I love this video.... we all would, if we are serious about Jesus..... It gets to the heart of what kingdom is all about.
However, most of you reading this have never really experienced it or actually seen it in action. ....Ok, breath, suck in some air..... get past the "BUT BUT...... my church does.....!
No, your church is not any different. Each congregation if full of people who say, "But MY church does...." Part of the delusion we have to sell..........that we are more righter, more better :-) .
Church people mostly focus on the Sunday Event. Most of our time, resources and money are focused on the Sunday event, and it so over shadows that it keeps us from functioning much in the "Whole World"of even our own community. We is locked down pretty tight there and not doing much to get out. :-)
The main thing for us, frankly, is the main Sunday thing. The New Testament says surprisingly little about church gatherings and events. Why is that? No I'm not bitter... which church folks are taught to assign to anyone who exposes the silliness of some things we say and do as a group.
No, we just talk about this video stuff, we talk, and talk, and it's just talk. Sunday is still the main thing and promotion of our Sunday main thing service will continue to be our main thing. That is what we are saving people to.... to come to church, and make the church the main thing. We think kingdom work is our Sunday event, and recruiting people to the Sunday event is evangelism.
I see that as only a dot in the kingdom sentence. Making a church member is not the same as making a disciple. Good church members, can be lousy disciples. I know I've been one, and I have tried to lead them.... I'm down with "Sold out to Jesus" kind of people.
Gathering with other believers is essential.... but it need not have to be with that one group down the road only, most of the time. It can be with any part of the body, anywhere, anytime, and the field is the world so we need to get out there and sow the seed more than we gather here (We nod at the theology, but despise the practice of this truth). How can you build one big looking local church talking about releasing people like this, and letting them meet all over the place?
Frankly, I am not too sure where Jesus fits in to all this "Sunday is the main thing" apporach any more.
I know I don't need the corny stuff to prop up my faith. I love Jesus, and I worship him every day...... it's not limited to Sunday, nor is Sunday the Big day of my worship, it's just another day of my 24/7 worship. Also, I love Jesus so I love my brothers and sisters in my family and spend time together (Ahem.... when you can actually find anyone who has time).
Regardless of whether it's country and western or hip hop gospel band music on Sunday. Does not matter if people are excited or reserved in expression. Does not matter the style or the charisma of the preacher. My faith remains, and I can and I do grow with or without most of the distraction on Sunday. We sell the idea that you can't POSSIBLY grow if you don't immerse yourself in this stuff. ..............Bla.... fooy.
The truth is this busy stuff gets in our (At least my) way. 20 yrs of ministry exposed that truth to me. Run, run, tired, exhausted, event pushing business...
I worked it and worked it hard. Had some success too, and a little reluctant notoriety too. Planted ten churches now, around the world.... and two more in the works....Yep.... I did.... Surprises you Eh!
You think I'm down on church, and have a negative view of church? No, I love church in the biblical sense... But I don't love everything we do that has come to be called "church" today. Took me 20 yrs to be honest and brave enough to finally say it out loud.... as it comes with a cost from that community.
We are not growing because of this Sunday stuff (as people), we are growing despite it. The church does not grow us, Jesus does, and others can nurture what Jesus does or not. Some do, most don't contribute to the process at all (The process is the 56 things we are to do for "One Another" in the New Testament. But we we are not focused on Jesus ourselves, other have nothing to nurture in us).
I've learned a long time ago, that I can prepare 1000 well thought out sermons, and preach them over years to a people, who never actually lift a finger to know Jesus, communion with him, to learn his word.... or nurture another faith...... I have to plop the gospel in front of them, and we say "Hey great folks, they come to church and listen every week.", and the reality is they do nothing to nurture their own faith, let alone contribute to the "One Anothering" and certainly not discipling an unbeleiver......
Studies show (our eyes confirm it) that 95% of what I say on Sunday is forgotten by Monday, and that monologue is the least effective form of teaching and communication on the planet. Yet we tell people they can't possibly get buy without coming to hear a Sunday sermon... Yes they can, and they do.... Because they take almost noting form it, home. Not because they are bad, our teaching method is bad. And some of us, most of us church folks in fact, have no communion with Jesus outside of Sunday..... we have no idea what it even means to live under the awareness of him every day.... to live in the reality of the constant presence of Jesus.No sermon or church event can replace that huge hole.
I want to be with a people who want to be with Jesus, and who want to do some "one anothering..." (Me for them and yes them to my family too). Sitting in a pew with others, silent, looking on stage, and then a brief chat after "service" does little to fill my soul. And I don't pretend to believe my sermon, nor my little chat with you after church helps much either... the setting is too contrived and unnatural, artificial.
Jesus fills my soul, and good genuine time in relationships with people, and discussing the word as Iron sharpens Iron, does. But stage shows don't help me much. And I know it makes some of you fume to hear me say it. I don't need your stage show, and I know mine "Don't impress you much"... . I need you.... you need me, and we both need Jesus and his word, lived out in the reality of life's context.
When will we get that through our thick heads? Relationship with Jesus, relationship with others in Jesus about Jesus. . It's the key.... the only key.... Jesus called it Love God, Love your neighbor.
A building with a shingle is not a success story for me anymore. With enough time, and enough money most people can pull that off.... trust me.... not hard to make a gathering. Making disciples is a whole other thing. The truths out....But you can't fake a kingdom family...
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