Let me tell you where my heart really is.
While the Church (that would be you and me, not the building) is trying to reach others for Christ, a lot of other things are going on at the same time. None of them are bad. But as we are endeavoring to keep our head and heart in the world of those who are far from God, we're still thinking about remodeling parts of the church (the building, not you and me) that badly need updating after 15 years ---- we're still strategically planning for the future ---- we're still trying to figure out how to close the back door at Church (the people, not the actual building) ---- we're still discussing issues of worship style and 'propriety' inside the church (the building, not you and me) ---- the everyday requirements of ministry life march on, as they must. All necessary things. All good things. And yet, people far from God walk down my street every day while I watch.
Let me tell you where my heart really is. As pre-believers come thru our doors or talk to us over the backyard fence, some of THIS is going to eventually happen:
"Pastor, I have a friend who is a transvestite. He dresses like a woman and he has had the surgeries that give him the appearance of a woman. But pastor, I've been talking to him and he wants to come to our church. What should I do? Can I bring him?"
What do you SAY? What do YOU say?
I say, "Yes, of course. Bring him. We understand the sin, but where else is a person going to go who wants to find God?"
And that's when we stop having long conversations about the new decorating, the strategic planning, the worship choruses and the programs. They still happen but we really put our energies and hardest thoughts into getting on with the business of seeing changed lives.
So, in the greatest effort and heart to be relevant to a confused world going its own direction, you have to ask:
"What HAPPENS when a person who has a surgically altered gender turns to Christ?"
"How does what we do at a weekend service (or for that matter, Monday thru Saturday) prepare people for that question -- and how does it help those affected with an answer?"
"What role does a message have for a people with such a deep and varied collection of issues, experiences, thoughts, emotions and beliefs?"
Do we have any answers that speak directly? I believe we do, but we have to continually care about these questions and seek God for how we can best communicate in ways that are -- ahem -- 2008 relevant.
And be blessed.
3 comments:
I am hopeful that we can love everyone, but it would be a different experience. I used to live in CA for many years, so I was exposed to many different lifestyles and ideas. I think it broadened my thinking bit. In some ways, for the good and maybe some ways not. Personally, if I start to feel those judgemental feelings coming on, I will just pray that the Holy Spirit helps me.
I just wanted to add one more thing that I just read in an email I get. It talked about the legalism vs love in some believers. It said that sometimes we view things in terms of US vs THEM....but really it's US vs SATAN. I thought that was really good. I just wanted to share that.
I like to think that these are little messages from God, but here is more. Sorry...lol...I know this is long. It gives us a way to look at those different from us.
Dear friends:
God's great love for us does not cause Him to wink at our sins and sinful nature.
Just the opposite: Because He loves us, He works to change us. It is often said, "He loves us too much to leave us the way we are." God is not a doting and indulgent uncle, but a loving and wise Father who has our long-time interests at heart.
Christian philosopher and writer C.S. Lewis (1898-1963) wrote: "To ask that God's love should be content with us as we are is to ask that God should cease to be God. Because He is what He is, His love must, in the nature of things, be impeded and repelled by certain stains in our present character, and because He already loves us He must labour to make us lovable. We cannot even wish, in our better moments, that He could reconcile Himself to our present impurities -- no more than the beggar maid could wish that King Cophetua should be content with her rags and dirt..."
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