So the conversation continues about the state of the mainline church. My last blog mainly focused on worship, but what about what goes on outside of worship? Again, I think I have to go back to authenticity! The more we can be real with our faith - how we’re living it out, how Jesus is moving and acting in our lives - the more connection we’ll have with what we do and hear at church and what we live out beyond the church walls.
I’m going to make a confession. I’m a real fan of Rick Warren’s Purpose-Driven Church. I’m a fan in the purpose-driven model because it brings about an intentionality that is absent in many churches today. Warren has churches intentionally look at what they SAY they’re about and then see if what they’re doing actually reflects that. Additionally, Warren suggests that the church should be centered around Worship, Fellowship, Discipleship, Ministry and Mission in a balanced way. I agree with him for the most part. All of these things need to happen within the church, but I’m still thinking through whether as much effort needs to be put into each area. I say that because I truly believe that our default - both as fallen human beings and as the church - is to focus on ourselves. It would be a rare church (and individual) that needs to be told that they’re focusing too much on others and not enough on themselves!
Face it, we’re a sinful people! We love ourselves more than we love others, and we need to constantly be reminded to put the needs and desires of others first. So what does that mean for the church?
Maybe it means that the property of the church takes second fiddle to the ministry and mission of the church. Huh...
Now I’m not saying that we have to let our buildings go into disrepair, but I am saying that we need to be keeping an eye on the line items of the church budget and seeing what the big spenders are! Are we spending more on doing ministry or keeping our building afloat? To some extent the same could be said about church staff. That’s something each church needs to discern, but I think a church needs to continually ask itself 1) How well are we equipping the saints to do the ministry of the church? and, 2) Are we hiring people to do things that the laity could or should be doing?
These are difficult questions! But good leaders need to ask them, and then need to act on them accordingly.
Getting back to the authenticity issue. I think people struggle with the Lordship of Christ in their lives. They have a hard time bridging their faith into their everyday lives - and that’s where the church can have a huge impact.
People want to make a difference for Jesus, but many times are overwhelmed or simply have no idea where to start! By helping people to discover their gifts, identify what gets their blood boiling (passion), by looking at their education, their experiences, and even their personality type, the church can help people discover ways to use those things to further the Kingdom.
If a church does children’s ministry well, maybe they could start an after-school Bible club. Is someone strong with the gift of hospitality? The possibilities are endless - hosting birthday parties at the homeless shelter, starting a ministry that acknowledges and reaches out to church visitors, hosting neighborhood gatherings to reach out or potlucks with a purpose, etc..
People want to make a difference and they want their faith to make sense - both within and outside of the church building. Kind of like that whole idea of vocation - that all of us are “called” by God to do His work. Some of us to paid ministry in the church, and others to “paid ministry” in the workplace! I’m being cute there, but really...if someone is working at a paid office job or owns their own small business they can do God’s work in and through it. Reaching out to people with the love of Christ takes many forms!
The last thing I wanted to touch on was fellowship. For some reason many churches have lost sight of this! Oh, I’m not talking about coffee hour in fellowship hall. I’m talking about koinonia, the kind of sharing of our lives with one another that goes beyond the small talk of Sunday morning.
Small groups who gather weekly for prayer, Bible study, serving and/or working build relationships that run deep. As we allow ourselves to become vulnerable with others and share the real stuff of a life trying to be lived out for Christ, but struggling all the same, koinonia happens. As we reach out to those around us who need the encouraging words of another Christ-follower or simply the silent presence of another human being, koinonia happens.
It’s my prayer that not just leaders but all believers can think on these things. Some of what I’ve written in the past couple of days may sound terrifying to some people. Being authentic and vulnerable with others is risky business. Jumping in and being willing to help be an agent of change is risky business too! Those scared church people can bite. But we need to remember...they’re just scared. Change is hard.
“Ecclesia reformata, semper reformanda,” the church reformed and always reforming...according to the Word of God. May we continually be looking to Jesus, God’s Word revealed to us, as we work to be God’s church, the body of Christ.
Still loving the church...
The Family - Summer, 2023
Love these people!
