Thought-Provoking Church Marquees: Volume 2

Looks like the conversation on the previous post has been fruitful and thought-provoking. 

I was reminded of another marquee that I saw as I was leaving class at the seminary I attend (a seminary known for its missional emphasis on its approach to equipping church leaders) and I passed a church with a marquee out front.

It said: "Gathering to Praise the Lord."

Now, I have no reason to believe that this particular church isn't doing great things for the kingdom of God and isn't impacting their community for Christ. I certainly am not trying to exegete or over-analyze each church sign that I see, but it was intriguing.

If this church embraced a missional approach to ministry (simply put, an approach that says "we go to them, we don't wait for them to come to us") wouldn't it be best if the sign were to say "Scattering to Praise the World"?

The evangelist Luis Palau uses a metaphor for the Church that raises a lot of eyebrows. He describes the role of the Body of Christ as manure. If we all stick together in one pile, he said, we stink up the neighborhood, but if we're willing to sprinkle it around - a little bit here, a little bit there - it does the world a lot of good. Jesus described it as the salt of the earth. Nobody enjoys their salt when it is piled on; it is best enjoyed when it is sprinkled all over our plate.

What might it look like if we actually turned the idea of "church" inside-out and saw the priority of the Church - the movement of love by God's initiative unleashed in the world - to be a ripe opportunity to scatter in order to live as followers of Jesus, rather than just ones that gather together once a week. Easier said that done...

The Church's effectiveness is most accurately measured not when we gather, but when we scatter.

Comments

[Stan]

Very well put JR. We are very blessed at Calvary, as I think the message is heard, received and understood and enacted by many. Oh, yes, I know it is missed by some, but this type of missional/relational attitude is infectious. I have often heard repeated when inquiring as to where someone may have been that I have missed at church for a while, and heard the reply, “being the church”, and followed up with usually a great story of living out the gospel. It is heart warming to see and hear when people’s focus is on the Kingdom of God, and being intentional to this in their lives outside of the building we call church.

[www.ceoforthekids.blogspot.com]

YES, YES, YES, AND YES AGAIN!!!!!