Friday, September 04, 2009

Reflecting (On) What's Wrong, Part 20

For the past six months, I’ve been posting reflections on a journey that I have been on for nearly two decades to find out what’s wrong with the church. It is not as negative and critical as it may sound at first. Here it is outlined in one post, with links to the text of each entry.

I sense that I'm getting ready to turn a page and move on to a new "day" in the months and years ahead. Writing this down has been clarifying and helpful to me. I hope it can be useful in some ways to others on the journey as well.



A. PRE-REFLECTIONS

B. PIECES OF THE PROBLEM

1. Generational Issues

2. Cultural Issues


3. Theological Issues

4. Personal Issues

Another Note

C. RESPONDING TO THE PROBLEM

Redefining My Identity

Reducing Church to Its Relational Essence

Reducing Church to Its Relational Essence, Continued

Restructuring Life

Releasing Ourselves from Labels

More Thoughts on Reducing Church to Its Relational Essence

Recognizing Family As the Primary Image of Church

Family As Primary Image of Church, Continued

A Spiritual Experience

So Few Real Spiritual Experiences

An Illustration















"These are the last words I have to say. That's why this took so long to write. There will be other words some other day. But that's the story of my life." --Famous Last Words by Billy Joel