When it comes to today’s church, I feel such discouragement at times. At other times I feel such hope. Most of the time, the hope wins out. I’m not specifically referring to the church that I am with (though I would include it in my concerns). The concerns (and hope) that I have is much larger than one congregation.
First, a few concerns…
- We are mistaken if we think that "Christianity" as a system is the answer. I’m not referring to anything in the Bible. I am talking about what people have experienced on this earth. Too often we spend much of our lives just reacting to what we have experienced in our past. Today, there are too many people who see grace as freedom from legalism but have no idea what that freedom is for…
- We are mistaken if we think that preaching the "Church of Christ" is the answer. As G.C. Brewer observed many years ago, all that does is create sectarian Christians. We become preoccupied with "us."
- We are mistaken if our vision of church is to just be a nice people who only wish to be comfortable and to get along. Too many churches spend more energy "keeping the peace and getting along" than is spent on pursuing the mission and purpose of the church.
My hope…I really do feel hopeful when I think about this. I believe that the hope of the church is still Jesus.
Our hope as a church is Jesus.
I dream of seeing more and more men and women become absolutely captivated by Jesus. When a person is captivated by Jesus, that person is going to become different. Nothing is going to change congregations more like ministers, elders, women, men, University students, teens who are overwhelmed by Him. I’ve seen this. I experienced this in my life. I’ve seen people radically change. But–I long to see this more and more. I really believe that more than anything else, being captivated by Jesus would be like a gust of fresh cool air blowing through our churches.
But let’s not complicate this…
I don’t think that we need a survey.
I don’t think that we need a proposal.
I don’t think that we need a meeting.
I don’t think that we need to form a new committee.
I think that we need to beg God for his mercy.
I think that we need to cry out to him.
I think that we need to relinquish control (as if we ever had it)
I think that we need to saturate ourselves in Jesus.
I want to be a part of that.