HELP! I’m Locked IN My Church And Can’t Get Out!!!
When I read the Bible. And I do that once in a while. I watch Jesus, I read about the church, and I see them ministering in their community.
Ministering in their community.
Ministering in their community.
And I don’t think it was just the “community outreach minister” ministering in the community.
As I look at church staffs today and what they do…I would dare say that 95% of their work is done in the cubes and walls of a church building.
I know.
Sunday is coming.
I know.
We have to get ready for Sunday.
I know.
We have hundreds and thousands walking in this coming Sunday.
But guess what?
Wednesday is coming. Thursday is coming. Friday is coming.
When we have to have staff positions created to be “outreach” I think we have broken something.
So if you are media guy…you are outreach guy, worship guy…you are outreach guy, small group gal…you are outreach gal, youth gal…you are outreach gal.
I absolutely think that we should be working a lot more in shared work spaces and such rubbing elbows and working along side those who have no idea who Jesus is.
I think it is time that we spend a bit more times outside the church walls so that the time we do spend in the church walls doesn’t make us secularly retarded.
Did I just make up a word? Secularly? 
RAIN IT DOWN
This is right on bro!
I was blessed to be apart of a church that believe in giving sunday to the community everyday, and will all of there teams, pastors, admin, media teams. I pray more churches begin to see the need on the corner just as the see the needy in the pew.
on the corner.. I like that.
whew, wish I could clean that post up a bit. Typed it on a computer and I have no excuse for the missing letters and complete thoughts.
word
to…
your…
mother
PEACE OUT .
A town
Down
so does working on sermon and program material at Starbucks count??? i’m only somewhat kidding!!! I have been wrestling with this a lot lately on the concept of full time paid ministry staff. For several reasons…
1. is it biblical
2. Does it really help build the kingdom the way God desires
3. are the expectations really healthy
4. freedom from expectations from people paying your salary to teach their kids and families how to love jesus more sounds pretty darn AWESOME
i love discipleship don’t get me wrong and i love working in the church…but lately these questions have really spiked something in me praying for more…just simply praying more broken…
anyways thanks Carlos…excellent post….ps when does the full cd come out?
You know what Brit. I think it is a step. I think working on those things at a Starbucks only counts if there is intention on relationship building.
Full CD comes out tomorrow.
Los
Agreed. I have a big issue with Christians living in a holy bubble. Who are you affecting? Your own? It’s the sick that need a Dr….and so on. Well said.
And know that I think Sundays are very important.
But so are Tuesdays.
And I know, more and more Christians are coming out of the bubble. Thank God for the internet, or I’d feel like a freak in our church.
Agreed, the Church has gotten into the rut of week in/week out ministering to those that attend and contribute that we never look up and see that 90% of the people within 5 miles of the church have no knowledge of Jesus as a friend.
I don’t know about secularly, but I’m going to have to steal(ahem, use) secularly retarded.
Also I just made up the 90% your mileage may vary.
Ha. Use it all day.
And 95% of statistics are made up on the spot. Like the one I just made up.
I completely agree as well. Awesome post, Carlos. As Creative Media Director at my church, I spend a lot of time in my office behind the computer. I’ve been feeling drawn to get out of the office and into the community so that the content I create to reach the secular world isn’t secularly retarded.
Sorry to bust your bubble, but secularly is a word…looked it up.
SWEET!!! I’m claiming it.
yeah i work in media arts as well, and i totally agree that God has called us to work outside the walls of the church, but i don’t find myself to be the greatest minister of the gospel. that’s why i find myself sitting behind the computer to edit videos, and such. i think that if that’s all i do it’s definitely not what God wants for me. but i know, i’m to use the gifts God has given me for the kingdom. and if i can do that, and still effect the others around me, in my family and in my school, that’s awesome. Maybe those people who see the videos that i make, or the people that i talk to every once in a while will be the ones who have the gift of talking to people about christ on a more open level. I think every person i meet has the ability to know God, we’ve just go to show him to them.
PS, love the album, can’t wait ’til i get paid so i can buy it! I’m broke. haha
you’re stuff is awesome keep it up!
Wondering if the challenge begins with the language “model”. I believe certain corners of the Body of Christ have been hijacked by best practices, business models and corporate strategies that end in the flesh what was (or should have been) begun in the Spirit. If one develops and implements one/three/five year strategic plans as if a church was a profit-making venture where “profit” is measured in the number of people who raise their hands at the end of an altar call, there is little room for the Spirit to move people into service to the community beyond pre-planned service “events”. Add to that the fact that “discipleship” commonly revolves around things like keeping a marriage in tact, staying away from porn and raising up better, stronger, faster Christian children (i.e. self-improvement) rather than hearing the voice of God and acting upon it in deferential service to his glory (i.e. walking up a hill willing to sacrifice a child ala Abraham) and you risk having a church of the mind rather than of the heart and Spirit.
I completely agree… I feel we spend so much time praying for God to send people to us and he commands us to GO!! (Matthew 28:19). Although there are some (few) who come to the church in search of Christ, we should be in the community showing the love of Christ to all people.
I can definitely say that I grew up at a church with the Sunday service event model. There were a few activities during the week but they were held within the four walls of the church. I served as an outreach coordinator for a ministry on a college campus and realized that my church experience hadn’t really prepared me for the outreach aspect of ministry. “Outreach” was done through the Street Evangelism Ministry. I didn’t see it as anything else. Thank God for placing people around me to help me to see outside of the box I was raised in!
I left “full-time” ministry back in September 09. I wish I could say it was to dive into relational, missional, community minded living…but it was more because 15 years of church staff life pretty much drained the life out of me.
Now, however, after a few months of being “free” I’m dreaming again…in color too!
I’ve even been dreaming with a few other people about building a “church” (can’t think of a better way to word that – maybe community is a better word?) around a fitness/nutrition/restaurant kind of a space. I know, I know, sounds weird, right?
There won’t be “titled” pastors or directors, but people who work there who exist on one level to coach and train people physically and on another level, spiritually.
It could work, right? Maybe not. I’m dreaming big again, though. So that’s good.
Keep dreaming! I think it’s out of the box creative!
I agree… and I think there is one more aspect that needs to be considered… I am greatly put off by churches who use the majority of their budgets and their tithes on their own church… building sunday school programs and media services… etc. etc… yes those things are important, but I think it is so important for the church to be an outreach group, and to disciple an minister in the community. That’s what I love about my church here in Austin, yes we pay for our building and our staff and what not, but we also have a ministry that gives to those having a hard time making ends meet, we open the church doors to house homeless women and children one week a month, we have a food pantry, we provide free classes and childcare for teen moms once a week… we build hospitals, and schools and churches, and we build homes through habitat for humanity in our community… and every year they publish a breakdown of what percentage of our tithe goes to maintain our church and what percentage goes to outreaches within the community and across the world… I love that we give so much else than what we keep and use internally!
that is a good picture of the bride of Christ .
Good stuff. We’re definitely good at creating a distinctly Christian subculture and inviting people into it rather than going out and letting the gospel redeem the culture we’re in.
I think something that would help break out of that would be a list of practical ways church staff members can, in accordance with their God-given talents and personalities, be more connected to the world around good.
We need both a “go and tell” and a “come and see” methodology.
This is something close to my heart. So what does your week look like? What changes would you make to your schedule so outreach was a lifestyle — not a position?
Paareeeeach!!!
I used to work at a church doing media. 40+ hours a week in front of a computer. Now I serve tables full time to pay through seminary (Serving tables paid better than the church). I am happier now, and able to encounter hurting people and do what I can to show them Jesus. It is a lesson I learned that will shape decisions I make when I return to being a full time employee of a church.
may God bless your work and transfer back . thank you Jesus we love you .
This post is heaven sent thank you Jesus we love you . And remember when we do out reach there will be pain heart break hard work and faithfulness just as Christ stepped out of heaven his church walls and did his outreach for the community the seed can be tuff but the harvest is awesome = Galatians 6:9 – do not grow weary in well doing for in do season you will reap a harvest if you do not faint .
LOVE this and could not agree more!!
And for the record, I do believe “secularly” is a word. However, “secularly retarded” is a phrase that I plan on using really soon…
I love this.
I want to grow into a place where I, everyday, feel like I am an “outreach guy.” I think what holds me back is the fear of being seen through and called on the things I haven’t mastered yet. My language, my temper,etc. I know the list is different for everyone, but I hate the thought of being called to account by someone I would like to lead to faith for one of my many sins.
So, I just sit silently. Not a great approach, I know.
Todd
yep, right on…
as a memnber of our worship team, we try very hard to take it out of the building…to the parks, etc…
but not as intentionally, I believe that if each Christian would live each day trying to be a blessing on all those they meet…it would make such a difference…
I know people who freak out at the idea of “witnessing”…I know I do…but it isn’t that…it is helping that gal at the store with her hands full, it is helping that elderly neighbor, it is coffee with that lonely person who just needs to talk…
those tangible things…”sharing God’s love”…it really is easy…it isn’t just on Sunday mornings…it is everywhere I walk, with everyone I am with…
Can they see Christ’s love when they see me?
That is my daily prayer…
Great words!
You are absolutely right. Jesus didn’t wall himself up in some synagogue and preach only to those who came regularly…he was out preaching and meeting needs and showing love to those that no one else paid attention to. That’s what touched people’s souls…not some elaborate building or extraordinary Sunday morning program…love did it.
I think I do make a difference working at my church at my computer. What my team writes goes to thousands of youth, kids, and adults across the country. Not to mention the fact that we give it away for free to anyone who wants it. However, that’s just part of me. Not all of me. That’s why I go to the gym. Yep…go to the gym. It allows me to hang out with people who don’t know Christ which keeps me from getting trapped in the church bubble. No matter what job you have (ministry or not) you are the church. Wherever you go, you represent Christ to a world that needs him. So…let’s not judge churches based on their vision or buidling size. Instead, focus on ourselves and what we’re doing on an everyday basis.
Carrie – I think I land more on your side of the fence. I am the programming director at my church and spend most of my hours in my office (or in Starbucks NOT as intentionally as I should working on relationships.) Funny enough our sermon yesterday was about going outside the walls and “being” the church in our community. One of the references used gave me a bit of a different perspective: Eph. 4:11&12 And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ;
In our efforts to go out into our community and be a witness ourselves, as church staffers, we can’t forget that God has called us to the cube or office which we plant ourselves daily for the express purpose of equipping the people who call our walls their church home to do the same works of service we are called to do when we break out of our bubbles during “off hours”.
I am not giving an excuse to be secularly ignorant (is that better?) – but just saying if you are doing what you are called to do inside and outside the church there should be no regrets.
I’ve heard the argument that we are to equip the saints to do the work.
And I agree.
BUT…We can’t just leave it to them.
Or else we become experts in something we are not ourselves doing…
And that would be a disservice to our calling I think.
But you get it.
Because I know you.
Im going to agree with Carrie on this one. It may depend on your entire church culture within you community, but I feel like I have 40 hours to focus on prepparing for a Sunday upcoming and then another 50+ hours to reach a community along side my wife. Its how I use all 90 hours determines the outcome. Also, do not forget about your coworkers/friends that you work beside at church. They all most likely (im guessing know Jesus), but their are plenty of co-workers experiencing heart-ache, depression, rough days, etc right beside you daily. So don’t forget how you react and show Jesus to the people you work with as well, because at times I do.
Of course no one is saying that the job you do in the church isn’t valuable.
Trust me. I did it for 15 years.
BUT…I think we sell ourselves short in the fact that we must be partitioned off from the rest of the world in our buildings during the week.
I dream of churches renting out offices in office buildings and serving alongside the rest of the world.
But again…I’m a dreamer.
“I dream of churches renting out offices in office buildings and serving alongside the rest of the world.”
now this i do like. before we moved into a permanent building we had an office next to a McAlisters Deli and UNC-Wilmington. There we lots of interaction outside happening daily. I miss that one
I hope you don’t think my post was correcting you. I totally hear what you’re saying and agree. Others were posting and being a little critical of churches based on their version of what church should be. And I was responding to that. I guess I just see that ministry doesn’t just occur in my 8-5 job at the church I work at. It occurs after work, at the gym, out with friends, and everywhere in between. I can make a difference inside and outside the walls of my church
I love this blog, and I think you’re right about what you just said. As a church staff member my community sees far too little of me. However…
My fiancée would take serious exception to the use of the word retarded at all. I’m all for humor, but as a special education teacher she would let you know that the use of that word is seriously offensive to some people. I’m not a hater at all, man. I’ve commented before. We’ve even met a couple of times so I don’t want you to think I’m on the lookout for the very next thing to call some Christian blogger out on. I even slip up and use it in my speech, but a good woman will teach you a few things, and this is one of those things I’ve learned. Just passing it on… A brother in Christ just letting you know with love that it’s not the most loving word.
Keep doing what you’re doing, bro!
I hear you. If I was referring to a person…then yes. But I was referring to a subculture.
It is in the dictionary as less advanced in mental, physical, or social development than is usual for one’s age.
But I think I get it.
wow. bring the heat.
This is a great post! And true to scripture. Thank you for that.
Love the post. Why didn’t they teach this stuff when I was in Bible College. We’ve come a long way since the 90′s.
I’m with Ben on the “Retarded” word. Having a dear friend with Down Sydrome, this word is offensive and I too am guilty for using if from time to time.
Here is what the dictionary says about it…
“Often Offensive. Affected with mental retardation.”
Love your blog but could we replace the “R” word with Akward or ignorant?
So you’ve been to our last church?!
My husband (tried to) get the congregation looking past the corner into the community. Some people caught the vision, but the “leadership” (other pastor, elders) gave lip-service and actively worked against him. He started a community Bible study for business people in an office building, not one of them came in support.
When he attended an outreach conference simulcast with someone else from the church (an outreach in itself) he got blasted for not being in the office because the other staff were off on a jaunt together.
When a men’s event was being planned (complete with professional athlete speaker, etc) and one of the guys involved wanted to distribute invitations at a weekly community-event, the other pastor told him “We don’t need to give out invitations, if they come to us, they’re welcome.”
And I know it’s not just that church. We’ve been involved with and have friends involved in churches where BIC (butt in chair) time is tracked and you’re expected to do your 40 hours in the office and then attend everything on the church calendar and keep your family a priority (in that order). That leaves about 15 minutes a week to ‘minister’ to your barista or barber.
Yeah, churches are missing the point.
pw
I currently work at a church, 40 hours a week, and feel terribly trapped.
This church isn’t aware they’re all inside the bubble and continue to try and get as many people into the bubble that they can. They like it that way. It’s so sad to me.
Everything you mentioned fits in their mold.
LOVE IT!
I find that when I get out of the church, I not only interact with those who don’t know Jesus…I also come away energized and more creative.
Thanks for the push! I’m sharing this one with my staff
i love your thoughts, love your blog, love your family but i have to say something…
please don’t use the word “retarded.” as the mom of a one year old daughter with developmental disabilities it is really hurtful. i know it’s a common practice and i know you didn’t mean any harm. but words do have meanings behind them that affect how we value other people who may be different than us. the special olympics has a huge campaign to end the use of the word- here’s the website http://www.r-word.org/
Lord would you please bless all of those wonderful people who have shared there heart and pain about this word retard and that it may be taken in the right context with love and please heal there children we love you Jesus thank you .
Amen! Get out of the box. Get out of the boat. Get out of the barn. Get out of the building. Get into the field of harvest. That’s what we signed on for when God called us. How could we have drifted so far so fast? Incarnational living is what it’s all about!
I feel the same way. My church doesn’t have all the position that you were talking about, but we still suffer from the same thing. Sometimes the congregation forgets that we’re all called to share the Gospel– not just those with pastor in their job title.
Also, there is a great Arrested Development reference with secularly in it, but sadly I couldn’t find it on Youtube. It’s in the one where Michael meets Anne’s parents.
Los! I’ve been feeling the need to get out in the community, volunteer, donate, help, serve, pray, laugh, talk, with Others who may not be my ‘typical Christian friends.’
Man so often we get sidetracked by what Jesus was all about.
Right on, brah!
After reading the original post, I tried to come up with examples of Jesus and the church ministering to the community, and I came up with nothing. Can you give me some specific scripture references?
I’m guessing first-century community ministry wouldn’t look exactly like 21st century community ministry, so I’m curious about how you think the church should be ministering to the community today. I liked Mary Anne’s post–is this what you had in mind, or something more direct?
I’m not sure what you meant by secularly retarded. I get that you meant it in sort of a tongue-in-cheek manner, which I think is why you received several admonitions here. On the other hand, my mother used to work for a mental health center called the Mental Health and Mental Retardation Authority, and frequently used the word retarded in a purely professional sense. It seems that this is no longer possible, and I am not sure why.
Hey man,
Just wanted to let you know that you’re actually correct about the word retarded. It was socially acceptable term used to describe individuals with mental disabilities for a long time; however, b/c of the overuse and misuse of the word in the past few decades there’s been a movement to eradicate it all together. You can check out more about that here… http://www.r-word.org/
If you’re wondering as to why I’ll try and give you as much an answer as I can in short…
Basically, by calling someone with a mental disability retarded you’re defining that person by their disability first instead of realizing that while they may have a disability it’s not who they are. The trend has been to shift from a disability-first description to a more to a post-descriptive type of connotation. For example… Instead of “Joey is retarded.” Or “Amy is autistic.”, which suggests that these disabilities define who they are. We want to shift to something more like this… “This is Joey. My friend with autism.” Or “Amy has a mental disability.”
Hope that helps. I’ve only recently learned some of this myself so it may need correcting by someone more knowledgeable. Have a blessed day, man.
I work in a (secular) school minutes from my church. I’m making friends with people who don’t know a thing about the Bible. We work and eat lunch together 5 out of 7 days. I consider this to be “ministry”. I love my church but my friends at work don’t even know what “church” is. So, my church planned an event (which was totally awesome!!) and in the bulletin, it read, “Volunteer to be a greeter at the event and reach out warmly to the community.” OK, a warm welcome to the event was GREAT but, I invited my friends, who I work with everyday to come and it was better than being a one time greeter. It was very cool how the people who worked in the church set up the event and how I had the opportunity to invite my friends to the church. To me it was good harmony. I believe it’s not an either or kind of deal but a BOTH. The church work in the cubicle was needed to put together an awesome place to invite my friends to listen to Rockin’ worship and a message about Jesus. I’m really grateful to those who worked to pull the event together and I’m grateful for not being in the cube so I could invite my work friends. It took me some time and some hard knocks, and some hurt feelings, and hurt pride, to learn that I was getting churchified and needed to get out and meet some people who were not in my little, and safe circle. So glad I did.
Maybe we need to completely rethink how we do Sunday morning. And Tuesday afternoon. And…
Acts 6.4 – the top leaders had two responsibilities: prayer and teaching the Word – and prayer is named first.
Other leaders were distributing food and making sure no one was in need.
Funny, they don’t say anything about programing the lighting…
The pastor at the church I interned at required that we could spend NO MORE than 1/3 of our time in the office. That equated to a day and a half a week. That was pastoral staff – they were to spend 2/3 of their time with people – lunches, coffee, counseling, meeting (in the community somewhere).
I think creative/administrative teams have a totally different function. They are office jobs. Pastors have the job of equipping the saints for the work of the ministry.
dude… i know so many secularly retarded “Christians”
Great post…
“secularly retarded.” — okay that cracked me up. I get your point – here’s the deal, many churches teach that the only way to “really serve God” is to grow up and become a ministry leader. I totally disagree with that concept. I’m married to a corporate business man who leads worship on the side — I love that arrangement and so does he. The people in his office know he’s a Christian and he ministers there far more than he does as a worship leader. For paid church staff there needs to be a balance. Yes I agree outreach is important, but so is feeding and equipping the flock to do that. I’ll be honest, our present pastor is so seeker and outreach friendly, he’s starving the congregation — that’s not good either.There has to be a balance.
I am very blessed to be a part of The Baton Rouge Dream Center, an Outreach of Healing Place Church. At least 80% of what we do is out in the community. We GET to go into strip clubs to reach out to strippers and bouncers, we get to throw huge block parties monthly on different corners around the dream center. We GET to go bring hygiene items to transvestite prostitutes selling themselves on corners late at night. We GET to bring food to the homeless living under the over pass each Thursday morning. I NEVER take my church environment for granted, I know I am blessed to serve where I do, because I LOVE taking Jesus to the streets, and straight into the pit of Hell.
Preach Bruddah!!!! Lookin’ forward to seeing you at The Orchard in a couple weeks. Bring it!!! I’ve been following you since before you were you. :^)
ouch.
stop messing around with my theology. you… you …. you…
you radical you.
stop being like Jesus would you?
radical.
the thought that I would have to actually pick my lazy butt off of a pew and get out and do something.
fergawdsake.
radical.
This is awesome! I love the concept of secular retardation. When we separate ourselves too much from “the world” relationships with “worldly” people become inaccessible, if not impossible.
It’s so easy to get caught up in all the details of church life and to forget about all those suffering sinners that Jesus came to save. May God continue to remind us to go meet his people where they are, to leave our comfort zones and get grounded in grassroots ministry to those who need it most, wherever they may be on Sunday morning…or on Tuesday afternoon, Friday night….
Seems like the original apostles were guilty then. Didn’t they have to get the deacons to “minister to the community” so they could devote themselves to teaching?
I think something like it isn’t good for us to be bothered with this?
RIGHT.ON.THE.MONEY.
Great post, Los! Our church was known as the “outreach church.” We participated in the 4th of July parade, took VBS out of church and to the parks, had jumpy toys at the downtown Trick or Treat for Halloween. Last year we dropped our outreach ministries because we got bogged down with our finances. We worried too much about how much it will cost to do the outreach rather than thinking about the cost of not doing it. We were missed in the community, and the community let us know about it. This year, regardless of giving, we are doing all of our outreach ministries. We have always tried to be there for our community, and our church family even suffered when we stopped. There is a new energy and excitement since the announcement was made last week. I am so excited to be part of this Body of Christ who cares so much about the lost! Praise God for this group, and thank you for reminding us who is most important to Jesus.
Great thoughts.
Yes! This post was on point (as most of them are). I tend to think a lot of Christians are secularly retarded, thus making it difficult to relate to others and thus be effective in outreach.
Amen, amen, amen.
AMEN.
I recently left a church where this happened. And it’s great to spend most of my time working in local schools where most people aren’t churchgoers and I can really reach them… Don’t even have an office at my church now.
And you know what? It’s better. No place to hide and say I’m working.
love the new word! “Secularly” I was secularly retarded growing up in church and have made it a point that my children…though largely homeschooled have a clue. For me, this means music, movies, pop culture are not off limits…except of course, I object to filth no matter what the label.
This is SO needed. My husband is the youth/music minister, and he rarely spends time inside the church other than for Sundays and Wednesday nights. For one, our church is out in the country, so none of the staff have “office hours”. But I think one of the biggest reasons is that he likes being able to go and eat lunch with the kids at their schools during the week. He also likes being able to just go and hang out with kids at the college in our town (even though it’s not “his job”). I just love it when we go to a ballgame or something at one of the schools and ALL of the kids know who he is–not just “ours”. And we’re constantly having kids from the schools stop us to talk with him in Wal-Mart. I’m proud of him for that.
Love it!! I actually wrote something about that not too long ago. I believe “sunday” is the huddle to discuss how to get more people in the “huddle” on sunday.
INTENTIONALITY- Read it here ~ http://bit.ly/aaQCiD
love the made up word and totally agree
Gosh I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately. I work for for a music ministry out of a mega church. It’s great the community that has formed but sometimes I think the “community” has really just become an elite group of my besties that gets the ridiculous blessing and gift to lead worship together-work together-raise worship leaders together-make dinner and watch Lost together-but really-when was the last time I had a minute away from this place to even have an encounter (in a non-musical way) with someone who doesn’t know Christ. The true times we’ve felt community are the times we’re serving-not on our mics or electric guitars or ableton. I remember reading in Irresistible Rev. about if Jesus were to have a party-who would be there? All sorts. If I had a party-there would be Christians-and pretty much all of them would be musicians. Apparently our church needed some work on the air conditioning so right this very minute a man is above my brand new 21 inch i mac working on the unit in the ceiling. Apparently this job can’t be done by our maintenance crew. He’s wearing a different uniform. I don’t recognize him. He’s cussing up a storm. The first thing I want to say-”Watch it dude-we’re in church.” But when I really think about it-should I be shocked to hear cussing in my church office? Isn’t this the one place it should be welcomed and not judged? He’s kind of refreshing honestly. That’s why I’m here. He’s the guy that needs the songs. The prayer. The compassion. The love. He’s the one that needs Jesus.
Secularly retarded! I want this on a t-shirt to wear to NRB because so many Christian broadcasters are just that and arrogant!!!!
I made the choice a decade ago to leave Christian media and work in the secular world. I am still heavily involved in freelancing for Christian media groups but happily work in secular radio. I’ve had been sniffed at at Christian conferences with people saying, “Oh, you’re in SECULAR radio.” Insert sigh here. “Well, I GUESS we need Christians there too.” UH, DUH!!!
Church as an institution is a bit of a problem for me. The corporate gathering is important, but the church got fixated on this alone, and started to forget about what we are called to do.
We need to get back to Acts 2, as a church, and start to reach out to the lost. Stop focussing on ourselves and out needs, but focussing on taking care of the widows and the orphans. As far as I know this was a direct order from Jesus Himself, and we tend to forget that…
I don’t think many people quite realize how much outreach there really is going on in directly in the church. You said it perfectly. Everyone person that volunteers and or is on staff is reaching out to someone else. I go to a church and volunteer regularly throughout the week, that is located in the inner-city. We are pretty much a pull service church. Tues and Thurs we give out food and clothing and you can get prayed for at our house of prayer. When we have the funding, we try to help people with their meds or bills, getting housing, jobs, whatever. We also have a Mens program that help men that have dealt with addictive struggles. I sometimes wonder for myself am I doing what God has called me to do because I’m not out spreading the word but I realize he is bringing the people to me. There will be a time when he wants me to share the word. Right now he just wants me to love them.
I was having a conversation with a girl that works at my church.
It’s a church of like 1000, and they only have 4 full time staffers. And a couple PTers, like her.
Because we’re Anglican, we go through the book of common prayer. The prayers, scripture, etc…all set out and planned yeeeaarrs ago.
It’s on a 3 year rotation, too…
So…there isn’t much “proramming” planning. They choose songs, our priest studies and prays on the scripture…but what happens during the week is actually ministry. Going out and taking food to the shut in sick people. Discipleship. Art. Dinner with others. Etc etc etc.
I thought that was really cool. A church that doesn’t have a programming team or programming meetings. It caught me off guard, but…it made so much sense after hearing it.
bro, your on it. after 25 years of being a “staff” pastor and now a American Missionary church planter working a job for the city i live in so i can survive… let me just say YOUR ON IT…. we are all called to make disciples before were ever have a calling to the church body; preach, teach, ect… and the first doesn’t stop when we go on “staff”. get out of the dang office and make some friends of sinners…. oh, you mean like Jesus, the “friend of sinners”… i have to much to say and i have to get back to cooking… ill get back later. but do check this out friend… http://grantthiessen.typepad.com/grant_thiessen/2010/04/where-does-your-church-meet-.html