someone tweeted this:
“if one person talking to people sitting in lines of chairs was going to change the world, wouldn’t we have fixed things by now?”
The author is talking about church… now, I am not, like some of my well respected friends, ready to throw out the church as it is, but I agree that change is necessary…
what do you think?
oh, if you saw the tweet, let us know via comment who started this line of thinking… thx
kingdom travelin' 
I’ve read a number of books with this premise and I really wrestle with questions about what is church, what is its purpose and WHY, if the very Word of God is proclaimed in a church gathering (preaching), does it not lead to change?
I’ve no answers, but I’ve heard/read that the “monologue” style of church needs to be changed and it is all about dialogue and “story” now, and that people are more interested in personal experiences than “absolute truth” (if such a thing is accepted as even existent). I was in conversation with a friend the other day who made the comment that her Community Group meant more to her than traditional-style church…… personally, that scares me a bit, because in Community Group it is true we connect, but when there’s a question or a life concern, we don’t go to Scripture; instead its all about our own (quite varied!) personal opinion or experiences as the “right way.”
It seems these days that the Bible pretty much goes against common sense and personal experiences trumps it.
I have no answers to your questions, just dismay and even more questions of how and what the Church is called to be in this culture. Honestly, the thought that the reality might be that the preaching of the Word of God doesn’t transform and change people and culture seriously makes me doubt my faith. I seriously love the Bible and yet, is it even read or needed these days?
I hope this isn’t too off topic for you.
thanks for your thoughts and honesty… I too believe that the Bible IS God’s word and THAT it does change us… my big question is that why is it that so many churches are housing converts rather than making disciples… so what I hope (and work toward) is that leaders will learn how to and be in the business of making disciples… I DO NOT believe disciples are truly made and reproduced by sitting in lines of chairs listening to someone talk to them (I grant church leaders they are working hard to prepare these sermons/messages/talks and that they are working hard in leading). I believe disciples are made in groups where people are REALLY known and heard and shepherded and that they are challenged to dwell in the Word of God… do, no, Tory, you were not off topic, your thoughts help this BIG conversation…
oh
WHY is the church? to glorify God and make disciples (over and against gathering nice looking, nice smelling people and building buildings and hosting TV and radio shows.
yes, I painfully agree dear Tom, and what if some smelly people enter… will we still remain having such segregated view…I hope my brother the LORD would grant us vision and courage to act… as the time for change is NOW
love
jasmina