Slightly off Topic
It seems to me that the most intimate relationship we can have is with Jesus. He knows everything there is to know about us, including those things we don't know about ourselves, and that makes it pretty intimate.
There is nothing I can hide from Him. There is nothing that I want to hide from Him. There is nothing that I hope He doesn't see. That's not to say there is nothing that is down right selfish, or self serving or sinful in me, only that I hope He always sees it so He can always redeem it...a sort of rescue me from myself kind of thing.
I love Jesus. I want Him to be my be all and end all, and I want to grow even closer and even more intimate and authentic in relationship with Him. And this morning, while standing alone (Jim was ushering) in my 4 campus "mega-church", being led into the intimacy of worship by a leader I do not know, sitting next to fellow worshippers I have never met, and being taught by a pastor who is a stranger to me, it felt contrived, non authentic and I felt very lonely.
It keeps coming full circle and I can't shake the idea...church was never meant to be a spectator sport, a gathering of strangers on Sundays, a place to go to get fed and filled up for the week. Seeker friendly services, smoke and mirrors, professional productions, album worthy vocalists and charismatic speakers do not a worship service and church make. At least, that is my opinion.
I'm not sure what church was meant to be...though have a hunch it has something to do with community, friends who come alongside, and a place to be real. Things that can only be accomplished in smaller groups of people who get to know each other real well.
We (meaning my husband and I) have been going through some tough things...trials and challenges involving a much loved son, and a healing marriage. In the midst of the confusion, I have no one at my church to turn to. Calling this same mega-church means a 4 -5 week waiting list for "ministry" ... by a stranger who will walk into a very painful, very personal struggle and somehow "fix it" and move on, with out ever having really known us.
Maybe it's just me. But it seems to me if we're to be authentically intimate in our relationship with our Father, we need to be authentically intimate in our relationship with those whom we worship Him with.
There is nothing I can hide from Him. There is nothing that I want to hide from Him. There is nothing that I hope He doesn't see. That's not to say there is nothing that is down right selfish, or self serving or sinful in me, only that I hope He always sees it so He can always redeem it...a sort of rescue me from myself kind of thing.
I love Jesus. I want Him to be my be all and end all, and I want to grow even closer and even more intimate and authentic in relationship with Him. And this morning, while standing alone (Jim was ushering) in my 4 campus "mega-church", being led into the intimacy of worship by a leader I do not know, sitting next to fellow worshippers I have never met, and being taught by a pastor who is a stranger to me, it felt contrived, non authentic and I felt very lonely.
It keeps coming full circle and I can't shake the idea...church was never meant to be a spectator sport, a gathering of strangers on Sundays, a place to go to get fed and filled up for the week. Seeker friendly services, smoke and mirrors, professional productions, album worthy vocalists and charismatic speakers do not a worship service and church make. At least, that is my opinion.
I'm not sure what church was meant to be...though have a hunch it has something to do with community, friends who come alongside, and a place to be real. Things that can only be accomplished in smaller groups of people who get to know each other real well.
We (meaning my husband and I) have been going through some tough things...trials and challenges involving a much loved son, and a healing marriage. In the midst of the confusion, I have no one at my church to turn to. Calling this same mega-church means a 4 -5 week waiting list for "ministry" ... by a stranger who will walk into a very painful, very personal struggle and somehow "fix it" and move on, with out ever having really known us.
Maybe it's just me. But it seems to me if we're to be authentically intimate in our relationship with our Father, we need to be authentically intimate in our relationship with those whom we worship Him with.
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