Pastor: Christians should drop ‘us vs. them’ mentality

[hrmjustin]

Jonathan Merritt

When it comes to navigating the interface between faith and culture, there aren’t a lot of pastors I look to. Most I encounter tend to be having conversations that lag somewhere between five and 10 years behind secular society and the academy. This isn’t a criticism as much as an observation.

But James Emery White is an exception to this generalization and is often on the leading edge of pressing cultural conversations. White is founding pastor of Mecklenburg Community Church–a congregation that claims 70% of its growth is from unchurched individuals–and a former president of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. He has written a new book, “Rise of the Nones: Understanding and Reaching the Religiously Unaffiliated”, in which he explores why so many Americans are allergic to organized religion and what he thinks Christians can do to capture them.

- See more at: http://jonathanmerritt.religionnews.com/2014/05/12/james-emery-white-captivate-unchurched/#sthash.kAszWnA3.dpuf

[cbayer]

1. Sounds like he is on the right track here.

His philosophy seems most consistent with the UU's and he definitely has identified a need and an audience.

[hrmjustin]

2. He seems like a great pastor. More need to emulate him.