Comments on: Finding the Blessed http://tomorrowsreflection.com/08/2006/finding-the-blessed/ the personal blog of jeremy jernigan Wed, 01 Sep 2010 16:38:49 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Zach http://tomorrowsreflection.com/08/2006/finding-the-blessed/comment-page-1/#comment-103 Zach Thu, 17 Aug 2006 22:29:06 +0000 http://tomorrowsreflection.com/?p=19#comment-103 I don't want to frame my comment in a way that I think the church has "let me down". I don't think it has anything to do with me. If Bill Hybels is right, then the Church, including me, better get crackin'. I see my self as part of the Church (big C) and I must hold myself to the same standard as others. I haven't given up on the Church, but have rarely been a part of one that has taken seriously the plight of the "least of these" in our world today. I come from an evangelical/baptist background where the emphasis was/is on propagating the transactional gospel rather than serving the poor and the marginalized. Social justice was/is considered an obstruction to "preaching the word". "Why give them clean drinking water when all they need is Jesus?" I agree that it is also my responsiblity to help the church (small c) in any way I can in this regard, but I feel that much of the problem is institutional. I'd much rather enter a community that has the institutianal vision for social justice than hang back in order to foster change where the church institutions are apathetic and failing to embrace the Sermon on the Mount as central. I don’t want to frame my comment in a way that I think the church has “let me down”. I don’t think it has anything to do with me. If Bill Hybels is right, then the Church, including me, better get crackin’. I see my self as part of the Church (big C) and I must hold myself to the same standard as others. I haven’t given up on the Church, but have rarely been a part of one that has taken seriously the plight of the “least of these” in our world today. I come from an evangelical/baptist background where the emphasis was/is on propagating the transactional gospel rather than serving the poor and the marginalized. Social justice was/is considered an obstruction to “preaching the word”. “Why give them clean drinking water when all they need is Jesus?”

I agree that it is also my responsiblity to help the church (small c) in any way I can in this regard, but I feel that much of the problem is institutional. I’d much rather enter a community that has the institutianal vision for social justice than hang back in order to foster change where the church institutions are apathetic and failing to embrace the Sermon on the Mount as central.

]]> By: jeremy http://tomorrowsreflection.com/08/2006/finding-the-blessed/comment-page-1/#comment-97 jeremy Thu, 17 Aug 2006 15:48:47 +0000 http://tomorrowsreflection.com/?p=19#comment-97 Zach, I don't think that any of us have a problem learning from Bono--it is just a change from what we are used to. I'm on the opposite end of the spectrum, my life has been impacted far more by the spiritual offerings of the church than anything else so when I see something that good (as Bono's example) outside of the church it impresses me and surprises me a little. I agree with Landon and feel sad for the reality that the church isn't on the forefront of things like this and that caring people like yourself feel let down by the church. We need to figure out how to improve the world but also improve the church simultaneously. Thanks for your thoughts. Zach, I don’t think that any of us have a problem learning from Bono–it is just a change from what we are used to. I’m on the opposite end of the spectrum, my life has been impacted far more by the spiritual offerings of the church than anything else so when I see something that good (as Bono’s example) outside of the church it impresses me and surprises me a little.

I agree with Landon and feel sad for the reality that the church isn’t on the forefront of things like this and that caring people like yourself feel let down by the church. We need to figure out how to improve the world but also improve the church simultaneously. Thanks for your thoughts.

]]> By: Landon http://tomorrowsreflection.com/08/2006/finding-the-blessed/comment-page-1/#comment-95 Landon Thu, 17 Aug 2006 04:55:45 +0000 http://tomorrowsreflection.com/?p=19#comment-95 I forget this - "My life has been impacted far more by the spiritual offerings of Bono than in any church i’ve stepped foot in." This is a sad statement. I don't look down upon you Zach for saying it, but it makes me sad. I very much believe in Bill Hybels statement that the church is the "hope of the world". I just hope you are still trying to help the church get to the place Christ wants it to be - instead of just giving up on it. I forget this – “My life has been impacted far more by the spiritual offerings of Bono than in any church i’ve stepped foot in.” This is a sad statement. I don’t look down upon you Zach for saying it, but it makes me sad. I very much believe in Bill Hybels statement that the church is the “hope of the world”. I just hope you are still trying to help the church get to the place Christ wants it to be – instead of just giving up on it.

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