Are You A Church Refugee?
Good Morning Friends,
The refugee problem is getting worse and I am not talking about people evacuating Syria but people leaving the church. The harsh fact is that 65 million Americans (31% of the adult population) are done with traditional church. These are people who were not kicked out but were once part of a “church” and often the best and brightest leaders, however now have left and are not planning on going back. Interestingly they have left the church but have no intention of abandoning God. In fact many claim that they have left to preserve their faith life. They meet with others in small groups but are done with tweaking the institutional church. Imagine for a moment that the church where you worship was closed for repairs. Perhaps it will be closed for a few days, perhaps a few weeks, and maybe even longer, until a full and thorough renovation has taken place. The doors will be shut for as long as it takes. Imagine now how you would express your faith. Friends, God made us for relationships with Him and others and with ourselves. When we reach out in love to the poor, the vulnerable and broken…those He favors….the captives, the outcastes we share in the miracles of the Messiah as in the early church. Here we find our life by losing it. Here we learn to follow with complete devotion. Here we learn that death has no victory over Christ. Here we learn the art of being a hero for others. Friends, if we are obeying in the power of the great commandment we might feel displaced in the world. Are You A Church Refugee?
Scripture: Now after they had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, ‘Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.’ Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt, and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfil what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, ‘Out of Egypt I have called my son.’
Matthew 2:13-15 (NRSV)
And a second is like it: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
Matthew 22:39 (NRSV)
Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. ‘Teacher,’ he said, ‘what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ He said to him, ‘What is written in the law? What do you read there?’ He answered, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.’ And he said to him, ‘You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live.’ But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbor?’
Luke 10:25-29 (NRSV)
Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles. All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.
Acts 2:43-47 (NRSV)
Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were uneducated and ordinary men, they were amazed and recognized them as companions of Jesus.
Acts 4:13 (NRSV)
I did not shrink from doing anything helpful, proclaiming the message to you and teaching you publicly and from house to house,
Acts 20:20 (NRSV)
Message: If the local church is to continue to play a vital role in ministry we might well learn from the best practices of refugee resettlement and develop a motivation for grace based advocacy done in collaboration with others in the public square as well as within smaller groups. We are to be part of the called out assembly. And here if we are blessed we will become learning entities that engage in effective and honest communication in response to human needs. Those we seek to help will receive affirmation of their dignity, value and contributions. Collaborations with others will be formed to accomplish a vision and mission that empowers the faith networked with a cultural, political and historical context. Acknowledgement of the complex perspectives will be shared as a gift and likewise the work, risk, responsibility, decision-making and benefits will be shared. But today this is a vision not the reality. Maybe you have felt for a while that something is wrong with the church but have not put your finger on the problem. I have spoken to many people is small fellowship groups. Some of their services can easily last four or more hours. They cannot get enough of heartfelt worship. But they have gotten enough of churchianity. They are fed up with a church that increasingly resembles the world more than it does the New Testament. Many seek a church like in Acts that met in a home and functioned like a small spiritual family. But instead they are fatigued with the Sunday routine of plop, praise, pray and pay. They want to play. They want to participate. But they feel spurned at every turn in traditional worship. It would probably be more fruitful if churches would focus on not losing these people in the first place. Preventing an exodus is far easier than attempting to convince refugees to return. But I am not going to second guess the Holy Spirit. Certainly the church is going through tough times and I do not have all the answers for this but we must be willing as laity to at least pause and reflect, pray and seek God, as to how we might turn things around. So today is a word of warning and advice for pastors and lay leaders. God is not looking for a better church. God is looking for better people that are Bible saturated, God-centered, Christ-exalting, mission-mobilizing, soul saving culture-confronting Christians. The early church recognized the work of the Holy Spirit and so must we know the difference of what is and is not of God. God is in the world but not of it. God attracts and listens. Indeed here we might just learn from refugees and those reaching out to them in Christian love. For here in expression of the Great Commandments to love God, love ourselves (family) and love others (neighbors), Jesus shows us a pathway for our busy lives. He shows us the true essentials for life’s journey. And through this instruction I believe He intends for us to experience the sacrament of the grace of Jesus Christ himself made manifest in His very presence when we learn to do all three in love. In this singularity, the busyness ends and everything creatively fits together powered by love. Friends, we can live less frantically…more filled with the love of His Spirit as we commit our lives to one another. There is Holy Spirit power in loving our neighbors.
Pray we realize that the devil does some of his best work in churches.
Pray for believers who are growing tired of the culture in our churches. Pray for believers who are fed up with the incessant entertainment and worldly amusements found in the churches. Pray for believers who are not being fed from the Word of God in the Spirit of God. Pray for believers who are put off by the attempt to cater to missions, while ignoring the needs the needs of the people for whom the missions are focused. Pray for believers who are tired of just being bench warmers, with no role to play. Pray for believers who are weary of the constant need to be “relevant” to the world. Pray for believers who are looking for the real deal. Pray for believers who want an encounter with almighty God. Pray for believers desiring genuine Holy Spirit revival. Pray for believers who are starving for the reality of First Century Christianity. Pray we stop going to church and start being the church.
Pray that we focus our lives on seeking God…in loving God…in being the Body of Christ together. Pray that we order our lives by being patient…being kind… living without envy. Pray that we not boast except for the Lord. Pray that we not be proud or rude. Pray that we not be self-seeking, insisting on what is ours. Pray that we be slow to anger. Pray that we forgive…keeping no record of the wrongs as a grudge. Pray that we protect others from harm and trust in God’s grace. Pray that we never delight in evil but rejoice when restoration and reconciliation prevails. Pray that we hope in the conviction that God has created all people with a purpose. Pray we realize that God is not finished with any of us yet…that if we persevere and commit to Him, His purpose for us will become clear. Pray we have a testimony of love.
Blessings,
John Lawson
Daily Devotionals 