Monday, January 28, 2008

From Cincinnati - Choices, Choices

Yesterday 81% of Ohio residents did not attend a Christian church, according to David T. Olsen http://www.theamericanchurch.org/. Around 78% of South Carolina residents did not bother either. And yet, making our church franchises more attractive would solve very little of the problem. Making our lives more attractive would have impact.

Tom Clegg reported in Missing in America that researchers have discovered at least 600 different religions in America. Choices, Choices. Mark Penn reported in Microtrends that Starbucks offers 42 different brands of coffee, five brands of milk, sixteen flavor enhancers, and nine types of sweetener. Choices, Choices. How does that leave us? Confused? Satisfied? Depressed? Overloaded? Disjointed?

Attractional is easier in some ways. A good dose of self-awareness, however, would help us see that we are no where near as attractive as we think. What will make our movement a movement? How much of me that Jesus has today. That's what moves the movement beyond a brand or a choice. You with me?

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