News Muse

Musings from the editors of DisciplesWorld magazine on news, religion and whatever else we feel like writing about.

October 30, 2006

"I'm spiritual, but not religious...."

Christian Piatt, contributor to DisciplesWorld and music minister at Milagro Christian Church in Pueblo, Colorado, asks a great question in a recent column in the Pueblo (Colo.) Chieftain:

"If we could meet weekly with a group of people at the coffee shop, but who would never attend our church, would we invest the time?"

Piatt relates the story of Brian, a part-time new church pastor in Texas who works evenings in a coffee shop. Brian often has the opportunity to meet folks who describe themselves as "spiritual, but not religious."

While covering familiar ground in noting the gradual move of religion from the public sphere to the private, Piatt doesn't leave matters in the hands of non-church-goers. Instead, he asks the above question. And why not?

"We need to ask ourselves whether making connections with people is more important than our church membership," Piatt writes.

Read his column here.