Just ask yourself "how much time do I spend with people of little or no faith?" We can get so wrapped up into the mechanics of church that we forget who we are really called to be amongst. I love church, and for the vast majority of weeks in the year, I can't wait to be worshipping on a Sunday morning with my fellow brothers and sisters. Sunday (or whenever it is that you meet) is a celebration of time together and ultimately a collective time worshipping God. But attending a service isn't where our responsibility ends, it's where it begins.
I've heard it said before that the church exists for the messed up people. I like this idea, just because when we think we've got it all sussed out, and we're fine and dandy, it helps us put a perspective on what we're about. Its not about those who've got it all sorted. In fact, I'm just as much a messed up person as is anyone else, so who am I to think I'm sorted and "you're not".
Are our churches full of broken and lost people? And if not, why not!
Sometimes churches can implode on themselves. I've heard it actually does happen, sadly. It becomes too focused on itself, on "me" that it forgets who it exists for and what it's purpose is in the world. We live in a culture that is driven by "me", and not "you". In your heart ask, is church a place for "me" or for "you"? The truth is, a church couldn't exist on just "the found", on "you" because no one is ever just found. It takes someone to find us.
Church should be a home. A safe place. A sanctuary. A dwelling where people are invited, welcomed, nurtured, looked after and discipled. A place for messed up and lost people.
Jesus tells us the parable of the lost sheep in Luke 15. The Pharisees where verbally attacking Jesus for eating with sinners and taking them under his wing. He then told a story of how a shepherd lost a sheep and although it was only one sheep, he searched until he found it and brought it home.
I suppose I'm asking us to think about our attitude towards the lost. Is all our attention on those within the church? Or is all our attention on ourselves even? We are called to be shepherds in the world. We live among lost sheep. Even we sometimes go astray and need shepherding back. Yes, even you.
God is so desperate to find his lost sheep, that he goes out to find just one. Are we prepared to honour God and go out into the rain, the wind and the storms to search for his lost children? How messy are we prepared to get in bringing the messed up back to the father's house?
Sometimes I wake up and my attitude is "I'm found so thats ok" (even without intentionally thinking it). Instead, I should wake up and my attitude be "I'm found and some of my brothers and sisters are still lost, so I'm going out to find them and bring them back to dad!"
We occasionally have to ask ourselves difficult questions. Like, "what do I do in finding the lost?" God's passion is bringing the lost home. So should ours. Being in relationship with the father is the best thing ever! So let's share the joy.
Some of your friends are still lost...
