The Sarasota Herald-Tribune newspaper in Florida recently featured The 360 Church in this article, 360 Church shuns having its own building in favor of service:
This new church and its minister do things differently. Pastor Steve McCoy's latest reading, "They Like Jesus But Not the Church," is a sure clue.So, sack the structure?
Yes. And many of the traditional rules.
The 360 Church in Sarasota is divergent by design.
The article mentions these books as being influential for how they're doing church. (The 2 titles are published in partnership with Leadership Network are highlighted in bold.)
- They Like Jesus but Not the Church: Insights From Emerging Generations by Dan Kimball
- The Barbarian Way by Erwin Raphael McManus
- Organic Church by Neil Cole
- The Present Future: Six Tough Questions for the Church by Reggie McNeal
- Stand Against the Wind: Fuel for the Revolution of Your Soul also by Erwin McManus
Read the full article to see how they're doing church differently. Also see the related multimedia slide show and audio about The 360 Church.
I've just completed Cole's book Organic Church, and while it has some great thoughts, it also contains some of the poorest scriptural interpretation of any of the recommended books above. Cole consistently takes scripture out of context to make it say what he wants it to say.
He also makes some significant claims about how church should be organized (or not) based on parables of Jesus. This is not a wise practice for exegesis.
I'd give the book an overall D. Read with discernment. He has some good points, but you can't derive them from the scriptures that he uses.
Why are folks/denominations so quick to jump on bandwagons like this when authors demonstrate such poor exposition and interpretation?
Posted by: Jeff | Sep 11, 2007 at 02:57 PM
Organic Church is an important work. It may not be a theologically deep book but Cole is right on. "Forgotten Ways" by Hirsch covers much of the same ground in more depth if you are interested.
The movement Cole represents is hardly a bandwagon. In fact, it's about finally getting off the institutional bandwagon we got on with Constantine. Its about the church doing as it preaches: denying ourselves, picking up our crosses (an istrument on which to die) and following him (to serve the world). Its about giving up our obsession with ourselves - church growth, church health, etc. - and investing ourselves in others.
btw, I highly recommend Reggie McNeal's book The Present Future. He speaks as well as anyone about these issues!
For those who have confused all the trappings of the institutional church with the Kingdom of God, its not going to be easy, but we now face a choice between embracing the institutional church or the Kingdom. Which is a choice between self and God. Which is a choice between life and death.
As a people known as "God's people" we don't have a good track record of choosing rightly through the Scripture right up to now. Maybe this time will be different. I'm praying so.
don woolley
Jesus Tribe
Posted by: don | Sep 11, 2007 at 03:47 PM