We have recently undergone some very big changes at the church I have been working at for the past two years. All of the services were combined into one service for an undetermined length of time. There are between 2500 and 3000 people attending various services every weekend, corralling that many people into one location was a feat in itself. Combine that with all the different personalities and worship preferences...
let me explain... because, we got it all,
.... you get the sword swinging flag wavers waiting for the schofar to blow, while the liturgically saturated hymn singers are thirsty for a wicked organ solo, and the culturally absorbed "hip Christians"wondering why the pastor isn't wearing a stylish untucked button up shirt and pre-ripped blue jeans or sitting on a stool and waiting for their three easy steps to a better family life... and everything else in between. This is a horse of a different color. So, why is this happening?
Well, the short answer is that we are entering into a season to try to build unity and seek God in order to figure out what exactly we are. Good stuff.
In the midst of this circus, not everyone is truly welcome...
I am going to tell a story...
Remember that story in the Bible about Jesus and the sermon on the mount? That part where Jesus says to a young man and his friend "Hey, aren't you those punks that disrupted things earlier on? Get out, you aren't welcomed here!" It turns out that the young man was Matthew, and he left, very confused.... then Jesus turned to the remaining 11 and said "now, go and do likewise" and Jesus continued on with the sermon...
what? you don't remember that story?... hmm... weird. Maybe this was just in "The Message" version...
Anyway, the story has a point... it honestly does.
Last week we had the first "United Service", and I invited one of my friends to come with. He is on staff with a ministry in Minneapolis... so we attend the service and immediately afterwards an elderly man approaches us and apologizes to us.
This was weird, since it was the first time I had ever talked to this man.
He goes on to explain that he and some others saw us enter the building and were looking for us in order to kick us out, because they had mistakenly profiled us...
I was nearly kicked out of the church that I work at. (title)
Fortunately he ran into one of the pastors and pointed over to us before doing the deed. It was then explained to him that I am on staff and they had the wrong people...
To be fair, we don't really look like we belong in a suburban mega church (this is a weird, kind of sad statement... yet true)
crisis averted, right? No blood, no foul?
Hmm.. what if it this would have happened to another person instead...? yikes.
What if Joe Shmo walked into the church and was tracked down and asked to leave just because of the way he looked? What kind of statement does that make? Where are our priorities as a church?
We looked like people that didn't belong in a church and would have been kicked out if I didn't work there....
It seems like we are more concerned about "protecting" the congregation than we are about reaching out to the lost and hurting... especially true if we won't even accept them in when they walk through our own doors.
well, maybe all this will get sorted out from our "United Service"season? I sure hope so.
-Jreux
wow....
ReplyDeleteA sad story. I've often had people look me up and down when visiting a Church and from what I could tell decide I was most likely "not saved" and try and convert me. Conversation quickly goes cold when they find out I'm a missionary.
ReplyDeleteCan't imagine what it must have felt like to you in your own Church.
P.s. I'm Dan Caitlin has told me lots about you, nice to meet ya!
Who were they looking for in the first place? Had they mistakenly profiled you as someone they should be looking out for? I ask because I think that point it crucial to how I feel about this story... if they actually had a good reason to look out for someone who may have looked like either of you, then I'd be a bit more understanding. If they didn't... well, that changes things. Grace and understanding can build bridges.
ReplyDeletegood insight Ashley, apparently they were looking for someone or some people who had caused a disturbance before at a past conference. I still don't know the whole story... and that is just fine. I would assume that we looked more like them than anyone else in attendance that day.
ReplyDeleteit is just interesting to think on... and what if it was a different situation?
what if Abdiwak had been approached and asked to leave because a group of young african american men caused a disturbance at a recent conference at NH?
That is a much inflated example to make a point, and I would have been wicked pissed if that happened, but something worth pondering...
also I should clarify... at first I thought nothing of this event. I actually thought it was kind of funny... until talking to my friend about a week later...
Then the biggest concern in any of this for me became wondering what would have happened if I wasn't with my friend who was going to be asked to leave. Would they have believed him that they had the wrong guy?
What if they would have found the right people? Would they have sat down and talked with them? Would they have allowed them to attend the service? would they have asked them to leave?
I really do not know.
It also raises some other questions about how prepared the church is in reaching out to non-christians...
especially ones who are actively non-christian. "those who have turned away from God. not just those who have not found Him yet"
Our preparedness reveals our priorities and I like what you said...
"grace and understanding can build bridges"
Thanks for such a long and thoughtful response :0) I especially liked the part concerning how prepared, or not prepared, the church is in reaching out to non-christians. That is a very good point and insight! This conversation would have been much more fun in person - we need to get together soon! :0) Barley John's sometime in the near future? Maybe Wed after Converge?
ReplyDelete