Comments on: Which Gospel? The Gospel of Unity http://oneinjesus.info/2008/07/which-gospel-the-gospel-of-unity/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=which-gospel-the-gospel-of-unity Thu, 24 May 2012 17:25:40 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Jay Guin http://oneinjesus.info/2008/07/which-gospel-the-gospel-of-unity/#comment-3320 Jay Guin Tue, 22 Jul 2008 19:29:22 +0000 http://jayguin.wordpress.com/?p=1413#comment-3320 Nick, You are quite right. We have to walk before we run. My only concern is that we not be satisfied with token efforts. It's great to paint park benches -- but at some point some of us have to get involved in people's lives in a way that changes the world (if that makes any sense). A large church needs to have low-threshold good works for young or new members, but work toward more challenging tasks. Here's the test: if our church were to close its doors tomorrow, would we be missed by the poor and vulnerable of our home town? Nick,

You are quite right. We have to walk before we run. My only concern is that we not be satisfied with token efforts. It's great to paint park benches — but at some point some of us have to get involved in people's lives in a way that changes the world (if that makes any sense).

A large church needs to have low-threshold good works for young or new members, but work toward more challenging tasks.

Here's the test: if our church were to close its doors tomorrow, would we be missed by the poor and vulnerable of our home town?

]]> By: Nick Gill http://oneinjesus.info/2008/07/which-gospel-the-gospel-of-unity/#comment-3319 Nick Gill Tue, 22 Jul 2008 10:02:08 +0000 http://jayguin.wordpress.com/?p=1413#comment-3319 Do not, at least at the beginning, neglect the little opportunities like painting and landscaping needy schools and community centers. How many local schools around our churches have dusty trailer-park classroom areas because they will never be able to afford to renovate and expand? How much more will children be able to grow in their education when they aren't frustrated because they get filthy every day going to and from class? Or air conditioning... small repairs... etc... things that they cannot squeeze into their budget. Things we can intentionally do, getting our hands dirty in the name of Jesus. Community leaders will NOT trust us with their REAL problems until they see, through our gracious and humble service in menial tasks, that we are trustworthy. "The church" has too much negative baggage for us to expect to be able to walk into inner-city areas and immediately see the problems. We've got to establish relationships of trust with people who know what is going on. Those relationships can only be established by table fellowship and menial service. Do not, at least at the beginning, neglect the little opportunities like painting and landscaping needy schools and community centers. How many local schools around our churches have dusty trailer-park classroom areas because they will never be able to afford to renovate and expand? How much more will children be able to grow in their education when they aren't frustrated because they get filthy every day going to and from class? Or air conditioning… small repairs… etc… things that they cannot squeeze into their budget. Things we can intentionally do, getting our hands dirty in the name of Jesus.

Community leaders will NOT trust us with their REAL problems until they see, through our gracious and humble service in menial tasks, that we are trustworthy.

"The church" has too much negative baggage for us to expect to be able to walk into inner-city areas and immediately see the problems. We've got to establish relationships of trust with people who know what is going on.

Those relationships can only be established by table fellowship and menial service.

]]> By: Hal http://oneinjesus.info/2008/07/which-gospel-the-gospel-of-unity/#comment-3318 Hal Tue, 22 Jul 2008 06:31:12 +0000 http://jayguin.wordpress.com/?p=1413#comment-3318 Jay, What a great post! I pray that we can begin a movement toward this kind of unity in Tuscaloosa by being unified in a"community" mindset at UCC. The importance of unity in the body of Christ is very evident to me by the fact that Jesus lifted it before God in his most fervent prayer in the garden (not to mention the numerous additional references throughout the NT), yet we often seem to be satisfied in justifying our isolation from other churches. I believe that the Phil. 2 passage says it all! Jay,
What a great post! I pray that we can begin a movement toward this kind of unity in Tuscaloosa by being unified in a"community" mindset at UCC. The importance of unity in the body of Christ is very evident to me by the fact that Jesus lifted it before God in his most fervent prayer in the garden (not to mention the numerous additional references throughout the NT), yet we often seem to be satisfied in justifying our isolation from other churches. I believe that the Phil. 2 passage says it all!

]]> By: Alan http://oneinjesus.info/2008/07/which-gospel-the-gospel-of-unity/#comment-3317 Alan Tue, 22 Jul 2008 03:57:51 +0000 http://jayguin.wordpress.com/?p=1413#comment-3317 Jay, this is a good post with some challenging ideas. BTW, another passage connecting baptism with unity is Gal 3:26-29. Jay, this is a good post with some challenging ideas.

BTW, another passage connecting baptism with unity is Gal 3:26-29.

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