Sunday’s message, taught by Kyle Black and myself was an introduction to our Summer Teaching Series on the Book of Acts. It is entitled, “THE WAY,” and provides us with the foundation for the church to do the work God has called us to. The focus in this introductory message was THE WAY as a means of referring to this early Christian movement. The focus was not on how they organized, but on how they proceeded in the task that Jesus had called them to.
Somewhere along the way, the modern, organized church has strayed from that path into a self-sustaining mode– doing not necessarily what it has been called to do, but what will sustain its organization.
This week, we would be interested in hearing from you. Have you found this to be true in the churches you have experienced in the past? Let us hear from you, because now IT’S YOUR TURN!
May 17, 2009 at 4:39 pm |
This was such a great message today – I am so excited about coming to church next Sunday and hearing some more. I know you were speaking in generalities about how the church has strayed from the true mission of ministry and discipleship and how it has gotten tangled into the “daily business” of committee members, rule keeping and judgement (what a relief to see preaching in flip flops from the pulpit as an acceptable way),but I fear that it has become too much the norm. It is almost accepted by its’ members that the church should run as a business and therefore think as a business – often with the senior pastor as a CEO. It is a great relief to hear that we can indeed react to God’s call the way He wants us to react and not be afraid of the church’s ‘reaction” to us. It is a great relief to know that people are allowed and encouraged to use their gifts and talents to please God, not to do the “bidding” of the pastor.
What struck me the most is what you both said about the Way. That it is a lifestyle – while most of us know this – we tend to forget it. In a generation when maintaining a certain lifestyle is such a cool thing – you would think that living a Christian lifestyle would also be “cool” thing. Instead, it seems that the cross has become an accessory instead of a statement of belief. This definately could not be the way Christ intended the cross to be seen.