I just finished reading The Present Future by Reggie McNeal. It was a graduation present and a good read. He said a lot of the same things that I've been writing about, except his was more thought out and a few years before me!
Here's my deal. I want a church (group of people) to be different, not just for the sake of new, but for the sake of discipleship. As I've been saying we really need to reevaluate the marks of a follower of Jesus (traditionally: church attendance, tithing, and helping the church) and use marks from the sermon on the mount, such as loving enemies, generosity, genuineness, and a love for God because of Jesus that spills over into our other relationships.
Basically, I really don't see much good in the institutional church. My goal is to massively decentralize things, and "disorganize" the church, if you will, in order to make it more effective and even more enjoyable in my opinion.
Anyhoo, I'm heading to VA today for a much deserved vacation and to see if I can't persuade someone to hire me. Maybe I can even find a dude or two who wants to help me start a church.
God only knows......
2 comments:
I also read this book. I thought it was good, however, I noted a few self-contradictions. I suppose almost every thought or opinion could in SOME way be self-contradicted, but I was trying to find fault since I had to write a CRITICAL EVALUATION on the book. Ha.
What I want to ask you is this: are you really different, if you are also part of a group? If you are a group of different people, aren't you technically the same as the others? Hmmmmm.....
I'm with your mom...try to find something good about churches and publish that!!! (I quadruple dog dare you!)
Jessica Cartwright
I agree with your point that we've definitely watered down discipleship. If somebody attends regularly, tithes, & is able to pray in front of others, churches make that person a leader! That says a lot about where we (the American church) are.
If you haven't already read it, you should "The Cost of Discipleship" by D. Bonhoeffer (spelling?). I think your disillusionment is similar to his inability to accept "cheap grace" as the domineering status quo. Keep praying & pushing forward friend.
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