Hi friends,
This is a blog discussion group for people of faith who have dropped out of churches or have given up on church life for a variety of reasons. Some may be praying in homes with your families, others might be meeting with a few friends in a house church, at a coffee shop or in a bar for discussion and prayer. If you are in any of these categories, I would be interested in talking with you about your experience. Feel free to email me at joseph.holbrook@fiu.edu or join this group for group discussion about how to live a life of churchless faith.
By-way-of introduction, I am a former pastor and church planter who left organized church life several years ago and began to meet with my adult children and their friends for prayer and fellowship. I recently finished my master's in Latin American Studies at FIU, and am currently pursuing a Ph.D. in History at FIU. I am doing research on religion in Latin America (mostly Brazil, Colombia and Cuba) and this semester, I am working with some other graduate students to do research on unchurched religion in Miami. Please let me know what your experience has been.
We also have a google discussion group where we can upload files at the following URL:
http://groups.google.com/group/un-churched-Miami
Thank you!
Joseph Holbrook
joseph.holbrook@fiu.edu
History Department
Florida International University
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2 comments:
I am curious if you have any thoughts on a way the church of today might be changed into a real life mission of God???? I am a pastor in confusion and am searching for ways to make church a viable part of the kingdom of God.
The other is a question of how you would describe church. I feel it is a gathering of people, whether it be in a person's home or in a building set aside for that.
Your thoughts will be considered valid and hopefully will open my eyes a bit also.
WaynO http://newpreachin.blogspot.com/
hi Wayne,
I tend to like the definition that Neil Cole uses in Organic Church, which although I cannot quote it has something to do with the church being 2 or 3 or more people gathered around the presence of Jesus.
I have been in a transition for a number of years now...and the longer I go, the more extreme I become and the more negative about current church life. I am really trying hard not to be cynical...but it seems to be that the current "consumerist" church is toxic. Once people get in it, and adopt the consumerist "go-to-church" culture, they are almost ruined for true devotion and faithfulness to Christ.
I like the fellowship of the ring model.... (the Jesus and the twelve model) of a group of friends together on a journey toward God.
I think intentional mutual commitment is vital. We must be committed to love God, to love our neighbors, and we must be committed to love one another as he has loved us. That means sticking together and resolving relational conflicts and practicing the 'one-anothers'. Hope this helps. Good hearing from you!
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