Friday, January 19, 2007

Honest Questions

These have been on my mind lately. Go ahead and take a stab...

So many people with great potential to be agents of change are dissatisfied with the way the church is today, so why isn't the church changing?

Is the reason many of those in my generation of ministers whom I respect the most are going into the mission field (foreign or domestic) because they'd rather deal with difficulties in a church built from scratch than the established American church institution?

Are the cultural forms we use in the American church really best-suited for the functions and goals of the church?

How long will it take for American Christians to realize that our culture is NOT Christian and what would it look like if we did realize that?

4 comments:

Josh said...

I don't know the answers to the others and it makes my brain hurt to even read them, but I think the answer to the first question is .... How much law could be on a blog by bob loblaw's law blog if bob loblaw's blog isn't about law? or maybe the answer is just .... a leather glove !!!!!

Josh said...

I'm sorry. I kidd I kidd. Those are great questions dude.

As for the first question, I understand what you are asking, and maybe I'm in an unfair position to answer this, b/c of the progressive church I attend, but I think things are changing, I think it just takes a while to recognize the change sometimes.

The answer to the third question is no .... but in reference to the first, I think some things are changing. For instance, I think our generation puts a lot less emphasis on tradition and doing things just b/c we've always done them that way. I see alot more freedom to express how much your relationship with God means in and out of church.

As far as question 4, I have no clue. Can I still boo Tim Duncan and his whiney Spurs when they come to town though??

III said...

Call me simplistic, but I'm coming to find that our churched folk fall into one of these two categories: too scared of change, or too lazy to change. There's the occasional odd-ball disciple who's going to grow whether everyone else around him does or not, but basically that's what I'm finding. And I believe the enemy behind all of this is, as always, Satan and his twisted ability to manipulate human nature.

And FWIW, church forms are changing, and for the better. In 50 years, home-based small groups will be as widely accepted as Sunday School (which was pretty liberal about 100 years ago). It just makes too much sense for discipling, spiritual growth, & evangelism. Churches who do not accept this form will find themselves dwindling or dead.

JMO

angie c said...

I dont know no Josh Faris but anyone who references Arrested Development is alright.

We've talked about this. I'm not responding. Some people say were in the process of the 2nd reformation. Maybe that means to stop building bigger buildings and start doing other things. We've talked about this. I'm shutting up.
k

PS: Does anyone else try and pronounce the weird security groups of letters? It's a fun game.