A new book is on it's way to me -- thanks in part to Len at NextReformation.com. In his Thursday, August 19th post, evaluating a recent exchange between Brian McLaren and Dr. Duane Litfin (President, Wheaton), he interjects a fantastic quote from The Present Future, by Reggie McNeal:
"We have a church in North American that is more secular than the culture. Just when the church adopted a business model, the culture went looking for God. Just when the church embraced strategic planning (linear and Newtonian), the universe shifted to preparedness (loopy and quantum). Just when the church began building recreation centers, the culture began a search for sacred space. Church people still think that secularism holds sway and that people outside the church have trouble connecting to God. The problem is that when people come to church, expecting to find God, they often encounter a religious club holding a meeting where God is conspicuously absent. It may feel like a self-help seminar or even a political rally. But if pre-Christians came expecting to find God -- sorry! They may experience more spiritual energy at a U2 concert or listening to a Creed CD."
It feels as if the Church has lost it's prophetic gift and voice in relation to the culture-at-large. Instead of being that community-in-the-Holy-Spirit which forsees and anticipates and boldly steps out to lead -- the Church largely continues to function in "copy-cat" mode.
Does this bother anyone?
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What a great quote! Looks like you won't be the only one ordering a copy. I haven't read what the other blog was saying, but as far as your post, I don't think that our problem is that we copy the culture around us. The problem is much deeper.
Posted by: Benjy (groovythpstr) | August 23, 2004 at 05:48 PM
My wife and I went to a U2 concert back in 2001 the night after Pascha (Easter)...we were blown away at
a) how shallow it seemed compared to the glory of the Paschal Liturgy and
b) how much more "spiritual" and fulfilling the concert was compared to our days in typical Christian churches....
Posted by: Karl Thienes | August 23, 2004 at 09:59 PM
Bothers me.
Ironically enough, just before I saw this post I blogged on the fact that we rely so little on guidance in ministry by the Holy Spirit. Programs and models reign, and no one notices the Spirit has left the building.
Seriously, doesn't anyone ask why the Spirit seems to always lead church leaders into the latest Christian ministry fad? I question such leading, even if it produces "results," simply because we never get to see if a truly Spirit-led move would trump it.
Posted by: DLE | August 24, 2004 at 11:14 PM
Chris, I just ordered McNeil's book. I cannot wait to get it. I agree with DLE! So funny, because Holy Spirit is always talking. It just depends if we want to get over ourselves and our own agendas to listen and do what he wants.
Posted by: Matt Segawa | August 25, 2004 at 06:38 AM