tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4152029133681792030.post4870193277457143123..comments2023-07-17T09:54:31.556-05:00Comments on Hacking Christianity: Saddleback's Gated Church Community [bad.hack]Rev. Jeremy Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10137491388537194847noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4152029133681792030.post-82900134677447876192009-04-24T21:03:00.000-05:002009-04-24T21:03:00.000-05:00It is all well and good to stand back and look dow...It is all well and good to stand back and look down our noses at people who live in "gated communities." There is no difference between organizing a church in a gated community and organizing a Sunday School/Bible study in a apartment building where entry is available only to residents. One can rent a two bed-room apartment or a trailer home in a trailer-park or a house in a gated community andEarlnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4152029133681792030.post-91671173326958717642009-04-09T10:34:00.000-05:002009-04-09T10:34:00.000-05:00If the church plant is successful by my standards ...If the church plant is successful by my standards I would expect that the wall/gate be torn down, or some sort of distinct community change to openness or change in understanding and living with earthy wealth. Maybe Rick Warren and his disciples are trying to set up a church in a mini-Corinth. Undoubtedly, they will have have to address the wealth and separation issue much as Paul had to in Rev. Nathan Millshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01344685277885036915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4152029133681792030.post-68271955709373326362009-04-07T14:00:00.000-05:002009-04-07T14:00:00.000-05:00Those communities are made to keep people in, and ...Those communities are made to keep people in, and they aren't places that people generally would like to go. They're passively exclusive.<BR/><BR/>This, though, is an example of active exclusivity. The gated community has a gate to keep people OUT of a place that they would presumably want to enter, a way to pat someone on the shoulder and tell them that they aren't good enough or qualified Matt Algrenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09626052718821794580noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4152029133681792030.post-56250216503730264832009-04-07T00:06:00.000-05:002009-04-07T00:06:00.000-05:00I guess I'm having a hard time understanding how r...I guess I'm having a hard time understanding how reaching out to a community in need is a problem. How is this different from my pastor doing a Thursday service at the local retirement home or forming a congregation in a prison? These are also communities within secure facilities with limited access from "outsiders".Sunbobhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09844970618232128824noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4152029133681792030.post-34351373472397400452009-04-06T09:24:00.000-05:002009-04-06T09:24:00.000-05:00What.I'm going to go ahead and suggest that this w...What.<BR/><BR/>I'm going to go ahead and suggest that this wasn't inadvertent. It's just so obvious, I can't believe an organization as large as Rick Warren's didn't recognize the policy.Matt Algrenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09626052718821794580noreply@blogger.com