tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9242710.post7874468729795678927..comments2023-10-31T07:23:17.922-04:00Comments on The Theos Project: Spiritually HomelessJonathan Erdmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04234688186113838474noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9242710.post-29264686567487997392009-04-06T10:05:00.000-04:002009-04-06T10:05:00.000-04:00Fair point, Sam. Fair point.I guess the question I...Fair point, Sam. Fair point.<BR/><BR/>I guess the question I have is whether or not such a massive structure that does something good on a large scale (e.g., a disaster relief organization) constitutes "the church." I'm sympathetic to the fact that it can constitute a collective called <I>the church</I>, but I'm just skeptical of the shape and form this has taken in the States. The Corporate Church in the States seems to be more oriented toward being self-sustaining entities, rather than really making a profound difference. That is, when we look statistically at where the resources are being allocated, most goes to sustain building and administrative costs. The church sustains its own existence, rather than being a conduit to help the needy.Jonathan Erdmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04234688186113838474noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9242710.post-2574112757259966892009-04-05T16:41:00.000-04:002009-04-05T16:41:00.000-04:00One of the most compelling arguments for 'big is b...One of the most compelling arguments for 'big is beautiful' is that there are so many bigger things that bigger Orgs can get done, can achieve for the kingdom, than can be done by even the most well intentioned of individuals/'small is beatiful' sorts of things.<BR/><BR/>I have seen this to be true in disater relief operations, where that biggest of them all (The RC), are both very active and very effective too...Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12014124722441378520noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9242710.post-13181064463508881662009-03-21T13:35:00.000-04:002009-03-21T13:35:00.000-04:00Very cool, Jayfersgirl, very cool!Thanks for takin...Very cool, Jayfersgirl, very cool!<BR/><BR/>Thanks for taking time to comment. It's encouraging to me to hear about people who develop community across the theist/atheist divide. (Gasp!)<BR/><BR/>All the best to you and those you hang with.Jonathan Erdmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04234688186113838474noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9242710.post-40386513914117408652009-03-21T13:15:00.000-04:002009-03-21T13:15:00.000-04:00My husband and I both grew up in the Christian bub...My husband and I both grew up in the Christian bubble...Christian families, always attended church, attended Christian school and college, and my husband went to seminary. Over the past 5 years, we've been questioning what the church should look like, and when we moved to a new state, we took the opportunity to step back, stop attending church and figure out what we should really be doing...because attending church wasn't the right thing for us anymore, no matter how many Christians tell us we'll lose our faith by doing this:)<BR/>Organic is exactly how we describe what we want...and we're living a whole new, wonderful way. We haven't found friends here who share our faith, but we have found friends who are atheists who want to talk to us about our faith and just do life together. I feel like we've found some authentic community for the first time, and it's opened my eyes to what the church should look like. So glad to see someone else thinking like us!Chttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18351616317664720873noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9242710.post-88258456836513546012009-03-20T17:24:00.000-04:002009-03-20T17:24:00.000-04:00No, I'm not a member of that particular institutio...No, I'm not a member of that particular institution.john doylehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05484728969355294193noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9242710.post-57751510720022578802009-03-20T11:41:00.000-04:002009-03-20T11:41:00.000-04:00Ditto for me.Ditto for me.Jonathan Erdmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04234688186113838474noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9242710.post-63983711488300362192009-03-20T11:27:00.000-04:002009-03-20T11:27:00.000-04:00Are you on facebook, John? You should come over! ...Are you on facebook, John? You should come over! I'd be interested to hear your comments.Tamiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07874014614369629953noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9242710.post-24072277245841336992009-03-20T09:42:00.000-04:002009-03-20T09:42:00.000-04:00"The lack of comments here is the opposite of the ..."The lack of comments here is the opposite of the Facebook discussion, which has ballooned!"<BR/><BR/>I guess the future is now.john doylehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05484728969355294193noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9242710.post-63663963980865035032009-03-19T17:51:00.000-04:002009-03-19T17:51:00.000-04:00OH JEEZ HOW ERDMANIAN. LOL THE SAME CONVERSATION ...OH JEEZ HOW ERDMANIAN. LOL THE SAME CONVERSATION IN TWO DIFFERENT PLACES. TWO DIFFERENT PATHS THAT CONVERGE IN A LONELY WOOD. LOL.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16377963038345812354noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9242710.post-50580203309631948702009-03-19T17:46:00.000-04:002009-03-19T17:46:00.000-04:00Yes, the facebook discussion is now sorting out wh...Yes, the facebook discussion is now sorting out what "church discipline" should be.....this is a rabbit trail from someone who questioned whether or not one could do good church discipline (or be disciplined!) if one is of the spiritually homeless sort.Jonathan Erdmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04234688186113838474noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9242710.post-18163381885029184292009-03-19T17:36:00.000-04:002009-03-19T17:36:00.000-04:00The lack of comments here is the opposite of the F...The lack of comments here is the opposite of the Facebook discussion, which has ballooned! I can't keep up. But, it seems that the Facebook one has become sidetracked a bit, no?<BR/><BR/>Jamesjpshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06017353888045816159noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9242710.post-64931431876895820082009-03-19T08:54:00.000-04:002009-03-19T08:54:00.000-04:00Thank you, Rich.Thank you, Rich.Jonathan Erdmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04234688186113838474noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9242710.post-44742674043110786902009-03-19T08:17:00.000-04:002009-03-19T08:17:00.000-04:00Jonathan,I so appreciate what you have shared here...Jonathan,<BR/><BR/>I so appreciate what you have shared here, thank you.<BR/><BR/>A friend of mine wrote a book a few years back entitled, Life In The Leper Colony, a metaphor pointing to those who are His, but seen because of their leprosy as having to be separated from the so called healthy ones!<BR/><BR/>In my own journey along with my wife we are discovering that any definitive personal identity is but a glorious by product of Knowing Whose we are.<BR/><BR/>I look forward to reading more and want to encourage you to continue reaching way beyond your grasp!Richhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12630150578438657112noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9242710.post-9613949494375194872009-03-19T01:05:00.000-04:002009-03-19T01:05:00.000-04:00Okay well....I will need to post soon then, eh? I...Okay well....I will need to post soon then, eh? <BR/><BR/>I know you weren't ragging on the church. I get that. You articulated very beautifully and authentically a gut sense that many people share. Obviously! Given all the responses.tamie mariehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10273116686980623819noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9242710.post-52468521357093162712009-03-18T19:51:00.000-04:002009-03-18T19:51:00.000-04:00uh, Jonathan...I'm, speechless...(!)My wife came a...uh, Jonathan...<BR/><BR/>I'm, speechless...(!)<BR/><BR/>My wife came across you on FB today, and told me I <I>had</I> to read your blog. And, I'm sitting here, shaking my head, blown away by how you articulated so many of the things we've been trying to wrap our heads around, and trying to communicate (but, not nearly as well...)<BR/><BR/>THIS, is what it means to be a living temple, a temple that moves, that breathes, that has no set schedule or routine, no little groups with individualized names...<BR/><BR/>There is only One Name, there is only One Church, there is only One Way! <BR/><BR/>So looking forward to reading more, and being encouraged by what God's been teaching you...<BR/><BR/>DanielLike a Mustard Seedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12042371209325559952noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9242710.post-33690828235924551672009-03-18T14:07:00.000-04:002009-03-18T14:07:00.000-04:00Cool.Yeah. It's not my point to just rag on people...Cool.<BR/><BR/>Yeah. It's not my point to just rag on people who like/go to/attend church.<BR/><BR/>Nor do I want to sound like there is nothing positive about church.<BR/><BR/>I just want to open up some of the positive and negative aspects of each.<BR/><BR/>So, I will link back to your post when you get that up!Jonathan Erdmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04234688186113838474noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9242710.post-12402330402784436702009-03-18T14:00:00.000-04:002009-03-18T14:00:00.000-04:00I am posting first so that I can read the whole co...I am posting first so that I can read the whole conversation.<BR/><BR/>I'm pondering responding w/ a post of my own titled "Why I Love Church" or something like that.<BR/><BR/>:)tamie mariehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10273116686980623819noreply@blogger.com