Posts Tagged ‘Church’
A brief theology of farmer’s markets
June 25, 2009 by Tim, under New world | | 3 Comments
Today marks the completion of over a year’s worth of work with a handful of new friends who have been laboring together to create a farmers market in our neighborhood.
We are really excited about the grand opening, and I’m especially excited because I’ll be able to get most of my groceries from local farms who I’ll be able to see every week and know exactly where my was grown (or baked, fished, etc). But, I believe that excitement begs a response. Why does it matter where food is grown, what in the world would that have to do with how the church practices faith? (more…)
Tags: Church, food, future
Who’s your tribe?
May 28, 2009 by Tim, under The Practicing Church | | 14 Comments
Yesterday I had a denominational meeting that was called in effect to discuss how the financial recession was affecting church planters.
You wouldn’t think denominational bureaucracy and financial cuts would turn out to be a meeting that left me more grateful than when I left. But, it happened. (more…)
Tags: Church, denomination, tribe
Reflections on Pentecost Seattle
May 21, 2009 by Tim, under New world, Practicing Church Stories, leadership development | | No Comments »
Last week I pondered briefly whether it is possible for churches to practice together within a geographic boundary. While the true verdict of the event last Saturday called, Pentecost Seattle will remain subject to how many new relationships, initiatives, and stories result, the gathering certainly filled me with hope. (more…)
Tags: Church, ecumenical, seattle
Can a city practice together?
May 14, 2009 by Tim, under New world | | 7 Comments
What would happen to relationships between churches within a city or a neighborhood if local service became the organizing principle of relating?
This is question I have been wondering about for years. In fact it has been such a burning question that I spent hundreds of hours researching and writing about this question for my final thesis at Mars Hill Graduate School. So naturally, I have plenty of opinions about how churches can come together to serve others within their own locality. But, this Saturday many of those opinions and hopes will be put to the experimental test of reality through an event called, Pentecost Seattle.
Coming together across denominations and confessional differences, Seattle’s Christians – Evangelical, Emerging Church, Mainline and Catholic – will meet to discuss the most urgent and changing needs of the Seattle area’s varied neighborhoods. What will bring us together is our love of God which can never be divorced from our love for our city and neighborhoods.
I think it could be an historic event. If you live in the Seattle area I hope to see you there. For those of you all over the States and the world I’ll be sure to jot down some reflections and post them here next week.
Tags: Church, city, practice, seattle
Church only happens when we don’t talk about church
May 7, 2009 by Tim, under The Practicing Church | | 8 Comments
There are dozens of books about the church, with different adjectives: Purpose-driven, seeker-sensitive, emerging, organic, the list goes on and on. In some sense this little website continues the trend, after all it is called the…….practicing church.
But, is “church” something that can ever be achieved directly, regardless of how appropriate the adjective? After all, there are thousands of denominations, and most of the congregants in those thousands of different churches will give a different definition (more…)
Tags: Church, mission
Exploring the Idea of Airplanes
May 5, 2009 by Tyler, under The Practicing Church | | 8 Comments
Take a minute to think about these two stories. The first story is by Anthony De Mello S.J. from his book The Heart of The Enlightened, and the second is from Louis C.K. a comedian who appeared on The Conan O’Brien Show. (more…)
