Jesus First, Church Second, Every Time!

I am not against the church. Nor am I negative. Actually, I have a greater passion to see her advance, than many in the pew. However, most christians I know will talk to people about "Coming to Church", or come to this awesome "event" at our church. It becomes more about the bride than the groom. Jesus is center stage to Christianity. Yet few give the invitation to Jesus. Church means nothing to unbelievers. The words of the songs, the meditation of the communion will not minister to people who have not believed it.

I think the devil laughs with joy when we make it about church first. Becuse he knows so many people have been burned by "church", or are to bored to death with what the average church is doing (members included) that he does not have to worry to much about us infringing on his territory. We are not approaching much of anything that is his. Make it about Jesus, and once they get a glimpse of him, the fellowship, and the purposes of the "Ekklessia" "Assembly" "Church" will become rich. Don't put the cart before the horse.
I gave this advice to a graduating Seminary ministry candidate (Exactly this blog title), and I know he thought he knew this, is this not what we do now? After his first twenty meetings, he will soon see how little Jesus spoken about, and how much "church" takes the attention.

"As I once heard, “Doing church differently is like rearranging chairs on the Titanic.” We must realize that slight tweaks, new music, creative lighting, wearing hula shirts, shorts, and flip-flops won’t make doing church more attractive. Church must not be the goal of the gospel anymore. Church should not be the focus of our efforts or the banner we hold up to explain what we’re about. Church should be what ends up happening as a natural response to people wanting to follow us, be with us, and be like us as we are following the way of Christ.

(Tangible Kingdom. Hugh Halter, pg 30, 2008, Jossey-Bass.)