Original article:

There is no doubt that the world has changed enormously in the past decades, and it is undeniable that the way we do ministry has to change. What worked twenty years ago may not work today.

Mark’s response:

This is vitally important in the area of Christian education which dismally lags behind.

OA:

For a long time the Western world was dominated by modernity, > with its emphasis on reason and logic.

Mark:

I recommend John Ralston Saul’s ‘Voltaire’s Bastards: The Dictatorship of <>

OA:

Yet we find that people are still looking for role models. In fact, the yearning for role models is probably more than ever – because people really want to follow heroes. The problem is: They can hardly find any.

Mark:

Look at the popularity of U2 and the open Christianity of 3 out of the 4 members. Read Steve Stockman’s ‘Walk On: The spiritual journey of U2’ (Relevant Books; Lake Mary:2001)

OA:

In this environment any form of Bible bashing simply won’t work. This does not mean that we no longer boldly and unashamedly proclaim the gospel, but that the way we communicate our message has to be different.

Mark:

Again, look at the metaphors used by U2 and Bob Dylan.

OA:

This demands greater grace and acceptance on the part of the church. (The story in the first chapter of Philip Yancey’s What’s So Amazing About Grace is most telling.)

Mark:

Read his ‘Soul Survivor: How my faith survived the church’.