20070720

What is the balance?

Ecclesiastes 3 tells us there is a time for everything under the sun. A "blogging friend" was kind enough to drop by and visit my blog - despite a schedule even more crazy than mine. I think I am not communicating effectively - at least not through my blog. I know I mostly blog for myself, to help me work out thoughts, etc. - but this is a public forum, and God has used feedback (in the form of comments from visitors) in my life. I have no 'self righteous' belief that God uses only one way to reach people. After all, the human race is not a group of identical siblings or robots. I was not trying to say that the conference, or "seeker" oriented services were a waste of time, or something to that affect. What I was trying to say is that I feel that they could be so much more than they are. Advertising is all about building up a product so that those seeing the ad will have a desire to go out and aquire said product. The better a job the company does in marketing its products, the better it is going to sell. Even bad advertising garners some interest and rememberance of a product. Does anyone remember that "rat-looking" thing that Quizno's used some time back? Man that thing freeked me out, and really did not make me want to go to their shops. But, now, even years later, I still remember those ads and the "products" it was selling. God can, and does, use all things in the lives of those who seek Him and are called according to His purpose. What I am trying to say is I feel the gospel should be proclaimed boldly. Grace needs to be proclaimed boldly. We should not shy away from describing sin and its affects. I have seen many instances of 'baby' Christians who hear the 'watered down' gospel. They see their need for a Saviour, the see the need for redemption. but they never move beyond that. The result is Christians who do not see a need to serve in their local church. They do see the need to grow. Then over time, the impression is "I've heard all this before". We all go to the same church (speaking within the weekly context, and the group that goes to a particular church body) week in, and week out. We are all at different points in our walk with Christ. But if all we do is tend to those who are just starting along the path, or for those who have yet to even realize that they are not on the right one... at what point do those who are further along get fed? At what point do they grow into mature believers who can then reach behind and help those who stumble or are having trouble taking the next step? And make no mistake... just as a dear pastor once shared (quoting George Orwell) with his congregation, "sometimes the first duty of intelligent men is the restatement of the obvious.” The most obvious base need of man is their need for a Savior. Let it never be declared that we took the easy road, but that we declared the ultimate message. That of the lord Jesus Christ, and what He accomplished on the cross for us. Verse for today: 1 Corinthians 2:1-5, ESV And I, when I came to you, brothers, [1] did not come proclaiming to you the testimony [2] of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

3 comments:

Susan said...

Uh-oh, hope I didn't strike a chord here. I agree with this post completely. We are wrong if we attract the Seekers and never move them to a place of Service...and learning.

Thank you for challenging me when I visit. And thank you, for considering my comments.

Blessings.

:-) Susan

Anonymous said...

I think you have really said some important things in you rlast few posts... I agree to a large extent. While I take Susan's point that God uses a multi-faceted church to reach a multi-faceted people, I think there is danger in watering things down.

I also think that the bottom line should ALWAYS be preach Christ and the grace he extends to us. I think you can dress that up in whatever package you want to, but if you take that out in an effort to 'not offend' you are missing the point. I think we overthink things a bit sometimes and think that 'marketing' is the way to build the church, when the truth of the matter is, if people can encounter God, they will come back. Maybe not in droves... but the church will grow, and it will do so in spirit and in truth.

I'll stop rambling in your comments section now. ;)

samurai said...

Thank you both for taking the time to comment.

I always grow from the input. :)

I ramble on myself, so please don't worry about it.