Silence that’s deafening
Andy at “aBowden Blog” has written a short but very good post called “Beyond the silence.”
His post goes along very well with my series on mutual edification this week.
I don’t want to copy his entire post, but I also don’t want to leave out too much. So, I’m going to copy the first two paragraphs, and then let you jump over to his blog for the final paragraph.
This is how Andy starts:
I think it’s reasonably safe to assume that any given Sunday, as we sit in the cozy buildings in which our churches gather, no matter the size of the congregation, we sit within arms reach of someone with serious marital trouble, tremendous financial pressure, a sorrower needing comfort, next to someone grappling with real theological questions, wondering what’s wrong with the health, wealth, and prosperity gospel, next to someone who experienced real victory this week, who experienced new boldness in their witness, answered prayer, victory over sin.
I’m also convinced that within the same building sits one with a word of encouragement, a word of exhortation, a song of praise, a timely Scripture, a genuine desire to listen, to rejoice, to mourn. Yet, because of the structure of the typical “worship service†in America, those needing encouragement and those ready to offer it sit in virtual silence, listening to the same two or three voices week after week.
There are two things that I’d like to say in response to this:
1) I’m glad that more and more people are recognizing this problem with the way that most churches meet together today.
2) One of the most exciting things about our church meetings (and we’re far from perfect) is when someone shares a concern or struggle or pain or whatever and people begin to gather around that person to encourage them, pray for them, offer help, etc.; sometimes right away, sometimes later; sometimes in groups, sometimes one-on-one.
Don’t forget to jump over to Andy’s blog and read the final paragraph. You won’t be disappointed.
4 Comments
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- Sitting In Silence | Looking For Church - [...] much needed reminder. Thanks Andy, for the post, and thanks for sharing this with your readers Alan.…
Alan,
Reminds me of this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlRK1vqcuvg
Aussie John,
Yes! That’s a great video, isn’t it?
-Alan
For most of my life, whenever I heard the phrase “..not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some…” from Hebrews 10, I always thought it was referring to people who don’t go to Church services. Once I started reflecting on the “one another” passages that describe what “meet together” really looks like, I realized that one could easily attend services for decades and yet never meet together in the way the New Testament authors envision. Truth be told, I’ve spent way more time in services than in meetings myself.
Both have value. But I know which I need more of in my diet.
Tim,
You’re right. Either failing to meet together or failing to encourage others when you do meet together would be examples of failing to following this instruction.
-Alan