Comments on: Leaving Church http://preachermike.com/2007/07/23/leaving-church Sniffing out the work of God in the world... Wed, 08 Oct 2008 02:56:50 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Troy http://preachermike.com/2007/07/23/leaving-church#comment-66481 Troy Wed, 25 Jul 2007 05:33:14 +0000 http://preachermike.com/2007/07/23/leaving-church#comment-66481 Larry- I appreciate your perspective. You, of all people, should be familiar with the face of discouragement. How many of the people that you have been involved in helping have been able to lift themselves from a desperate situation with doubt and dispair? Amy- You're probably right. However, she was not exactly ministering to Lakewood Church. I looked up her former church website. Their church van was a Toyota Prius. There is something to be said for perserverance. KentF- I may just have trouble with books like this. I don't read them. The launguage is too labored for me. If you're going to express a cliche, don't try to disguise it with fluffy speak. Your point though, makes perfect sense to me. I agree that people are weary with how we do church. They need to know that a true worship service is one that puts service before worship. ***Just as a side note, could it be that God chose not to bless her ministry? Larry-

I appreciate your perspective. You, of all people, should be familiar with the face of discouragement. How many of the people that you have been involved in helping have been able to lift themselves from a desperate situation with doubt and dispair?

Amy-

You’re probably right. However, she was not exactly ministering to Lakewood Church. I looked up her former church website. Their church van was a Toyota Prius. There is something to be said for perserverance.

KentF-

I may just have trouble with books like this. I don’t read them. The launguage is too labored for me. If you’re going to express a cliche, don’t try to disguise it with fluffy speak.

Your point though, makes perfect sense to me. I agree that people are weary with how we do church. They need to know that a true worship service is one that puts service before worship.

***Just as a side note, could it be that God chose not to bless her ministry?

]]> By: Kathy S http://preachermike.com/2007/07/23/leaving-church#comment-66456 Kathy S Tue, 24 Jul 2007 13:56:43 +0000 http://preachermike.com/2007/07/23/leaving-church#comment-66456 Laura, It sounds like your "country" congregation was striving to help others. And I can see how you might feel discouraged when thinking about the tings you mentioned. However, I wonder if you may feel better if you alter your musings to wonder if your neighbors saw Jesus? They may not know you and your congregation, but they may have seen Jesus. And once they catch a glimpse of Him, only God knows where He will lead them. Thanks for sharing the story of your “church” experience. Laura,
It sounds like your “country” congregation was striving to help others. And I can see how you might feel discouraged when thinking about the tings you mentioned. However, I wonder if you may feel better if you alter your musings to wonder if your neighbors saw Jesus? They may not know you and your congregation, but they may have seen Jesus. And once they catch a glimpse of Him, only God knows where He will lead them.
Thanks for sharing the story of your “church” experience.

]]> By: KentF http://preachermike.com/2007/07/23/leaving-church#comment-66454 KentF Tue, 24 Jul 2007 13:17:54 +0000 http://preachermike.com/2007/07/23/leaving-church#comment-66454 Troy - I do agree that continual griping is not what we're to be about - but I don't see that here. If I were to cull down my one gripe with the church it is that leadership has been totally absorbed with "doing church just right" as folks have left in exodus because they grew weary of studying the same few verses and singing the same few songs over and over again three times a week while the world around them knows nothing of Jesus and looks at our activities as something very un-relatable to them. Troy - I do agree that continual griping is not what we’re to be about - but I don’t see that here. If I were to cull down my one gripe with the church it is that leadership has been totally absorbed with “doing church just right” as folks have left in exodus because they grew weary of studying the same few verses and singing the same few songs over and over again three times a week while the world around them knows nothing of Jesus and looks at our activities as something very un-relatable to them.

]]> By: Larry James http://preachermike.com/2007/07/23/leaving-church#comment-66451 Larry James Tue, 24 Jul 2007 10:30:51 +0000 http://preachermike.com/2007/07/23/leaving-church#comment-66451 Whining to one person may be honest, painful confession and recognition of new truth, broad, wide, liberating truth to another. Troy, live a little longer buddy. Whining to one person may be honest, painful confession and recognition of new truth, broad, wide, liberating truth to another. Troy, live a little longer buddy.

]]> By: laura oldenburg http://preachermike.com/2007/07/23/leaving-church#comment-66450 laura oldenburg Tue, 24 Jul 2007 07:34:11 +0000 http://preachermike.com/2007/07/23/leaving-church#comment-66450 Hi Mike I read the excerpt from Christianity Today and it rang home with me. I remember as a child that our fellowship used to pride itself on the plainess of our buildings of Worship and the lack of razzmatazz in that worship. We proclaimed to all that our giving went to help others not expand our facilities. We said our worship was a model of first century worship. That being said, have we really made a difference in the life of the people around us? When we were still in Michigan our local congregation started an experiment of showing God's love in practical ways to our neigbors and neighborhood. Our congregation had been built in the country and private homes had grown up around it. We had been there forty years, but when we started doing these practical things, out of love for God and our nieghbor, we were amazed that when asked and told who we were they didn't know us. Obviously the good in that congregation hadn't impacted our neighborhood much. So what is the answer? Do we quit or do we pray and search our souls and listen to His words and go into the neighborhoods. I see more congregations struggling to find the way to do this very thing. It gives me new hope that the young ones coming along aren't satisfied to let the status quo be and just benefit from all they have been given. Now as to Ms. Brown, I see her courage in admitting what many of us think and struggle with in our walk with God. Please allow her the support of other Christians who privately have many of the same thoughts. We may not be as articulate in expressing them, but if we are honest thinkers , those thoughts are present. I pray that we will be like Micah said, " to love mercy ' and show that same mercy to her as God already does. Hi Mike

I read the excerpt from Christianity Today and it rang home with me. I remember as a child that our fellowship used to pride itself on the plainess of our buildings of Worship and the lack of razzmatazz in that worship. We proclaimed to all that our giving went to help others not expand our facilities. We said our worship was a model of first century worship. That being said, have we really made a difference in the life of the people around us? When we were still in Michigan our local congregation started an experiment of showing God’s love in practical ways to our neigbors and neighborhood. Our congregation had been built in the country and private homes had grown up around it. We had been there forty years, but when we started doing these practical things, out of love for God and our nieghbor, we were amazed that when asked and told who we were they didn’t know us. Obviously the good in that congregation hadn’t impacted our neighborhood much. So what is the answer? Do we quit or do we pray and search our souls and listen to His words and go into the neighborhoods. I see more congregations struggling to find the way to do this very thing. It gives me new hope that the young ones coming along aren’t satisfied to let the status quo be and just benefit from all they have been given.

Now as to Ms. Brown, I see her courage in admitting what many of us think and struggle with in our walk with God. Please allow her the support of other Christians who privately have many of the same thoughts. We may not be as articulate in expressing them, but if we are honest thinkers , those thoughts are present. I pray that we will be like Micah said, ” to love mercy ‘ and show that same mercy to her as God already does.

]]> By: Amy http://preachermike.com/2007/07/23/leaving-church#comment-66448 Amy Tue, 24 Jul 2007 03:15:25 +0000 http://preachermike.com/2007/07/23/leaving-church#comment-66448 Troy, I hear what you are saying. And I think one of the points in the above quote is that the writer is weary of being asked to bring forth solutions. Troy, I hear what you are saying. And I think one of the points in the above quote is that the writer is weary of being asked to bring forth solutions.

]]> By: Allison http://preachermike.com/2007/07/23/leaving-church#comment-66447 Allison Tue, 24 Jul 2007 02:57:50 +0000 http://preachermike.com/2007/07/23/leaving-church#comment-66447 I have no idea what Ms. Taylor is talking about. I have no idea what Ms. Taylor is talking about.

]]> By: Troy http://preachermike.com/2007/07/23/leaving-church#comment-66446 Troy Tue, 24 Jul 2007 02:56:48 +0000 http://preachermike.com/2007/07/23/leaving-church#comment-66446 I am simply getting weary of all of the self-absorbed Christians, who are more concerned about their own meandering journey of faith than whether or not others even know Jesus. You're not going to inspire anyone with a laundry list of gripes. Who has the leadership to bring forth the solutions? Someone will. Probably not Ms. Taylor. I am simply getting weary of all of the self-absorbed Christians, who are more concerned about their own meandering journey of faith than whether or not others even know Jesus. You’re not going to inspire anyone with a laundry list of gripes. Who has the leadership to bring forth the solutions? Someone will. Probably not Ms. Taylor.

]]> By: qb http://preachermike.com/2007/07/23/leaving-church#comment-66445 qb Tue, 24 Jul 2007 02:22:17 +0000 http://preachermike.com/2007/07/23/leaving-church#comment-66445 "Whining?" Do tell, Troy. qb “Whining?” Do tell, Troy.

qb

]]> By: Troy http://preachermike.com/2007/07/23/leaving-church#comment-66444 Troy Tue, 24 Jul 2007 02:14:07 +0000 http://preachermike.com/2007/07/23/leaving-church#comment-66444 When did whining become inspirational? When did whining become inspirational?

]]> By: Photog Mike http://preachermike.com/2007/07/23/leaving-church#comment-66443 Photog Mike Tue, 24 Jul 2007 01:16:42 +0000 http://preachermike.com/2007/07/23/leaving-church#comment-66443 Barbara Brown Taylor is one of the most powerful, inspirational, and compelling voices out there. I love her work for so many reasons. Barbara Brown Taylor is one of the most powerful, inspirational, and compelling voices out there. I love her work for so many reasons.

]]> By: Kathy S http://preachermike.com/2007/07/23/leaving-church#comment-66442 Kathy S Tue, 24 Jul 2007 00:18:16 +0000 http://preachermike.com/2007/07/23/leaving-church#comment-66442 I agree, Mike. This is a book that does "sink deep" and one that will not let you go easily. I agree, Mike. This is a book that does “sink deep” and one that will not let you go easily.

]]> By: David Johnson http://preachermike.com/2007/07/23/leaving-church#comment-66441 David Johnson Mon, 23 Jul 2007 23:09:29 +0000 http://preachermike.com/2007/07/23/leaving-church#comment-66441 The sad thing is that there are those who feel the same way about church who are not "professional ministers." The sad thing is that there are those who feel the same way about church who are not “professional ministers.”

]]> By: KentF http://preachermike.com/2007/07/23/leaving-church#comment-66433 KentF Mon, 23 Jul 2007 20:16:58 +0000 http://preachermike.com/2007/07/23/leaving-church#comment-66433 Wow, that is powerful, I'm gonna need a few more minutes just to digest those paragraphs - thanks Mike! Wow, that is powerful, I’m gonna need a few more minutes just to digest those paragraphs - thanks Mike!

]]> By: Phil Wilson http://preachermike.com/2007/07/23/leaving-church#comment-66432 Phil Wilson Mon, 23 Jul 2007 17:52:05 +0000 http://preachermike.com/2007/07/23/leaving-church#comment-66432 I think this post on "Out of Ur" has some interesting things to say along these lines, but from the perspectives of non-Christians. http://blog.christianitytoday.com/outofur/archives/2007/07/an_excursion_in.html I think this post on “Out of Ur” has some interesting things to say along these lines, but from the perspectives of non-Christians.

http://blog.christianitytoday.com/outofur/archives/2007/07/an_excursion_in.html

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