Old thoughts...
In 1970, Larry Richards had some interesting (prophetic?) insights into what the church could/should look like as the end of the 2nd Millenium approached:
"Our study has led us to describe church forms which would create conditions in which New Testament principles could best operate. We came to believe that for the church to function most effectively in our world:
- The family unit must become the focus of the church's ministry,
- Responsibility for nurture and outreach must be shifted from church agencies to believers,
- The church must adopt forms (structures) which will support believers in fulfilling their ministries,
- A church which meets these requirements will necessarily face a thorough reorganization; it will be re-formed."8 (emphasis added)
So suffice it to say, the ideas of Brian McLaren and Leonard Sweet are not new ideas. However, when is talking about these things going to stop and we are actually going to put some of these ideas into practice. Seems like in our western churches we sure do like to talk a lot. Last question then is… when was our church last truly re-formed?
