13 December 2009

What are we doing this for anyway?

Why do we gather on Sunday mornings?
  1. Pray for self, neighbors, community, kingdom?
  2. Face our sins - acknowledge in confession before God and the Body?
  3. Offer ourselves in worship of God?
  4. Read the Scriptures?
  5. Share the work of God in our life with others?
  6. Teach and be taught God's manners and ways?
Likely there are others.
And just as likely, even in a great church such as Stonebridge, many of the above go unfulfilled. We highly value (3) as it is generally pleasurable, even if a bit uncomfortable. We do a quick gloss over (4), without much demand. And don't forget (6), embedded in even the unchurched as a central portion of the morning activities. But (5) is a bit too out-of-the-box, too transparent to dive into. (1) is taken care of by the few prayer-volunteers who store up treasure in heaven for us, and (2) is best left alone, lest we hurt feelings (especially ours).

I think through this in conviction of myself rather than the Church as a whole. But I worry that we are missing a great life by accepting a mediocre one.