This started out as a reply to the comments in the previous post. It grew and became a post of it's own. I strongly recommend reading the comments from the previous post. Irish Mist sure wrote an incredible piece.
I agree with most everyone's comments. The writer of the book seems to have defined "cult" so broadly that everything can be described as a cult. I don't know if I'm going to finish the book since I just checked out a new book from the library that has my interest right now. I do want to read the concluding chapters that talk about defending ourselves from cults. However, I do believe the author is such a strong supporter of Secular Humanism that anything that seems to go against strident individualism is a cult. He believes in the individual to the exclusion of any group. It is a very common mentality around us. It is a mentality that allows us to view any church as a cult.
Muddy,
I have a list of what I'm looking for. It was in a previous post. It was not received well on the forum that I regularly visit.
Irish Mist,
I would like to see a church like you described, one in which everyone shares. I have sat many times in a church service feeling that I had something to share with the topic being preached, only to leave and share that thought with wife in the car. I loved the comparison between the church and Amway and how we have modeled it after that.
I have read the book by Gary Friesen that you mention. Here and here are posts that I made while reading the book. There might be more. I agree that wisdom plays a role in decision making and the will of God. But I also believe that God guides when he wants us to make a decision that would otherwise be unwise except for the guidance of God. I think the God of Mr. Friesen's book could be dead and everything would still be the same.
And in my church hunt, I have no idea what the wise decision is. Is it wise for me to plant a church? Is it wise for me to go to a church that focuses on individualistic Christianity to the exclusion of the life of a body? Is it wise for me to go to a church that focuses on the life of the body to the exclusion of the life of individuals? Is it wise of me to go to a church that seems to have correct theology but not the love of Christ? Is it wise of me to go to a church that has the love of Christ but not proper theology? I have no idea what is wise.
We are implementing Holy Halloween tonight. However, no church is sponsoring it. It saddens me and makes it less effective. I let you know how it goes.
Watch out for the potholes.
