tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202231.post69140417493129290..comments2023-09-27T04:48:22.097-07:00Comments on originality™: Three Greatest Challenges Facing the Church (#3)J.R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/15443109897410861801noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202231.post-76356842430711086222007-04-12T21:51:00.000-07:002007-04-12T21:51:00.000-07:00Jeremy, That is a great point. Sadly I don't know ...Jeremy, <BR/>That is a great point. <BR/><BR/>Sadly I don't know all that much about the Nazarene church outside of what I have seen here in the US. My criticisms are based only on what I have experienced from the Nazarene church. Hopefully I can change that sometime soon! <BR/><BR/>This brings to mind another problem. Even in my criticism I was completely self-minded, ignoring that the Nazarene church has a large global presence. Dispite the fact that more Nazarene's live outside the US then within, and the difrence is growing every year, we still have a very white american leadership, base or opperations from the US, and host our biggest confrences in the US.<BR/><BR/>Okay, I am on a tangent. I am trying to say, sorry for falling into the trap of becoming a self-centered American Nazarene, even in my criticism of that very thing. <BR/><BR/>Thanks for bring that to mind Jeremy.J.R.https://www.blogger.com/profile/15443109897410861801noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202231.post-82927793108217658402007-04-12T07:08:00.000-07:002007-04-12T07:08:00.000-07:00J.R. -Thanks for these posts! I don't really have...J.R. -<BR/><BR/>Thanks for these posts! I don't really have anything to add. The three challenges that you identified are close to my heart and much of my life has been influenced by some of the same individuals that yours has (namely McLaren and D-Webb). One thing that I noticed though, is that with the exception of #2, these challenges are almost exclusively those of the North American Church. You and I need to pay attention to these, because we live and minister here. But in regards to the CotN, when looking at the grand scheme of things, these are nothing to more than half of our members. <BR/><BR/>Anyway, I really began to comment for a much less important reason:<BR/>Miss Marble - you can get the new Derek album right now by download here: <A HREF="http://www.theringingbell.com" REL="nofollow">The Ringing Bell</A><BR/>Although I'm a little disappointed with D-Webb's pricing of $20 for barely 30 minutes of music, the music is good, and while I still need some time to digest some of the lyrics, it's still worth $20.<BR/><BR/>F&TC,<BR/>- JJeremyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15561745596768785374noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202231.post-36967334858744024702007-04-11T16:17:00.000-07:002007-04-11T16:17:00.000-07:00You quoted one of my favorite Webb songs -- I can'...You quoted one of my favorite Webb songs -- I can't wait to get his new album.Amandahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03874596401561070164noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202231.post-51418525972403817372007-04-11T14:57:00.000-07:002007-04-11T14:57:00.000-07:00Scary to be quoted among those other folk! I woul...Scary to be quoted among those other folk! I would amend my quote to say that I do think our non-nationalistic cultural expressions of faith (such as artwork, dress, music, etc.) are positive and should be present in our global churches. The sad thing about American churches is that nationalism takes up the room that could be devoted to more positive cultural expressions of faith. I recall while living in Austria that the church was full of culture but that I never felt as if I was an outsider because of my country - it just never came up. I am ashamed to think how an Iraqi or Austrialian or Nigerian or whaterverian would feel visiting an American church on a Fourth of July (or a Democrat anytime close to an election).jennylouhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17945003267567847564noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202231.post-9581394550808148842007-04-10T21:43:00.000-07:002007-04-10T21:43:00.000-07:00You know I'm not Christian, and I don't belong to ...You know I'm not Christian, and I don't belong to any church. Some of the things you've pointed out are some of the reasons I decline to ally myself with any religious sect, let alone Christians. They're also part of the reason I am sometimes ashamed to be an American.<BR/><BR/>I don't know if I have a different perspecitve, since I'm "outside", so to speak. But I do know that if it wasn't for the grace God gives each of us, and the blessing of free will to choose Him, there are a lot of people who wouldn't have anything to do with Him because of the way American's represent -and claim to speak for- Him.<BR/><BR/>So that's my two cents. Poorly articulated, but voiced nonetheless.~ jessicahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05977123999780610283noreply@blogger.com