Just What Are We Doing?

Most churches do a lot. A quick glance at the “events calendar” of many churches shows something on nearly every day of the week. Something for kids, something for teens, something for ‘tweens, something for the elderly, something for men, something for women, something for newly marrieds, something for yet-to-be-marrieds, something for the divorced, something, something, something. Not that something is bad, I just wonder if it’s the thing we’re really called to be doing.

Most churches I've known get occasional calls from people needing help. They try to help as many of these people as they can. They try to be discerning about it, have policies and procedures, but the bottom line is that they want to show Jesus’ love to as many people as possible in as many different ways as possible.

I recently spoke with a man who had a need. He thought that “church” was the obvious place to turn to in a time of need. But then he was either bluntly told “no” or “sorry, we only help our own church members.” As I sat listening I was thinking that when Jesus commands us to love our neighbors (Mathew 22:39, etc.), I’m pretty sure that doesn’t translate as “sorry we only help our own church members.” That’s what clubs do, not the Body of Christ.

How is it that, when so many churches are doing so many things, people seem genuinely surprised when they encounter the love of Christ? What are we doing? Matthew 5:16 and 1 Peter 2:12 tell us to live in such a way that there’s no other explanation than for people to give glory to God. Jesus commands us to be “salt and light” (Matthew 5:13-14). I worry that many of us live lives condemned by James 2:14-16. We recognize that people around us need help, we might even say something about it, but we do nothing.

Are we so busy doing things that we don’t do the things God expects of us?  Personally, I like a church to be missional in approach, but that has its traps too.  Perhaps soon I will post a series on my thoughts of these (although i don't seem to do well with series of posts on this blog). But suffice it to say for now that the church needs balance... Q.E.D.