There's one on almost every corner in my town. You know, a building, normally brick, with a steeple that reaches into the sky, and a cross perched like a cherry on top of it. I live in a town of around 40,000 people in Kentucky and there seems to be enough Churches around to minister to a town ten times our size. But why? I guess the efficiency side of my brain thinks like this: "Since we all worship the same God, why not consolidate all of the Churches into one? This would save money, time, and personal energy expended during Church hours to reach the members." But then I think about the different doctrines, beliefs, and worship styles and see that it would be a daunting task to make everyone happy. But aren't all Churches pretty much the same? Aren't they all comprised of a building with pews/chairs, a preacher, a children/youth program, a nursery, ushers, etc....? When you look around and take note of this, it seems as though all Churches were punched out of the same cookie cutter.
I love to ask people why they go to their particular Church. Most of the folks I have polled respond with answers like, "That's where Mom and Dad went", or, "We knew someone there." What I am looking for is what God is doing through them by using the Church as a portal. The funny thing is, most people really don't seem to know what God is doing for them and that is scary to me. Also, you'd be surprised to learn that most people really don't know why they go to their Church.
So, today I'm asking the question to you and asking you to get to the root of why you go where you do. If it's because, "It's where Mom and Dad went", then ask mom and dad why they went there. Everyone needs to know not only their spiritual heritage, but also why they do the things they do, namely go to their Church. This may seem like a silly question to ask yourself. But when you strip away the bark on your "Church Tree" and take a look at the soft wood underneath, I think you will realize that this is a question you REALLY need to know.
Oh yeah, I put the word "members" in bold because ministering to members seems to be the philosophy of many Churches. So while doing your "Root Cause Analysis" of why you go to your Church, I want you to think about one of the greatest quotes I have ever heard from my pastor:
"We don't need any more Christians in our Church, we need more lost people"
Monday, October 2, 2006
"A Church is a Church is a Church"?!?
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4 COMMENTS...:
Great post and question - I actually left my home church where my parents still attend to partner with my new church of 4 years. Why? I can best exercise and grow my gifts here. Their model of ministry works. The shackles of legalism are no where to be found.
Boy, someone's been reading Driscoll!!!!
Good, excellent post, and speaks to the fact that for so many, church is simply something they're supposed "to do". Check it off the list, I've done my Sunday duty!
This is a good jumping point for where I think I'm headed with a Bonhoeffer discussion very soon about the faith community.
Good stuff, bro.
Driscoll's pretty awesome bro!
Here in New Port Richey, there is a church about every 100 feet, or so it seems. Most of them are small, and only a couple have large congregation. I think the problem is that most people looks at the concept of "church" and not at the teachings about "Church". And there is a huge difference.
Fr. Abad Perez
http://lookstare.com/blog/index.php?blog=9
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