Comments on: 7 Lost Words of The Church (Words 5-7) http://www.randyelrod.com/7-lost-words-of-the-church-words-5-7/ Tue, 31 Jan 2012 23:50:34 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Randy Elrod http://www.randyelrod.com/7-lost-words-of-the-church-words-5-7/comment-page-1/#comment-4048 Randy Elrod Fri, 25 Jun 2010 03:48:20 +0000 http://www.randyelrod.com/?p=1523#comment-4048 <a href="#comment-4044" rel="nofollow">@Ed</a>, Ed, It definitely takes a measure of vulnerability, but the reward is so worth the risk. It may be that is someone outside your sphere of influence. @Ed, Ed, It definitely takes a measure of vulnerability, but the reward is so worth the risk. It may be that is someone outside your sphere of influence.

]]> By: Randy Elrod http://www.randyelrod.com/7-lost-words-of-the-church-words-5-7/comment-page-1/#comment-4047 Randy Elrod Fri, 25 Jun 2010 03:46:41 +0000 http://www.randyelrod.com/?p=1523#comment-4047 <a href="#comment-4043" rel="nofollow">@Michelle George</a>, So true, Michelle. @Michelle George, So true, Michelle.

]]> By: Ed http://www.randyelrod.com/7-lost-words-of-the-church-words-5-7/comment-page-1/#comment-4044 Ed Fri, 25 Jun 2010 00:38:42 +0000 http://www.randyelrod.com/?p=1523#comment-4044 Relationships are a difficult area for me right now - I've found through years of being a point leader that it's really hard to make real friends. Somehow they feel they cant be your friends coz your the 'boss' or somehow that I dont need them. I have to admit as an introvert I do find it harder to make friends but I also know that I need community and need it soon. How do I go about finding community when we're all so reluctant to let people in? .-= Ed´s last blog ..<a href="http://andrewedwards.wordpress.com/2010/06/23/a-change-in-direction/" rel="nofollow">A Change in Direction</a> =-. Relationships are a difficult area for me right now – I’ve found through years of being a point leader that it’s really hard to make real friends. Somehow they feel they cant be your friends coz your the ‘boss’ or somehow that I dont need them. I have to admit as an introvert I do find it harder to make friends but I also know that I need community and need it soon. How do I go about finding community when we’re all so reluctant to let people in?
.-= Ed´s last blog ..A Change in Direction =-.

]]> By: Michelle George http://www.randyelrod.com/7-lost-words-of-the-church-words-5-7/comment-page-1/#comment-4043 Michelle George Fri, 25 Jun 2010 00:18:37 +0000 http://www.randyelrod.com/?p=1523#comment-4043 my experience is that relationship gets lost when task or purpose-driven friendships are the focus of church life. They never last, and it's devestating when you come to the realisation that there was not deep and lasting friendship where you thought there was. .-= Michelle George´s last blog ..<a href="http://www.michellegeorge.net/2010/06/22/race-report-canada-day-fun-run/" rel="nofollow">Race report: Canada Day Fun Run</a> =-. my experience is that relationship gets lost when task or purpose-driven friendships are the focus of church life. They never last, and it’s devestating when you come to the realisation that there was not deep and lasting friendship where you thought there was.
.-= Michelle George´s last blog ..Race report: Canada Day Fun Run =-.

]]> By: Randy Elrod http://www.randyelrod.com/7-lost-words-of-the-church-words-5-7/comment-page-1/#comment-4038 Randy Elrod Thu, 24 Jun 2010 14:45:11 +0000 http://www.randyelrod.com/?p=1523#comment-4038 <a href="#comment-4034" rel="nofollow">@Jessie</a>, Jessie, I am speechless. "The churches I pastored grew for 23 straight years. I shrunk. The last 3 years I died slowly, afraid to walk away." I am also that man. Thanks for your transparency. Get your butt down to Nashville soon!! .-= Randy Elrod´s last blog ..<a href="http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/randyelrod/~3/adXKZk9an70/" rel="nofollow">7 Lost Words of The Church (Words 5-7)</a> =-. @Jessie, Jessie, I am speechless. “The churches I pastored grew for 23 straight years. I shrunk. The last 3 years I died slowly, afraid to walk away.”

I am also that man.

Thanks for your transparency.

Get your butt down to Nashville soon!!
.-= Randy Elrod´s last blog ..7 Lost Words of The Church (Words 5-7) =-.

]]> By: Randy Elrod http://www.randyelrod.com/7-lost-words-of-the-church-words-5-7/comment-page-1/#comment-4037 Randy Elrod Thu, 24 Jun 2010 14:43:15 +0000 http://www.randyelrod.com/?p=1523#comment-4037 <a href="#comment-4031" rel="nofollow">@Sweetie Berry</a>, Yes, I agree. Inclusive is a very important word. Thanks, Sweetie. I love it when you add your thoughts to the conversation. We are always better for it. @Sweetie Berry, Yes, I agree. Inclusive is a very important word. Thanks, Sweetie. I love it when you add your thoughts to the conversation. We are always better for it.

]]> By: Jessie http://www.randyelrod.com/7-lost-words-of-the-church-words-5-7/comment-page-1/#comment-4034 Jessie Thu, 24 Jun 2010 04:46:13 +0000 http://www.randyelrod.com/?p=1523#comment-4034 Randy, I love you. I have never met you face to face but I love you. The second greatest regret of my life is that, as a 26 year pastor, I just couldn't muster the courage to build the church of which you speak. I was not a pastor who banned those words. I was just a pastor who didn't have the courage to regularly speak them. Banned words and unspoken words have the same result don't they? My heart called for that kind of authentic, intellectually honest, grace filled community. I nudged the churches that I lead closer to that kind of community than the other churches in my grouping. But, my pride, ego and insecurity demanded I build a larger church, so that my friends would call me successful. So instead of doing the things my heart called me to do.... I made decisions that wouldn't shrink the market share or the Sunday offering. The churches I pastored grew for 23 straight years. I shrunk. The last 3 years I died slowly, afraid to walk away. One day I am going to fly to Tennessee just to break bread with you and share one conversation. You are a rare and remarkable chunk of human. Thank you for being one hell of a Randy Elrod. You do it better than anyone I know. peace jessie simon Randy,

I love you. I have never met you face to face but I love you.

The second greatest regret of my life is that, as a 26 year pastor, I just couldn’t muster the courage to build the church of which you speak. I was not a pastor who banned those words. I was just a pastor who didn’t have the courage to regularly speak them. Banned words and unspoken words have the same result don’t they? My heart called for that kind of authentic, intellectually honest, grace filled community. I nudged the churches that I lead closer to that kind of community than the other churches in my grouping. But, my pride, ego and insecurity demanded I build a larger church, so that my friends would call me successful. So instead of doing the things my heart called me to do…. I made decisions that wouldn’t shrink the market share or the Sunday offering. The churches I pastored grew for 23 straight years. I shrunk. The last 3 years I died slowly, afraid to walk away.

One day I am going to fly to Tennessee just to break bread with you and share one conversation. You are a rare and remarkable chunk of human. Thank you for being one hell of a Randy Elrod. You do it better than anyone I know.

peace
jessie simon

]]> By: Sweetie Berry http://www.randyelrod.com/7-lost-words-of-the-church-words-5-7/comment-page-1/#comment-4031 Sweetie Berry Wed, 23 Jun 2010 23:10:59 +0000 http://www.randyelrod.com/?p=1523#comment-4031 It seems to me we've left out the word inclusive. We are so busy as congregations sometimes worrying that messiness will enter our church family that we forget the very sin that makes us messy is what Jesus came to save us from. While history has shown demonstrated methods of excluding from the body those who continue to sin, I find that there is a difference between excluding that which is messy and including those who are hurting...or worse...numb enough that emotions are no longer experienced. We keep trying to define sins as big or small, large or minor...when the truth is anything that separates us from desiring to follow the Holy Spirit's guidance means its too noisy...even if that's the teacher teaching....if we're so busy following "doctrine" that we forget the Physician who heals...and whose methods are rarely expected or predictable...pride comes up in a thousand ways...and one of the most dangerous is the pious pride of thinking we are somehow better than another... Randy, you are a remarkable writer...and more importantly, your writing encourages discussion, thought, and for me at least, more research into what I truly believe versus accept as beliefs... .-= Sweetie Berry´s last blog ..<a href="http://sweetieberry.com/and-then-there-was-another/" rel="nofollow">and then there was another…</a> =-. It seems to me we’ve left out the word inclusive. We are so busy as congregations sometimes worrying that messiness will enter our church family that we forget the very sin that makes us messy is what Jesus came to save us from. While history has shown demonstrated methods of excluding from the body those who continue to sin, I find that there is a difference between excluding that which is messy and including those who are hurting…or worse…numb enough that emotions are no longer experienced. We keep trying to define sins as big or small, large or minor…when the truth is anything that separates us from desiring to follow the Holy Spirit’s guidance means its too noisy…even if that’s the teacher teaching….if we’re so busy following “doctrine” that we forget the Physician who heals…and whose methods are rarely expected or predictable…pride comes up in a thousand ways…and one of the most dangerous is the pious pride of thinking we are somehow better than another…

Randy, you are a remarkable writer…and more importantly, your writing encourages discussion, thought, and for me at least, more research into what I truly believe versus accept as beliefs…
.-= Sweetie Berry´s last blog ..and then there was another… =-.

]]> By: Randy Elrod http://www.randyelrod.com/7-lost-words-of-the-church-words-5-7/comment-page-1/#comment-4028 Randy Elrod Wed, 23 Jun 2010 21:07:55 +0000 http://www.randyelrod.com/?p=1523#comment-4028 <a href="#comment-4027" rel="nofollow">@Ani</a>, Ha, Ani. Your comments are always so touching to me. Thanks so much. I love your quote: "God is not a God who stands still." So very true!! @Ani, Ha, Ani. Your comments are always so touching to me. Thanks so much. I love your quote: “God is not a God who stands still.” So very true!!

]]> By: Ani http://www.randyelrod.com/7-lost-words-of-the-church-words-5-7/comment-page-1/#comment-4027 Ani Wed, 23 Jun 2010 19:46:37 +0000 http://www.randyelrod.com/?p=1523#comment-4027 First things first: Congratulations! USA is through in the World Cup. I've thought about what the church might be missing. But then I can only think what's missing here in the churches. The church I go now is going through a lot of changes. It's hurting a lot of people because they don't want to change but the younger ones, like me, wants change because God is not a God who stands still. It's a God who moves. We have to go forward and this church has been the same for generations and all they have is old stuff and old people with the same old rules. What I would like is (com)passion. I miss that here. I agree what you wrote about freedom. Your explanation about beauty is just beautiful if I understand you. I love this: "Beauty is the shadow of God on the universe". I believe all beauty is from God. I believe we are beautiful because we are made to His image and He is beautiful and therefor everything we create is beautiful. Am I still clear here? Okay, maybe everyone has his own taste but still I believe we can create something beautiful. And if we know this than we can look different, in a better way to each other, even in the church. And I totally agree on what you wrote on relationship. If I got it all wrong please correct me. Thanks. Thank you SO much for sharing. I think you are a very gifted man. I believe you are pleasant to be with. I've quit many blogs after a while but yours.... I guess I like your blog because I keep coming back. You think that has to do with the owner of the blog? Don't have to answer the last question, I'm just teasing. First things first: Congratulations! USA is through in the World Cup.

I’ve thought about what the church might be missing. But then I can only think what’s missing here in the churches. The church I go now is going through a lot of changes. It’s hurting a lot of people because they don’t want to change but the younger ones, like me, wants change because God is not a God who stands still. It’s a God who moves. We have to go forward and this church has been the same for generations and all they have is old stuff and old people with the same old rules. What I would like is (com)passion. I miss that here.

I agree what you wrote about freedom.

Your explanation about beauty is just beautiful if I understand you. I love this: “Beauty is the shadow of God on the universe”. I believe all beauty is from God. I believe we are beautiful because we are made to His image and He is beautiful and therefor everything we create is beautiful. Am I still clear here? Okay, maybe everyone has his own taste but still I believe we can create something beautiful. And if we know this than we can look different, in a better way to each other, even in the church.

And I totally agree on what you wrote on relationship.

If I got it all wrong please correct me. Thanks.

Thank you SO much for sharing. I think you are a very gifted man. I believe you are pleasant to be with. I’ve quit many blogs after a while but yours…. I guess I like your blog because I keep coming back. You think that has to do with the owner of the blog? Don’t have to answer the last question, I’m just teasing.

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