I've been neither funny nor clever in recent days, and as much as I'd like to post my shopping list and a copy of my insurance policy, I thought I'd post something of real content.

This is a blog entry from someone who I don't know who that someone is. Another someone sent it to me, and I thought it was both brilliant and sort of stupid at times. I thought the collective you might like it.


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When you build up a structure and slap the word church on a sign out front, it becomes very easy for people to forget that church is not a place to go once a week, but rather something that we are.  Uh oh, here I go...
Forgive me, but I dont need a weekly program of rehearsed hooky tunes followed by a barrage of announcements and a puffy theological dissertation.  I dont need cell groups, home groups, singles groups, young married groups or mens groups.  Frankly, I'm pretty grouped out.  What I need is fellowship.  Not "Fellowship Bible" or "Fellowship Community" or "Fellowship Covenant" or "Fellowship Baptist."  I need community.  Not "Christ Community" or "Faith Community" or "Real Life Community."  And dont get me started on grace.  God knows we need that, but not in the form of another catchy church name.  I don't need to read another trite quip on a marquis telling me that a church is "prayer conditioned" or that "regular bible check ups prevent truth decay."    And I don't need to be professionally greeted at the door of the sanctuary.  I need to be known, not counted and alphabetized.  After all, Mr. Greeter, is it really nice to see me, or are you just happy to see another seat filled?  No, I don't want a bulletin.  Associate Pastor Whats-His-Name is going to read it all to me during the prayer-slash-announcement time anyway.  Besides, it's a good way for him to squeeze in some face time between "worship" and the offering.  Oh excuse me, I mean "tithe"  (the word church leadership uses to ensure Gods promises will be fulfilled to His people).  The "freedom isn't free" sales pitch:  Freedom comes at a cost!  And that cost is 10 percent of everything you have.  But if you're a guest, please don't feel obligated to give (only members should feel obligated).  Excuse me, do you not see that we are clinging so desperately to these laws that Jesus [admittedly] lived to fulfill, but also bled and died to free us from?  James says if you take on one law you must carry the weight of the entire law on your shoulders.  Brothers and sisters, that is not a burden we were meant to carry in light of the finishing work of Christ!  Tithe is merely a control device for leaders who can't trust the work of the Holy Spirit in the Body if Christ (or who don't understand that we have been freed from those regulations and rules).  It's the same thing they did back in the early church with circumcision.  Am I saying we shouldn't give?  By no means!  The apostle Paul has plenty to say about that.  He said that we should excel in the grace of giving just as we excel in the other good gifts (he also had a teensy weensy tiny bit to say about the end of the law too, which includes the mandate of tithing).  I didn't want to get started on tithe.  Guess its too late for that.  This is not merely a piece on tithing.  Rather, it is a satirical challenge issued to the prodigal church of America.
You see, we don't need churches with schedules to keep, fundraisers to promote, and people to reintroduce to life under law.  No thanks.  I'm over that.  What I need is a safe place for people who know each other intimately and, at a moments notice, can lay hands on one other and exercise their gifts with confidence and without fear.  Gifts like prophecy and healing.  It isn't wrong for me to desire a place where I can come to be prayed over without the formality of a scheduled altar call at the end of a service.  Besides, what kind of service is it to erect a building and obligate everyone to come and help pay the utility bills, outrageous mortgages, expansion funds, and salaries (for a staff who claims to equip, but mostly enables laziness amongst the members by doing all the work for them) when there are congregants who can't find healing from a common cold, let alone afford to pay their own rent?  And when we do attempt to reach out to those people, we stamp our church brand all over the project and piously advertise our "mission."
Is that authenticity?  Yes, it is very authentic.  But I can take you out in my back yard and show you something very authentic that my dog left behind - and no amount of clever marketing will make it stink any less.  We don't need authenticity.  We need truth.  And truth is not a marketing strategy.  It is not programmed.  Truth is only a formula when it is math.  The gospel is not math.  It is not an equation.  It is mystery - mystery revealed in the person of Christ our Deliverer, who never prepared a four point sermon, rented out a billboard, or handed out a tract.  He taught, he corrected, he rebuked, he interacted, he had compassion, he healed, he prayed, he studied, he believed in others, he cared for the poor, he had close friends who knew him well, and he looked people in the eyes simply because he took the time to.  But most of all, he loved.  And that's the truth.

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What do you think?

Peace,
Justin