As an infant, you have to take little steps first, guided by a parent, in order to master the concept of walking.This is also true in the spritual realm. In order for intimacy to develop, you have to develop the thought that something has been done for you in life or else your prospective on intimacy can be extremely shallow. In other words your meaning of intimacy will be empty because you won’t know “ why “ you feel the way you do.
After visiting Willowcreek when I use to live in Illinois, I noticed that no one ever conveyed to me during that service that Christ loved me so much, it took everything he had ( death, burial, and resurrection; 1 Cor 15:3,4,) in order to give me intimacy with him (Christ). By acknowledging Christ, who took away all my past, present and future sins, and giving me the hope of eternal life, I can very much appreciate intimacy with him, because now I know something was done for me at the cross long ago! Getting back to Willowcreek, I ask the question “… how shall they know without a preacher....?” ( one who preaches the good news of Jesus Christ?) Intimacy with Christ otherwise is shallow and you will always think something is wrong and you will always strive with questions on finding intimacy.

An important insight into Willow’s research is the fact that the findings in Reveal: Where Are You? are based on 5000 responses by Willow Creek attendees.  Good enough to give statistical accuracy...but only if it is a representative cross section of who attends.  The book acknowledges the fact that 85% of the 5000 attend 3 to 4 times a month.  That doesn’t sound at all representative to me.  While the data is informative, it is skewed significantly toward the attitudes of their most mature attendees.

Actually, Reveal included the results from 7 additional congregations as well.  But, the largest sample was Willow’s own.  It will be interesting to see what is learned from the larger sample being gathered right now.

Praise God Willow Creek has some back bone and humility to admit it.

I appreciate the honesty and openness of this: Greg says that “the people who love God the most are the most disappointed by their local church”.  The sad truth is that this is indeed happening as we witness a shift in dynamics as many churches are discussing new models, approaches and ways of “doing church”.  Therein lies the problem.  We need to forget about how we “do” church and start “being” the church.  It seems we have forgotten what it means to be the Body of Christ in the world today.  See God’s Wake up Call to the Church - By Wayne J. Edwards
http://www.prophezine.com/PZArticles/GodsWakeupCalltotheChurch/tabid/510/Default.aspx

You’d all love the T-shirts we made for a recent event. Says “I don’t go to church” on the front and “I am the church” on the back.

We just got the REVEAL book. There are a few lines on the back cover that really strike a chord with us:

“Numbers can be helpful, but they don’t reveal the whole story. Numbers can’t peer into the human heart.”

We’re trying to not fight over who is reading it first. Ah..... change.. It’s in the air.

What i obesereved actually, Reveal is included the results from the 7 additional congregations as well.  i am agree with the Mark Comments. Yep, i am agree that the largest sample was Willow’s own.  Lets see now who has the largest Sample now onwards
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Nice Stuff.
Thank you for post.

The book acknowledges the fact that 85% of the 5000 attend 3 to 4 times a month.  That doesn’t sound at all representative to me.  While the data is informative, it is skewed significantly toward the attitudes of their most mature attendees of Education .
Thanks

Perhaps it’s like leaving adolescence and entering early adulthood, or something like that? Not to say that one phase is better than another, just different.
regards,
luggage bags

Reveal included the results from 7 additional congregations as well.

But, the largest sample was Willow’s own.  It will be interesting to see what is learned from the larger sample being gathered right now.