Comments on: What Will The Local American Church Look Like In 20 Years? http://www.ragamuffinsoul.com/2009/01/what-will-the-local-american-church-look-like-in-20-years/ Carlos Whittaker's Weblog Fri, 10 Feb 2012 08:05:38 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: My Church Manifesto « man.of.depravity http://www.ragamuffinsoul.com/2009/01/what-will-the-local-american-church-look-like-in-20-years/#comment-256853 My Church Manifesto « man.of.depravity Tue, 03 Feb 2009 10:56:34 +0000 http://www.ragamuffinsoul.com/?p=6798#comment-256853 [...] thoughts were confirmed as not just in my own head when Carlos wrote something pretty similar last [...] [...] thoughts were confirmed as not just in my own head when Carlos wrote something pretty similar last [...]

]]> By: Tim http://www.ragamuffinsoul.com/2009/01/what-will-the-local-american-church-look-like-in-20-years/#comment-256817 Tim Tue, 03 Feb 2009 04:51:15 +0000 http://www.ragamuffinsoul.com/?p=6798#comment-256817 Ok, I'm talking to myself since this has now become an antiquated post, but I'll type for my own sake: Is the decentralization of the Church a good thing or a bad thing? That to say, has Protestantism gone too far, and factioned too much? Is there something to be said for hierarchy, single mindedness, organization? Who will we rally under, as a body...or will we thrive and function in dysfunction and separation? Who will be the Christian Obama that can talk sense into all parties and get a majority on board from all walks? The "right" answer is Jesus, but we're too busy bickering about inconsequentials for that, and too many professional Christians have too much invested to defer to other leadership and submit to someone elses teaching. Who is going to put up the banner that says "Revival here tonight" and will draw from all churches in the area, or the country. I ramble. Ok, I'm talking to myself since this has now become an antiquated post, but I'll type for my own sake:

Is the decentralization of the Church a good thing or a bad thing? That to say, has Protestantism gone too far, and factioned too much? Is there something to be said for hierarchy, single mindedness, organization? Who will we rally under, as a body…or will we thrive and function in dysfunction and separation? Who will be the Christian Obama that can talk sense into all parties and get a majority on board from all walks?

The "right" answer is Jesus, but we're too busy bickering about inconsequentials for that, and too many professional Christians have too much invested to defer to other leadership and submit to someone elses teaching.

Who is going to put up the banner that says "Revival here tonight" and will draw from all churches in the area, or the country.

I ramble.

]]> By: Tim http://www.ragamuffinsoul.com/2009/01/what-will-the-local-american-church-look-like-in-20-years/#comment-256789 Tim Mon, 02 Feb 2009 23:03:47 +0000 http://www.ragamuffinsoul.com/?p=6798#comment-256789 Perhaps the pulpit should be destroyed, thus enabling 'followers' to follow Jesus instead of a talking head who is paid to talk. What if we just let church happen instead of trying to control the program. Meet at 9, we'll see where God takes it...who has a good word from this week? Who's hurting? Who's new? Who has questions? Anybody have a song on their heart? What would it look like if we didn't have 7 steps, rehearsal, sermons scheduled out a year ahead of time? What if we had to live it, and let it live through us? What if leaders led because they felt led, not to justify thier position or paycheck? Just thinking. Perhaps the pulpit should be destroyed, thus enabling 'followers' to follow Jesus instead of a talking head who is paid to talk. What if we just let church happen instead of trying to control the program. Meet at 9, we'll see where God takes it…who has a good word from this week? Who's hurting? Who's new? Who has questions? Anybody have a song on their heart?

What would it look like if we didn't have 7 steps, rehearsal, sermons scheduled out a year ahead of time? What if we had to live it, and let it live through us? What if leaders led because they felt led, not to justify thier position or paycheck?

Just thinking.

]]> By: Michelle http://www.ragamuffinsoul.com/2009/01/what-will-the-local-american-church-look-like-in-20-years/#comment-256090 Michelle Fri, 30 Jan 2009 21:40:38 +0000 http://www.ragamuffinsoul.com/?p=6798#comment-256090 I think the all-inclusive community is vital and a way to reach out as well. Working with youth I see when we as parents and adults invite them into our lives it extends the arms of the church beyond a weekly program. It also allows for outreach to their families, we have many students who come to our weekly program who are the spiritual heads of their homes, when we invite them to do life with us it's been a great way to invite their parents to come along as well. I can think of nothing better than hanging with freinds on a Friday who range from teens through their parents. I think the all-inclusive community is vital and a way to reach out as well. Working with youth I see when we as parents and adults invite them into our lives it extends the arms of the church beyond a weekly program. It also allows for outreach to their families, we have many students who come to our weekly program who are the spiritual heads of their homes, when we invite them to do life with us it's been a great way to invite their parents to come along as well. I can think of nothing better than hanging with freinds on a Friday who range from teens through their parents.

]]> By: Check These Out! [Jan. 30th 2009] - GBrenna.com http://www.ragamuffinsoul.com/2009/01/what-will-the-local-american-church-look-like-in-20-years/#comment-256082 Check These Out! [Jan. 30th 2009] - GBrenna.com Fri, 30 Jan 2009 20:59:30 +0000 http://www.ragamuffinsoul.com/?p=6798#comment-256082 [...] What Will The Local American Church Look Like in 20 Years? - Very interesting topic that I think is in the back of a lot of Gen X and Y people’s minds right now. Read this post and discuss in Los’ comments. [...] [...] What Will The Local American Church Look Like in 20 Years? – Very interesting topic that I think is in the back of a lot of Gen X and Y people’s minds right now. Read this post and discuss in Los’ comments. [...]

]]> By: Friday Five « The Watsonian http://www.ragamuffinsoul.com/2009/01/what-will-the-local-american-church-look-like-in-20-years/#comment-256057 Friday Five « The Watsonian Fri, 30 Jan 2009 17:27:23 +0000 http://www.ragamuffinsoul.com/?p=6798#comment-256057 [...] key to everything we do.  Hearing about Ted and Rod and reading this post by Anne and this one by Carlos, I know that not only in the church but our whole society needs to take steps towards [...] [...] key to everything we do.  Hearing about Ted and Rod and reading this post by Anne and this one by Carlos, I know that not only in the church but our whole society needs to take steps towards [...]

]]> By: chrissulli http://www.ragamuffinsoul.com/2009/01/what-will-the-local-american-church-look-like-in-20-years/#comment-256050 chrissulli Fri, 30 Jan 2009 16:13:05 +0000 http://www.ragamuffinsoul.com/?p=6798#comment-256050 Great insight, we definitely need the opportunity to come together as one body and an opportunity for the older to teach the younger and vice versa. One of the great thing about youth ministries is the ability to build up new leaders and allow youths to serve, lead and take responsibility in ways that wouldn't get to otherwise. Great insight, we definitely need the opportunity to come together as one body and an opportunity for the older to teach the younger and vice versa. One of the great thing about youth ministries is the ability to build up new leaders and allow youths to serve, lead and take responsibility in ways that wouldn't get to otherwise.

]]> By: craig http://www.ragamuffinsoul.com/2009/01/what-will-the-local-american-church-look-like-in-20-years/#comment-256035 craig Fri, 30 Jan 2009 14:30:12 +0000 http://www.ragamuffinsoul.com/?p=6798#comment-256035 not sure this will make sense, but i'll try... i think a good analogy for this is computer technology...anybody been around long enough to remember the size of the first "super" computers, which couldn't even really do some simple tasks that even our cell phones do now? we would laugh ourselves to death if someone was still trying to use on of those... apple is a great example of a company that starts with, what do we want this product to do? then, what is the best way to do that? and only then, what must the hardware look like? just look at the transformation of the iPod from year to year (or month to month, for that matter). desired outcome, process (operating system), hardware we've been running on the same piece hardware (church building and structure) pretty much since the beginning...thus we are stuck running the only (software) programs that we can given the confines of our hardware...new programs get run through the filter of whether they will work in that hardware...in order to upgrade these days, we can't just add programs or make them look better...we need to start from scratch and work backwards...what does Jesus want us to do? What is the best way to do that? What physical structure (if any) and organization is necessary to equip EVERY disciple to do that? bottom line: if our current form is not seeing lives changed and transformed more and more into Christ's character and being aligned and involved in His mission in the world, it MUST change. if this IS happening in your current structure, keeping doing it - just get better and better at it... not sure this will make sense, but i'll try…

i think a good analogy for this is computer technology…anybody been around long enough to remember the size of the first "super" computers, which couldn't even really do some simple tasks that even our cell phones do now? we would laugh ourselves to death if someone was still trying to use on of those…

apple is a great example of a company that starts with, what do we want this product to do? then, what is the best way to do that? and only then, what must the hardware look like? just look at the transformation of the iPod from year to year (or month to month, for that matter). desired outcome, process (operating system), hardware

we've been running on the same piece hardware (church building and structure) pretty much since the beginning…thus we are stuck running the only (software) programs that we can given the confines of our hardware…new programs get run through the filter of whether they will work in that hardware…in order to upgrade these days, we can't just add programs or make them look better…we need to start from scratch and work backwards…what does Jesus want us to do? What is the best way to do that? What physical structure (if any) and organization is necessary to equip EVERY disciple to do that?

bottom line: if our current form is not seeing lives changed and transformed more and more into Christ's character and being aligned and involved in His mission in the world, it MUST change. if this IS happening in your current structure, keeping doing it – just get better and better at it…

]]> By: The Church and Social Networking « Synaptic Light http://www.ragamuffinsoul.com/2009/01/what-will-the-local-american-church-look-like-in-20-years/#comment-256032 The Church and Social Networking « Synaptic Light Fri, 30 Jan 2009 14:18:01 +0000 http://www.ragamuffinsoul.com/?p=6798#comment-256032 [...] can even garner from Ragamuffinsoul’s thoughts on what will the Local American Church look like in 20 years as well as from the comments where the Local Church is heading - in any country. And the likes of [...] [...] can even garner from Ragamuffinsoul’s thoughts on what will the Local American Church look like in 20 years as well as from the comments where the Local Church is heading – in any country. And the likes of [...]

]]> By: The web church is the new reformation « Ipiphanist (Show + Tell) http://www.ragamuffinsoul.com/2009/01/what-will-the-local-american-church-look-like-in-20-years/#comment-255994 The web church is the new reformation « Ipiphanist (Show + Tell) Fri, 30 Jan 2009 05:04:36 +0000 http://www.ragamuffinsoul.com/?p=6798#comment-255994 [...] Is the disciple-making machinery of church the worship service or the community the worship service ... [...] [...] Is the disciple-making machinery of church the worship service or the community the worship service … [...]

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