Here is another whatsawhosits from Barna:
“Our studies continue to show that people are using the Christian media to provide elements of ministry that are not adequately provided to them by their local church,” Barna explained. “For some people, these media complement their church experience. For others, a combination of these media forms a significant portion of their faith experience. As the Busters and Mosaics become the dominant population groups in the religious marketplace, combined with the continuing growth of ethnic populations as well, we anticipate more changes in which of these media dominate the religious market, how frequently they are utilized and how they are integrated into the person’s spiritual life.”I just thought it was interesting to see hwo the blogiverse may be replacing other media outlets for Christians...including the local congregation. This couples well with the previous post about the continuing "privatization" of Christianity. Why go to church on Sunday when you can go online any time you want?The California-based researcher and author also noted that the Christian media represent the most consistent means of evangelistic outreach by the Christian community. “With our studies showing that about half of all born again adults do not share their faith with any non-believers during the year, and that those who do share their faith talk about it with few non-Christians, the faith-oriented media have become the primary means through which the gospel message is presented to non-Christians on a regular basis.” (link)
Yeah, it is like that. This is the reality of the church.
Posted by tripp at March 30, 2005 09:37 AMI'd reflect that question is a somewhat different form: why go to church on Sunday when you can connect with God any time you want, and when you're supposed to be living out his commandments in the world 100% of the time?
Posted by: Megan at March 30, 2005 10:35 AM1. To hear the Word proclaimed and extolled.
2. To receive the Lord's Supper (Whenever you gather, do this in remembrance of me.).
3. To seek support and edification of other Christians in the presense of the Holy Spirit (Pentecost).
There are other reasons, of course. But these are the three that come to mind immediately. This is what we do when we gather. We may not necessarily gather on Sunday, though that is traditional as a reflection of the day Christ rose from the dead. Any other day works, but the coming together in physical liturgical worship is one way to express our faith and to respond to God i.e. Eucharist.
Posted by: Tripp at March 30, 2005 10:52 AMOkay, so, pursuing those as worthy goals... (these are real questions, not traps)
How is hearing the Bible read out loud and hearing a sermon preached more useful than reading the Bible privately and thinking about what you've read?
How is receiving ritual eucharist more useful than reflecting prayerfully on the Resurrection at every meal, at home or out?
Isn't the Holy Spirit present everywhere at all times?
Support I'm not so sure about, so I leave it an open question to mull. Edification... aren't all other people edifying, in whatever degree?
Posted by: Megan at March 30, 2005 11:08 AMBible read and preached: Simply, having another's voice in the mix can fuel more thought and deepen faith. Having a story other than one's own to lean upon can actually, in my experience, increase faith in the individual believer.
Receiving the rite: One should do both. But the scriptural injunction to repeat the rite guides my thinking here. "Do this in remembrance of me."
The Holy Spirit is in all places at all times, but is revealed when the faithful gather. Whenever two or three are gathered together in my name, I am there with them. It is the intentionality of the gathering that makes all the difference.
All people edifying? Heh. Um. Yes. Yes, they are. Sometimes by their challenge to the Gospel as well, I assume. Heh.
Posted by: Tripp at March 30, 2005 11:56 AMMeaning that the Holy Spirit *isn't* revealed when non-Christian people gather, or when Christian people are alone?
That sounds like a game-playing God to me, and not one I really want anything to do with.
Posted by: Megan at March 30, 2005 12:06 PMThe words of those of Christ. "When two or three gather together in my name, I am in the midst of them." The Holy Spirit is always present, but the intentionality of being Christ or making Christ present (revelation), who is one with God and the Spirit, seems to make a difference somehow. This is what I glean from this passage at least.
Posted by: Tripp at March 30, 2005 06:07 PMThe passage is lovely, but I see nothing in it that *excludes* Christ and/or the Holy Spirit being present to an individual Christian at any time.
Posted by: Megan at March 31, 2005 09:38 AMI never said "exclusion." But I would say that there is a reason why Jesus spoke in the plural.
Understand, Jesus goes off on his own to be with God all the time. This is what he does in scripture. I have no trouble with it. We are called to it. But we are also called to gather, that is what this passage says to me. Thus the Eucharist, a rite performed when we gather. Thus the passage in Matthew in how to deal with a member of the church who dissents etc. In Matthew, Jesus guives advice on how to manage community. This, I propose, assumes a gathered people.
Posted by: Tripp at March 31, 2005 10:06 AM