Thursday, August 12, 2004
Tired of labels
That's it. Read the subject. or better here
MEMO
Re: all things church.
To: whom it may concern.
Please note, I am tired of labels. Simple Churches, Multi-cultural Churches, Willow Churches, Complex Churches, Purpose-driven Churches, House Churches, Boomer Churches, Gen-X Churches, Cell-Churches, We meet at an odd time of day (i.e. 6:19 pm) churches, Candle Lit Churches, Inward Churches, Seeker Churches, and on and on and on.
Note: Just be the church. To the best of your ability. Give it ALL you have. Be hardcore about it. Be sincere. Love. BE THE CHURCH. Don't spend much time labeling yourself...don't be arrogant and critical. Don't label others. Love your neighbor. Love God.
Um, that's it.
MEMO
Re: all things church.
To: whom it may concern.
Please note, I am tired of labels. Simple Churches, Multi-cultural Churches, Willow Churches, Complex Churches, Purpose-driven Churches, House Churches, Boomer Churches, Gen-X Churches, Cell-Churches, We meet at an odd time of day (i.e. 6:19 pm) churches, Candle Lit Churches, Inward Churches, Seeker Churches, and on and on and on.
Note: Just be the church. To the best of your ability. Give it ALL you have. Be hardcore about it. Be sincere. Love. BE THE CHURCH. Don't spend much time labeling yourself...don't be arrogant and critical. Don't label others. Love your neighbor. Love God.
Um, that's it.
Comments:
Tim, I don't want to be critical but I don't think you said anything coherent. The reasons the people who are excited about a certain type (label) of church are excited about that type of church is because they think that type of church is what it means to be the church. There's no escaping being a type of church. Even churches without labels are types of church that exist as they are due to certain assumptions about the basic questions all churches are wrestling with: what does it mean/look like to love my neighbor? What does it mean/look like to love God. What does it mean to be the church?
So basically, I don't know how to be the church, how to do it to the best of my ability, how to give it all I have without doing something that might soon be labeled (or even labeling it myself for convenience). Obviously people can be arrogant abou their type of church, but people can just as easily be arrogant about not being a labeled church-basically arrogance is evil but it has nothing to do with being a labeled church or not. So, in sum, I love you, but I really think that although this sounds good, it makes little actual sense.
peace,
phil
So basically, I don't know how to be the church, how to do it to the best of my ability, how to give it all I have without doing something that might soon be labeled (or even labeling it myself for convenience). Obviously people can be arrogant abou their type of church, but people can just as easily be arrogant about not being a labeled church-basically arrogance is evil but it has nothing to do with being a labeled church or not. So, in sum, I love you, but I really think that although this sounds good, it makes little actual sense.
peace,
phil
Phil,
Hmmm...food for thought. Really what I was trying to get at is that we spend too much time categorizing and comparing models or methods and not enough time "being" whatever it is we are called to be. Somewhat along the lines of being about something not against something. Still, your point is taken. Most of what I wrote is written because I'm coming to a place where I no longer have a need to right every wrong I see in methodology...If God is gracious enough to except my attempts at being the church, isn't he gracious enough to accept others attempts. And if he is accepting of it then shouldn't I be (I would draw a distinction between being accepting and embracing something). I could have more accurately said "stop fighting about church and be church."
of course, this is just an initial surface reaction to your comments - I'm not attempting to address every point you made or prove myself right. in fact, I acknowledge that the principal of being the "do not label" guy puts a category or label on someone which makes their argument preposterous.
Thanks for your honesty and your thoughts. keep 'em coming.
Hmmm...food for thought. Really what I was trying to get at is that we spend too much time categorizing and comparing models or methods and not enough time "being" whatever it is we are called to be. Somewhat along the lines of being about something not against something. Still, your point is taken. Most of what I wrote is written because I'm coming to a place where I no longer have a need to right every wrong I see in methodology...If God is gracious enough to except my attempts at being the church, isn't he gracious enough to accept others attempts. And if he is accepting of it then shouldn't I be (I would draw a distinction between being accepting and embracing something). I could have more accurately said "stop fighting about church and be church."
of course, this is just an initial surface reaction to your comments - I'm not attempting to address every point you made or prove myself right. in fact, I acknowledge that the principal of being the "do not label" guy puts a category or label on someone which makes their argument preposterous.
Thanks for your honesty and your thoughts. keep 'em coming.
Phil and I took our banter offline and worked through some thoughts, theories, and practices - just in case you were interested.
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