Recently at our Prayer House Gathering, a woman who has begun to attend Boundless Grace shared a praise that encouraged me and those in attendance. This particular woman is a Christian of many years and has been a regular church-goer in a solid bible teaching ministry.
Her praise: "I am so grateful for the teaching at Boundless Grace. I feel like I am being unstuck.
I was encouraged personally by her statement because I remember times in my life when I felt stuck in the Christian rut. Do you know what I'm talking about? Doing all the right things and yet feeling like something isn't quite right in your soul. You go to Church because you know its the right thing to do, but your heart is not warmed as it once was while sitting in the pew.
This woman gave our teaching ministry credit for her sense of being unstuck but I think that there are many factors to explain her feelings at Boundless Grace:
1. Over time the Church begins to slip into a life of routine and tradition. I'm reminded of the conclusion to the Batman and Robin show during my early childhood, as the show wrapped up each week the announcer would say, Tune in next week at the Same Bat Time, and Same Bat Channel. And of course, the following week would introduce some new twist to the plot, a new cool gadget, or new villain, to keep us future Super Hero's interested.
In Church life, we want people to tune in again next week. But often times nothing is different, its a repeat!
This is what I call, the same old same old; same old songs, same old schedules, same old prayers, same old times, same old places, same old faces, same old sermons, same old programs, same old coffee, same old decor, etc....
Christianity is to be a romance, and there is nothing that robs romantic passion quicker than a case of the same old same olds.
At Boundless Grace we are not interested in birthing sacred cows but trying to cultivate a freshness that will keep us all thirsting for more. With this in mind, we are always trying new things, new songs, etc......
2. I also believe that this woman began to sense a freeing of her spirit because we are careful not to crowd out the Spirit of Liberty for the sake of platform schedule. Although we go into our worship gathering each week with songs selected and practiced, a prepared sermon, and platform schedule, this does not mean that we won't deviate from our plan. Everything is subject to change as we feel necessary to minister for the Lord. Yes, we will preach, yes, we will sing, yes, we will pray, but in what order, and for how long? Only the Lord knows this.
Note: Because we are not focused on marketing our sermons for the web we are free to speak to an issue as long as we deem necessary. In other words, the graphic department or bulletin have no demands on us because we choose not to be regulated in this way. Although we do post sermons on our website we feel no obligation to do so each week .
3. I believe this sister who thanked the Lord for her sense of liberation at Boundless Grace was sensing the love of God through the fellowship of his people, which was possibly missing in her previous experience.
Our culture is lonely, busy, and isolated. Yet going to Church can be nothing more than an exercise in listening to a talking head. We all believe in the validity of fellowship but make little or no time for it on Sundays.
Yes, I know that it should happen during the week in a small group but the fact is, many are just to tired from a busy life to squeeze in one more night out.
Note: At Boundless Grace we take a break during our worship gathering for food & fellowship to help us fight against the common approach to fellowship that I call, turn and shake a neighbors hand thing. You know how it goes, right after the announcements someone on the platform instructs the congregation to turn around and shake a neighbors hand before the next song. While this approach is harmless, its not enough to call fellowship. We all need more than 30 seconds of fellowship on Sundays, especially those who are visitors.
4. Finally, I believe that this sister was being unstuck because she could sense that Boundless Grace was a safe place to be herself as it relates to the teaching of the Word.
What I'm mean is this: Preachers can communicate in such a way that the message is always about you, always directed at you, you are the one in need of transformation, you are the one in need of repentance, you are the sinner, and yes, you are the screwed up one!
My friends, I am a pastor that would rather say, we are in need of God's grace, we are in need of God's mercy, we are in need of transformation, etc, etc, etc....... After all, the pastor is in need of redemption in the present tense as much as the people. And when we preachers can include ourselves in the "you " of our sermons, we give hope to those imperfect people in our congregation. Hope, because people are made to feel that its okay to bring their imperfect selves to the table.
After all, if the preacher isn't perfect then certainly the people aren't either and
this very idea begins to cultivate a climate of grace.
I believe that the you approach to preaching trickles down to the people. Then they begin to take this same approach with one another in the congregation. Of course, this only leads to a critical climate rather than one of compassion and grace.
Just ramblings from a night of encouragement.
