a jagged mind
I just found a new blog called Jagged Mind which speaks to some of the challenges for the emerging church.
Anyway, there is some interesting stuff there in the couple of posts there so far, as evidenced by this quote:
Seems to me that what the early church offered and what the modern church offers is totally different. If we were in business, we’d say that someone changed the product! The early church offered a Person. The modern church offers principles and a prayer. The early church spoke out of a living and dynamic experience of Christ. The modern church speaks out of an empty tomb but has no memory of touching his hands and his side. The early church knew where Christ was. The modern church can’t give us directions to where He is now
This is a big challenge for all of us. Look forward to reading more of what Mark has to say. Maybe he will come and join our chat on Friday (see the details in the sidebar).
July 15th, 2003 at 12:49 pm
Dan, on your recommendation I popped over to Jagged Mind to read more. I think the gent has some valid points to make, and raises good and honest questions. But… (there’s always a “but” with me, isn’t there?)
“When you listen to most pulpits and to most evangelistic presentations, what we’ve been offering the world have been a few principles and then a prayer.”
That’s a quote from one post…I think the one you reference. What strikes me is the amazing generalization: “most pulpits” and “most…presentations.”
I worship and serve in a church that many would call a mega-church (although it’s not, really, as we have “only” about 3,000 active members). Our focus day in and day out is on Jesus. Most of our sister churches in this community that I’m familiar with (and I’m familiar with quite a few) have the same focus.
My point is simple. It’s a disservice to thousands of sincere, effective, Christ-centered, loving congregations to lump them into a big stereotypical category simply because they are big or old or established. You might be amazed at what the Holy Spirit can accomplish in a variety of settings!
This in no way is intended to argue against the validity of the point that the church has often seemingly lost its way in understanding how to present the Gospel to a lost world. None of us has all the answers…but all the answers begin and end with Jesus Christ.
July 15th, 2003 at 1:06 pm
Yep, generalisations suck. They also make us defensive because we think they have the potential to be aimed at us. I liked his “three principles and a prayer’ quote because I thought it highlighted the worst aspects of churches when we are just going through the motions.
I agree that deconstruction has the potential to dismiss the experience of many committed and genuine congregations. And I for one think that is a shame. And the truth is that a lot of the congregations or people that need to hear this sort of preaching may not have “ears to hear”.
Maybe we can take the generalisations as a challenge to all of us from all walks of church to continue to examine and re-evaluate what we are doing to ensure that we are not becoming lax about our mission and ministry - even if we don’t think we are doing too badly in that department.