Am I Really Part of the Problem?

As part of the Church in America am I really that effective? Are you? Is your Church? These are just a few of the questions that I'm pondering these days. And, these questions always come back to me. Am I effective as a Christ follower? Do people see Jesus in me? Do I want to make a difference in the world or do I want to make the world different?

As a Pastor for 23 years serving in "turn around" settings, I am part of the problem. I engaged and embraced Americanized Christianity that led people away from authentic New Testament Christianity. I'm guilty as charged, I did what I thought was right, what was expected of me, what I had seen over and over again in the Church in America. Much of my time was spent trying to get more people to accept Christ and faithfully attend our services. We had great success in leading people to Christ and growing larger Churches. We even built a 3.3 million dollar addition on the last church I pastored. Success? Hardly! God was not impressed.

Now as I reflect, success is not measured in buildings, crowds, or even numbers of people attending our services. Those things may make us look good in the eyes of the American Church. But really, I failed to teach them and new beleivers that being a Christ follower was to be in the world -changing her. I now regret that when I led people to Jesus - I didn't do more to lead them to believe that being a Christ follower in the world was more important than attending Church and serving in the Church (building) -like four walls - for us to have a better "Come and See Event" on Sunday, (something we geared up for with most of our energy through the week). This really happened in my ministry.

I'm stretched in my reading these days, even convicted. Theologian Leslie Newbigin rightly says, "The church is sent into the world to continue that which Jesus came to do in the power of the same Spirit, reconciling people to God. " (John 20:19-23)

Neil Cole calls us back to our roots (Organic Church) writes, "Let the Church be alive, organic, in the flesh. Let the church be birthed in places where it is needed most. Let the church be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth as Jesus intended, as He paid for."

Leonard Sweet (Soul Sunami) writes, "Can the church stop its puny, hack dreams of trying to 'make a difference in the world' and start dreaming of God-sized dreams of 'making the world different'? Can the church invent and prevent, redeem and redream, this postmodern future?"

If the American Church is in trouble today, then I have helped to make her that way. I grieve at what I have helped to produce. And now for the rest of my life I must be devoted to being involved in a new wineskin for ministry that is over 2,000 years old. I'm tired of our version and now I return to His.

Any thoughts?