I had the opportunity to hear Earl Creps speak yesterday at North Central University. I have really enjoyed reading his new book Off-Road Disciplines and was really excited to hear him speak during chapel.
He began his presentation by showing a montage of pictures he has taken of “emerging” churches on his travels around the country. It was amazing to see all the shapes and sizes churches come in these days. Churches in coffee shops, in movie theatres, abandoned warehouses, vacant restaurants… there was even a church with a massage chair in the lobby!
After the presentation Earl said that the one thing he has come away with from all his travels is that we have a multitude of faith communities all trying to figure out what they are there for.
He challenged us to avoid creating churches or theologies centered on what we would NOT commit our lives to (in other words don’t do church in a coffee shop just because you’re tired of sitting in pews!) Rather, to make sure that Jesus is at the center of everything you do (then it doesn’t matter what form your church takes… although the massage chair is still probably questionable).
“In Jesus, Truth has come as a person and our role is not to create a coffee shop, build homes for Habitat for Humanity, or offer free massages; but to create a place where people can connect with TRUTH as the person of Jesus Christ.”
Thanks Earl!
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