So the stubbornness of the older folks at the dying church has been frustrating for Missio Dei and for me personally. After our proposal was submitted and negotiations began, the deal continually went South. We got to the place where we were willing to alter the worship gathering time for our 55 adults plus kids for their 15 people, but in the end, they gave us a definitive "no" on any use of their building. What is so frustrating is that their main reason for holding out is "we've been doing it this way for 40 years and aren't about to change now," a death sentence for anyone claiming to follow Jesus. If the Gospel of Christ is not the motivation for everything and anything you do, not only are you in danger of leading people to dead end roads, but also you really cease to be a church that is faithful to Jesus. You are more akin to a religious country club that takes in people that accommodate to your standards.
On a slightly funnier note, I had to correct my three-year old on a drive back to the house from being out for the evening. I mentioned that we would be going home and having ice cream and he asked, "What game are we going to play while Mommy fixes our ice cream?" So apparently, I have been setting a bad example (or a good example if your a chauvinist pig), because we have daddy play time from 5:30 - 6:30 while my wife cooks dinner. He assumed that we get to play while Mommy does all the food prep. This just goes to prove that you are always teaching, even when you don't realize that you're teaching.
3 comments:
Sorry to hear about the facility plans not working out... sounds like some time for innovation.
Thanks for sharing on the kiddo front... sounds like you'll be playing "help mommy make dinner" sometime soon. I hate that game... but I need to play it once in a while.
I used to think of all the mistakes my parents made when they raised me. I thought to myself that I will never do such and such when I have a kid. Well now I have two kids and it is tough! Like when Maren gets out of bed (for the 100'th time) and comes up to me to say "I love you Papa" I know I should punish her and make her head off to bed, but my little girl just said she loves me!
i appreciate the humble spirit to even see the perspective that you have. Many people would have thought it was cute for ashe to say that but in reality it was a wake up call!! How fortunate you are to have those little children to be vessels of christ to continually teach you. i am truly sorry about the space, but even more so i am sorry for the unwilling spirit of the so called christian. i know you will continue to pour out your soul to others regardless of what happens to you. thank you for showing me christ today.
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