I've been saying for months now that our "job" as the church isn't to get people to go to church, but to be the church and go to people. Just came across a quote that put it this way:
"The emerging movement is not attractional in its model of the church but is instead missional: that is, it does not invite people to church but instead wanders into the world as the church. It asks its community “How can we help you?” instead of knocking on doors to increase membership. In other words, it becomes a community with open windows and open doors and sees Sunday morning as the opportunity to prepare for a week of service to the community, asking not how many are attending the services but what redemptive traits are we seeing in our community. It wants to embody a life that is other-oriented rather than self-oriented, that is community-directed rather than church-oriented."
Yeah, what he said.
7 comments:
right on!
Is there any danger in re-inventing the Salvation Army?
that's a great question, and one that we do well to continue to ask ourselves. one of the ongoing failures of the church is ourinability to overcorrect. one group emphasizes personal salvation and forgiveness of sins with very little talk of walking in the way of Jesus, so the next group gets so committed to walking the way, that it becomes a hipper version of works righteousness, with no addressing the old sin and new life of an individual.
we need to remember that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. he didn't come to be the way to some and the truth to others and the life to a third.
I am just thinking that we need to have any eternal perspective like God does. We need to meet what they think they need to win credibility to give us an opportunity to meet what we know is their real need which is to know Jesus. The eternal perspective is what is different from Peace Corp, United Way, Green Peace, whatever, etc.
i agree that an eternal perspective is one of the things that sets the church apart from the United Way (although weren't we once THE United Way?), but with the understanding that eternity begins now. i think a major mistake among Christ followers has been to make Christ following all about what happens when we die. Christ certainly didn't make it about that. He meant for us to live in The Way starting now.
Totally agree. LOL about United Way. I guess that is what happens when you fail to copyright something.
Mike Frost and/or Alan Hirsch?
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