Latest / Growing Closer to God with Guided Meditation / What are Holistic Micro-churches? Deep Dives with Dan & Sheila #157

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What are Holistic Micro-churches? Deep Dives with Dan & Sheila #157 · Growing Closer to God with Guided Meditation

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: Hi friends, this is Pastor Young from Not your Parents' Religion Podcast, and I approve the following deep dive Welcome to the deep dive.
• 0:22
  Speaker 2: Today we're diving into breaking the cycle of organized religion.
• 0:27
  Speaker 2: This workbook by Robert Young Sr, who founded the Wellness Educational Institute, really got me thinking.
• 0:34
  Speaker 2: It's a fascinating blend of a how-to guide intertwined with Young's personal experiences as a church planter.
• 0:42
  Speaker 3: Yeah, that's an interesting observation.
• 0:43
  Speaker 3: Weaving personal experience into a guide like this definitely adds a unique dimension.
• 0:48
  Speaker 2: Right, and it's not just theory for Young.
• 0:50
  Speaker 2: He founded multiple churches, even worked with inmates in jails.
• 0:53
  Speaker 2: His story is woven right into his ideas about faith and community.
• 0:57
  Speaker 2: But before we get too far into his personal journey, one of the first things that struck me was Young's claim about churches closing and membership declining.
• 1:06
  Speaker 3: Right.
• 1:06
  Speaker 2: It's a bit of a bold statement.
• 1:07
  Speaker 2: So I'm curious does this hold up beyond Young's personal experience?
• 1:11
  Speaker 3: It does.
• 1:12
  Speaker 3: Young's observation reflects a broader trend.
• 1:15
  Speaker 3: We see declining religious affiliation across various denominations.
• 1:19
  Speaker 3: Now this isn't necessarily a new phenomenon.
• 1:22
  Speaker 3: History shows a cycles of religious fervor and decline.
• 1:26
  Speaker 3: What's changed are the driving forces behind those shifts.
• 1:30
  Speaker 2: So what's different now?
• 1:30
  Speaker 2: Why are fewer people engaging with traditional churches?
• 1:34
  Speaker 3: Well, we're seeing the rise of secularism changing demographics, even the way online communities fulfill some of those roles that religious institutions traditionally did, the very way we connect and build communities has evolved.
• 1:47
  Speaker 2: It makes you wonder if traditional churches are struggling to adapt to those changes.
• 1:50
  Speaker 3: That's certainly a question Young raises.
• 1:52
  Speaker 3: He's pretty critical of what he sees as churches focusing too much on attracting newcomers while neglecting the spiritual growth of existing members.
• 2:00
  Speaker 3: He argues that modern churches fall short in what he calls discipleship.
• 2:06
  Speaker 2: Okay, let's unpack that discipleship.
• 2:07
  Speaker 2: It feels like one of those words people throw around, but maybe we don't always grasp the full meaning.
• 2:12
  Speaker 2: How would you explain it?
• 2:13
  Speaker 3: You're right, it can be a loaded term.
• 2:15
  Speaker 3: In its simplest form, discipleship goes beyond just converting people.
• 2:20
  Speaker 3: It's about fostering ongoing spiritual growth, mentorship, learning to live out your faith in a tangible everyday way.
• 2:28
  Speaker 2: So it's not just about showing up on Sunday.
• 2:29
  Speaker 2: It's about integrating those beliefs into your life, your actions, your relationships.
• 2:34
  Speaker 3: Exactly, and it's interesting to consider how this concept of discipleship the commitment to continuous growth and learning might apply outside a strictly religious context.
• 2:44
  Speaker 3: Think about any field you're passionate about.
• 2:46
  Speaker 3: You're constantly seeking knowledge, honing your skills, connecting with others who share that passion in a way that dedicated pursuit could be seen as a form of discipleship.
• 2:57
  Speaker 2: It makes you think about those dedicated communities that pop up around specific crafts, hobbies, even ideas.
• 3:03
  Speaker 2: There's a shared commitment to growth that goes beyond just casual interest, which actually makes me think about Young's own experiences as a church planter.
• 3:12
  Speaker 2: He talks about starting multiple churches, working with inmates in jails and going through this aha moment where he realized the need to change his methods without changing his message that really resonated with me.
• 3:24
  Speaker 2: Was that kind of experimentation and adaptation, a common thread in his journey?
• 3:30
  Speaker 3: It seems to be.
• 3:30
  Speaker 3: Young's path wasn't always straightforward.
• 3:32
  Speaker 3: Right Church planting in general often involves a lot of trial and error.
• 3:36
  Speaker 3: You're trying to build something new, often in uncharted territory.
• 3:39
  Speaker 2: Yeah.
• 3:39
  Speaker 3: That requires flexibility and a willingness to adapt your approach, while staying true to your core values.
• 3:46
  Speaker 2: And his work in jails.
• 3:46
  Speaker 2: That feels like a prime example of adapting your approach.
• 3:49
  Speaker 2: What struck you about his work in that setting, especially with his breaking the cycle program?
• 3:55
  Speaker 3: You're diving into a really critical part of Young's story.
• 3:58
  Speaker 3: Working within the prison system presents unique challenges, but also, as Young discovered, unique opportunities for connection and growth.
• 4:06
  Speaker 3: The success of his Breaking the Cycle program highlights the power of shared experience finding purpose in the face of adversity.
• 4:14
  Speaker 3: Imagine, even within a confined and challenging environment.
• 4:18
  Speaker 3: These inmates found a sense of community and purpose through faith.
• 4:22
  Speaker 2: That idea of finding connection and purpose, especially in a place where people might feel defined by their past mistakes, it really struck me.
• 4:28
  Speaker 3: It speaks to the universal human need for belonging, for something to believe in, regardless of our circumstances.
• 4:34
  Speaker 3: Yeah and Young recognized that even within a system that often focuses on punishment, there's room for redemption, for personal transformation.
• 4:44
  Speaker 2: Which leads us to his idea of a holistic microchurch network, this new model he proposes Now I have to admit the name sounds a bit like something out of a business seminar.
• 4:53
  Speaker 2: But, when I dug into the concept it really piqued my curiosity.
• 4:57
  Speaker 2: Could you paint a picture of what this holistic microchurch network actually looks like in practice?
• 5:03
  Speaker 3: Absolutely Imagine.
• 5:04
  Speaker 3: Instead of a traditional church building you have these smaller, more intimate groups meeting in homes or community centers.
• 5:10
  Speaker 3: They're deeply connected, providing that sense of belonging and support.
• 5:13
  Speaker 3: But they're also engaging in activities that go beyond traditional worship Interesting, Think workshops on financial literacy, support groups for parents, even yoga classes.
• 5:23
  Speaker 3: Young envisions these groups blending faith with practical skills for navigating everyday life.
• 5:28
  Speaker 2: It's fascinating.
• 5:29
  Speaker 2: It's like taking that core sense of community and purpose found in a church and expanding it to encompass all aspects of a person's life.
• 5:37
  Speaker 2: It's not just about Sunday service anymore.
• 5:39
  Speaker 2: It's about integrating those values into your work, your health, your relationships.
• 5:44
  Speaker 3: Exactly and from a practical perspective, this microchurch model has its advantages.
• 5:48
  Speaker 3: Okay, it requires less overhead than maintaining a large church building.
• 5:52
  Speaker 3: It can adapt more easily to the needs of the community it serves.
• 5:56
  Speaker 1: Right.
• 5:57
  Speaker 3: But it also raises questions about financial sustainability and the potential for isolation if these smaller groups aren't well connected within a larger network.
• 6:04
  Speaker 2: It's a trade-off right the intimacy of a small group versus the resources and support of a larger institution.
• 6:11
  Speaker 3: Yes and Young acknowledges that balancing those needs is crucial for the success of this model.
• 6:17
  Speaker 3: It's about fostering a sense of belonging within the smaller group while maintaining those vital connections to a broader community of support.
• 6:26
  Speaker 2: That makes a lot of sense.
• 6:27
  Speaker 2: It's that delicate balance between fostering deep connection within a smaller group while ensuring those individuals also feel connected to something larger than themselves, and that actually seems to tie back to Jung's emphasis on personal transformation as a form of evangelism.
• 6:42
  Speaker 2: It's like he's saying the way you live your life becomes its own testimony.
• 6:47
  Speaker 3: You've hit the nail on the head.
• 6:48
  Speaker 3: Jung firmly believes that authentic faith should be evident in your actions, your relationships, your daily life.
• 6:54
  Speaker 3: It's less about preaching and more about embodying your beliefs in a way that resonates with others.
• 6:58
  Speaker 3: It's a concept we see echoed in various forms throughout history and across different belief systems.
• 7:03
  Speaker 3: Really, it's that idea of lived faith where actions speak louder than words.
• 7:09
  Speaker 2: It's about walking the walk, not just talking the talk.
• 7:11
  Speaker 3: Precisely, and it challenges us to think about how our values, whether religious or secular, manifest in our interactions with the world around us.
• 7:19
  Speaker 3: How do we live our truth in a way that is authentic and impactful?
• 7:23
  Speaker 2: That's such a powerful question and it extends far beyond just organized religion.
• 7:28
  Speaker 2: It makes you think about how you show up in your community, your workplace, even within your own family.
• 7:33
  Speaker 3: Absolutely, and Young doesn't shy away from the challenges of living out your faith.
• 7:37
  Speaker 3: He dives into topics like accountability, the importance of studying scripture in context, and even touches on the concept of spiritual warfare.
• 7:44
  Speaker 2: Those are definitely topics worthy of their own deep dives.
• 7:46
  Speaker 2: We could spend hours unpacking those ideas.
• 7:49
  Speaker 3: We certainly could, but for now, I think the key takeaway is this Young challenges us to move beyond simply adhering to a set of rules or attending services.
• 7:59
  Speaker 3: He wants us to engage in a continual process of learning, reflection and growth, to grapple with these complex questions and find what resonates with us on a personal level.
• 8:10
  Speaker 2: To find what feels authentic to our own experiences and values Exactly.
• 8:14
  Speaker 2: You know as much as I enjoy unpacking a thought-provoking book.
• 8:17
  Speaker 2: The real magic happens when we take these ideas and apply them to our own lives.
• 8:22
  Speaker 3: I couldn't agree more.
• 8:23
  Speaker 2: So, whether you're a longtime churchgoer, someone exploring different spiritual paths or simply interested in the future of community, I hope this deep dive into breaking the cycle of organized religion sparked some new ideas.
• 8:35
  Speaker 2: Maybe it even challenged some of your existing beliefs.
• 8:38
  Speaker 3: And remember this is just the beginning of the conversation what resonated with you, what felt relevant to your own life and experiences.
• 8:45
  Speaker 2: Yeah.
• 8:45
  Speaker 3: What would you change or keep if you could redesign the way we build community and find meaning?
• 8:51
  Speaker 2: What a fantastic question to leave our listeners with.
• 8:54
  Speaker 2: And, on that note, thank you for joining us for another deep dive.
• 8:57
  Speaker 2: Until next time, keep those minds curious and those conversations flowing.
• 9:01
  Speaker 1: Hi, friend, this is Pastor Young again.
• 9:02
  Speaker 1: I hope you enjoyed that Deep Dive and if you need more information or clarification about anything that was discussed in this episode, please do not hesitate to give us to get in contact with us and all of the ways to get in contact with us in the description box below.
• 9:19
  Speaker 1: So until next time, I am your host, Pastor Robert Young, and this is Not your Parents Religion, and may God bless you you.