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Subject: Re: Traditional Structures too rigid for their own good Author: devin [ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ] Date Posted: 18:50:40 01/08/04 Thu In reply to: Horshack 's message, "Traditional Structures too rigid for their own good" on 15:09:55 01/07/04 Wed I think that we must keep in mind that the modern church has been successful and I don't think that we can deny that for a lot of people the modern church is suited perfect for them. Therefore, I think it all depends on the individual church. I am not really resorting to indivdualism but am offering that the individual church should be able to discifer what is really effective discipleship for the people that they are ministering to. I don't think that we should excercise the view that the modern church is bad by any means, but should be noted that there is always room for improvement and in understanding society where it is at in order to understand how to reach out to those people. Now on the subject of unity, I would like to respond with this question: What kind of unity is really being portrayed? I think there is a lot of unity in an individaul church but we fail at unity when it comes to being united to other churches outside a certain denomination or even outside our own church. HOw do we bridge this gap? What if we actually pointed people that we got to know to a church that we think would best suit them in order for their interests to be met and for them to be discipled in there ways that would be effective for them rather than trying to keep them at the church we go to. What if we were that in tuned with other churches that we knew what churches ministries they specialized in? What if there was more and more interaction with other churches? Just something to think about. [ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

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[> [> Subject: Faith Based Community Author: Horshack [Edit] Date Posted: 20:02:35 01/08/04 Thu Devin, you're right. For the churches that are working well with the modern structures there is no real need to force change or critisize. The key is to find a way to minister effectively to all the people of the churches whether they are modern or postmodern. I had a great experience over the break preaching to a mennonite congregation. The moderns told me how much they liked my style and what I said and the postmodern youth told their parents (I got all this second hand) that I really connected with them. Praise all to God for His leading in that sermon! It got me to thinking that the way we preach, minister, sing, commune in fellowship with one another will need to be a measured hybrid of modern/postmodern effort. In fact, if there be a way... more than a hybrid, but a equally intensive effort with both thoughts. About unity within churches and between churches... I think it all has to come down to a community of Faith. If the basic relationships of individuals were based on a mutual faith instead of normal clique routines than the relationships of Christians between churches would be little different than relationships within the church. Think about it... if Christians were taught that their relationships with other Christians were as important as their relationship with God, and that both are based on faith (The same faith in Jesus Christ and His blood, and redeeming intentions)than they would not take into primary consideration whether or not they liked another Christian's personality, looks, accent, speech patterns, or their particular nuances of doctrine. The primary aspect of their relationship is defined by a living breathing vibrant constant found in the person and work of Jesus Christ. If the sub-community of the local church and community of the whole is based on a mutual faith, than the idea of the body of Christ can be fully realized. We can quit pitting individuals against the whole Holy Writ and expecting them to match up and chastising them when they don't. The individual Christian is a bit of an oximoron. We are the branches, Christ is the vine. We are all connected in our life-source to Christ, we are a community. We must begin to enact and engage that community through Christ (the central core/our very life-source). This helps to free the church from disension in order to engage our commision. This is true on the local church level, and on the global church level. This desire for local churches to consistently interact in constructive ways is possible, but not through normal social interactions, but through the supernatural transforming initiative of our Lord-the Head of his Church. Here's to Devin and that clear head of yours [ Post a Reply to This Message ]