New Templates for BLOG and LIFE

Yeah...I've been wanting to change the look of this thing for awhile...but just now figured out the right buttons to push. I fear that there's some kind of anti-technological impulse which is dulling my IT senses.

Right now I'm reading Neil Cole's Organic Church and finding at least half of what he says to be quite good (that's really not a bad percentage in my opinion). I should withhold some judgment and cynicism until I've completed it...but I competely agree with his observation (which is shared by many) that the traditional church (and I suppose we'll let the readers decide whether or not theirs fits the bill) way overemphasizes the Sunday worship "event." I think McClaren describes it as traditional vs. missional (thanks, Scott!)

Although the church we are stepping away from (as employees and members) is a terrific church...healthy and vibrant by most standards...I still had this gnawing sense that we were very event driven in each ministry area. And I don't even know if that can be avoided when a church reaches that size (big...mega even). But it is so draining to come through a busy season in ministry and have this aching emptiness in your gut because you wonder what really happened? Was anyone's life just radically transformed by the resurrected Christ? Were sick people made well? Were the "poor and oppressed" rescued and delivered? Did anyone pass over from death to life?? Or did I just keep the machine running? Satisfying the expectations at a reasonable level?

I really have no idea what the next few months hold for us when it comes to church, ministry, or just simply...life. But simple sounds quite good.
Simple...
organic...
relevant...
authentic...
communal...

Now is our chance to travel a different road, explore some other models, and figure out how to experience God in deeper and richer ways.