Comments on: Jesus Had a Megachurch http://jonathanbrink.com/2007/09/18/jesus-had-a-megachurch/ Exploring God's Mission of Restoration and Reconciliation Sun, 27 Jul 2008 02:49:26 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=MU By: Friendly Friday :02 « re-dreaming the dream http://jonathanbrink.com/2007/09/18/jesus-had-a-megachurch/#comment-133 Friendly Friday :02 « re-dreaming the dream Fri, 21 Sep 2007 19:11:41 +0000 http://jonathanbrink.com/2007/09/18/jesus-had-a-megachurch/#comment-133 [...] Jonathan Brink: Missio Dei [...] [...] Jonathan Brink: Missio Dei [...]

]]> By: Friendly Friday: 02 « re-dreaming the dream http://jonathanbrink.com/2007/09/18/jesus-had-a-megachurch/#comment-132 Friendly Friday: 02 « re-dreaming the dream Fri, 21 Sep 2007 18:24:11 +0000 http://jonathanbrink.com/2007/09/18/jesus-had-a-megachurch/#comment-132 [...] Jonathan Brink: Missio Dei Interseting Ideas On How To End A Church Service.  The blessing remix? May God bless you with discomfort at easy answers, half truths, and superficial relationships, so that you may live deep within your heart. May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people, so that you may work for justice, freedom and peace. Paul Mayers: One For The Road [...] [...] Jonathan Brink: Missio Dei Interseting Ideas On How To End A Church Service.  The blessing remix? May God bless you with discomfort at easy answers, half truths, and superficial relationships, so that you may live deep within your heart. May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people, so that you may work for justice, freedom and peace. Paul Mayers: One For The Road [...]

]]> By: Joe http://jonathanbrink.com/2007/09/18/jesus-had-a-megachurch/#comment-129 Joe Fri, 21 Sep 2007 11:02:17 +0000 http://jonathanbrink.com/2007/09/18/jesus-had-a-megachurch/#comment-129 Jesus did have rockstar status. In 3 years he came out of nowhere performing tens of thousands of umbelievable miracles. He didn't do the calm stuff, he did the in-your-face stuff, like raising the dead. People did come to him for the goods, not the message. But he never turned them away. He knew he wouldn't reach all of them, or even the majority. But he kept them coming through his headlining activity. Why are we so concerned when people become rabid about reaching the masses? Why aren't we concerned that the American traditional church scene is so impotent? Why don't we write articles and books and blogs about how First Baptist or Main Street Methodist is allowing their membership to lead a castrated Chrisitan existence or that these memberships may not even know who the real Jesus is? Assuming the megachurch is "evil," what does that make the traditional church? Great post! I look forward to reading more from your pen (or keyboard:) ) Jesus did have rockstar status. In 3 years he came out of nowhere performing tens of thousands of umbelievable miracles. He didn’t do the calm stuff, he did the in-your-face stuff, like raising the dead.

People did come to him for the goods, not the message. But he never turned them away. He knew he wouldn’t reach all of them, or even the majority. But he kept them coming through his headlining activity.

Why are we so concerned when people become rabid about reaching the masses? Why aren’t we concerned that the American traditional church scene is so impotent? Why don’t we write articles and books and blogs about how First Baptist or Main Street Methodist is allowing their membership to lead a castrated Chrisitan existence or that these memberships may not even know who the real Jesus is?

Assuming the megachurch is “evil,” what does that make the traditional church?

Great post! I look forward to reading more from your pen (or keyboard :) )

]]> By: jerry http://jonathanbrink.com/2007/09/18/jesus-had-a-megachurch/#comment-123 jerry Thu, 20 Sep 2007 02:20:12 +0000 http://jonathanbrink.com/2007/09/18/jesus-had-a-megachurch/#comment-123 I just watched Greg's interview with Charlie Rose and was blown away by how well Greg articulated my frustrations with how we do church in America. I just watched Greg’s interview with Charlie Rose and was blown away by how well Greg articulated my frustrations with how we do church in America.

]]> By: jerry http://jonathanbrink.com/2007/09/18/jesus-had-a-megachurch/#comment-122 jerry Wed, 19 Sep 2007 22:07:52 +0000 http://jonathanbrink.com/2007/09/18/jesus-had-a-megachurch/#comment-122 Letters From a Skeptic was a cool read too! Letters From a Skeptic was a cool read too!

]]> By: jonathanbrink http://jonathanbrink.com/2007/09/18/jesus-had-a-megachurch/#comment-117 jonathanbrink Tue, 18 Sep 2007 17:49:24 +0000 http://jonathanbrink.com/2007/09/18/jesus-had-a-megachurch/#comment-117 Mark, Thanks for the love. I love Greg. His books, the Myth of a Christian Nation is one of my favorites. I like a guy who is willing to put a stake in the ground. Much love to you brother. Mark,

Thanks for the love.

I love Greg. His books, the Myth of a Christian Nation is one of my favorites. I like a guy who is willing to put a stake in the ground.

Much love to you brother.

]]> By: Mark Van Steenwyk http://jonathanbrink.com/2007/09/18/jesus-had-a-megachurch/#comment-116 Mark Van Steenwyk Tue, 18 Sep 2007 16:31:10 +0000 http://jonathanbrink.com/2007/09/18/jesus-had-a-megachurch/#comment-116 Good post. Usually when it mentions a large crowd in the Gospels, the narrative continues with what Jesus did to trim down the crowd. For example, the lectionary passage from last week tells us that, in light of the large crowds, Jesus proclaims that unless you hate your mother and father, you can't be his disciple. Jesus was certainly compassionate to the crowds, but seemed more interested in challenging them to consider their allegiance to him than they are in wooing them. A good modern example comes to mind. Greg Boyd, who is a pastor in the Twin Cities, had a sermon series last year where he told his flock that when we take up the cross, we put away the sword. His series was a challenge to political allegiances and the evangelical world's love for conservative politics. 1/4 of his church left. The way I see it, that was merely a good first step. If Greg Boyd keeps preaching the sorts of things Jesus did, he'll end up with a smaller-sized church of folks fiercely loyal to Jesus. By the way, I like the name for your blog...its also the name of my church: www.missio-dei.com Good post. Usually when it mentions a large crowd in the Gospels, the narrative continues with what Jesus did to trim down the crowd. For example, the lectionary passage from last week tells us that, in light of the large crowds, Jesus proclaims that unless you hate your mother and father, you can’t be his disciple. Jesus was certainly compassionate to the crowds, but seemed more interested in challenging them to consider their allegiance to him than they are in wooing them.

A good modern example comes to mind. Greg Boyd, who is a pastor in the Twin Cities, had a sermon series last year where he told his flock that when we take up the cross, we put away the sword. His series was a challenge to political allegiances and the evangelical world’s love for conservative politics. 1/4 of his church left.

The way I see it, that was merely a good first step. If Greg Boyd keeps preaching the sorts of things Jesus did, he’ll end up with a smaller-sized church of folks fiercely loyal to Jesus.

By the way, I like the name for your blog…its also the name of my church: http://www.missio-dei.com

]]> By: tim kurek http://jonathanbrink.com/2007/09/18/jesus-had-a-megachurch/#comment-111 tim kurek Tue, 18 Sep 2007 15:59:24 +0000 http://jonathanbrink.com/2007/09/18/jesus-had-a-megachurch/#comment-111 There is a huge difference between preaching to a bunch of people from a hill and preaching to a bunch of people in the Superdome. One is humble, one is showy. Good blog. http://UriahMinistries.wordpress.com tim kurek There is a huge difference between preaching to a bunch of people from a hill and preaching to a bunch of people in the Superdome. One is humble, one is showy. Good blog.

http://UriahMinistries.wordpress.com
tim kurek

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