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In the past year, I have had the opportunity to attend services at a number of churches. Some were charismatic. Some were evangelical. All of them would be considered great churches by those who attend them.
As I have looked at my experience, though, I have to say that most of these church experiences have left me dissatisfied. I have spent a lot of time trying to figure out what has caused me to feel that way. Finally, this week, I think I figured it out.
The problem is that all of these churches were nice. They were safe and predictable - very comfortable. The evangelical ones followed their usual formulas and preached on the usual subjects. The charismatic ones did the same.
What I am hungering for is a church service that is not wrapped up in a nice, safe package. I want a church service that is unsafe because there is a Lion loose in the house and no one knows quite what He's going to do next.
The good news is that I think that day is coming. Maybe not to every church, but for those who truly hunger for the presence of God, there will be a day when the Lion is loose in our midst. It will be a day of joy, terror, love and worship all mixed together in a way that only those who know His presence can understand.
Amen! Come, Lord Jesus.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
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These church services are nice and safe because of fear. Fear of digging deep into the word of God to see what it reveals. We might not be able to handle what is revealed!
ReplyDelete"For the word of God is quick, and powerful,and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul, and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart" (Hebrews 4:12).
For those of us who like a deeper soul-searching, these blogs are a great way to connect to other like-minded individuals in the broader church of worldwide believers.
thank you for saying it so well.
ReplyDeleteI want to go to church with the Lion of Judah!
What would a "church service that is not wrapped up in a nice, safe package. ... a church service that is unsafe because there is a Lion loose in the house and no one knows quite what He's going to do next", look like?
ReplyDeleteThe previous comment needs a much longer answer than a blog comment. It really needs an entire book - which is fun because I have just such a book at the printers now. :-)
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure that a church service with "a Lion loose in the house" would have any particular look, at least as far as the service structure and church culture go. It could be a liturgical, high church service or a jeans 'n t-shirt, Baptist thing.
But I have been in settings where the presence of God's majesty was so great that I crumpled to the ground without anyone touching or praying for me (I imagine my experience was similar, but not as significant as in 2 Chronicles 5 or 7).
I have also experienced the presence of God with such incredible joy that it is impossible to describe.
Best of all, there have been times in my life of deep quiet and peace as the Father wrapped His love around me in a personal and profound way.
I guess what I am longing for is a church service whose focus is worshipping and encountering the presence of the Lord in a significant way. We would show up for church seeking the Lord and yielded to whatever He wants to do. There would be an excitement and fear involved because He would be in control and we don't know what His agenda might be.
It is that depth of experience of the presence of God that I would love to enter into in church.
I share in your church blahs. It is easy to believe that my lack of enthusiasm about church is because there is something wrong with me; maybe I'm just being critical, or I am just not really listening, or I am not open to what God has for me at the service, or I am just not smart enough to "get" what is being taught, or I it's because of the length of time I have been at the church listening to the same preacher. And it is not safe to talk about how I feel. Eventually I find out that others feel the same way, and did not think they could talk about it either. But if leaders find out that there are a group of folks who are discouraged and discontent with the church, they are looked upon as being rebellious disenters who just have bad attitudes and are the ones who need to change. Concerns are not really heard and are received with defensiveness and are justified.
ReplyDeleteI also share your hunger!!! I am tired of "doing church" - same thing every week (3 songs, topical teaching, being told when to sit and when to stand). Peoples come hungry (wether they realize it or not), their souls parched, longing to be quenched by Jesus our Living Water. But the routine of church and at church seems to drone out the Spirit of God, causing us to sit through yet another service with glazed eyes and false sense of satisfaction. Afterwards we drive home with our families evaluating the quality of the music and teaching rather than rejoicing in God's love, grace and goodness.
I have to admit that I am quick to blame the leadership of our church. But I am realizing that the congregants play a role as well. Many congregants are quick to criticize anything done or said at a church service that does not sit well with their theology. We critique and complain. We are closed-minded.
I agree that fear is the issue that keeps our Lion of Judah at bay. I think any believer would admit that you cannot put God in a box. But we all do it. How do we overcome our fear of The Lion roaming free in our midst? I have been longing for quite some time for God's power to be unleashed in our congregation, but I still have fear that accompanies that longing. I question the integrity of other's interpretation of what God is doing or how he is leading. I question my own discernment. I am afraid of what is not familiar or predictable.
I am thankful to God that He reveals his presence to me in a variety of venues (most recently it was at a relatives funeral!). How I long to experience God's powerful presence alongside my sisters and brothers I worship with regularly. I long to see God's power cause us to stop "doing church" and to "be the church"!
I think the most dangerous place for believers is a place of precieved safety. As a pastor I long to see God's power at work among the precious people who attend our church. I'm not sure how/when I'll see that happen but my hope is that we will get there and "loose the Lion" in our midst!
ReplyDelete