Faith
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Thinking the Faith, Praying the Faith, Living the Faith is written by the PC(USA) Office of Theology and Worship.
Thinking, praying, and living the faith is at the core of ministry in the Office of Theology and Worship. In the following videos, learn more about what thinking, praying, and living the faith means to the leadership of the Office of Theology and Worship. Discover why it matters and what difference it makes in our lives, work, and worship.
Charles Wiley
Barry Ensign-George
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Christine Hong
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Is it really all about us after all?
Anyone who pays attention to the PC(USA) as a denomination knows that we in the PC(USA) are at a critical juncture: membership losses, aging congregations, long-term battles over sexuality, deep questions over the form of our governance, missional emphases, etc. We have commissions looking at middle governing bodies and what General Assemblies should be. Many presbyteries and congregations are doing the same thing.
As I've seen different responses to what is going on, I've noticed a recurring theme, a theme I've been expressing for a number of years: the only way to save the PCUSA is not to try to save the PCUSA, but to focus on Christ's mission--trying to save the church is a self-defeating action. And in cyberspace, I've noticed a large number of blog posts, tweets, facebook posts, etc., that, in essence, say the same thing. We are agreed: the way to save the church is to focus on Christ's mission.
I'm encouraged by this direction in conversation.
At the same time, in my informal survey of the most "liked," commented upon, re-tweeted and otherwise recommended blog posts, tweets, and facebook posts (including ones on this blog), we seem to be more interested in saying that "we can't save the church by trying to save the church but to focus on Christ's mission" than we seem to be in "focusing on Christ's mission."
This makes me wonder if the conversation really is about us after all.
I think that hard reflecti0n on the PC(USA) and its structures and mission are vitally important to its future. But self-deception knows no bounds. I worry that we may be fooling ourselves by focusing on ourselves using missional vocabulary instead of doing what the missional vocabulary intends: focusing on the apostolic witness of being sent into the world to follow Christ in his mission.
- Posted at 12:22 a.m.
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