challenging the unchallenged
it's frustrating to witness complacency. it's horrifying to sit through a sermon that challenges the church to actually be the church (get off their butts and fight for the salvation of the people in the community that don't know Christ instead of retreating into a sanctuary every weekend for some feel good songs and sermons on God's blessings for our selfish* lives) and end the service with an apathetic round of The Battle Belongs to the Lord. as i pound the bass in the goodness of Em, i notice the bored looks. sure there are ten, maybe fifteen engaged worshippers out of 150 to 200 people. i heard that others on the stage thought it went well. i have to ask this one question.
when do we get desperate enough as lead worshipers to recognize that people are not being led into a place where they are connected, challenged, changed, and set free?
now, introspection:
are they too comfortable with not being challenged, or are we as lead worshipers, rather am i too much of a coward to push them out of their comfort zones, settling for less than all that God has? i am under the authority of a lead lead worshiper, so who am i to say anything? maybe i should, maybe not. oh the wonder-ings of it all.
i digress.
*subtle sarcasm
when do we get desperate enough as lead worshipers to recognize that people are not being led into a place where they are connected, challenged, changed, and set free?
now, introspection:
are they too comfortable with not being challenged, or are we as lead worshipers, rather am i too much of a coward to push them out of their comfort zones, settling for less than all that God has? i am under the authority of a lead lead worshiper, so who am i to say anything? maybe i should, maybe not. oh the wonder-ings of it all.
i digress.
*subtle sarcasm
posted by Kurt Libby at 9:29 AM
1 Comments:
when I moved to Reno, I remember having someone tell me that old wineskins cannot contain the new wine... I had no idea what they meant, but I assumed since I had the keys to the church that it was a sign that I was supposed to lead out in a way that led to the "church being the church", not just a glorified kiwanis club.
Now, almost 6 years later, I've lost quite a bit of skin from the lashings i took at transforming an "old wineskin" church into the kind of place that I would not only attend, but that Christ-followers would flock to because of the simplicity, the lack of politics, the absence of institutional b.s. that makes it so that we can "rah-rah" about what God is doing & what we're supposed to be doing, all the while doing nothing.
The old wineskin couldn't take the change, wouldn't stretch anymore & it burst. What emerged is new, but came forth only with great pain & suffering. I often think that I should have just started with a few likeminded people on our faces, calling out to God & letting him formulate a new 'church' that is the church. Still, after having gone through the process, I think that maybe I did so that I can help others... My take? Find a new wineskin - &/or make yourself available to see one made.
Thanks for being you Kurt & for believing that it should be different; you're not wrong. It should. I miss you & the late night conversations in the kitchen.
Louie
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