I hope Josh McDowell’s right:
” . . . much of this meeting time is spent with people sharing their subjective ideas. Ideas born out of a post-modern worldview. . . If Christian leaders don’t take hold of the small group phenomenon it will take on a life of its own and redefine the church in a way that we do not even want to venture to imagine.”
Taking the focus off of a primary teacher or elite group of teachers is not a bad thing at all for the Church.
Truth be told, I’m not even quite happy with the emphasis on teaching in many small groups, though its model is much more favorable to the 30-minute lecture.
Our small groups and our learning need to be more experience-based. We need to be able to understand the things in our mind through practice of them. The depth of understaning in to the way of Christ comes from living it, not hearing it.
I don’t think we should abandon the concept of sermons and teaching altogether, but our entire concept of learning and growth need to move from what you know to who you become.
Hehe…another one of those things where some trend is happening, and one group says “Oh, no!” and another group says “Oh, good, finally!”
I saw Josh McDowell at what was supposed to be a Newsboys concert in Houston in about 1997. It ended up being about half concert and half sermon/altar call. Didn’t leave a good impression with me, sorry.
Justin Baeder
September 10th, 2005
Meh. I have listened to way too many sermons. I’d rather hear regular Christians get up and talk for 20 minutes about what’s going on in their lives, what they are learning and what they struggle with.
kezekiel
September 10th, 2005
By the way, Alan, do you need me to come over and beat a podcast out of your lazy ass?
I’m just trying to be helpful.
kezekiel
September 10th, 2005
I’m glad small groups are finally a “phenomenon.”
Just like those new colored TV’s and movie “talkies.”
Tony Myles
September 12th, 2005