Copyright © 2005 by Philip Hartman - All Rights Reserved
Monday, October 31, 2005
How Welcoming Are We Really?
I read a post in The Ugly Evangelical that got me thinking about how well most churches really reach out to the community. Do we really want homeless people to come to our service? Do we really want a mix of races to come together in the same place to worship? What about recovering alcoholics? A prostitute trying to get off the street? Or... do we kind of like it when most everybody in church around us is like us.
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7 comments:
thanks again phil,
i enjoyed the mouse and cheese analogy. i found your postings uplifting and thought provoking. just what the dr. ordered today. there is a purpose for what you are doing.keep on keeping on.
jfdotcom, Thanks for your comment. I need to go check out your wite.
Tim,
That cheese quote is great isn't it. Thanks for stopping by.
The moment I knew my traditional church worldview was lacking: taking a homeless man off the street to an upscale church at the edge of town for an evening service. We arrived late and sat in the back as people were sharing testimonies. They finished, and to my dismay he stood up and yelled to the man up front that he had something to say. The ushers apeared, trying to take him out back where they could talk to him in private without disrupting the service. All I could think was how embarassed I was, everyone looking at us. He just wanted to say that he had just met Jesus the day before through this kid sitting next to him, and that it was wonderful that someone like him could be forgiven. Tommy Martin. That was his name. Filthy and stinking, with alcohol still fresh on his breath, surrounded by people in their Easter suits, but he just couldn't keep quiet. I've had a love for those that don't know any beter ever since.
Dave, thanks for stopping by and sharing that experience. Is the most needy really the most welcome?
Phil, I think churches need to be two contradictory things, simultaneously. They need on the one hand to be places of safety and security for the members, where they feel that they can be transparent and grow. On the other hand, they need to reach out to outsiders who may challenge the safety and security of many, simply by reason of being different somehow. Some churches choose security only, looking inward, and their congregations slowly die. Others choose evangelism only, looking outward, and then (like my current church) have problems with longtime but spiritually immature members getting positions of authority. It's tough to achieve the right balance of ministry and evangelism, adding new sheep while tending the existing flock and keeping the wolves at bay. Even Jesus had trouble with this; when he got too explicit about taking up one's cross daily, many of his disciples quit following him - so why should we and our churches be any different? Thanks for the postings; excellent website!
Lee,
Thanks for stopping by. Yes, I think balance is important. The right balance may be a moving target over time too, as the Holy Spirit leads us down different paths.
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