Monthly Archives: September 2012

9/27/12: “The Quest for Relationships”

BLOG 9.27.12: “THE QUEST FOR RELATIONSHIPS” Warning: This blog is not “light reading.” In N. T. Wright’s fascinating book Simply Christian, he lists as one of the four basic human hungerings, or quests, that of the quest for relationships. That … Continue reading

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9/24/12: WHAT IS THE LIFE SPAN OF A CHURCH?

BLOG 9.24.12: WHAT IS THE LIFE SPAN OF A CHURCH? What is the life span of a church, or of a Christian community? That is a question which it is almost impossible to answer given the mystery of the church’s … Continue reading

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BLOG 9/20/12: IF THE CHURCH IS TO BE THE CHURCH, WHAT SIZE?

BLOG 9.20.12: IF THE CHURCH IS TO BE THE CHURCH, WHAT SIZE? In my previous Blog I discussed the possibility of being really lonely and anonymous in the church. The inevitable question then follows: Is there a size and a … Continue reading

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9/17/12: CHURCHES CAN BE LONELY PLACES

BLOG 9.17.12 CHURCHES CAN BE LONELY PLACES Can you be (really) lonely in a church? Absolutely, but … with this necessary disclaimer: that such loneliness depends on the authenticity, or lack of authenticity, of the given-church, not to mention its … Continue reading

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9/13/12: JOURNEY INTO THE MYSTERY OF THE CHURCH

BLOG 9.13.12: ENCHANTED COMMUNITY: JOURNEY INTO THE MYSTERY “Mind if I ask you a question?”  Alan inquired. You can ask. I don’t guarantee answers. Fire away. “What’s your ‘take’ on the church? What’s it got to do with anything? Where … Continue reading

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REFOUNDING THE CHURCH FROM THE UNDERSIDE

BLOG 9.11.12: REFOUNDING THE CHURCH FROM THE UNDERSIDE I am going to engage in a bit of self-promotion in this blog and the next. My own engagement with the essence of the church has been in dialogue with some wonderful … Continue reading

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9/6/12 WHAT WOULD A CHRIST-O-CENTRIC CHURCH LOOK LIKE?

BLOG 9.6.12: WHAT WOULD A “CHRIST-O-CENTRIC” CHURCH LOOK LIKE? In my last Blog I described the all-too-familiar phenomenon of the ecclesio-centric church in which a church communities become focused primarily on their own communal life: church activities, their buildings, professional … Continue reading

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BLOG. 9/3/12: AN ECCLESIO-CENTRIC CHURCH IS AN OXYMORON

9/3/12 BLOG: AN ECCLESIO-CENTRIC CHURCH IS AN OXYMORON What, pray tell, is an ecclesio-centric church? Allow me to tread on some delicate territory here, but for good reason. An ecclesio-centric church is a church focused on its own institutional life, … Continue reading

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