wrestling:with:truth

I recently received an old paper back from the winter quarter. In reflection of that paper and of some of the mega churches I have attended out here in L.A. and back home I would like to share some of my ideas on what "I" think Church should not be and what it should be or at least "Wrestle" with.

Is church really about the numbers? Is church really about converting the most unsaved people to Christianity?
Church should not be about the numbers or the amount of growth that the church has experienced over the past year or the previous years. Yes, in our consumer/business minded world "numbers = good."” I think the Church of the last 20 years has missed the boat on what Church is truly intended for. Church is not about the numbers that attend for a weekend service, but church should be about how many people are being infected and transformed by following Jesus.

Worship. People want to worship God, not a performance from the band doing the latest Top 40 pop song. Yes, it might have relevance to the sermon but if people wanted to go to a concert and be entertained they would go there. People want truth for their lives and they want to know what God says about their lives and how to live it. They will attend for a while, however, people do a lot of things for a while before they realize that there is no substance there. They do not want a good book or hey this is good way to set up your finances. Church should not be a self-help class. However, Church is about the community that we form through living lives together and learning from our mistakes, struggles, heart brakes, and our successes together.

Church should be about bringing others to Jesus. Church is not about entertaining people. Having Church needs to be about one thing and one thing only, worshiping our almighty God. The second tier needs to have the time spent in worship and learning about God to translate into action. The third tier item should be getting our congregations to engage with some of the bigger topics in which are being addressed.

Church is not the building. Church is the people. That is why when Jesus came and destroyed the temple by giving his life up for us, the old way of coming to God was destroyed. The new way is from with in. It is from with in the heart that you find the church and where God resides. God resides in people; yes He is also present in a Church. But Church has what in them? People, so God is there also.

The Church'’s lone purpose should not be for converting others to Christianity. IF we are to think that Church is about entertaining our congregations and trying to convert "“atheist into believers" (kanye west) then we have missed the point. It is not about giving someone as Dallas Willard has stated a "Fire Proof Card."” Jesus has called us to reach out to the lost, the broken, the widow and the poor. Jesus'’ words are not easy to swallow and are definitely not easy to live out. That is why Jesus has called us to carry out over a lifetime this way of living. He knows it is not going to be easy. Following Jesus is not easy it is necessary. So why not teach that? If the church were to start teaching a Jesus lifestyle would it not be radically transformed? Of course it would change!

So may we be open to change, may we look to continually shake up the way we do church and especially open to where God is leading His Kingdom and us. And may He reap all the glory!

tomorrow's post... How does the church transform?