Meat and Potatoes
A recent post made by my wife in an online group we are active in is resonating ever so strongly in my mind. We were talking about the Willow Creek Church and how they worship and conduct services.
Someone had brought up criticisms about the church:
They sent a survey to non believers and designed their worship around the answers
Their messages are too watered down.
They did not hold service when Christmas was on Sunday
They had Bill Clinton speak at their leadership conference.
Needless to say the attack started a ruckus. We are not talking about just one church, now we are talking about many churches. A "watered down message?" is a pretty harsh accusation for anyone who to say about a church, especially one like Willow Creek.
So what of these super large churches that draw a crowd so big you have to wait to park? What about churches that spend more time singing praise music than preaching? Do we depend on a church alone to feed our spiritual needs? NO! Silly rabbit, trix are for kids!
This is where that very special post comes into play. Here is what she said:
"I've always seen the church service as a time to draw in non-believers, worship God, and glean some wisdom from His word. To be honest I don't think of the sermon as the central part of a church service. I think the central part is that the body of Christ is meeting and worshiping him together. Everyone is there to help each other out in their relationship with Christ. Although the sermon is important it's just a snack compared to the meat and potatoes you should be getting in your personal time with God."
A Sunday morning church service should not be feeding you your nutrients for the week. You should be feeding yourself everyday. That is what makes your relationship with God Personal. Services are there to hold fellowship, be connected with other Christians and to shine as a beacon to Non-believers as a place they will be accepted. Build your relationship with Christ and learn His word, you do not need a church for that.
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." -Matthew 11:28
2 comments:
I'll say to you the same that I said to your wife....
You can make an argument about whether a church service should be geared towards non-believers or not. I think that is a different argument for a different day. What I am focused on here is the message/sermon.
It is a huge issue if the messages being delivered are not biblically sound messages. 2 Peter 2:1 says "..there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them.." Notice Peter warns us that they will be "among us." That means that they will be teachers within christianity that are preaching false messages. I believe that teaching a sound message is VERY important for all pastors and leaders. IF we present a false gospel, these unbelievers will NOT be saved.
Whether the sunday morning message is a meal or a "snack," it is still degested. If it is a false one, it is spiritual food poisoning. And it could lead to death.
P.S. I am not saying that I agree with anyone about Willow Creek. I don't know enoughabout the church to come to any conclusion. I am using the discusion as a springboard to a bigger, more important topic.
I don't have time to comment. I will let an article explain my view.
http://headlines.agapepress.org/archive/5/202003a.asp
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