Defining "church"
This last week, I had an interesting conversation with a co-worker of mine who tried to describe to me the mentality behind the seeker-sensitive model of church that Willow Creek used. In that model, Sunday morning exists not as a place of edification, nor as a place of evanglism, but merely a bridge towards deeper Christianity. While, as he mentioned, 20,000+ people may attend an entertainment-driven "watered down" Sunday morning service, about 8,000 of them are the core members of the church, attending midweek studies and groups that serve to strengthen their faith.
Really? Is that what church is all about? Trying to trick people into becoming Christians? What about the other 12,000? Does anyone in the ministry care that those 12,000 people may just be comfortable going to church on Sunday, thereby fooling themselves into believing that they are Christians and saved when they really are not? What is more dangerous?
It's been an interesting journey; experiencing "church" on such a wide scale. I've been to visit churches of almost every type of denomination. Calvary Chapel, Baptist, Southern Baptist, Charismatic, Lutheran, Pentecostal, Non-Denominational, EV Free, Friends - and each of them have sought in the past to do "church" differently. Yet more and more, churches are leaving their traditions and roots behind for the latest trend in church growth or marketing. But why does the church exist? What is the meaning of "church" as we know it, and why do we continue to meet from week to week?
Ask most pastors, and you'll probably get a different response than what a congregant would say. That's why I'm asking you. As an aspiring Pastor, I feel that sometimes I am wrong in thinking that my job is to teach the Word of God - with clarity and integrity - for the equipping of the Saints to do the work of the ministry. Therefore, that's what I look for in a church. Am I asking too much? I'm not asking to be entertained; I am asking to be taught. I am asking to be shown how to live my life in accordance with God's Truth for the sake of the Gospel. I am not asking to be told what to do; I am asking to be shown more and more the character of God in a corporate setting so that I can be better equipped and empowered to do the work that God is calling me to do.
What do you think? Why does the church exist? What is its purpose, and what do you look for when joining a church? Is it merely a place to meet friends with a common interest? Are you looking to be entertained? Have I set the standard too high, and am I asking too much?
Somebody please explain this to me, as I am beginning to feel all alone out here.
Thanks,
Darryl
Really? Is that what church is all about? Trying to trick people into becoming Christians? What about the other 12,000? Does anyone in the ministry care that those 12,000 people may just be comfortable going to church on Sunday, thereby fooling themselves into believing that they are Christians and saved when they really are not? What is more dangerous?
It's been an interesting journey; experiencing "church" on such a wide scale. I've been to visit churches of almost every type of denomination. Calvary Chapel, Baptist, Southern Baptist, Charismatic, Lutheran, Pentecostal, Non-Denominational, EV Free, Friends - and each of them have sought in the past to do "church" differently. Yet more and more, churches are leaving their traditions and roots behind for the latest trend in church growth or marketing. But why does the church exist? What is the meaning of "church" as we know it, and why do we continue to meet from week to week?
Ask most pastors, and you'll probably get a different response than what a congregant would say. That's why I'm asking you. As an aspiring Pastor, I feel that sometimes I am wrong in thinking that my job is to teach the Word of God - with clarity and integrity - for the equipping of the Saints to do the work of the ministry. Therefore, that's what I look for in a church. Am I asking too much? I'm not asking to be entertained; I am asking to be taught. I am asking to be shown how to live my life in accordance with God's Truth for the sake of the Gospel. I am not asking to be told what to do; I am asking to be shown more and more the character of God in a corporate setting so that I can be better equipped and empowered to do the work that God is calling me to do.
What do you think? Why does the church exist? What is its purpose, and what do you look for when joining a church? Is it merely a place to meet friends with a common interest? Are you looking to be entertained? Have I set the standard too high, and am I asking too much?
Somebody please explain this to me, as I am beginning to feel all alone out here.
Thanks,
Darryl
posted by Darryl at
18:11
1 Comments:
Darryl,
I could not agree with you more. I left a huge seeker-friendly Church in Northern California for an Independent Fundamentalist Baptist Church. I have issues with the fact that they tend to be legalistic and very buttoned-down. However, our Pasor preaches only from the Bible and never quotes "great thinkers". When I feel as though I can't stand one more minute of this "zipped all the way up to my chin" Church, I ask myself what my options are. Seriously? There are none. I can either go to a Church that is a combination rock concert and comedy hour, or I can stay in a Church where Christ and Him Crucified is preached three times a week (each is a different message) and we have an altar call at EVERY service. So this is where God wants me.
But I want to share with you part of an e-mail that I sent my sister today that might give you some perspective:
"THEN, I told her a story that my Bible Study partner shared with me recently. My partner, Amy, has a 25 year old son who is a Ranger in the Army and a graduate of West Point. He is also what his Mom prayed fervently that he would be: a pillar of fire for the Lord.
So Eric asked his Mom one day when he was still a teen-ager if she knew the difference between the milk of the Word and the meat of the Word. Amy thought it had to do with the degree of difficulty in understanding certain passages.
Eric told her to look at it this way: How is milk produced? The mother eats food that her body breaks down and creates the perfect food for her infant (breast milk). All the baby has to do is show up and he gets fed! So when you are in Church listening to a Pastor teach or preach, you are getting the milk of the word. No matter how powerful the message is, we just show up and are spoon fed the message.
If we want to get to the meat of the Word, we have to prepare the food, chew it carefully, swallow it, and keep our digestive system healthy so that our food turns into energy. WE do all the work. Unless we open our own Bible and dig into the Word for ourselves, we will be on a diet of milk for the rest of our lives".
I think you will be wonderful Pastor because you sincerely desire to do what is pleasing to God.
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Jeannette, at 6:44 PM
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