I Think I'm Reading Too Many Books About Church
In my new position at church, well, let's just say I'm sort of responsible for discipling the entire congregation. No small task. So, I've started doing a lot of reading on my own about "where the church is" and "where it's heading" and sort of comparing and contrasting where my own church "is" and "where it's heading." You know, thinking is hard work...but you gotta know where you're aiming.
Anyway, there's a lot of literature out there, too, on the state of things in the new millinnium when the Tribe Known As Christians congregates. So, here's a few observations from the newest one I read (listed at left). Take them for what they're worth because I'm not saying I'm in full agreement but they got me thinking. They're all by Dan Kimall.
"Church leaders are mainly dealing with complaints about last week's sermon or that the music wasn't good enough, along with threats that people might go to another church where these things are better. When church leaders feel pressure from this kind of complaining, naturally the focus becomes having better programs, music and activities to keep people in their churches. Pastors face subtle pressure from Christian parents to have good youth programs to make sure their kids stay away from the bad non-Christian kids and have the opportunity to meet other Christians. The whole thing feeds itself, isolating us from the outside world. It feels like we're building this social, spiritual and consumeristic infrastructure...protecting us from the outside while we create this very strange Christian subculture inside."
"We start to see evangelism as inviting people to go to a church, where the pastor will do the evangelizing, and explain Christianity, instead of spending time with people and talking with them and being the church to them."
"Musicians writing the songs that influence people at a national and global level are primarily in their twenties. The creativity and innovation of people in their twenties and thirties are used in the marketplace and in the music world, but are they given a place to help shape the church?"
Have at it, kids!
In my new position at church, well, let's just say I'm sort of responsible for discipling the entire congregation. No small task. So, I've started doing a lot of reading on my own about "where the church is" and "where it's heading" and sort of comparing and contrasting where my own church "is" and "where it's heading." You know, thinking is hard work...but you gotta know where you're aiming.
Anyway, there's a lot of literature out there, too, on the state of things in the new millinnium when the Tribe Known As Christians congregates. So, here's a few observations from the newest one I read (listed at left). Take them for what they're worth because I'm not saying I'm in full agreement but they got me thinking. They're all by Dan Kimall.
"Church leaders are mainly dealing with complaints about last week's sermon or that the music wasn't good enough, along with threats that people might go to another church where these things are better. When church leaders feel pressure from this kind of complaining, naturally the focus becomes having better programs, music and activities to keep people in their churches. Pastors face subtle pressure from Christian parents to have good youth programs to make sure their kids stay away from the bad non-Christian kids and have the opportunity to meet other Christians. The whole thing feeds itself, isolating us from the outside world. It feels like we're building this social, spiritual and consumeristic infrastructure...protecting us from the outside while we create this very strange Christian subculture inside."
"We start to see evangelism as inviting people to go to a church, where the pastor will do the evangelizing, and explain Christianity, instead of spending time with people and talking with them and being the church to them."
"Musicians writing the songs that influence people at a national and global level are primarily in their twenties. The creativity and innovation of people in their twenties and thirties are used in the marketplace and in the music world, but are they given a place to help shape the church?"
Have at it, kids!
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