26 August 2009

Virtual Church ?

“The problem, in my mind, with virtual community and Internet campuses isn’t that it’s not church… it’s that it is just church enough to be dangerous. Because it has all the easiest and most instantly gratifying parts of community without the harder parts, it ends up misshaping us.”

Bob Hyatt for the Out of Ur Blog via Finding Rhythm

Authority and the Internet

I've started reading Don't Eat the Fruit and I like what I have read.  It likely has something to do with his approach to media and how it influences us.

This was and interesting idea about what the internet does to authority and community
The Internet is not merely a means of communication, it is more fundamentally about giving individuals the power to choose what information they consume. The trade-off is that the more choices we have, the more decisions we make in isolation and the fewer we make either in community with others or under the authority of leaders.
Of course, I could claim that the Bible is my authority and that my view is more biblical than that of Piper, Boyd, or the iMonk. But everyone claims the Bible is their authority. Bible, Bible, Bible – everyone quotes the Bible. What’s really happening is that I “agree” with leaders when their interpretation of the Bible matches up with my personal views. The Internet simply gives me more views from which to choose.
And the more choices I put in front of myself, the more choices I make. The more choices I make, the more I believe in my ability to chose. In the end, my authority is not the church, nor the Bible, it is my will to choose.

19 August 2009

A step in the right direction?

Over at Church Marketing Sucks they have a post about a church that is taking a stand against abortion.

One Atlanta church has a bold challenge to anyone considering abortion: "Peachtree Presbyterian Church will care for any newborn baby you bring to this church."
So says Pastor Vic Pentz in a recent sermon. The church is partnering with the adoption agency Bethany Christian Services to make this happen and to start the education process for their congregation. Adoption is never simple and easy, but I love this bold action instead of the usual rhetoric around abortion.
I think it's great to know that a church is taking this kind of stand. I have always hated the "stop abortion" stance with out any real provision for what we will do with the unwanted babies. I hope the move is of right motivations and not a publicity stunt of some degree. But, asuming the have the right intentions it is interesting to hear of one church moving to take care of the unwanted babies.