Tuesday, 26 May 2009

• Currently It: How Churches and Leaders Can Get It and Keep It By Craig Groeschel see related

  Redeeming the word church

  Can we redeem the word "church"?  What I mean is, I think what "church" is supposed to be and be about has been significantly diminished by habit and tradition... can we exchange that for something closer to an ancient concept for a right Now world?  "Church" as we know it has been reduced to sitting in seats once a week (or a couple of times a week), singing a few songs that we only sing "at church", and listening (or not) to a teaching/sermon/talk/whatever.
  
  Yesterday, we spent the day with friends - eating, swimming, painting, jumping (there was a trampoline), playing video games (there was also a Wii), and just hanging out together.  When I say the word "church", this day is what I think of.
  
  I caught a tree frog, and once it got comfortable enough with me, it just crawled around on my hand and arm for bit.  Everyone gathered around (or squealed like a little girl) as we marveled at the creation.
  

  
  
  

  While much splashing was happening in the nearby pool, Shelly and Amber pulled out the canvases and began creating.
  

  

  Who knew my wife was such an artist?  These are pretty cool!
  

  
  
  
  
  

  Amber painted this tree, and it is absolutely shiny... in a very Dr. Suess kind of way (Dr. Suess is awesome, by the way!).
  

  
  
  

  And in the midst of all the fun, play, and grilled jalapenos, homemade guacamole, etc. there we even conversations - some about 80s music and some about how cute Christine and Josh are, but also some about life and the deepness of relationships... and spirituality and the even deeper reality of divine forgiveness.  We shared everything. 
  
  Church is people doing life together - a family where there is always room for another member.  And a part of how we do life together is to gather together one a week (or a couple of times) and sing some songs together -songs that fill up our every days - and celebrate the life we've been doing together the rest of the week... and there will be teaching and prayer.  But this is not "church" - this is the church pausing to rest in the connected togetherness of God.
  
  Thoughts?
  
  

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