Yet since those earlier writings I've experienced the following needed changes:
- The preachers remained in the Word and the Word changed the hearts of the preachers. Richard Rogers and Jim McGuiggan are two in my circle who lead us to this zone.
- Our view of singing shifted from pianoless emphasis to authentic, arousing heart engagement. Keith Lancaster is one (and then Allen French and Shane Coffman for me, personally) who can be credited with much of this needed improvement.
- The church has shifted greatly from scared to happy, from insecure to confident, and from grumpy to merciful. Has not Marvin been a huge voice in this adjustment among us?
- The Holy Spirit has been accepted as directly active in our personal and corporate walk. Can we not attribute this breakthrough to the Holy Spirit himself?
- There is developing a continual and increasing anticipation that God will show up. Our members can be credited with reaching a point they just had so say Someone more than us is involved in our worship and our work.
Thirty-three years of preaching have passed in a blink. I'm realizing the writings of threats and warning were, in reality, not to be feared but to be hoped for. The Church of Christ as known back then had many things it/we needed to repent of. Thus, my continued thrill to feel as if I am only in kindergarten in the kingdom of God. I assume, from my intimate experience with Him, that when I am yet one score older I will have advanced merely to pre-school. How I look forward to those days. But I shall not wish my life away in the meantime in either fear or panic about the condition of the church.
I believe the Church is still Jesus'. I believe in Him. I believe in His people. I am so happy to tell any that I belong to the Church of Christ. It's got some incredible things popping at the moment and I want in on all of it! What's happening to the Church of Christ? God is!
5 comments:
Excellent - very excellent words!
You keep blogging, I'll keep reading! Fair deal?
I cherish our church, and here's why...
When I was younger and more rebellious than I am now (which is saying something... 'cause I'm quite the rebel! If I had a General Lee, I'd be jumpin' through the windows and speedin' down dirt roads!) I was disillusioned by our church specifically. There was so much I was looking for that wasn't there. And since I had friends who went to other churches, I saw what they had, the joy they possessed, the excitement and fun (you know me and fun!) and I wanted those things. So I went to their churches. I hopped around, and I learned a LOT about how other denominations do things and why they do them. And you know, I didn't disagree with very many of those things.
And then I was told, by someone in a position of authority, whom I highly respected, that I could not truly a Christian because I did not regularly attend a Church of Christ. And it broke my heart. Not because I believed him. But because I had seen how true Christians treat each other, and they don't try to tear each other down like that. They build each other up, encourage, hope, look to the future, and if they do rebuke, they do so in love, not with condemnation but with prayerfulness and heart-searching.
So, I truly appreciate this post. I never gave up on this church because I could see the growth that was happening. And we have far to go... so far. But the joy is there. The excitement. The fun. The vision! Oh, the vision is wonderful. I see God in so much that we do!
So thank you, to you and to the leaders that have helped drag us up out of the mire that is leagalism. To see the heart of God and reach for that rather than the rules and regulations that bind love in a vise until the pressure leaves people in despair of ever getting it right.
Terry,
great post about the church. Way up in Canada--where the churches of Christ are small--we run into difficulty between those who want it to be the way it was and those who want what you have described. This will be our first year of missing the Workshop in 5 years--we just couldn't make it--the Workshop has been a highlight for us and a real source of encouragement--God Bless
Drew,
Would you email me at cardinalmuseum@memorialdrive.org? I want to talk to you.
As a c of C "returnee", I like the changes taking place. Most of the changes in worship are taking place in the big towns, leaving those of us in the "sticks" wondering whether to commute long distances to go to the big church, or stay near the house and go to a small congregation that hasn't experienced much change. I've opted for the latter so far, but I love the big church experience.
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