The organisations, programmes, events and personal ambitions, which arise from the notion that 'church' is anything more than a collection of believers, are great distractions to my pursuit of God.
My difficulty is that, except for my understanding of Jesus' message, I cannot find a party line to toe, an authority to submit to, or a vision to passionately pursue.
Attending most church meetings feels either inappropriate, painful or hippocritical. Not meeting with other believers feels wrong, isolating and not a good way to head a family, which I believe to be one of my responsibilities.
I don't have anything better to offer except that which I do now.
Meeting: Is it better to do the wrong thing than to do nothing?
Monday 24 December 2007
Churchworld
I have found a forum where my thirst for corporate preaching is quenched and my hunger for corporate worship is fed. But there seems to exist, in the subconscious of the believers there, an old-covenant-style belief that this is the place, and these are the meetings, where the Spirit of God can be found.
The notion that the Holy Spirit is with an individual, in them, on them, wherever and whenever they are, seems long forgotten. Instead, out of a heart to share their experience of God with others, astonishing programs and events are formulated and invitations distributed.
In desire and words, they are passionately missional, but so much time and energy is spent creating attractive meetings, that I rarely see the believers outside of their churchworld and in the village.
When our paths do cross in the village, their behaviour is often unfortunate and their language sometimes alienating to villagers. 'Acceptable' thinking and behaviour has been taught over a number of years such that, although oblivious to it, the community has developed its own segregated culture.
The corporate desire for God is great. It is wonderful. But in the absence of true prophecy and power manifest in tangible happenings, people-pleasers leave false prophecy unchallenged and nobody has the courage to wait.
The organisational calendar dictates that fifty-odd sermons be preached in any 12 month period and that the timetable of any single meeting be filled with an enriching schedule.
The mechanics of the meetings are religious and traditional. To some they feel modern, embracing societal changes and all that is new, although much is as it was 15 years ago. Old songs of substance have been replaced with last weekend's rock trivia and some nonsense of yesteryear was chosen preferentially over a recent revelation because someone didn't like the tune.
I agree with today's message, that being 'fishers of men' is a family activity, not an individual sport. But when I bring my village friends to meetings on subsequent occasions, most people don't even remember their names, never mind take a further interest in their lives.
I would rather sit in a hall of silence for 90 minutes than fill a meeting with the zillionth sermon searching for a relevant life-application from one of Paul's letters addressing somebody elses problems.
The God I believe in does not perform on-demand. His speech is not a constant flow of drivel. Excuses and cover stories do not need to be made on His behalf. I'm not a cynic. I want to be part of something better but I don't know how.
The notion that the Holy Spirit is with an individual, in them, on them, wherever and whenever they are, seems long forgotten. Instead, out of a heart to share their experience of God with others, astonishing programs and events are formulated and invitations distributed.
In desire and words, they are passionately missional, but so much time and energy is spent creating attractive meetings, that I rarely see the believers outside of their churchworld and in the village.
When our paths do cross in the village, their behaviour is often unfortunate and their language sometimes alienating to villagers. 'Acceptable' thinking and behaviour has been taught over a number of years such that, although oblivious to it, the community has developed its own segregated culture.
The corporate desire for God is great. It is wonderful. But in the absence of true prophecy and power manifest in tangible happenings, people-pleasers leave false prophecy unchallenged and nobody has the courage to wait.
The organisational calendar dictates that fifty-odd sermons be preached in any 12 month period and that the timetable of any single meeting be filled with an enriching schedule.
The mechanics of the meetings are religious and traditional. To some they feel modern, embracing societal changes and all that is new, although much is as it was 15 years ago. Old songs of substance have been replaced with last weekend's rock trivia and some nonsense of yesteryear was chosen preferentially over a recent revelation because someone didn't like the tune.
I agree with today's message, that being 'fishers of men' is a family activity, not an individual sport. But when I bring my village friends to meetings on subsequent occasions, most people don't even remember their names, never mind take a further interest in their lives.
I would rather sit in a hall of silence for 90 minutes than fill a meeting with the zillionth sermon searching for a relevant life-application from one of Paul's letters addressing somebody elses problems.
The God I believe in does not perform on-demand. His speech is not a constant flow of drivel. Excuses and cover stories do not need to be made on His behalf. I'm not a cynic. I want to be part of something better but I don't know how.
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