Posts from January 2023

Posts from January 2023

Questions and Answers

As most of you know, we had the first meeting of our new small groups last. Nearly every person who signed up to participate was present, and the few exceptions all had good reasons for their absence like illness or travel—no one just flaked on us, in other words. And since then, in face-to-face conversations, in text messages, in secondhand word-of-mouth reports from others, I have heard nothing but positive feedback from all quarters. I do not like to talk…

Is “Your Church” a “Red Door” Church?

This is an article I ran across this week by Ken Weliever, a gospel preacher for more than a half century. He evidently published it back in May, but reprinted it this week because it was his 2nd most read post of the year. It touches on many of the themes we have been talking about over the last couple of weeks and especially relates to our lesson this morning. What’s more, the elders had asked what we are going…

What is Cultural Christianity and What are the Dangers?

This is an article from Wes McAdams’ “Radically Christian” a few weeks ago. I thought it was relevant for us on a number of different levels, as we deeply consider what it means to be a disciple (and how that might mean rethinking some of our practices). It is slightly altered in format for our space. -BP A cultural Christian is someone who identifies as a Christian, but whose religious ideas and practices come more from popular culture than from…

Going to Church

Why are we here? I don’t mean that existentially. I am talking about you, sitting there reading the bulletin this morning at our assembly. Why have we gathered together? Why are you here? It wasn’t that long ago that it was common to hear sermons emphasizing the assembly to the point that you need to be here or you’ll be in hell. Neglecting it has been viewed as a mark of such unfaithfulness that it was about the only reason…