John Smulo (http://johnsmulo.com/) has written a challenging post on Consumer Christianity, and there are loads of interesting comments. Thanks, mate.
In response, I am increasingly of the opinion that by looking for (or by providing) great worship music, comfortable seating, a good children's programme, etc., we have lost touch with what being the church is all about. We need to find new ways of connecting faith with our children than simply 'doing Sunday School better. We need to find better ways of worshipping God than just singing the latest Matt Redman (or whoever's trendy now) songs. We need to rediscover a way of being church than takes us out of our comfort zones, pushes us beyond the four walls of our institutions, and takes the Good News to the not-yet-believers in our communities. I don't know how we do it - but I might try to think of what I might be looking for in a new church myself (or what I might be aspiring for my current church to be like). Watch this space!
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2 comments:
Hi Marcus, great to see you again yesterday.
I do believe that we have this church thing round the wrong way. Our starting point (or rather the defining point)of a church is the sunday service. Yet so much of being a chrsitian is about outward, friendships, frontline, workplace.
I feel we have been 'taught' through our chruch cultures that church services are our bread & butter, this is our starting point, this is the defining marker of our spirituality.
I feel that actually our markers of our spiritual work with jesus is very much outside of what we would see as church.
Personally I see a real need to tip up the church, let the people pour out of it so we're all scattered to get on with life rather than hiding it inside.
I think we would then find new ways of coming together, rather than always trying to find new ways of reaching out.
Hi Marcus....your thoughts chime in with my growing dis-satifaction with 'church' as we know it. Living here I am contstantly challenged by the community sopirit and outrewach of the Mulsims, Sikhs and Hindus that surround me. Their generosity, hospitality and charity leaves us Christians for dead! I also feel that the more messy community groupings of Urban/Fresh expressions better suit the journey motif of discipleship. Worship should flow from the relationships we have with God and one another, deep and meaningful relationships, not tight lipped politeness devoid of trust and openess
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