Leave Me Out of It

I don’t listen to “all things religious” – there are some pastors out there that I actually think are doing more harm than good as they present an unbiblical Gospel. And on the other hand, I do have my favorites – I’ve spoken of them before and I continue to be edified by their insight into Scripture. One of my absolute favorites is Francis Chan (they’re all my absolute “favorites” – Tozer, Wiersbe, Spurgeon, MacArthur, etc) But recently Francis hit me with something that has never really left my mind. I’m not even going to begin to try and butcher out a quote from him, but what he basically said was that regarding the state of the Church, when you compare it to Acts 2, you have to admit 3 things;

One – What we’re doing today is not the picture of what we see in Acts 2.

Two – What they’re doing in Acts 2 is doable.

Three – We really don’t want church that way.

I’m not saying that things should look exactly like Acts 2 (I don’t want that to sound like a cop out) but I think it should look more like it than it does. Two questions continue to nag me when I ponder those things and the first one is not as important except as a notion of how to keep the zeal going if I ever break free: How did we get here? and How do we get out?

This really has burdened me with a passion to ‘do church differently’ and I have started allowing my prayers and my heart to move me out of what I’m used to in order to start seeing what this will really look like. I suppose that time after time I’ll write about the resistance I come up against as an encouragement for us to “shake it loose” when we settle in to “mere Christianity” as opposed to MISSION: Christianity.

The one thing I’ve noticed that keeps us from stretching out and really having God involved our progress is our privacy. We like showing up on Sunday for fellowship, giving our offerings, and the usual small talk before we go back to our lives. In Acts 2, the mission was their lives. Now I’m not saying go tell all of your business, that would be skipping to the end. We do need to become the kind of people mindful of what it means to be sensitively involved with the struggles we all go through. And that’s where I begin. The best thing I can do is to assume a higher standard of holiness for my life so I can be able to help those in need. I pray that God continue to grow me in that area and to teach others that grace.

Here’s The Word;

Matthew 7:3-5 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? 4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.

Acts 2:40-47 And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.43 And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.44 And all that believed were together, and had all things common;45 And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

All I’m saying is that we have to be careful with what makes us comfortable. Being involved with people is a hard thing to consider when we think of ALL that we’ve become so busy doing in our lives. It’s even scarier to consider letting people in my business. In the same way I don’t want to bother or be bothered - there should be a passion that makes me want to be a brother and a breather of life to the body. The more my tendencies take me to an expression of “church” vastly different from the model, I want to cry out to God "Lead me out of it" and Lord, when it comes to the Church YOU'RE building, don't leave me out of it.



In Him,
Cros