It's not often that the comments to a blog post are as interesting as the post, or, as in this case, even more interesting. This comment sparked several other similar ones. The post appeared on PreacherMike.com Mike basically told the story of an airline attendant who lost his cool at a difficult passenger and went the whole hog: told everyone about it over the intercom, opened the escape chute (they were on the tarmac) and grabbed a beer as he ran for his car. This story, the sort of fantasy everyone would like to do once in a while, elicited this response, amongst others.
I stand up on Sunday morning and say this:
“I know the leaders have been agonizing on the failure of this church to grow for the last few years. You’re wondering what model we need: WillowCreek, Saddleback, Gateway, etc. I have bad news. There is no new model. Changing youth ministers won’t help. Sending everyone on staff to a big event won’t do it. The truth is that we’re unwilling to change while our community has changed dramatically. We’re acting like it’s 1960, except that after our obsessing on worship, that tiny aspect of our lives now looks different. But we’re sitting on our butts wanting to be served, rather than joining God in his mission in our community. It’s not the community we had, and the old community isn’t coming back. We’ve drawn in the bridge and complained about those around us. Meanwhile, Jesus waits for us on the other side of the moat. But, hey, I’ve suggested this before and no one seems interested. It’s much easier to think a new minister, a new worship style will “fix” everything– with the same old worldview, same old threadbare theology, and same old isolation. So, right now I’m saying I love you, God loves you, and good luck.”
Then I walk down the center aisle, set my brand-new-cool wireless mic on the back pew, and head out to the local bar to have a cold one with Jesus.
Not that I’ve thought about it.
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