This post was made after hearing messages from MOAC 2004. In essence, I considered five main issues:

1. There are lots of words and few actions.
2. There is searching to understand things that have been obvious for quite some time.*
3. There is a perceived effort to be at peace first, unified second, then try to solve problems last.
4. A perceived reluctance to outside perspective.
5. The perceived search for global answers instead of local answers.

It’s a year later and the issues appear the same. I am still amazed at the ‘shock and wonder’ that some leaders have about things that occurred in my life for 10+ years. There is all kinds of conjecture at our current issues including a comparison to the minor league baseball system, insights from Family Dynamics, a look at the discipling system, and reconstruction of our past structure. It still looks like all five are going on, except for the mention of outside influence in the discipling papaer.

I can’t be so insightful that no one else has thought of it. Maybe I am oversimplifying this whole mess. It seems to be more apparent than ever that leaders were more insulated from the issues of most members, especially leaders higher up the chain. Hearing what some have said, it looks like they are still writing papers only to each other. The phrase ‘out of touch’ is like comparing paprika to habenero.

Again, I hope that the forum at MOAC 2005 will yield something. Unfortunately, it is at least one year too late. On the positive side, however, it is actually addressing things that are important.

I just want things to be different, but I am growing more fearful that they will not. Specifically, I mean the teaching of discipling as philosphical instead of biblical, cooperation with other churches that are NOT ICC, job descriptions of lead evangelists that include visitation with members, full financial disclosure of church finances (past and present), biblical instruction from the text instead of conforming the text to enforce an ideal, and staff limits on the conferences they may attend. When I look for change in these areas, there is little to none. In New Jersey, they bring in a CoC minister for some Sundays. (YAY!) Family Dynamics is replacing the old system of ‘submit or else’. There are even places where the Family Dynamics family series is replacing the “Go to your room until you’re happy” system. I dunno, just seems like places the bigwigs don’t have a lot of influence, there is a disposition to try new things, but places they go are propotionately conservative to their influence.

Maybe Thomas will be able to “work on” more churches (Scent of a Woman sermon, 07/24/05) and all of this is moot.