This past week I was blessed to attend a conference put on by LifeWay called “Beta.” I did not know much about the conference when I was recommended as a participant by our state’s Church Strengthening Missionary, but I knew that it had to do with teaching, curriculum, and growing the church through small group ministry. Frankly, I was somewhat skeptical going in, because I thought that this would be a sales-pitch session by LifeWay. Please, don’t get me wrong: I love LifeWay. I purchase a fair amount of material from them every year, and I love what their business philosophy is (they exist to be a ministry to help the Church, not as a profit-generating entity; what money they make, they invest directly – every penny – into ministry). However, I thought that what I was going to see would be several sessions where a particular direction would be presented, then at the end I’d hear, “Now, let us show you what we’ve got to help you do this…” Truth be told, I’ve been to too many such conferences. Imagine my surprise – and relief! – when this wasn’t the case at all.
Throughout the conference, the presenters discussed and demonstrated many things (there is so much, I can’t even list it here in what short space I have), but there was a statement made on the first day that I couldn’t get out of my head: “People share what they are excited about, not what they are comfortable with.” This was an interocular contusion for me – it hit me right between the eyes. I immediately began to think about the church (our church, yes, but the church universal as well). When church is comfortable for us, when it becomes that like pair of shoes that we’ve broken in and feel very comfortable in, we tend not to be as excited about it. When we’re not as excited about it, we are not as apt to share about it with others. We may talk about it from time to time, but our comfortableness can mask what lurks beneath: apathy. The fire that once blazed in us has become an ember hidden in the ash. Ultimately, to not be excited about the Bride is to not be excited about the Bridegroom.
It’s gut check time: does this describe you right now? Are you excited about the church? Is that evidenced by how you share it with others? Barna discovered not long ago that 47% of people would be willing to visit a church if asked by a friend. While this percentage is dropping over time, let’s not mistake the point: nearly 1 out of every 2 people you ask to come to church would be willing to do so. But how many are we asking? Again, it comes back to the question of excitement: are you excited about the church? Brothers and sisters, it is not unhealthy for us as a church to ask these questions (and others); indeed, it’s decidedly unhealthy when we lack that excitement and refuse to engage in some serious soul-searching and gracious, loving discussion with one another. If we’re serious about wanting to see people come to a saving relationship with Jesus, we’re going to need to have this discussion. Let’s have it in a way that brings glory to God. Just something to think about… ~Pastor Roy
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