Divine Domino Theory and My Current State of Story
Feb 12
Posted: under Futuristguy's Story.
As you may have noticed, I haven’t posted much lately. I hope to get back to the usual themes soon, but really, it depends on what happens next.
Meanwhile, the story on my relative disappearance actually has to do with some interesting backstory on how the Missional Futures Study Group that I facilitate came to be, and some interesting back-casting from where I’ve been hoping to end up (my mega-project curriculum on cultural interpretation and ministry) and how to get there from here.
My previous freelancing job, which involved detailing how to put together ministry system designs, came to an end on October 31, 2008. It was a victim of the recession. The ministry foundation that paid for my writing/editing services was hit hard by the recession, and they could no longer support the ministry at the same level. I had to be let go.
For several months, I’d been working to find other jobs. Nothing materialized in terms of employment from anything I applied for. However, several of the applications required me to submit my philosophy of this or that, and sections from many of those applications ended up as blog posts on futuristguy or Radoxodar.
So, on my very last day of work, I still had no job secured and nothing in sight. I was typing up some final things for my employer, and praying FERVENTLY! (Meaning I was sort of doing the equivalent of an ALL CAPS PRAYER to God … i.e., yelling.) Lord, what’s going on? I don’t have anything for work yet in November. There’s enough to pay rent, but what am I supposed to do after that?
I’d been at the end of freelance projects before, but usually I had at least a week or two of knowing what was next before the bitter end arrived. This time, I didn’t. The horizon was absolutely blank.
About 1 o’clock in the afternoon that day, I received an email on one of my infrequently used addresses, from someone I hadn’t heard from in about three years - a former client. Hmmm … She said she was at the next stage of her project on addressing her non-profit work on global justice issues, and did I happen to be available for work in November and December? Umm - well, I do think so - oh, yay! I’ve never had circumstances get cut so close to the deadline.
I’ve been working again with this client for three months now. I knew it wouldn’t be enough income, so I kept looking for jobs. But still, nothing. So, sort of as a last resort and with an “I-hope-this-works” attitude, I developed all the background materials for what became the Missional Futures Study Group, prayed and asked others to pray, and then posted about the opportunity. I’d figured out the absolute minimum number of participants it would take for me to commit to do the group, assuming I could secure additional outside work if needed. And so - the minimum was exactly the number who signed on! It didn’t take care of much financially, but it was enough to get this started. A few weeks later, this is what I wrote to friends, in asking them to pray for my next steps:
I am feeling constrained, pressed in … but at peace instead of in huge angst. It’s as if all side options are being removed and the only way out is forward. All attempts to find work or generate income have brought only minimal results - but at least they’ve kept me here in Marin. It APPEARS God has put me into a holding pattern - but one that keeps me available for some upcoming opportunity that represents a major change. I really don’t know if I am supposed to be doing something to exercise “due diligence,” like search for new clients or a part-time job - or just wait because God is bringing something to me that I cannot produce myself.
And so, I continued to move forward, prayerfully taking up opportunities to respond to others’ requests for input on this or that issue. This has long been my practice, and I do this in part because it fits with my spiritual gifts and ministries, and helps others exercise theirs. I also do this because I’ve discovered that nothing gets wasted in God’s economy, and what I learn through my helping others eventually will find another use in my own life and ministry. And so, this past week, I responded to the requests of three friends for input and produced about 25 pages of material. The articles dealt with:
- Framework on spiritual warfare, organizing the spectrum of theological views and real-world religious views around three global cultures [guilt-based, shame-based, fear-based]. This is important as a check against whether our theology is comprehensive enough to answer the real-world issues that people in these different cultures are asking. If not, we’d better rethink our theologies … that is, if we believe God’s Word has the kernel of answer for every human frailty and need.
- Opal Systems Ministry Matrix, which is a tool for helping think through seven distinct categories of what any person, ministry, or organization offers as resources, and what makes them unique in relation to those who may do similar things.
- Overview of how to revise the church planter assessment process to create a system that helps with communal discernment on what kind of church plant people best fit with, instead of only testing for who fits the traditional platform attractional model church.
Some of this material may eventually appear on this site. The rest will probably have to wait for publication in books. But the whole situation brings up the “Divine Dominoes” theory. The basic idea is this: If we think of life as being like a game of dominoes, there are times when we’re blocked from making our next move - we have plenty of domino tiles, but nothing on the board we can play them on. So, we’re stuck until someone else makes a move that opens up an opportunity for us to do something constructive.
And thus, that’s much of why I blog, or write articles that respond to here-and-now questions others are having, or spend time in a conversation with someone. These activities are the equivalent of my playing a Kingdom domino so someone else can make a move - even if these activities aren’t exactly convenient for me and may in fact seem to be taking away from what I think I “need” to be doing. I have witnessed repeatedly where my bit of input opens up important possibilities for someone else, just as their input does the same for me when I need it. Our dominoes don’t replace someone else’s, they just make way so they can play their next domino.
I’ve occasionally said that “God is a conservator, though I’m not sure He’s a conservative.” Nothing ever gets wasted in His providence. And so, one played piece eventually opens the way to another. The blocked job situation was re-opened by my former client suddenly and unexpectedly reappearing on the horizon. Working with her has opened possibilities for me to learn more about social entrepreneurship at the global level - and who knows where that trail will lead?
And the lack of this freelance work taking care of my basic financial needs re-opened my thinking about trying to put together a study group. (I’d had the initial idea over a decade ago and tried several times but kept getting blocked, and that was so wearying that I’d given up on the idea.) But, like Tolkien writes in The Return of the King of Aragorn going through The Paths of the Dead, “Need shall drive him,” and finally, December was the divine timing for that study group piece to be put into play. (And I’m grateful for those participating! Writing for them helps me, too!)
And the lack of any additional work available to cover financial needs not covered by my freelance client plus the Missional Futures Study Group has led to … the next step, which ALSO has turned out to be quite an unexpected development!
And what is it? What’s the next “divine domino” that looks like it is being played?
Well, yesterday I re-established a working relationship with an acquaintance who is a literary agent in the Christian publishing industry. So, the next stage looks like it might be submitting one or more book proposals, as writing books is about the only other easily accessible asset I have left to tap in creating income.
Here’s the domino theory at work again: If I hadn’t felt so pressed in by circumstances, I really don’t think I’d be pursuing the path of publishing. That’s another avenue I’d been trying to get myself on for well over 10 years, and just gave up after a decade of discouragement. (Even up until the mid-2000s, I’d hear Christian book and magazine editors ask, “What’s postmodernism?” Sheesh! Well, at least they were asking, but they weren’t buying manuscripts … at least, not mine.) I thought my publishing days were done. But now, when it really isn’t what I want, that’s exactly what I’m being led to pursue. And actually, it is about the only avenue open and so I must walk forward, because being published is about my only domino piece left to play. Go figure … but I’ll dive in anyway - another providential flip with an ironic half twist … But then, discipleship is about being faithful to follow, so perhaps merely moving in the direction will open up something else - but I won’t know until I get there.
I hope this is helpful. To me, it’s more than just boring bits of detail. It’s about a storyline that demonstrates how we are interdependent, and where our interactions make an impact, and how collaboration often requires us to do things we would never do if everything were meant to be isolation or competition.
Anyway, now that I’ve committed to a course of following through on publishing, the question is what. And so, I would ask for your prayers as I work to discern what project I most want to do or sense I am being led to focus on.
Do I go for “The Big One” - my entire system of individual and communal discipleship, culturology, futurology, and organizational systems design? That has probably six books, about 20 assessment tools, and perhaps a comedy videoskit series of “CamoMan on Cultures.” (I think I’d rather do this large project, as it is what I’ve worked toward for nearly 15 years. But what publisher will want to pick up something that large - even if it is from a unique perspective of complex systems and aimed at practitioners?) People have been urging me for years to publish, and maybe now it’s the “kairos time” for it. Or do I work on another project about lessons learned from my pioneering parents and grandparents? Or something else entirely? I must focus, discern, and decide quickly because book proposals take a lot of work and meanwhile, do not bring in any funds until/unless you get a contract signed!
If you want suggestions on other ways to pray or play a domino, check out the end of my cross-posting over at my futuristguy blog.
And finally, thanks to those who’ve played their dominoes in order for me to even be blogging about this … you’re anonymous here but I’ve thanked most of you in person already!
