Written by Another blogger I read regularly has posted this question, and I reposted it here to get input from my readers.
If your church vanished from your community, would the community know it was gone? What kind of hole would you leave? What, if anything, would the community miss?
Here’s another question that a commenter left on that post: If you were no longer attending your current congregation, what would go undone? How long would it take before others noticed you were gone?
It’s been said, “When you die, you either fill a hole or you leave a hole.”
What do you think???
I saw this on Mudpuppy, so came over to check it out. Great question. Very thought provoking.
Hi Jeff, Happy New Year. Checked your blog earlier, nothing yet for the New Year. So I started my lists of things to do, one was to get a postcard for someone special for a class project, come to find out New London does not even have a postcard, so I have been making one of my own. I found out our town has 7 churches, but what surprised me was the population is only 2696. My first thought was why so many in a small town, secondly what is different about each church, thirdly why do the people go? Some like us travel out of town to church. Why?Why?Why? Big question. I think God gave us a need a need to feel wanted, appreciated and worthy, to fit in,to belong to something that we and others think is important etc. Each of us would like to think that the world or even our own little piece of the world would not go on without us, but it would. Not because we would not be missed or we did not give our all to our talents God gave us, but because the ones that believe there is a great God and that we need to strive to do His will and make our world a better place would fill the shoes of those that has gone on.
Would our church be missed by the community? How much have we been involved in it? My house is very small, with 5 people and 2 dogs,a dalmation and a small mixed dog(who likes to be loved and cuddled, they also speak their minds when they do not get the attention), there is not alot of room left. But last month I invited 2 other couples and their kids, there were 13 and 2 dogs in my little house, but it worked, we had alot of fun and fellowship, we got to know each other better and my goal is to do it at least every other month. Plus we are in the supper club and we had the 2 couples over, and it all worked out. We do not need a big mansion or finer things to invite people or the community in, we just need to be ourselves and do it and God will take care of the rest. We all need to give our all to anything and everything we are involved in, not to impress, but to leave an impression that it matters to the ones we love and fellowship with. I know Jesus would not/did not care what others thought or about the appearance of it all, He would go in and tell of His Father’s love and His Father’s word for all to hear, and I think thats what we all need to do, and quit saying were to busy,we’re tired, we have sports games to go to or watch, we need to think is this the life God created us for? Is it going to matter eternally? My thoughts only. What I feel that makes a difference in my life and those I care about.
about three months…..
and when you ask for time off to care for family matters it really shouldn’t be that people forget all about you….
But, I hope they are making a difference in the community…..
This is a good reflective question. If we are honest we would conclude that many of our “works” did not have the impact we thought they would. What is done for God will last and nothing else. Maybe we should slow down and figure out what God wants us to invest our efforts in!
I know a few years ago we would not be much of a blip if we vanished from church but thanks to a few people we are now very involved and it feels great!
great question. Another one might be, If the church you attend vanished, who would miss it? Same question maybe. But if only the attenders missed it and no one else then you’ve got a huge problem.