This week, the Richmond alternative newspaper ran a feature article about churches that are selling Jesus. They talked about how some churches market Jesus to hungry consumers in hopes of reaching them. It was an interesting read for me to say the least.
I think about this all the time...Can we love people without ulterior motives? Can we hand out (in Vineyard fashion) water bottles, or free parking validations, or free gift wrapping or whatever, and TRULY do it to show people's God love...not just show people God's church (ours). How can we just love people just to love them? I think the solution is to love people who cannot pay you back in any way...like the poor and oppressed. But as someone who wants to see a new church birth out of nothing...that's a strange thought...Should we just get out there and love the least of these like Jesus says and let the chips fall where they may? I guess it's sad I even ask the question. Ok...I'm off to repent now.
3 comments:
Chris - wow. I didn't see that article until now ... I think I feel inclined to write about it.
Check out Wayne's post a few days ago that relates to this: Day with God, What Happened?
Towards what you said, I really agree about getting out there and loving the least of these. Our small group is going to be serving a dinner with the Freedom House soon but our hearts were to just go out and try to give to the homeless - blankets or what not. After looking into organizations and what not in the area, I find no one actually recommends you do this though and so begs my question what is the best way to serve (at least for what I am talking about, the homeless)? Helping them get out of homelessness? There's Embrace Richmond. Just helping them where they are? Plenty of organizations like the Daily Planet, Freedom House, HomeAgain and more...
Chris- We had a homeless ministry in Virginia Beach that did that stuff. It was pretty cool. I'm not connected into Richmond's homeless ministry scene yet. Sounds like you've done some research.
The problem I see with The Church As We Know It trying to love people is that it has become so removed from its culture, people in it have no idea how to be a normal citizen. They can't understand why someone thinks giving away water bottles is weird. No one does that. Sure, its a nice gesture, but its still weird. Do something normal next time, please. Dont expect that picking up trash at the next city festival will communicate the Good News. Again, nice act of service, but who does that kind of thing?
The biggest problem for me as a vocational pastor was that I didnt know anyone outside my ministry, and if I tried, I was always held in suspicion. Now that I am a pastor of The Church of the Future, I own a wine bar, and i have more contact with normal people than i know what to do with. Two things dawned on me: one, I never knew it would be this easy to bless people, and two, why didnt I think of this earlier?
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