Ok all you missional church leaders! Here's a challenge: what would you offer as an alternative to this young man and his passionate critique of religion? How might you invite him (and others like him) into communal mission in the Word?
Here's an interesting reflection by a Lutheran pastor in Chicago, as he ponders the success -- and lack thereof -- of his efforts to invite his friends to church. I was struck by this comment, in particular:
Perhaps the power of God to call people through the church resides not in familiarity, or comfort, or the safety of an extended prior relationship. Perhaps it comes through an encounter with something new, surprising, even a little scary.
Dr. Terence Fretheim
The word "relationship" pervades current reflections about God in the life of the church. What do we mean when we speak of "relationship?" How adequate is our understanding of the God-human relationship for our missional commitments and conversations? What will we teach our children about the relational God of the Bible, especially the God of the Old Testament?
Dr. Fretheim presented on this topic at the 2011 Missional Church Consultation Nov. 5, 2011, at Luther Seminary. …