people formerly known as the congregation...

You have to read this post by, Bill Kinnon. Brilliant stuff. Here's a couple short excerpts from Bill's passionate thoughts from the fringe...

We are the eikons who once sat in the uncomfortable pews or plush theatre seating of your preaching venues. We sat passively while you proof-texted your way through 3, 4, 5 or no point sermons - attempting to tell us how you and your reading of The Bible had a plan for our lives. Perhaps God does have a plan for us - it just doesn't seem to jive with yours.

Money was a great concern. And, for a moment, we believed you when you told us God would reward us for our tithes - or curse us if we didn't. The Law is just so much easier to preach than Grace. My goodness, if you told us that the 1st century church held everything in common - you might be accused of being a socialist - and of course, capitalism is a direct gift from God.

And this:

We truly long for the release of servant leading men and women into our gifts as apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. We believe in Peter's words that describe us all as priests. Not just some, not just one gender.

Some might call it a rant, unfair criticism...but I think it more a passionate cry of love, for the " church " to awaken from its slumber to be so much more. Bill is not just one voice, he's the voice of many that used to be the congregation.

Comments

[George Dunn]

I don't believe it is a rant but the anguished cry of the heart. I don't think it points the finger outward and says, "What did they do to us" but what did we do to ourselves?" Why did we settle for so much less than god had called us to.

[George Dunn]

I don't believe it is a rant but the anguished cry of the heart. I don't think it points the finger outward and says, "What did they do to us" but what did we do to ourselves?" Why did we settle for so much less than god had called us to.