Paradoxology: Our Family-of-Faith Convenes

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May 13, 2005

Our Family-of-Faith Convenes

Our denomination's annual conference kicked off this evening, as they unveiled our new motto: It's good to belong. (something I'm pretty excited about, given my commitment to the paradigm of belonging before believing).

This is my sixth year as a pastor with the Free Methodist Church in Southern California (part of the Free Methodist Church in North America), and I'm thrilled to be part of a denomination which proactively encourages its leaders to give birth to emerging/postmodern/next-gen communities of faith (like the one I had a hand in birthing two years ago: Paradox). They demonstrated that commitment again tonight, by inviting the worship team from one of these newer communities of faith -- Halogen -- to open up our first general session. Sure... it may have made our older leaders a little nervous, but it's more imporant that we affirm this emerging generation. Check it out:

Download Ann_Conf_1.wmv

May 13, 2005 at 07:39 PM | Permalink

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It's good to belong. Praise the Lord - ain't that great?!?

Posted by: Ingrid | May 12, 2005 at 10:46 PM

Chris,

I wonder...if they choose a motto of "Have a free beer on us," would your churches see an even better response? You could think of it as a continuation of the "It's good to belong" idea.

;-)

Okay, so just shoot me, all right?

Posted by: DLE | May 12, 2005 at 10:59 PM

Happy to have found a 'Free Methodist' among all these bloggers, and an emergent one at that. I was wondering where the FM stood on these matters, since the denomination sort of gave up on Farmington New Mexico about 4 years ago, and I haven't been in contact with many 'WESLEYANS' lately. Mostly hard core, hard nose calvanists. I'll be checking in peridoically to see whats up. As far as your "it's good to belong" motto,
as long as the gospel, the true gospel is presented, what does it matter how you initially bring them in? Right? We are now Open Bible Standard, which is describing itself as postmodern/emergent, but has not gotten away from the Word of God. It's more Charasmatic then most Free Methodist bodies I've been involved with, still the Word of God is the Word of God and doesn't it all boil down to just who do YOU say I (Jesus)am... I've never know a Free Methodist preacher to preach a false Christ, or a watered down salvation.

Posted by: maryellen | May 14, 2005 at 04:02 PM

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