"Messy People Lifting Up a Great God", great catch phrase right? I mean it is "real" and cool and blah, blah, blah. The phrase comes from the college group "The Well" that I lead, I believe that is our heart, that we are messy, jacked up people and we Lift Up a Great God through the cross of Jesus. I pray that we are broken for the lost, but is it all a front? Are we faking wantint to be missional? We often say that we want to reach the lost, seek the messy, broken and jacked up, but do we? It is a great thing to say, and us young, angry, cool clothes wearing Christians that wear square glasses are good at playing that part. Are we willing to walk the walk, are we really broken for the lost, or do we just like the way it sounds? Gary Lamb, pastor of Revolution in Georgia has a rant that is convicting and I know for me has a sting of truth in it that pierces my heart. Here is a quote:
I have learned that most church planters REALLY don’t want to reach those far from God, they really want to do church in a cool way. There is a difference. Just because you have great video, loud music, dress casual, and use movie clips doesn’t mean you are reaching those far from God.
I honestly believe most planters would freak out if they started having to deal with the issues that come from reaching truly unchurched people. It is messy, ugly, scary, and actually can keep you from growing because it scares the hell out of those who grew up in church.
Are we willing to see our church lose people because they are uncomfortable with the dude sitting next to them? Are we willing to have small churches that are filled with people who are really being changed and turned to the cause of Jesus, you know that cause, seeking the sick and lame, the sinner and rebel, the broken of the world (Yes I did enjoy, was convicted and encouraged by Dave Bruskas today).
Click here for the Rest of Gary's "Rant"
Props: Greg Qualls
Do I want to get messy in the service of loving, serving, and reaching people for Christ? Yes, emphatically. Here is the reason. I was saved at the age of 29 (I'm 35 now). I grew up in a severely traumatic background, and for much of my life, I lived with severe depression-- which wasn't nearly as objectively bad as the fact that I was lost and dead in my sins against God-- but I digress. This is the point. I was a "messy" person then. I still am now, but it is not always as apparent on the surface. The thing is, in the midst of my rebellion and messiness, God reached down and savingly loved me and brought me into His family. Having been loved in this way, how can I then turn away from others in their messiness? How can any of us who have been saved by God do such a thing?
ReplyDeleteWell, obviously, we can turn away from messy people, because we are still sinners ourselves. I pray that we would all realize and remember what God has saved us from, and how, even though He didn't have to love us in this way, He still chose to do so. No messy person is any more scary or "repellant" than my own heart, apart from God's saving, transforming grace. This is the basis for ministry to "messy" people-- that I am messy too, the messiest of all siners in my heart, and yet, God has shown me His grace and love, instead of His righteous wrath for my sin against Him.
Oops, I'm actually 34, not 35-- I must have gotten so passionate in my posting that my math was off by a year! :-)
ReplyDeleteAmen Bro!!!!
ReplyDelete