Monday, March 05, 2007
Churchiness continues
NBC Today's Show Sunday (March 4) had a blurb in various churches, including The Journey ministry (Beer and Bible) as well others like xxxchurch and GodMen and a Texas church that does wrestling [couldn't find a link].
It's good to see more and more different churches coming out in the open but they all focus on herding people into a big building [be it the traditional "church" building or some meeting space]. And the lures are mere gimmicks.
I'm afraid that Jesus did not say: Invite friends to a big meeting. Nor corral as many people as possible into a room [and call it church]. He said:
Copyright 2007, DannyHSDad, All Rights Reserved.
It's good to see more and more different churches coming out in the open but they all focus on herding people into a big building [be it the traditional "church" building or some meeting space]. And the lures are mere gimmicks.
I'm afraid that Jesus did not say: Invite friends to a big meeting. Nor corral as many people as possible into a room [and call it church]. He said:
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you [Matthew 28:19,20]Making disciples is far cry from herding people once or twice week [with gimmicks, even]. Yes Jesus did party with the sinners but He wasn't busy increasing the membership count. In fact, He did His best to discourage faux followers: Matthew 10:34, Matthew 8:20 [among others]. Somewhere in the process, we've lost His message and are too busy counting the numbers [membership, offering, etc.].
Copyright 2007, DannyHSDad, All Rights Reserved.
Labels: churchy, gimmicky church, sissy church
Thursday, March 01, 2007
Gang: how not to fight back
"Youths learn skills to resist lure of gangs" talks about being trained to resist gang recruitment.
However, they miss the point of gang's appeal. It's about finding a place in the world as men [for young men and old(er) boys] and gang offers a sense of belonging ("virtual family") and adventure (doing manly things even if it was illegal or all the more reason if the act was illegal) and some goal (say, expanding the gang family). Unless something like a real church can draw them in, the lost boys will remain lost.
As The Anointed One puts it:
Copyright 2007, DannyHSDad, All Rights Reserved.
However, they miss the point of gang's appeal. It's about finding a place in the world as men [for young men and old(er) boys] and gang offers a sense of belonging ("virtual family") and adventure (doing manly things even if it was illegal or all the more reason if the act was illegal) and some goal (say, expanding the gang family). Unless something like a real church can draw them in, the lost boys will remain lost.
As The Anointed One puts it:
For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost. [Luke 19:10]Question for me is, how to show my sons The Way and, all the more importantly, the Way Maker....
Copyright 2007, DannyHSDad, All Rights Reserved.
Labels: anti-gang, church, fatherhood, gangs
