Thanks for the lively discussion last night. One of the comments I’m still mulling over is that Christians’ lives communicate the Gospel perhaps more powerfully than anything congregations say or do. Remember that I said in response that while it’s difficult to analyze a congregation’s brochures and websites and other kinds of formal communication, it’s even more difficult to address issues related to the way our lives communicate about God to the wider world? I found the following quotation quite thought-provoking. It was posted on Facebook by one of my vehemently anti-Christian relatives: “I am surrounded by priests who repeat incessantly that their kingdom is not of this world, and yet they lay their hands on everything they can get” (Napoleon Bonaparte). Ouch!
For your blog posts this week, here are two options.
1. On page 171-2 of the coursebook, there’s a bullet point list of network roles. Reflect on how you have seen some of these roles played out in congregations, and how congregational leaders can respond to the people who fill these roles.
2. On page 177, there’s a description of “grapevine” communication. The bullet points are great. I’d welcome your blog posts about the role grapevine communication plays in churches, both positively and negatively, and how congregational leaders can embrace it, shape it, etc.
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2 comments:
Ouch indeed! And unfortunately very true especially for the time of Napoleon, where becoming a priest was very much a 'career choice' for younger sons who had to find alternatives to inheriting their father's estate (which went to the oldest son). We are not really talking 'vocations' here.
And, yes, John has Jesus say that his "kingdom is not of this world" (NRSV, John 18.36)
However, Jesus also encourages us to live our lives as if God is king and in recognition that the "the kingdom of God has come near" (NRSV, Mark 1.15)
My point is, that we are not called to just wait for the good afterlife but to help establish God's kingdom in this one.
Although, greed is not part of our calling; priests are people too and thus fallible (but their hypocrisy seem to hurt more). As a comment on current practice one has to admit that the "gospel of success" is still preached and lived in some churches.
Normally I often hear people mentioning this term in movies" through the grapevine" did not really matters to find out what it means. However, after reading this course readings I found it very interesting and it's amazing to know such jargon in the gossiping world, often our minister would ask the congregational not to spread rumors or gossip but he also say that form of communication is theologising. Thus, grapevine communication is a means of secret communication, things falsely despised merely because unattainable. This is Collins translation.It's amazing that this role of communication is positive and negative. Although many say that rumours are not always correct.It is fast communication but generally incomplete and often caused misunderstanding. It can do more harm if not controlled especially when one is to create harmful information intentionally.Eunson says there are no certain ways to manage the grapevine because it has a life of it's own. Words do communicate values in the church. Reflecting back to the time of Jesus in the first century, words about his miracles were transport through the grapevine to nearby communities which also tell the people about who he is and his existence.Eunson have explained this form of communication as also the rumor mill, unless people learnd to get the correct information before spreading the story. I guess in every Church there is always someone that will not be able to respect others privacy, for example in our culture there is no such thing as confidentiality, in fact they are have certain people who has such gift and other can learn to be aware of these people. Whereas for leaders it is safe to get information clarification before take it into account for the Church sake as well as those who are very sensitive with private information. For the Church to embrace this form of communication is good and bad depending on the situation, carefully on situations that will caused conflicts withing the Church people, Thus, to avoid harm in the Church ground leaders should not take rumors into consideration unless there is truth, unless it is information which involved the practice and teaching the love of God and the unity with Christ the head of the Churches. Perhaps this sound naive in today's world but it is safe ,mainly those who are new to the Christian faith community because they often seek for the truth in faith. However, churches cannot be isolated, we talk everytime we meet at on the way, at tea sharing time, where ever we catch up, because we are social beings. Perhaps grapevine communication is fast and not costly but often contain insufficient information.
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