“In the church world”… That’s how I began writing just now and it stopped me, I immediately thought…
“What an odd, sad statement – “Church world” As if it’s its own world unattached or separated from the real world – and sadly, many times it is. Most of you know my heart and what inspires me day to day – seeing The Church turned upside down, set free, inspired and living out a radical life in the power of God – outside of its own box. A church that is disrupting the mundane day to day with the life changing power of the Holy Spirit through kindness, patience, grace and love for those both inside and outside of said “church world”
This past couple weeks we’ve seen a great disruption in our “church world” (thank goodness). 2 weeks ago with a Sunday where the church gathering space was emptied of its people (yes I realize how risky this is to not have a Sunday service, gasp) as all went out and served others from Mt Pleasant to Nicaragua and then this past week where the morning was filled with worship for and testimony of what God has been doing in the lives of those around us. Story upon story of God’s power and love shining bright through acts of service, listening, loving on and time sacrificially spent outside of our own worlds, inside of someone else’s. If “closing up shop” on a Sunday morning to go and actually live out what we read of in the Bible is wrong – then we’re guilty for sure.
I long for our lives and traditions to be disrupted – for the “beige” church (as Jon Tyson puts it) to be stirred by God’s Spirit. I can’t imagine the power of His Spirit being content with the box many of us call church. I can’t imagine His Spirit going unnoticed or existing in the beige. We’re talking about the same Spirit that hovered over the waters in Genesis before there was anything – the same Spirit that then sprang to life every color, every creature and every living thing. May our churches and lives represent His creation, His greatness and His power. This is easier to live out in other parts of the world compared to the “Bible Belt”.
But Bible Belt or not, I’m praying the CHURCH WORLD we all get drawn into becomes powerful and present and practical in the actual world we find ourselves living in. That it would never be contained inside 4 walls. That it would be SALT and LIGHT to a world searching for meaning and identity. After all – God himself came to this world in human form (Jesus) to live out “being the church” inside the world we live in. He himself turned the church of that day upside down calling it outside of its 4 walls – so why then do we do our best to place it back in?
Convinced that this Story we hold deep in our souls would be shared to a world that needs a new story.
You are the church. Risk. Sacrifice. Create. Go and love well.
Jared