A friend of mine has always struggled with the Church. Early in his life, his family attended church services but that didn't stop the eventual divorce from arriving. Soon his dad was out of the picture and so was the hypocritical failures of the Church. His words not mine.
But perhaps he's on to something. His biggest issue with the Church was not that the Church failed to be there for him when his world fell apart. It was that the Church failed to help his parents. Now a dad himself, he worries about repeating the cycle.
He's still hesitant about Church. That is where there is a disconnect. What he is actually hesitant about, is not church. He is hesitant about Sunday morning services, chapels, the bible, praying, preachers, wafers, and positive radio songs. He thinks these things are church. If he thinks a service is church, then we should, at least, stop making it the front entrance for people struggling like him. Of course he would feel awkward standing there while the rest of us sang and worshiped God because he's not even sure God is worth the praise. He would be hesitant listening to the sermon because he has no reason to trust the words preached. For him, he won't be won over by the very things that couldn't help his parents. But that is just it. These are things the church does. Sunday mornings are about equipping people for what the church is. What was missing for his parents and missing for him now is a strong community that supports and encourages one another in our daily struggle. A fellowship that builds up and directs each other towards a fulfilling life that is pleasing to God. He and I are able to have these conversations because he sees the impact that following Jesus has on me. And that is what he longs for ... the impact. Imagine with me... if we put that first. That we would gather and invite people to experience the impact of being part of the Kingdom of God. Showing them what community looks like. Conversations will follow. Kingship wants to have this focus by providing a place, lets say McMenamins, that gives people like my friend a chance to be invited into friends, family and everyday life of followers of Jesus. A big part of our own discipleship with Jesus, that we often overlook, is our calling to disciple others. Sometimes we can lose sight of this because of our own lack of confidence in being that "good enough" disciple that Jesus would ask to tend to His sheep, like He asked of Peter. We often don't give ourselves the chance to show the impact for someone else.
So the space we want to create as a church is for you too. Come join us in building a community that lives out the values of God's Kingdom. Throughout the year, we will host a Friday Night dinner so we can enjoy fellowship and the conversations about Jesus' impact can happen in relationship. With this new doorway, those things we do Sundays can be focused on helping equip you to feel empowered to invite that friend that you know is need of experiencing the church in a new way.
Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10
Comments