WATCHWORD:
“I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.” Revelation 1:8
“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.” Revelation 3:20
Meditation:
God’s Church – Part 2
The Book of Revelation is best tackled with a rich, creative imagination. It is a book filled with images and symbols, but at its very core, Revelation is a book of hope. But Revelation is also a book of warning! Things are not as they should be in the churches. Christ calls the churches to commit to living in righteousness, and we need to understand what that commitment means is the key to determining God’s purpose for the church, specifically, your church. We may not understand at this time what is happening, but God’s church is following God’s purpose. Said differently, God’s church is following God’s plan.
What happened recently with flooding in Tennessee, reminded me of a story that Greg Finke included in his book, Joining Jesus on His Mission. He tells the true story when, in the early 1960’s, the Honduran government contracted with a Japanese firm to build a state-of-the-art bridge to span the Choluteca River. It was a beautiful bridge and exceeded the expectations of the Hondurans. In 1998 hurricane Mitch swept in from the western Caribbean. It was a category five, but by the time it reached land it had weakened to a category one. Over the next few days it stalled and rained up to 75 inches in many areas of the country. All that rain came down the mountains and into the Choluteca River Valley with such force that it literally changed the course of the river! In a matter of days, that bridge, hardly damaged, no longer spanned the river. Instead it rested parallel to the new channel of the river.
Finke uses this story as a metaphor for what has happened to perfectly good churches over the last 30 or so years…the river, God’s purpose moved! In that same period, my own congregation moved from nearly 200 average attendance at Sunday services, down to our current average of about 25-30.
What has happened mirrors what has been happening to churches throughout the country. I know families who previously were active members of our church who have walked away, feeling that the church no longer met their spiritual needs. More and more people say they have no religious affiliation, nor do they wish to have that association.
Finke cites a striking figure that does not bode well for the future of traditional churches. Fewer than 10% of adults under age 30 regularly participate in the life of their local congregation. The majority of young adults see traditional churches to be unnecessary to their spiritual journey.
We are left with the question, what is God’s purpose for the church? Said a different way, if we are praying to the Lord for guidance in His Church, are we simply not aware that God’s hand is in the midst of that which we consider a “problem”.
In the very early years of Christianity, believers gravitated toward one another and formed home churches, called by the Greek word, Oikos. The groups thrived and Christianity spread. God’s purpose, alive and nurtured. We will continue to experience change in the traditional church, until God’s purpose becomes our purpose, and God’s plan becomes our plan. Churches. We need to do some serious praying! Amen.
(This discussion will continue in tomorrow’s Watchword.)
Closing Prayer:
From Mother Teresa —
May, today, there be peace within you.
May you trust God, that you are exactly where you are meant to be.
May you not forget the infinite possibilities,
that are born of faith.
May you use those gifts that you have received,
and pass on the love that has been given to you.
May you be content knowing that you are a child of God.
Let His presence settle into your bones,
and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance,
and to bask in the sun.
It is there for each and every one of you.
Amen
