Monday, March 3, 2008
Changing Face of Worship - Los Angeles
Please view and respond to the video, "Changing Face of Worship - Los Angeles," located on the course webiste at: http://mmcdaniel.jimdo.com/course_media.php. You will be required to respond to at least one other student's comments to successfully complete this assignment. Please ensure that you put your name in parenthesis if you post anonymously.
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5 comments:
First impression was it is basically a large college and career class. As a class this would be great. They are reaching a large group of college kids and movie people who normally would not come to a church. As a class it is great but as a church it is limited. They are multi-cultural as for 50 plus nationalities but limited to college and career age. They said their church is average age 24.4, 82% single. No offense but simple observation this says that once they get married 82% of the time they will leave the church. A church I would like to see reach a large age group. Where are the children, the teens or parents, 30’s, 40’s, 50s,’ 60’s and senior adults. The Bible says for the older women to teach the younger woman to take care of the house and to love their husbands, etc. (Tit. 2:3-5)That can not be done if they are not there. Maybe I am being closed minded; however, I think I am being open minded by including the married couples, children and teens, the median adults and senior adults in the church. Again as a college and career class it is fine. If as a class they chose to meet in a school, I would be Ok with that as they could use the church as a permanent address. They are reaching so many who would not attend church so I think this is better as a college and career class than a church. Again, the college/career age group are predominately non tithers, for the most part, some do, I think this may be why they sold the building, to save money and still continue to reach those around them with the gospel.
I realize the church is the people, but I am using the definition of church as a local group of called out Christians called out to worship and serve God. (Since this is also the commonly accepted term) They said they had no permanent place of worship. They have the entire city on their heart so one location is not feasible. A church does need an address for receiving mail and handouts, tracts and church constitutions and bank statements require a permanent address to be given. If the pastor uses his home address he runs into tax complications also. For scripture I can see no problem with meeting in the school, but as a matter of legality a church needs to have a permanent address. Additionally, having a concrete building to call a local church gives them certain credibility in the community, and they can use it as a reference point to ask people to attend the church by using the address in tracts, mass mail outs and news media etc. Maybe they could consider satellite feed if they can afford it. They could still have the entire community on their heart, most churches do, I hope.
As a church, Mosaic is known for embracing the arts not just an outreach strategy. I would think it is better as an outreach strategy, and they should use other forms to reach more people. There are many people who need other things than the arts to interest them. They could continue using the arts in that arena. The arts are probably more prevalent than around here so that would be an excellent outreach tool. If this were a college and career class I would not have this problem, but they refer to them selves as a church.
I was offended when they said “We are veraciously hedonistic in our worship.” Hedonistic or hedonism by definition (Merriam-Webster) means “Greek pleasure; today it means the doctrine that pleasure or happiness is the sole or chief good in life.” ( again not my definition but Webster, which is a commonly accepted dictionary.) So based on Webster, I disagree I believe that to love God and serve Him is the chief purpose in life. This basically leads to if it feels good do it. When serving God or obeying God no longer feels good or we no longer feel like it we don’t have to, because the chief goal of chief purpose in life is my feeling good. Many people what to worship God when they feel like it in a way they feel like, and God will just have to accept it. They want to feel good about God not God feel good about them. Some time church makes us feel uncomfortable, and this is the Holy Spirit. I want people to come to church and be comfortable, but not think that the church is suppose to make them feel good or entertained. The worship service is about God not about us.
I think this is better done as a college class out of a local established church, with a building.
Mark A.
(Thayer Lawson) What caught my attention and was so interesting were the multiple nationalities. I believe he stated approximately 50 plus different nationalities. I did get a good reading on the size of the congregation but the average age is 24.4 and approximately 82% are single. The multiple locations would be inconvenient for me but is preferred by others not saying anything is wrong. The setting up at the High School at 5:30 am, and setting up at the Night Club for evening Worship at 3pm for the 6:00 service takes great dedication and devotion. I am slowly becoming more acceptable to the Praise dancing in the church and am really starting to accept it more. Overall I would like to visit the Mosaic Church.
Mosaic is very different from its beginning. They are meeting in two different places that reach out to the people around them. This cannot be condemned because of the hundreds of missionaries around the world that meet in unorthodox buildings. The night club arises some question on my part however. The statement that was made about young people not wanting to come to church but they will come to a night club leaves me wondering the motives. Mosaic is definitely reaching a great diversity of peoples and nationalities.
“It doesn’t seem like church…it’s like a concert slash picnic afterwards…and oh yeah there’s the word.” This statement makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up. We are to be glorifying God not our own desires. A concert appeals to our flesh not our spirit. Yes we can find ourselves being brought into great emotion but is it for the right reason. Are our hearts being broken and our emotions overflowing what God is doing in our hearts? The word of God should be the first and foremost focus of our gathering together. We are to edify one another through the Word of God. Mosaic has some good points, but I cannot agree with them on all things. (Meisha Deane)
What drives this church? There are a lot of great elements seen in the way this church functions. A few of those would be considered out of the ordinary or misplaced. I do believe God gives talents to individuals to use in ministry for the church. For example, an interpretive dancer can reach individuals that I cannot because I don’t have that talent. I think you have to be cautious and aware of how you implement the talents being used. If you are not, it is easy for visitors or onlookers to have a distorted view toward what you intend to do. I respect the pastor and his passion to reach the lost and to disciple others to do so too. Barbarian’s Way was a great book. Very inspiring. (Trey Hyman)
Mosaic Church has discovered, and is still using, the best means and methods possible without distorting truth to reach people. Erwin is probably one of my favorite pastors and writers. To draw a conclusion from this video without knowing his heart is probably not a good way to draw a conclusion. The church understands the biblical way of reaching their culture. I love the fact that the body of believers at Mosaic understands that church isn't a building, but is a band of believers joined together to worship God. If we limit worship to a place, a time, a sermon, or music then we limit how we can worship God. Worship isn't a service that we attend on Sunday. Worship is the way we live our lives, and is using the talents God's given us to glorify Him. I concur with Trey, Barbarian's Way is by far, other than the Bible, the greatest book ever. (John Hyman)
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