Something more?

I've been reading a lot lately about reaching two types of people for Christ. One is the generation of people of which I belong.

Call us Gen X or whatever, but this generation (and those following us) are growing up with less knowledge of Christianity than ever. This is surprisingly ironic when one considers the methodology of those that have been trying to reach us for the past 20+ years. The modern mindset leans heavily on knowledge, reason, logic, and proof. And somehow these methods have left an entire generation longing for more. I think the main issue is that in the age of chat rooms, blogs, mass media, and text messaging, we have grown up with an incredible amount of knowledge at our fingertips. We are searching for more that just information when it comes to Christianity. We want something mystical, supernatural, and intimate. We want to experience God in a way that memorizing cliches and sermon points will never provide.
What strikes me as odd is that though my first group is a chronological categorization, the second group is not.

The other group is segregated from mainstream modernity because deep down in their bones they have always felt out of place in a "normal" church setting. These are people from all different backgrounds. For some reason the typical "church service" has not resonated with them.

I find it odd that in 200 years of Americanized Christianity little has changed within our churches. Sure we use bands, and powerpoint, and wireless mics, and lighting effects. But honestly, what has changed? The problem is that all we keep doing is changing the band-aid, but the wound is still there. In fact, the wound has grown significantly. I propose that we rethink church in general. There must be a way to holistically reach all people and still stay true to the goal of the church?

Wait! What is the goal of the church?
"To win people to Christ."
I say yes....and no.
Helping people come into a relationship with our Savior is part of our goal. I think that the goal is also to teach people to live a life of Kingdom-hood. To live a life of servant-hood in order to serve Christ and our neighbors.

At the beginning of the Gospel of Mark, the author quotes Jesus at the start of his public ministry saying,
"The time has come," he said. "The Kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the Good News!" (Mark 1:15)

When I recently "noticed" this passage, it became destabilizing for me. I had always understood the "Good News" as summed up in the life, death, burial, resurrection, ascension, and promised return of Jesus. After reading this almost innocuously short passage, however, I started wondering. What was the "Good News" Jesus was referring to all those years before his death, burial, and resurrection? Could it be that the "Good News" Jesus talked about was less a call to believe in the things that happened to him or would happen to and through him than an invitation into Kingdom Life?" Credited to Doug Pagitt in the book "Reimagining Spiritual Formation"

I'm not saying, nor do I think is Mr. Pagitt, that we should not believe in the wonderful things in Jesus' life and the promises he makes to us. I do think that the author might be on to something though. What is the Good News, if not that we can become Children of God AND live within the Kingdom of God.

I think that this is the point to why so many of us often feel disenchanted by modern Christianity. In all of our fancy processing and packaging, we have turned Christianity and ultimately Christ into a consumer good. We don't go to church to enter into a spirit of fellowship and worship. We go to church to get our week's worth of McChurch, complete with a Supersized concert, and a Biggie pep talk. What I and many like me want is for church to be the church throughout the week. For us to gather together on the weekend to share in the Spirit and worship as a family. But throughout the week we need to be the church to each other, our community, our environment, our workplace, etc...........

Church is NOT something we go to, but rather something we are. There is more to Christianity than showing up on Sundays. And that something more is what many of us are searching for.

|