UNCOMFORTABLE CHURCH

When I became minister I often reflected on how much easier it was when I was a member sitting in a pew. Surely elders feel the same way. It must be easy to know what should and shouldn't be done until assigned the actual task of shepherding.

Today's culture is increasingly messy. As we escalate our reach into our streets we will surely find it was a lot easier participating in Bible class discussions of how to reach the lost.

We are dealing with extreme challenges. From registered sex offenders to same sex partners to the homeless to all the rest of us, these were all sitting in our assembly Sunday. And it isn't a matter of our presence. It is a wonderful matter that we love each and truly care as we strain as to the best way to help one another start life over.

The closer we keep an eye on Jesus the further he seems to lead us into risk. Jesus takes us to a new normal. For those of us in leadership, we realize that we are losing a grip on the norm of church life and seem to be slipping into a zone of spiritual meaning and definition. Our challenges take more than collective input. They take the hand of God else we are sunk.

Week by week we seem to find ourselves with fewer answers and more people whose pain and injury blesses us. I applaud our members. It isn't that 20% are doing 80% of the work. We are so in over our heads, if God's grace doesn't do the work, we can't pull it off....20% or 80. We don't have the brawn nor the brains to figure any of us out.

God must do the work. He must. Our congregation is becoming increasingly more uncomfortable due to the disastrous and devastating lifestyles. Not so strangely, it is also becoming sweeter as if Jesus is in the lead.

We are an uncomfortable church....because more like us keep walking through our doors. Maybe we will work and think and see....just like Jesus.