Comments on: Dude, Where’s My Church? http://ceruleansanctum.com/2006/06/dude-wheres-my-church.html Looking for the 1st century Church in 21st century America Mon, 01 Dec 2008 21:41:04 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.5 By: Rob http://ceruleansanctum.com/2006/06/dude-wheres-my-church.html#comment-4192 Rob Thu, 29 Jun 2006 01:31:27 +0000 http://ceruleansanctum.com/2006/06/dude-wheres-my-church.html#comment-4192 Dan, Doesn't this: http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/06/20060623-10.html "It is the policy of the United States to protect the rights of Americans to their private property, including by limiting the taking of private property by the Federal Government to situations in which the taking is for public use, with just compensation, and for the purpose of benefiting the general public and not merely for the purpose of advancing the economic interest of private parties to be given ownership or use of the property taken." Take some kind of precedence / overturning of Kelo. (I'm not American and don't know the legal system all that well over there - but my understanding is that it does) Dan,

Doesn’t this:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news.....23-10.html
“It is the policy of the United States to protect the rights of Americans to their private property, including by limiting the taking of private property by the Federal Government to situations in which the taking is for public use, with just compensation, and for the purpose of benefiting the general public and not merely for the purpose of advancing the economic interest of private parties to be given ownership or use of the property taken.”

Take some kind of precedence / overturning of Kelo. (I’m not American and don’t know the legal system all that well over there - but my understanding is that it does)

]]> By: john umland http://ceruleansanctum.com/2006/06/dude-wheres-my-church.html#comment-4191 john umland Wed, 28 Jun 2006 23:30:12 +0000 http://ceruleansanctum.com/2006/06/dude-wheres-my-church.html#comment-4191 i think a church with a commitment to small groups is prepared to care for itself if the central meeting place was closed. but, if one church closed and all the others stayed open, i'm sure the people would gladly receive the opportunity to church shop and see the other ways God's people fellowship together. home groups prepare people for "one another" ministry. if God allowed the state to close all the churches, it wouldn't be the first time. it worked pretty good when the heat turned up in Jerusalem in Acts. it has worked very well in China. God is still on his throne and takes care of his bride. God is good jpu i think a church with a commitment to small groups is prepared to care for itself if the central meeting place was closed. but, if one church closed and all the others stayed open, i’m sure the people would gladly receive the opportunity to church shop and see the other ways God’s people fellowship together.
home groups prepare people for “one another” ministry. if God allowed the state to close all the churches, it wouldn’t be the first time. it worked pretty good when the heat turned up in Jerusalem in Acts. it has worked very well in China. God is still on his throne and takes care of his bride.
God is good
jpu

]]> By: john umland http://ceruleansanctum.com/2006/06/dude-wheres-my-church.html#comment-4190 john umland Wed, 28 Jun 2006 23:24:54 +0000 http://ceruleansanctum.com/2006/06/dude-wheres-my-church.html#comment-4190 alot of those big beautiful buildings are just that and not where God is in the midst. a most extreme example is the Hagia Sophia in Turkey which went from a beautiful basilica to the glory or God to a beautiful mosque to the glory of allah. on a small scale a pretty white church with a tall steeple in my home town is now a mosque also. church is people not buildings. alot of those big beautiful buildings are just that and not where God is in the midst. a most extreme example is the Hagia Sophia in Turkey which went from a beautiful basilica to the glory or God to a beautiful mosque to the glory of allah.
on a small scale a pretty white church with a tall steeple in my home town is now a mosque also.
church is people not buildings.

]]> By: john umland http://ceruleansanctum.com/2006/06/dude-wheres-my-church.html#comment-4189 john umland Wed, 28 Jun 2006 19:54:10 +0000 http://ceruleansanctum.com/2006/06/dude-wheres-my-church.html#comment-4189 i'm not sure this is a kingdom of God issue. if a church can't grow into a commercially zoned area, why can't it be a good citizen and birth a daughter church somewhere and give up aspirations of "mega?" here's a novel idea, how about churches make payments in lieu of taxes, it's called PILOT here in New London. we are very tiny, about 12 square miles, and we have 3 colleges, 1 hospital, plenty of state properties and very little industry. so some of these non-taxable non-profits make PILOTs. because no matter how much they help with volunteers, money is still needed for maintenance of the city and provisions for the needy who are attracted to our city. things in connecticut are very territorial, we don't have county taxes or county governance. each city is on its own and if your a poor city you hit the capitol up for as many bucks as you can. we are surrounded by wealthier cities that are not interested in helping out with low-income housing or social services, so we are a life preserver of services for this community. anyway, maybe churches over a certain size could become taxpayers and help out the community at large. my panentheist neighbor likes that idea. housechurches already do this... i’m not sure this is a kingdom of God issue. if a church can’t grow into a commercially zoned area, why can’t it be a good citizen and birth a daughter church somewhere and give up aspirations of “mega?” here’s a novel idea, how about churches make payments in lieu of taxes, it’s called PILOT here in New London. we are very tiny, about 12 square miles, and we have 3 colleges, 1 hospital, plenty of state properties and very little industry. so some of these non-taxable non-profits make PILOTs. because no matter how much they help with volunteers, money is still needed for maintenance of the city and provisions for the needy who are attracted to our city. things in connecticut are very territorial, we don’t have county taxes or county governance. each city is on its own and if your a poor city you hit the capitol up for as many bucks as you can. we are surrounded by wealthier cities that are not interested in helping out with low-income housing or social services, so we are a life preserver of services for this community. anyway, maybe churches over a certain size could become taxpayers and help out the community at large. my panentheist neighbor likes that idea. housechurches already do this…

]]> By: Dee http://ceruleansanctum.com/2006/06/dude-wheres-my-church.html#comment-4188 Dee Wed, 28 Jun 2006 17:59:53 +0000 http://ceruleansanctum.com/2006/06/dude-wheres-my-church.html#comment-4188 Dan, I understand what you are saying. However, as just a regular person in the pew, how can I affect my denomination's leadership to take note of this issue? In turn, what steps can our leadership take to have this kind of long-term strategy? This kind of action is beyond my ken. Have you any ideas? Dan,

I understand what you are saying. However, as just a regular person in the pew, how can I affect my denomination’s leadership to take note of this issue? In turn, what steps can our leadership take to have this kind of long-term strategy? This kind of action is beyond my ken. Have you any ideas?

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