tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7550703489701609831.post4748507565468661532..comments2023-10-28T09:27:50.479-04:00Comments on Seasoned Believers: Revealing ResearchSeasoned Believershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08045765651822753378noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7550703489701609831.post-84010025418862231902007-10-11T14:57:00.000-04:002007-10-11T14:57:00.000-04:00Hi Gary,I've been reading the Reveal research, and...Hi Gary,<BR/>I've been reading the Reveal research, and believe there is a direct correlation between the data shown in the research and the "new friars" that are becoming common to our culture. In the book "The New Friars: The Emerging Movement Serving the World's Poor" by Scott Bessenecker, the author surmises that the impetus for church members to begin looking outside the church for ministry and meaning is due to the deepening levels of their spiritual formation. As they seek to become TRUE followers of Christ, their pursuit becomes incarnational...they want to follow Jesus' descent into humanity. It becomes Devotional: they want to pursue intimacy with Jesus. It becomes Communal...they want to spend time with folks whose ministry is their life, it becomes Missional, in that they are pursuing the Kingdom of God in an unabashed, shameless way, and Marginal, they recognize that the church tends to marginalize as many (or more) folks than it draws in. Therefore the pursuit is driven to the margins of society...hanging out where folks presume Jesus would have hung out.<BR/><BR/>All that to say, how many of our church programs empower or enliven this kind of faith? Seasoned Believers want to put feet to their faith...are we supposed to know intuitively how to do that? Is the Church "with us" in spirit?Paula Clarehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06572562635544226495noreply@blogger.com