A few days ago i mentioned this book and really had not planned to blog about it so quickly!
Over the past year iv had so many conversations about ‘the church’ that the last thing i thought i needed or wanted was a book about it. Some of these conversations have been with people who have all but given up on church.
Author Joshua Harris says “If you’ve written off the church, I dare you to read this book.”
I have not written off the Church but i have to admit that some of you, who have spoken to me directly or commented here, have discouraged me. I have listened to and also taken part in conversations that have attacked the church. Some perhaps, legitimate but some being just immature and petty.
I had almost believed the lie that 2 guys having a drink together and occasionally mentioning Jesus was “Church.” ‘Where 2 or 3 are gathered’ & ‘We are the Church’ and bla bla bla………..
“In the bestseller The Shack, the Jesus character explains that he doesn’t like religion and he doesn’t create institutions. The church we see is only a man-made system. The church I came to build, Jesus tells us, is ‘all about relationships and simply sharing your life.”
For the record, thats not entirely true! It may be closer to truth than some of the hogwash in that book but thats a whole other story…….
Currently, many of the most influential authors, speakers and “evangelical figures” are trying to re-model what ‘the Church’ should look like and sadly a lot of it is just the antidote to our disillusionment. The description in The Shack is sugar coated just enough to grip those of us with the smallest of complaints about Church!
Dan Kimball says “Jesus loves the church. Yes, the church is imperfect, and we have made mistakes. But if we love Jesus, then we will love what Jesus loves. This book moves us to a thrilling portrait and future of what the church that Jesus loves and builds can look like and the hope we can bring to the world.”
One of the main topics that will keep arising here over the next year will ‘hopefully’ be The Church, as we lead a small group and stumble closer to rediscovering The Church.
What do you think about The Church?
Ally.
I’m putting on my Mark Driscoll voice here.
Yes mission/evangelism and social transformation have become hard for many, but the reality is, it isn’t as hard as living in poverty and it isn’t as difficult as as an eternity without Jesus.
I’m not usually that direct
Dave
i agree with you Dave
Interesting that we see it as what Christians want from the church. We’re disappointed with style or content or whatever it is we ‘need’ to make us better worshippers or Christians. My gut response to this question is that we’re almost irrelevant.
Following Jesus isn’t about how those of us already in the club like things, not fundamentally*. How much time/effort/energy do we waste discussing whether our experience of The Church fits with our expectation? The litmus test should be how much the world loves (or hates) us.
Frankly, the word ‘meh’ was invented for describing how most of society feels towards what we do and who we are. If we can’t love each other why should anyone care about what we do?
How is it that the glory and the wonder and the grace of being church to one another and doing church for the world isn’t impressive, isn’t response-worthy, isn’t life-changingly attractive and appealing?
That the reaction is so lukewarm is messed up.
I love the church, in all its institutional nightmarish forms, with all its baggage, in all its mistakes, despite its good bits. It is easily the most durable reminder that God loves us, because he loves us, because he loves us and there’s nowt that’ll change any of that. And so it shouldn’t be perfect, because it’s a living reminder that God isn’t finished yet.
And that’s the real reason I love the church. Because in our weakness, our mediocrity, our failure we sit coccooned within that umbrella, holding the potential to change the world.
Web 2.0 might make slactivists of us all (is there a lazier way to fundraise than Movember?) and true the shrinking globe means we can all hitch our wagon to a cause and change lives. But the church is still that strange place where people with little in common come together, share lives, motivate and encourage one another to live lives that speak hope, and breathe life into the world.
Or it ought to be.
Like others I think there’s something in the way we use words. Technically, grammatically, properly ‘church’ is a noun. In our practice and our attitudes it should be both verb and adjective. And while it’s at it the word should be a synonym for love, truth, justice, mercy, grace and a whole load more besides.
Ahead of a PCC meeting that could suck my love for the institution out of me I’m glad to have had this thought ping round my head for today.
*that isn’t to say that we shouldn’t be interested in one another and resourcing one another and loving internally
(With appropriate apologies for length, I may have got slightly carried away)
Benjamin, your thoughts are greatly appreciated, this question is a huge deal & thanks for asking it
“How is it that the glory and the wonder and the grace of being church to one another and doing church for the world isn’t impressive, isn’t response-worthy, isn’t life-changingly attractive and appealing?”
Dave, you have a good point!
Personally i think that evangelism & being missional IS a key component of the Christian life, but that the Church gatherings on a Sunday morning should be primarily for believers, to teach & equip them as well as giving vent for expressions of worship in various forms.
Evangelism & missional living should just be the normal in our lives as we go about our day. And so i believe, (i can’t say why my friend left them off his list), that evangelism is not so much a ‘church’ thing, as it is a Christian thing.
And of course the Church will play a huge roll in supporting, equiping and spurring us forward in this.
People see that thing we do on a sunday morning. They see the people fall into their seats when theyd rather fall to sleep. They see people who are made to wear clothes they dont want to wear.They see the man on the street using out dated language to try and tell people that they are all lost and they even see people that look just like them but they wear a nice W.W.J.D bracelet and carefully avoid anyone who doesnt meet their high standards. BUT…. THEY DONT SEE JESUS!
Lovin this conversation! Thanks Ally for kicking it off.
So much to think about
The more I read this the more I find myself struggling to find language to express what I mean.
I say church and mean many different things. AN individual, a culture, an amorphous community and an institution.
Maybe that’s the beauty of the Church.
Id love this to continue guys so as i read the book il try to blog my thoughts & see if we can get this interaction
Dave, i know what you mean, our words do not quite seem to do it justice…….
As a theology professor of mine once told me. “Don’t dirty mouth the Church – you can’t talk about our Lord’s fiance that way and expect him not to care.” (see the Bride images in Revelation).
I think Church is bigger than all of us have been taught, but it includes what we’ve been taught. If that makes sense?
Great conversation!
Jonny I could introduce you to a number of people who have seen the reflection of Jesus in The Church. I could also introduce you to a number of people who have come back to a Church simply because God powerfully spoke to them “through the foolishness of preaching”.
In fact I see less Christians who meet the description you gave and more who just want to reach out to people where they are sharing with them what they have received from God.
There are always going to be muppets around the Church who are set in their ways and out of touch (remember Jesus died for them too, and sometimes we have even been those muppets). Like you said each of us should focus on making sure our lives and attitudes honour Christ and serve others with faith, hope and love. Also I think we should commit ourselse to each other as a Band of Brothers (and sisters) who will stay united for Christ and the Gospel, even when we disagree!
Okay i’m in danger of ranting on now, so i’l stop
I think it’s exciting to be a part of the Church today. Great questions our being asked! The answers our found, I believe, in Christ and his Word!
sorry i used the wrong ‘our’ for some reason lol