Relevant

Nearly two-thirds of all who have not attended a church activity in the last six months identified themselves as "Christians," according to a recent study by the Barna Group.

 

Barna, in an earlier study, did site other statistics that showed that some of these people have bad experiences with church and/or church people. Most of us have had bad experiences with love and keep at it. Even yearn for it. Some may say church is irrelevant but, judging from my Facebook friends under 20, most of them think school is irrelevant as well. Education and school are not one in the same. Neither is Church (as organism) and church as institution.

 

I want to be clear. As I read scripture, God claims the church is Christ's (his son's) Body and, at times, the Bride of Christ. Christianity without church isn't Christianity. But I am not here to point a finger at those outside our walls. I want to start my conversation with me. What about the Church needs work?

 

Here I my questions to myself. Sort of a diagnostic I must present to myself from time to time. Do you have any to add?

 

o        Do we offer true fellowship and worship or repetitive busyness and entertainment? Sometimes I wonder about myself.

 

o        Do we, each time we gather, make Christ compelling, relevant or do we simply present him in a series of confusing pronouncements and triumphant "to do" lists?

 

o        Do we really love the people, sacrificially, who don't come to church? Are we clubby? Do we lay down our lives for each other?

 

o        Do we interact with those outside the church in such a way that they see we DO walk to a different beat and our lives seem more vibrant and alive?

 

o        Are we willing to address their bad past experiences and take them seriously? Do we police ourselves for bad behavior within the church or do we tolerate it?

 

o        Have we examined what is important and what is transient in church practice (see page 9 and on in the Prayer Book?) Jesus was relevant to rabbinic drop-outs, fishermen, those at the end of their rope and farmers.

 

I believe that this survey says people are spiritually hungry and that we, the church, are called to look at ourselves and be willing to change and offer an altered (but thoroughly Christian) menu. Christ remains constant but the menu is not God.

 

Thanks to www.barna.org and http://www.ministrytodaymag.com