tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20078186.post114965621564654644..comments2023-09-15T07:56:24.716-05:00Comments on The Chaotic Hammer: The Perfect ChurchChaotic Hammerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17713799579650424883noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20078186.post-1155452070586581392006-08-13T01:54:00.000-05:002006-08-13T01:54:00.000-05:00Well my friend, I believe it is about time for you...Well my friend, I believe it is about time for your next blog to take place. Do one on your cats or something!!! Maybe on antidisestablishmentanarianism. Come on. I'll give you a nickel.Seth Wardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02027729307468958273noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20078186.post-1151247923162445562006-06-25T10:05:00.000-05:002006-06-25T10:05:00.000-05:00Kat-No way! I go to Antioch too! Good to meet yo...Kat-<BR/><BR/>No way! I go to Antioch too! Good to meet you.<BR/><BR/>That's really cool, Chaotic Hammer, that you don't church shop, etc. I feel that church can be hard sometimes. You have to live with people who sometimes, you don't like. But it was the last prayer of Jesus that we would be one as He and the Father are One. <BR/><BR/>thanks for the postBaca's Headhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09108841097943206292noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20078186.post-1150561761063815582006-06-17T11:29:00.000-05:002006-06-17T11:29:00.000-05:00Growing up, I went to one church until I moved to ...Growing up, I went to one church until I moved to Argentina for Bible school, and then went to another church in the same town when I got back. So when I moved to Nashville three months ago, I was planning on visiting a couple churches and then finding one to stay at before too long. There was <A HREF="http://midtownfellowship.org/" REL="nofollow">one church </A> I had heard about that I decided to visit the first Sunday, and I've been going there since. There were a number of things I really liked about it the first time I went, and I decided that at that point if I kept looking around at different churches it would be easy for me to develop a consumeristic attitude.<BR/><BR/>Incidentally, one of the reasons I didn't go to The People's Church is because, when I first went to their website, at the top of the page it said "We are a Purpose Driven, Willow Creek Community, Southern Baptist Church". And I'm not a fan of any of those three camps.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20078186.post-1150501760409554792006-06-16T18:49:00.000-05:002006-06-16T18:49:00.000-05:00Cool post. We take the same approach.I grew up in...Cool post. We take the same approach.<BR/><BR/>I grew up in MANY churches -- the son of a discontent pastor. Our approach now is to find a church that a) isn't heretical, and b) doesn't physically attack us. We have low expectations. <BR/><BR/>We couldn't care less how good a preacher the preacher is, and don't really care about the musicianship of the musicians. We figure we're there to help, that's all. It's worked out great so far.<BR/><BR/>Best,<BR/>BrantAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20078186.post-1149958625843511152006-06-10T11:57:00.000-05:002006-06-10T11:57:00.000-05:00yes, my dad is still that one man show at a small ...yes, my dad is still that one man show at a small church. <BR/>what you said about getting past that "perfect persona" that we all try to portray is so true. I wish my husband and i could find a group of friends like that. it takes time, and it takes the right blend of personalities. we really need to pray about it, and ask for God's help. but then again, i know that he will provide in his time.operamomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09881183458642773208noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20078186.post-1149874459467013832006-06-09T12:34:00.000-05:002006-06-09T12:34:00.000-05:00Amy - I'm not really familiar with CMA, but it's g...Amy - I'm not really familiar with CMA, but it's good to hear that you are willing to step out of your comfort zone in order to seek what the Lord has for you.<BR/><BR/>There's something "safe" about simply remaining where we are, without wondering if it's really God's best for us, or whether it's just a matter of convenience.<BR/><BR/>But I sense, and have seen in so many people's lives, that the Lord is calling His church to be willing to step out of our comfort zone, and be willing to do whatever He has in store for us.Chaotic Hammerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17713799579650424883noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20078186.post-1149873075733084262006-06-09T12:11:00.000-05:002006-06-09T12:11:00.000-05:00Operamom - Yes, the home groups have been great fo...Operamom - Yes, the home groups have been great for my wife and I for about the last three or four years (we were in one in California before we moved to Nashville, and still stay in touch with the friends we made there).<BR/><BR/>I think it's important to point out that there's nothing special or magical about "home groups" per se. I fear some pastor guy somewhere deciding to write a book about how revolutionary they are, and then it becomes the next big "trend" in the church, like it's some sort of formula.<BR/><BR/>The reason they've worked for us is because they've allowed us to fellowship intimately with other believers, and to allow honest dialogue about our weaknesses, fears, sins, needs, etc. It has led to discipleship, to allowing people we trust to speak into our lives, and to encourage one another in love.<BR/><BR/>We have gotten past the front that Christians are so good at putting on, that everything is all right and we are living neat, clean lives. We all admit and acknowledge that we're all weak in areas, and fearful, and often fail. When we can admit that and offer healing to one another rather than condemnation, then it makes all the difference in our walk with the Lord.<BR/><BR/>Think about the old model for church -- one guy, the Pastor, who does all the Sunday morning preaching, does all the counseling, weddings, funerals, etc. And when churches got too big, we just expanded that model, so we have youth pastors, music ministers, and on and on into more and more specialized things. Still part of the same model though, where one group is the "ministry", and everyone else is "laity".<BR/><BR/>I think the idea that's starting to catch on, regardless of what it looks like, is that we are all the Body of Christ, called to serve Him in whatever place He has put us.Chaotic Hammerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17713799579650424883noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20078186.post-1149868568438029482006-06-09T10:56:00.000-05:002006-06-09T10:56:00.000-05:00It was very hard for me to break from my denominat...It was very hard for me to break from my denominational ties. I grew up as a Pastor's kid in a Christian and Missionary Alliance Church. We had lots of friends who were CMA that lived all over and we only saw once a year at General Council. I did Bible Quizzing with the CMA. I went to a college affiliated with the CMA. I went through the accredidation process to become a missionary with them and am still considered a missionary candidate with them.<BR/>Because it's a smaller denomination and because I was a PK, it was so much a family to me. But my heart has grown increasingly certain that being Alliance is not who I am. I still think they do a lot of great things and I will be happy to work with them overseas (though probably not as their missionary)<BR/>I recently left a large church that I could not connect in for a small cell church plant. I am really happy with this decision and it's the first time I ever left a church without moving.Amyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02515314638093018928noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20078186.post-1149865749269934842006-06-09T10:09:00.000-05:002006-06-09T10:09:00.000-05:00it is interesting you should talk about home group...it is interesting you should talk about home groups really growing you. i think that since churches have gotten so big, the small groups are truly what is taking over. the pastor is becoming more and more just a distance figure. that's kind-of sad though, because lots of people can slip through the cracks that way. <BR/>kat, i know what you mean about getting attached to one church. i have always had church jobs and now i finally got to pick my own church, and i love it! i am completely attached. but, yes, when i joined, it did become less perfect!operamomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09881183458642773208noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20078186.post-1149863070797627202006-06-09T09:24:00.000-05:002006-06-09T09:24:00.000-05:00Kat - Are you saying that the church you attend wa...Kat - Are you saying that the church you attend was important enough to you that you literally moved because of that? Or was that just one factor among several that made you favor Waco over Houston?<BR/><BR/>I'm just curious. I've found the whole idea of moving to a new place very interesting, because in our home group (small group), everybody except for one woman have moved to this area within the last year. It's uncanny, and every one of us has a "felt like God wanted us to move" story, and it's very interesting and exciting how much He has been working on hearts and in lives here.<BR/><BR/>I don't believe it's always the specific place that matters (though if the Lord puts someplace specific in our hearts we'd better listen!), since God is Spirit and will be anywhere that people seek Him. But I think it's something about being willing to uproot and drop everything, and start again in a new place that has the effect of loosening us from certain ruts we get into, and acknowledging Him in a new and powerful way as the true Provider for our needs.<BR/><BR/>I also realized as I wrote this that many people are very closely tied to the identity of whatever church or denomination they have been part of. Seth was expressing disillusionment with the Southern Baptists, and has said he is open to a lot of different denominational affiliations, but you and I both know (and have met) people whose entire identity as a Christian is deeply tied to their denomination ("born a Baptist, always been a Baptist, and plan to die a Baptist"). And I'm not picking on Baptists, since I've always had close friends who were Baptists, and have always felt that as a denomination, they are pretty solid and pretty good on most of the fundamentals of the faith.<BR/><BR/>But let's face it, if you're in the south, <A HREF="http://www.valpo.edu/geomet/pics/geo200/religion/baptist.gif" REL="nofollow">that would be the dominant denomination</A>. In fact, I believe that the church we attend is somehow affiliated with the Southern Baptists, even though "Baptist" is not in the title.Chaotic Hammerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17713799579650424883noreply@blogger.com