Tracy's thoughts

Hi Tracy..I think they're good and worthwhile..though I sometimes think the speakers use awfully big words and maybe don't get it down to where we live. It has often felt like a university class...though I thought the time with Audra Phillips approached more useful right now information. I would certainly be willing to chat with you about other thoughts I have. I like the format though the questions seem to suggest an answer if I am "orthodox". Sherri

Keep it. Morph it. Don’t be discouraged by attendance. Recognize that it is an event that will attract more people as we become the church we are taking deliberate steps to become. 20, 30, 50 people at an event is good in our culture where “ME” comes first. I would challenge you to consider changing the location, re-thinking some of the purpose, and asking people to contribute topical ideas. Then I’d develop a schedule and continue to market it. Perhaps we could make it more provocative in the challenging sense.

I hope that the presupposition that the church hides or attacks is actually not a basic tendancy. I realize the press may portray that but they make no money unless there is conflict and controversy. If any honest observer of our Christianity can not see the true overwhelming attitude of service that the average Christian has then they are using a very short measuring stick.

Having said that, the reality is that the "other" people in the "world" do often percieve that we are total hypocrits. We even call ourselves hypocrits in fits of conviction by the Holy Spirit. Those are facts. They can not be wished away.

I am not sure what is meant by "relating" to our world. Each one of us is by definition relating to the world. I think the end goal is being a witness for Christ and the perception is that if we bridge the gap between us and the world that the gospel will be spread.

It seems that if we can "dig" them that we will earn the trust of the world. I'm 60 years old. What good would it do a teenager if I knew the words to the latest rap song? If I study with my Christian church group to do that will some teen be impressed? No! He thinks I SHOULD be able to do that. The relationship (relating) is done by asking the teen about his music, his style, where he's coming from, what his feelings, thoughts, and desires are. He doesn't want us to study his culture.He's like all of us... he wants to share and help and be part of what we as Christians should think about him.

Life is complicated. You can learn the intracies of a quickly changing world and be hampered in your own testimony due to the inability to answer all the questions that come up or....you can be quickly kind, quickly interested, invest your time IN the world instead of waiting to understand it.

I am reminded of a quote by a famous evangelist named Tom Skinner:
“I spent a long time trying to come to grips with my doubts and suddenly realized that I had better come to grips with what I believe. I have since moved from the agony of questions that I cannot answer to the reality of answers I cannot escape………..and it’s a great relief”

If we are going to relate to our world by bridging the culture gaps then we need to focus on what we know, what we have in common, what the world's basic needs and desires are, etc. All cultures respond to love, consistant behavior and expectations, honesty, sharing our differences and a cheerful attitude.
I would like to see us learn to relate through Beyond Sunday by using the living word already in the Bible. The words in the Bible are not that hard to understand and they relate to all basic needs and desires of all people. Love is the key and it only comes from a relationship with Jesus and the Bible as the interpreter to the living world.
Having said that....my point is where do we find the compassion for the world? By understanding not only the world but the effects that their culture has on them. The effects are compulsive disorders, poor choices for immediate satisfaction, egocentric behavior, lost trust in their god(s), despair in times of severe financial and health crises, alienation from their own culture. So yeah, we have to study the culture but not to gain head knowledge ... but to see their heart and reconcile it to the love of Jesus in this life and the next. Plug for Bible Institute this term: we are studying other faiths and religions and have already discovered the uncertainty an agnostic faces. We now have motivation to reach out to agnostics and we know where their particular culture pain is.

I agree with Dusty that the concept is to important to not make available. I feel it should happen regardless of interest, because many of the things that could be discussed and presented need to be. Some may not even know yet what they need to know. I also have not been able to make many of the events due to school work load, but that will be ending soon and I am looking forward to being involved in the future. I do remember hearing someone say once that they didn't even know they were happening. Perhaps making more noise about them.
Film nights would be great! More art, philosophy, theology, politics, controversy, discussions, etc...
Childcare would be a plus. Also why only make it available to our church? Why not make it known to other churches? The problems that need to be addressed are the same all over.
Yeah.

I still think beyond sunday is a great concept that could be an amazing forum for great conversation...I think it is too good to ditch. Having said that, I never went to one.

Offering less other commitments for people might help attendance I think... (small groups, institute, sunday mornings, mens breakfasts, retreats, womens things, etc)

In general, Mollie and I decided not to go, because we have small group sunday night, church sunday morning and a bible study on Mondays, another commitment on Thursdays all of which require our kids to be dropped off somewhere. We couldn't justify another night apart.