Oh the individualistic community – you go your way and I will go mine – church blows (lol)

They all look fine to me…………….

I just have to ask: Are you this funny in person? Actually, maybe your wife, Lisa, should answer that one! This just cracked me up.

My husband is as funny in person as you are in your graphics…too bad he can’t draw or he’d give you a run for your money .

I have had a similar picture in my head for years! It really took me by surprise to see yours so similar here. In my picture, everyone has their arms out welcoming the newcommer but they are completely ignoring each other.

For me, it explains this phenomenon of the church to focus on welcoming newcommers with this big smile…being seeker sensitive, putting on christmas productions, dessert nights. yada yada but when someone actually gets in, there’s nothing there. My heart’s desire is that all those people are turned inward embracing one another but there is an open space where new people are let in to the circle.

I guess this is where we each have to ask ourselves what commitment do we make to real community with our brothers and sisters. Do we get together, eat together, hang out, go to ball games – I mean do we act like people who really know each other and care for each other? If not, there’s no point inviting anyone else in, as we have to be really living this before we invite people into a community that doesn’t really exist.

I see that in my own life and those around me, we are affected by the ‘individual’ culture so we live our life on our own terms and have no space/time for others on a day-to-day basis.

Equally true of denominations,as well….there is an island in The Bay of Fundy near the U.S.A./Canada border that has a reputation for being something of a bible belt…there are two small churches that are built so close to each other that if one of the ministers/pastors took sick,they cd open the windows that face each other(literally,feet apart),turn up the microphone,and God forbid,pretend that they were one…other than that irony,the island is a beautiful place to visit

Zefi…”stepping on each others’ feet”

…we want the pearls,but not the process

Zefi…maybe,I misunderstood…I took your comment to imply agreement with mine in that “stepping on each other’s feet”was the thing we’re all trying to avoid…if a pearl cd talk,I’m sure we’d hear,”Do we really have to go thru all this irritation”….sound familiar?

“a church without the sinners”……..I,for one,wd miss Jack Van Impe

Jack Van Impe wouldn’t be the only missing. Almost all the ‘holiness’ churches would have many fine people, upstanding “good Christians”…that would be conspicuously absent.

Yes, all too true sometimes unfortunately