I was recently received an invitation to meet with Jonathan Falwell. He was coming to town and wanted to talk with some pastors about some thoughts he had about Danville. I was hesitant at first but thought better and decided to go.
The gist of the meeting was that their (Thomas Roads Baptist and Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia) studies indicate that 70% of Danville is unchurched. Jonathan Falwell and team believe that God may want them to plant a satellite of Thomas Roads in Danville. The purpose of the meeting was to share the idea with other pastors in the area who had shown and interest in church planting.
I really respect Falwell's approach and he and the team that came with him were very gracious and definitely showed excitement over what God might do here. Indeed any seeking the well being of Danville is a good thing.
There were about 20 or more pastors there at the luncheon. The conversation was open and honest. Some expressed concern about loosing members. Some said there was no need for another church in Danville. All expressed great concern for those who are lost in Danville.
I put in my two cents worth. I will not go into that here other than to say I was a bit negative. If you want the full story email me.
What I will put here is this: I think the focus was all wrong. Danville does not need another Sunday morning social club or boxed event. We don't need more of the same. My contention is that what is needed is for the church to be the church. No more consumer Christianity, no more market share battles, no more NO MORE religious obligations.
And that is just the beginning. The whole thing was wrong on so many levels. I was so frustrated at the whole process. Gathered there were good and godly men whom God is using. And yet this was the wrong discussion. Why not discuss how we as leaders were going to stop competing and start working together? Why not pray out our differences with the Spirit present to direct us? Why not share our concerns for the community and together seek God for His solutions? Why not redefine our definition of church that does not involve narrow cultural expressions?
I am not sure why the Lord had me there but I am glad He did. In the end I had to look at myself and ask do I love Him? Is Jesus my life my all? So I will begin to ask Him again "what do you want for Danville". I will pray over the things that I have previously complained about. I will ask Him to reset my focus on what is truly important.
So will Thomas Roads Baptist plant a "church" here? What do you think?
And the band played on and on....
Monday, February 16, 2009
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3 comments:
Amen Brother!
Wooo hoooo Tim is my hero!!!
Well, actually Jesus is my hero, but I wonder if he'd been at that meeting (fleshly speaking) what he would have said?
I'd like to think He would have said...what you said. Thus, let me repeat...TIM IS MY HERO!!! :)
When I read this I thought of your words about the meeting.
"A few years ago Clyde Reid wrote a painfully incisive discussion of how our church activities seem to be structured around EVADING God.
His 'law of religious evasion' states, We structure our churches and maintain them so as to shield us from God and to protect us from genuine religious experience.'
He notes,
The adult members of churches today rarely raise serious questions for fear of revealing their doubts or of being thought of as strange. There is an implicit conspiracy of silence on religious matters in the churches. This conspiracy covers up the fact that the churches do not change lives or influence conduct to any appreciable degree."
"There is little time and occasion for openess in most of our gatherings because we fear it. We think it may lead to confrontation, anger and decisiveness. We are not open because we fear what others will think of us and do to us.'
It goes on to say that we are playing to each other instead of caring what God thinks.
The Divine Conspiracy p.222
by Dallas Willard
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