One of these writers
is Fred Peatross, whose excellent blog,
Grace Awakening, is a
continuing source of new thoughts.
Fred has now written a
book (another book, I should say). Titled
A Mobile Church for E.P.I.C. Times (E.P.I.C. = experiential,
participative, image-based, connected), and subtitled “Moving Across Faith
Community Borders”, it is a timely and provocative call to reconnect the
church with the community. I commend it highly.
Fans of his website
will know that Fred writes in crystal-clear prose that is never less than
compelling. His book is the same. In a series of short, sharp chapters he
tells stories and jokes, preaches, teaches and inspires.
Here he is on the
internet:
Oh, how
times have changed! Today the…internet is, at its core, an invitation to
talk back. It has encouraged and fostered the voice and opinion of every
person, however much that voice may contradict the status quo. This
interactive forum has given post-modern culture the freedom and right to
reflect upon the stories they’ve been told and then create their own version
of the story, which becomes their sacred truth. The very nature of the
on-line community has loosened up any and all narratives. Today everyone has
been given the right to have his or her own “small story” to the exclusion
of anyone’s “big story.”
He urges us to get our
ministries out of our church buildings and into the culture. Sadly, he says,
most churches lack the vision narrative to do this.
Yet,
mobile ministries that move beyond the confines of a “one building” or “one
campus” church are, first, concerned with the missing ones and attempting to
minister to people all over their city. People with vision live with a sense
of expectancy!
Precisely. And that’s
why this book will resonate with so many who are frustrated that their
church leaders “don’t get it”.
A highlight is a
series of interviews with prominent Christians, including some leaders of
the emerging church movement. Here, from these interviews, are a couple of
soundbites.
Firstly from pastor
and author Brian McLaren :
Fred:
What do church leaders do with the long-standing members who have found
security in familiarity (and often confuse it with Gospel) and refuse to
move forward?
Brian: This is such an
important, and tough, question. I don’t think we can treat anyone harshly.
These people have simply believed what they have been told: that the church
exists largely for the benefit of its members. For us to help people believe
and act on the belief that the church exists largely for the benefit of its
non-members - this will be a major shift, and it will require humility,
patience, clear teaching, apologies, prayer, and did I say patience? I don’t
think we should expect a majority of the comfortable to get it. We should
seek to bless and care for these people, and at the same time, focus more
pro-active efforts on those who “get it”. And we should especially hope to
“disciple” new believers in a better way of seeing, thinking, etc.
And from the interview
with counsellor and writer Larry Crabb:
Intimacy
with God, the way we often define it, is a myth, and it will remain a myth
till heaven. The enjoyment of God is a bit like sexual pleasure - it comes
in short bursts; the rest of the time is spent in disciplined relating with
incredible emotional ups and downs. Intimacy defined as two parts hope, two
parts trust, and one part thrill is available now, but only when our hearts
are detached from everything else, or at least are in process in that
direction. That’s painful. In a good marriage, subtle preferences for
something or someone other than one’s spouse are not as easily detected by
the other. God always knows - and He keeps working till we see our idolatry
and surrender our first place affection to Him. That’s a life-long project.
February 5th, 2003
