Comments on: Centered on Gospel and Community http://bensternke.com/2009/09/centered-on-gospel-and-community/ field notes from the missional church planting frontier Sat, 31 Jul 2010 10:10:08 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Jesse http://bensternke.com/2009/09/centered-on-gospel-and-community/comment-page-1/#comment-2045 Jesse Mon, 21 Sep 2009 16:16:49 +0000 http://bensternke.com/?p=1546#comment-2045 I think this list seems great. Here is one immediate, and not well-thought-out reaction: It seems that if the church went after this "gospel/community" centered goal, then it would naturally lead away from the type of church "services" that we have now. Which to me, seems fundamentally contradictory to what every church is and why they exist, namely to have a "meeting" or "service" or "gathering" where the leader/s "do" certain things, and people primarily watch. So I guess I"m just confused - I can imagine a church putting in their literature that they want to be all the things you listed here, but in reality they would be having several meetings on the weekends which people would attend. If our *main* purpose is to be gospel/community centered, then WHY do I even attend church on a Sunday morning at all? IMHO, if we are truly going to go after a gospel/community centered church experience, then we have to break away from the standard understanding of church altogether, which is much easier said than done. I think this list seems great. Here is one immediate, and not well-thought-out reaction: It seems that if the church went after this “gospel/community” centered goal, then it would naturally lead away from the type of church “services” that we have now. Which to me, seems fundamentally contradictory to what every church is and why they exist, namely to have a “meeting” or “service” or “gathering” where the leader/s “do” certain things, and people primarily watch.

So I guess I”m just confused – I can imagine a church putting in their literature that they want to be all the things you listed here, but in reality they would be having several meetings on the weekends which people would attend. If our *main* purpose is to be gospel/community centered, then WHY do I even attend church on a Sunday morning at all?

IMHO, if we are truly going to go after a gospel/community centered church experience, then we have to break away from the standard understanding of church altogether, which is much easier said than done.

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