http://young.anabaptistradicals.org/2007/01/30/church-and-young-adults/ let's activate something Fri, 10 Feb 2012 22:16:43 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 http://young.anabaptistradicals.org/2007/01/30/church-and-young-adults/#comment-403 Darrell Gascho Thu, 01 Feb 2007 14:43:04 +0000 http://young.anabaptistradicals.org/2007/01/30/church-and-young-adults/#comment-403 I appreciate you spilling your guts and have a couple of questions. I am not sure that a label is a reason for needing church. Why do I need church if I consider myself and Anabaptist Mennonite Christian? I wonder if the issue of church being meaningful or authentic has to do with not just an acceptence of brokeness but a connection with what is meaningful and authentic in my life. I noticed that issues of power within the church were only brought up in passing. I wonder how many young adults would feel a stronger connection to the church if their was a say in defining what church is to be? It seems in this day and age that young adults have many choices when it comes to "church" experiences, communities that provide both the support and the challenge to live as disciples of Jesus Christ. Do young adults need church? Why? It is clear that the church needs them but till the church acknowledges some of this other and is willing to release some power will the church be truly shaped by the young adults it so desperately seeks? I appreciate you spilling your guts and have a couple of questions. I am not sure that a label is a reason for needing church. Why do I need church if I consider myself and Anabaptist Mennonite Christian? I wonder if the issue of church being meaningful or authentic has to do with not just an acceptence of brokeness but a connection with what is meaningful and authentic in my life. I noticed that issues of power within the church were only brought up in passing. I wonder how many young adults would feel a stronger connection to the church if their was a say in defining what church is to be? It seems in this day and age that young adults have many choices when it comes to “church” experiences, communities that provide both the support and the challenge to live as disciples of Jesus Christ. Do young adults need church? Why? It is clear that the church needs them but till the church acknowledges some of this other and is willing to release some power will the church be truly shaped by the young adults it so desperately seeks?

]]> http://young.anabaptistradicals.org/2007/01/30/church-and-young-adults/#comment-394 Anna Wed, 31 Jan 2007 19:37:22 +0000 http://young.anabaptistradicals.org/2007/01/30/church-and-young-adults/#comment-394 One note on the authenticity reasoning: Some churches are altogether too authentic and revel in it. My little church is the missional/emergent dream team except for this one nagging problem: Too Calvinistic when approaching brokeness, meaning, "We're broken and there isn't much to do about it." Its like they're scared of being made whole because that means you'd have to go share it with other broken people, which gets messy. One note on the authenticity reasoning: Some churches are altogether too authentic and revel in it. My little church is the missional/emergent dream team except for this one nagging problem: Too Calvinistic when approaching brokeness, meaning, “We’re broken and there isn’t much to do about it.” Its like they’re scared of being made whole because that means you’d have to go share it with other broken people, which gets messy.

]]> http://young.anabaptistradicals.org/2007/01/30/church-and-young-adults/#comment-392 Forrest Moyer Wed, 31 Jan 2007 17:43:48 +0000 http://young.anabaptistradicals.org/2007/01/30/church-and-young-adults/#comment-392 Very good. Much of what you say here resonates with my own experience and thought. I believe we need church as much as our Christian mothers and fathers have for generations.... If we give up on church now, faith, spirituality and community will begin to drain out of our lives and our descendants will not receive many of the good gifts we were privileged to receive (especially if we come from strongly Christian backgrounds). I think it is largely through our parents' commitment to churchgoing and the practice of Christian religion that many blessings and understandings of life and truth have come down to us. I cannot forget that, and I am thankful for the church, warts and all. Very good. Much of what you say here resonates with my own experience and thought. I believe we need church as much as our Christian mothers and fathers have for generations…. If we give up on church now, faith, spirituality and community will begin to drain out of our lives and our descendants will not receive many of the good gifts we were privileged to receive (especially if we come from strongly Christian backgrounds). I think it is largely through our parents’ commitment to churchgoing and the practice of Christian religion that many blessings and understandings of life and truth have come down to us. I cannot forget that, and I am thankful for the church, warts and all.

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