We are failing as Christian Churches in the world of Cyberspace
I recently watched a presentation over CCTV on the recent book by George Barna called Revolution. In this presentation, George and two ministers discussed revolutionary Christians who are not spiritually fulfilled in the local church establishment.
They have seven passions:
1. Intimate Worship
2. Faith-Based Conversations
3. Intentional Spiritual Growth
4. Servanthood
5. Resource Investment
6. Spiritual Friendships
7. Family Faith
In general, these revolutionary Christians are "on fire" for the Lord and are not finding what they want and need in the typical local church. Because of this, they seek others of like mind in several less conventional venues like home churches, family churches, cyber space and para-church organizations.
I myself have become somewhat of a revolutionary in the mentoring and nurturing of my four children and seven grandchildren.
Some time ago, while reading "Right From Wrong" by Josh McDowl, I read something that stuck, and stuck deep. Josh said that one of the reasons that he believes is responsible for the difficult, difficult time our children have as teenagers stems from the mobility of our modern society. We no longer have three-generational families where grandpa and grandma live with the children and grandchildren and aunts and uncles are close at hand. Because of this dissipation of the extended family unit, when a teenager needs to talk to someone about something that he or she can't share with parents, there is not an aunt, uncle or grandparent near with the trust relationship necessary for the hurting teen to confide his/her innermost thoughts and feelings.
Instead, the teen is left in most cases with no one but their peers. Peers lack the wisdom and maturity that the adult family members can bring to the relationship and more often than not, the teenager makes avoidable mistakes.
My wife and I have been nurturing our relationship with all four of our children, two spouses and seven grandchildren. We have accomplished this thus far by choosing a local church in which all members of the family feel comfortable. This way we are there for every occasion and can help with rides, etc. The entire family worships together and has the Sunday noon meal together almost every week. We can accomplish this without too much burden by having dinner first at one house, then another with each couple taking turns for one meal to provide the food, cook and clean up.
Having the family so close in relationship and distance (we all live within 5 miles of each other) has made car-pooling, babysitting, picking kids up from school, etc. very easy to accomplish.
This blog is an attempt to share some of the ideas that George Barna spells out in his book "Revelation" about the changing environment and format of the Church (all Christians) vs the church (local church). I hope that it will stimulate thoughtful discussion and lead to a deeper relationship between Christians and between fellow Christians and Christ.
They have seven passions:
1. Intimate Worship
2. Faith-Based Conversations
3. Intentional Spiritual Growth
4. Servanthood
5. Resource Investment
6. Spiritual Friendships
7. Family Faith
In general, these revolutionary Christians are "on fire" for the Lord and are not finding what they want and need in the typical local church. Because of this, they seek others of like mind in several less conventional venues like home churches, family churches, cyber space and para-church organizations.
I myself have become somewhat of a revolutionary in the mentoring and nurturing of my four children and seven grandchildren.
Some time ago, while reading "Right From Wrong" by Josh McDowl, I read something that stuck, and stuck deep. Josh said that one of the reasons that he believes is responsible for the difficult, difficult time our children have as teenagers stems from the mobility of our modern society. We no longer have three-generational families where grandpa and grandma live with the children and grandchildren and aunts and uncles are close at hand. Because of this dissipation of the extended family unit, when a teenager needs to talk to someone about something that he or she can't share with parents, there is not an aunt, uncle or grandparent near with the trust relationship necessary for the hurting teen to confide his/her innermost thoughts and feelings.
Instead, the teen is left in most cases with no one but their peers. Peers lack the wisdom and maturity that the adult family members can bring to the relationship and more often than not, the teenager makes avoidable mistakes.
My wife and I have been nurturing our relationship with all four of our children, two spouses and seven grandchildren. We have accomplished this thus far by choosing a local church in which all members of the family feel comfortable. This way we are there for every occasion and can help with rides, etc. The entire family worships together and has the Sunday noon meal together almost every week. We can accomplish this without too much burden by having dinner first at one house, then another with each couple taking turns for one meal to provide the food, cook and clean up.
Having the family so close in relationship and distance (we all live within 5 miles of each other) has made car-pooling, babysitting, picking kids up from school, etc. very easy to accomplish.
This blog is an attempt to share some of the ideas that George Barna spells out in his book "Revelation" about the changing environment and format of the Church (all Christians) vs the church (local church). I hope that it will stimulate thoughtful discussion and lead to a deeper relationship between Christians and between fellow Christians and Christ.
posted by Cyber Church at 3:57 PM
1 Comments:
I believe the local church is very important. I am a young single Christian women who had to leave home at the age of 25. I am now 28 and live in a suburb of Melbourne. Starting off in life is difficult when your family can not support you and you have to do it alone! Of course, the government in Australia provides some help but the church (that is the people in the church) have provided for other needs.
A young married couple offered and paid a contribution of $4000 (I'd only managed to raise $1000)towards me buying a car so I could get to and from work. Since then I have managed to pay them back (over two years interest free, if I could have got a loan $8000 is how much the loan agency would have charged me!).
The church has become my family where my natural family hasn't been able to be there.
I'll be moving house soon. I was really upset by the thought of trying to do it alone and talked to one member of my "life group" (home group that I attend once every week when I can, as well as Sunday church in the morning). They have offered to help move my things and split the cost of the van rental because the inital amount of money needed to pay the landlord is a lot of money (even in shared accommodation).
My church provides people I can link up with to help me live life with and I can help others through the church.
It is a great blessing to just give of your time to go and help someone. Several years ago I belonged to a youth group which decided to go and help a family weed their garden as the mother was dying of cancer. Two years later I returned to that same garden bed (not to weed) but realised that the person I had then helped became my stepdad. My mum had met this man two years after his wife had died. My stepdad is the best stepdad anyone could imagine. Sure, he's not as close as my dad but he's a good man! We met in the church.
The church is not perfect as people are not perfect but we can be better than doing it alone and we can live life as a blessing to one another.
If I can be a blessing over the internet then it's just another form of communication.
My eldest brother travelled the world and said "Ruth, where ever you go around the world the church will be your family". I've found this to be true, even cross-cultures.
Note: Unfortunately you initially do need to decide if the church is a healthy church or not. A sign of a healthy church is 1) bible based 2) believe in God's salvation through Jesus Christ 3)is growing in numbers through discipleship (that is bringing the unchurched along, befriending them and teaching them about Christianity) 4) The authority of the church is not threatening... (you can approach them).
The church is also a place for the sick to go! You should realise that sick people are hurting and can hurt others. The leadership should realise this and encourage the right people to share the load of helping this person to get better (whether physically, mentally, emotionally, lifestyle etc.). Sometimes the church fails in this area. But God has called you and I to be a light to the world. He is given us talents to use. If the church isn't working well maybe we ARE NOT DOING OUR JOB! That is perhaps we get a little too much self-centred rather than Christ-centred. If we are Christ-centred we'll get more of a heart for those who need our help.
Lord, help us to be thoughtful today of you and others.
Thank you for loving us. Amen.
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