Making Sense of Church: Eavesdropping on Emerging Conversations about God, Community, and Culture

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Zondervan, Aug 30, 2009 - Religion - 174 pages
Samplings of online discussions about God, truth, and church—from theOoze.comOur culture is rapidly changing and people are searching for new models and paradigms to find meaning in their lives. As in all transitional periods, this search takes place in grass-roots conversations where the “new” is taking form. No other place so uniquely captures this struggle more than the message boards at theOoze.com, the premier melting pot of emerging spiritual conversation.Making Sense of Church is a snapshot of this “community conversation” as it tries to make sense of God in the emerging worldview. It represents a gathering of individuals with different points of view, theologies, life contexts, and feelings. Author Spencer Burke, creator of theOoze.com, provides the framework writing for each chapter and acts as a “guide” to the accompanying e-mail postings that supplement the chapters. Subjects discussed include:• Authentic Community• Experiential Worship• The Internet and God• Art as a Vehicle for Communicating Truth• Spirituality and Sexuality• What Is the Church?• What Is Postmodernism?
 

Contents

Acknowledgments
11
Foreword by Stanley J Grenz
15
Introduction
19
Reality CheckMetaphors for Transition
25
Tour Guide to TravelerA Conversation about Leadership
35
Teacher to FacilitatorA Conversation about Learning
51
Hero to HumanA Conversation about Spiritual Growth
71
Consumer to StewardA Conversation about Ministry
85
Retailer to WholesalerA Conversation about Missions
107
Adversary to AllyA Conversation about Faith
125
Warrior to GardenerA Conversation about Evangelism
143
A Metaphor for Life
163
Orline Resources
172
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About the author (2009)

During the last 22 years of ministry, Spencer Burke has explored his passion for arts, technology, and the church. Spencer now serves at both THEOOZE and at his church, ROCKharbor, in Costa Mesa, California. As creator and sustainer of THEOOZE, Spencer has the opportunity to merge all of his passions together into one organization as he strives to understand what being a real and authentic follower of Jesus means in our world. ROCKharbor gives him the privilege to serve on the elder board, the speaking team, and---as strategic planner---facilitator and counselor to the staff.

Colleen Pepper spent three years as a staff writer for a large parachurch organization before launching her own communication firm, Pepper Creative, in 2001. She and her husband, Jeremy, live in Vancouver, British Columbia.

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