Post-Modern Porn Sites
15 Mar 2004
Last night…
I have already fallen, stumbled and taken a dive headlong into my previous addiction. I know it’s not good for me, I know I shouldn’t look, I know my friends wouldn’t understand, but I couldn’t help it.
Just type a search on post-modern and emerging church, and there they all are, and most are free!
They lure you in with the titilating titles then, hit you with the shame…they tell of how all our churches should close, how the future of the church is not here, we need to quit teaching, giving and serving, and go to the pub to be church with my friends (what were those friends names again?).
And they all talk about the church they hate, and the one they would join if someone else would just please go and do it for them…
Now I feel sick, and in need of a wash. I hope I don’t fall into this again.
But I have hope, and remember that church isn’t about me, and what I hate and don’t like, it’s about whether I will chose in a consumer society to committ to a group of people, human beings, as broken as I am, to serve, no matter how imperfect they are.
In 2,000 years of church history has there ever been a time when there was a church that was full of 100% radical disciples? I stuggle to give 50%, on a good day, but I want to do it in the church.
So I am going to say it, at least for me. I love the church, and I can’t live without it, in all it’s myriad forms.
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9 comments
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Comment by Tim Keel
7.25 pm on 15 Mar 2004
Preach on, my brother…better yet, live on and increase your tribe.
Comment by Jay
8.04 pm on 15 Mar 2004
Brother Jason, keep up the good work. Sometimes it’s easier to wallow in critique than to get off the couch and work toward transformation. I too love the church (even when my tribe is fighting over who gets to keep the proceeds of the latest fundraiser!). My hope is that it is lovers of the church that will be the one’s committed enough to help it be what God created it to be.
Comment by Paul
8.24 pm on 15 Mar 2004
Ah church…but not as you know it Jim! Funny isn’t it how we all get hung up on church being our mates, church down the pub, church with candles and coolness – yet we don’t actually want to call it church. Church is dead long live community, canapies, cocktails, chatting, chilled – whatever brings that loose affiliation of christ hungry people together or just hungry people – who was ever full after a vol-au-vont! It sounds so 21st century and yet is so 1st century at the same time, we will always hunger for the basic building blocks – 2 to 3 gathered in my name – that being the stick, twist or bust -why are we gathering and with whom for what purpose. Personally I’d like to hang out with friends for a purpose that means something more than just me and my needs, something bigger, better and brighter and i’m not talking a golden spotlit giant M here either… However we badge it, church is that basic definition hanging out with Jesus and each other in order to be like the former is whilst lovin the latter… but heh that’s my opinion, I’m well known for being wrong :)
Comment by felix
12.38 am on 16 Mar 2004
Thank #@!& that someone’s said it!
Great post, Jason! Thanks. Do you know http://www.xxxchurch.com? Maybe we need to do a http://www.xxxpomochurch.com? (I checked: the domains still available!)
Trackback by chrismc
3.17 pm on 16 Mar 2004
Post-Modern Porn Sites
Jason I hope we can meet someday we think a lot alike. Great thougts. Post-Modern Porn Sites Last night… I have already fallen, stumbled and taken a dive headlong into my previous addiction. I know it’s not good for me, I know I shouldn’t look, I kno…
Comment by Sivin Kit
3.20 pm on 16 Mar 2004
we’ll much to talk when we meet up … can feel the fire in you on this one .. a fire that warms!
Comment by Dave
6.35 pm on 16 Mar 2004
Maybe I am missing the point (and it you won’t be surprised to hear that it isn’t my first time either) but as I have been struggling with a theological understanding of church I find one thing missing in all this discussion about getting rid of church. The way I see it this – Church is God’s idea and since its God’s idea, it’s something bigger than its individual or either total parts. It’s something that Christ alone builds. But that Church is something that God builds, as he gathers us an act that also defines us from the greater mass we come from. We are no longer just a club, we are called his Bride, we are called a living temple for his presence, we are called a body, in which each part contributes to the function and good of the whole with Christ at its head or an outpost of the kingdom.
Now I know you all know this – but its seems to be something we forget when we want church to be just me and mine, or say church is dead. Has anyone be kind enough to explain that to Jesus! Has anyone been kind enough to explain that to people whom have died for the church and are dying for it now?
We do need to discuss what the nature of the church is, what does it mean to be gathered and to have him present where were we meet. We need a fresh understanding of what it means to be a collective temple – expressed in individual congregations and what it means to be fitted together inter-dependent like a body.
I am not sure God thinks Church is dead – just yet anyway.
D.
Comment by Kevin Rains
5.22 pm on 17 Mar 2004
Good post Jason… hope you’re doing well in the DMin program. I love the church too in all her myriad forms… including the ones in cathdrals and the ones in the pubs. Thanks for writing this…
Comment by Marc
7.20 pm on 18 Mar 2004
Whilst I realise ‘church’ is essentially the people and not the building – I can’t help but contrast Canterbury Cathedral in all its mystery, sights, sounds and smells.
It’s heritage and the connection for over 1000 years of worship to our family alive in Christ.
And the ‘Five Heads’, an iffy local which inspires me to be wary of people whose nicknames are ‘the finger’, that in itself an irony maybe because half was cut off in some rough and tumble.
Ok – so pub church doesn’t do it for me but I love church and I love doing church, I love old church and new church – there is a place for pub church and Cathedral church and most places in between.
There must be an understanding that we are different and different approaches to God will take different paths.
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