tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655521.post5455150489475300354..comments2024-02-23T17:09:12.957-05:00Comments on bethquick.com: Reflections: Congress on Evangelism - Part 2Beth Quickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14171030571583683180noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655521.post-88370401300699841912007-01-21T06:51:00.000-05:002007-01-21T06:51:00.000-05:00A UCC student at MTSO noted that "at least our slo...A UCC student at MTSO noted that "at least our slogan mentions God". I was rather embarrassed when he pointed this out, and since then I haven't liked the Igniting Ministries campaign. <br /><br />Also, my church can't afford to keep its doors open during the week.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655521.post-15342273811738155972007-01-10T16:50:00.000-05:002007-01-10T16:50:00.000-05:00Beth, I appreciate your blogging about what Adam H...Beth, I appreciate your blogging about what Adam Hamilton said, since we were still on the road.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14654861033242845082noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655521.post-38854637921089617952007-01-10T10:44:00.000-05:002007-01-10T10:44:00.000-05:00Another comment on the UMC slogan...
If I recall,...Another comment on the UMC slogan...<br /><br />If I recall, it was originally put forth by UM Communications as part of their advertising campaign to get people to give the UMC a try when church shopping. Sort of a, "our churches may look old and traditional, but they really are welcoming with kind people who are going to be happy to meet you, no matter who you are."<br /><br />But I think that while the UMC on paper does fit this description, sadly, many local UMC congregations are not like that at all! <br /><br />A congregation that's the toughest nut to crack in our community has this on their church sign, but when you visit, you find anything but that! The folks just want to keep to themselves and heaven forbid if a "different" kind of person enters. (How they dress, race, young, etc.)<br /><br />I wonder what percentage of our UMCs actually fit this description anyway? My guess is maybe 30 percent, max? It's kind of false advertising.<br /><br />Oh for the day when our congregations match our rhetoric (even at this "soft" level!)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655521.post-7962027163632405652007-01-08T18:15:00.000-05:002007-01-08T18:15:00.000-05:00And yes, "Open hearts..." is definitely soft value...And yes, "Open hearts..." is definitely soft values. Christians have gone to their deaths for the Kingdom of Jesus Christ as an already-not-yet reality that they had sworn a covenant oath of allegiance to (through baptism). But who would die for something as vague and amorphous as "open-ness"? Open-ness to what? That is not something so compelling that it will radically re-orient all of my values and priorities. But Christ the King is.Rev. Daniel McLain Hixonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655521.post-91580068970954044312007-01-08T18:10:00.000-05:002007-01-08T18:10:00.000-05:00I also came (back) to the United Methodist Church ...I also came (back) to the United Methodist Church after actually making a careful reading of the liturgies in the Hymnal and the Doctrinal sections of The Book of Discipline. I found everything that I had already come to love about the Anglican tradition (through worshiping at an Episcopal Church) - the ancient and deep liturgy, the emphasis upon sacraments and tradition, particularly the Patristic and Anglican sources, as well as the biblical and historic doctrines of the Articles of Religion - along with much that was familiar from moving through Evangelical (emphasis on conversion and Biblical authority) and Charismatic churches (emphasis on direct experience of the Spirit). I also discovered that John Wesley was something of a kindred spirit. So I found myself home, back in the church of my childhood where I began.Rev. Daniel McLain Hixonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com