How would we respond?
I was so encouraged when I read last week’s post by Guy Muse (of “The M Blog“) called “When can we be a church?” Even if you don’t normally follow links and read other blogs, please click the link above and read Guy’s post. It is one of the most challenging and encouraging posts that I’ve read in a long time.
When I first read the post, I began praying that God would raise up the same kind of people here: that is, people who did not know that they were not supposed to gather with other believers daily, to pray together for long periods of time, to help other groups of believers start to gather together, to see lives transformed through the gospel and community, to feel inadequate for the work that God is doing through them. How I would love for people to come up to me with these problems and questions!!!
Then, I began to wonder how other leaders would respond. So, after reading Guy’s post, how would you (as a leader) respond or how do you think your leaders would respond if you or they were approached the way that Guy was approached? Would you be excited about what God was doing? Would you be concerned about possible problems? Would you be disappointed that they were not working through the system? Could there be other responses?
Then, I also began to wonder how everyone would respond if someone suggested that this should be all of our responsibility. How would you respond if someone asked how many people you were meeting and how regularly? How would you respond if someone asked how many groups you had started? How do you think others would respond?
Finally, I began to wonder why this was not common place here.
Alan,
So refreshing to see people who are not tied up in their programs and are not just about knowledge transfer. I think we expect too much when we gather and instead of just praying or sharing life we feel as if we must ‘learn’ or ‘accomplish’ something. When in reality we are learning and accomplishing much through prayer and relationships. I’m guilty, forgive me.
Kirt,
I’m right there with you. I learned so much about the church and about myself by thinking through Guy’s post.
-Alan
Alan,
Thanks for the link to my blog earlier today. I received about three times the number of usual daily hits. Seems a lot of your readers did click over to read.
This afternoon in our Monday team meeting, I sat next to Monica who shared with me that they had won another new family to the Lord this week.
Guy,
Wonderful! I look forward to hearing more stories about how God works through “ordinary” people like Monica.
-Alan