Today I am thinking about the mistaken notion that by getting busy at church, we are serving God. It is common for churches to take people who are hungry for God and desire to serve Him and suck them into busyness with church programs. Those who are really zealous will find themselves washing robes many nights per week.
What is so sad about this, is that true zeal is channeled into a place of irrelevance. I know that I am generalizing a little, but sadly I think this is true in the majority of churches. The institutional church has become the consumer of our tithes, talents, and time. It is like a parasite sucking all the resources intended for the poor and lost away from them and into itself.
I am not necessarily against churches, but I think unless we change this mentality, we won't change the results. At the very foundation of our beliefs as a church, we must know that our gathering is NOT the mission. Everyone involved should know and be encouraged that their mission and service happens outside of the church gathering. Then let's look at equipping and releasing them to go, not using them up with our programs.
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3 comments:
Grace,
I wouldn't have thought of calling them parasitic, but it's a good description!
The biggest frustration I had when I last pastored at a church was that leadership kept taking gifted people out of their area of giftedness, and putting them in charge (administration) of the area they were gifted in.
They would dry up spiritually! Because they were no longer doing what their heart was impassioned to do -- they were reduced to the administrative task of trying to get others to care about what they were passionate about.
It was such a waste, and so sad to see these formerly passionate people lose their zeal and the sparkle in their eye.
Thanks for your interaction over at my blog. It's good to have you in the conversation! :)
Thanks Rob. That's exactly what I'm talking about. It seems that so many believers talents and energy are used up within the church when they should be focused outward.
I've been continuing to read your older blogs on leadership. Lots of great info.
Maybe you should write a book. ;)
And then go on a promotional tour, become a conference speaker, and...
Oops! Dang... :)
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