Sporadic Insomniac
I have not been able to sleep in the past week. The recent move to a new house probably factors in somehow. Maybe my body and mind have not been able to adjust to its new environment. But it has been kinda cool to lay there in silence, being still before the Lord. I find myself being in somewhat of a dreamy state of consciousness and yet fully aware at the same time. Peculiar.
I read this article during one of these episodes http://www.blahonline.net/features.php?feature_id=14. I found it to be pretty straight forward and dead on. I share a lot of the same thoughts that the writer has. I read it with the church that I'm with in mind. The elders have recently casted this vision that centered on the focus of "Reach and Grow". I think the direction is great but the premise concerns me. A lot of the "outreach" or "evangelism" hinges upon people coming to the building. Sure, there is effort to venture out but only with the intent to bring someone back to the corner of Minnesota and Hicks. I can't help but be reminded of Jesus and his encounter with the woman at the well. He sought her out where she was and connected with her physical need first by addressing her thirst and the reason why she was there that day. He then took that connection and engaged her emotionally and then spiritually. She didn't need to go back to the synagogue or wait for the right day or time but was able to experience something life altering then and there. Jesus met her in her own space and time. I find that, even as followers of Christ, we don't really follow his example because we often times do it backwards. We attempt to speak to people on a spiritual level first or get them to come to a "service" before we seek to engage them emotionally, mentally, or even meet their physical needs.
In Mike Pilavachi's book Soul Survivor, he outlines a great description of the Christian mode of "evangelism". He postulates that the church is sorta like a castle fortress with a huge moat around it. Inside, people are living in a separate world and being trained so that they are convincing and effective in bringing the"people out there" to join "us in here". Every so often, they have a huge event where the drawbridge comes down and they are let loose into the countryside to round up more castle dwellers. Its funny to read but there is truth to that illustration. Jesus wouldn't be found in the castle, would he? I think he be in the villages or along the hillside or at the local pub. If thats where his ministry and heart is, shouldn't the majority of my focus be there too? Granted there are matters in the castle that need to be addressed and people need to be ministered to,discipleship, fellowship and all that good stuff but all that is with the intent to live in Christ outside where most our lives unfold and intersect with other villagers.
It would seem that to a certain extent, we have replaced Church with Christ. How and when this occurred is a separate mind boggler in and of itself. The way Church is approached and carried out sometimes saddens me. See the thing is, my family and I have been touched by God through the PEOPLE of the church in so many ways;its incredible to be graced by God in such a manner. But yet it seems that CHURCH has somehow reduced this aspect and we are left mainly with meetings, budgets, and programs in the guise of ministry. The Sunday service seems to be the dominant element of the Christian faith and the most visible representation of CHURCH. Yet that should only be one of many elements not its most important. Can we just "be the church" and no longer "go to church"? Is this not the way its supposed to be?
I read this article during one of these episodes http://www.blahonline.net/features.php?feature_id=14. I found it to be pretty straight forward and dead on. I share a lot of the same thoughts that the writer has. I read it with the church that I'm with in mind. The elders have recently casted this vision that centered on the focus of "Reach and Grow". I think the direction is great but the premise concerns me. A lot of the "outreach" or "evangelism" hinges upon people coming to the building. Sure, there is effort to venture out but only with the intent to bring someone back to the corner of Minnesota and Hicks. I can't help but be reminded of Jesus and his encounter with the woman at the well. He sought her out where she was and connected with her physical need first by addressing her thirst and the reason why she was there that day. He then took that connection and engaged her emotionally and then spiritually. She didn't need to go back to the synagogue or wait for the right day or time but was able to experience something life altering then and there. Jesus met her in her own space and time. I find that, even as followers of Christ, we don't really follow his example because we often times do it backwards. We attempt to speak to people on a spiritual level first or get them to come to a "service" before we seek to engage them emotionally, mentally, or even meet their physical needs.
In Mike Pilavachi's book Soul Survivor, he outlines a great description of the Christian mode of "evangelism". He postulates that the church is sorta like a castle fortress with a huge moat around it. Inside, people are living in a separate world and being trained so that they are convincing and effective in bringing the"people out there" to join "us in here". Every so often, they have a huge event where the drawbridge comes down and they are let loose into the countryside to round up more castle dwellers. Its funny to read but there is truth to that illustration. Jesus wouldn't be found in the castle, would he? I think he be in the villages or along the hillside or at the local pub. If thats where his ministry and heart is, shouldn't the majority of my focus be there too? Granted there are matters in the castle that need to be addressed and people need to be ministered to,discipleship, fellowship and all that good stuff but all that is with the intent to live in Christ outside where most our lives unfold and intersect with other villagers.
It would seem that to a certain extent, we have replaced Church with Christ. How and when this occurred is a separate mind boggler in and of itself. The way Church is approached and carried out sometimes saddens me. See the thing is, my family and I have been touched by God through the PEOPLE of the church in so many ways;its incredible to be graced by God in such a manner. But yet it seems that CHURCH has somehow reduced this aspect and we are left mainly with meetings, budgets, and programs in the guise of ministry. The Sunday service seems to be the dominant element of the Christian faith and the most visible representation of CHURCH. Yet that should only be one of many elements not its most important. Can we just "be the church" and no longer "go to church"? Is this not the way its supposed to be?
posted by danny at 12/08/2004 06:19:00 AM
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