purpose of Monvee, but I cannot help but think that is what it communicates.
This is a really interesting conversation, Chris and Jason.
ReplyDeleteI don't know enough about Monvee to be either a critic or a fan, but I think you both bring up good points.
"Take a look at this website" may feel like an odd way to direct someone toward spiritual growth. But if instead we say "Read this book," I wonder if we'd encounter resistance from earlier generations of Christian spiritual directors.
I mean, there was a time before the printing press. I wonder if book reading felt too modern and easy and accomodationist when introduced. It's certainly different than adhereing to a rule or become a disciple/apprentice.
If we aren't calling people to the monastic life, how then do we avoid selling out?
Jason, what's your preferred method of fueling spiritual growth?
Read "Faith Undone" by Roger Oakland....I just started reading it today and the name Bob Buford was mentioned and connected to new age ties and mysticism. He had high esteem for Peter Drucker...Peter Drucker was greatly influenced by existential philosopher and mystic, Soren Kierkegaard. And so my church is promoting monvee... my husband says, "don't follow the masses . even at church! " But I researched Monvee and checked out the endorsements... and , remember, no coincidences...Bob Buford is endorsing Monvee! Do your research and be a Berean of the Word! Just give me Jesus...plain and simple...How did the apostles grow with out the Bible?? I was told at church the creators of Apple put it together..hmmm Don't like it ...won't do it. I will share Jesus with whoever the Holy Spirit tells me too. Amen!
ReplyDelete