Scott Brown Is Christian Reformed?

Did you know that Scott Brown, the newly-elected US Senator from Massachusetts, attends a Christian Reformed Church (New England Chapel--Scott Brown and New England Chapel)?  One member describes New England Chapel as "a church for people who have given up on religion but not on God."  Back in the day when Christ Reformed was still a CRC church plant, they pushed us to go in this direction.  We didn't.  But good to hear about Senator Brown.  Lets hope he gets the distinction between the two kingdoms!

Talk about strict church discipline!  Here's a story about a pastor who pulled a gun on his son because of the son's poor church attendance.  People in circles like that ought to be careful.  The son might just draw on pa, and I'll bet the son is quicker.  Packin' heat

The Archbishop of Canterbury was recently in New York near Wall Street.  Given the proximity to money and power, Rowan Williams was asked, "what does the good life look like according to Jesus?"  His answer:  “The Gospels give us a good picture of what the good life looks like,” Archbishop Rowan said.  It resembles, he said, the disciples, extended family and devoted followers who surrounded Jesus during his ministry — a group of people united by “a common identity shaped by the fact that each depends on all others.”  That's about what I would expect from Williams--nothing remotely related to the actual content of the four gospels.  Why can't we just all live together in harmony and sing Lennon's Imagine?  Williams on the "good life"

Here's another lame attempt to reach out to people during the Super Bowl.  An L.A. megachurch (Mosaic) catering to twenty-somethings, many of whom are in the film-making industry, tries a bit of light-hearted humor centering on Dorritos and the resurrection.  What am I missing?  Christianity is not "cool" and it never will be.  Megachurch commercial

Comments

[Lloyd I. Cadle]

That's pretty funny about the pastor pulling a gun in order to make his son go to church.

That is certainly a new use of the law!

[Bill Weber]

I just hope Scott Brown has read the Constitution, understands it, and is willing to support and defend it. Freedom is better than tyranny, and I think that accords with biblical ethics.

[Mark]

@Lloyd

haha! Nicely put.

["lee n. field"]

"New England Chapel CRC" -- instead of church-as-mall we have church-as-industrial-park. Hopefully this is a temporary location, as I'd find it bleak. Uses "The Message"? "Eh."

"The son might just draw on pa, and I'll bet the son is quicker." Actually, I think it likely the old guy would be more dangerous. More experienced, reflexes more practiced, and more likely to use treachery if necessary.

["lee n. field"]

A bit more about Sen. elect Brown and the CRC: http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=MDYzMjc2MGRiYjhhMmRlYzA3ZGVlZjZkYWM5OWZjYTc=

[D. Philip Veitch]

Re: Rowan the Cantaur or Dinosaur creatively and routinely says "nothing."

However, I did hear him giving some comments on the Reformation and he had some things very clearly. Was suprised by this unusual event.

OTOH, when he talks theology, it is either creative nebulousness or obfuscated nothingness.

[pb]

New England Chapel is definitely into the whole emergent/emerging thing, is what I hear around here.

[Reg Schofield]

Looking at the website of Scott Browns church , it appears to be very and I mean very gospel lite. No mention of sin, hell, repentance and no hints of the substitutionary atonement of Christ . I bet you can get a latte in the lobby , while either Rob Bell or Brian Mclaren sing songs on the PA.

As to the Super Bowl add , when will mega churches get it , the cross is an offense . The gospel will never be cool ,hip or whatever word you want to use. That being said , I'm glad that they are airing Tim Tebows pro life spot but I see that as a different kettle of fish.

[Zrim]

But, Reg, in order to be a Super Bowl plug you have to dilute a message to the unoffensible. Could it be that the pro-life movement, by virtue of lining up next to Dorrito's and touted by a "Jesus is my QB" piety, has gone just as soft on abortion as American evangelicalism on religion? But it's odd how the rhetoric vascillates between soft-swooney emotionalism and ham-fisted screed without much in between.

[Timinator]

Did not see the adds but read about them. Churches using adds to drinking football fans well I guess that gives the fans something else to mock or laugh at. That is if they even saw the add.

Way to go Saints

["lee n. field"]

http://www.newenglandchapel.org: "website of Scott Browns church" -- that is interesting.

The must be doing well with respect to numbers, with staff plus 5 pastors.

"Core values" but no confession, not even a homegrown statement of faith. Nothing I can see that even lets me know they're trinitarian (and that's not something one can take for granted).

This is a CRC plant? Ain't the CRC I remember.

[ruby]

Republicans.. Conservatives.. They're just all scared of change.. If you look at europe you can see that healthcare realy does benefit the public health and poverty figures greatly. People in the US not getting any insurance, getting in severe debts cause of their health. All because some people dont want to pay a little bit more taxes for the benefit of the whole country. Talk about egoism. It improves the quality of life everywhere else. But some americans are just too near sighted and stubborn.