Last night I had a dream that I was in Hell's Kitchen resturant, you know the TV show, and I was in a heated argument with D.A. Carson. I don't even know that man - isn't that weird? More later...
I was recently looking at my blog updates from last fall and realized that I started most of my posts like this, "Well, it's been a while since I have posted and (
insert your favorite excuse here. So, no more excuses - just blogging. This post has been in my folder for a while with about fifty others, so I am going to attempt to get it finished.
I grew up in the church of Christ, that's is my religous heritage the good old Restoration Movement. When I was a kid and was told that our heritage was of the Restoration Movement, I didn't get it. I mean the way I understood it, what's to restore if you already have all of the answers? I'm not kidding. That was my thinking as a very very young man. Now, I am not so presumptious, nor do I really believe that I have even about a third of a clue about who God really is, or what He is really ALL about. I am seeking and searching like everyone else. Just asking questions, many of which I struggle with. But there is just something about open dialogue that to me brings peace and an encouraging presence (would that be the Spirit?) to my heart. I can't explain it.
Which brings me to something else I can't explain. For those familiar with my heritage, and I would also assume it may have been like this in other traditions, we alsO have had a huge focus on attendance. I mean the most important thing you could do was have "big numbers on Sunday." And the questions that were asked always sounded like this - "What was attendance today?, Was that a preacher count?, Ha ha ha ha! Boy we've got to get more folks here." And the questions and discussion always seemed to focus on how many people are/were at church. And I guess to some degree it is a noble question to ask. But... I don't know. It just feels awkward. It fits right in there with the question, "What was contribution like today? You mean it was only ....., man we gotta do something about that." Huh?
Is this what God had in mind?
I have found myself dissapointed in some of our teens for visiting other churches at different points. Actually about two weeks ago I stood up in front of our kids and I repented and I told them I was sorry. I was sorry for always being so focused on how many were there and not being focused on the ones who were there and wanting to be at that. I felt so wretced when I came to this realization. I will never do it again.
So the dilemma unfolded in my heart, does everyone have to be there everytime the doors are open to be a faithful member? Are we creating a loving, nurturing community that people want to be involved in? Are we asking the right questions about those who were there? Questions like:
How many peoples lives were changed today for being with this community?
How did the Spirit move among us today as we came into communion with Him?
Was God blessed by our time together, spent focusing our hearts on Him?
I don't know. I guess I am asking these questions because I feel a large disparity in who we are vs. who we should be. It makes me kind of sad.I think when we start asking questions like these it begins to foster opportunities for us to reach people because we've taken the numbers game out of it. And God knows it's not a game.
Yeah, there was no doubt in my mind. I went ahead and did this last week and thought it was neat. When I noticed that everyone in blogdom pasted theirs on theirs sites well, I just want to fit in ;-0.
 | You scored as Emergent/Postmodern. You are Emergent/Postmodern in your theology. You feel alienated from older forms of church, you don't think they connect to modern culture very well. No one knows the whole truth about God, and we have much to learn from each other, and so learning takes place in dialogue. Evangelism should take place in relationships rather than through crusades and altar-calls. People are interested in spirituality and want to ask questions, so the church should help them to do this.
Emergent/Postmodern | | 96% | Evangelical Holiness/Wesleyan | | 79% | Neo orthodox | | 75% | Fundamentalist | | 61% | Charismatic/Pentecostal | | 54% | Classical Liberal | | 46% | Roman Catholic | | 46% | Reformed Evangelical | | 39% | Modern Liberal | | 39% |
What's your theological worldview?
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I only got to spend a couple of days at camp last week because sickness struck, what else is new...
Some observations of my short time there:
1. Maybe the best camp experience I have ever had.
2. Love - I experienced more love than I have ever experienced in any church setting.
3. Even when you aren't sure what God will do with a short time like that, He blows you away.
4. Spending time with good brothers and sisters is a taste of heaven on earth.
5. The openess of the time together was a pure blessing!
6. There is nothing like brotherly advice from men with great Godly love and wisdom.
The bottom line - God blessed me more than I could bless anyone! He used people to touch my heart in ways that I really never expected, nor was I ready for. My faithless and simple mind. Thank you God for these blessings!
