Clay in the Hands

I have been thinking a lot lately about what a church should look like – how it should reach out and how it should disciple those within.  I’ve been thinking about the balance between evangelism, ministry and discipleship.  I am still working through my thoughts on all of this but one thing I know for sure – the church must never turn inward and stop focusing on God and the people God sent Jesus to die for so many years ago.

I was in a conference a few years ago and had the pleasure of hearing Reggie McNeal speak.  He told a story of how he had been hired to consult with a church about how they could reach out into the community more effectively.  When he arrived at the church, he checked a sign in the entry way that listed all the meetings going on at the church that evening to find the room in which he was to meet.  He noticed that in the room next to his meeting was another meeting regarding facilities.

When he got to his meeting room he asked what the meeting next door was about.  He was told that the other meeting was dealing with how to stop the wear and tear on their facility caused by so many people from the community using the building.

Wow!  What a vivid picture!  One group wanting to reach out and another wanting to keep people out.  But before you or I get too pious, are our churches that different?  Do we truly want to reach out and bring people in?  Or do we feel more comfortable reaching out as long as “those” people stay right where they are?

I am not positive, but I think when everyone in the church decides that the task of the church is to reach out and bring people in  – then we will see a church that makes a difference.