Tag: What is our Business
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Isaiah’s Undoing
Isaiah 6:1-8 1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lofty; and the hem of his robe filled the temple. 2 Seraphs were in attendance above him; each had six wings: with two they covered their faces, and with two they covered their feet, and…
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Indentity
I am at an Emergent conference outside of Santa Fe, New Mexico, as I write this post. Since much of the conference is about conversations, and I know very few people here, I am occupied with meeting people and starting relationships. The conversations always begin the same. "Hi, I'm Mike." Then comes the exchange about…
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The Edifice Complex
As any good sociologist will tell you, there are always unintended consequences to any social "advancement." At the beginning of the Twentieth Century, people took their carpets out of the house in the spring and fall and beat them clean. Various techniques were used to sprinkle substances on the carpets to keep away a musty…
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We Are Family?
Friday, I used the idea of "corporation" to reflect on the nature of the Church. I think the corporation mentality is more common among larger congregations. Members see themselves as "shareholders" of the Church and the Church exists to serve them. I don't think many congregations explicitly think in terms of being a corporation. Still,…
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Of Railroads, Corporations and Churches: What Business Are We In?
To the degree that we are a group of people organized for a mission, the Church is a business. Every successful business that stays successful does so by repeatedly asking a question. What business are we in? Railroads The story of Railroads in the United States is a frequently used example of how not to…