tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20087898.post7495561825985515975..comments2023-05-21T07:50:57.461-07:00Comments on [SUBVERSIVE UNDERGROUND] Newsletter: SOMETHING DIFFERENTKeith Gileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00328300571647154699noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20087898.post-39437415784953341222008-03-13T13:37:00.000-07:002008-03-13T13:37:00.000-07:00Sounds like I'll have to eat at Taco Cabana soon o...Sounds like I'll have to eat at Taco Cabana soon on your behalf. No question. They're great.<BR/><BR/>As a person who shares some of your heart for our friends who are poor and the marginalized, I really do value your heart for people. I'm glad that even in your bold statement this comes through. <BR/><BR/>Yesterday I sat with friend who was talking with me about the right size for a church. He was convinced that it was around 120 or 130. "Just a little more than we are but not too big," he said to me. ;)<BR/><BR/>I wonder if the greater part of wisdom is to humbly admit that God uses many different community structures across cultures to accomplish good and meaningful, God-focused community. When we do that fully, we're then free to say "Look what God is doing here!" and trust God to work out His will in the communities of others that are led by God-fearing people.Parkehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00389655665264216278noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20087898.post-11611536844019951582008-03-13T06:23:00.000-07:002008-03-13T06:23:00.000-07:00You should read the early church fathers (~100AD t...You should read the early church fathers (~100AD to the Reformation) and see how they dealt with this same situation. The post-Edict-of-Tolerance church became a real dynamo. The Celtic Church was in revival for hundreds of years and spread revival and Christian work back through the continent of Europe. All of this because of the monastic movement.<BR/><BR/>It started with the hermits and the Desert Fathers and became the monastic movement. These groups shaped not only Christianity but also their world. With monasteries in every time zone, the worship and praise of God as a 24-hour-a-day activity as the hours of worship crossed the entire world. (As did the service to the peoples of the world.) It is worthwhile to read and understand the ancient "rules" of the monasteries as they incorporated the ancient rules of the nation of Israel and the faithful of preceding generations.<BR/><BR/>The Refomation, for the most part, closed the monasteries and convents. (The Anglicans have these to this day.) The great spiritual strength built within the monastic movement and system is quite astonishing.<BR/><BR/>The modern/post-modern house church movement may be a move back to the proven power-house of the middle ages. If only it were so.<BR/><BR/>It is good to embrace all Christians. If they meet in so-called traditional" churches or in other ways. We are all in need of Christian love and are all brothers. <BR/><BR/>hike<BR/><BR/>PS. May I join you all at Taco Cabana. I miss real Tex-Mex food.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06027692107923905610noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20087898.post-51971652545435405392008-03-13T00:34:00.000-07:002008-03-13T00:34:00.000-07:00Keith -Great posting! My struggle (prior to conver...Keith -<BR/><BR/>Great posting! My struggle (prior to converting to the house church) was that I was (like most of us) a creature of habit. I had a Sunday morning habit/addiction that looked like this...<BR/><BR/>- wake up<BR/>- race around the house getting myself and my kids ready for "church"<BR/>- drive 20+ miles (as fast as possible) to a good sized church-building of my liking<BR/>- drop kids off at various Sunday School rooms (all the while hoping they'll learn something and simultaneously releasing myself from the responsibility of teaching them)<BR/>- teach an Adult Sunday School class (which I often viewed as baby-sitting the grown-ups who wanted their kids to be in a Sunday School class and had nothing better to do for the hour)... did that come across as cynical? Sorry!<BR/>- cut my lesson short due to time-restraints.<BR/>- race down the hall to the "sanctuary" for "worship" and to fulfill my obligations as a deacon (which mostly consisted of serving the "found" instead of those truly in need of Christ)<BR/>- drop a check in the plate (and wonder what really happens to the money besides keeping the machine running)<BR/>- wave goodbye to people I didn't really know on any deep and meaningful level, but found myself with week after week<BR/><BR/>I was addicted to the traditional church. God had to take me all the way to China to get a glimpse of the underground house church to break me of my addiction. I had a habit that at that particular church had lasted for 9 years, but the Holy Spirit broke me of it.<BR/><BR/>There is hope... He is moving still in the hearts of people. Hopefully he'll use postings like yours to keep nudging people toward true community, toward deep and meaningful relationships with other believers, toward the image of Christ without all the trappings of modern day Churchianity.<BR/><BR/>Peace,<BR/><BR/>Kent C. Williamson<BR/>Director of the film "Rebellion of Thought"<BR/><BR/>P.S. let's both drive back to Texas and meet a Taco Cabana for a late night snack... man, I miss those days!Kent C. Williamsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03654892681774726976noreply@blogger.com