a unique expression
I really have become quite sick of a few things. First, the way too many pastors who play the “Well how many are you running?” game, meaning: how many units (people) does your church (draw) entertain each week, like the church is supposed to be about that. If your numeric answer is lower than his weekly number, then maybe he can help us fix our problem. Puke. Or, if your number is greater than his he will either offer excuses like; “We’ve just had some huge conflict”, or “We lost a main staff member” or even better “I have a fungus under my left toe nail that is killing me.” What?
I don’t even want to participate in that conversation anymore. What a waste of time. I refuse. From now on I am done answering that B.S. What difference does it really make? I don’t live in your world and you don’t live in mine, so don’t “help” me by trying to fix me from where you sit. Our expression of the Kingdom of God will always be different than yours, because it’s our expression of the living God working in and through us. This isn’t McDonalds where when you walk in, no matter where in the world you are, you know what a cheeseburger will taste like. This is the Spirit of the living God pouring Himself out through us individuals in our individual contexts to reach a dying world. Maybe the conversation should be about how God is revealing His uniqueness to us, not so you can package it up and mass market it, but just so we can celebrate the goodness of God together. I refuse to be ashamed of who we are in Christ!
What does a house Church look like? How in the heck do I know? I know some things that will more than likely be present. But after that, my expression/experience will be different than yours. Seek the Spirit of the Living God and let Him guide and explain how to love people in your context. And that concludes todays rant! Peace.
I don’t even want to participate in that conversation anymore. What a waste of time. I refuse. From now on I am done answering that B.S. What difference does it really make? I don’t live in your world and you don’t live in mine, so don’t “help” me by trying to fix me from where you sit. Our expression of the Kingdom of God will always be different than yours, because it’s our expression of the living God working in and through us. This isn’t McDonalds where when you walk in, no matter where in the world you are, you know what a cheeseburger will taste like. This is the Spirit of the living God pouring Himself out through us individuals in our individual contexts to reach a dying world. Maybe the conversation should be about how God is revealing His uniqueness to us, not so you can package it up and mass market it, but just so we can celebrate the goodness of God together. I refuse to be ashamed of who we are in Christ!
What does a house Church look like? How in the heck do I know? I know some things that will more than likely be present. But after that, my expression/experience will be different than yours. Seek the Spirit of the Living God and let Him guide and explain how to love people in your context. And that concludes todays rant! Peace.
posted by C.M. Coon at Wednesday, May 18, 2005
6 Comments:
Then the question becomes, how many small groups do you have. See how this continues to go? We are a society that is drawn to health being measured by size, especially when it comes to churches.
Craig, I'd also like to challenge you in this area or at least the other side of the coin. I believe numbers are very important. Numbers represent soul for who Christ has redeemed. Maybe our counting or our numbers need to show or explain how many people steped up and started serving, how many people trusted Christ and began moving forward in communion with Him, how many people began serving others in tangable ways without expectation, how many people did out of the country mission work, how many people were added to the Lord's family? I believe numbers and counting are very important, the same way we look at numbers for our blood pressure and weight and then compare them to a healthy standard to see where we might nedd work. Our numbers or counting should point out the ares we need work so as a church body we can begin to finally address those areas, and maybe just maybe we'd become effective for the cause of Christ instead of selfish communities that exist to meet our own needs.
Uncle, I couldn't agree with you more.
Dad, I do have to say that I understand what you are saying, but I don't disagree. We need to do what God has called us to do and to love and reach out to people, and with some people, (I would even argue with most people that are in my generation) a church service does NOT do it. Like you've said before, Jeremiah's ministry never "led anyone to Jesus" but was he a failure? NO, because he did what God called him to. We need to be real with people and love them and share our experiences and lives with them, but that doesn't mean that they need to go to a certain service (not that it would be bad, but I think you know what I mean). As far as numbers go, I do think that if we really love people and show them that, if all we ever end up doing is helping ONE person to see that God loves them, I think God is just as pleased by that number as those that help thousands. I dunno where I'm going with this...
The problem I have with the RANT is the use of some language or insinuation such as "BS" - as a pastor/youth pastor - need to be more CAREFUL!
Jeff,
i think that you have entirely missed my point. I was ranting about the fact the there are way too many who are playing the comparison game and I don't want anything to do with it. Numbers can show some aspects of health, my Churches "numbers" should only be compared with my Church! Not with yours or anyone elses either. (You don't live in my context and I don't live in yours.)
Because way too many use the comparisons as a leveraging tool against each other. Competitive garbage has no place in the Kingdom, I'll be trying harder to keep our numbers with-in our own leadership circles, because we are decidedly unique.
Craig, I didn't miss your point about the numbers thing. I was offering an alternative way of using numbers. In a context that we use them everyday, as tools for us to judge our own self, our own actions, our own priorities, our own church context. That's all dude!
I think leaders should be held to a higher standard. Are they perfect? of course not. But they are called to set an example and to help others from stumbling.
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