Comments on: In Search for Community http://www.matthewmorine.com/church-news/in-search-for-community/748/ by Matthew Morine Sat, 04 Feb 2012 04:16:46 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Matthew http://www.matthewmorine.com/church-news/in-search-for-community/748/comment-page-1/#comment-10078 Matthew Mon, 23 Feb 2009 00:24:51 +0000 http://www.matthewmorine.com/?p=748#comment-10078 Great Question Joe. Shockingly for being a white Canadian, when I was in Gallatin I had a ministry to those who lived in the projects (sorry for the term) over to the house all the time. I pretty much became a father to some of these kids. We had a lot of different people over to the home and I was over to their homes too. Great Question Joe. Shockingly for being a white Canadian, when I was in Gallatin I had a ministry to those who lived in the projects (sorry for the term) over to the house all the time. I pretty much became a father to some of these kids. We had a lot of different people over to the home and I was over to their homes too.

]]> By: K. Rex Butts http://www.matthewmorine.com/church-news/in-search-for-community/748/comment-page-1/#comment-10074 K. Rex Butts Sun, 22 Feb 2009 23:06:50 +0000 http://www.matthewmorine.com/?p=748#comment-10074 Actually, I believe the reason people no longer flock to churchs is that "Church" has lost its position of having any influence upon community. We can believe what we want, but in many quarters people (non-Christians) are not interested in what we have to say. What is the solution? Coffee shops, fitness gyms, etc... Incarnationally living in such places as salt, yeast, and light. The gospel will have influence on such people only as much as we are willing to allow ourselves to incarnate the good news among such people in their favorites places of hang out, just as Jesus was willing to allow himself to incarnate the good news among the world by becoming human. ...And that is an easier said than done task. Grace and peace, Rex Actually, I believe the reason people no longer flock to churchs is that “Church” has lost its position of having any influence upon community. We can believe what we want, but in many quarters people (non-Christians) are not interested in what we have to say. What is the solution? Coffee shops, fitness gyms, etc… Incarnationally living in such places as salt, yeast, and light.

The gospel will have influence on such people only as much as we are willing to allow ourselves to incarnate the good news among such people in their favorites places of hang out, just as Jesus was willing to allow himself to incarnate the good news among the world by becoming human.

…And that is an easier said than done task.

Grace and peace,

Rex

]]> By: Joe Baggett http://www.matthewmorine.com/church-news/in-search-for-community/748/comment-page-1/#comment-10072 Joe Baggett Sun, 22 Feb 2009 22:31:34 +0000 http://www.matthewmorine.com/?p=748#comment-10072 The reason that community forms in coffee shops so much easier than in a sterile boring worship service is the environment. There is no keeping up appearances or times to show up or leave. Nobody comes that really doesn't want to come. There is diversity and mystery. Comun the root word for community simply means to share or have in common. The church people of yesteryear in America that you speak of Matthew were mostly white middle class. America is no longer white middle class even though the church is still overwhelmingly white middle class. The reason that people do not see church as a synonym with community is that church traditionally is not about sharing or having things in common. The early church gave so that there was no one in need. The early church has a proportionate representation of surrounding demographics. It overcame racial, socio-economic and other barriers. Let me ask you a question Matthew. When was the last time you had a significant friendship with some one who is not like you by race by age by socio-economic group? Have you ever had a poor person of different race over to your house to eat? Until we learn to do these things our churches will never become synonymous with community and the ever watching unbelieving world will continue to look for community in coffee shops, bars, gangs, and anywhere else that represents the community. The reason that community forms in coffee shops so much easier than in a sterile boring worship service is the environment. There is no keeping up appearances or times to show up or leave. Nobody comes that really doesn’t want to come. There is diversity and mystery. Comun the root word for community simply means to share or have in common. The church people of yesteryear in America that you speak of Matthew were mostly white middle class. America is no longer white middle class even though the church is still overwhelmingly white middle class. The reason that people do not see church as a synonym with community is that church traditionally is not about sharing or having things in common.
The early church gave so that there was no one in need. The early church has a proportionate representation of surrounding demographics. It overcame racial, socio-economic and other barriers.
Let me ask you a question Matthew. When was the last time you had a significant friendship with some one who is not like you by race by age by socio-economic group? Have you ever had a poor person of different race over to your house to eat? Until we learn to do these things our churches will never become synonymous with community and the ever watching unbelieving world will continue to look for community in coffee shops, bars, gangs, and anywhere else that represents the community.

]]> By: Matthew http://www.matthewmorine.com/church-news/in-search-for-community/748/comment-page-1/#comment-10016 Matthew Fri, 20 Feb 2009 21:45:31 +0000 http://www.matthewmorine.com/?p=748#comment-10016 A true sense of love would be the first one. A true sense of love would be the first one.

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