Forerunners of the Future
A refreshing parallel
Today, after church, I sat with our visiting minister at a lunch table. It was an enjoying conversation, but traditionally the same. I grew up as a Minister's son, so I have sat with hundreds of traveling evangelist. One of the perks of PK status. But today, it took a turn that I have never gone before.
The evangelist's name is Sam Farina. A very well known evangelist in the Assemblies. During the course of conversation, postmodernism and the emergent movement was brought up. In caution I asked the visiting 51 year old minister his thoughts on the subject. To my surprise - "I love it. We have to think about it and embrace it. It is the church of the future." For the next two hours he began to speak on his knowledge of the subject - to my pastor and I and our wives.
He began to set up a parallel for us to think about and I would like to talk about. He talked of how Christianity flurished in Greek culture. How do you guys think greek culture can compare to us today? Is there a parallel? Your thoughts? Is the church in Acts a church of the future as much as it is a church of the past?
Mark
The evangelist's name is Sam Farina. A very well known evangelist in the Assemblies. During the course of conversation, postmodernism and the emergent movement was brought up. In caution I asked the visiting 51 year old minister his thoughts on the subject. To my surprise - "I love it. We have to think about it and embrace it. It is the church of the future." For the next two hours he began to speak on his knowledge of the subject - to my pastor and I and our wives.
He began to set up a parallel for us to think about and I would like to talk about. He talked of how Christianity flurished in Greek culture. How do you guys think greek culture can compare to us today? Is there a parallel? Your thoughts? Is the church in Acts a church of the future as much as it is a church of the past?
Mark
posted by Mark Carter at 3:27 PM
2 Comments:
One thought that comes to mind, in Greek culture, is that all things were open for question. Nothing was off limits. Because people were willing to discuss and consider Christianity as possible truth it flurished as it proved its worth. Sure our culture has elements of ancient Greece, but Christianity is not new as it was then and most people are not willing to discuss it anymore. Just a thought.
Your comment is especially relevant to me and others on this site who are "card carrying" Assemblies of God ministers. Mainly my question is this, will there be a place for those with fresh interpretations and methods in the denomination? What do some of you other A/G ministers think? (Do you think that Farina's knowledge and openess to 'emergent' Christian expression is indictative of the denomination as a whole? If not, do you think that people like him, have any influence on leadership and policy in the denomination?)
(Continuing to beat a dead horse) Maybe the "Dechristianization" of America and the philosophical diversification of society will actually open the door for a new alive Kingdom of God expression to gain influence. (i.e. phoenix church - rising from the ashes, dying to live, "gotta croak, before it can soar", etc. - you get my point.)
All that was a sideline that my hangups drag me down periodically. As to your suggestion that 21st century American culture is parallel to 1st century Greek Culture, I think you might be on to something intriguing. I think that America, it's language and culture is certainly imported all over the world. I would also agree that there are many people searching for a 'philosophy' to explain their existence. Further I could ever be persuaded to say that in our world today, thanks to Barnes & Noble and the internet, individuals have the freedom and the power to promote their own personal philosophies like never before. The results of which I think resemble Ancient Greece, a mixed bag of religions and philosophy, complete with popular and non-popular schools of thought.
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