Have had a fair amount of email re: the ebook I put out for free a few weeks ago. Really grateful for everyone who has engaged with the content so far. Wanted to put a couple of bits out which for me have been helpful in furthering discussion.
Here’s an excerpt from a good friend Russ’s email:
“I generally found the book thought-provoking and challenging. It got my hackles up at some points as there isn’t much affirmation of the good things a church does, which could be repackaged if desired (because they don’t connect with people) but actually do serve real needs in the community. The main thing I thought about whilst reading the book was this: “what about the anointing?” I suppose what I mean is when an Ephesians 4 level guy, when Heidi Baker, when your apostolic leader is around, you want to be there. I mean the long term average Sunday preach can be a bit repetitive and maybe a lot of people do agree with whats said, but I’ve really been appreciating the hope, freedom and equipping that comes from these kinds of guys in the package of a 30 minutes (usually plus) sermon. You could call it imparting faith, rather than talking.
Anointed leaders inspire and equip. And there is something special about the spoken word. And also worship… you’re obviously not surprised I picked up on this. I think that by undermining the validity of singing songs together (which is a form of prayer) and making it out to be unbiblical, you run the risk of sapping faith for other things. What I mean is, something happens when a group gather together and sing praise. Something else happens when the praise moves to a tender place of adoration. What I’m gunning for when I lead worship (or lead a meeting) is plural spontaneous participation (the package of the average prayer meeting in the e/c model) but also giving people a strong enough lead that they’ve got some truth to get behind, and often it’s this that really releases faith and hope in people to believe God for great things. So, if you want the church to be a praying church then I think you will be blessed by having a singing church!
I also find it interesting that churches that have thrown caution to the wind regarding a Sunday meeting, are re-discovering the goodness of it. St Thomas’ (Network church), Sheffield and St Andrews Chorleywood being examples (I know you read a lot of Mike Breen) where they’ve tried all sorts and have come back to encouraging their people to make it along regularly to a Sunday gathering.
In summary, I found you raised lots of good challenges but not always in a way that inspired me or built me faith for something better than what I’ve got. Perhaps I’m just trying to justify what I do. I think I loved the values, found the tone difficult at times and thought the conclusions were a bit imbalanced. Perhaps I’m too evolution and you’re too revolution? 
We’ve bounced a couple of emails back and forth since honing in on some of the points, and are probably in slightly different places at points – but isn’t it great we can still be friends.
If you’ve got feedback about the book – it is gratefully received!
Any thoughts on the above?
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Unintended Consequences – some feedback
Have had a fair amount of email re: the ebook I put out for free a few weeks ago. Really grateful for everyone who has engaged with the content so far. Wanted to put a couple of bits out which for me have been helpful in furthering discussion.
Here’s an excerpt from a good friend Russ’s email:
“I generally found the book thought-provoking and challenging. It got my hackles up at some points as there isn’t much affirmation of the good things a church does, which could be repackaged if desired (because they don’t connect with people) but actually do serve real needs in the community. The main thing I thought about whilst reading the book was this: “what about the anointing?” I suppose what I mean is when an Ephesians 4 level guy, when Heidi Baker, when your apostolic leader is around, you want to be there. I mean the long term average Sunday preach can be a bit repetitive and maybe a lot of people do agree with whats said, but I’ve really been appreciating the hope, freedom and equipping that comes from these kinds of guys in the package of a 30 minutes (usually plus) sermon. You could call it imparting faith, rather than talking.
Anointed leaders inspire and equip. And there is something special about the spoken word. And also worship… you’re obviously not surprised I picked up on this. I think that by undermining the validity of singing songs together (which is a form of prayer) and making it out to be unbiblical, you run the risk of sapping faith for other things. What I mean is, something happens when a group gather together and sing praise. Something else happens when the praise moves to a tender place of adoration. What I’m gunning for when I lead worship (or lead a meeting) is plural spontaneous participation (the package of the average prayer meeting in the e/c model) but also giving people a strong enough lead that they’ve got some truth to get behind, and often it’s this that really releases faith and hope in people to believe God for great things. So, if you want the church to be a praying church then I think you will be blessed by having a singing church!
I also find it interesting that churches that have thrown caution to the wind regarding a Sunday meeting, are re-discovering the goodness of it. St Thomas’ (Network church), Sheffield and St Andrews Chorleywood being examples (I know you read a lot of Mike Breen) where they’ve tried all sorts and have come back to encouraging their people to make it along regularly to a Sunday gathering.
In summary, I found you raised lots of good challenges but not always in a way that inspired me or built me faith for something better than what I’ve got. Perhaps I’m just trying to justify what I do. I think I loved the values, found the tone difficult at times and thought the conclusions were a bit imbalanced. Perhaps I’m too evolution and you’re too revolution?
We’ve bounced a couple of emails back and forth since honing in on some of the points, and are probably in slightly different places at points – but isn’t it great we can still be friends.
If you’ve got feedback about the book – it is gratefully received!
Any thoughts on the above?
Spread it:
Like this: