The bankruptcy of the attraction model is such a "given" that it shouldn't even have to be discussed (or dissed) amymore..it's opposite is the only "model" found in Scripture, etc...but since it's still the dominating/dominatix paradigm in many a circle..
It is only appropriately subversive that instead of completely trashing and bashing the word "attractional," we can append an attractive (: and attention getting phrase to it, to bring it up to date and into realm of relevancy.
Let's be attractors, after all.
But strange ones.
I see that hand.
Two entries from the glossary of Hirsh's "Forgotten Way":
Attractional church: "essentially, attractional church operates from the ass-umption that to bring people to Jesus we need to first bring them to church. It also decsribes the type or mode of engagement that was birthed during the Christendom period of history, where the churh was perceived as a central institution of society and therefore expected people to 'come and hear the gospel' rather than taking a 'go to them' type of mentality. Not to0 be confised with being culturally attractive "(275).
Strange attractor:"In living systems theory there exists a phenomenon called 'the strange attractor.' Essentially, strange attractors are that force,analogous to a compass, or an animal's deep instict, which orients a living system in one particular direction and provides organisms with the impetus to migrate out of their confort zone. They are found in all living
systems, including human organizations" (287)
Wow, I have not seen a better job description for us pastor-types. Put that on your business card, Scott.
I am a Strange Attractor.
Almost as good as the winking title of Hofstadter's new classic; but I am one of those too.
RELATED>> watch this strangely attractive message below by Jaeson Ma..a new name to me..It's on the bankruptcy of the attaction model...and as a bonus he even makes fun of baptismal certificates:
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Hey, thanks for engaging the conversation!