Yesterday I was thinking about situations within the congregation in which I serve. I was thinking about how many people have betrayed or degraded me when all I'm trying to do is tell people about Jesus and glorify God. They don't understand how much I care for the Church. They don't understand that all I want is Jesus and all I want for their kids is Jesus. That's why I do what I do...The thought popped into my head something like this:
"I'm tired of fighting for people who just keep taking from me." And right at that moment, Jesus reminded me (once again) that that is exactly what He did for me, through torture and to death. I, given the choice, am a traitor, a denier and a failure, and knowing that, He died for me. It brings a whole new meaning to "while we were yet sinners Christ died for us" and the second half of "forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors."
So, every week I spend hours praying, studying and teaching for students, most of whose parents and fellow church-goers would trade us in (if they haven't tried already) for a less-pierced middle-aged couple who will play lots of games and acquire a budget from the board to bring in huge bands and conferences. I'm sure I don't need to tell you, of course, how all of this would have minimal, if any, eternal value and that God's Word and His redemption require no make-over.
He is glorious. (on His own)
He is good. (and sovereign)
And He is willing, that none should perish; even us adulterous people whom he constantly has to remind that He has bought with His life.
Go into all the world and preach the good news, making disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit.
(games, pretty logos, etc optional)
Showing posts with label wasting God's money. Show all posts
Showing posts with label wasting God's money. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Saturday, June 25, 2011
The Word IS Beautiful
In our attempts to draw on the u saved, today's Western Church has spent a large percentage of their resources on presentation. I don't mean presentation in an evangelistic sense. I'm talking about aesthetics, promotion and other additional elements to preaching the Word.
As the years go by, the amount of money spent on such things has grown and continues to grow like crazy. I'm very alarmed by the results of these efforts. The number of Bible-believing Christians in American is plummeting. I took broadly accepted statistics on the success rate of youth ministry and applied it to the city I live in. In our town of 60,000 people, based on the number of students in youth groups at evangelical churches: we will statistically only make a lifelong change in the lives of fifty of them, at most.
What happens when this generation of young people are the parents, community leaders and the ones responsible for the religious beliefs of the following generation? Even if there are one hundred people in that generation that believe and try to pass the Gogspel on to their kids, what will this city look like in several decades. Frightening.
My point is, obiously dressing up the the Word of God doesn't work; neither does dulling it down or fluffing it up.
I will not settle for spreading less than the True Word which is as sharp as any two edged sword. I feel uncomfortable at the thought of being responsible for trying to reach a generation with lights, a rock-band worship team that sings poetic but unmeaningful words and trendy graphics. I dread the thought of telling Him at His throne, "but I attracted hundreds of kids to the church building." Only to hear His answer, "but how many of them received My grace?" When I stand before my Judge, I long to see a row of my purple-haired peeps there with me and hear, "Well done."
In the scope of eternity, I cannot help but challenge people, including myself, to drop the act. In the book of Acts, the Lord added to their numbers. Can we please, I beg you, begin to truly rely on the Spirit to guide our steps in furthering the Kingdom?
As the years go by, the amount of money spent on such things has grown and continues to grow like crazy. I'm very alarmed by the results of these efforts. The number of Bible-believing Christians in American is plummeting. I took broadly accepted statistics on the success rate of youth ministry and applied it to the city I live in. In our town of 60,000 people, based on the number of students in youth groups at evangelical churches: we will statistically only make a lifelong change in the lives of fifty of them, at most.
What happens when this generation of young people are the parents, community leaders and the ones responsible for the religious beliefs of the following generation? Even if there are one hundred people in that generation that believe and try to pass the Gogspel on to their kids, what will this city look like in several decades. Frightening.
My point is, obiously dressing up the the Word of God doesn't work; neither does dulling it down or fluffing it up.
I will not settle for spreading less than the True Word which is as sharp as any two edged sword. I feel uncomfortable at the thought of being responsible for trying to reach a generation with lights, a rock-band worship team that sings poetic but unmeaningful words and trendy graphics. I dread the thought of telling Him at His throne, "but I attracted hundreds of kids to the church building." Only to hear His answer, "but how many of them received My grace?" When I stand before my Judge, I long to see a row of my purple-haired peeps there with me and hear, "Well done."
In the scope of eternity, I cannot help but challenge people, including myself, to drop the act. In the book of Acts, the Lord added to their numbers. Can we please, I beg you, begin to truly rely on the Spirit to guide our steps in furthering the Kingdom?
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Dear disciples: please leave America.
My husband and I have recently been approached by some influential people (in our lives) about our approach to reaching the lost. The overtone of all of these conversations ended up being that maybe we're cut out for missionary work overseas somewhere. So for the past couple weeks I've tried to figure out why they think this is true and what that thought process implies for the local church and global church.
So here are as many of the attitudes and opinions (for lack of a better term) that I could think of that might have led those people to their conclusions.
-Western Christians have chosen to forget what our resources (money, time, energy, skills etc) should be spent on.
-The overtone regarding outreach has become very event based and internal (w/in church walls) and has removed a feeling of personal responsibility to share the gospel from believers.
-There is a very specific use for short term mission trips. If you are not going to establish a long term relationship in that context, you had better be edifying of assisting someone who is committed to discipleship there.
-God's Word, Grace, plan of redemption and other Truths do not need to be made attractive.
-One of the more controversial opinions I hold: church (in the Sunday Service sense) is almost completely for believers. Yes, people get saved in church services, but I think they come in knowing their void needs filled. The purpose of such a gathering is to worship God corporately and edify the Body so that believers rare equipped to GO OUT AND REACH THE LOST IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. Therefore, we shouldn't worry about pretty buildings, pretty people, offending people (as long as Truth is being spoken on Love & grace), and useless inefficient hype.
-One two-hour service a week is not enough spiritual food. On top of personal studies, some sort of group/one-on-one study and accountability is necessary for growth.
-the theology and doctrine within many sermons and musical worship is weak, if present at all.
-Everone is called to missions and everyone can do something for the global church outside in a global context. Anyone who uses the "I'm called to fill in their city" had better be doing some mega-hardcore local ministry.
-Salvation and discipleship is a personal process that is unique to each situation. It is not just a raised hand or a program or a class that people do and then they're a part of the club.
I think I've gotten most of the things that they recounted as evidence of our missional attitude. So apparently, the fact that I hold these opinions means I am a prime candidate for overseas missions. If I felt that God was asking me to do that, I would be gone ASAP. I've actually asked God if He wouldn't mind sending me somewhere else, couldn't I be of better use where people would just let me disciple people?!
Anyways, what alarms me is that the information they based their conclusions on seems to be necessary for the church wherever it's located. I feel like if this qualifies me for ministry outside of America, what does ministry look like in America? Why can't a person be passionate about discipleship and building the Body from the person up and not from the congregational meeting down? My husband sat in tears telling one person that the young people in our city are what he's passionate about. Almost like he didn't believe my husband, that person responded by saying AGAIN that we need to pray about what God really wants to do with us and where he would best use our passions. It's really hard for me to be comfortable doing what God's word demands of me when people tell me that I should do it somewhere else. Why do so many Christians feel like big church is for America and Jesus-style discipleship is for Indonesia?
So here are as many of the attitudes and opinions (for lack of a better term) that I could think of that might have led those people to their conclusions.
-Western Christians have chosen to forget what our resources (money, time, energy, skills etc) should be spent on.
-The overtone regarding outreach has become very event based and internal (w/in church walls) and has removed a feeling of personal responsibility to share the gospel from believers.
-There is a very specific use for short term mission trips. If you are not going to establish a long term relationship in that context, you had better be edifying of assisting someone who is committed to discipleship there.
-God's Word, Grace, plan of redemption and other Truths do not need to be made attractive.
-One of the more controversial opinions I hold: church (in the Sunday Service sense) is almost completely for believers. Yes, people get saved in church services, but I think they come in knowing their void needs filled. The purpose of such a gathering is to worship God corporately and edify the Body so that believers rare equipped to GO OUT AND REACH THE LOST IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. Therefore, we shouldn't worry about pretty buildings, pretty people, offending people (as long as Truth is being spoken on Love & grace), and useless inefficient hype.
-One two-hour service a week is not enough spiritual food. On top of personal studies, some sort of group/one-on-one study and accountability is necessary for growth.
-the theology and doctrine within many sermons and musical worship is weak, if present at all.
-Everone is called to missions and everyone can do something for the global church outside in a global context. Anyone who uses the "I'm called to fill in their city" had better be doing some mega-hardcore local ministry.
-Salvation and discipleship is a personal process that is unique to each situation. It is not just a raised hand or a program or a class that people do and then they're a part of the club.
I think I've gotten most of the things that they recounted as evidence of our missional attitude. So apparently, the fact that I hold these opinions means I am a prime candidate for overseas missions. If I felt that God was asking me to do that, I would be gone ASAP. I've actually asked God if He wouldn't mind sending me somewhere else, couldn't I be of better use where people would just let me disciple people?!
Anyways, what alarms me is that the information they based their conclusions on seems to be necessary for the church wherever it's located. I feel like if this qualifies me for ministry outside of America, what does ministry look like in America? Why can't a person be passionate about discipleship and building the Body from the person up and not from the congregational meeting down? My husband sat in tears telling one person that the young people in our city are what he's passionate about. Almost like he didn't believe my husband, that person responded by saying AGAIN that we need to pray about what God really wants to do with us and where he would best use our passions. It's really hard for me to be comfortable doing what God's word demands of me when people tell me that I should do it somewhere else. Why do so many Christians feel like big church is for America and Jesus-style discipleship is for Indonesia?
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
On Capital Campaigns
Today I read a number. A big number: 232 billion. To me adding a dollar sign makes it even bigger. Two hundred and thirty-two billion dollars. This is the amount of money tied up in real estate owned by churches.
So, why is this necessary? Did the apostles need a mega-church to see 3,000 people added to their numbers on one day? I do feel it's important to relate to culture, but at what cost? Do we think this is a good use of Gods resources?
I attend a church that has remodeled half of a large building. It's nice looking and not very extravagant. Our multiple-purpose room is set up to function as a sanctuary. It has the "necessities," A few lights on a dimmer pack, a large (but not enormous) sound board, sound system, small stage, you know - everything Americans need to worship. Supposedly you have to have a certain percentage of empty chairs for new people to feel comfortable enough to come in, and apparently we don't have enough. Over the last year, and annoyingly more over the last few months, leadership and attendees have been pushing to begin "phase 2" aka the sanctuary.
Many people have been praying for the completion of the building for a couple years. One year ago we ran into a hiccup with our city officials and had to resubmit our plans to a new architect. A few months into it, he had a massive heart attack that put him out of commission for several more months. Just as he was near finishing, his computer crashed. He apparently had no back up because he has had to start from square one. In all of these obstacles, people are praying for God to pull through and do amazing things...I truly believe He is. It's not a coincidence that all of these road blocks fell in our way. While they would attribute it to the enemy, I credit the all-knowing God of the universe.
Let's put this in perspective, if the American church sold our buildings and started meeting in tax-payer funded buildings such as schools and civic halls, we could feed, evangelize and equip 90 million kids until adulthood through an organization such as World Vision or Compassion Intl. That doesn't take into account how much money each church spends on utilities and supplies. If our church alone stopped our building project, we could minister to hundreds of people through organizations like the afore mentioned or by sponsoring several more missionaries. I'm guessing that more people would come to know the Lord through those avenues than through another big pretty room.
I know these last couple posts may seem very cynical. Please give me grace recognizing that I am a very passionate person. I've never really "kind of" felt something, I feel what I feel with all that I am. I'm also a problem solver by nature. As a part of the body of Christ, I find that it is my problem as well as yours that we're not functioning properly (Rom 12, 1 Cor 12) and the only thing I know how to do is write and tell the people w/in my scope of influence.
Grace and peace.
So, why is this necessary? Did the apostles need a mega-church to see 3,000 people added to their numbers on one day? I do feel it's important to relate to culture, but at what cost? Do we think this is a good use of Gods resources?
I attend a church that has remodeled half of a large building. It's nice looking and not very extravagant. Our multiple-purpose room is set up to function as a sanctuary. It has the "necessities," A few lights on a dimmer pack, a large (but not enormous) sound board, sound system, small stage, you know - everything Americans need to worship. Supposedly you have to have a certain percentage of empty chairs for new people to feel comfortable enough to come in, and apparently we don't have enough. Over the last year, and annoyingly more over the last few months, leadership and attendees have been pushing to begin "phase 2" aka the sanctuary.
Many people have been praying for the completion of the building for a couple years. One year ago we ran into a hiccup with our city officials and had to resubmit our plans to a new architect. A few months into it, he had a massive heart attack that put him out of commission for several more months. Just as he was near finishing, his computer crashed. He apparently had no back up because he has had to start from square one. In all of these obstacles, people are praying for God to pull through and do amazing things...I truly believe He is. It's not a coincidence that all of these road blocks fell in our way. While they would attribute it to the enemy, I credit the all-knowing God of the universe.
Let's put this in perspective, if the American church sold our buildings and started meeting in tax-payer funded buildings such as schools and civic halls, we could feed, evangelize and equip 90 million kids until adulthood through an organization such as World Vision or Compassion Intl. That doesn't take into account how much money each church spends on utilities and supplies. If our church alone stopped our building project, we could minister to hundreds of people through organizations like the afore mentioned or by sponsoring several more missionaries. I'm guessing that more people would come to know the Lord through those avenues than through another big pretty room.
I know these last couple posts may seem very cynical. Please give me grace recognizing that I am a very passionate person. I've never really "kind of" felt something, I feel what I feel with all that I am. I'm also a problem solver by nature. As a part of the body of Christ, I find that it is my problem as well as yours that we're not functioning properly (Rom 12, 1 Cor 12) and the only thing I know how to do is write and tell the people w/in my scope of influence.
Grace and peace.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)