Comments on: Our Church, Part 2 http://www.clarkecomments.com/archives/our-church-part-2/ Clarke comments on the Restoration Movement and the Church of Christ. Wed, 20 Aug 2008 09:22:26 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.1 by: Dennis Ensor http://www.clarkecomments.com/archives/our-church-part-2/#comment-14584 Fri, 15 Jun 2007 02:18:51 +0000 http://www.clarkecomments.com/archives/our-church-part-2/#comment-14584 Clark, My sister, who reads my blog "religiously" sent me your post. My situation is not exactly like yours, but close enough that I can relate. I think you would love reading my blog (especially the post "Can't We All Just Get Along?". It deals so much with the issues you raised and the comments to that post are great. I also posted one called "No Creed But the Bible" and another called "Improving the Bible". These both expose our reality as opposed to our faulty self image. I was really frustrated with our small town situation and I was feeling so trapped. Now, I'm feeling so uplifted and changes are starting to take place which are awesome---in spite of lack of leadership and resistance by the "naysayers". I also met with a man who is the pastor of a small town church which has grown from about 75 members to over 500 members in the last 5 or 6 years. I asked him to share with me what it took to get to where he is. He met with me a few months later, even though we live 4 1/2 hours apart and he gave me a list of what they have done. Anyway, I'm excited about what is happening. A hint, much of my excitement is based upon keeping our eyes on Jesus instead of the wind (Peter walking on the water). That's an oversimplification in some ways, but good things are starting to happen here and I know they can happen where you are also. My email is quicksand@htcomp.net if you want to correspond privately. I will be happy to share with you the road we've come down. (You can get a good dose of it on my "Religion and Me" Tag and My "Church of Christ" tag. God Bless. Dennis Clark,
My sister, who reads my blog “religiously” sent me your post. My situation is not exactly like yours, but close enough that I can relate. I think you would love reading my blog (especially the post “Can’t We All Just Get Along?”. It deals so much with the issues you raised and the comments to that post are great. I also posted one called “No Creed But the Bible” and another called “Improving the Bible”. These both expose our reality as opposed to our faulty self image. I was really frustrated with our small town situation and I was feeling so trapped. Now, I’m feeling so uplifted and changes are starting to take place which are awesome—in spite of lack of leadership and resistance by the “naysayers”. I also met with a man who is the pastor of a small town church which has grown from about 75 members to over 500 members in the last 5 or 6 years. I asked him to share with me what it took to get to where he is. He met with me a few months later, even though we live 4 1/2 hours apart and he gave me a list of what they have done. Anyway, I’m excited about what is happening. A hint, much of my excitement is based upon keeping our eyes on Jesus instead of the wind (Peter walking on the water). That’s an oversimplification in some ways, but good things are starting to happen here and I know they can happen where you are also. My email is quicksand@htcomp.net if you want to correspond privately. I will be happy to share with you the road we’ve come down. (You can get a good dose of it on my “Religion and Me” Tag and My “Church of Christ” tag. God Bless. Dennis

]]> by: Brian http://www.clarkecomments.com/archives/our-church-part-2/#comment-10882 Mon, 19 Feb 2007 22:36:39 +0000 http://www.clarkecomments.com/archives/our-church-part-2/#comment-10882 Hi Clarke - was searching for something else and stumbled across your blog. Just curious, it seems like a good part of your congregation didn't have an issue with you actually visiting this "local Christian Church" and you seem to be impressed with the way they are doing things. Have you considered merging with them and getting involved with what they're doing instead of trying to recreate it at your own church? Or is that something that would just never happen? FYI - In the interest of full disclosure I grew up in the CofC but don't attend one now. Hi Clarke - was searching for something else and stumbled across your blog.

Just curious, it seems like a good part of your congregation didn’t have an issue with you actually visiting this “local Christian Church” and you seem to be impressed with the way they are doing things.

Have you considered merging with them and getting involved with what they’re doing instead of trying to recreate it at your own church? Or is that something that would just never happen?

FYI - In the interest of full disclosure I grew up in the CofC but don’t attend one now.

]]> by: Clarke http://www.clarkecomments.com/archives/our-church-part-2/#comment-10761 Fri, 09 Feb 2007 18:06:04 +0000 http://www.clarkecomments.com/archives/our-church-part-2/#comment-10761 I totally agree that the changes are primarily cosmetic, and we knew that going in. We are working on changing attitudes, but that takes a long time. Part of the strategy is to do both...change the cosmetic stuff first, and giving reasoning behind it that the congregation can at least somewhat support, and lead that into a change of attitude. Part of this is also an attempt to attract a little bit of transfer growth... people who have a real Christian attitude and who want to work for the Lord. -Clarke I totally agree that the changes are primarily cosmetic, and we knew that going in. We are working on changing attitudes, but that takes a long time. Part of the strategy is to do both…change the cosmetic stuff first, and giving reasoning behind it that the congregation can at least somewhat support, and lead that into a change of attitude. Part of this is also an attempt to attract a little bit of transfer growth… people who have a real Christian attitude and who want to work for the Lord.

-Clarke

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