Tag Archives: spiritual disciplines

The Good and Bad of Spiritual Formation, Part 2

I’m going to try to wrap this up by answering some questions. Aren’t you aware of the long tradition in Christianity of spiritual disciplines designed to bring our hearts into closer alignment with God’s will? How can you discount so … Continue reading

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The Good and Bad of Spiritual Formation (Being Formed within God’s Mission)

As I read the material quoted in the last post, I have two reactions. First, it’s indisputably true that in many churches a portion of the membership is not particularly Christ-like. There are often very few differences between the lost … Continue reading

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The Good and Bad of Spiritual Formation (Introduction)

I’ve been thinking about spiritual formation for quite a while. It’s all the rage in evangelical circles. Many churches have hired ministers of spiritual formation. We did for a while. Type “spiritual formation” into Google, and you get lots articles … Continue reading

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What’s Wrong With How We Do Church?: And So, In Conclusion …

After 9 posts on the same topic, it’s time to draw some conclusions. But this will all have to be taken as very preliminary. After all, Willow Creek hasn’t finished their study of 500 additional churches. Nonetheless, while I wouldn’t … Continue reading

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What’s Wrong With How We Do Church?: Escaping Our Denial

Let’s start with what the Bible says about what the church is all about. I’ve already quoted Jesus’ words in Matthew 25 saying we’ll be judged by how we treat the poor and needy. The lesson is found in lots … Continue reading

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What’s Wrong With How We Do Church?: The Church of Irresistible Influence

As I’ve been pondering the problem the Willow Creek Community Church is struggling with, as described in their Reveal study, I’ve begun reading Robert Lewis’s The Church of Irresistible Influence. I happened across this quote in this 2001 book– We … Continue reading

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What’s Wrong With How We Do Church?: On Being a Benevolence Program

There are doubtlessly hundreds of ways for a church to care for the poor. This is just one of many ways to go about it. My congregation has just these last few months tried this, and the early results are … Continue reading

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What’s Wrong With How We Do Church?: The Jesus Piece

This is not the complete answer to the problems identified by Willow Creek’s REVEAL study. But, I’m persuaded, it’s a big piece of the puzzle. We’re not going to find the answer in our culture (American or church)–which pretty much … Continue reading

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What Wrong With How We Do Church?: Problems with Authority

I found this on-line book by Andrew Strom helpful. Strom has spoken with many who’ve left the institutional church and quotes countless emails giving a sense of their discontent. Ultimately, however, Strom finds many who’ve left are so anti-authoritarian that … Continue reading

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What’s Wrong With How We Do Church?: A Churchless Faith

Willow Creek is hardly the first to notice the large number of mature Christians leaving the institutional church. A Churchless Faith by Alan Jamieson (2000) is a study of this phenomenon. It’s out of print, but summarized here.The following are … Continue reading

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