Forget for a moment the points at which you agree or disagree with this author’s post. I simply want you to consider the following observations.
When did being moved by a deep desire to bring the eternal hope of the gospel to all men by all means become a punishable offense and the desire to punch and kick the ass of those who desire such become trendy? When did having a broken heart for the lost and attempting therefore to remove all artificial barriers between the church and the world become sinful? About the same time that boasting of one’s violent passions was added to the fruit of the Spirit? I guess so.
Don’t misunderstand me. I get and I appreciate hyperbole. But I also understand arrogance. I’m intimately acquainted with it. I hate it in me. I hate it when I see it in the church growth types who claim that they will do church unlike the church the world grew up hating. And I hate it when I see it tossed about with the air of urgent superiority by those who claim to be able to do ministry untainted by the stain of he modern world. No matter how pure you claim to be, you are not above the fray.
So the Julies of the world are leaving the church, and are doing so for noble reasons. Are there ever noble reasons for disobedience to Christ? Are her reasons more acceptable than the guy who leaves church in order to pursue his passion racing go carts? or to start a business? or to work on his golf game? I think not. One can only hope that the church she is giving up on pastorally pursues her. (Or perhaps she has been so ungraciously critical that they are glad to see her go.)
Should we be concerned about losing the Julies of the world? Those men I know who long for the expansion of Christ’s kingdom are not unconcerned for Julie. But they are also desperately concerned for the Bills and the Mikes and the Beths and the Martas whom the church has not found a way to reach. I’m deeply disturbed when shots are taken at men seeking to bring the gospel to all people (imperfectly to be sure) without revealing that those taking the shots know the hearts of these men.
By all means lets be in conversation. Let’s hear from one another. Let’s sharpen one another. But let’s grow up and stop throwing darts at one another. We have an enemy who is all too willing to do that. He does not need our help.
[For the record, Julie’s longing for genuine community in church merged with a respect for the grandness of God is a passion I share. I like to think that she’d be comfortable at HPC. I also know this is the passion shared by many men who are pastoring what some might call gargantuan churches. It is the attitude of disdain for one another and the stereotyping revealed in the linked post that disturbs me most.]
Fiona
Isn’t it great, that only the LORD knows our (true) hearts and minds? 🙂 Sadly, I believe the Christian church can sometimes underestimate the intelligence and awareness of the non-Christian and the ability they possess to spot someone being phoney, or trying to fit in by taking on a ‘role'(for whatever reason).Some of the points made in the linked post are sadly true–but at the end of the day–who cares? I don’t. I am so discouraged at times by how (we) Christians are paying more attention to how trendy or ‘cool’ we can be in order to be accepted, or to make the church more palatable for non-Christians. People are not attending church because the pastor wears a suit and tie; they are at home because they have so many colourful distractions: toys, gadgets and over-stretched schedules. Don’t you know–Sunday is ‘sleep-in’ day? People are ‘burnt out’ from the pressures around them; ageing parents, teenagers acting out (or both!), cancer and diseases, heavy financial burdens and major debt; not to mention marriages on the brink of failure. It isn’t personal people–they just don’t care, or realize that their needs have to be met through Christ. So how do we reach them or keep them? We be true to the gospel and we love and care for those who are in the church right now. I noticed pastoral appearance or reference to aesthetics is mentioned quite a lot in the attached link, but whatever happened to the power of prayer and calling on the Lord to bring people in? Also, since when is it the sole responsibility of the pastor to try to bring people to church or keep people IN the church? We are all in this together.With all the time that is spent trying to think up popular schemes or methods in order to attract people to come to church–people are dying. Deep down, I believe people want authenticity whether they are a Christian or not.Prayerfully and by the Lord’s grace and help, we will be made spiritually attractive and also outwardly appealing to those in our immediate circle and communities; not only by our words but MOST imporantly, by our actions. In order to be ‘authentic’ Christians we need to lean on God and not ourselves. It’s really simple, but I think WE complicate things. The Lord just asks us to be faithful and obedient to the message of the gospel, to Him and His Word. He will do the rest.Lastly…(Hey, I havn’t commented in a long time!)Sorry, but these thoughts swell from what I have see around me, from those in my personal life lately and those in the city where I live. People need for us to love them, to show them compassion and respect and through this we are pointing them to Christ. They really don’t care if we are ‘hip’ or not! 🙂
Fiona
Uh-oh, did I sound arrogant? I hope not. 🙁 Although, if I did, I’m sure someone will ‘kick my derierre’…(preferably with a slipper!)fm
Randy Greenwald
Preach it, sister! Have I invited you to our church recently? I think you’d fit in really well. It’s not too far to travel, is it? I promise not to kick you any where or to dump coffee on you. I’m tired but I wanted to say that I appreciate your comments.