I know that sounds a bit morbid, but hear me out. I've been reading a book called AND: The Gathered and Scattered Church by Hugh Halter and Matt Smay and came across a story that got me to thinking about how churches (groups of Christ followers) die together.
The way I see it there are two main ways that churches die together. The first way is when they decide (either consciously or not) to hunker down inside their church walls and refuse to engage their community. Rather than focusing on a lost and broken world around them, they focus on keeping things they way they are inside their walls. They talk about their community a lot (usually in a negative way), and they wish their community would come to their church, and they might even do some outreach events to try to convince their community to come inside and be with them. But those in their community recognize the smell of death and know that it isn't any better inside there than outside. The church slowly (or or sometimes quickly) literally dies together and Christ is far from glorified.
The second way is what was so beautifully described by Hugh Halter. He describes a time when a new believer in their group (made up of Christ followers and those not sure yet) asked the question, "So... is this my church?" In his response he shared with her (and the others) the difference between a church and a faith community (which is what he says they had at that time). He went on to share with them, "We've given up our food for you; we give up our family time and personal interests to accommodate all of your spontaneous dropping by to talk. Half the time or more, we would really rather you stay away so we can enjoy our private time; but then we see you pull up in front of the house and we give another night up for you. We throw parties and gatherings for you and your friends all the time, and although it looks like it's all fun for us, it's a heck of a lot of work! In many ways, we've died for you; and if you want to be a part of a church, you'll have to die too. You have to give your life away."
Hugh goes on to describe how they took him seriously and so they prayed about it for a week and met the following week and voted unanimously to come and die together and be a church. He goes on to say, "Church is God's people intentionally committing to die together so that others can find his kingdom." Beautiful. The way I see it, all churches are dying, but some of them are leaving the stench of death, and others are intoxicating a dying world with the aroma of Life. Which kind of church are you a part of? What kind do you want to be a part of?
Blessings,
Shiloh
2 comments:
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