These are indeed changing times - just read Tim's blog and came away from it feeling really positive (Which isn't something I always feel when reading Tim's blog - no offence if you're reading this TM)
Now, I'm not very good at ecclesiological discourse. When I do find myself discussing serious things then I often end up either backed into a corner or losing interest faster than you can say 'Gibson Les P...' *snore*
However, this is my attempt to say something about church which isn't too stupid so as to lose all the brainy people and isn't too wacko as to lose all the thick people. Today I read some words of a well respected ecclesiologist (I can't remember his name - I am not a facts & figures man... never have been never will be) who said something like:
Church happens when Worship, Community and Mission are all found happening together in the same place
Be warned, that is a paraphrase, but the three key words are the ones he used. And I agree - which for the sake of this blog is a good thing... I like a few things about the statement: I like the simplicity; I like the accessibility; I like the applicability (is that a word?)... Often it seems that a church will major in one area and minor in the two other ones - it seems it's fairly hard to get a good balance? Also it's apparent that those three things work best in synergy with each other. The sum creating a greater whole - that greater whole being called church... that is opposed to 'Our Social Club' or 'Our Action Group' or 'Our Sing_at_the_projector_screen Group'
I love simple things. I believe that often the biggest things can be said in the fewest words. I also believe that the amount of time we give over to discussion is often inversly proportional to the importance of the subject matter. I believe our highest calling is the greatest commandments - outlined handily for us by Jesus in Matthew 22. Essentially love God and look out for and love each other.
The funny thing is we all spend so much time chatting about 'this little theological idiom' and 'that little issue of church style' but every little part of me knows that each and everyday I fail to fulfill the expectations put upon me by those two little commandments....
That is my problem.
Lord, please take broken me...again
3 comments:
I like your angle. I get a bit bored nowadays on discussion as to what church is. Its a peacetime issue. If we focus on sorting ourselves out individually then church will naturally become what it is supposed to be. Otherwise it is a distraction - and one that sucks me in frequently.
Why is so hard to love people? I meet loads of needy people everyday and most of the time I just want to get away and move on asap. How bad is that? How far away is that from anything I would preach about or encourage? It is a Holy spirit thing. We can't; He can.
Churches do often major in one area rather than the others. I think that's because people tend to major in one area rather than lots (maybe - and if so, that's probably ok), and since like people tend to group together, you get churches full of people that specialise in one thing rather than a healthy diversity...
speaking of positive posts, this one was. good stuff.
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