Seeker Sensitivity Comes Home

Wasn’t this the rationale for megachurches and Praise & Worship worship?

“The church’s teaching is quite clear,” said Wuerl. “But the church’s pastoral life is the application of the teaching to where people are. And that’s always been the pastoral challenge of the church.”

“You have to speak with clarity, but then knowing what the fullness of the teaching is, you go out and meet people where they are,” he continued. “And the Holy Father keeps saying to us, ‘Accompany them.'”

“You don’t go out to meet people where they are to scold them,” he said. “You go out to bring them the truth but sometimes to be heard you have to let the person know you know their struggle if you’re going to accompany them at all.”

Giving as example his own ministry as a bishop for nearly 30 years, the cardinal said a church leader must first listen to know what people need in their lives.

“You have to listen in order to know how to say what you want to say so that you’ll be heard,” said Wuerl.

“I think that’s what the tension is between those who put the greatest emphasis on simply saying it — and saying it over and over again — and those who are saying if it’s not being heard, we have to go out and begin to listen so that we know how to say this in a way it will be heard,” he said. “That’s the difference. In neither case are we changing the teaching.”

Exactly. Bill Hybels and Rick Warren changed no doctrine.

18 thoughts on “Seeker Sensitivity Comes Home

  1. I personally just love Chameleon Warren’s appearances on Oprah’s Life Classes. They are as instructive and affirming as Osteen’s messages. Please don’t scold, please don’t preach the law. That picture of Warren staring out of the water makes me gag.

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  2. But it all changes like fashion. We’re patiently awaiting the time when seeker insensitivity is all the rage in Paris.

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  3. DG link:
    -where people are
    -have to speak with clarity
    -must listen to know need
    .
    brings to mind Jesus.

    studying Revelation in BSF this year (w/half a million around the world,’together’, same material!) – so fresh is the initial picture in the book in Rev 2-3 of Jesus walking among the churches- seeing/knowing everything perfectly, uniquely about each one; giving each the exact word each needs; and they all need commendation , reprimand, exhortation, command. (2 not commended).

    His exhortation – REPENT (not needed for 2) of what He exposes

    but in contrast to link: “know how to say this in a way it will be heard”,
    what the Lord says to each: “if you possess an ear – HEAR what the Spirit says to the churches.

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  4. “saying it over and over again” Guffaw.
    Show me a parish in D.C. where these teachings are patiently explaining or even given lip service, especially about sex before marriage or objections to great gay couples. It’s a straw man, and even as the Synod changes no doctrine, it marks a watershed where people can now comfortably dissent by pointing out the great diversity of discussion on the issue.

    This explains it all and confirms that they more talk there is, the more b.s. there is…. Popes not excluded.

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  5. “The church’s teaching is quite clear,” said Wuerl. “But the church’s pastoral life is the application of the teaching to where people are. And that’s always been the pastoral challenge of the church.”

    “You have to speak with clarity, but then knowing what the fullness of the teaching is, you go out and meet people where they are,” he continued. “And the Holy Father keeps saying to us, ‘Accompany them.’”

    “You don’t go out to meet people where they are to scold them,” he said. “You go out to bring them the truth but sometimes to be heard you have to let the person know you know their struggle if you’re going to accompany them at all.”

    Are the homos going to hell, Dr. Hart?

    I never scolded him. I loved him, Me & Mrs. TVD loved him, always welcome in our home. Neither did I ever pretend it was all A-OK because it wasn’t. He knew too. The last thing he wanted from his older brother was for me to pretend it was all A-OK.

    Is Matthew in hell, Darryl? I hope not.

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  6. Sean, four said they didn’t sign it. Now it comes out the pope or his advisors may have leaked the letter to discredit its signers.

    Next you know, Kim Davis will be barred from entry into Vatican City to purchase souvenirs.

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  7. Darryl, I have to attribute all of it to the blood moon and the pending celebration of the deveel in a little over a week. Cuz Francis is all about the humility, openness and listening, he’s a different kind of pope. As Pope Paul said after Vat II, the devil is clouding it all.

    Kim Davis. Aren’t the mormons scolding her now? Francis disowns, Westboro Baptist pickets and now the mormons. More Blood moon shenanigans.

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  8. Some Cats got mad at their brother Douthat for quipping about the “ostentatious humility” of Francis so I won’t say it.

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  9. Darryl, it’s always 5;00 somewhere.

    I wonder if Cranberry juice would qualify as a blood moon drink? Wait for it, and then keep it to yourself.

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