I DO Love The Church!

One last thought before the semester ends and we all head off to places far and wide to celebrate the wonderful gift of Jesus. I DO love the Church. She is God's chosen way of revealing His passionate love to people. She is His method of modelling the beauty of the relationship shared in the Trinity. She is His vehicle to gather a family who will someday join Him in a wonderfully prepared place. I love Her! I DO wish that the Church was more like His original idea. I DO wish that we were more focused on deepening relationships than on expanding programs. I DO wish that a hurting world was being made curious by our unselfish love for each other... curious enough to want to know the reason for our love and hope and joy.... curious enough to want to run to the Jesus that we profess to follow and fall humbly upon His free gift of grace. I DO wish!!!Having spent these few weeks blogging together... trying to look inside the church and our own hearts... what do you wish for the church? Thankyou for your participation... I am blessed! Doug

To discipline or not to discipline...That IS the question

In The Message, Hebrews 12:11 says: "At the time, discipline isn't much fun. It always feels like it's going against the grain. Later, of course, it pays off handsomely, for it's the well-trained who find themselves mature in their relationship with God."My experience has been that very few churches or spiritual leaders participate in the process of disciplining people in the church who are professing to be Followers of Christ while still habitually practising sin. Why does this happen? What benefit could there be in remaining silent? What are some of the negative consequences that the church may be experiencing because we have not disciplined? How would you feel about being involved in the process of discipline for a church member... or college classmate? Now that's getting a little closer to home.... talk to me!

Big Groups...Small Groups???

If a sense of 'community' or 'family' is important in connecting with my local church (and I believe it is very important)... How can that be achieved when my main contact is Sunday morning, sitting in rows of pews, facing one direction, with a small number of people actually participating in the service? Can community take place in this setting? Should it take place there? If it doesn't, then what is the purpose of the larger group meeting? If I experience a true sense of community meeting with a small group in my living room... Is that 'real' church? How important is it for us to meet with a larger group from time to time? Is there a unique purpose for both 'big' and 'small' groups meeting in Jesus' Name? What do you think?

Gathered Community or Scattered Mission?

I have worked with parachurch groups such as Youth With A Mission and The Agape Force. These organizations and many more like them came into existence because of a perceived lack in local church ministry. Whether their emphasis is door-to-door evangelism, feeding the hungry, reaching the world's lost youth or building orphanages in war-torn lands... they all exist as a clear reminder that the average church in western culture is focused primarily inward. It is obviously important to "gather" the saints for such things as edification, exhortation, community and equipping for service. But... where are the "scattered" saints? How can we have more meaningful ministry outside the walls of the sanctuary? Should our main concern be how to get people into the building? What do we do with the millions of seeking folks who are so disillusioned with the church that they will not come inside its walls? How will we reach our post-modern culture? What might the church be missing here? Talk to me....