Comments on: A Shocking Agenda for the Church http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/a-shocking-agenda-for-the-church ...dispatches from the post-evangelical wilderness Sun, 12 Feb 2012 12:47:28 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: jk http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/a-shocking-agenda-for-the-church/comment-page-1#comment-136795 jk Fri, 05 Oct 2007 22:53:40 +0000 http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/a-shocking-agenda-for-the-church#comment-136795 "14. Have a book table." Say what now? “14. Have a book table.”

Say what now?

]]> By: Jeff http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/a-shocking-agenda-for-the-church/comment-page-1#comment-132021 Jeff Tue, 18 Sep 2007 02:22:18 +0000 http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/a-shocking-agenda-for-the-church#comment-132021 Aiieeeee . . . . aaaaaiiiieeeee . . . creeds! Creeds! Creeds! Aaaaaaaaiiiiiiieeeee . . . CREEEEEEEEEEEDS!!!!!!!!! (otherwise, as Phil said, sounds like lots of Church of Christ or conservative Disciples congregations . . . stop snickering, there are still some conservative Disciples of Christ churches out there. But no creeds. Ever. That's bad, not that we remember why.) Pax, Jeff Aiieeeee . . . . aaaaaiiiieeeee . . . creeds! Creeds! Creeds!

Aaaaaaaaiiiiiiieeeee . . . CREEEEEEEEEEEDS!!!!!!!!!

(otherwise, as Phil said, sounds like lots of Church of Christ or conservative Disciples congregations . . . stop snickering, there are still some conservative Disciples of Christ churches out there. But no creeds. Ever. That’s bad, not that we remember why.)

Pax, Jeff

]]> By: PS http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/a-shocking-agenda-for-the-church/comment-page-1#comment-131308 PS Sat, 15 Sep 2007 18:08:53 +0000 http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/a-shocking-agenda-for-the-church#comment-131308 <a href="http://proclaimingsoftly.blogspot.com/2007/09/christian-reconciliation-carnival_15.html " rel="nofollow">September Christian Reconciliation now posted</a> Your article is included. September Christian Reconciliation now posted Your article is included.

]]> By: Brendt http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/a-shocking-agenda-for-the-church/comment-page-1#comment-130295 Brendt Tue, 11 Sep 2007 15:36:49 +0000 http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/a-shocking-agenda-for-the-church#comment-130295 brandon, Part of Michael's thinking behind "12. Elders" may have to do with the fact that SBC churches (which Michael attends and which I attended for a great deal of my life) are a pure democracy -- or to put it more bluntly, mob rule. I like Mark Driscoll's comment on the subject: <blockquote>As I studied the Bible, I found more warrant for a church led by unicorns than by majority vote.</blockquote> You also said: <i>I think a better thing to add would be to have high standard for those in leadership positions</i> You and <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=titus%201:5-11;&version=50;" rel="nofollow">Paul</a> both, bro. ;-) brandon,

Part of Michael’s thinking behind “12. Elders” may have to do with the fact that SBC churches (which Michael attends and which I attended for a great deal of my life) are a pure democracy — or to put it more bluntly, mob rule.

I like Mark Driscoll’s comment on the subject:

As I studied the Bible, I found more warrant for a church led by unicorns than by majority vote.

You also said: I think a better thing to add would be to have high standard for those in leadership positions

You and Paul both, bro. ;-)

]]> By: ropata http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/a-shocking-agenda-for-the-church/comment-page-1#comment-130270 ropata Tue, 11 Sep 2007 13:13:48 +0000 http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/a-shocking-agenda-for-the-church#comment-130270 #-1 PRAY #0 FELLOWSHIP #-1 PRAY
#0 FELLOWSHIP

]]> By: Robert http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/a-shocking-agenda-for-the-church/comment-page-1#comment-129547 Robert Sat, 08 Sep 2007 16:44:20 +0000 http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/a-shocking-agenda-for-the-church#comment-129547 My wife and I moved to our current city in 2001 and have never found a church we've been entirely comfortable in, despite a couple of stints in churches for 2+ years -- and I can tell you flat out that if we found a church that sincerely attempted to do even a quarter of the things in the list in the article, we'd be going there in a heartbeat and planning on staying. And I don't think we're alone in that. I think a lot of churches who care about growing their congregations have no idea how attractive "going back" really is to a large number of Christians. Ironically, the churches that are most interested in church growth seem to think that everybody wants to current evangelical megachurch model, when in fact I think a whole lot of evangelicals are just tired of it and would flock to a place that seriously tried to have more substance to it. My wife and I moved to our current city in 2001 and have never found a church we’ve been entirely comfortable in, despite a couple of stints in churches for 2+ years — and I can tell you flat out that if we found a church that sincerely attempted to do even a quarter of the things in the list in the article, we’d be going there in a heartbeat and planning on staying. And I don’t think we’re alone in that.

I think a lot of churches who care about growing their congregations have no idea how attractive “going back” really is to a large number of Christians. Ironically, the churches that are most interested in church growth seem to think that everybody wants to current evangelical megachurch model, when in fact I think a whole lot of evangelicals are just tired of it and would flock to a place that seriously tried to have more substance to it.

]]> By: alan http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/a-shocking-agenda-for-the-church/comment-page-1#comment-129505 alan Sat, 08 Sep 2007 14:13:58 +0000 http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/a-shocking-agenda-for-the-church#comment-129505 thanks, I will and continue to insert scripture where I can...unfortunately we dont have elders, we have deacons that, in a way, act as elders. But our pastor is the one who runs everything....ever run into that? Thanks! thanks, I will and continue to insert scripture where I can…unfortunately we dont have elders, we have deacons that, in a way, act as elders. But our pastor is the one who runs everything….ever run into that? Thanks!

]]> By: Michael Spencer http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/a-shocking-agenda-for-the-church/comment-page-1#comment-129483 Michael Spencer Sat, 08 Sep 2007 13:53:39 +0000 http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/a-shocking-agenda-for-the-church#comment-129483 Ask to speak to the elders (or an elder) and make the case. Other than that, I know of no other appropriate response. Then pray that God will open eyes and change hearts. Ask to speak to the elders (or an elder) and make the case. Other than that, I know of no other appropriate response. Then pray that God will open eyes and change hearts.

]]> By: alan http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/a-shocking-agenda-for-the-church/comment-page-1#comment-129458 alan Sat, 08 Sep 2007 13:42:12 +0000 http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/a-shocking-agenda-for-the-church#comment-129458 Michael- excellent points...I regularly read your site but rarely comment...one question, if someone is in such a Baptist church where scripture is rarely (if ever) read...how do you recommend implementing that (I"m not the Sr. Pastor)...I have been doing announcements and I usually sneak a passage right before I start in on the weeks activities. I didn't ask I just did it, because I figured no one would complain...they haven't, yet. Michael-

excellent points…I regularly read your site but rarely comment…one question, if someone is in such a Baptist church where scripture is rarely (if ever) read…how do you recommend implementing that (I”m not the Sr. Pastor)…I have been doing announcements and I usually sneak a passage right before I start in on the weeks activities. I didn’t ask I just did it, because I figured no one would complain…they haven’t, yet.

]]> By: brandontmilan http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/a-shocking-agenda-for-the-church/comment-page-1#comment-129434 brandontmilan Sat, 08 Sep 2007 12:15:38 +0000 http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/a-shocking-agenda-for-the-church#comment-129434 You mentioned having an elder run church. Like someone else said, if the elders have little concern for the mission of the church, then this is no better than a committee-ran church or a deacon-ran church. This is something I've been thinking about a lot. I think that a lot of the problems in most church are caused by people in leadership positions who have little or no knowledge or concern of the gospel. The people in leadership at my church are far more concerned over paying off the new building rather than the salvation of and the physical well-being of the community around us. The church as a whole is somewhat concerned, but allows the leadership to determine their actions. If this church had an elder-run church, the men who are currently the leadership of the deacon board would probably be elders. I think a better thing to add would be to have high standard for those in leadership positions, and take church discipline seriously when those people don't display integrity. You mentioned having an elder run church. Like someone else said, if the elders have little concern for the mission of the church, then this is no better than a committee-ran church or a deacon-ran church.

This is something I’ve been thinking about a lot. I think that a lot of the problems in most church are caused by people in leadership positions who have little or no knowledge or concern of the gospel. The people in leadership at my church are far more concerned over paying off the new building rather than the salvation of and the physical well-being of the community around us. The church as a whole is somewhat concerned, but allows the leadership to determine their actions.

If this church had an elder-run church, the men who are currently the leadership of the deacon board would probably be elders.

I think a better thing to add would be to have high standard for those in leadership positions, and take church discipline seriously when those people don’t display integrity.

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