Monday, December 15, 2008

Are We Doing This?

I drove past this the other day. I don't know about you, but I'm not really in the market to have my headlight lenses polished. Ever. And to my recollection I never have been, or ever will be.

In short, they are providing something they can do that no one really needs.

Is the church doing this?

10 comments:

Jerry Varner said...

Scott,
Imagine the difference in clarity when your headlights ARE polished. I've had mine polished.
Try it.

Jerry Varner said...

By the way, where did you take this picture? Did you travel to 1977?

Anonymous said...

If you had a volkswagen you wouldn't understand this.

Anonymous said...

I meant "would" understand this...darn proofreading...

Anonymous said...

no one really needs jesus?

Jerry Varner said...

Marshall's theology is whacked. Let's burn him at the stake.

Scott said...

"Is the Church doing this" as in, at what points are we doing things we can do (e.g., create a big Sunday show, invite people to events that don't really add transformative value, create massive structures) that people don't actually need?

dooleysinpng said...

I agree with Scott's question. What is needed is Jesus not "the church"! So, what do we do now?

dooleysinpng said...

What people need is Jesus what they are often offered is club membership and a chance to transform their Sunday habit from watching football to sitting in a pew instead. If we don't offer people a chance to meet Jesus (the Jesus that transforms our lives not just changes our subculture identification) then we are trying to revolutionize the auto industry with headlamp polish. I think Scott's pointing out all the church signs reading "come and join us" - it is offering something people don't even know that they need.

Dustin Harding said...

It's interesting to me though that Jesus chooses to use people to build his kingdom, to work through the imperfect by choice.

God in all of his intimate wisdom has chosen to use the Lame to build his kingdom. He has come into our lives and stretched out his hand to us and given us an option.

Take his hand, be transformed and follow him building his kingdom as you go. Or stay seated with lame legs.

The biggest problem in the Church today is the people in the church. We are imperfect, immoral, reckless and failed beings, but yet God chooses to come by us and stretch out his hand to us to become part of him.

Only by Christ can the Church survive. Only by Christ can the Church walk.

It amazes me that God has chosen to use whoever will change and come to him. He uses the outcast of society to build his church by choice. He uses the redeemed.

And quite often I need to be reminded that God is in control and not his people, but if his people will follow him than he will bless their work.

From Luke
Jesus reinstates Peter(after his denials)
15 When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?"
"Yes, Lord," he said, "you know that I love you."
Jesus said, "Feed my lambs."

16 Again Jesus said, "Simon son of John, do you love me?"
He answered, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you."
Jesus said, "Take care of my sheep."

17 The third time he said to him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?"
Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, "Do you love me?" He said, "Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you."
Jesus said, "Feed my sheep. 18 Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go." 19 Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, "Follow me!"