In Brian Sanders’ book, Life After Church, he defines three requirements for church: worship, community, and mission. Leave out one and you have something else, but not church, something unsatisfying, which can cause committed Christians to leave church, either physically or emotionally (which is where I am at).
I think there is something to mission being a requirement. Worshiping at church and having relationships in a life group setting doesn’t cut it. That’s why I got out of doing youth life groups. Without a commitment to participate in what God is doing in our community, it is unsatisfying.
I was brought to tears last night on my nightly run. I was listening to a podcast from Mars Hill (Rob Bell) where Rob was interviewing a woman from his congregation. She and her family, along with several other families from Mars Hill, moved to one of the poorest neighborhoods in Grand Rapids. She described what they were doing in their ministry there. As I was listening to her, I literally wept as I was running (It is hard to cry when you are sucking wind!). I heard the glory of God as his followers were carrying out his will. I desperately want to do church. I want to be a part of a group who loves God, each other, and is actively involved in what God is doing in our community. Where can I find that? It’s cold in Michigan.
2 comments:
I didn't know you were a listener of the Mars Hill. Me too... I listened to that same podcast, it is cool to hear about that woman's story a year later... Mars Hill has a wonderful understanding of church. I went to conference up there last year... and it is just the whole mentality of the people that is so wonderful to be around. They do church well. Mainly because they have mobilized themselves in a way that directly relates to Jesus' teaching and to Jesus himself.
I too want to do church, and being an "employee of the church" of a smaller congregation I often feel a disconnect from the understanding of church that I see here and what I've been challenged with from the likes of Rob, Dallas Willard, and other thinkers, and the example in scripture. I believe we don't understand what church should be... I'll have to pick up that book you mentioned, because we are lacking mission, well maybe a better way to say it is we are lacking the mission of God and calling of Christ. Instead we focus on our building and not the people, which the later is church, not the building.
But that is a hard message for people to swollow I think, they hear and they will say church is people, but then they go and pay $125/hour to clean their parking lot off from the sand laid down from the snow and ice.
We have recently built a new church, and I do see the need of the new building, especially in light of the old one. But I hope we can move from the focus we have on this new building, but everyone is calling it the "new church"... to a focus on community, and community outside of the walls of our own church building.
Been awhile since I've checked this blog good to see you writing again, saw your comment on Grant's site too. I guess I would say, Yes of course we should see Paul's definition of the gospel in light of Jesus' definition, but my question is where does Jesus ever say it so nicely and neatly as Paul's? Instead Jesus just is the good news, I like Willard's wrap up on it too the focus is more on life now and becoming apart of the "with God life."
But these are just my two cents.
Hey Loren:
I go in spurts in my blogging. When it becomes too self-indulgent, I want to delete the whole thing. But for now, I write.
I think Jesus' gospel was nicer and more neat for his listeners at the time. The literal message just has little meaning in our time. We don't think in terms of kingdoms and we never use the term repent except in church or religious talk. Plus we have lots of baggage to get through. I also think Jesus was intentionally obscure in his teaching. They had to work at it. Same for us. In some ways, I do think it is a "secret" or hidden message even today. But with a little pursuit, the right attitude, and the Holy Spirit, we can get it.
I think we should not jump to quick to Paul before we understand Jesus. After all, Paul is just commentary of Jesus. It may be that Paul is best interpreted in light of our understanding Jesus' gospel.
Lot's more could and should be said about this.
One other thought, Loren. What keeps me in church is the invisible church. That is what we need to look for and join with it. It is nice when the visible and invisible church overlaps, but we both know how the visible church tends to get off track. I want to find where God is moving in my church and join with that movement. When I can't find it, I will look for it outside the visible church.
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