Written by Last year at Summit I heard Wade Hodges say something that has stuck with me. He said that we have too much feeding going on in our churches — and too much feeding with no exercise leads to Fat Christians.
I am starting my 13th year of preaching, and from my perspective he is absolutely right. Where I preach, we have a Sunday morning service that includes a sermon, Sunday morning Bible class, a Sunday evening service with another sermon, and a Wednesday evening Bible study. That’s a lot of information every week (if you attend all the services).
Now, that would be fine *if* you were also taking the opportunity to exercise your faith on a regular basis. But what I find is that not much of that is taking place. So what we have is a lot of folks filling up on information and getting fat (spiritually).
What if we dedicated just one of those service times to actually DOING something instead of just feeding? What if we actually took off the feedbag and got involved in our community? What if, instead of sitting through another class on the book of Acts, we actually went out and did some acts?
The problem is, this would be a radical departure from the way we currently “do church” — thus making a lot of folks uncomfortable (especially the ones who are big givers). And let’s face it, its a whole lot easier to sit back and eat than it is to get out and exercise.
Any ideas?
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Bobby Ross is doing a series in the Christian Chronicle (next month I think) about churches that use Sunday and/or Wednesday nights as times of service. I hope it catches on.
You can check out his blog at
http://bobbyrossjr.blogspot.com/
The last several times I have preached I have presented this very message as a challenge to our church and I have gotten 3 responses:
Cold Mean Glares during the sermon from about 15% of the congregation
Verbal Assaults From about 5% after the sermon.
Meaningless Pats on the Back from about 30% of the congregations with a “You should take over the benevolance commitee.”
I think the pats on the back annoy me the most because this is not about “feeding us” on how to be better ministers, it is a challenge to GET OUT and DO IT!!!
I find myself longing to be more like the emergent church in terms of service to the community.
I think we have a lot to learn about reshaping ourselves to be people of service instead of people of services.
“People of service rather than people of services…”
That’s great!
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Oh great, now I’m going to get on my soapbox. Many years ago, I wrote to the elders to express my disappointment in the way we do church. (that was before it was cool to say that so I know I didn’t use those words) I said that sitting in that pew on Sunday nights, just listening to that preacher drone on and on was going to be the death of me. I wanted to be able to interact somehow.
First of all, they went to the preacher with my letter without telling me. The preacher approaced me and said, “You do understand the importance of preaching, don’t you?” Then, when the elders agreed to meet with me, their suggestion to me was that maybe I would be more fulfilled if I would take notes on the sermon instead of just listening.
Huh?
My congregation might be a bit more open to some of this than others. I would hope.
When you say you love baseball, you could be saying you love to watch baseball and know the rulebook and the stats of all the players, or you could be saying you like to get out and play the game. We need to turn the lights on and play ball. We could call it the Wednesday night league.
Amen brother! They’ll know we are Christians by our love…..not our services. And just think, forever we have defined someone as “faithful” because they came to all the services….as if that was the totality of being faithful.
Deliver me!
Great post….keep em coming!
DU
Hey Jeff! Loved your post! I’m so proud!
Yep – Lynda Benton – (Now Saxinger) – that’s me! Same old Lynda Bee! (stress OLD!) We’re back in MI after about 15 years in Southern California. Saw Karen and Blair out there a few times. Karen was back for Marque Cryderman’s party – we couldn’t make it, but I caught up with her at Rochester in the church parking lot with Rick & Carol!
Heard you had moved to Ohio. I actually know a gal I used to work with that had family at South Lyon – Terri McBean. Small world!
Loved your idea of “doing something”. It’s so hard for people to gain a new perspective on old ones. I pray that we can all be forward seeking. Sharing info like you’ve posted is the best way to start tho.
Keep in touch! One of these days I’ll set my blog up. Probably not for anything profound – but just a way to connect with old friends!
God Bless – and come see us at Rochester sometime! (I sing with Jamie Couch regularly on Praise Team – and Mitch & Debbie Washer have visited as well… – just like the 80′s – all over again!
God Bless!
Lynda Bee (beemail@quixnet.net)
As usual Jeff, we’re on the same page…sort of.
I there something stopping you from planning one of those services to SERVE? How do your elders feel about this? Are they supportive of your ideas? I’m sure you have lots of ways to serve in your community. The uncomfortable big-givers need to put their money where God’s mouth and hands are…reaching beyond the walls of church buildings into the lives of the ones who need him – desperately. You go Jeff! Your heart is in the right place and you’re in an influential position. That’s a gift.
Like in Narnia, the gifts we receive are not toys, but tools, meant to serve and protect for the KING!
Great mind do think alike. I just wonder where the idea that everyone should be comfortable came from. I’ll bet that the rich young ruler had a just a small degree of discomfort.
Keep pushing up there and I’ll do it down here.
If all you who commented want to see how a minister steals lines and uses them… just listen to my sermon online from today. Your comments were wonderful and fit in perfectly with the sea-change this congregation is experiencing. Our theme this year is “Takin’ it to the Streets.” God help us get past the parking lot!
My blog post for yesterday was entitled, “Beyond Cliche Christianity and Pat Answers” and fits well into this post. Also, a class I’m working on for our small group from James 2 teems with with idea. I feel folk in my generation (I’m 26) are ready for action, but churches, ironically, are holding us back. It is time to stick it to the man. I’ve tried working within the man’s system, but it isn’t working . . . so I must go against the man. Central Ohio Work Camp is my first shot at it. Me and a couple of other youth ministers in Columbus are getting together this summer for our second year of painting folks houses and some light carpentry work. The kids eat it up! Why do we not provide more opportunities like this??? We’re afraid to go to the projects and be Christ! Instead we spend our time legisltating morality through beauracratic nonsense via govermental outlets. Christ had his chance to potlically change the world . . . instead he just loved it . . . all of it.