American Christian Mind Project
Donation protected
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment.
And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”
These are the very words of Jesus Christ.
_________________________________________________________
The American Christian Mind Project is about helping churches teach their people to love God with all their minds.
American Evangelicalism has been almost notorious for anti-intellectualism amongst the people. But Jesus told us in His First Commandment - we must love God with all our minds.
This is not "optional."
If we love God, we must teach the people to love God with all their minds. This includes developing their minds to the glory of God.
Failing to do so is sin.
One primary goal is to provide special, intentional media - booklets and leaflets - which churches will be able to use to help confront issues of socially acceptable sin and other problems which it seems pulpit ministries and other church ministries somehow aren't reaching. These are our "All Your Mind Christian Literature Centers" - to cover a range of topics, aimed at helping church communities learn to love God with all their minds. This is a program of intentional communication, intentional use of media and strategically confronted corporate repentance It also uses some mnemonic mind mapping techniques. We hope it will be used by God to reach hearts as most Christian literature and media don't, bringing repentance in the right areas, and inspiration and spiritual growth in others, so American Christians in those churches we work with start loving God with their minds as Christ taught us we must.
The methodology is rooted in history, Biblical principles of intentionality following the examples of Jesus and Paul, time-tested liturgical practices, and ancient techniques for changing the heart and strengthening memory. These have also been confirmed by sound contemporary psychology.
It's especially inspired by one important reformation movement of the church in times very much like our own, which was especially effective in combatting the problems of effete emotionalism and loss of a sense of good church doctrine and practices - a time also when the people of the church weren't loving God with their minds. This was the Tractarian movement of the 1800's in England, with such figures as John Henry Newman and Edward Pusey. Though the movement is mostly remembered by Anglo-Catholics today, it was prominent in restoring a stronger sense of the importance of doctrine in the church, and in a greater trust in church authority amongst the people of the church.
We've already created a resource site for church leaders and those mature Christians they trust on this matter to help them address their people on this issue. The problem of the American Christian mind has many different aspects - we've identified more than 60 aspects for which we've provided at least short analysis, and many which are covered rather extensively. In total, in word count terms, the site measures nearly 900 double-spaced pages, in about 120 different articles. We believe it contains material which is really fit only for highly mature Christians, and do not wish to provoke scandal either - so it is secured. But if you are a church leader, or a church leader will confirm that your spiritual and intellectual maturity are adequate for this site, you can request a login.
This is the only site we know of like this - it is:
1.) Aimed at bringing church leaders to conviction and repentance concerning our problems with not loving God with all our minds in the American church, and our failures at teaching the people to do this.
2.) Investigative, seeing the problem from many aspects;
3.) Synthetic, discovering some trends amongst some of these aspects (which have yet to be discussed seriously by the American Christian community)
4.) Highly practical - covering some of the latest available materials, analyses, but also addressing issues like word usage, and the practical tasks of bringing over very difficult issues to hardened hearts.
Some of this material will probably be new even to most seminary professors. Some might be the first time it's exposed to the Christian community. Some of it needs to be further reviewed by church leaders before we are confident that it doesn't contain error. Many of our church's problems come from moments when new ideas were published too quickly, without church review - and we don't wish to make that same mistake.
But the good news is, from our analysis, we believe that the most difficult issues for reaching people's hearts and minds have already been covered by Evangelical authors - some even only very recently, such as the work of Tom Bergler on our immaturity, and Todd Brenneman on our problem with sentimentalism. The hardest work has already been done! It's just a matter of bringing this good work to the people, in an effective manner, through the structures God ordained for His people to live in: this means, local churches. We aim to work with local churches, through their leaders - and not be just another parachurch ministry, think tank, or "special consultant." One of the problems which we see emerging in many aspects here - is how our mind problem is a body problem. Part of it is simply a matter of people learning to follow their own church leaders - rather than telling their leaders what Johnny Hotspeaker says about leadership or effective ministries, and implicitly telling their leaders what to do, and how to guide them.
We're convinced that churches that are serious about helping their members confront the sin of not loving God with our minds, in 2017, have a wonderful opportunity to do this.
The problem of the American Christian mind also has a financial side - it seems American Christians are too reluctant to give to organizations that can help the mind, or to things that are good for their minds. We document this problem on the site as well. Because of this sad problem, we hope also to provide a way for Christian tent makers who are helping the church with this sad sin problem to earn their living with flexible part-time employment in online writing tutoring centers. We've already done a lot of market research, and one of our team members has a lot of education in this particular field of teaching, as an instructor of online writing tutors. Another is a web developer specialized in web application systems with work-flow management, who is developing a platform more advanced than any we have seen in this sector, with the aim of saving time and money, providing quality services while allowing us to pay our instructors a decent wage. This we hope to launch at writeanoia.com - which in addition to providing Christian tentmakers who are helping confront the issue of the sin of the Christian mind, will also employ a theology of editing and correction for the sake of metanoia, or transformation of mind - as we read about Jesus being the vine, and how our lives (and minds, and creative work) need pruning. We'd like to make clear here - your donations go first to our first priority, which is the American Christian Mind project and its aim at helping churches with their own AllYourMind Christian Mind Literature centers. We're still hoping to launch Writeanoia - but as we see how much work ACM and AYM will likely be - Writeanoia might get postponed - or it could be we try to pass this project to another capable person - or it's just not for us. We want you to be clear about what our plans are, and where your money is going.
Unfortunately, with this initial round of fund-raising - your gift is not tax-deductible. We are in the process of discussing the beginning of a registered charity with our main church authority (St. Michael the Archangel in Charlotte, NC) and other wise church leaders, as well as the formation of a provisional board, giving us time to seek the appropriate long-term board members.
Anyone interested in further information can contact us at AmericanChristianMind.org - church leaders or those mature Christians they designate as representatives will be given logins to the main site if asked.
We are eager to hear from church leaders about our work, and especially invite their wisdom in helping us chart out practical means of addressing these very difficult sin issues, which it seems very few people in America are serious about addressing.
We are also very serious about the importance of prayer about this issue, and are intent upon calling upon church leaders to pray regularly online together about it. We will be facilitating means for doing this for any church leader (or member, for that matter) to do so.
If you wish to pray with us, or for us, please contact us at AmericanChristianMind.org - we will provide with you information about our prayer letter, our newsletter, and also inform you of how you can pray together with us in online prayer - for the issue of loving God with the mind in the American church.
We strongly believe that prayer is critical for this, and praying together online is one of the underestimated things in American Christian ministry.
Thank you for your kind attention. And may you help in whatever way you can - to help the American Christians learn to stop sinning, and start loving God with all their minds, as Christ told us.
And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”
These are the very words of Jesus Christ.
_________________________________________________________
The American Christian Mind Project is about helping churches teach their people to love God with all their minds.
American Evangelicalism has been almost notorious for anti-intellectualism amongst the people. But Jesus told us in His First Commandment - we must love God with all our minds.
This is not "optional."
If we love God, we must teach the people to love God with all their minds. This includes developing their minds to the glory of God.
Failing to do so is sin.
One primary goal is to provide special, intentional media - booklets and leaflets - which churches will be able to use to help confront issues of socially acceptable sin and other problems which it seems pulpit ministries and other church ministries somehow aren't reaching. These are our "All Your Mind Christian Literature Centers" - to cover a range of topics, aimed at helping church communities learn to love God with all their minds. This is a program of intentional communication, intentional use of media and strategically confronted corporate repentance It also uses some mnemonic mind mapping techniques. We hope it will be used by God to reach hearts as most Christian literature and media don't, bringing repentance in the right areas, and inspiration and spiritual growth in others, so American Christians in those churches we work with start loving God with their minds as Christ taught us we must.
The methodology is rooted in history, Biblical principles of intentionality following the examples of Jesus and Paul, time-tested liturgical practices, and ancient techniques for changing the heart and strengthening memory. These have also been confirmed by sound contemporary psychology.
It's especially inspired by one important reformation movement of the church in times very much like our own, which was especially effective in combatting the problems of effete emotionalism and loss of a sense of good church doctrine and practices - a time also when the people of the church weren't loving God with their minds. This was the Tractarian movement of the 1800's in England, with such figures as John Henry Newman and Edward Pusey. Though the movement is mostly remembered by Anglo-Catholics today, it was prominent in restoring a stronger sense of the importance of doctrine in the church, and in a greater trust in church authority amongst the people of the church.
We've already created a resource site for church leaders and those mature Christians they trust on this matter to help them address their people on this issue. The problem of the American Christian mind has many different aspects - we've identified more than 60 aspects for which we've provided at least short analysis, and many which are covered rather extensively. In total, in word count terms, the site measures nearly 900 double-spaced pages, in about 120 different articles. We believe it contains material which is really fit only for highly mature Christians, and do not wish to provoke scandal either - so it is secured. But if you are a church leader, or a church leader will confirm that your spiritual and intellectual maturity are adequate for this site, you can request a login.
This is the only site we know of like this - it is:
1.) Aimed at bringing church leaders to conviction and repentance concerning our problems with not loving God with all our minds in the American church, and our failures at teaching the people to do this.
2.) Investigative, seeing the problem from many aspects;
3.) Synthetic, discovering some trends amongst some of these aspects (which have yet to be discussed seriously by the American Christian community)
4.) Highly practical - covering some of the latest available materials, analyses, but also addressing issues like word usage, and the practical tasks of bringing over very difficult issues to hardened hearts.
Some of this material will probably be new even to most seminary professors. Some might be the first time it's exposed to the Christian community. Some of it needs to be further reviewed by church leaders before we are confident that it doesn't contain error. Many of our church's problems come from moments when new ideas were published too quickly, without church review - and we don't wish to make that same mistake.
But the good news is, from our analysis, we believe that the most difficult issues for reaching people's hearts and minds have already been covered by Evangelical authors - some even only very recently, such as the work of Tom Bergler on our immaturity, and Todd Brenneman on our problem with sentimentalism. The hardest work has already been done! It's just a matter of bringing this good work to the people, in an effective manner, through the structures God ordained for His people to live in: this means, local churches. We aim to work with local churches, through their leaders - and not be just another parachurch ministry, think tank, or "special consultant." One of the problems which we see emerging in many aspects here - is how our mind problem is a body problem. Part of it is simply a matter of people learning to follow their own church leaders - rather than telling their leaders what Johnny Hotspeaker says about leadership or effective ministries, and implicitly telling their leaders what to do, and how to guide them.
We're convinced that churches that are serious about helping their members confront the sin of not loving God with our minds, in 2017, have a wonderful opportunity to do this.
The problem of the American Christian mind also has a financial side - it seems American Christians are too reluctant to give to organizations that can help the mind, or to things that are good for their minds. We document this problem on the site as well. Because of this sad problem, we hope also to provide a way for Christian tent makers who are helping the church with this sad sin problem to earn their living with flexible part-time employment in online writing tutoring centers. We've already done a lot of market research, and one of our team members has a lot of education in this particular field of teaching, as an instructor of online writing tutors. Another is a web developer specialized in web application systems with work-flow management, who is developing a platform more advanced than any we have seen in this sector, with the aim of saving time and money, providing quality services while allowing us to pay our instructors a decent wage. This we hope to launch at writeanoia.com - which in addition to providing Christian tentmakers who are helping confront the issue of the sin of the Christian mind, will also employ a theology of editing and correction for the sake of metanoia, or transformation of mind - as we read about Jesus being the vine, and how our lives (and minds, and creative work) need pruning. We'd like to make clear here - your donations go first to our first priority, which is the American Christian Mind project and its aim at helping churches with their own AllYourMind Christian Mind Literature centers. We're still hoping to launch Writeanoia - but as we see how much work ACM and AYM will likely be - Writeanoia might get postponed - or it could be we try to pass this project to another capable person - or it's just not for us. We want you to be clear about what our plans are, and where your money is going.
Unfortunately, with this initial round of fund-raising - your gift is not tax-deductible. We are in the process of discussing the beginning of a registered charity with our main church authority (St. Michael the Archangel in Charlotte, NC) and other wise church leaders, as well as the formation of a provisional board, giving us time to seek the appropriate long-term board members.
Anyone interested in further information can contact us at AmericanChristianMind.org - church leaders or those mature Christians they designate as representatives will be given logins to the main site if asked.
We are eager to hear from church leaders about our work, and especially invite their wisdom in helping us chart out practical means of addressing these very difficult sin issues, which it seems very few people in America are serious about addressing.
We are also very serious about the importance of prayer about this issue, and are intent upon calling upon church leaders to pray regularly online together about it. We will be facilitating means for doing this for any church leader (or member, for that matter) to do so.
If you wish to pray with us, or for us, please contact us at AmericanChristianMind.org - we will provide with you information about our prayer letter, our newsletter, and also inform you of how you can pray together with us in online prayer - for the issue of loving God with the mind in the American church.
We strongly believe that prayer is critical for this, and praying together online is one of the underestimated things in American Christian ministry.
Thank you for your kind attention. And may you help in whatever way you can - to help the American Christians learn to stop sinning, and start loving God with all their minds, as Christ told us.
Organizer
James Coder
Organizer
Charlotte, NC
