CHURCHES

There are churches and then there are churches.

Too many start with a set programme and liturgy and then for the next year nothing changes or for the next 10 years or the next 100 years. They do exactly the same thing every week without fail. After 100 years if they are lucky enough to survive that long, they might get more than a handful of adherents and the focus of its life is itself.

Most of these churches spend most of their time staving off decline, some not very well, bearing in mind that only 1% of churches in the USA are growing and in Australia, growth is almost non existent.

The other shocking fact is that 95% of their income is spent on themselves.

Then there are those churches who are not interested making a cosy nest for themselves. They want to be making a difference in society and they want to make the Kingdom of God a reality.

Theirs is not the fancy building, the fancy people paid to run the show or fancy ideas of their importance.

They are consumed by the love of God to be a mirror of the love of God and be a servant in the service of the King so that they can be salt and light in society.

Most of these churches are not seen because they are don’t waste time and money putting up a building to let everyone know they are there. Their church is wherever they are, sharing the love of Jesus with whosoever will in word and deed.

Very often they cater for people the middle class churches don’t want because they might spoil the image.

These people are not interested in their image. They are more interested in the need of those they are anointed to reach.

Have you ever wondered why there are so many Para-church ministries? It is mainly due to the church not being the church. There were no Para church ministries in the New Testament Church, just the church (people) through which everything happened.

If you care to look all is not well with institutionalized religion. People are leaving in droves, mainly mature Christians who are bored with being fed milk and the fact they are given no challenge. I know what that is like. Unless you fit in you are a rebel.

There is a new expression of church that is slowly but surely growing stringer everyday. It is a church that cannot be defined by denominational tags. It is meeting in homes like the New Testament Church did.

Like nearly every move of God, it is being criticised by the institutionalized church, the one that thinks that God cannot work outside of their organisation.

Their criticism is doomed to failure because he doesn’t have to get their permission to do anything. If he decides to abandon the religious church, those that he hasn’t abandoned already, and throw in his lot with those that do want to listen to his voice and do want to make a difference and do want to give up entertainment for the cross, church entertainment that is, then that is what he is going to do.

It is no use crying over spilt milk after the event. The scriptures say that you are either for God or against him. If you don’t embrace what God wants to do, you are against him, so don’t expect him to show up anytime soon. If you want to do things your way he will let you, but please don’t cry foul when you have come to your senses and realised that he has already passed by to visit those who are not into power and position, just into plain old death to self.