by Chip Anderson
God's love is amazing! I am constantly surprised by who He loves. He loves the dregs, to low lifes and the rejects, God loves my brother and even me.... [more]
by Spencer Burke
The situation reminds of the banking industry. At one time, if you wanted to deposit or withdraw money, you had to go to the bank and stand in line. You had to fill out a slip and wait for someone to serve you. Today, there are independent ATMs capable of instantly dispensing cash all over the place—from grocery stores and restaurants, to sports stadiums and bars. I don’t know about you but I can’t remember the last time I actually “went to the bank.” It’s not that I’ve stopped needing money; it’s just that I choose to get it in other ways.
But the church seems largely oblivious to this trend toward flexible, on-demand service in our culture. When it comes to spirituality, we still expect people to come to us. We insist they arrive at our buildings to do transactions with God or make deposits in their spiritual account. When congregants complain about pastors and churches having banking hours, the church cries foul in the form of “consumer!” They don’t think to ask whether their product is really what the market needs. Instead, they ramp up the rhetoric, overhaul the marketing materials or renovate the branch.... [more]
Soularize 2007 includes year-long online collaborative learning groups, culminating with a three-day learning party in Nassau, Bahamas with N. T. Wright, Rita Nakashima Brock, Fr. Richard Rohr, and Brennan Manning. Reserve your place at the party today for only $199 [that's $50 off the regular registration price].
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