You too?

This post is from the defunct blog "Dying Church"

I had lunch with an old friend of mine today. He pastored a small church in the neighborhood around here, the same time I was pastoring a small church in the neighborhood. He stopped pastoring a few years ago and sits on the other side of the pulpit now. He's one of the most insightful people I know on what it means to be a dying church. I asked him about his church experience. He goes to a growing and successful church, yet he is growing weary of the entire programmatic church experience. He spoke of his surprise at discovering many others within the church that are feeling the same way. I don't think my friend has read up on the emerging church, and he's not hooked into all the websites and books that I am. Yet he's in the same place, and is discovering many others are too. Something is definitely happening. Update: You too, Fred?

Comments

[nile]

me too... something is definitely happening... I'm not current on anything "emergent" and yet I'm told my experience is not unique... I'm getting Guder's book Missional Church for Christmas... I'm told it is the book to read on the subject... any other suggestions? email me!

[bill bean]

Amazing! Two people in the same small neighborhood but different churches sharing a similar experience a whole country away from people sharing the same experiences in similar neighborhoods. ( That was convoluted. ) In other words, wow - its happening up North too? Many books have emerged. Missional Church will be a good read. There's enough in that book that you can go right to work. Get mixed up with some folks that are trying to do it unless God's calling you to help change an established place.