Church Hopping

I recently read this post on another blog. I thought it deserved sharing:

A man approached one of our Guest Services volunteers and asked, “Where are the Sno-Cones?”

 

For the past few summers, we’ve offered Sno-Cones following our weekend services as part of our Guest Services experience. The goal was to give exiting kids a final pleasant memory of their time at Meck (Mecklenburg Community Church), as well as create a “linger” factor for parents to connect with each other and the staff.

 

This summer, we’ve been offering them as a “surprise” on select weekends, but not every weekend.

 

“I go to another church,” he continued, “but during the summer I come here for the Sno-Cones. So where are they?”

 

The volunteer explained to him our current approach to Sno-Cones, and he became rather indignant. “Is there any way you can let people know in advance when it’s a Sno-Cone weekend so that we know when to come?”

 

I guess people really like crushed ice and syrup.

 

Let’s talk church hopping, shall we?

 

Actually, I’m not the one bringing the subject up. It was surprising to find an article on the matter get picked up and carried nationally this past month. 

 

First, a working definition: church hopping is going from one church to another without committing to any one church for any significant period of time. (*Which makes it different than legitimate church “shopping.”)

 

As Betsy Hart writes, hoppers reflect a growing tendency to decide, after they have officially joined a particular church, that “Oh, that pastor down the street is a little more high-energy than mine,” or “Gee, the music here isn’t really meeting my needs right now,” or “I really am not crazy about that new children’s church director.”

 

So they hop from church to church.

 

The hard-core hopper never even makes an initial commitment. They perpetually float between churches, pursuing a Beth Moore study at First Baptist, youth group at First Methodist, weekend services at Hope, Grace, or Community Church, marriage enrichment events at…well, you get the picture. 

 

What’s driving this?

 

For some, it’s simply the consumer mindset of our culture at work. 

 

As Hart writes, “Church ‘hopping’ is the ultimate ‘all about me’ experience.” They take from various churches whatever it is they perceive to be of value without committing to any one church either to serve or support.

 

For some, it’s insecurity. 

 

They have to be wherever they think it’s “happening” in the Christian world. I know of pastors who joke about a “migratory flow pattern” among Christians in their community who are constantly church-hopping to the “next” thing in church life. 

 

They move from one church to another, looking for the next hot singles group, the next hot church plant, the next hot speaker, the next hot youth group. 

 

Many times they end up full circle where they began, because their original church suddenly became “next.”

 

For some, it’s spiritual gluttony. 

 

They want nothing more than to be “fed”, and when they feel they’ve eaten all a church has to offer, they move on where there is the potential for more food – as if that is what constitutes growing in Christ or being connected to Christ. 

 

For some, it’s refusing accountability.

 

A pattern of sin is pursued, or a choice made, and they leave for a place where no one knows, and no one asks.

 

For some, it’s avoiding stewardship.

 

If they are not committed to any one church, there is no obligation to give or serve at any one church. They can float above sacrifice without guilt. 

 

For some, it’s emotional immaturity.

 

A decision is made they don’t agree with, a building campaign is initiated they didn’t vote for, a staff change is made they didn’t like, so they take their marbles and go play somewhere else.

 

I know, I know. None of these reflect well on the person leaving, which intimates that anyone who leaves a church is somehow in the wrong, and that is not fair. 

 

In truth, there can be times to not simply hop, but leap. If there is scandal that is simply not addressed, doctrinal heresy, or patterns of abuse, you should leave.  

 

But for the typical hopper, it’s not time for self-justification, but loving admonishment.

 

First, church isn’t about you. Sorry, but it’s not. It isn’t one of many stores in a mall that exists to serve your spiritual shopping list. Church is a gathered community of believers who are pooling together their time, talent and resources to further the Great Commission. 

 

Find one and start investing your life.

 

Second, the very nature of authentic community is found in the “one anothers.” Love one another, serve one another, encourage one another; this cannot happen apart from doing life with people. 

 

You need community.

 

Third, the absence of a ministry you desire may be God’s call on your life to start it, rather than leave to find a church that has it. Remember, every member is a minister, and has been given at least one spiritual gift for service in the life and mission of the church. 

 

Fourth, you aren’t going to agree with every decision the leadership of any church makes, regardless of its structure or decision-making process. You either feel you can trust the character of the leadership, or you can’t. 

 

And being able to trust that leadership doesn’t mean they will always do things the way you think they should. In other words, don’t hop every time you disagree. That’s immature.

 

(And for goodness sake, don’t stay and pout or politic, either. Either get on board once the decision is made, if it was one that didn’t breach doctrine or ethics, or find a place where you can.)

 

Fifth, don’t worry about being fed as much as learning to feed yourself. Even more, concern yourself with taking what you already know and applying it to your life, and then helping to feed others who are new to the faith!

 

Finally, spiritual depth isn’t fostered by satiating your sense of felt needs. It’s receiving a balanced diet of teaching and challenge, investing in service and mission, living in community and diversity that you probably would not select for yourself. 

 

If you simply go to where you are drawn, you will miss out on addressing those areas of life where you are blind. 

 

All to say, if you’re ever at Meck, have a Sno-cone. 

 

But don’t leave your church to come for it.

 

Start serving them there.

 

James Emery White

 

You Can't Buy Forgiveness

1 Samuel 12:1, 14-15  When I was little there was a claymation show on Sunday mornings called Davey & Goliath. It was a 15 minute show that involved a boy and his dog (who could talk to Davey but no one else) and each episode they would learn a theological truth by way of events in their everyday life. I watched it every week and eventually had every episode memorized. One week Davey and his family were on a ski vacation. Davey took his dad's skis without permission and when one of them came off it slid into a crevasse, never to be seen again.

His dad knew something was up when Davey suddenly became extra helpful and polite around the house. Davey finally admitted that he was trying to earn his dad's forgiveness. I'll never forget Davey's dad's stern but loving voice saying, "Davey, you can't buy forgiveness."

Israel had sinned by insisting on having a king like all of the other nations. They got what they wanted, but feared that God would punish them for pushing for their own way in spite of Samuel's warnings. Having their own way did cause them a great deal of misery over the next few centuries, but God never turned his back totally on Israel. He loved them, not because of what they did for him, but because of who he is.  He still sent Jesus to be the perfect sacrifice for their sins. You can't buy forgiveness.

Friends in Low Places

This blog was posted by 360 church in Berkeley, California. Their lead pastor, Earl Creps, is someone I have met and respect. -P.Randy

» Posted by Jeff on Jun 13, 2012 in Berkeley, Faith

In Berkeley there are poor people and there are street people.

Sometimes its really hard to tell the difference between the two.  Indeed the lines of distinction can sometimes cross over and intersect.

Not all the time but sometimes street people choose their lifestyle.  They give away belongings and embark on a journey with nothing but a backpack and end up begging for money on the streets of cities.

Usually street people are in packs with other street people and have creative cardboard signs that say things like “Too Lazy to Rob” or “Smile if you woke up today”.  Recently one just had two words, the second word was “You” and the first was a four letter word.  They tell each other about good places to sleep, steal, and solicit.

These kinds of individuals have a reputation with many of the other sub-groups in the city, especially the business people and young professionals.  Like Bruce Wayne these individuals burn their wallets and live just by what comes their way.

I have to admit even though I’ve stopped to talk with a few of them to hear their stories, I still wonder what they’re thinking.  I wonder why in the world anyone would choose that kind of life.  I have thought they must be mentally disturbed, or not been held enough as a child.  They must have a point they’re trying to prove. They must need to do this in order to show they reject society. It makes them feel better.

Then as I kneel on the floor to fold my hands awaiting the help of someone I call my God, I realize that I don’t look all that different from the street people.

I kneel on a carpeted floor to next to my bed.
They kneel on concrete sidewalks next to buildings.
We both ask for help for what we’re up against.

I am just another beggar who has found bread trying to point my pack to this bread.

What if we were as adamant on relying on something other than ourselves for our future as our friends in low places?

Confluences

Several years ago I went on several amazing fishing trips to Alaska with some friends. We fished on many different rivers, but the place that produced more consistently than any other was a place known to us only as "the confluence". Confluence is a really good word. It refers to the place where two rivers come together and one larger river continues. It can be messy at a confluence because the momentum of two distinct currents of water come crashing into each other, causing turbulence. With the turbulence, a lot of mud and debris gets kicked up and the water isn't usually very pretty for some distance until the newer, wider and more powerful river current settles down and goes about its unending task of delivering the contents of the rivers to the ocean.
The turbulence caused by the confluence of two rivers does more than stir up mud and debris. It stirs up underwater bugs, sculpins and minnows and exposes them as food for the fish of the river. The fish will accumulate just below the turbulence, instinctively knowing that food is coming their way. The fish understand that the messy and turbulent places are places of great opportunity. So out in the seeming middle of nowhere is a busy intersection where life and death activities are carried out. There is no reason for the fish to stay in the clear quiet pools for more than a brief rest because the food is at the confluence.
We encounter confluences in the spiritual realm as well; places where the streams of the world and its pursuits comes crashing together with streams of Christ-centered lives. It is in those messy interchanges of life where we find people who are most hungry and who are actively looking for answers. The quiet pools of life don't offer the opportunities to share the gospel in the way that the turbulent confluences do. We can't wait in the beautiful, quiet places if we wish to encounter people who are looking for answers. We must position ourselves in the turbulent, murky places if we want to find those who are truly hungry.
These confluences occur at work, in neighborhoods, and in the marketplace. They happen at tables and in cars. They happen in living rooms and driveways. They happen in the aftermath of disaster. They happen in bad parts of town. That's where we need to be if we want to live Christianly and share our faith. Confluences are opportunities. They are rarely appointments.

Revelation 21 & 22

Rev 21
Then John saw a new heaven and a new earth.  The old has passed away and all that believe in the Lord and has been faithful, get their reward.  Sounds wonderful to have no more pain, no tears and even no more death.  But the ungodly people have plenty to fear because not only do they have to go through one death, they will go through a second permanent death.  Thrown in the lake of burning sulfer.  The Holy City sounds fantastic!  Nothing impure will never enter it.  Just the people in the book of life.

Rev 22
Its time for all of our faith to be rewarded in heaven with our Heavenly Father who promised us that if we over came, we would be with Him in heaven.  No more worries about this or that.  Just spending eternity with the Lord.  But until that day comes, we have to be on guard every minute of every day.  The Lord says we will get whats coming to us by what we did on earth.  Don't know about you, but that makes me try harder and harder everyday to please the Lord.  The Lord warns us not to add or take away from His book or there will be hell to pay.  See ya in heaven one day!  God bless you all!

REV 19-20

REV 19

After the fall of Babylon all the people in heaven very glad God put an end to their wicked ways, and the people gave glory and power to God.Then John seen a rider on a white horse ( the lord ) with his army of saints getting ready to do battle with the beast and prophet that have been decieving Gods people by putting the mark of the beast on them. The beast and prophet were caught and thrown in the fiery lake of burning sulfur,and all that helped the beast were killed and the birds had their fill.

REV 20

And then John seen an angel coming down out of heaven with a great chain,he seized the dragon (devil )and threw him in abyss for a thousand years,after that he will be released as part of Gods plan.
Then all of Gods people that didnt bow down to the beast were awakend and were with the lord for a thousand years,and will not see death again,they will be called priest of God..Then satans time to be released is now and he is trying to decieve all the nations,But satans rein of preying on Gods people is comming to an end.God threw satan in the lake of burning sulfur. Then John saw the dead awake and how they are going to be judged.The bible tells us that were going to be judged according to what we have done on earth.Its all in the book of life. How do you think you would stand right now? Because at that time their will be NO secound chances,now more EXCUSES. As i have repeated chapter after chapter it all boils down to the same thing,your relationship with the lord.With anything,the more you put in it, the more your going to get out of it.

Fall of Babylon

REV 18

People from Babylon all thought that their reward was all in material things,they couldnt get enough wealth,they figured the more you had the more status you had.Then at last they ran out of the wealth and status.But the moral of the story is if they would have put God first in their life,everything they would have needed God would have provided.Some people never learn,bottom line would you like something that just last a while or would you rather have something that last forever.Really not hard to answer is it?