I am going to continue my spotlight on Petra this week with a post I am juxtaposing with my contribution to The Hole In Our Gospel by Richard Stearns and hosted by Jason and Sarah. For more posts on today’s chapter, check out Sarah’s blog.
One of the very real issues the church has faced down through the ages, and even more so now, is “how do we get the message from the pulpit beyond the walls of the church building?” I think one of the things we must do first is set in stone, and I mean set in stone, the fact that the church is not the building. I know, to some, it is a matter of semantics and even a matter of picking the right battle to fight, but my bride knows how much it rankles me to hear people talk about meeting at church. I want to stand up and shout, “The building is not the church!” I heard one man say countless times when we started considering buying the building we are currently in, and even after beginning to meet there: “I told so-and-so they ought to come by and see our new church.” “Okay…breathe Bill. Let it go. Don’t say anything.” But I just have to wonder if perhaps some of that trend of thought is responsible for the struggle we have of living the message outside the walls, or as Petra reminds us “outside the rose-colored stained glass windows.”
That is the point of Richard’s chapter, “What Are You Going To Do About It?” He makes the statement that he spent “twenty-two chapters arguing the case that there is a hole in our gospel and that, as a result, we have embraced a view of our faith that is far too tame. We have, in fact, reduced the gospel to a mere transaction involving the right beliefs rather than seeing in it the power to change the world.” There is no doubt in my mind that the failure to see this possibility directly affects our willingness to take the message outside the church building’s four walls. It is truly only when we see the power of the Gospel to change the world will we go beyond the walls. In honor of that thought, I give you this song by Petra. It is not one of my favorites but it says what it says to our topic.
Another sleepy Sunday safe within the walls
Outside a dying world in desperation calls
But no one hears the cries or knows what they’re about
The doors are locked within, or is it from without
(Chorus)
Looking through rose-colored stained glass windows
Never allowing the world to come in
Seeing no evil and feeling no pain
And making the light as it comes from within
So dim…So dim
Out on your doorstep lay masses in decay
Ignore them long enough maybe they’ll go away
When you have so much you think you have so much to lose
You think you have no lack when you’re really destitute
Words and music by Bob Hartman
Last week I wrote this post and was “challenged” by one of my readers in the comment section. Duane’s words were:
We hear blog post after blog post reminding others to be compassionate, etc..
I have a challenge for you.
Next week, tell me HOW you put “skin on it”.
There’s where the real beauty in this message lies.
Given the topic of this post I think it would be good to answer his “challenge.” I would like to ask you to do two things: first, what are your thoughts on today’s post? Second, accept Duane’s challenge and state some ways the church can put “skin on our message.” Feel free to post as many as you like. I will start it. An after school ministry for latch-key kids who either go home to an empty house or one in which they are abused or molested. An AIDS outreach. A breakfast for the elderly and lonely (especially at holiday times). We did this and found it worked best when the food was delivered. Okay…there are three suggestions. I want to leave it open for more from you. Join in!
My wife and I will make ourselves available to watch the kids of a couple-friends of ours. They are in the process of taking custody of a newborn who is in a bad family situation (drugs, homelife, etc). Their other two kids will need plenty of “baby siting”!
What a great way to help someone out who needs a practical expression of it. Way to go Dustin and Dustin’s wife! 🙂 Thanks Dustin.
I am just curious. If someone is waiting on the Lord, what are they waiting on him to do? I sometimes think he is waiting on me.
I know you asked what it meant to wait on the Lord in the last post Jeff but I think it sort of went by some. I don’t know if I can put it into words adequately (to make sense) but I think waiting means to relax and not force my will into situations. I tend to get ahead of myself and make decisions without giving them some time. There have been several times I prayed about something then jumped at doing something instead of giving God some time to answer it. After I had forged ahead, I found out He had an answer and it would have been so much better than mine. And for the record: i think God is always waiting on us. He is patient even when we aren’t.
I welcome any thoughts from you and any of my readers. Please feel free to chime in. Thanks Jeff.
Hi Jeff,
I agree with Bill on times of waiting on God in this way.
Also Romans 8:23 says ‘we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies’.
I Cor 1:7 says ‘that we eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed’.
Psalm 33:20 ‘We wait in hope for the LORD; he is our help and our shield.
Psalm 40:1 I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry’.
Psalm 27:14 ‘Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD’.
Galatians 5:5 ‘For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness’.
It seems that there are several interpretations that would be correct about waiting on the Lord. Another thought about waiting on the Lord is faithfully reading our Bible and praying.
>>Second, accept Duane’s challenge and state some ways the church can put “skin on our message.”
Be as fathers to the fatherless. Bring fatherhood back to the forefront of our society as a strength, and not as merely being “sperm donors”.
It doesn’t have to be a physical kind of fatherhood, either. Spiritual fatherhood, patterned after how God our Father is with us, works wonders every time.
The Orphan Spirit is one of the principalities we need to be aware of. We see its fruit and works every day.
Lots of need for fathers-physically and spiritually. Thanks Donald.
I love the quote people don’t care how much I know until they know how much I care. Part of being a help and heart to the hurting and needy world is just showing that you care. I am not in any organized ministry right now… I just try to keep my eyes wide open for needs…and then fill them. Sometimes my days and weeks are hectic and I am not able to respond or notice other times God opens beautiful doors. It is those Holy Spirit filled unorganized moments Jesus does some amazing things… I’ve never been in a place like this before, I have always been in “organized” ministries and worked strictly out of those..it left little room for the Holy Spirit’s voice…”From 1 to 3 on Tuesday and Thursdays I lived my ministry” the rest of the time my guilt was eased…nothing wrong with organized ministry AT ALL..just learning on my end to think out of the box and be guided more by the Holy Spirit’s voice…
Julie: although you know I am a pastor I, for one, do not believe someone needs to be in “organized” ministry to do ministry. ‘Course you already know that. 🙂 Perhaps if we were guided more by the Holy Spirit’s voice rather than our own idea of what ministry is we would find ourselves more open to others. thanks for the “open” comment.
I’ll admit that I am not always vigilant about calling the church building, the church, but I have it very clear in my heart. 🙂
There are innumerable ways to ‘put skin on’ our faith. Adopting a needy family at Christmas time. Adopting a child through a program like world vision. Doing foster care and adopting a child or children through that. Okay, so all mine have had to do with adoption, which wasn’t really planned. Those are a few ways!
Thanks Bill.
Given your situation of adopting children Jason, I would say it fits with yours and Andrea’s hearts. Thanks for the suggestions.
Hi Bill,
Putting skin on compassion.
Visiting the sick? Visiting nursing homes? Visiting those in prison? Writing to Christian prisoners in other lands? The computer has programs to change our English into another language. Fascinating! Is this the computer Word program that does this? Not sure.
Make a small effort to help someone and see what God will do with that? A small offering on our part can be huge for the person receiving it as God can increase it and make our offering enough. Amazing!!
We can live the Word. Be an example for others to emulate and follow. Be a person of integrity.
Express our wisdom in the world. The world doesn’t have the answer to problems, we do. We need to speak out the wisdom of God and expound his ways to the world.
Quote Proverbs, Psalms when we speak to people. Quote other scriptures. Use the word of God in our talk with others.
Be ready to give good counsel. Other nations came from thousands of miles around to hear the wisdom of Solomon. The Queen of Sheba came from one of these other nations.
Great suggestions Linda. Thanks.
Second.
April and I have a heart for the homeless. We haven’t drove around and looked for them for a while. We used to feed them sack lunches. I think this is something we need to start doing again.
Such a great and practical way to reach out Michael. I believe you all take Ethan with you as well don’t you? That is awesome that he sees that as well. Thanks.
Like you–I can not stand to hear the church building called the church. This has caused me to change my vocabulary and to encourage others to do the same. Call it a church service in the church building, but do not call it church.
It has caused me to change my way of talking and preaching Matt. I am real careful of putting too much emphasis on the building overall. Thanks.
We attempt to meet needs as we encounter them… sometimes the needs are beyond our individual abilities. In those case, we try to organize a cooperative effort of ministry.
Dusty: I think there can be no “set” way to meet needs. I think the most effective are those that you meet when the need arises. Getting others to help is certainly important as well.
I don’t feel qualified to speak about the Bible but you mentioned latch key kids. I was a latch key kid in grade school MANY years ago, and would have LOVED to have somewhere to go. It was awful to go home to an empty house but even worse if I walked up the hill towards my house and saw my Mother’s car: that meant she was home and she was drunk. That was worse. Those little children NEED so badly someone to mentor them, guide them, COMFORT them, etc. Pleas continue to do what you do for these children……
Sorry to hear about your childhood memories/nightmare Pinky. I am so grateful that my mom was a stay at home mom who loved us and made a secure place for us. We do hope to be able to start the ministry again with a place in town. Thanks.
I know some people don’t think its a big thing to differentiate – but I do have a problem referring to church as a building or a Sunday service. I think church services are a huge distraction for Christians today.
Charlie: no argument here on what you have stated. Thanks.
I’m asking the Lord the same question – what would You have me do.. and give me the courage to obey.
Amen to your words – if we – as “the church” don’t take it outside the walls then “the church” will perish.
HFF: Such a good question to ask but even more having the courage to obey. Thanks for visiting.