Postmodern Renaissance Culture Revolutionary

Notes for future reference regarding a community welcoming church: https://thomrainer.com/2018/03/seven-potentially-deadly-church-sicknesses/ Attitudinal Angst : a church illness where church members are most focused on getting their own desires and preferences met, rather than being a serving member of the body of Christ. It is also called Church Country Club Membership. Slippage Syndrome : the church illness where a church stops focusing on its primary purposes. Evangelism slippage is the most common. Detail Distraction : a church illness where there is too much focus on minor issues to the detriment of major issues. For example, routine meetings can become more important than compelling missions. Institutional Idolatry : a church illness where the members have an unbiblical devotion to inconsequential matters such as facilities, order of worship, or styles of worship. Activity Acclimation : a church illness where the members see busyness to be the same as commitment ...

I was reading the Lectionary passages for this week (Lent 5B). The Gospel reading is John 12:20-33. Jesus is approached by some Greek seekers. Jesus speaks of his impending death, according the writer/editor. But the theme that develops in that conversation led me to the thought of the death in the pericope. A glorious death is something that we don't talk about as having happened to real people. We hear it in poetry. We read of it in literature. We watch it in movies. When we confront death in the lives of human beings, flesh and blood we may know or who are known by those we know, we don't speak of death as glorious. It can be tragic or sudden. We may feel that it was expected or understandable. It can be peaceful or horrible. But we never talk about a glorious death for people. Even people of faith experience a death that is less that glorified. John 12:24: "unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies..." John 12:32: "when I am lifted up from the...