Last Tuesday we baptized six students at Ignite. Baptism always brings me to tears (that doesn't make me weak, it makes me alive). We called that nights "Plunge" and talked about fear - fear driving our decision rather than God. I was again impressed by one of our V-Staff that shared after the baptism on the benefit of small groups. God has a way of tying the theme of Ignite together from start to finish even when I have put my thoughts elsewhere. I had asked this V-Staff to share for a few minutes because we received an encouraging email from her earlier in the week about her Jr. High girls SG and how the students were tying in the message from Sunday into their lesson in their SG. She talked about going deep and most of the time when she had heard people talk about "going deeper" they meant something mystical. Oh, we'd never step up to that word, but think about it. Many times "deeper" means a feeling of inferiority - of feeling small next to a great... well, it should be "God" there, but I think it's more times than not, "Preacher".
I have been truly challenged lately in the area of going deeper. Really, what we're talking about is discipleship, and it never comes to our mind that that burden lies on us. We hurl it on the leaders of our church to make us feel as though we are part of something so big that we just don't even get it. We make it about feelings, as we usually do, and thus we have a severely lame faith, only focusing on ourselves and that feeling. The challenge that I've been feeling is not only a personal one, but one of public responsibility.
First, it's our fault. Not feeling deep in your faith? Then you're not plugging into The Source (how's that for mystical). Milk to meat right? Let's (myself included) grow up and stop blaming God and His authority figures for our own laziness. The offspring of this mindset of "feed me 'til I'm full" is an attitude that is not fully devoted. An attitude that says to God "I'll be here Sunday and act pretty smart and religious, but as for the rest of my life you can kiss my rear!" Ok - totally stole that from Perry. Check him our at perrynoble.com.
Second, we need to stop pretending like we have our own separate culture that you need to be part of. We need to talk like regular people. I know this is a bit anal, but I've been censoring my language and removing words we only use in church. Why talk different in church especially if we're attempting to reach people that, for the most part, hate it? I've been asking myself, "If i wasn't a church goer, would I know what you're talking about?" I heard a Gospel presentation at a wedding recently and asked that question. I had to shamefully admit that it was so unclear that it was like a football play from a different team and I would've been left smeared by the opponent.
I don't use "big church words" anymore. I don't use "youth" - it's condescending. I don't use phrases like "washed in the blood". Don't get me wrong, I know and love the concepts, but we can put a little more effort in and say it in plain language. I also use The Message as my primary Bible (oh here come the emails). That's right - the primary Bible I use is The Message Remix 2.0. Here's why: If Jesus were on earth today, I believe that's how He would communicate with us. On top of that, it helps me break those cultural lines that we've created.
That's going deeper.
I have been truly challenged lately in the area of going deeper. Really, what we're talking about is discipleship, and it never comes to our mind that that burden lies on us. We hurl it on the leaders of our church to make us feel as though we are part of something so big that we just don't even get it. We make it about feelings, as we usually do, and thus we have a severely lame faith, only focusing on ourselves and that feeling. The challenge that I've been feeling is not only a personal one, but one of public responsibility.
First, it's our fault. Not feeling deep in your faith? Then you're not plugging into The Source (how's that for mystical). Milk to meat right? Let's (myself included) grow up and stop blaming God and His authority figures for our own laziness. The offspring of this mindset of "feed me 'til I'm full" is an attitude that is not fully devoted. An attitude that says to God "I'll be here Sunday and act pretty smart and religious, but as for the rest of my life you can kiss my rear!" Ok - totally stole that from Perry. Check him our at perrynoble.com.
Second, we need to stop pretending like we have our own separate culture that you need to be part of. We need to talk like regular people. I know this is a bit anal, but I've been censoring my language and removing words we only use in church. Why talk different in church especially if we're attempting to reach people that, for the most part, hate it? I've been asking myself, "If i wasn't a church goer, would I know what you're talking about?" I heard a Gospel presentation at a wedding recently and asked that question. I had to shamefully admit that it was so unclear that it was like a football play from a different team and I would've been left smeared by the opponent.
I don't use "big church words" anymore. I don't use "youth" - it's condescending. I don't use phrases like "washed in the blood". Don't get me wrong, I know and love the concepts, but we can put a little more effort in and say it in plain language. I also use The Message as my primary Bible (oh here come the emails). That's right - the primary Bible I use is The Message Remix 2.0. Here's why: If Jesus were on earth today, I believe that's how He would communicate with us. On top of that, it helps me break those cultural lines that we've created.
That's going deeper.
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