I’m not sure exactly why, but this song really struck me today for some reason. Annie Lennox is incredible & this song off her most recent album is beautiful…
“Dark Road” by Annie Lennox
It’s a dark road and a dark way that leads to my house
And the word says you’re never gonna find me there, oh no
I’ve got an open door
It didn’t get there by itself [2x]
There’s a feelin’, but you’re not feelin’ it at all
There’s a meaning, but you’re not listening anymore
I look at that open road
I’m gonna walk there by myself
And if you catch me
I might try to run away
You know I can’t be here too long
And if you let me
I might try to make you stay
Seems you never realize a good thing ‘til it’s gone.
Maybe I’m still searchin’ but I dont know what it means
All the fires of destruction are still burnin’ in my dreams
There’s no water that can wash away this longin’ to come clean
I can’t find the joy within my soul
It’s just sadness takin’ hold
I wanna come in from the cold
And make myself renewed again
It takes strength to live this way
The same old madness every day
I wanna kick these blues away
I wanna learn to live again
It’s a dark road and a dark way that leads to my house
And the word says you’re never gonna find me there, oh no
I’ve got an open door
It didn’t get there by itself [2x]
Recent Conversations...
Rebekah Rose commented on Unchurch, Part One (Introduction):
When I said that G-d spoke to me thru your message I meant He more of gave me a reminder to uplift my spirit on another concern in my life that has nothing in the least bit to do with our unchurch conversation.
I feel G-d wants me to stay and work within the four walls of the church, but I also feel Him moving me toward doing something more, working outside the box. I feel like I'm on an unending path of seeking G-d and I just want more, but I find this waiting to be very trying.
Josh Gussler commented on The Future of Technology?:
It is hard to write an article about technology. I am a Media Ministry major at The Baptist College of Florida and it seems like we cannot keep up with the world. Everything I learn I learn on my own because by the time textbooks come out they are out of date the concept are great but the technology they discuss is out of date. I try to learn something new everyday about the industry. Blogs and reviews are the new textbooks for technology degrees. I would love a copy of the article. What publication of lifeways is it going to be in?
Ed Glasgow commented on Unchurch, Part Five (We Are Not Alone):
Chris - I agree with you 100% that we don't have to express our corporate worship inside a "traditional" church structure. What I am saying, is that whether it is in an open field, a community center, a home, a rented office building or whatever...as Christians we must not get away from worshipping together on a regular basis. I'm all for going outside the box, but going outside the "church" box doesn't necessarily mean that we get away from the most important things we do. Worshipping together as a group of believers is not just one of those things we've always done that we don't know why we do it, at least not where I worship. It is something that we are commanded to do in God's Word. When we are told to not forsake the assembling of ourselves together.....it wasn't just referring to assembling inside the "church walls". It was a basic command to meet together regularly with other believers for a time of worship. Corporate worship is a very important time in the life of a believer, because as we connect with God in worship, we also connect with other believers. Believe me, I don't limit my worship time to what I do inside the traditional church setting. I worship every day as I am alone with God, but I will not allow my time constraints, nor my petty differences with other believers in my church, nor my personal preferences on how I think things should be done, come between me and the time I have to gather with other believers and worship together. What an awesome time!! I think too many traditional churches don't really experience "true worship", and that is why people can walk away from those churches and never miss a thing.
Read Recently...
This year I've read 8 books. I have 8 left to meet my goal of 16 per year. Last year I read 16 books.
What Are Thin Places?
"Thin Places" are rich in Celtic tradition. They are the places in our lives where the divine and the natural worlds come so close together that we can catch a glimpse of God. For the Celtics these places were very real - places within creation where we could physically go. The Thin Places in our own lives are those moments where the space between us & the Kingdom is thin, when we are introduced to a greater glimpse of Who He is through our experiences and through the stories of others.
Recent Places...
-
Unchurch, Part Five (We Are Not Alone)
07.10.2009
Image by João Almeida
“We need to get away from ‘Event Jesus.’”
My brother-in-law told me about a radio commercial he heard recently where the announcer declared the above statement. For a good number of Jesus followers, that, unfortunately, describes their regular experience.They float in and out of the routine of ‘church’ without ever experiencing the beauty … Read On...
-
Unchurch, Part Four (Survey Results)
07.09.2009
How common is it to find people in an ‘Unchurch’ space? How is the Church changing around us?
As I stated in the beginning of this series, this conversation was birthed out of ongoing interactions with more and more people over the last several years who were finding themselves in a place of unrest - a place of … Read On... -
Unchurch, Part Three (Kauzbots and 2nd Chances)
07.08.2009
What happens when you are alienated from the church? Whether as a result of your own choices, or the whims of others, where do you find solace in seeking Christ outside of the walls of a traditional church?
For David Trotter it was a new and desperate place. As a former pastor of two thriving churches in California, … Read On...




John Redfern commented on Unchurch, Part Five (We Are Not Alone):
I agree with Ed. While traditional settings aren't the end-all be-all of worship, they are irreplaceable in a couple of areas. They provide easy access to fellowship for one. They also provide a "field hospital" if you will for those who are passing through and need the encouragement and healing. There are more of those people than you know. There are also certain sacrements that unchurched people will miss out on. One of them is communion. I believe this to be a very important thing. The rememberance of Christs sacrifice and victory over death and sin. You may also miss out on the sacrement of baptism. I suppose you could still celebrate these sacrements, but the gathering of people who did that would be considered a church.
Listen, the Church is always all around us. It should be present and visible in everything we do. You can and should worship God wherever you are and in all that you do. But there are simply some things you cannot do outside a church that you can do in a church. I'm not saying that walls matter or that even a preacher matters, but the people do matter.
Thomas Payne said that when the first person landed on this continent there was no government. As soon as the second person landed there there had to be compromise. It was understood that, "You don't kill my animals or destroy my property, I won't do the same to you." The same applies to a church. As soon as two people are gathered in Christs' name it automatically becomes corporate worship. There automatically become rules and roles. They may be unspoken but they are nonetheless there. After all, church doctrine is for us. It isn't for God.