Showing posts with label simple church. Show all posts
Showing posts with label simple church. Show all posts

The Church of Facebook: How the Hyperconnected Are Redefining Community Review

The Church of Facebook: How the Hyperconnected Are Redefining Community
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The Church of Facebook: How the Hyperconnected Are Redefining Community ReviewI heard about Jesse Rice's book, "The Church of Facebook: How the Wireless Generation is Redefining Community" from an interview he did on a podcast. The topic of online community and whether or not it can be authentic is of interest to me.
I wasn't sure what to expect; perhaps a Christianized critique of the whole social networking phenomenon complete with a set of warnings for believers and suggested rules for underage children. Thankfully this is not Jesse's book. Instead it opens with a fascinating story of the opening day on the Millennium Bridge crossing the Thames River in London. The unexpected shaking that day on the pedestrian footbridge is similar to the online spectacle of Facebook and other social networking sites. Jesse uses this and several other stories at the beginning of each chapter to create a historical framework for interpreting our online interactions. Jesse has done his research well and the book is very interesting because of it.
The science of connecting with others, of creating a "home" where we feel safe is the subject of chapter one. This is followed by a chapter on revolutionary changes to society and how Facebook is set up to be, if it not already is, a world changer. Chapter three delves into the controls people have of their online presence, of the information they choose to share online with others on their profiles. He poses the question of what we will do with the power we have to create, to shape society, with our online influence. Chapter four studies the impact that all of the new information has on an individual, understanding that people have adapted their behavior with this new way to connect with people, share information and collect new data. The fifth chapter focuses on the question of community and whether or not it can be experienced online. Are our relational needs truly being met? The final chapter speaks to implications of using social networking and some of the inherent behaviors that could be attributed to living life via an online presence. Jesse suggests some boundaries to keep the experience healthy, balanced and authentic.
Although the book could be categorized as a Christian book by a Christian author, it doesn't come across as preachy or fear-based. As such I hope it will be picked up by readers interested in modern communication, community development, sociology, and human psychology. It broadened my perspectives of social networking and has stayed with me as I've continued connecting with old and new friends online.The Church of Facebook: How the Hyperconnected Are Redefining Community Overview

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Transformational Church: Creating a New Scorecard for Congregations Review

Transformational Church: Creating a New Scorecard for Congregations
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Transformational Church: Creating a New Scorecard for Congregations ReviewEd Stetzer and Thom Rainer have well-deserved reputations as "gurus" of church organization. They have both written prolifically on a variety of church-related topics, and have contributed an impressive body of research over the years to help churches understand what makes ministry tick.
Unlike many in their field, their approach has always been grounded in the authority of Scripture (rather than the latest and greatest cultural trends) and fully cognizant of the fact that God is the author of all spiritual growth within churches regardless of their particular ministry methodology.
Transformational Church, the latest from LifeWay Research President Stetzer and LifeWay Christian Resources President Rainer, proposes that the Church is fundamentally about radical change--death to life, rebellion against God to kingdom service, etc.--and that too many churches are mired in the status quo of apathy or inward-focused activity that does not contribute meaningfully to Christ's mission.
Through case studies of churches around the U.S. (some large, some small, of different denominations, but all following after God), the authors develop what they call the "new scorecard" for measuring the effectiveness of ministry; this is in addition to (not necessarily in contrast with) the "old scorecard" of attendance, giving, and programs/facilities. They build a theory of the "transformational loop" of church development, which is comprised of three categories: discern, embrace, and engage. They break down the categories into seven key elements that active churches should evince: a missionary mentality, vibrant leadership, relational intentionality, prayerful dependence, worship (actively embracing Christ), community (connecting people with people), and mission (showing Jesus through word and deed). Each of the elements is fleshed out in detail through a chapter of the book.
Stetzer and Rainer try to avoid a "do this, get that" systematic approach to church ministry, attempting rather to show churches in action demonstrating the principals they describe ministry. It is impossible for them to completely escape the style that lends itself to their subject matter (measuring performance), but they leave the reader with an encouragement to evaluate churches from a biblical perspective of kingdom mission, not simply from a traditional measure of success.
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