Wednesday, October 01, 2003

Back to the unchurched and "seeker friendly" churches. Our churches are largely anemic. When I read some of the church fathers, it really drives home the point just how anemic. So I can identify with the "quality over quantity" statements. Believers who are wholly committed to God, to the Church/each other, to their neighbors, should be the goal, right? Radical faith, not watered down or at our convenience?

But then on the other hand, is someone saved who comes to the Lord, and starts seeing changes in his life? Even if they are small and slow, he never becomes a radical, and after 30 years dies a mediocre Christian? (In other words, there are direct and noticable changes and steps towards God in this persons life, at the end he does not look like what he looked like in the beginning, even if he never fully goes where we would like to see him in the faith?)
If so, is the church that looks down on those "seeker friendly" churches because they produce immature Christians (yet in 5 years has seen one person genuinely come into God's kingdom, but hey, he is following God deeply, radically and committedly) doing a much better job for the Kingdom of God?

Can you get them through the door, and then challenge and grow them? Or is it too hard to challenge someone who has become content with the status quo ( and will even be angry if you tell him that there is really more of a price to be paid than he initially signed on?)
Is it easier for God to grab you wholly once you are already through the door and exposed to the power of the Word, books, and others who ARE deeply committed (and there were always some in each church I have been in), or is it harder for him to grab you wholly once you have gotten used to sitting back and settling in?

posted by Birgit
0 comments at 11:41 AM