Cole Vs. Young

There is an interesting read titled “Coming and Going: Two Leaders. One Mission. Two Very Different Strategies.” It is an interview with Neil Cole and Ed Young Jr. which explores their very different approaches to ministry.

The following two excepts bring the contrasting methodology into sharp focus.

Ed Young: The worship event is the [emphasis is theirs] port of entry into the church. We have many, many, many, many other things that connect people to the church, like small groups and hospital visitation. Relationships are really important, but worship is the biggest entry point. So we are very intentional about our sermons and creating an experience.

Neil Cole: One of our early plans was to rent a coffeehouse to reach young people in Long Beach. We were getting ready to launch. But in the middle of one of our strategy meetings God spoke to us and said, Why not go to the coffeehouses where they are? Rather than trying to convert people from their coffeehouse to our coffeehouse where we could then convert them to Christ, we decided to bring Christ to them. So we started hanging out at their coffeehouses, and things started rolling. People started coming to faith in Christ.

Young uses a classic business model where product and presentation are designed to appeal to a consumer of religious goods and services. Cole understands that God is at work all around us, listens for His invitation on where to join Him, then acts in obedience.

Longtime readers of this blog won’t be surprised at which one resonate with me.

I wonder how much more of an impact Young’s “church” would have if they split into 200 one hundred member local neighborhood faith communities? Of course they can’t do this (I’m conjecturing here) because they don’t have 200 mature pastoral leaders (indictment of the model) and many of the people wouldn’t stand for it because they like/want to be consumers, not disciples (an indictment of the average American believer and the model).

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3 comments December 1st, 2008 Rick Meigs

Ministering Restoration: Recovering Spiritual Harmony

Last year around this time I helped Barb Orlowski, who was in the Doctor of Ministry program at A.C.T.S. Seminaries in Langley, B.C., Canada, locate Christians who have experienced emotional and spiritual distress under authoritarian and controlling church leaders and have recovered from this experience. See post here for background.

Dr. Orlowski has created a website, Church Exiters, where her dissertation “Ministering Restoration: Recovering Spiritual Harmony†can be found along with much of her research.

I’m looking forward to reading the dissertation, and well done “Dr.â€

HT: Brad

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Add comment November 30th, 2008 Rick Meigs

Neil Cole Quote

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2 comments November 29th, 2008 Rick Meigs

A Random Blog Walk

I’ve not done a “Random Blog Walk” in months, but recently there has been some really good stuff being posted. Here are just a few.

“A Lesson in Synonyms” is one of those simple, yet powerful posts that Grace does so well.

Elizabeth Chapin has another well written post titled, “The Mission Driven Life and Vehicles to Get You There.” A recommended read.

Alan Hirsch announced that his new book “Rejesus: A Wild Messiah for a Missional Church” (co-authored with Michael Frost) can now be ordered. You can also download the books introduction here and chapter one here. Both are in PDF format.

In “Koinonia and Generosity,” Adrian Warnock points to a blogging series by Terry Virgo called, “Remember the Poor.”

And Brother Maynard notes, in “The System vs. The Movement,” that power structures are beginning to crumble under the realization that they really aren’t necessary.

Finally, Bob Robinson provides a valuable admonition about our in-house debate around the issue of homosexuality here.

Do you twitter? I didn’t until October 29th, but this is one powerful tool. Twitter has a simple premise: You tweet and the message is pushed to your friends/coworkers/tribe/clients, you name it. Sure there is lots of lame dribble, but I simple choose not to “follow” those type of twitters. Check it out at twitter.com and you can follow me @BlindBeggar .

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2 comments November 28th, 2008 Rick Meigs

Giving Thanks

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Add comment November 27th, 2008 Rick Meigs

Kingdom Epicenter Shift?

Just thinking out loud in this post.

Looking at history, God seems to periodically shift the epicenter of his kingdom work, i.e., the place/people who profoundly shape the theology and praxis of the church for the rest of us. It appears to be an east to west progression.

I wonder if some most of the decline of the church in North America and the apparent indifference of its people to the “gospel†(however you want to define the gospel) is a reflection of God once again shifting the nexus of the kingdom to the west?

Popularity: 9% [?]

4 comments November 24th, 2008 Rick Meigs

ESV Study Bible

I’ve been enjoying the new English Standard Version (ESV) Study Bible. The last study bible I had was back in the 70s when I regularly used the RSV Harper Study Bible. Crossway has reported that the demand for this ESV version is so high that the first 100,000 copies were sold out even before the release date in mid-October.

One of the problems with many most modern study bibles is that they are predisposed toward a specific theological or doctrinal viewpoint. The ESV is not free from such bias, but it appears to make a strong effort toward giving all orthodox viewpoints a fair shake. It has a bunch of article at the end which I’ve not had time to read, so I’ll withhold judgment on them.

J.I. Packer was on the team. Here what he has to say about this new work.

I’ll admit that I do enjoy and use regularly the ESV, which is a revision of the 1971 edition of the Revised Standard Version. I wonder what, if anything, ones preferences in translations says about a person?

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Technorati Tags: ESV, Study Bible, J.I. Packer

Add comment November 21st, 2008 Rick Meigs

Ed Stetzer vs AL: Episode 3

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Technorati Tags: Ed Stetzer, Missional Church, Missional, Sent

Add comment November 20th, 2008 Rick Meigs

Michael Frost Quote

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2 comments November 20th, 2008 Rick Meigs

The Bridge

We have lived in our neighborhood for over 15 years. All that time it has been interesting to see how many people daily use an informal path that passes through the vacant lot (now restored wetlands) next to our home. With the new green street project done (see post here) and the wetlands attracting new wildlife, it has become more popular.

To take advantage of the popularity and to help ensure the path will remains a neighborhood assets, I’ve made some attempts to get it designated as an alternate route for Urban Trail #3 which passes just two blocks from us.

One of the items that needed done was the construction of a small foot bridge across Stephens Creek. Stephens Creek at this point is small and seasonal, but crossing it here was a challenge for many during our wet season (which some falsely claim lasts from January 1st through December 31st :-) ).

With the permission (or at least no objections) of the immediate neighbors, the Hillsdale Neighborhood Association, and the City, I constructed the bridge. Here is a picture of my handy work.

It took about two hours to complete and then another two hours (allowing for drying time between coats) to paint. No plans used. Just worked it out in my head and started pounding nails.

Lots of positive feedback from the neighbors.

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Add comment November 19th, 2008 Rick Meigs