Living in the Borderlands

When it comes to missions, to outreach, we often think that in order to reach the unreached, or at least those we would like to reach that are "over there," we have to actually become new beings.

But it gets worse.

We love the story of Joshua and Caleb, and the other 10 spies for the mission instinct that had in spying out the land.  They picked up the trends and cultural behaviours of the people.  They had first hand experience.  Instead of saying, "yes, lets go into the land and take it," as Joshua and Caleb proclaimed, we say, "lets learn and understand our neighbours in case they come to visit us," and staying comfortable where we are because the adventure of moving forward to far to risky and dangerous.

It still gets worse.

When they come to visit us we have language skills, psychological skills, CEO skills, strategic cell groups and programs that create, shall we say, "subversive activity" that is designed to meet human need so that the church grows and yet there is no significant change on the part of the congregation.

This we know to be true - our beloved church - they know they need to change, they would prefer that change not create any discomfort.  That is why we have so many different kinds and styles of church families, so if they "prefer to do that" let them be part of that "other" congregation that likes doing "that."

This is where I love to insert the word revival.  The church loves revival.  The Holy Spirit takes all of our fears and says, "watch and see."  We are amazed that nothing matters.  All our fears are but pieces of straw in the wind.  Lives are changed.  The only discomfort we feel is within ourselves as we realize just how much time we have wasted - being comfortable. Revival is church living in the community in the power and presence of God. 

What does Church look like?

I like to go to church on Sunday and worship, celebrate, learn, engage, participate, love the people of God and together we adore our Heavenly Father.

Every other day in the week, I say lets say good-bye to the seeker-sensitive or programs that are relevant to postmodernism and we genuinely encounter people who are not inclined to church.  We engage in their spiritual struggles and tell them/show them/tell them again how we were adopted into God's family. 

Related articles

• Mission before Church??? Part 2 (defrostingwindows.wordpress.com)

Celebrate!

Just saying the word aloud makes me realize just how often I do not celebrate.  Celebration is just not my way of living and I think it is messing me up.  Don’t get me wrong – I am excellent at Birthdays, Christmas, Easter, Anniversaries – you know that stuff everyone else is good at – but to celebrate is more than being happy, more than being appreciative or thankful, more than just being delighted in – it means celebration!  The act of doing something celebratory.
I am thinking now why I can go crazy at a ball game or hockey game and be not so crazy at church.  I am celebrating my teams achievements, but at church I am trained to be quiet, reserved, holy… no celebrations allowed.
I saw a clip from SAT-7 who filmed a 12 hour marathon church service in the Cave Church which is located in the Garbage Village of Cairo.  Yeah, you heard me, 12 hours.  At one point, the 12,000 people attending this service started shouting the name of “Jesus” for – hang on – 15 minutes!  Yeah, that’s right – compare that to my Promise Keepers event where 4,000 men could hardly keep it going for 3 minutes.
Imagine if we could come to church each Sunday to celebrate the things that God has done in our lives each week?  Imagine if I as a father could celebrate with my family during the dinner hour what God has done each day?It has got me thinking…looking forward to celebrating more individually, with family, corporately…and still take in a few ball games and some Marlies games too.