July 9, 2010
What Did You Say?
This week in memorable church quotes.
The Portuguese issue of Playboy showing Jesus Christ among topless models.
“We did not see or approve the cover and pictorial in the July issue of Playboy Portugal…. It is a shocking breach of our standards.” -Theresa Hennessy, Vice President of public relations at Playboy Enterprises
(Wait. Playboy has standards? –Url Scaramanga)
How iPhones are changing religion.
“The future is very bright, but we have yet to get our mind around a world where some [people get] their whole religious experience through a device.” -Dudley Rose, the associate dean for ministry studies at Harvard University’s Divinity School
(Does this mean Steve Jobs is the digital pope? –Url Scaramanga)
The growing disenchantment with church growth strategies.
“I don’t think there is anything intrinsically wrong with the church growth principles we’ve developed . . . yet somehow they don’t seem to work.” - C. Peter Wagner, a leading spokesmen for the church-growth movement.
(Mr. Wagner, have you ever considered a career in politics? I also hear there are some vacancies at BP. –Url Scaramanga.)
Why evangelical churches lose fewer young people than liberal churches.
“For evangelicals, if children and youth are not enjoying church, it is the church’s fault and evangelical parents either find a new church or try to improve their youth ministry. For liberals, the tendency is the reverse; if youth do not find church interesting, it is their problem.” -James Wellman, author of Evangelical vs. Liberal: The Clash of Christian Cultures in the Pacific Northwest
(A good reminder that the call of the Christian life is to enjoy church. –Url Scaramanga)
A Methodist seminary in California decides to start a program to train Muslim imams and Jewish rabbis.
"It kind of fits, to some extent, California.” -David Roozen, director of the Institute for Religion Research at the Hartford Seminary
(Ya know what else is totally California? Disneyland. Maybe the seminary should train Mouseketeers too. –Url Scaramanga)
New report on who is most likely to be involved in church activities.
"There certainly is a dominant demographic faith profile of Christians in the nation. The typical profile of an involved Christian is a married woman in her early fifties." - David Kinnaman, president of the Barna Group
(Perfect if our mission is to make disciples of Martha Stewart. –Url Scaramanga)
The impact of using business strategies and consumer values in the church.
“In a recent survey of 1,000 church attenders, respondents were asked, ‘Why does the church exist?’ According to 89 percent, the church’s purpose was ‘to take care of my family’s and my spiritual needs.’ Only 11 percent said the purpose of the church is ‘to win the world for Jesus Christ.’” - Greg Laurie, senior pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, California.
(Alrighty then. Good night, folks. Would the last person to leave the church in America please turn off the lights? –Url Scaramanga.)
Posted by UrL Scaramanga on July 9, 2010
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Comments
Ha, ha thanks for the funny take. I'm praying that all Christians will be unified in seeing things the way God sees them. He must be having a big laugh these days if He isn't crying! I'm glad I look fifty and not my age!
Posted by: Bobbi at July 9, 2010
"‘to take care of my family’s and my spiritual needs.’"
/groan
and
/facepalm
Posted by: sheerahkahn at July 9, 2010
My UMC pastor has said to us, "God is crazy in love with you. God is desperate to have a relationship with you. God aches to know you."
Is it any wonder that many modern worshipers think it's all about us?
Posted by: Robert at July 9, 2010
C. Peter Wagner was one of the BIG guru's from the 2000's. Churchquake! and 7 Power Principles I Never Learned In Seminary were the cry of the evangelical cutting-edge folks back then.
But at least he has the humility to admit, "You know what? It looked good - but it's not working."
And to be kind to Robert's UMC pastor, he was in all likelihood responding to a whole generation of people who proclaimed that Humanity is filth! God wouldn't have anything to DO with His creation if He had half a choice, and those of you who don't CRAWL to the Cross and BEG forgiveness will be sent to Hell directly, via the Express Elevator. There's still a lot of that going around.
The truth, of course, is likely somewhere between those two poles.
Posted by: Steve Flower at July 16, 2010