Decentralizing Christianity
It is Sunday morning, and I am preparing for another day of worship. It strikes me how much of what we do as Christians revolves around Sunday church services. Then, if we add what happens on Wednesdays, we have about 90% of what most Christians think about, when they think of their Christianity. Now, church services are important, but is this a good situation? I don't think so. We need to decentralize our Christianity, so that we focus on the Lord's will for us to reach people for Christ, instead of coming to the church building. By being so focused on the activities in the building, we miss the people in the community. That is a fatal mistake. Fatal for the church and for the people we miss.
For a while now, I have been stating the process to grow as believers in this way: Stay Focused, Stay Connected, and Stay on Mission. I am seeing more and more why this is correct. At first, I was concerned that the three steps left out studying to some degree. We stay focused by having a daily "unhurried" time with the Lord and a weekly worship time. We stay connected by forming relationships with Christians and non-Christians, which usually happens in a small group setting and on our own. Then, we are on mission by obeying the Lord's directions 24/7, so that we witness, minister, and serve Him in various ways all week long. We already know enough to grow as Christians, if we will obey the Lord's commission to make disciples as we are going through life, the learning will happen as we go to the Word for answers as we are on mission.
Now, how can we communicate that to the majority of Christians who are so focused on the things that happen at the building that they don't take time to see the people and relate to them? I am committed to trying to do that the rest of my life. I believe God wants all of us to do this, for the sake of the love of Christ. What a shame that Jesus would die for the whole world and only a fraction of the people would ever hear the Good News, and then, spend eternity in Hell, because we who know the Good News are too busy going to church to take time for them.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Numbers 28-30 and Mark 8:22-38.
For a while now, I have been stating the process to grow as believers in this way: Stay Focused, Stay Connected, and Stay on Mission. I am seeing more and more why this is correct. At first, I was concerned that the three steps left out studying to some degree. We stay focused by having a daily "unhurried" time with the Lord and a weekly worship time. We stay connected by forming relationships with Christians and non-Christians, which usually happens in a small group setting and on our own. Then, we are on mission by obeying the Lord's directions 24/7, so that we witness, minister, and serve Him in various ways all week long. We already know enough to grow as Christians, if we will obey the Lord's commission to make disciples as we are going through life, the learning will happen as we go to the Word for answers as we are on mission.
Now, how can we communicate that to the majority of Christians who are so focused on the things that happen at the building that they don't take time to see the people and relate to them? I am committed to trying to do that the rest of my life. I believe God wants all of us to do this, for the sake of the love of Christ. What a shame that Jesus would die for the whole world and only a fraction of the people would ever hear the Good News, and then, spend eternity in Hell, because we who know the Good News are too busy going to church to take time for them.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Numbers 28-30 and Mark 8:22-38.