an old "draft" post that I never published
Reminders and Distinctions
A couple of friends of mine from way back have recently ventured onto the blog here at liquidthinking. Strangely, they both found there way here by reading things in Spencer Bourke's book about church, in which Mark, Zed, and I are quoted quite often (as liquidthinking, footer, and fakeskinfrank). One of them had a relative reading quotes to him from the book, and my friend's response was "Hey, that sounds like Jimmy". Unfortunately, he was thinking Mark's quotes were mine....I guess Mark and I think too much the same. He was a little disappointed when I told him I was "Footer" in the book, not "Liquidthinking" as he had gone through the rest of the book looking for my quotes.

Anyway, my friend and I are now engaged in a conversation about my feelings and attitudes towards "church". It such a hard conversation because we are both coming from two different places and experiences. He's heavily involved in an instituational church, and his concern for me is that I've "given up" on church and I'm off to start my own new thing. Which I don't feel is true at all. It's just that I think church is something bigger than he defines it.

The truth is that I feel like I'm beginning to understand what church really is and what it is not. I make a distinction between the Church as the Body of Christ and church™. I think we've done that here at liquidthinking intentionally to show that there is a difference. I believe that the Church exists wherever there are believers...and that includes church™.


posted by Jimmy at 11:50 AM | |