Making Sense of Church: Eavesdropping on Emerging Conversations about God, Community, and Culture [Paperback]

Using the most compelling e-mail conversations from theOoze.com, an online meeting place for those interested in postmodern spirituality, author Spencer Burke comments on and guides the reader through subjects such as authentic community, experiential worship, the internet and God, and more.

Samplings of online discussions about God, truth, and church—from theOoze.com Our culture is rapidly changing and people are searching for new models and paradigms to find meaning in their lives. As in all transitional periods, this search takes place in grass-roots conversations where the “new” is taking form. No other place so uniquely captures this struggle more than the message boards at theOoze.com, the premier melting pot of emerging spiritual conversation. Making Sense of Church is a snapshot of this “community conversation” as it tries to make sense of God in the emerging worldview. It represents a gathering of individuals with different points of view, theologies, life contexts, and feelings. Author Spencer Burke, creator of theOoze.com, provides the framework writing for each chapter and acts as a “guide” to the accompanying e-mail postings that supplement the chapters. Subjects discussed include: • Authentic Community • Experiential Worship • The Internet and God • Art as a Vehicle for Communicating Truth • Spirituality and Sexuality • What Is the Church? • What Is Postmodernism?

ContentsAcknowledgments.....11Foreword by Stanley J. Grenz.....15Introduction.....191. Reality CheckMetaphors for Transition.....252. Tour Guide to TravelerA Conversation about 'Leadership'.....353. Teacher to FacilitatorA Conversation about 'Learning'.....514. Hero to HumanA Conversation about 'Spiritual Growth'.....715. Consumer to StewardA Conversation about 'Ministry'.....856. Retailer to WholesalerA Conversation about 'Missions'.....1lÃ,