Cindy, has written some beautiful words today, they are listed below. They come from a discussion with a lay leader about their church and issues that they are dealing with. Let the words soak in.
I think the church-centered christian life (as opposed to a Christ centered christian life) that american protestantism has created in the last few generations is what is killing the church in america. and the new generations see it for what it is - empty activity that does little besides sustain itself for more empty activity. Not that nothing good happens in local churches; far from it. But the abiding culture of complacency we've allowed to take over so overshadows the true mission of God's people that we risk losing it all.
We need corporate worship, we need corporate teaching, we need fellowship. But, we also need to get the heck out of the church building and live lives that show we care about somebody in addition to the people we worship with. We must address this corporate addiction to church that we ourselves have created. call it a church intervention, maybe. And if we succeed, the withdrawals will be ugly, angry, and very messy. If we don't succeed, thousands of local churches just like ours will be gone in 20 years or less. I'm not even sure if that isn't what should happen.
She absolutely hits this one out of the ballpark. We, too often, become church focused instead of Jesus focused. We fill up the calendars to keep people busy. We are hurting Christianity. We need to get back to the true mission that God has fiven us.
Cindy, thanks for the words. I greatly appreciate them and every once in awhile, i am needed to be reminded of the community (town) and get out there and make sure that are "folks" are out there as well and not "tied up" in empty projects that produce a church club mentality.
The thoughts and writings on this blog are the thoughts of Jeff and do not necessarily represent the views of Grace First Parish of Russell and/or Lutheran Campus Ministry of Southwest Minnesota State University.
8 comments:
I just left a comment with Nator, but it fits here too.
Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse.
Its a book.
Your posts are making me think I should post something out of it.
Thanks.
:)
Glad to "Prompt"
thank you so much, jeff. i need the reminder too! nobody means to become egocentric in the church, it just happens- and it can be darned hard to pull back out of that trap. who knows if my words will help, but i can hope.
I will pray that the leadership team of the church will be open and thy will hear the words and that they will take te time to reflect and evaluate.
Very good post.
I'll even go one step further, if I may, and say that it would be a good thing if persecution came to the church in the US.
I think then we will see who are the wheat and who are the tares.
WayneDawg:
Thanks.
I am not sure if you could study it and seperate it out or not but it would be interested to see if the countries experiencing great christian growth in "persecution" is do to persecution or if it is because they are not-me-focused.
It could go hand in hand.
I really think this points to the fact that we need to be community-focused instead of individualistic-focused.
The above being AFTER everything is ground in Jesus-centered.
I agree, but how often are we TOLD we need to join a church to be spiritual.
If you don't go to church, church is important, church is where fellowship is created, church is the foundation to religion...
Church, church, church.
Now to respond to your "tied up" ... *smirk*
La, la, la...
WW:
Thanks for agreeing and I agree with you that too many times, we are told things that sound true, yet they really are not.
We are told that they are biblical but yet it is churches misquoting scriptures to build their case.
Post a Comment