Posted by Bigfish69 on 12:40 pm | Categories: edit
The following is adapted from an article written by Mark D. Roberts © 2011 website link
where people get their ideas of church
past experience of church … Although
many have no church background, some do even if limited to weddings and
funerals. Some come with negative memories they want to avoid again.
Others are nostalgic about the past, even if it didn’t help them know
God better.
pop culture … Even
people who have never entered a church building may see church depicted
on TV shows, movies, or books. These shape the expectations of
Christians and non-Christians alike. While there are good images, the
negative ones show pastors and church members as judgmental hypocrites
or unthinking extremists.
the news … Though
exceptions exist, the news in general is not positive. Reporting on
good things doesn't attract viewers or sell advertising. Scandals do,
and tend to make the headlines.
projection of personal needs and preferences … Sometimes when people have needs they expect the church to meet them, and therefore view the church through these eyes.
from analogous institutions[table id=10/]
Before you conclude that the bible only speaks of church as specific gatherings, please read Colossians 1 and Ephesians 3-5. These letters indicate the church is anyone who follows Jesus. It is something that can be spoken of as a body, with Christ as the head, and appears to be some reality transcending ordinary space and time that encompasses more than a single gathering of believers.
And in this sense, we need to ask questions like:
- Can everything God needs the church to do be achieved through occasional gatherings?
- Do we exclude anything if we limit who we interact with?
- How can what God gifts you with strengthen what God asks of others to do from other areas of your community?
- What is God doing that he does not do on a Sunday between 10am-12noon? Where is he doing this?
