Wednesday, June 25, 2008

What TU needs?

Last night i got to talk to my good friend David Hauskneckt, who is interning at a church in Colorado. He called me because he has been reading my blog (aww yeah) and he felt like we were learning things in very much the same way. After listening to him, i'd have to agree! We both are having our notions of christianity shifted as we learn more about what ministry looks like. 

After our conversation, I was doing some thinking... What is it that Taylor needs? David brought up the point that Taylor is very intellectual. We have all the head knowledge that we need and more, but how much is involved in our hearts? Are we learning in spirit and in truth? This then made me think about the churches in the area. For such a small area, there are tons of churches. My guess is that in the greater Marion area there are 75+ churches. In these churches, i (personally) have found that it can be pretty dry. The preaching is good at almost every church, but that once again is just knowledge. 

This is still in the super early stages of the thought process, but i was thinking about trying to start a church at taylor. This church wouldn't really be like any of the other churches in the area, considering that it is run by students. I know that is a freaky thought, but i keep thinking of 1 timothy 4:12, "Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity." How sweet would it be to actually let people that go to taylor, who are planning on becoming ministers, getting to apply what they are currently learning to the community that they live in? What would it look like if we had a church service in a non church setting... say, the student union? The jumping bean (the coffee shop in the union) could be open, giving it a more coffeehouse feeling than a church service. 

As for preaching, there are 2 whole majors at taylor completely based upon the bible and teaching it. Why not involve a talk from a junior or senior CED major on sunday morning? You could even try and get it involved in the curriculum for those classes! Another thing that would be good: the worship. I know of plenty of people that are really hungering for a deeper and more impassioned worship setting at Taylor. If a church was to start on taylor's campus that wasn't affiliated with the chapel (which has regulations. These aren't bad though) couldn't you do worship however you wanted, for as long as the church wanted? 

Argh... I have to go and do other work so i will continue this thought later! 

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

jordan, its been too long since we've talked. let's change that. i like where your heads at and i want to hear more. :)

Laura Bobbett said...

bolte

this is incredible. i am so encouraged to hear what you're learning and doing as we partner along in our service to the kingdom. what a blessing i'm sure you are at this church. also, the church idea sounds pretty incredible. i say amen to the people needing to be involved in the hearts of those around us. we can be a community what kind are we if our hearts are hidden behind a wall of intellectualism ya know? on a funny note, the christian ed juniors have already decided that we're starting a church out of college and we know exactly what each person will be doing. but seriously, now that you say all of this, i'm seriously considering whether or not this is an idea from the Lord himself! hope all is well and i'm praying for your ministry. the Lord is working.

bobbett

Michael Burchett said...

sounds good.

If you do this, be sure to write about how it is going along the way. I'm sure people will be interested.