On the completion of Reggie McNeal's book, I feel strangely dissatisfied. His ideas on turning one's heart toward the world as missing element in the church's life are good but his applications tend to support individualized needs and gifts based in personal preference.
Likening one of the changes needed is from the pastor as program director to life coach. With this suggestion, I was struck by the intrinsic center of gravity of the church community still remaining with pastoral leadership. He did not talk about power of community and relationship of the church's members one to another for change in their lives and world. That real conversation and discernment happens among the people not just in a room with a professional.
If I understand him correctly, what is needed in our highly individualized, consumer driven world, is more freedom to follow one's passions not less. Sorry Reggie I am not tracking with you here.
. . . relationship for one another for change in their world . . . oh God come here . . .
Posted by: Christi | 22 March 2009 at 12:18 AM