Next-Wave: Letters

Mr. Miller has determined that his view of estimating a "fad" (my summation of his generalization of praise and worship) should be as narrow as his own experience and research. Articulating his disdain for "praise and worship", he failed to support his thesis with real perspective, instead of just opinion. Come to think of it, how about a thesis? And if he chose not to use real research in his "article" then why not just call it "Why I Hate Praise And Worship"? Certainly, there is truth in several of the points he makes. I see no one of reasonable merit claiming the pretentious, inward tenants (that the article asserts) to be pinnacles of the "praise and worship" strong point sheet. We all know that God shouldn't be limited to one place, one sound, one experience, or one form be it sacred or secular. Why not just state that instead of talking on and on about disconnected points that aren't anything but pseudo-philosophical jibes towards a devotional art that escapes the writers own likes or attempts.

At times the article gets simply ridiculous. Mr. Miller must not expect people to actually read the text, when he says things like this :

"However it is important to observe the constancy of style that exists even within the “modern” P&W “movement.” This is because there is, in fact, a theological and philosophical root..."

I clipped that portion out for example, but reread it in complete context of his paragraph. Give us a break! First, he says the "style" of praise and worship is not escaping a sad musical "formula"- a valid and oft referenced weakness of many "praise and worship" projects. I couldn't agree more. We should look for breadth in any art that seeks to express God's character and people's devotion to Him. Here, here- we all agree!

HOWEVER, he then asserts that "This is because there is...a theological and philosophical root..."

This is, of course, simply a dumb statement. My only possible explanation is that the writer was trying to amaze the reader with some literary transition to his next point (on sacred/secular). While it is forgivable, it is certainly poor. I can only pray he doesn't actually believe that musical style of praise and worship has anything to do with theology.

The article was titled "Deconstructing Praise and Worship". The term "deconstruct" is the verb meaning "To break down into components". Your article certainly did not break praise and worship into its components, it merely lamented on your disdain. The word "deconstruct" can also refer specifically to deconstructionists who want "To write about or analyze (a literary text, for example), following the tenets of deconstruction". In trying to support your points you refer to the Bible and other fine writings as though actual truth can be concretely realized in them. A true deconstructionist knows that "there is no meaning to be found in the actual text". You cannot have your cake and eat it too, Mr. Miller.

The author would have done well to make his points without trying to dazzle us all with the use of 25-cent words. Certainly his thesaurus got a work out in writing this article, but I wonder- did his mind?

Mr. Miller sounds like a thoughtful person with genuine concerns on this topic. The article however, is much more "formulistic, predictable, segmented, insincere" (as he puts it) than the praise and worship "trend" he attacks. This need not have been.

The ultimate slap in the face comes with Mr. Millers last two paragraphs where he says :

"However, the presentation of that art and the actualization of that experience cannot come from within the limits of the P&W genre exclusively.

There are many hopeful glimpses to be found, once one has traveled to the edge and peered over the end of this flat world. Those who have stepped over have found that the universe does not end at the horizon."

The clear inference is that Mr. Miller and all his friends have some unique revelation from having "peered over the end of this flat world". A revelation that the rest of us don't have. It is clear to Mr. Miller that the rest of the world, church, and certainly the people involved in "praise and worship" would not have peered into the deep knowledge of the unseeable revelation beyond the horizon of our limited, genre-driven worlds. This is so clear to Mr. Miller, that he doesn't give the rest of us the option of being sane, thoughtful people. The kind of people who may have already peered into the passion of devotion currently being labeled as "praise and worship" and seen the possibilities arising from it. Sure we have seen it, but instead of waxing eloquent about its vanity and angst, we are already at work pursuing God's real heart. We are already looking for Him to purify our devotional thoughts, hearts and practices. How about you?

Kim Gentes, worshipmusic.com, kgentes@worshipmusic.com

Deconstructing praise & worship

Next-Wave:

A pretty thought provoking article. As one who is thoroughly enjoying the Praise & Worship movement, I will certainly agree that there is a little of the "jumping on the bandwagon" going on. It's difficult for those of us with both modern and postmodern mindsets, by the very nature of growing up in a seemingly dual world, to not allow our modern process to come up with a formula. You get to God's throne by doing this, this and this, then you do this when you get there. I don't see anything at all wrong with the experiential aspect of the worship, but I sincerely agree with the simple statement that all of worship is not and should not be contained in the "musical" section of the service. Worship can occur and be inspired during the message, dramas, dance, and other art forms or anything that gets our minds off of ourselves and on our Creator, our Friend, our Comforter. While there is certainly something personal going on with worship, there also needs to be something going un communally with worship. That comes two ways, there I go with a formula, but I'm trying to simplify something complex, so what do you do? Anyway, when I personally express worship and experience God's "goosebumpy" presence, there are numbers of other people I am sharing that with! I love that, sharing with and experiencing together. It's fun, it's communal, it's joyful! But there is also the expression of "we" that I miss in the worship that is circulating out there. I have heard it said and seen written that there needs to be more "we" songs out there rather than all the "I" songs. We are relational beings, and regardless of mindset or thought process or way of life, whether it be modern, postmodern, medieval or whatever, we were created to have relationship with one another and with God. To me that is what the center of "Church" is all about. We come together to worship God in the different forms and share experience and life with one another in the presence of a loving God. We carry that throughout our days and weeks, hopefully in relationship with one another throughout the week and then coming together in the different services that are available at church. The only formula I know is "I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father, but through me." Of course, I better be sure that the person I am quoting that to has been awakened to the existence of God, the consequences for our sinful nature, the payment for those sins, and the opening of the door to a life more abundant. Otherwise, to them I have done the "postmodern no-no," I have stated an absolute!

Keith Hopkins, khopkins@tocf.org

The Keys to Your House

Next-Wave:

As a member of Eric's youth church, Ground Zero, I have to say that Eric is an amazing person. Not only is he a great youth leader, he is also a great friend. I came to this church about a month ago, and I really felt the presence of the Lord there. Throughout this time, I have been able to establish relationships with many in the church, and I feel so blessed to have Eric at the helm of it all. I really feel that through his ministry and teaching, I have grown in my faith and my relationship with God, and I am very excited to see what is to come in the future. To Eric, I would like to say thank you for what you do.

Chris Ruiz, c540@hotmail.com

Deconstructing praise & worship

Next-Wave:

Daniel Miller's comments on P&W music and worship style brings two things to mind. 1) The way we used to style campfire worships at Bible Camp. We had a format that we followed where we could exchange certain songs and skits to convey the message/mood. 2) That as our church works toward adding a "Contemporary" worship service we still struggle with diversity/unfamiliarity vs. familiar/boring. The familiar can help people move past the forms to the meanings yet it can also turn into an exercise in rote memory. Diversity can bring fresh new ways of seeing/experiencing yet many people spend worship time trying to learn new music and liturgy.

I think that talk about any form of worship cannot be taken out of context of the overall faith life of the individual or the corporate body. Worship functions on many levels at various times for many people. What we need to remember is not how we meet or experience God in worship, but how God meets each of us where we are in our faith life. Worship is just one of those places.

Kevin Jones, revjones2000@hotmail.com

Deconstructing praise & worship

Next-Wave:

As a Pastor and a Praise and Worship songwriter I read the article to see what it had to say. I realized after reading it it said nothing. I am always amazed that some in the body of Christ have nothing better to do then to come against others in the body. It always reminds me of the disciples saying to Jesus " We saw a man cast out demons and we stopped him because he wasn't one of us!" I can only speak for myself. The songs I write comes out of my prayer time and my life. It comes from my heart and is sung to the Father. If I am expressing my love for the Lord that's what I sing. If I feel joy, that's what I express. And never have I written to move a congregation's emotions! The writer mentioned David and David dancing before the Lord he worshipped with all his heart, and wrote his Psalms to the Lord I believe from his heart. May I be so bold to say that's all I am trying to do. Over 30 years ago as a young Christian I asked a question of everyone I met "What kind of music does God like". I got a hundred different answers. Till I finally found someone with wisdom he said "The kind of music that God likes is the kind that is sung from the heart to him!" I realize that worship is a life style. It is everything we do. But I also realize when we come together we are to encourage one another. We are to sing songs, hymns and spiritual songs making melody in our hearts to the Lord.

Jerry Holman, holmajy@valunet.com

Deconstructing praise & worship

Next-Wave:

This article makes an excellent point about the false dichotomy between "the world" and "the church" but falls short because the author fails to see his own prejudices. The dichotomy cannot be laid at the feet of P&W music.

The ultimate problem with this article is that the author exalts THINKING over FEELING. Examine the following quote:

"elements of performance such as Eddie Vedder’s writing “Pro Choice” across his arm or Rage Against The Machine’s standing silent on stage, wearing nothing but duct tape over their mouths, involve more spiritual interaction with congregants than your typical worship leader ranting “Everybody now!” "

Why are Vedder's and RATM's performances more "spiritual"? Because they cause the "congregants" to THINK rather than to FEEL.

What exactly is the sameness about P&W music that the author objects to? Is it that P&W is all country-western, all uses synthesizers and electric guitars, or any other legitimate musical stylistic element? NO! P&W's "sin" is that it is designed to elicit an emotional response from people and for this it cannot be forgiven.

But the problem is: music IS emotional. That's the POINT of it! When RATM is standing on stage with duct tape over their mouths, they are NOT doing music. The musical icons held up in the article (Beethoven and Bob Dylan) are not icons because they are so stylistically diverse but because of the intensity of the FEELING in their music.

I feel that the reason for the popularity of P&W music is that for years the church has accepted the false teaching that emotions are bad, and deductive reasoning and line on line teaching are good. People intuitively know that this is malarkey. The false dichotomy of "world" vs "church" was around long before the praise and worship phenomenon and, unfortunately, will probably be around long after it passes.

Fred Kohn, fkohn@pianomoods.com

Multicultural Churches...[read the article]

Thanks for your article on multicultural churches. We Pastor a multicultural church here in Auckland New Zealand. We would be 60% Polynesian and the rest Pakeha (white). My wife is Indonesian.
We encourage people to express their worship to God during the service in their own culture and understanding.We have haka's breakout(maori war dance) Samoan drums and dance happen as God directs different people.They need the freedom to do that. Its redeeming the sounds, instruments, and dances of the nations that God may be glorified. Its an exciting but challenging to say the least but we believe this is the path God would have us take.

Robin Horn, Southside Vineyard Christian Fellowship

The Consumer Church...[read the article]

I wanted to just take a moment and thank you for this mag. I have searched fairly extensively for a publication like yours and had not found it until a friend of mine turned me on to Next-Wave. I have read several articles and am blown away. Keep up the great work.
Also, the Consumer Church article was powerful. I have read it several times since yesterday and it is still hitting home in new ways. What an incredibly provocative indictment on the way some of us think. I loved the challenge. Thanks again.

Dave Stewart, First United Methodist Church

I am also a pastor. New Life is in one of the most unchurched areas in the USA. Our city in a recent study had only 2% of the population who attended church regularly. I came out here to do a Phd. in Comparative Philosophy of Religion at UC Berkeley. God gave us a wonderful vision to start a church for the unchurched. Frankly, I use many of the strategies you seem to condemn in your article. We have grown from 50 to 800 in five years with over 80% of the people unchurched before we started the church. Maybe Tulsa has more of a churched culture but we in the San Francisco Bay Area are desperate to see lives changed that the traditional church has not reached. I believe that much of what we do matches up with characteristics Sweet describes in Aqua Church. Our church is also very culturally mixed. Are we a mature church. No. Are people growing spiritually and developing into disciples of Jesus? Yes. We at New Life do not ridicule or criticize the various strategies other churches use to try and reach [others]. I applaud your article in that it got me to respond. A first for me. It just seems that LiquidThinking needs a little thawing out in the fires of the Bay Area.

You are welcome to respond to me. You are also welcome to pick my thought process apart--just remember I wrote this in about 5 minutes because I am off to a staff meeting!

Jon Harris, New Life Church

Place of Grace...[read the article]
Excellent profile of a postmodern ministry being birthed through a boomer church. I applaud the leadership of SCBC for having the foresight to know that God is wanting to reach everyone wherever they are.

William Henning, Abundant Life Church

Pastors or Prostitutes...[read the article]
Mark Riddle's article was thought provoking to say the least. There is an aspect of catering to people. Yet, as long as the essence of Christianity itself is not compromised, and the church is drawing people to it to be saved, then transformed, and finally sent out, what is the issue, Mr. Riddle?

I have seen both, the catering to people simply for the sake of having a larger church, and the catering to people to draw them into His Kingdom. Paul himself said "I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some." It's an interesting approach that the writer of most of the New Testament took.

Though I may have a little umbrage to your reasoning, I take definite offense to some of your word usage and imagery references. I don't know if any one else noticed or cared to say something about it. Even as men who are in the world to "become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some," we should not, in my opinion, degrade ourselves by using their elements of language to communicate. The quote involving masturbation, I could handle. There were a couple of points that most definitely were, again in my opinion, inappropriate. I will let the Holy Spirit Himself direct you to those points.

Keith Hopkins

God Comes to a Theater...[read the article]

Great review, way to see the movie for its 
underlying spiritual questions.  It seems 
obvious that much of today's artistic expression 
evidences a longing for truth and for God.  It's a 
hallmark of postmodernism, just like condemning all 
entertainment that's not Disnified is a hallmark of 
the modern-Christian world.  I'd love to see more of 
these type of reviews and this type of thinking 
about the current musical and visual expressions 
of our culture.

Shawn Lear, Life Center Foursquare Church

Try Hard or Train Hard...[read the article]

I found this site by accident but it spoke to me.  All too
often we are a people who try hard to achieve our goals, 
but we forget that with God we do not have to try hard, 
he has already achieved what our final aim is...to bring 
our relationship with God to a more intense and renewing, 
ongoing experience. Way to go Bradley Charles.

Julie Watson


Joy to the World...[read the article]

Great story, Charlie -- very touching parable that puts faces to
what we should try to do with the season. Amen to the sentiment
that the fact that Jesus came into the world should prompt us to 
similar action--not just force us to sing carols. Indeed, the 
caroling of the man in the story was but a footnote that gave a 
witness context to his kindness. peace, dave drury

Mod-Postalism: 
A new name for postmodernism? ...[read the article]

This is exactly what is echoing in that rather hazy part of the brain that you just can't put into words. The feeling that while we talk and read extensively about Postmodernism, I can't help but wonder if its time Leon@rd Sweet got past put the @ sign in his name. As soon as we start talking about a movement in terms like this, its time to redesign the website, organize a post-advance and watch MTV for some new terminology. It seems the term that describes something by what it isn't (ie. not modern) has been turned completely around to actually describe something by what it is. The modposterns out there don't need a church to meet them where they are, (as we did in postmodernism) they need to meet a church where they are, somewhere to go postal. (If there's no difference, it is 1am right now Full respect to Len. When I have a opinion or thought, I pick up one of his books to find out why I think like that. :)
David Wakerly

Footnotes in the Sand...[read the article]

i enjoyed the article but the comment on length of sermon causes a question. i have read about mars hill in washington and other post modern type churches and length of sermons are not a problem. maybe i missed the point. is this left over from what people might expect at a luteran church? i found some helpful ideas in your article.

Bill Herzog

Eminem and Jesus...[read the article]

To everyone who writes for this d**n (and good) newsletter: I wish you 
would stop using the word "postmodern". If you didn’t know (us Christians 
tending to be proudly behind the times and out of style), the term has become 
an academic fad that makes you sound smart without saying much. Try to put 
into the articles the sense of what you are saying when you say that word 
without using the word and it will mean a lot more. It makes you sound 
contemporary but it’s shorthand for such a huge idea that it’s nearly 
meaningless. It makes you seem like dorky Christians trying to be cool instead 
of people speaking their minds, which is what Christians should be anyway.

In response to the article about Eminem’s "Marshall MathersLP": God did send Eminem to piss the world off, just like he sent Jesus. Jesus wasn’t nice, don’t forget. If there’s one quality that Jesus and Eminem have that many of their followers do not, it’s an ability to speak their mind. Hitler, on the other hand, was a marketer and tried to say whatever would make him powerful. He liked people to tell him he was right and nice and smart.

Neither Jesus nor Eminem wanted to be powerful, so they say what they see.

Eminem did probably want to be rich. But they both trample on what is sacred in an attempt to get at what is real. For many people, Jesus was a hero; to many more, he was a big d***head who was trying to mess everything up. I’m not saying Eminem is Jesus; Jesus didn’t live in an amoral consumer wasteland where the virtue of heroism has been completely parasitized by the virtue of jerking it until you die while hooked up to machines including television sets. Eminem has a much more difficult time challenging people’s comfort. "Oh, now it happens in middle america it’s a tragedy" is ironic because the violence of Columbine happens in poor neighborhoods all the time and no middle class white devils shed any tears over those people because they don’t live there and it doesn’t affect them (that’s me, I’m a white devil).

People trapped in schools relate to violence because that’s what they feel when their desire to learn about life is suffocated by education.

The danger of Eminem is that, as always with radicals, including Jesus, he will push the borders of what can be sold and used to control people further and further. His extremism sells, just like Christ's and will in the end create less freedom because more and more of life can be commodified and sold and marketed and the circle of true living gets smaller. Jesus said a lot of stuff and a lot of it has been used in stupid and wrong ways, in fact, most people who go around quoting Jesus are in the business of making life miserable for others for their own benefit.

If you’re happy with your life being as small as a sparrow’s and as big as a worm’s, then you’ll find a place where God’s gifts will bring you closer to him and other people, and you might become a hero. If you want to be a hero, to sell and make the big-time, then you’’ll never be happy because, unless you are already saleable and therefore do not have to sell out to get there (i.e. Madonna, to whom God gave the gift of star-power), you will have to sell out to get there. Which means you will have to compromise the reason you were originally doing something (because it is what you believe is true) to fit with the world’’s expectations (because you want people to tell you they like you).

Jesus is popular for the same reason Eminem is: because he says what he sees, clearly and without bowing to the rules about what can be said, about which languages are legitimate, about who and what you can talk about how.

In this way they can speak directly to people's hearts and not just to their masks of privilege and social propriety. Eminem is also the opposite: he legitimatizes the appropriation of suffering as entertainment by those who are comfortable, who then get the frisson of 'real life' without ever living it or suffering through it or doing anything about it. They can be 'down' without walking through the actual desert; they can have the pleasures of heroism without any sacrifice. This is me, too.

Anyway, them’s the 'thoughts out of school' of a worldly Christian. Keep up the good work,

matt fontaine

Sex and the Postmodern Man...[read the article]

This was a wonderful article. I admire straight up & open conversation. 
The author is right. We need to let our guards down & deal with our struggles. 
This is something that becomes more apparent to me everyday that I live. 
Thanx.

Jamie Kucinski

Experiencing Ancient Spirituality...[read the article]

Although I have never gone to a convent I have had the opportunity
to schedule what I would refer to as "Solitude." It is somewhat of a
spiritual retreat, a time of renewal. What I find fascinating with this
article is that it proves to me that there are plenty of people out there
that would welcome a sense of form in spirituality. As an Evangelical
I must admit that we have separated ourselves from what some
would describe as mystical experiences for far to long. By this I do
not mean in the charismatic sense but rather in the formal structured
sense that the author of the article described. I would argue that
there are structures that act as boundaries within Scripture but that
there is also a freedom to approach God within those parameters.

Timothy Castillo

Nehemiah...rebuilding [read the article]

Wow! I'd been searching for a new way to preach Nehemiah,
and your article lighted my way! This is my first, but not
my last visit to your website. Thanks for helping spread 
the Good News!

Ric Walters

The Matrix...[read the article]

I was really interested in the issue that had the articles based on the movie "Matrix". That was really interesting because I remember seeing that movie all the way through once after having started to watch it quite a few times. It was a really inspiring movie once I saw it all the way through and got to really look at the message. I talked with a few of my friends about it. Thanks for adding to my discussion.

Chris Cooper

Ministry and Marriage...[read the article]

Thanks so much for a "kick in the head" in this article about the need to put our marriages first our lives. Many young leaders have been either modeled or told by the preceding generations that we need to "put the ministry first" and "go - go - go!!" and "Success by being a work-a-holic!!

Your article talked about living out the Great Commandment in our marriage and playing together; it caused some good pondering for my own marriage.

I did find it amusing that you used a quote from someone who was "on the road" and traveling with Billy Graham for many years to make your point on having God center in our marriage. Billy himself has said that one of the things he would do different if he had to live his life again would be NOT to travel so much because it caused problems in his own family ... I grinned.

Dan King,

College Drive youth ministries

Dear Springer, I am a born again Christian, 32 years and just got married in September this year to a very beautiful 28 years old born again lady. I am currently in Japan for a short time and meanwhile my young wife is back in Kenya. We attend services in an Anglican Church in Nairobi called "All Saints Cathedral Church". The principles you have outlined in the issue are very important to us as a young couple and very encouraging too. As the man of the house I would like to know what my role is to the family and how I can keep me wife always happy. I have declared just like Joshua that "me and my house we shall serve the Lord". This has no compromise whatsoever. I would like you to especially elaborate further on the issues of finances regarding marriage. I also do research in medicine on the line of HIV/AIDS and I believe it is a good idea for couples to undergo tests before they get married to avert disasters. We did undergo one. I would like to be a shining example in our marriage and hence you constant advice is vital. May the Lord bless your ministry and the good works that you are doing. The Lord be exalted especially as we approach Christmas.

In His Service,

Njoroge, Wilfred James

Kenya Medical Research Institute

Next-Wave

Why in the world would you have links to such anti-postmodern churches such as Willow Creek?!?!

just thought i'd vent - it bugs me!

:*) Dan King

i am really blessed...almost everything in it, rest assured i'll be praying for your ministry...

Bernie Sicat

Waves Church Profile [read the article]

This church is doing a very valid ministry by reaching to this unchurched people group in the greater Vancouver area. I am awed amazed by God's mighty movement at waves church.

Noel Pantoja

Hope to You community church

Sylvia,

Beautiful article about a beautiful community of people. Reading this piece touched my heart in a way few things do. Thank you.

David Hopkins

great to have an "on fire" asian / chinese american church more concerned about christ than they are about being chinese

jeffrey lee

asian american artistry

The Truth in Fight Club [read the article]

Where would Jesus be if no one had written the gospels? Eh, Answer this my god is all mighty friend..

What you have to understand, is your father was your model for God. If you're male and you're Christian and living in America, your father is your model for God. And if you never know your father, if your father bails out and dies or is never at home, what do you believe about God? What you end up doing is you spend your life searching for your father and God.

What you have to consider is the possibility that God doesn't like you. Could be, God hates us. This is not the worst thing that could happen.

How I,Tyler Durden, saw it was that getting God's attention for being bad was better than getting no attention at all. Maybe because God's hate is better than His indifference.
If you could be either God's worst enemy or nothing, which would you choose?

We are God's middle children, according to me "Tyler Durden", with no special place in history and no special attention.

Unless we get God's attention, we have no hope of damnation or redemption.Which is worse, hell or nothing?

Only if we're caught and punished can we be saved. Aside From this let me tell you something,

I've met God, across his long walnut desk with his diplomas hanging on the wall behind him, and God asks me, "Why?"
Why did I cause so much pain? Didn't I realize that each of us is a sacred, unique snowflake of special unique specialness?

Can't I see that we're all manifestations of love? I look at God behind his desk, taking notes on a pad, but God's got this all wrong.

We are not special. We are not crap or trash either. We just are.

We just are, and what happens just happens.

And God says, "No, that's not right."

Yeah. Well. Whatever. You can't teach God anything. And there it is Ladies and Gentlemen, the real meaning of fight Club.

Tyler Durden

I was just wondering, who's truth were you trying to find. I read your article concerning the underlying theories in Fight Club, and I find it interesting how you twisted the meanings of the movie/novel. You say you haven't read the book yet, and I highly recommend you do. Maybe it will open your eyes to the true meaning of what Chuck Palahniuk was trying to say, instead of this clouded image you have presented on your site. I find it amusing that you compare the movie to finding God. You say that those who have found God do not need to hit rock bottom. Well ... Hey Chucky P. ... case and point right here. You do not need God. When you hit rock bottom you lose everything. You have nothing to hold onto, and this is when you find yourself, because you have nothing and need nothing to depend on but yourself. Those of you who say you do not have to hit rock bottom because you have are weak individuals that will never know your true self.

Jay G

Man, I think you nailed it. Fight club is definitely the best movie of the year, because it dealt with the desperate need for truth in the rubble of modern society. I think that you were right to address the two main themes in your article that you chose, however, I'm sure you felt there were more you could have included. I think this movie takes a hard look at post-modern male identity. This ain't no chickflick. These guys need to do something real and lose the fear that comes with possessions. As Chriitians we affirm (very weakly) that consumerism is bad, and perfect love drives out fear. We could take the bit of truth right out the mouth of this movie and place it back among the people of God if we really lived the gospel. Jesus taught us to live radically different than we do: money, possessions, relationships, motives, all 'conform' way to much to this sick and dying world. We have failed to be the life of Christ on planet rock, instead we have colluded with the Canaanites right here in N. America. As someone wrestling with these issues, I was surprised the movie used some techniques at community and identity building that I've been experimenting with. I've become convinced that the irrelevance of Sunday morning services are damnable---sending more people to eternal damnation than any other un-done mission in the history of the church. Fight Club showed that Cells and House Churches can quickly accomplish community, get real truth flowing, and multiply at an astonishing rate. This is the future for the church. A church that lives the life of Christ in brotherhoods: families of men and women, and babies all helping each other wake up from their dream world in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Sweet, Kip Mor

The God of Chaos Theory [read the article]

Hello David. Very interesting article. God bless you!

Flemming Moelhede

Copenhagen Vineyard

Very helpful connection between post-modern thought, Chaos science and the challenge of today's church. We're working with these ideas at Windsor Crossing Community Church in St. Louis. We are determined to understand our culture, and be ruthless in remaining relevant to it for the sake of the Gospel. This article helped.

Steve Krause

It’s all about Jesus [read the article]

Kim,

Thank you for your reviews. I've read the ones you have posted for the past 3 months. And I really appreciate the work you are contributing to Next-Wave. I hope to see more of your work in the future.

David Hopkins