Musings on church:
Tell me something... what if we've got it all wrong? The church thing I mean...
What if church is not supposed to be about "worship"? What then?
What if music is supposed to play a minor role and not a major one (excuse the pun).
What if God doesn't care for self-focussed, romantic lyrics sung to boomer, 1980s, soft pop music...
What if church is supposed to be less about music, monologue, lecture-style teaching in theatre style auditoriums and more about living life with people who share the same questions, struggles, joys and challenges that I do?...
Do read the whole thing—thoughtfully and prayerfully (HT: The Heresy)
Some good thoughts on intercessory prayer by Ted Gossard:
Probably the most important aspect of intercessory prayer is to know that our Lord Jesus is interceding for us. And our intercessions are taken up into his perfect intercession. Because of that, we're encouraged to keep praying our often poor prayers, and those prayers are turned into something very good in God's will.
A new blog, by a cousin in Kentucky. I like his first post:
I must warn you I am controversial. I have an axe to grind with the Church in America. I may have one to grind with the world, but I only know the actions of American Christians. What makes me controversial may ask? I believe strongly in orthodoxy, and that orthodoxy leads to orthopraxy. From "right" belief to "right" action. My theology is experiential; I believe followers of Jesus Christ should read and experience what the Bible says. But I am most controversial because of my beliefs about sexual brokenness.
Read the rest. It's definitely going to be a blog to watch.
A less than favorable review of Pagan Christianity. He raised legitimate complaints, but glosses over legitimate points by Viola. I must admit, I was disappointed in what I have read of the book so far (some day I have got to update my sidebar!).
Finally, you need to check out the 2 posts at GoingtoSeminary.com today.
5 comments:
A very "emerging" eclectic post. And thanks for the link to my new blog.
Hope you and D are doing well.
Lonnie
RYC: Yes but that's part of the package we love as James. Any other blog site you use?
"What if church is supposed to be less about music, monologue, lecture-style teaching in theatre style auditoriums and more about living life with people who share the same questions, struggles, joys and challenges that I do?..."
What if someone rejects one form of cultural captivity only to slam headlong into another? What if we extricate ourselves from one rut only to drive directly across the road into the other?
Lawson,
A very real possibility. I have been involved in house churches for over 30 years now, and more than once that has happened.
The bottom line is that humanity, at least since Genesis 3, wants control. Living by the Spirit is dangerous because we don't have control. That is uncomfortable, so we construct ways to try to control the Spirit.
James
You are certainly right on those fronts. I guess I've also seen house churches and lots of other "forms" of church equally as controlling. In fact, in the narrow confines of small groups, house churches, and shepherding arrangements, absent any larger structure, abuse of power can be even more egregious.
What I weary of is every new movement coming out with their pretentious claims to be the real deal, the same old quasi-messianic critique of their predecessors, the same "Now we really have it right" arrogance-of-ignorance...
...somehow, I'm finding it better just to keep walking one step at a time, stay faithful to a my community, do the job God has given me, and never expect any institution, any church (house, emergent, or institutional) to be anything more than a bunch of fallen and failing folks who need God's grace just to avoid falling back into the very poo I just got up from after slipping into it.
I got no answers...but I am gently skeptical of "new" answers...faithfulness is old news, but it's good news.
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