It is said doctors make the worst patients. So, when I visit a church, I work at being positive and noticing the good. At the same time, I believe it is crucial to critique what we, as the church, do. In Ireland, just as in the States, the fastest growing religious group is the “Nones”. While you can find a lot out there blaming the Nones, the ex-vangelicals, or those who are deconstructing their faith, for why fewer people attend church than did previously, I believe the first place we need to look is at ourselves.
Tag: community
3 Ways Christendom Has Been Bad for the Church
This is the fourth post in a series I’ve been writing on Christendom. The previous ones (here, here and here) were to lay some groundwork as I move into the main idea I want to dig into: the damage done to the church by aligning with the Roman Empire and, subsequently, the nation-states of Europe….
Not So Great Expectations
One of the best parts of doing a Home Missions Assignment is connecting and reconnecting with friends who were part of ministries you’ve been involved with over the years. We have been blown away and humbled as we’ve heard stories of how the early years at the Vineyard in Ithaca impacted lives. But here’s what…
Kinship Groups Start This Week!
Over the past couple of Sundays @ the Vineyard we talked about community. And let’s face it, “community” is one of those words that get thrown around & misused so much it tends to have different meanings to different people. But I think for most of us, when we are talking about having community in…
Saturday Book Recommendation
I just finished The Search to Belong, by Joseph R. Myers, and it quickly moved towards the top of the list of books I want our leadership team to read. Myers develops this idea of 4 spaces where people grow and relate. Public space, social space, personal space, and intimate space. One of the key points…