So, I was at my in-law’s church this morning and they have had a Week long Mission’s Convention. It started last sunday with a worship service that featured several of the missionaries that the church supports throughout the year. During the week, many of these missionaries were in town talking and sharing with the church all that God was doing in their ministries. Today the church ended the conference with one last Sunday “hoorah” and a special message by both one of the missionaries and by the interim pastor. During one of the speeches, the man invited the congregation to a lecture entitled the “state of the church”. The lecture would speak about all the Good things that have happened to the worldwide missions movement over the past 15-20 years. The lecture would highlight many of the impressive events that have happened and the acceptance of missionaries over the world.
The State of the Church???
I sat listening to what was being said and to be honest I was confused. I’m still confused. I’m not confused about missions work or the purpose that these very sincere people live every day of their lives for. I’ve been on several missions trips – all of them have been experiences that I’ve walked away from changed. I see the needs that are met by the teams being sent and I see the changes in the people who go. Make no mistake, I think Missions is a good thing. I think sending people to other places to interact with other people – either who already know Jesus or who don’t – is good. However, I have some pretty serious questions about the State of the Church.
I’ve seen a lot of “stuff” in the church in my 30 years of life (all of which have been lived within the church and half of it having been spent in service to the church). I’ve seen a church that has done many good things and I’ve seen a place filled with hurt, broken people. I’ve seen rooms filled with people worshipping their creator and I’ve seen people following a person into some pretty shady dealings. I’ve served in Ministry positions for the last 7 years and in that time, I’ve seen friends hurt very bad by a church trying to isolate itself from the outside and grow more “influential” in the community. The “state of the church” talk was supposed to speak to how the church is moving forward and having greater influence. In reality, I think the church is losing touch with the people we are supposed to be serving. I think of those who don’t sit in our pews week in and week out, we’re out of touch fossils who are more focused on being right and having people come to our way of thinking than anything else.
So, I’m confused. Like I said, I believe the work of most of these missionaries to be good and that they are following the call of God on their lives. But I think the state of the church is beyond “slowing down”. It’s in trouble. It’s not in trouble because her God is dead – it’s in trouble because the home for hurting we were created to be is afraid of getting dirty.
It’s very easy to write a blog and pour out thoughts that are caustic and critical. It’s hard to be a part of the change. I believe in the God of the Christian Church and I believe He isn’t concerned with how many we had at our sunday worship services. I believe He wants us to run into a world that is hurting, realize that it is hostile to a message of Peace, Love and Hope and bring His WORD and ACTIONS to those dying. When the church makes this it’s mission maybe the state of our church will be one where we are clothed in the grime of those hurting, we don’t turn back people who don’t look like you and me, we love way past it being painful and Jesus Smiles!