Rethinking Church Part 1

What does going to 'church' mean to you? Is it like going to some social club, function or a building? Or is there a wonderful purpose for Christians to meet together? I want to share with you through a series of my thoughts on how Jesus would want his church to look like, and how it should really be. This is the "Rethinking Church" series - a get real in our walk 'provocation'.

Excerpt from "Goodbye Generation" by David Sawler (*emphasis mine)

"A young man listened intently to what was being said. He has been invited to a Christian outreach event by his good friend and it was more than he expected. Something was happening and God began to work on his heart. At the end of the night, people were invited to come forward to pray and accept Christ, which he did. During a follow up time, someone gave him a small 'Book of John' so he could learn more about Jesus. His friend that brought him was ecstatic that he had made a decision to follow Christ. He told him to make sure he read the book of John and that he would pick hi up for church the next day.

That night he did just that. he was hungry to find out more about what this decision he just made meant. He read the whole book and couldn't wait to go to church for the first time in his life.

His friend came to get him and they went to the morning service. They were welcomed and quickly grabbed a seat before the service began. They sang a few songs that he didn't know but he tried his best to be a part. When they sat down, he turned and asked, 'Is it time?' The friend said, 'No, the service isn't done yet.', not quite understanding.

Then came the announcements, a special song, and then the preaching. He thought all were quite good but kept asking, 'Is it time?' The friend who brought him was getting a bit annoyed and kept reassuring him, 'soon it will be time'.

The pastor asked everyone to stand, said a prayer and dismissed everyone. 'Finally, he thought, 'it is time.' He turned to his friend and said, 'let's go.' His friend, not realizing what he meant, thought that he was hungry and wanted to go out for lunch, a common ritual for many Christians after a morning Sunday service. He too was getting hungry and couldn't wait for the Swiss Chalet dinner that had awaited him. The friend however soon realized that they each had something different in mind.

All this young believer knew about Christianity was what he read the night before about he life of Jesus and his disciples. He had mistakenly thought that when believers got together, they went to do the things that Jesus did. That morning, he had come fully prepared to go pray for the sick, to share his faith, and to go wherever there was a need.