Posted on 09/30/2013 9:55:39 AM PDT by Gamecock
Portland, Oregon
According to a recent study released by a Portland emerging church known as "The Seeking Place" (TSP), the least relevant churches in the world are the underground house churches in North Korea. TSP, which meets on Sunday mornings at a local Portland bar, began five years ago under the leadership of Peter LaFont, and started releasing the reports three years ago to help people understand what it means to truly be relevant.
"We think we've really got a handle on this subject," said LaFont. "We want to help others understand what true relevance really is."
According to TSP, the North Korean house churches are missing a number of "key opportunities" to connect to their respective communities and make the meta narrative of Scripture relevant to other North Koreans. They scored low on a number of points:
No real outreach to the community (i.e. projects, fixing parks, promoting environmental awareness, etc.) Preference to meet in homes rather than public venues like bath houses, factories and central markets Excessive focus in prayer and Scripture. No real awareness of other seeker-friendly resources. Never heard of Rob Bell.
"We feel that if North Korean believers tried a little harder that they could make a real impact in their communities," commented LaFont, "doing things like feeding the poor, helping raise awareness about oppression and becoming more involved in social justice."
Other countries to perform poorly in the report were Iran, Pakistan, Indonesia and Saudi Arabia.
Ping
Typical drivel from Portland. The TSP ought to stick to cleaning products and leave the real theology to adults. Too much time on 23rd st.
Please let this be a joke....
WTF? Seriously, what the hell does this even mean?
No real outreach to the community (i.e. projects, fixing parks, promoting environmental awareness, etc.) Preference to meet in homes rather than public venues like bath houses, factories and central markets Excessive focus in prayer and Scripture. No real awareness of other seeker-friendly resources. Never heard of Rob Bell.
Because being persecuted, literally killed, for their beliefs simply doesn't merit consideration? Seriously, this article makes me think the author's org is utterly devoid of compassion.
Moreover, it's a church, not a public works commission: they aren't commanded to fix parks, but to care after widows and orphans. — and environmental awareness
? Is this guy so ignorant of the Bible that he ignores that God put man in authority over the Earth, not the Earth [environment] over man?
Why don’t they send some people to NK to do this...and we will take bets on the number of hours before they disappeared into NK’s prisons.
Is this satire? Because if it is, its pretty droll.
“The Seeking Place” is fictitious. Tominthebox is satire. Sadly, I doubt there is much of a verfiable house church phenomenon in NK either.
That’s what I was thinking, because this almost seems like parody..(and not in a good way).
Satire. The Seeking Place (TSP) doesn’t seem to exist. However, this nonsense does sound very Portlandish (keeping thing weird).
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Surely.
No real outreach to the community (i.e. projects, fixing parks, promoting environmental awareness, etc.) Preference to meet in homes rather than public venues like bath houses, factories and central markets Excessive focus in prayer and Scripture. No real awareness of other seeker-friendly resources. Never heard of Rob Bell.
"We feel that if North Korean believers tried a little harder that they could make a real impact in their communities," commented LaFont, "doing things like feeding the poor, helping raise awareness about oppression and becoming more involved in social justice."
TTBN news ping!
No real outreach to the community (i.e. projects, fixing parks, promoting environmental awareness, etc.)
I’m sure they would move way up the chart if they sold Starbucks in the foyer and allowed it to be brought in to the service. Online ordering and delivery during the service would be even better
< /sarc>
Let’s not forget Tweeting during the service. Tweets will be displayed on the big screen up front.
Typical drivel from Portland. The TSP ought to stick to cleaning products and leave the real theology to adults. Too much time on 23rd st.
Tom in de Box, eh?
(known satire site.)
Sounds like something the emergents/liberals would actually say in reality.
Brilliant satire!...OTOH...it IS Portland...
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