I hate creating a title for a blog entry before I enter my text. I'm not one of those guys who works things out beforehand, I'm kind of an in-process guy that works it out as it comes out. This is why titles are so perplexing. I use them to head me in a direction, but I also use them to summarize. Maybe I should title it, then change it, but that somehow seems a bit inauthentic. So right now you are going to get titles that might make sense or not. I don't care too much either way. Only 2 people out there read this anyway!
Here is a growing concern: That my current ministry situation "Re:Live" at the university church in loma linda, is somehow slipping from the larger church body. While I don't believe this to be the case, many do. Some of the concern stems from a physical location change that is currently happening. We have moved back and forth between Chan Auditorium on the academy campus and Wong Kerlee on the University Campus. This is not without it's pitfalls, and we don't like being so far away. However, that is the case right now.
So we go down to Chan this upcoming week and immediately there are people asking me if we are getting ready to move away from the University church. The answer to this is a resounding "NO". We have no desire to create something different than what the University Church is. However, we understand the way things look. The words that have been thrown out there are "two congregations" within one church.
The sad part is, those are very divisive words when it comes to church. I suppose you could make an argument that there are two congregations, but that doesn't mean we are heading in separate directions. Rather, it means two groups heading in the same directions based on the shared principles and values of the church body. That is very much where we seek to be.
All this stuff happens to be what I am doing my doctoral work in. The integration models of postmodern communities within larger, more modern church communities. We have an opportunities to create a model that makes sense for all of us who are involved. As we grow, so does the church. There will inevitably be push and pull between these community, or better language would be: within THIS community. We are the University church, and the University church is us. There is no dichotomy.
Sometimes worship expression is seen as the dividing factor, and this does create a divergence in style, but only style, not substance. I love having our other pastors come and speak at Re:Live because there is so much wisdom. As well, I love speaking in the main sanctuary in order to help bring the congregation there up to speed on language and ideas that change our lives as young people in the church.
The problem comes when there is a sense of fear or intimadation or control. That will be something we have to deal with as both groups grow larger. The key will be to keep the umbrella we are both growing under open as wide as possible.
just my .02 today. have a great day
Oh, and congrats to Dustin and Lindsay. We are all so happy for you guys!
tjg
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