FredMcKinnon.Com

(RSS Readers – This one really cries for discussion – so please click out of your RSS Reader and visit the site and comment)

OK – Let me start out this discussion by saying that even if did NOT work for the “church”, I would attend “church” … I believe in the entity of the local church, an organized Body of Believers, with ordained leaders.

BUT … the whole thing about “church” is something that I see Christians wrestling with constantly, especially in our post-modern times.  Lately I’ve been wrestling with it myself … hearing and asking questions like

1.  “What is little-c church and how does it play a role in the BIG-C Church”.
2.  “Where’s the evidence of an organized “entity” called church in the New Testament?”
3.  “What’s the premise behind “church buildings” and is it Scriptural?
4.  “As individual Christians, are we required by Scripture to be under the authority of leaders in our “local church”?
5.  “What exactly IS the church?”
6.  “Don’t forsake assembling … OK … well, if Christians meet and hang out during the week – isn’t that assembling”?
7.  “Is a “home group” or “home church” among Christian laymen and laywomen OK?  If so, is there an authority or government there?  If so, what is it?  If not, is that Scriptural?  (lots of questions there!)

These are but a few of the points and questions that come up in discussions I see and hear.  I have my own answers to some of these questions.  But often, as soon as I answer them … I think about alternatives.

The purpose of this post is to create conversation … not to sanction a mass exodus from the local church.  See my opening paragraph, I believe in the entity, and would say so even if I didn’t receive a “salary” from her.  But I’m genuinely interested in hearing the different thoughts on this subject.  So don’t be shy.  Fill this page with hundreds of comments.

Ready?  Go.

This Sunday is July 5.  As Worship Leaders, we often struggle with how to manage this holiday in our corporate worship services.

Do you sing a patriotic song?  What’s the balance between recognizing the birthday of our nation’s independence, yet at the same time, maximizing the limited amount of time we have in our corporate gatherings to sing praises to Christ?

How about you?
Do you sing patriotic songs in church – especially on the weekend around July 4?
Why or Why Not?
If you do, how do they fit into the flow of your service?  Which songs do you use?

Let the discussion begin.

RE:  You Can’t Advertise Problems Away: Ad Campaigns of the Mainline Denominations
(copied from ChurchMarketingSucks.Com, HT from a Tweet by @tpaulding)

“Study after study has shown that religions that grow are the ones that are hard-core in some way. They have something that differs sharply from the culture in which they operate,” says Boston University’s [Stephen] Prothero. “That’s the problem with mainline Protestantism: It’s not different enough from mainstream America.” (emphasis mine)

Do you tend to agree or disagree with that quote?

Social Networking Online for Churches

I’ve recently agreed to take on the role of online social networking/media for our church.  We already have a website (which is about to be overhauled and redesigned from top to bottom).  We recently started using Twitter (@sscc) and frequently upload videos from our worship services to places like YouTube or Vimeo.

Several of our staff blog.  The lead pastor has a blog, but doesn’t update it.  (that will change)

I was reading an article today called “Facebook’s Popularity and Your Church’s Social Media Strategy“ (thanks for the link, Travis) and realized our need to utilize FaceBook as well.

We’ve played around with online networking but it’s not been organized or serious.  It will become my job to oversee that.  (I won the award for having more free time than the other staffers, and for leveraging online networking and community the most with my own endeavors.)

I need to create a written vision and strategy.

Does your church have an online communications strategy?  How is your church or ministry utilizing it?  I’d love for you to comment, tweet, retweet, and spread the word – I’d like to get as much feedback from you all as possible.

For the Kingdom,
Fred

Hey Everyone,

I’m honored to have been interviewed by John Saddington (www.human3rror.com, @human3rror on twitter) on the “Friday 5″ spot over at ChurchCrunch.Com.  ChurchCrunch.Com is a website that is “exploring the intersection of technology and the church” and is one of my favorite reads.

So head over and checkout the 5 question interview, and leave some comment love.  If you are into church and technology, be sure and add this one to your blogroll!