Excellent Interview with Brian McLaren

Author and speaker, Brian McLaren, was recently interviewed by Tim Funk of the Charlotte Observer.  Click here to read this excellent interview.  It's a bit lengthy, but it is well worth the read.

McLaren grew up in a Plymouth Brethren Church and has some affinity with Anabaptist faith movements.  He led a workshop at the Mennonite Church USA gathering in Atlanta.  He has also been a featured speaker at Goshen College and other Mennonite institutions.

He offers a glimpse of what is happening in the faith communities outside of Mennonite church walls.  There is much to be excited about when speakers and writers like McLaren speak of Jesus the peacemaker.

What do you think?  To leave comments, just hit the comment link at the bottom of each post.

Comments

[concerned mennonite]

Do you think Mennonites should be following Brian McLaren?

http://rollovermenno.wordpress.com/2007/09/13/emerging-mennonites/

[michaeldanner]

"concerned mennonite",

Thanks for the question, I'm the lead pastor at MMC, and I don't want to speak for the congregation, but in my opinion, I don't think followers of Jesus should follow anyone but Jesus (Mennonite or otherwise).

I posted the interview because McLaren is being seen and heard in Mennonite Church circles more and more. I did think the interview was well done. I thought it would help people connect the name with some of his positions.

I don't think it is healthy to accept what any person says without testing it against what the scriptures say. Having read much of what McLaren has written, I think some of his positions fit well within an Anabaptist/Mennonite theological framework. At other points, I disagree with Brian. That's a discussion for another day.

But, no, I don't think Christians should follow McLaren or Menno Simons or Billy Graham or [insert favorite preacher/teacher here] we are called to follow Jesus.

In Jesus,

Pastor Michael