I left Facebook officially on 16 November 2009 – and celebrated by writing my first blog post about why I left. Its here: http://robculhane.com/?p=5

I still miss it like I still miss certain addictions which I am a better person for not indulging in. It’s like turning off the radio at home to remove the background static from one’s life. By giving up FB you have been granted the gift to be present to the moment and to give you the mental space in which you will be able to be aware of God’s presence with you. I hope it helps you to be free from superficiality (which is not your style) and the duplicity of believing that all your so called ‘friends’ are your bossom buddies.

Regards, Rob

I noticed that you had either deleted you Facebook account or ‘unfriended’ me for some reason. If it was the latter, please offer me the chance to apologise for anything that I wrote or posted. From time to time I delete people who are not on my wavelength, just so as I don’t waste our of our precious time. So I am not making a big deal about it.

But I would hate to think I posted something you found offensive in any way and I wouldn’t want to do that to existing friends.

Kind regards

Daniel Batt

my instinct is that the seeming similarity with some other ‘high energy churches’ is ok while there remain so many youth who are disconnected from the christian narative (and i’m not keen on the ‘franchise’ term being used to describe the church in question; seems a little pejorative)

there are probably many ways to do church and reach people : but until we (christian churches) are more effective at doing it, i wouldn’t see the ‘market’ as ‘saturated’ (to continue the commerical metaphor); the general decline of attendance in many churches also opens possibilities for new comers

i think its important we don’t take a negative slant towards a new comer in town : yes it might attract some from other churches (which can be a competitive effect) but it might inspire some who had stopped attending anywhere – hopefully a good thing – and it might draw in new people to faith- a very good thing

having said that, i think fragmentation of churches and vision, lack of coordination, are an issue

how many congregations think in terms of their church, or maybe their own denomination, only …

i think a protocol of respect between denominations is critical (hence the dislike for ‘franchise’) (happened to attend a ecumenical service (anglican, catholic, lutheran, uniting) last night : have attended other events before which draw in more of the high energy types : (the split in ecumenical efforts is not so good!)

as well as saying “we’re not in competition” there is more that can be done to flesh that out : give substance to the statement

in this town, i gather there used to be a group which had leadership representation from many churches : at one point visited each others churches, prayed and discerned each others strengths; some apparently took a title on the door “a congregation of the church in bendigo” … so the lack of coordination (at best) and competition (at worst) was addressed while still celebrating diversity

maybe that can be recaptured ??

competition between churches : not so good

diversity of churches : good

coordination and respect in diversity : very good

Many of the divisions between the various Christian traditions have grown out of historical or cultural difference (eg Anglican / Lutheran, or among the various Pentecostal groups). Some arise from genuine differences now well back in the past (eg Anglican / Methodist / Uniting), and a few in terms of ongoing differences about aspects of Christian truth that matter (eg RC / Orthodox / Protestant).

Fans of the ‘homogeneous unit principle’ in the 70s soon learnt that all that this produces is self-centred grooups that merely reinforce the interests of existing members … And re the Johnson / Smith typology – nicked from Niebhur on Christ and culture! – sorry, but I’d be definitely in the first category. And for the life of me I can’t imagine how anyone could say ‘God is a competitive God’ … the scriptural testimony is that ‘God is relational / co-operative’ … In sum, what has happened to the baptism confession of ‘one, holy, CATHOLIC church’ as in the Apostles’ Creed for such ‘new’ groups?

But the worst features of competition are seen in the competitiveness are seen in pretty much every congregation over who has ‘power’ or ‘ownership’ of whatever … !

Enough from a getting older Anglican!!

For me you have hit the nail on the head when you speak of the theory of the “one body” and “one” Jesus. The local church is certainly in competition weather we like it or not. After all, most of “the west” is driven by the capitalist dream, whatever that means…and it has become part of our DNA. So let’s accept the fact that we compete and we better do “it” better than the next or the sustainability of the cause will be adversely affected!

Now let’s look at the natural order as She co-exists and evolves. She has found a way of sharing the resources of light, food and water. She also has a way of serving others by doing what each does best and being focused on that instinct . Just being a part of the Whole, while at the same time sustaining the species. This seems like quite a practical model….”consider the birds of the…”

Is part of our human problem not the issue of having to “reach” the masses. Why not just network and co-exist as a part of the Reign of God like the rest of the natural order.

Do we somehow think we are “a cut above” !!?