Mammas, Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be...
Greg (or others),
1) Have you really ever seen a cowboy church? I gotta check it out.
2) You wrote, "But I would think one of the implications of Thabiti’s talk is that we should strive to build churches that transcend not only race but also ethnicity—a place where cowboys, hip-hoppers, and yuppies all worship Christ together." So let's get real practical with that. Does that mean churches should incorporate music from these different ethnicities? Should churches adopt an affirmative action policy for staff hiring or elder nominations? I'm being serious here.
Let me pick up one of these ideas--elder nominations or staff hiring. No, I don't think an official policy should be set in place, but I'd like to propose that a church does well to pray and ask God to bring it members of multiple ethnicities for assuming leadership positions. In fact, given our nation's trouble with these matters, I propose that the gospel encourages us to pray in exactly this fashion.
Thoughts? And how about music?
No, I have no idea why I picked that title for this post. It just seemed like the thing to do.
UPDATE: reader Scott L. has informed me that there really is a cowboy church. Giddyup.
This is a very thought provoking series of posts ...
It would seem to me (and I have to admit to be coming at this from my own cultural biases) that for a church like that to work (and I think it's very proper and right) it might actually be best to transcend cultures and quite literally create its own "culture." So that you leave the rap and cowboy music at home and use something very counter-cultural in corporate worship... not to pooh-pooh those cultures, but to create something unique and different.
Two cents from the peanut gallery ... but very fasinating thoughts.
Posted by: Matthew Tilley | Apr 23, 2008 1:27:32 PM
I wonder if Cowboy churches uses this: http://www.ibsdirect.com/p-181-niv-the-way-for-cowboys-softcover-new-testamentpsalmsproverbs.aspx.
I'm just waiting for the ESV version to come out.
Posted by: Tim H. | Apr 23, 2008 2:17:08 PM
a note on cowboy churches:
they started out as being bible studies on the rodeo circuit. since the events were held on weekends/sundays, the competitors needed a church where they were so they could still worship together. these temporary bible studies/churches grew and became more established, leading them to where many of them are now. so it's not just a style of worship, it grew from a practical need.
Posted by: Meredith M. | Apr 23, 2008 5:17:11 PM
One of Saddleback's "venues" is a western theme, and there is line dancing after the service. I'm not making that up.
Posted by: Chris | Apr 23, 2008 9:17:24 PM
I'm from Texas so I am sure it wouldn't surprise you to know that we too have a Cowboy church. Actually...there are several...."Texas Fellowship of Cowboy Churches"
www.texasfcc.org/
Posted by: chris | Apr 30, 2008 9:20:30 AM