Comments on: California churches http://wayoflifevillage.org/2007/09/12/california-churches Fri, 13 Nov 2009 06:24:48 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Ben http://wayoflifevillage.org/2007/09/12/california-churches/comment-page-1#comment-127 Ben Thu, 13 Sep 2007 16:24:12 +0000 http://wayoflifevillage.org/2007/09/12/california-churches/#comment-127 Phil, From one coast to the other (I'm in NYC), you guys in Cally are the real deal. The Hollywood CoC is one of the great models of a city church acting like Jesus (Manhattan would be another example) -- especially in giving you to East Hollywood. Sending you out was giving a very real bit of their life, and that mirrors the redemptive life-giving of Jesus. I'm also impressed by your humility. There are a lot of guys in this new edgy, radical movement who are dismissive or condeming of all things that came before. They paint everyone in broad strokes (I struggle with this myself). Sure, Jesus would acknowledge and address abuse, laziness, and missing the point wherever it is found, but he would also look at all the good done in his name and the Gospel proclamation in the past. Thanks for keeping alive this heritage passed to us -- a heritage in which Cally churches have played a significant role. Phil,

From one coast to the other (I’m in NYC), you guys in Cally are the real deal. The Hollywood CoC is one of the great models of a city church acting like Jesus (Manhattan would be another example) — especially in giving you to East Hollywood. Sending you out was giving a very real bit of their life, and that mirrors the redemptive life-giving of Jesus.

I’m also impressed by your humility. There are a lot of guys in this new edgy, radical movement who are dismissive or condeming of all things that came before. They paint everyone in broad strokes (I struggle with this myself). Sure, Jesus would acknowledge and address abuse, laziness, and missing the point wherever it is found, but he would also look at all the good done in his name and the Gospel proclamation in the past. Thanks for keeping alive this heritage passed to us — a heritage in which Cally churches have played a significant role.

]]> By: Phil http://wayoflifevillage.org/2007/09/12/california-churches/comment-page-1#comment-126 Phil Wed, 12 Sep 2007 23:56:19 +0000 http://wayoflifevillage.org/2007/09/12/california-churches/#comment-126 Thank you, Southern member, for striving to be, as you put it, a peculiar follower of Jesus! Being peculiar (a stranger or alien in the world) is not easy but it is wonderful. Peculiar Jesus-followers are "God's special possession" (1 Peter 2:9 TNIV). For other readers who don't know me as well as Southern member, I want to clarify I don't think churches in California are somehow better than churches elsewhere. I realize I wrote this particular post at the risk of coming off with more State pride than I actually have. I guess I'm just a bit tired of the anti-State (or anti-region) sentiments I get from people who do think theirs is better. Truth is, all these good and bad qualities can be found in churches everywhere, regardless of geography. I say down with geography snobs! I too can laugh at the old joke: "California is like a box of cereal - it's full of flakes, nuts and fruits"! I can admit our weirdness. But being weird and being wrong are not the same thing. In Christ's body there is room for diversity. Being "Jesus with skin on" is going to look different wherever you go. That's the beauty of it. We all have so much to learn from one another. And in all our diversity Jesus-followers are united by Christ. The more I think of it, I'm not even comfortable with the title of my post - "California churches" because it is divisive, the very thing I'm getting a bit preachy against today. I would much rather all churches be known for reflecting Jesus' character before others made the connection that we belong to a certain culture or geography. Or, I would like us to focus our energies on trying to look more like Jesus than trying to get other people to look more like ourselves. Thank you, Southern member, for striving to be, as you put it, a peculiar follower of Jesus!

Being peculiar (a stranger or alien in the world) is not easy but it is wonderful. Peculiar Jesus-followers are “God’s special possession” (1 Peter 2:9 TNIV).

For other readers who don’t know me as well as Southern member, I want to clarify I don’t think churches in California are somehow better than churches elsewhere. I realize I wrote this particular post at the risk of coming off with more State pride than I actually have. I guess I’m just a bit tired of the anti-State (or anti-region) sentiments I get from people who do think theirs is better.

Truth is, all these good and bad qualities can be found in churches everywhere, regardless of geography. I say down with geography snobs!

I too can laugh at the old joke: “California is like a box of cereal – it’s full of flakes, nuts and fruits”! I can admit our weirdness. But being weird and being wrong are not the same thing. In Christ’s body there is room for diversity. Being “Jesus with skin on” is going to look different wherever you go. That’s the beauty of it. We all have so much to learn from one another.

And in all our diversity Jesus-followers are united by Christ. The more I think of it, I’m not even comfortable with the title of my post – “California churches” because it is divisive, the very thing I’m getting a bit preachy against today.

I would much rather all churches be known for reflecting Jesus’ character before others made the connection that we belong to a certain culture or geography. Or, I would like us to focus our energies on trying to look more like Jesus than trying to get other people to look more like ourselves.

]]> By: Southern member http://wayoflifevillage.org/2007/09/12/california-churches/comment-page-1#comment-125 Southern member Wed, 12 Sep 2007 13:56:26 +0000 http://wayoflifevillage.org/2007/09/12/california-churches/#comment-125 I would definitely agree with you Phil. There is a lot to be said about the spirit working through those weirdos in California. Growing up in a very conservative southern area of the country, in which no emotion, no excitement and shrinking numbers were found, I was amazed, shocked and rejuvenated by the freedom that Californians had about their salvation. 1) They KNEW they were saved...and didn't worry one moment about it. 2) They were more spiritually REAL...more real than any of the "Pharisees or Teachers of the Law" in the south. 3) They saw Christianity as a journey, sharing their faith with those around them, encouraging them to start a life with Jesus or to renew their life with him, WITHOUT coming to church to be re-baptized. 4) They saw that a life with Christ was one of choice, one that should not be pushed or forced on anyone. I remember times in which Californian Christians were told in not so nice terms, "No, thank you, I don't care to hear about Jesus!" And was amazing to me was that this statement didn't get them down, nor did they make some sort of spiritual law that forbade them ever talk to non-Christians again. Yes, I will agree, Californians are definitely weird. But the title I believe followers of Jesus who live in that state should be given isn't weird but peculiar. (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Peter%202:9;&version=9;) I believe that the believers at HCC fit this title to the “P”. As for my opinion about California believers...I believe there is a lot for those East of the Rockies to learn about being "peculiar for Christ." I would definitely agree with you Phil. There is a lot to be said about the spirit working through those weirdos in California. Growing up in a very conservative southern area of the country, in which no emotion, no excitement and shrinking numbers were found, I was amazed, shocked and rejuvenated by the freedom that Californians had about their salvation.
1) They KNEW they were saved…and didn’t worry one moment about it. 2) They were more spiritually REAL…more real than any of the “Pharisees or Teachers of the Law” in the south. 3) They saw Christianity as a journey, sharing their faith with those around them, encouraging them to start a life with Jesus or to renew their life with him, WITHOUT coming to church to be re-baptized. 4) They saw that a life with Christ was one of choice, one that should not be pushed or forced on anyone. I remember times in which Californian Christians were told in not so nice terms, “No, thank you, I don’t care to hear about Jesus!” And was amazing to me was that this statement didn’t get them down, nor did they make some sort of spiritual law that forbade them ever talk to non-Christians again.
Yes, I will agree, Californians are definitely weird. But the title I believe followers of Jesus who live in that state should be given isn’t weird but peculiar. (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Peter%202:9;&version=9 ;)
I believe that the believers at HCC fit this title to the “P”. As for my opinion about California believers…I believe there is a lot for those East of the Rockies to learn about being “peculiar for Christ.”

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