Monday, April 2, 2007
Join the Journey
After much debate and doubt I decided it was time to step into the arena of blogging. I am not real sure what will come of this space and effort but I know what I am hoping for. I am hoping that this can be a place where ideas will be exchanged about what many are calling the emerging church. Many think that the emerging church is just for those who are in a certain age bracket, however I think this is all wrong. The so called emerging church is more about people of any age, race, background or lifestyle who are seeking to know God. The so called emerging church is a gathering of people, and minds, who think the church has been missing the point to some degree in the past few decades and possibly centuries. The so called emerging church is a gathering of people who are politically active as individuals, but more concerned as a church with collectively being the Body of Christ. This means radically living a life based on the teachings and life of Jesus Christ. I want to be clear that no one, myself included, ever lives the life Christ taught and showed every moment of every day. Still there are some who are working to live more and more like Christ everyday. I invite you to join in this journey and see how God uses all of us. I will start with a question, what is the most significant issue facing the church today?
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13 comments:
Hey Aaron - welcome to the blogging world! You should check out www.methoblog.com - it is the central place for Methodists blogging and has some good conversation, and a lot of diversity of perspectives. There is also a Methodist blogroll that you can get on and add to your site - it helps get traffic going to your blog and introduce you to the other methobloggers ;)
Have fun!
Hi Aaron,
First, let me congratulate you on the arrival of your newest daughter Hannah!
I will also jump in and congratulate you on entering the blogosphere. I have considered doing the same, but I have made excuse after exuse.
The most significant issue facing the church today? I think it is our lack of a vital life-filled witness to our savior. This can not be changed by conference decree or new programs, it must be Holy Spirit fueled and driven.
Bill
Wow, I'm jumpin' on this one. You picked a real conversation-starter!
The most significant issue is truly ancient--hypocrisy. The secular world sees the history of the modern world riddled with horrible things done in the name of Christianity. Current society in the U.S. has become overtly anti-Christian, or Christian-hostile because of our hypocrisy.
Why does the political left have a reputation as being the most caring political party rather than evangelical, or conservative Christians? I think because while we exhort our world to righteous living, we ourselves (speaking for myself) do not model Christ's righteousness as we should. That's why I call myself a Christ follower instead of a Christian. I am not willing to defend a religion called "Christian," but I am totally willing to defend a Saviour called Christ, and my attempts to follow Him.
Check this out: http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=d1345dd8fe4e481144d8&page=1&viewtype=&category=md
Let's try that link again.
Welcome to the Blogysfere Aaron...the most significant issue facing the church today? The lack of significant mission activity on the local level. I affirm the analysis offered by Bill and Drew. I think that direct service to the less-fortunate puts all matters into perspective. It is certainly what grounded Jesus' own ministry. The Holy Spirit, faith, justice, love, mercy, reconciliation, atonement, salvation, the Church...all of these beliefs deepen significantly when we clothe the naked and feed the hungry and visit the prisoner. We cannot sit back and let the GBGM do it for us.
I agree with all of you. The church, that once took the lead in "doing good" is now looking for someone else to do the work. All too often we like to hide behind some slick program instead of Spirit lead, in the trenches, Calvary-like love service to people who our society overlooks or ignores.
I think there are several leading candidates: lack of outward focus, materialism, bad press, the perceived arrogance of the church, lots of talk and not alot of action, lack of Biblical world view, etc. For me, the top of the list is a pervasive cultural self-centeredness that has infected the church. When we discover that its not all about me, and when "what's in it for me?" ceases to be the defining question of life the church will start becoming the church.
Hi Aaron- I think this is an awesome idea. Congratulations on baby girl number 3! I think the most troubling question today for me is that our government is so persistant on removing GOD from everything in our society. Our children are ridiculed for praying in school..if they dare, the ten commandments have been removed from some court rooms...it goes on and on. We must wake up to what is happening in our society, right before our blind eyes. Far to often these "rulings" slip by in the name of fighting terrismn,and then after the fact we realize it..when it is too late. Jesus Christ gave his life for each of us... I wonder if anyone one of us today would be willing to take his place on the cross..WITHOUT question, without resentment, without hatred, without anger to mankind ...would we have an understanding of endless LOVE..do we not have the responsiblity to live our lives for him....As followers of Jesus Christ we must share our experiences. This is the most important way to build a relationship with people to help give them an understanding and open the window of HOPE in Jesus Christ. Where would be REALLY be in this world if we did not have JESUS....
The church today has several issues confronting it. Decline in church attendance continues, shift in value systems, moral decline, resistence to change, and religious pluralism are some that come to mind. One issue that stands out is bioethics. The Church has always been extremely competent in theological and ethical matters, but many churches today are unwilling to deal with contemporary ethical and moral issues, such as genetic engineering, cloning, embryonic stem cell research, and bioethics in general. Technological advances in the 21st century has caused a rapid change in our society. One the Church cannot ignore. To deal with these new challenges involving bioethics, the Church must embrace new methodologies that are biblically based. It must confront the media as they report and shape the bioethics debate. Bioethical issues are complex, but the Church is obligated to contribute to and play a critical role in dealing with these moral ethics in our society. What is the view of the Church on these issues? What answers does the Bible offer?
The biggest crisis the church faces is a lack of passion - an unwillingness to count the cost as Christ told us to. A people running passionately after the heart of Christ would pray without ceasing, have faith the church is the hope of this world, and act on that faith by sacrificing time, money, hobbies, materials, comfort, etc. to serve the world around us. I think Paul said somewhere that he'd gladly spend and be spent for the cause of Christ.
welcome to the blogosphere!
What a great question. I think that the greatest problem of Christians is that we view an infinite God through finite eyes. We base our view of "Christs Claims" not on our knowledge of Christ as a loving and forgiving God, but on our finite ideas, which are clouded by a cultural haze. We have our own ideas of what is right and wrong, and we interpret the Bible to support our finite views.
Welcome to the Methoblogosphere!
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