Creatures of Habit

     Yesterday our church service was focused on community and to help the body feel closer we rearranged the seating some.  In fact, we took out about 100 chairs.  This left only about 200 chairs and they were all closer to the front.  Our hope was that by removing those seats people would be forced to sit in a more compact area and we would feel closer to each other.
     Well, our plan worked.  With only 200 chairs we almost had them all filled and this meant that everyone was sitting close to someone else.  No one was alone.  It was a beautiful sight really...for the first time the church wasn’t separated by any lines.  Young, old, rich, poor, black and white all sat next to each other.  
     But, as you can imagine, some people were really thrown off by the whole thing.  After all, we are creatures of habit...and if you attend church on a regular basis you likely have “your” seat that you ALWAYS sit in.  For most, not having “their” seat was a minor inconvenience, but there were a few that really seemed bothered by it.  
     It’s funny really how something so small can really bother us when we are so good at tuning out much more major things.  
     Anyway...the seats will likely go back this week and people will once again be able to sit in “their” seat and possibly segregate themselves from the body.  At least we will be able to remember that one Sunday when we really were one body.

The Relevant Church

     A few days ago I finished reading “The Relevant Church” by Jennifer Ashley.  I have to say that no book has ever challenged my idea of church as much as that one.  It’s amazing how caught up in the whole idea of buildings and service structures we become...to the point that anything outside of that suddenly seems like it isn’t even church.
     Church, however, isn’t a building, an individual or a specific service structure.  In fact, when Christ spoke of the church he spoke of the whole body of believers.  Therefore, church really is the people of God.  We are the church.
     But the question put forward in this specific book deals with the relevancy of the church in our postmodern, pluralistic society.  Recently at the Leadership Summit, Bill Hybels suggested that relevancy is truly what people are interested in these days.  There was a time when the big question on everyone’s mind was, “Is there even God?” but now the question has become, “Who cares, is it even relevant to my life?”
     When a person is hungry, lonely, homeless, helpless, poor or struggling with an addiction they don’t really care if there is a God or a heaven unless He can do something for them right now.  Unless He affects their lives in the present, then His existence, as well as the churches, is irrelevant.
     After reading this book, where many of their ways to be relevant involved changing buildings and styles it occurred to me that these changes will not keep you relevant.  If you attempt to be relevant by keeping up with the trends you will always be either a step behind or one step from going back to being irrelevant.
     Having said that, I believe that these changes can be very useful...we have to be open to change, especially if it can attract the unchurched.  Paul seemed to believe this when he said he would, “be all things to all people...” but the key part of that verse to me is the, “ALL things” part.  We can make aesthetic changes that will attract people, but we must do more than attract.
     I believe that the key to being relevant has very little to do with specific music, colors, or buildings and everything to do with being holistic in our ministry.  As the church we spend a lot of time talking about our beliefs and preaching the Gospel (Thankfully) but we need to also live these out.  Being relevant means meeting needs.  It means loving people...not just telling them God loves them, but actually showing them.
     You would be hard pressed to find a church that LIVES the Gospel message that isn’t exploding with people and interest.
     The long and short in my opinion...if you want to a relevant church...be Christ.

  

Reading...

     Over this past year I’ve really developed a passion for learning.  I suppose it was always there, but now I am seeing the benefit of learning through books.  So I think I will add some blogs about what I am reading and how it is affecting me.

     Recently I am reading:
          “Turn Your Church Inside Out” by Walt Kallestad
          “And Jesus Said” by William Barclay
     I just finished reading:
          “The Relevant Church” by Jennifer Ashley
          “The Tent Making Pastor” by Dennis W. Bickers

     It’s pretty easy to see a trend here.  I very rarely read for pleasure, although I do take pleasure in it.  Generally I try to read for the express purpose of learning more about ministry or the Bible.  So I guess really I should probably add the Bible up there under the list of things I am currently reading, since I try to read from it daily.
     Right now I am going through the book of Nehemiah attempting to prepare for a sermon...although I haven’t picked a specific verse yet.  Anyway...that’s what I am reading.

Super Friends and Superficial Friendships

     Recently I received in the mail some forms to fill out for the DBMD (District Board of Ministerial Development).  The first thing that stood out to me is the sheer length of the main form that I have to fill out.  I mean the thing has 82 questions on it.  Most of which aren’t questions that can be answered with one word.  But I suppose it is relatively important to ask them all.
     The second thing that I realized was how little people outside of my “main circle of friends” know about me.  You see there are also 3 forms that I am supposed to get filled out by people that know me.  They suggest that these people be a Theology Professor, the Vice-Chairman of your church board, and your pastor.  Unfortunately the Vice-Chairman barely knows me...and I really am not all that close to any of my professors.  
     So I’m left to wonder if maybe I need to be a little more “friendly”.  I mean I generally consider myself to be a friendly guy and usually try to be as much of an open book as possible...but maybe I am just being superficial with people outside of my “click”.  
     Of course, maybe that is how we are meant to be?  Perhaps we are supposed to have superficial relationships with certain people?  I’m not really sure where I am going with this...so I guess I will stop there.

New beginnings

     I’ve decided to give this blog a fresh new start and actually “blog” about things that matter.  (Or at least interest me.)