Today’s Buzz: A Hacker at MMI?; Church Growth in 1906; and Laptops with No Electricity…
- Posted by: Todd
- Posted on: Mon, July 02, 2007
- Viewed 49
- (2) comments so far
A Hacker at MMI, or Really How We See It?
Jim over at OldTruth.com thinks a hacker recently got into the MMI website and posted this. It was a piece written by Ed Stetzer called Relevance: A Tool Not a Goal. Actually, Jim… I thought this was a great piece by Ed. We’ve never said that Cultural Relevance was the goal. And there are definitely times when stiving for relevance has gone to far. I won’t dispute that. I could go through Ed’s article point by point at say “Amen” to each; but I don’t think that’s necessary. So… no misprint or error here. As with anything, there has to be balance. I think one of the best presentations on culture and relevance (I hate that word anymore) was given by Tim Stevens at the Buzz Conference. You can read it here. Every church has to determine how it will deal with culture. I just happen to think that ‘leveraging’ the culture is the best way to go.
Church Growth, 1906 Style
“It is a well-established fact that the finances of a church or Sunday School depend largely upon the attendance of its members. One church has evolved a plan by which the punctual attendance of its Sunday School members has been brought about in a very interesting manner. They purchased a dozen sets of our “Holy Land” views, including the stereoscopes...” You read more about it here at my friend Eric Swanson’s blog. Just click the picture to see the actual ad. What was it that Solomon said about there being nothing new under the sun?
Come On, “Stop” Ringing Those Bells
The Bible Belt Blogger points us to a story about a new church and it’s shiny new bells. Members of the First Baptist Church of Danville just celebrated their second Sunday in a brand new building, complete with traditional church chimes. The chimes sound on the hour, marking time from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM. But it’s the three daily hymns that have church neighbors upset. Minister Tim Mathis tells Action News 36 the church is trying to work with neighbors. More here. Note to Jim (from the first story above)… this would be a good example of how NOT to reach people: ticking off the neighbors of the church by playing bell hymns throughout the community. (Hopefully, Stetzer would agree).
More Numbers In, More Denominations on the Decline
Three mainline Protestant denominations--the United Methodist Church, the Presbyterian Church (USA) and the Church of the Brethren--have experienced steady decreases in U.S. membership rolls, continuing long-term trends, according to separate June reports. A “state of the church” report issued by the UMC said its U.S. membership fell to 7.9 million--a loss of nearly 6 percent--from 1995 to 2005. In Africa and Asia, however, Methodist numbers are growing, with 200 percent increases on each continent during that decade. UMC membership dropped about 1.4 percent in 2006, according to the Yearbook of American and Canadian Churches. Active membership in the Presbyterian Church (USA) fell by more than 46,000, to 2.27 million in 2006, according to the church’s Office of the General Assembly. Almost 1,000 fewer adults, and 230 fewer children, were baptized by the church last year, the church said. The Church of the Brethren reported a 1.4 percent decrease in membership last year, to about 128,000. Membership fell by a similar percentage in 2005, the church said. More here…
Isn’t the Church Like This Sometimes?
A Nigerian school has received a gift of 300 laptops—one per pupil—but has no electricity to power them up. “We have been browsing the Internet and we are very happy”, Juliet Onah, an excited primary six pupil, was quoted as saying. But she said powering the laptop remained difficult as the school had no electricity and the supply at home was irregular. (Wonder how they’re browsing the internet?) Anyway, can you think of ways the church operates like this sometimes? Starting programs that are doomed to failure… Providing our people with things we think they need but have little value to them… I could go on. 
More on this story here.
That’s it for today… have a great week!
Todd
In today's buzz, we'll look at an actual "church growth" advertisement from 1906; hear about a church that's ticking off their community but 'trying to work with neighbors', and a group of Nigerian students with brand new laptops and no electricity...
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Laptoper on Tue, May 13, 2008
Wow, haw can it be, laptop without electricity!
Eri on Sun, July 05, 2009
Give please. Anger is never without Reason, but seldom with a good One. Help me! Could you help me find sites on the: Bad car finance. I found only this - car finance peugeot. Both car finance and car insurance is usually the final thing people think about when they are purchasing a car. Selecting your car before you avail your used car finance. THX :rolleyes:, Eri from Tajikistan.
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