Dan MacFadyen, pastor (?), of Amplify Church in protecting surrounding the campus. If PCC knows about what Dan is doing, I guarantee you they are praying for his “salvation” and the people he is “leading astray.”
Interestingly enough I got an email from my mother today asking me if I knew the guy. Apparently the Democrat and Chronicle,
“Was reading the D&C newspaper today and it had an article about a guy named Dan MacFadyen which said he had graduated from PCC about four years ago, so I am assuming that you know him! It was kind of strange for the D&C to carry this article, but it said that Dan and his wife (Sarah) were now living in Colorado Springs and started "Amplify Church" located in a bar called Thirsty Parrot, which is closed on Sunday evenings, so that's when they have their church for "real" people of "disaffected young evangelicals" who are tired of "traditional Christian rites and rituals in favor of an ultracasual atmosphere." The church is called "Amplify" because it has "a band blasting rock music from the nightclub's main stage" and singing about Jesus. They are against "abortion and sees homosexuality as a sin, but he doesn't preach against them or emphasize topics unless the issue comes up for discussion at a service."
I certainly was surprised to see a PCC grad causing such a stir in the American evangelical community. I responded to my mother:
I knew Dan very well, actually. We graduated together. From what I remember about him, he was fairly level-headed. He wasn’t one who was drinking the PCC Kool-Aid, and he never claimed to have “caught the spirit” (PCC’s slogan), but he never demonstrated a bitter spirit toward PCC. He married Sarah, a girl, who was as “PCCish” as they come. The fact that Sarah is doing this with Dan is the more surprising of the anomalies.
What I find ironic is his disassociation with “centuries-old rituals.” I am assuming he has his Baptist heritage in mind, a tradition really only about 400 years old… Sounds like he is thinking about the Baptist church like others (ugh-hum) think about high church liturgy, etc.
My opinion: Fundamentalists teach their students to throw off “tradition, rituals, rites” and just preach the Bible. So he’s only doing what he was taught, just not in a way that would warrant their stamp of approval. What PCC really desires for their students is to adopt its views (tradition) of the Christian life and practice it their way. If their student(s) don’t they are conveniently labeled “liberal” and beat-down by the pulpiteers.
I would not necessary agree with Dan’s cavalier spirit and lone ranger mentality, but if the gospel of Jesus and his kingdom is the driving force behind his ministry, then I say let him be. If it is not of Christ, sooner or later, that will be brought to light. My speculation is that when the novelty wears off he will be left with a wide-reach but only an inch-deep. Cynicism has the best of me in these situations.
It appears Dan has adopted their philosophy, but just not their manner of living out that philosophy.
My buddy Ryan (and fellow PCC grad) read the email from my mother and responded:
Go Dan!!! Misguided intentions, but never would have guessed it, I think he did Truth Alive? And didn’t he marry Sarah Carpenter…Chris Carpenter’s sister, the guy that used to sing all the time? As you might remember, Dan and I switched places when I was de-APL-ed [one way of PCC punishing you for rebellious behavior]. One side of me says, “Go Dan!” the other side says, “Dan, don’t be foolish.”
Where I certainly wouldn’t do things the way Dan is doing them, meeting in a downtown bar being one of them, I understand his motivation. After all, the Biy-ya-ble says, “don’t drink beer!”