I am a GARBC preacher’s kid who grew up in multiple church plants and home mission efforts around the Pacific Northwest. I managed to not get my Dad fired from any of the churches where he served. I attended Corban College (fka Western Baptist ) and graduated with a Business degree and a zillion other units of a rather diverse nature. Married my lovely college squeeze, earned an MBA from the Graziadio School of Business Management at Pepperdine, assisted in raising two amazing children with the aforementioned lovely squeeze, became a Business Geniusiac, and soldiered on. Now approaching 50, I find myself as a support to my wife in her calling to plant a church with the Evangelical Covenant Church in Santa Clarita, California. I am excited about church for the first time in about 45 years.
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8 responses so far ↓
Keith Cox // December 6, 2007 at 7:41 am |
I appreciate your enthusiasm for something in the “church world” which will be fresh and effective. I have been reading about the Emerging Church Movement in the past few years and have been encouraged with some truly inspirational thinking in this area. Whether or not you intend to identify in any way with this trend you will undoubtibly be labeled as such.
Dave Browning of Burlington WA recently published a book titled “Deliberate Sinplicity”. His early years are remarkably similar to Dean’s. This book is his analysis of what is wrong with most current church models; apparently almost everything. He lays out some tremendous ideas for simplifying the process but absolutely trashes just about everything ever done in the past.
Mark Jacobson, a professor at Northwest Baptist Seminary in Tacoma, WA teaches a course on the history of the Emerging Church. His comment and opinion is that the effective models in the years to come will be a “both – and” approach as oppossed to an “either – or”. I think Mark and Dave need to have a cup of coffee or a fist fight.
deancox // December 6, 2007 at 9:48 am |
My perspective is that we absolutely should NOT toss everything that has been done in “church” in the past. I have some thoughts about connecting to the rich heritage that has gone before while seeking fresh and culturally relevant ways to present the Gospel. I will expand on this in a blog post soon.
ncc // December 7, 2007 at 2:32 pm |
I think I need to smoke a cigar and ponder the structure of the church. Once the church organizes, it dilutes the true value of the church. In spite of that, we are told to “organize” however, my personal feeling is that we have VASTLY overorganize the church. Again, a personal opinion (although absoulutely correct) is that the structure of the church was left VERY vague (intentionally by Christ) as the institution would be called on to transcend many centuries and cultures. Now I think I need to take a nap.
ncc // December 7, 2007 at 2:34 pm |
Just woke up from my nap and had this thought; it is a good thing you have a large extended family to help get this blog going.
Dave Browning // January 7, 2008 at 11:49 am |
I’m better at drinking coffee than fist fighting so I would opt for that. Ha.
Love you guys.
Oh, I just rewrote my book and softened some of the contrast in it. I think it was fair to say that I overstated a few things in order to make a point. On the other hand, I think if we took Jesus to church today, we’d have to explain a lot of things to Him.
sisterone // January 13, 2008 at 2:05 pm |
Dave, interesting comment. I don’t think I’d ever thought about what Jesus would think if I brought Him as a visitor.
Brenda (Jacobson)
Craig Hardinger // March 13, 2008 at 1:02 pm |
There I was just surfing along, minding my own business when I stumbled onto a conversation worth entering. I would like to comment on Dave’s remark concerning Jesus visiting one of our services today. I think I know what Dave is getting at and would completely agree. But I would also add that we shouldn’t be surprised by Jesus apparent cultural naivete. My guess is that if Jesus visited a West African service, he wouldn’t recognize that either. My point is that Christianity doesn’t kill culture – it redeems it. Absolutely we would have to explain a lot of things to Jesus concerning one of our services. But tucked in all that, regardless if its a pipe organ or kazoo, he would, hopefully, see fruit from his Spirit. I tend to think we get a little ga ga for form and culture and completely forget about the Person.
Walter // May 27, 2008 at 3:47 pm |
I enjoyed reading your story. Please join our minister’s kid community at http://www.ministerskid.com!
Thanks,
Walter