"Recently I walked by a 'church' that was holding services on a Sunday morning in an upscale community in Northern California. Organ music drifted out of the open doors, spilling onto the streets where passersby made their way to coffee shops, art galleries, and antique stores, oblivious to the goings-on of the band of worshipers ensconced behind stucco walls.
Is this situation worrisome to that congregation? Apparently not.
No one was outside to engage anyone on the street. Nametags were on prominent display in the entry plaza next to the 'sanctuary'. The clear message was 'members only'. If you wandered in on the activities absent a nametag, you'd stick out like a sore thumb.
Contrast this picture with what you see and experience as you read about the early days of the Christian movement in the Book of Acts. The kingdom was spreading like a virus, invading every aspect of society. There wasn't a possibility of containing it inside a building; it was unleashed onto the street.
If you are a church leader, you will self-select into your own future of spiritual expression. Either you will participate in some kind of religious activity that is increasingly disconnected from its surrounding culture, or you will join the ranks those who want to experience the life of a Jesus follower."
(Tangible Kingdom. Hugh Halter, pg xiii, 2008, Jossey-Bass. By Reggie McNeal in forward)
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