Church in the Classifieds

Have you recently visited the classified section of the newspaper? You know...the place where people are offering their services or looking for relationships? Most people are trying to put their best foot forward, accentuate the positive and maximize their strengths. As a piano teacher looking for prospective students, I would state something like “Friendly, highly educated, energetic piano teacher with 20 years experience now accepting students”. This might be more effective than, say, “Apathetic, somewhat educated, easily annoyed piano teacher with no experience now accepting students as long as they aren't lazy, whiny or rude”. Notice the subtle differences.

No one looking for a relationship in the classifieds mentions that they’re emotionally needy or that they’re the World’s Biggest Nag or that they possess a nose-picking compulsion. Every lady posting an ad is “blonde, blue-eyed, 5’6’, 120 pounds, loves to cook and will take care of you”. By the third date, most fellas are going to figure out that the ad may have left out a few crucial details.

How do we sell our churches? I suspect most church websites (mine included) profess to be a safe place, where people can belong and be part of a family, a place where you can find healing, etc. This is not wrong. As churches, this is what we aspire to. But it does not always reflect our reality as a group of selfish humans fumbling toward grace.

You don’t have to hang around a church too long before thinking, “Back up the train, this isn’t what the website said!” Church can be a messed up place. We’ve wounded one another. We’ve made promises that have not been kept – promises that are perhaps impossible to keep (ie. safe place...is it possible to guarantee someone’s safety?). We’ve marginalized others who aren’t like us. Sometimes it’s a case of being tired/hungry/lonely/stressed and taking it out on others.

When we as believers make mistakes, it can be tempting to gloss over or make a vague statement about a situation or get defensive and pass off the blame. These responses can feel disingenuous and hollow-hearted. They do not honour God. Maybe the best approach is to say “Hey guys, I made the wrong call and I’m sorry” or “I realize what I said might have been hurtful and I need your forgiveness” or “Whoa Nelly! That choice I made was pretty selfish...can you forgive me?” ...as terrifying as that is.

I would respond to a church classified ad that sounded like this:

We are a community who is trying to figure out this whole loving Jesus and loving people thing. Sometimes we get it right. Sometimes we get it very wrong. We would love for you to come and figure it out with us. We can’t promise you will never get hurt. Someone will disappoint you. Someone will say something stupid. Sometimes that someone will be you. When that happens, we will humble ourselves, admit wrongdoing and administer forgiveness in the spirit of reconciliation. We will invite God to make something beautiful out of something ugly. We will invite God’s grace to cover our brokenness and ask that His strength be made perfect in our weakness. Then we can come out on the other side of hurt and disappointment and share the grace and gospel of Jesus with others because we have experienced it together.

Brenda E.

Dream Extravagantly

On a beautiful fall walk a couple of years ago my husband asked me a question that became like a knife in my gut.

“What are your dreams?”, he asked.

I walked in stunned silence for a bit, biting my lip and blinking furiously to try to keep my tears from making their way down my cold, freckled cheeks.

I think my answer was something like “Uhhh, I... uhhh.. what? Hmmmm... Aaaand then the tears started...  and they didn't stop... for a LONG time.

He held my hand, looked in my eyes and gently said “You used to dream. You've stopped dreaming because someone told you that you weren't good enough and you weren't smart enough. Dream. Dream extravagantly. Dream the impossible because God says you can.”

Those words haunted me for a long time. Dream extravagantly. What does that even look like? What were the things that God had birthed in me years before? What were the things I’d wanted to BE, to DO? What were my seemingly ‘impossible dreams’?

The journey to ‘dream again’ has not been always easy, pretty or nice. It has been met with tears, frustration and maybe even some stern word exchanges between God and I (well, more so on MY part . . .)

In one afternoon where I took an inventory of the things I LOVED and things I was passionate about I became increasingly agitated. My list included things like worship, nursing school, missions, photography and social injustice. If God created these passions in me how could they be so far apart? A few of them could run together, but Worship and Nursing school? Really? And now, which direction should I go in? Should I pursue music? Nursing? A few deep breaths and I closed my notepad of lists and did something more constructive with my time – like Facebook or Instagram!

A few weeks later came a request from a beautiful friend of mine asking if I would want to lead worship for a Woman’s Retreat being held at her church. I didn't hesitate long to answer with a bellowing ‘YES’. Worship, it was on my ‘list’! The theme of the weekend was ‘Women of Passionate Purpose’ (even now I smirk at the creativeness of Christ and His sense of humor.)

As I listened to Kourtnay speak about finding the things we were passionate about and DOING them, my spirit began to get restless again. Was this a gentle nudge, or a blatant PUSH of the edge of the cliff? As any worship leader will tell you, leading worship for these events changes the dynamic of the retreat. Altar calls for me are spent at the piano not at the actual altar, and although God has spoken to me more times than I can count while I quietly worshiped at the piano (I actually received the Holy Spirit sitting at the piano during an altar call) my mind is sometimes concentrating on what God is speaking to me about the songs and not necessarily on the message that was just spoken. On that particular Saturday night Kourtnay was gearing up for an altar call and I was listening for what song I was going to sing. As she wound down her message she looked directly at me and said ‘no music’. Because I head up the music ministry in the church I am often the one who leads worship for any special event and therefore hadn't sat at the altar during a service for a long time. Her question for us to ask at the altar was this “what is God calling YOU to be, what is YOUR purpose?” I put my notebook down and prepared to walk the winding path towards the altar. Tears streaming down my face (altar times get me EVERYTIME, even if ONE person comes to the altar during a service I immediately tear up) I prepared to stand up and then came the audible voice, “I want you to be a nurse in Medical Missions”. That was it. After that came the silence. There has never been another word spoken about it. I just KNEW. Where, God? When, God? Silence. But the voice was real. It was loud. And, I. just. Knew.

It was a few months later as I was rehashing the weekends notes and events when I realized the answer to one of my frustrating questions: “If God created these passions in me, how could they be so far apart?”  Here’s how: When God burns passion in you He will bring them all together to intertwine and intersect in creative and crazy ways. God used a weekend of me leading worship to speak to me about nursing. Then God brought me to the Philippines, to a place I love, to a city called Malabon, where these beautiful people are denied any medical care because of their extreme poverty. I worked alongside a nurse in the medical line – loving, praying, healing, checking x-rays, giving medicine, bringing hope. I've used my camera to tell the stories of the children in the far corners of the world who have no voice and I've been invited to India to be part of the ground work of rescuing young girls caught in the sex trade industry. I still can’t help but smile as I see Gods hand in all of it. ALL. OF. It!

Along the way I've learned that it’s not about WHAT I do, it’s about WHO I AM. The things that I’m passionate about, those are all things that God has put within me. They are part of my DNA. They are who I am. My dreams are not just mine, they are put there by a creative genius who knows exactly who I am and has created me that way to facilitate the things He wants me to do.

And so the journey continues for me. I begin Nursing school on September 1^st. A new chapter of learning and trusting and KNOWING. Knowing that I’m right where I belong. Knowing that in committing my work to him, my plans will succeed (Proverbs 16:3). And also knowing THIS: “It’s in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone.” Ephesians 1:11

So I encourage you to dream. Dream HUGE. Dream the impossible. Dream with Jesus. It’s worth it. And although none of it may make any sense, and all of it may seem ludicrous  remember that God thrives in the impossible. Ask Abraham, or better yet, ask Sarah. Ask Hannah. Ask Leah. Ask Ruth. Ask Esther. Ask Jesus. 

^“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” Ephesians 3:20-21

Tara W.

Tomato Plants

Let me tell you a little story . . . 

This past spring I purchased some tomato plants and planted one cherry tomato plant in our garden and one in a planter to have at the cabin where we were going to be spending some of our time during the summer. However I learned something this year; tomato plants need sunshine – LOTS of it! I put the planter in a somewhat sunny spot, but in those early days young plants need A LOT of sun. (I actually knew this too, but I was secretly hoping this plant would be different this year.) Anyway, the tomato in the planter grew and grew and grew – straight up . . . like a Jack-In-The-Beanstalk kind of straight up. There were a few leaves, but it was a straight stalk which grew to about 6 ft tall with 5 small cherry tomatoes on it (at the top!), which never did have a chance to ripen.

I also planted the exact same cherry tomato plant in our garden at home (in the full sun!) and it grew to about 3 ft tall with piles of leaves, lots of tomatoes and an overall healthy looking plant.

This whole gardening experience got me thinking about the similarities between these tomato plants and our lives as believers. In those early days as a believer we need to get planted and plugged in to healthy, nutritious soil (our local church). But in some instances we find ourselves growing, but not in a healthy way, without the fullness, depth and maturity we should be showing as a believer. In time we can even produce flowers and fruit, but there is still the missing health and maturity in our spiritual lives.

We can have 2 healthy, similar plants (individuals), both planted in healthy, similar soil (church), each getting sun (teaching), but with very different outcomes. The amount of sun the plant receives each day is directly linked to the health and maturity of the plant. Just as the depth of solid, accurate, biblical teaching, and application to our lives, is directly linked to our maturity as a follower of Jesus. It’s measured by the amount of healthy fruit produced.

I watched this poor, sad, pitiful cherry tomato plant all summer repeatedly thinking it would eventually bush out and produce lots of fruit, just like the tomato plant at home. However the reality is it NEEDS more sun than it’s getting and NOTHING can replace real, genuine sun like actual SUN. All the hoping, all the good intentions, all the anticipation for a different outcome doesn't change the reality that my cherry tomato plant MUST have “full sun” in order to flourish.

As new believers we NEED solid, biblical teaching and we NEED the challenge to grow and mature as believers – just as my poor tomato plant needed full sun. We can never be content with a little teaching that goes in one ear and out the other. We need solid, biblical teaching which we can apply to our lives as we strive to be more like Jesus.

Hebrew 13:9a says, “Don’t be led astray by various kinds of strange teachings”

Jo-Ann P.

Distracted

I am friends with two couples who are new to our community and looking for a church. I've been obsessed with how to show them how amazing our church is. I want them to know how freely the Holy Spirit moves through the people who attend. I want them to feel the beautiful presence God blesses us with as we worship. I want them to know how deeply loved they will be by the people who make up this family I call church. I want them to get out of their boxes and try something that would challenge and grow them in ways they have not yet experienced in a church. And I've been frustrated because for whatever reason, they can't see it. I'm a control freak. And I'm distracted. Distracted from what is really important.

What started with good motives, has turned into an embarrassing conviction from God. I have moved into a heart attitude that is judgmental of other churches. I've become angry at people who aren't as spiritually “mature.” (Because spiritual maturity always involves anger, frustration, judgement and control, right?) And I've become exactly the opposite of what I love about our church. A church who loves people where they are at, gives grace and helps them move forward in love. I've been reminded of how the enemy will use the most unexpected things to keep us distracted.

I think the enemy's desire is not to get us to sin just so he can keep a collection of all our sins and do a little victory dance. He wants us to sin because of how it ensnares us and keeps us in a state of defensiveness and ineffectiveness. Our sins distract us. How much time did I spend thinking about how to convince already saved couples that they needed to come to our church, and how many friends outside the church did I pray for and reach out to during that time? None. I hate to say it, but it was none. That is how distracted I was.

The reason I was created was to worship. To know God and to bring others into the knowledge of who he is. The evil one will use whatever he can to distract us from this. We need to evaluate whether or not we take seriously the mandates Jesus gave. We need to love our neighbours instead of being too busy with church activities to do so. We need to raise our kids intentionally and in a godly manner, (showing them the way they should go) instead of letting T.V., random teachers, and society influence our kids without thought. We need to take care of the planet instead of polluting it with our consumerism. We need to feed the hungry instead of gorging at potlucks. We need to fight for justice and stop fighting over doctrine. And we need to take care of widows and orphans in real practical self-sacrificing ways.

And just how easy is it to forget about our mandate? Well . . .

• Let’s argue about whether or not tongues are for everyone or just a gift for some.
• Let’s argue about whether or not social drinking is acceptable.
• Let’s discuss which of the churches in the community has the best worship services, pastor, kid’s ministry, etc.
• Let’s discuss what the worship leader was wearing on Sunday and if it was appropriate.
• Let’s spend a bible study devoted to figuring out our opinions on the end times, causing us to either move forward in arrogance or stock pile food in a cellar while people down the street are starving.
• Let’s analyze and interpret scripture instead of living it.

Need I go on???

Distracted.

I'm sure I've stepped on a few toes here, but I'm speaking out of my own conviction. And I'm not saying that most of these things aren't worth visiting from time to time. The danger is when it all just becomes a DISTRACTION. When these things occupy space in our life and in our minds that they were never intended to. When we spend so much time looking inward that the lost, wounded, and desperate, slip on by us, unnoticed. When we forget to worship the One we are arguing about, and when our own voice gets so loud it drowns out His still small one.

God, let me not be distracted. Let me fix my gaze on you, and only you.

Erin N.