Questions, Questions, Questions.

I am convinced that much of what we believe and teach needs to be revisited, re-examined, and rethought. That is precisely why I am constantly  asking questions that need careful consideration, and I would like them to have such care taken in debating them. I do not want important questions simply to suffer an instant dismissal just because they are awkward questions, nor just because we refuse to consider any other point of view than our own.

Retreating into our theological trenches and taking aim at everyone who either asks questions or presents a different point of view is no way to engage with other Christians. Important questions need to be engaged with, and those who ask them respected. Here are some such questions.

Why is it that Christian (and especially Protestant) churches seems to focus almost exclusively on ‘mission’ in one shape or other? Why are they so intent on making converts and on (often rudely) attempting to evangelize the world? Why has that focus almost seemed like an obsession? Have we have been so obsessed with making converts that we have been almost blind to God’s true way for the Gentile church?

When will we as individuals, churches and denominations stop assuming and start exploring for ourselves? Let me now flip the coin over.

Why have we turned our backs on the meditative and contemplative life? Why do our services often leave little or no room for silence? Where is creativity in our services? Why has worship come to mean only loud, driving music and nothing else? Why has assumption been allowed to kill exploration? Why do we think we know it all?