Seeker Popular Culture

In their book The Great Commission to Worship: Biblical Principles for Worship-Based Evangelism, authors David Wheeler and Vernon Whaley contribute their respective expertise in evangelism and worship in an attempt to synthesize the two categories by showing each fundamental imperative of the Christian disciple to be integral to and an outflow of the other. The impetus for evangelism par excellence is the “great commission”

Dean argues that if teenagers don’t have a firm grasp of core Christian principles and instead worship at what she calls “the Church of Benign Whatever-ism” or they don’t worship at all. She claims that it’s because youth pastors and other leaders have” watered down” the message. The first part of the book draws upon extensive research data to diagnose the problem that teens are being taught a brand of Christianity that is shallow at best. Dean lays the responsibility for the emptiness at the feet of Christian parents and churches.

Remarkably, who could possibly imagined and/or even profoundly believed that Heartland Community Church would become one of the most admired Christ-centered churches in the city of Rockford, Illinois for nearly the past eighteen years. Certainly, imagining and believing that Heartland Community Church would become one of Rockford’s most admired Christ-centered churches became not by luck and/or by chance. Thus, however, from the great works from God Himself, perfecting His vision of transforming lives through Jesus Christ became not only a realistic accomplishment, but also a realistic lifestyle. A realistic lifestyle for the many Christ believers and seekers who continue or want to mirror God’s image by transforming his or her life through Jesus Christ at Heartland Community Church for nearly the past eighteen years. Consequently, by He who is God Himself, demonstrating His great works of transforming lives through Jesus Christ to four devoted Christ-following individuals who continue to perfect God’s Vision to what Heartland Community Church is today: A different way to do church, while still embarking on the path to change the world through Jesus Christ.

Thom S. Rainer and Eric Geiger conducted case studies of churches and found out that healthy churches have simple processes for making disciples. Church leaders are encouraged by the authors to inquiry and seek answers to vital questions pertaining to church discipleship. The questions that peeked my interest are: Is our church simple or complex? Why? Where do we fit on this continuum? Or In the culture how have you seen people respond to simple (Rainer & Geiger, 2011, p27)? The kingdom is expanding through churches with simple process and the more complex churches are struggling. The authors share examples of simple church, just to name a few; the first one, is not well-know, the Cross Church (Rainer & Geiger, 2011, p33). Their purpose statement is clear and concise “love God, love others, and serve the world” Rainer & Geiger, 2011,

Critique Questioning Evangelism, a book by Randy Newman about evangelism, was well written to present another way of sharing the gospel that can rejuvenate the witnessing process. The point of the book is to evaluate the way Christians are thinking and present them with new ways to think. Newman presented his material in a well and convincing way by providing examples and insights into sharing the gospel by questioning non-Christians. Multiple insights that Newman presented spiked my own interest and challenged me to apply these ideas to my own evangelistic journey.

This week we are focusing on the types of people who come to our selected field site. The individuals who frequent Free Church all have one thing in common, they attend the church because they want to learn more about the Christian religion, worship God, and possibly meet other people who have the same desire. In some cases the members may have grown up in a Christian family where they have been going to church since they were young, or they could have found Christianity later in their lives. Moreover in my research, I saw that men were going to men’s ministry to learn what it means to be a “man” within the context of Christian teachings, and women were going to women’s ministry to lean the same thing. Josie and I discussed that in terms of the racial make-up of, The Free Church’s membership is predominantly European-American, although almost all ethnic groups are represented in the Church’s population. With regards to socio-economic status, most of the people at the

“Outreach,” a word commonly used in the Christian church to talk about pursing the cultures and lifestyles around a congregation to invite others to partake in becoming a member of the family of Christ and seek Him as their personal Savior. As more churches begin to lose members, due to the changing generational focus, the focus on outreach grows stronger and the mission of those sent out to fellowship with unbelievers is, according to Colson, to “be agents not only of his saving grace but also of his common grace. Our job is not only to build up the church but also to build a society to the glory of God. As agents of God's common grace, we are called to help sustain and renew his creation, to uphold the created institutions of family and society,

Secondly, like the man in the Yukon, many churches are "without imagination" of how we are linked to our surroundings (London 2). Like that man, we tend to act with the naïve notion that we will be able, rather quickly, to get back on track. In “To Build A Fire,” the dog “[whines] loudly. And still later it [creeps] close to

Our changing church culture remains an incubator for change. Society is changing each day. Every facet of life is quickly changing. The moral fiber of a nation is being tested and is changing. The need for stability, or an anchor for life is desperately needed and sought. Church is the place that’s always offered stability in such times. It’s been the anchor for life that people need and desire. When that stable placed is shaken with change, people get restless. When no good reason is given for change, it can cause

Before establishing the seven-step strategy, the Willow Creek Community first approached non-churchgoers as customers. As a result, The Seven-step Strategy became an effective marketing technique to encourage these type customers (Non-churchgoers) to develop a Christian relationship not only within themselves, but which church-members as well. As non-churchgoers are finally known as the “Seekers,” the Willow Creek Community Church made it their mission to provide unique services and encourage the Seekers to participate actively in engaging in a balanced environment. A balanced environment where comfort becomes the guiding force in allowing Seekers to discuss and have a voice in discussing how Christianity could

The religious belief of Christianity is in a devastating decline in the United States, especially within the millennial generation. As a result, church attendance in America is the lowest point it has been in the last 20 years. What is the reason behind this heartbreaking trend? What can the modern church do to help combat the alarming trend of millennials who are leaving Christianity? Has the churches pursuit of becoming “seeker friendly” left a void in the spiritual depth found within traditional programming? The solution can be found in holding on to traditional roots while modernizing church liturgy and protocol to reach the millennial generation.

This past Sunday, Pastor Rich Wilkerson kicked off a collection of talks entitled, "The Church." He focused on our identity as a church, not just Vous Church, but “The Church.” We were urged not to get caught up “doing” church but instead to “be” the church. A timeless assembly of people gathering together under the name of Jesus, is the meaning of church or “Ekklesia” in Greek. Church is not a location, church is who we are and the way in which we will reach a lost and dying world.

People of long ago have attended church and it’s been known and shown from centuries to centuries on how families have attended this church or that church, this denomination or that denomination to no denomination. This family or that family, this race or that race and lately the key point in the matter of going to church seems to be missing.

There is no actual info about big gangs being in Oklahoma in the 1960s, but that doesn't mean they didn't exist. They were called greasers, but greasers are are actually considered a subculture. The definition of subculture is a cultural group within a larger culture, often having beliefs or interests at variance with those of the larger culture. That’s what greasers were, they wanted to be different and break the society’s mold and beliefs. Greasers were normally white teenage boys coming from lower class families. They probably came from broken homes causing them to rebel. They would normally wear ringer t-shirts, jeans, leather jackets and they slicked their hair back with gel. Sometimes for protection they would carry a pocket knife. They

Nestled on 35 acres between Greensboro's premier neighborhoods and only minutes from downtown, the Village combines the simplicity of yesterday with the highest design standards of today.