Alright so, to tell ya what's been on my mind...
The other day this couple came into my work (c28) and I began talking to them about where they go to church. The man answers me, " I pastor a church" long story short, I find out that this man is a church planter and his passion, his vision, is to get churches back to the way paul and peter set out for them to be. You see, the man said, "churches nowadays go by the, you get yours I'll get mine type of system" meaning that much of the churches vision is to get more members, be more popular, or more well known. My opinion... I agree with the man. I've grew up in "the church" all my life and I've met sooooo many people from so many different churches. One thing I find common in almost everyone of these people, they always encourage you to go to THEIR church. See, what I've seen so much is that people and churches compete with each other. Why is it that people want you to go to THEIR church only? I've been attending two different churches for a while now, Journey and Foothills, along with some of my other friends from Journey and I hear that some people don't find that to be a good idea. But why??? I can understand that a church can be afraid of loosing one of their members but does it really matter if that member starts going to another church where their going to be more fed? It shouldn't, leaders goals should be more to share love and encourage people to get to know their creator, rather than compete in numbers with other churches.
I'm just saying that I think "the church" has lost some of its original purpose. What do you say?
7 comments:
I completely agree, i dont like how numbers have become so important. i mean yes, in the sense of trying to have everyone be a follower of Christ, i think that is important, but as far as going to a different church, i dont like that.
i think if a church is losing a member and that member is not going to be going to another church but is simply leaving the church all-together, i think that is when it should be a big deal and people should be talked to, etc. but if its a member switching churches, then it should be exciting, maybe even celebrated because that means that they are seeking to be fed more and are unsatisfied with how their walk with God is looking at that current church.
so yeah. i agree.
oh and, also, to clarify, what i meant by "big deal" was more of like... phone calls, and meetings being set up to discuss why they are leaving so that the church could try to help tend to their needs and bring them back to church/fellowship.
Agreed, for a while I was asking myself "why are my friends going to foothills and Journey? That seems a little weird." But lately I've been understanding the fact that we need different outlets to reach God sometimes if we're not getting what we need.
I still get sad when people leave Journey, but if they move on to a new church then I'm happy for them. People have actually been inviting me to try Foothills sometime and it sounds interesting so I might see you there sometime. But yeah, good blog
spencer,
personally, I work with youth pastors from all over the area to shepherd students. Every month I go to a network lunch where we meet, pray, share ideas, and talk about ministry life. None of us are worried about students going from one church to another and thus it is why we do things like the "one" event we did together in May. In fact, often, we pass the baton to the other to shepherd a student who has decided to make the switch. I have personally done that with three students specifically this year who chose to leave Journey for another context.
From the shoes of someone who has been in youth ministry as a pastor for a while now, I'd say that the bigger issue is that most of the time people who go to multiple churches go there to get what they want. The "church" becomes like a cafeteria where we can pick and choose the best stuff, leaving the rest. Rarely do people who "church hop" as it is called sometimes, also "hop" around to serve in various places, give financially to both places, or even have deep friendships in both places.
Also, if something is broken, instead of trying to fix it, they just go to the other place. Sometimes this is really good. Like rather than do our own "hope for the homeless", we'll just join yours. Other times- it's just easier, but not best. Like say small groups or music or whatever are "better" at this place than that one, and instead of helping them to improve in one environment, they just leave and go to the other one, leaving the broken state even more broken.
On one final note, using the family illustration, it's like eating dinner at one house and then choosing to go to a neighbors for breakfast cuz they do pancakes instead of cereal, but never doing the cooking or the dishes at either and while they are really a part of many houses... they are not owning the role of a family member of the house in any place.
ok... there you have my nickles worth of thoughts. Welcome to the blogosphere.
peace out.
Brian.
I agree as well my dear boy.
In a sense id be repeating what everyone else has to say but also hearing things from a pastors perspective (Brian) shines light on new stuff. Like being part of a new church in a helping manner, as well as a student.
So yea, thats my two cents
well, then it must have been a lie that a leader in ministry said it was "wrong" to go to foothills and encouraged the student to stop going there...
mainly depending on what her motives are. but essentially kinda yea
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