P.S.
Thursday, April 30th at 9pm 2 comments
1. I think a lot of people like big, professional churches to which they contribute little because they view the church as a metaphor (or replacement?) for their faith. If the church has always been there, and always will be there, and doesn’t come from them but is driven by outside forces, they have little fear of their faith ceasing. On the other hand, if their church collapses, will their pursuit of Jesus follow suit?
2. Can we stop pretending the Sunday morning service (or “main” service – whenever it is) isn’t the crux of all that we do? It’s the only thing 95% of church-goers attend. It’s the clearest act of our congregation. I realize people stick around a church because they have friends and feel like they contribute, but leadership can’t force those things. We can, however, make a killer service. Let’s just say it: service is the center of what we do. Now can we move forward…?
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1.
David Ruess | Tuesday, May 12th at 4pm
2. True. So True. I like it. And what ends up happening because we don’t (for whatever reason) want to admit the Sunday morning service is the crux of what we do, it suffers as it’s pushed to the side while we give energy to the “real center” of our ministry – sunday school, wednesday night, small groups. Thus we are left with a church which does nothing excellent and everything mediocre, and people come and say, “the sunday service was ehh…alright,” and then don’t even come to the rest b/c it was just alright, unless they come out of self-righteous shame to become a better Christian etc…
So everything suffers.
I think the church would do well to realize and embrace the main service, knock it out of the park with helpful biblical teaching, worship, and whatever, and after that’s done well, move on to things they can also do well.
What do you think?
David
2.
David Ruess | Tuesday, May 12th at 8pm
1. Hmmm… maybe. I mean it makes sense to me, in terms of people who leave church and faith for sunday and their lives for the rest of the week.
I wish I knew the general “christian” population’s understanding of faith. I fear it’s very limited.
1. I think many view faith as simply religion and use the two nouns synonymously…”I’m a Christian, that’s my faith.” I understand this as what you are talking about. And sadly I think they won’t follow Jesus if their church dies. But naybe…they’ll just find another church aka faith. Who knows.
2. Others view faith as nothing more than their “prayer of faith” to Jesus and asking Him/accepting Him into their heart. I think people might actually believe He’s actually in there, physically, I know that’s what I believed when I was younger and un-informed. And a lot of people in this place I think end up having faith in their prayer/faith rather than God, which is sad.
3. Some have heard the example, “I have faith in this chair when I sit down”, and so they view faith as belief of/in something. Thus just as they believe/have faith that this chair will hold them up, so they believe/have faith that Jesus will save them. I think this is on the right track.
4. Fewer people view faith in terms of a trusting relationship. Thus for them their faith in God means they are trusting Jesus to save them as their savior…a much more personal faith than simply belief.
5.And even fewer probably understand it in terms of fearing God. I think this is where Moses, Christ, and people like Paul were. There’s something of grace and love involved here, along with a trusting relationships, belief, and I think even true fear of our Awesome God. I don’t understand this last part really much at all, just begining to understand the #4 way.
But where are the majority of people in the church? And do they view their faith as the church…probably a lot do. I hope not. What do you think?
David