I don't want to seem non-gracious, pugnacious or contemtuous or any other rhming "ous" ending, but really?
I work for the CRC in CRHM after coming from a pentecostal then Presbyterian background with Young Life in between. I am all about not being ashamed of the Gospel, about Following Jesus, being blown by the wind of the Holy Spirit and trying to Apostolic (in function, not in office eph 4:12ff).
Your comment riles me.
Yes, congregations need to step up to localize and global missional engagement, to church planting to the "renewal or all things" per our forefather Abraham Kuyper. But, this isn't an EITHER/OR the way you make it sound. This is a BOTH/AND that can be beautiful, godly, eifying and missional all at once. But, your comments vandalize this notion by particularizing.
Now, if you want to hear a great quote about church planting, church renewal in new forms and church-turnarounds, I direct you to the Fuller Seminary Winter Seminar in which the greatest management consultant of all time, Peter Drucker, suffering from age and phlebitis, at atop a serving table with his legs extended and said somehting like this: "today i wish to speak to you about planned obsolensence. Without planned obsolesence, industry, business and even the church wil fail. When i speak of planned obsolesence I am reminded that my friends in the medical profession tell me that 'nothing is more costly or futile than trying to keep dead bodies from stinking".
Dead bodies. Jesus said kernels or corn must go into the ground and die to make new life. Jesus also warned that he who seeks to save his life will lose it. Denominations and associations solely focused on struggling local churches without planting new ones are dying or are nearly dead. I came from a Presbyterian USA denomination that has lost 70% of its members in a dazzling 48 years. The CRCNA would be a very small group without church planting as would the RCA, Evangelical Covenant and others.
So, my brother, be careful of that which you advocate and wish for. The psalmist said, "And God gave them desres of the heart and brought leanness to their souls." I believe there is a glitch in your argument that might block what is good and bring great leanness to the soul of one of the truly wonderful Reformed/Evangelical denominations in the world.
Please, reconsider your stance and go for and "AND" instead of an "OR" and let's make our shared obsession the everlasting Gospel of Jesus Christ and his kingdom that is and is coming.
Posted in: Should we Plant More Churches?
Dear Alejandro,
I don't want to seem non-gracious, pugnacious or contemtuous or any other rhming "ous" ending, but really?
I work for the CRC in CRHM after coming from a pentecostal then Presbyterian background with Young Life in between. I am all about not being ashamed of the Gospel, about Following Jesus, being blown by the wind of the Holy Spirit and trying to Apostolic (in function, not in office eph 4:12ff).
Your comment riles me.
Yes, congregations need to step up to localize and global missional engagement, to church planting to the "renewal or all things" per our forefather Abraham Kuyper. But, this isn't an EITHER/OR the way you make it sound. This is a BOTH/AND that can be beautiful, godly, eifying and missional all at once. But, your comments vandalize this notion by particularizing.
Now, if you want to hear a great quote about church planting, church renewal in new forms and church-turnarounds, I direct you to the Fuller Seminary Winter Seminar in which the greatest management consultant of all time, Peter Drucker, suffering from age and phlebitis, at atop a serving table with his legs extended and said somehting like this: "today i wish to speak to you about planned obsolensence. Without planned obsolesence, industry, business and even the church wil fail. When i speak of planned obsolesence I am reminded that my friends in the medical profession tell me that 'nothing is more costly or futile than trying to keep dead bodies from stinking".
Dead bodies. Jesus said kernels or corn must go into the ground and die to make new life. Jesus also warned that he who seeks to save his life will lose it. Denominations and associations solely focused on struggling local churches without planting new ones are dying or are nearly dead. I came from a Presbyterian USA denomination that has lost 70% of its members in a dazzling 48 years. The CRCNA would be a very small group without church planting as would the RCA, Evangelical Covenant and others.
So, my brother, be careful of that which you advocate and wish for. The psalmist said, "And God gave them desres of the heart and brought leanness to their souls." I believe there is a glitch in your argument that might block what is good and bring great leanness to the soul of one of the truly wonderful Reformed/Evangelical denominations in the world.
Please, reconsider your stance and go for and "AND" instead of an "OR" and let's make our shared obsession the everlasting Gospel of Jesus Christ and his kingdom that is and is coming.
Submitted with both respect and honest pushback
Randy L. Rowland
Seattle, Washington USA