Always: Curious dad blessed with 3 daughters looking at the world through a Lectionary lens.
Sometimes: Lutheran Preacher in Minnesota on the Edge in the Mid-Western Prairie and the Hiawatha Valley reading scripture and loving life. Often a new post every week for the following Sunday's scriptures.
A relevant body boldly proclaiming Christ to a world mired in sin.
A refuge from the world where life in the risen one is celebrated even in the face of death.
A people on a mission bringing Jesus vision and values with them into all places.
The body of Christ is made up of people; and people come together in the church in surprising and often unexpected ways. One of the boldest statements of vision that I have seen for the future church comes from Mark Driscoll of Mars Hill Church. Driscoll has offered a vision. I don't agree with him on all counts. I disagree with his view on women in leadership and with his overly harsh reading of statistics. I disagree with his interpretation of how many have portrayed Jesus as to weak. But I can admire his passion and his zeal. He is speaking boldly to a church that needs to focus on mission. See what you think for yourself.
I'd love to see a response to Pastor Driscoll. Is he offering a needed challenge to us in the church who need to see ourselves as fighters and not as soft and easy.
The stats he uses are depressing and true. I recently read a report from the secretary of the ELCA that states that membership in the ELCA continues to fall.
I think Mark is on to something here. We need good men AND women proclaiming this Good News and fighting the good fight. Churches can't be a social club but rather a lighthouse, existing for those who are "out there". If the church has no idea what it is suppose to be up to and where it is going, then the church is indeed in trouble.
There are even more depressing stats that back up what he is saying about men in church. I'll have to find the article now, but it states that young men and women are more likely to attend regular worship if their father is a regular worshipper. The percentages are staggering. Of course the highest percentage of young adults regularly attending worship come from families where both parents worship together; but the lowest percentage was with folks that came from homes where only the mother attended worship regularly.
Again, these numbers were from an essay published about five years ago or so. It is in the office so I'll have to pick it up tomorrow.
I've heard those stats too. It's so important for men to be in church, and for a great many, they aren't. we really need to look at this. One of my early memories in church is sitting next to my dad, while he would help me follow along in the worship book. He always sang harmony on the three-fold "amen", too.
Someplace in the Mid-Western Prairies, Minnesota, United States
Always: Curious dad blessed with 3 girls. Eagerly looking at the world his daughters are growing up in through a Lectionary lens. Sometimes: Lutheran Preacher in Minnesota on the Edge in the Mid-Western Prairie some place between the Hiawatha and Missouri Valleys reading scripture and loving life. I make comments on Monday or Tuesday about the next weeks scriptures and on occasion post a sermon too.
An opinion in this blog is simply that: my opinion. They do not represent the church I serve or the views of any writer quoted or promoted in this blog. I do try to site works I quote but I am not perfect.
Permission is granted to use any material, either photos or text, in this blog for non-profit use. Using any ideas or images in a sermon or other work would be a great honor, please leave a comment if you do.
All photos and text are copyright the Unlikely Conversationalist and may only be used for non-profit uses without express permission.
4 comments:
The stats he uses are depressing and true. I recently read a report from the secretary of the ELCA that states that membership in the ELCA continues to fall.
I think Mark is on to something here. We need good men AND women proclaiming this Good News and fighting the good fight. Churches can't be a social club but rather a lighthouse, existing for those who are "out there". If the church has no idea what it is suppose to be up to and where it is going, then the church is indeed in trouble.
yeah, I'm thinking about this too, but my brain is still on vacation. Right now all I can think of is the Blue Brothers "We're on a mission from God."
There are even more depressing stats that back up what he is saying about men in church. I'll have to find the article now, but it states that young men and women are more likely to attend regular worship if their father is a regular worshipper. The percentages are staggering. Of course the highest percentage of young adults regularly attending worship come from families where both parents worship together; but the lowest percentage was with folks that came from homes where only the mother attended worship regularly.
Again, these numbers were from an essay published about five years ago or so. It is in the office so I'll have to pick it up tomorrow.
I've heard those stats too. It's so important for men to be in church, and for a great many, they aren't. we really need to look at this. One of my early memories in church is sitting next to my dad, while he would help me follow along in the worship book. He always sang harmony on the three-fold "amen", too.
Post a Comment