Tracy's thoughts

I finished reading a new book by George Barna titled Revolution. It’s a very interesting and quick read that I recommend (I’m a slow reader and I finished it in three days!). Barna is an expert on trends and surveys and several of his cultural predictions based on his research have come true. So, I get the impression he is well respected by many.

In Revolution, Barna asserts that the new wave of Christianity is becoming disenchanted with institutionalized "church" and seeks a more real and authentic experience for their faith. So much so that Revolutionaries are finding their own pockets of friends with which to passionately live out their faith. Barna seems to be saying that Revolutionaries are not necessarily against "church," but find it lacking in being able to make a real difference in real life.

So, I find myself asking similar questions -- kind of. What does belonging to a church mean? And next, does gathering on Sunday morning (or whenever the group chooses to meet) make a real difference in the real world? If it does, what kind of a difference does it make? If it doesn’t, then I’m back to what does church mean?

Is it ok for a pastor to be struggling with these questions?