The Long and Winding Road
As some might have surmised by my somewhat not so vague posts over the course of the last couple of months, during the past several years, our family has witnessed the dsyfunction, denial, and decline of a once fairly significant evangelical church. Over the past several months, this has declined into a rather gruesome church split, at our church home of 17 years. All of this has been agonizing to watch take place. My friend Mark Roberts has been recently blogging, not so indirectly, on the topic of Christian conflict. If you have ever experienced it, read this. Matter of fact bookmark the series, odds are, you are going to really need it someday. Blame it on the fall.
And so, I have been on a sojourn, if you will, of other churches. I have become the guy looking lost in the pew, rather than the well-connected leader in the congregation. Our family has been typically in several different places on Sundays, as we balance the needs of pre-teen and teenage daughters for meaningful Christian Education and fellowship. It has been a bit nutty, but we have maintained our sanity, our family and above all, our faith. We have seen a lot, and learned even more. Christ is faithful.
The ensuing months have made me do a LOT of thinking about what Christian lay involvement, leadership, and pastoral roles mean. To confess, I think I have had it wrong in many ways. I need a paradigm shift. As long as I can remember, there has been a part of me that has wanted to be one of the "key leader people"; which, in turn, has a lot to do with my needs for recognition. I am actually looking forward to the second half of my life, so that I can further flesh out what all this means, and what my paradigm shift in Christ means. Maybe this is why I now find myself more involved with Young Life - which really is grass-roots ministry to those in need.
Jesus was a servant to those closest to him, so should we be. He recognized the little people, the nearly invisible, and so should we. He cared for the unlovely, as should we. He spoke words of life and did completely unexpected and confusing things. He loved immensely and mysteriously. Perhaps I have spent far too much time the past 10 years or so involved, as an Elder (Homer Simpson voice: "note how I capitalize, I am Mr. Important") on church committees, working out my own needs for recognition. In retrospect and in reality, my reflection is that sometimes, not much tends to get done for the Kingdom in those settings. I need to refocus my priorities on the character of Christ. Pick up a towel. Offer a cool drink. Listen. Learn. Love. Live.
3 comments:
Hi Steve,
I can tell your Sojourn hasn't been easy for you; still, I wish more believers would venture on such a journey!
Thank you for another interesting and thought provoking post. The Lord builds His church as He sees fit, and is not afraid to move around lampstands. We live in an area physically where building often involves tearing down as well. I trust the Lord will guide you as you seek that He would fit you into the Body at this time in your life.
Not knowing what is occurring in your former church (I believe I know which church it is but I'll refrain from stating it's name), I am seeing this everywhere.
I think we could gain perspective for the future of the church by remembering what Christ said of the purity practices of the Jewish sects during His time here.
Too many of our churches of strayed from accepting all to self-appointing themselves with the role of transforming others into "their way of thinking." Churches today reflect more agenda and are nearly void of love and acceptance. Too much Donn and his followers and not enough Christ.
History tends to repeat more often then we’d like.
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