With the $20 million the UMC invested in this effort, I'm kind of surprised that it didn't include some kind of copyright protection for the slogan. But, then again, it's more than just the United Methodist type of Church that needs to be rethought, isn't it? And if it reaches new people (or, in this case, people who have been involved previously and drifted away), it's definitely worth considering, regardless of which organization is behind the effort.
United Methodist Reporter Blog: Rethink trademarking?.
was human, is divine?
I followed the link on our beliefs. I found this:
Jesus
He was human? Meaning he isn't any more?
He is Divine? meaning that he wasn't while he lived and died?
When did adoptionism become United Methodist Doctrine?
great point
Leonard Ravenhill, an old holiness preacher (now disceased) used to always say "Jesus only was one thing, dead, everything else He is."
Rethink Trademarking
I'll keep this simple. I keep looking at Rethink Church, and wondering where Jesus is. The reasoning I always get from UMC officialdom is that the church is targeting seekers... we have to be careful when we introduce Jesus. Well, when do we introduce Jesus? I say this as someone who is not evangelical or a conservative, but someone who believes Jesus can show hurting people a new direction in their lives and a new direction for the world. The social Gospel is great, but it is more than simply doing good things for people. As United Methodists, we fail to make that distinction. Good works without faith are good works... but little more. So let's do more than rethink church from a marketing perspective... let's rethink as followers of Jesus Christ who believe we need to share the love of Jesus with a hurting world. Works plus faith... something I don't see in where the church is heading.
re-think Church
I agree that we need to be offering the love of Jesus Christ to a hurting world.