Obviously, I didn't post yesterday but we are definitely on the mend. Dawn and the kids were feeling better by last night, but I have just been feeling kinda nausious still today. I guess that's still better than them since they couldn't keep anything down while I never did loose my lunch. Strange, but true. Maybe my turn is still coming.
Now, on to a subject that makes my stomach turn just about as much...Church.
I mentioned in the last post about the transition that our church is in right now with voting to continue meeting on Sunday mornings in the gymnasium for worship services rather than the sanctuary. Here's a short background. Our sanctuary is typical in shape, long and narrow with pews and stage in front. It holds, if every seat is filled, shoulder to shoulder, around 185. We have been averaging in attendance around 185 including kids thus the sanctuary is probably 85-90% full on a Sunday with the only seats really open are a few scattered and the front pews. During Easter season we had a children's program which we held in the gym on Palm Sunday then Easter the next Sunday. We had around 250 for the kid's program then over 300 for Easter. The board decided to keep the services in the gym for 6 months to "try it out" to provide room for growth and to possibly make the sanctuary into a designated children's area. (We are running over 100 kids on Wednesday nights) Anyway, 6 months now and the board decided to allow the church to vote on it rather than just doing it (which they could have done). After allowing the members and board members of the church to voice their comments at an open mic meeting, the vote passed, but not quite at two-thirds majority which the pastor thought we would need to do, however, majority is all that I thought was needed and since it wasn't laid out prior to the vote, I questioned it because I thought it passed. He called the DS who called KC and I was right. So, now we have people ranting and raving that the pastor manipulated the vote. Some are leaving and at least one called the DS and said "there's a group of us who are going to withold our tithes" if you allow this. Yada, Yada, Yada.
Anyway, there's the background, but what really irritates me was the reasons that some of the people mentioned who were against the move. They mentioned things like, "Where you gonna have my funeral?" or "We built this for wedding receptions" or "we built this for the kids" or "it's too big and we can't get to know everyone". What???? You've got to be kidding me. Personally, I don't care where my funeral will be, I just hope someone cares enough to show up and really that won't bother me then will it. Wedding receptions??? I, personally know no one who has come to the Lord because of a wedding or a reception held at my church. (not saying it doesn't happen, but it's definitely not the premiere method of evangelism. It's for the kids??? We're gonna try and dedicate an entire area of the church for them to use all the time plus they will still get to use the gym whenever they really want since we dismantle the church after each Sunday morning service. We can't get to know everyone??? You don't know everyone now, but that's why we encourage people to be involved in a small group ministry. One other one was it's a lot of work, so why don't we go to 2 services? I've done two services before. That's just as much or more work.
Anyway, I guess this all goes back to one of my questions several weeks ago, would anyone outside of our church care if we closed the doors today? Probably not, we're pretty self absorbed. I don't think we're much different than many other churches, sadly, as I almost daily hear of churches splitting or people leaving their churches for simular reasons. (which is, if we're totally honest, the majority of our attenders came from) Would we, in North America, survive as a church if we weren't allowed to meet publically, or were not allowed to purchase buildings? I know the answer is yes because I believe in the message of Christ, but who would that be made up of? Are these people not Christian because they don't want change? Am I saying they are not Christian? No I'm not, but I wonder what makes us as humans hold onto things like this so tightly. Does it really matter where we meet or if we sit on pews or seats or where we have our weddings or funerals? No it doesn't. What really matters is that if someone who wants or needs to hear the Gospel has a chance to hear it or a seat to sit in if they want to join a group to worship with. Many of you who read this blog know and have experienced with me the opportunity to worship in big, in small, in termite infested, in nice and in run down, in-doors and out, in gyms and in basements and we have been able to be in the presence of the almighty in all those settings. I'm so glad that God decided to leave the temple in Jerusalem and decided to enter into our hearts as we carry Him with us. I've ranted long enough but I leave you with this simple prayer.
God help us to get beyond our pettiness, help us to realize you are not in the place but the person, show us how ugly our selfishness is, help us in this journey you called us to by directing our paths and help us to accept the disipline you administer when we stray. Help us to see the larger picture and remove the blinders that tend to create short-sightedness. And, may your grace be ever true as you know we truly need it.
Blessings
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4 comments:
Wow! That turns my stomach too. I can't get over the things that upset a church. Withhold their tithe?!?!?!?! God sure must sob as He watches His church.
It's interesting to read this post this morning. Sandy and I stayed up late last night to express thoughts and approaches towards people that are "bad soil". She had heard me use the term often, but didn't quite know what I was getting at. I'll toss this out and see if it is relevant to anyone.
Jesus compares our hearts to soil. The Gospel (and the commandments and everything else in Scripture) can be considered the seed. One passage says we scatter the seed and it grows but we don't know how. Another passage refers to us scattering the seed and it falling on various types of soil yielding various types of results. You know those well.
We also see that Jesus was willing to go in to the temple and "debate" with the religious leaders. However, His sharp remarks and lack of patience on them shows that He doesn't give much room for religious spirits. He also tells the disciples to shake the dust off their feet when people reject them and the Gospel.
So here's how I approach dealing with people, saved or unsaved: Everybody has a choice and I am not in charge of that choice. My duty is to present Truth- I scatter seed. I can pray for people (fertilize and till the soil) to help the seed take root. But the truth is that many people in life have proven again and again and again and again that they are bad soil. They have hard hearts. We glorify the thought of sticking around and loving them and continuing to work on them. But if you look at Jesus, He was quick to dismiss them and quick to tell us to do the same. We even see Paul saying, "I have handed him over to Satan." I'm not completely sure what that means in the spirit realm, but I do know it is a concept few of us are willing to adopt. Now of course there will be those in our lives that God gives us a burden for, regardless of their soil quality. Also, we will have family and close friends that we love too much to dismiss. However, they can literally destroy our potential impact for Christ and waste precious hours of labor (evangelism/discipleship). Let's say there are 6 billion acres that need to be farmed. Let's say you can at any one time effectively sow, cultivate, and produce fruit from 10-20 acres. Let's say after 2-4 years you need to rotate your fields and move on to continue to be good for your soil. If you have a few crummy spots of land that refuse to produce fruit and continually pop up weeds, even after years of tilling and planting, yet you can see for miles out to the horizon that all of the land around you is unfarmed, I consider it just plain lack of wisdom (in most cases) to give your time, life, money, prayers, etc. to that one stubborn spot. Like I said, we tend to glorify this approach, but I tend to think God will say something more along these lines, "Son, I told you what to do with bad soil. Look at the hundreds of acres that would have quickly received your seed and produced fruit..."
Anywho, I don't know if this is coming out clear enough on a post. This mentality is not just for people, but for churches. Scott, I have know idea where the whole of your church is and by no means am I suggesting that you should leave, nor do I think you are unwise to stay. Your post just got last night's thoughts all stirred up again. There is just soooo much good soil out there that will never see a farmer. Religious people and mindsets are given waay too much acceptance these days. They are robbing our pastors, destroying good flock, and wasting what is supposed to be the living and active body of Christ.
Jonathan, thank you for your words and wisdom. It gave me something to think about. Pleast be praying for us.
i was talking to my mom about this issue the other day, but you mentioned some stuff she didnt say.. its sad.... really sad. i was thinking about that very same question. would the community miss us? and i agree with ya on your answer to that. miss you guys and praying for you.. hope to be home here in december.
much love,
Nate O.
sorry about never posting or having my name.. i lost my sign in password and they wont send it back to me..haha
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