Comments on: When the Bicycle Threatened the Church

By: Kun polkupyörä oli syntiä… « Korpialttari

Kun polkupyörä oli syntiä… « Korpialttari — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 22:18:31 +0000

[...] 23, 2009 on tehnyt Rami Lehtola Luin hiljattain Bobby Gruenewaldin postauksen LifeChurchin Swerwe -blogista. Bobby kertoo, kuinka vuonna 1896 Presbyteerikirkon johtajat [...]

By: Ariel Marquez » Blog Archive » When The Bicycle Threatened the Church

Ariel Marquez » Blog Archive » When The Bicycle Threatened the Church — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 14:46:46 +0000

[...] re-posting an interesting blog from Craig Groeschel. I’m an avid biker and I bike on Mondays (which is my sabbath or rest day). Is riding a bike [...]

By: The Evils of Cycling « timmcollins.com

The Evils of Cycling « timmcollins.com — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 18:23:50 +0000

[...] HT: Swerve [...]

By: Rev. Glenn Bosley-Mitchell

Rev. Glenn Bosley-Mitchell — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 20:56:20 +0000

However, there has been an intrusion into the sanctity of Sunday morning in some areas of our land with a proliferation of triathlons or bike club rides that always seemed to be scheduled on Sunday mornings. Also taking parents along for the ride in weekend travel ball tournaments (soccer, baseball, softball, etc), Sunday mornings are filled with other competing attractions. Yeah, I know one answer is that worship can occur at times other than just on Sunday mornings, but what about the clergy and their family??

By: Gary Detrich

Gary Detrich — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 15:40:57 +0000

Aren’t all innovations little foxes that divert our heart, time and treasure. Some foxes can be caught and somewhat domesticated but they are still foxes; be ware. The reality is one God and one person; everything else is a help or a hindrance.

By: Joe

Joe — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 15:22:25 +0000

I sure hope riding a bike is not breaking the Sabbath because I ride mine just about everywhere including to church on Sunday. I think that innovation is something that can not be avoided but should be tested according to the Word before it is applied. I went to a church one time when I was traveling. My Bible had gotten stolen at the airport and I had not ahd time to get a new one. I was given mean looks when I asked if the church had an extra for me to use.

By: Ray

Ray — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 14:37:12 +0000

Isn’t it all about the motive of the church? It seems that the fear of new innovations is that it may make the church more like worldly culture. What is essential to understand, and you all at LifeChurch do this so well, is that “innovation” whatever it may be can be a tool for advancing the kingdom. What is the motive for embracing a new innovation? When the motive is ungodly, then it’s wrong. When godly motives are criticized as ungodly, then the critics are wrong.

As Gamaliel said in Acts 5, “Consider carefully what you do…if the purpose is of human origin, it wall fail. But if it is from God, you won’t be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.”

-Looked up on Youversion from my iPhone.

By: Christian Haiku

Christian Haiku — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 09:17:33 +0000

Change and religion
About as compatible
As light and darkness

By: Adam S

Adam S — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 23:21:18 +0000

I think there is something else going on here. Today we see bicycle riding as a purely enjoyable activity. But in 1896 it was more than enjoyment (although some rides were clearly enjoyable). Bicycle riding was more of a transportation method that allowed people to move further than just walking (or other transportation options). So riding a bicycle allowed you to get further away from your “parish” (physically further from your church).

In an era when people don’t think anything about driving 20 or 30 minutes to church it would be very odd for us to think that riding your bike would allow you to go to different churches or get further away from your home to do something else (either work or enjoyment.) But I would think that is at least part of what is going on here, as much or more than being a luddite as a church.

By: Marc Millan

Marc Millan — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 22:49:42 +0000

Coming from a person gifted with vision with innovation, this is a great post Craig!
Today one could say Music in church, Videos, wardrobe? Shucks it’s denim jeans for some Churches right now..Have you heard about the Pastor who wants to burn books and bibles that aren’t King James Versions? CRAZEEEE.
People struggle with change when it challenges THEIR world view of “normal”. God has no limits, he see’s no boundaries, HE SENT HIS OWN SON TO DIE, How is that for CRAZY LOVE!
Innovation. Bold. Daring.Inspiring.Few discover it.

By: Amanda Sims

Amanda Sims — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 21:45:41 +0000

A few weeks I was visiting a small country church in rural Alabama. When the pastor asked us to open our Bibles, you should have seen the odd looks I got when I pulled out my iPhone instead. I almost wanted to stand up and say, “Have you heard of YouVersion?”

As with any technology, there are always going to be early adopters, and those who take a bit longer to understand. But I’m thankful that we see innovation as a tool instead of a hindrance when it comes to the mission of the Church.

By: riddle

riddle — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 21:26:54 +0000

I see what you’re getting at. I’m all for knocking down fence laws as much as the next guy. I’m also for innovation. However, I’m not for blind innovation. As weird as it is to say it, bicycles were a technology that changed us. AS did planes, trains and automobiles ((those aren’t two pillows!)) Now, I’m not sure it has to be the innovator who has to do all the reflection and more than it’s the theorist who needs to innovate. But the two must be willing to listen to each other.
innovation not only changes us, it changes the gospel. I wouldn’t actually say that this is a bad thing (or a good thing). I do know this, that technology and innovation isn’t neutral.

bikes, phones, video, eyeglasses etc. it all changes us and the gospel changes as well but let’s not ignore it.

By: Fred Wolfe

Fred Wolfe — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 19:31:05 +0000

Believe it or not, I see this guys heart.

Too many times we use the Lord’s day as a day to catch up on things we have not done during the week. We use it for bicycle riding, weightlifting, other fun activities, whatever. I rarely hear of families spending the day in family worship, prayer and Bible Study.

I don’t want to jump into the legalist camp, as bicycle riding is not unscriptural at all. On the other hand, when was the last time we encouraged people to search the scriptures for what IS the scriptural way to honor the sabbath day? I am more and more concerned with the level of Biblical illiteracy in our congregations. One of the things I have done about it is to encourage my people to dedicate Sundays to Bible study and family worship at home. So far, it has gone a long way toward building strong family identities in the Lord, and promoting the Supremacy of Christ in our lives. I am not afraid of innovation, but I also know that there is plenty on innovation that has lead our churches into lukewarm waters. I just encourage everyone to be careful, and be Biblical.

By: Brandon Duff

Brandon Duff — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 18:16:11 +0000

A few weeks back I had to put the breaks on video one of our creative guys did… “please turn of our cell phones”. He was concerned about phones ringing, which I understand, but he reverted back to old school no phones in church.

I reminded him that just two weeks prior we showed the clip talking about using your cell phone as a Bible, Youversion. He laughed and trashed his video clip.

It’s easy for us to slip in to old school mentality. We need to constantly ask the question, Why can’t we do that?

By: Kevin Womack

Kevin Womack — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 16:52:31 +0000

Sorry Bobby, just noticed you wrote this one!

By: Kevin Womack

Kevin Womack — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 16:51:16 +0000

Love this, Craig! I’m a Presbyterian pastor who is an avid cyclist. If they hadn’t figured this out I’d be hunting for a new denomination right now!

By: Kevin Bordeaux

Kevin Bordeaux — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 15:42:58 +0000

This is a great dialogue for the haters of the multi-site movement. I have been in dialogue with a lot of the organic, hippy, homechurch type guys. They say these multi-sites are not biblical and are destroying the church. Sounds like the bicycle, huh?

By: Kyle L Reed

Kyle L Reed — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 15:41:27 +0000

For the longest time I think music was the taboo thing that was not allowed in the church. I still see a lot this today, but it seems that more churches are starting to embrace the idea that there is no such thing as Christian music, just the label. But I still think that music is highly contested innovation.

By: Tom E. Snyder

Tom E. Snyder — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 15:23:45 +0000

The sad part is that people who reject innovation for the status quo fail to realize that the things they currently accept (e.g., buildings, hymnals, Sunday school) were at one time rejected as needless innovation.

By: Chris

Chris — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 14:52:11 +0000

Other examples I have found are the church’s condemnation of forks and anesthesia.