I have been rereading Power Surge by Michael Foss and ELCA pastor in Atlanta. In this book he discusses how the church has gone away from the way church was in the bible to making members in the church. We are more worried about the number on our annual report to the synod then we are about how many people are truly in a relationship with Jesus Christ. We are more worried about making sure that the budget get covers, then we are about our relationship with Jesus Christ. We are more worried about maintaining our congregation so that my status quo is not upset, rather then being Jesus Christ to the world.
We even try to keep Jesus out of our discussion as much as possible. We will not pray or read the bible….
Consider this quote from the book found on page 3:
Consider the following sobering statistics:
• 91 percent of all households in the United States own at least one Bible
• 80 percent of adults name the Bible as the most influential book in human history
• Yet only 38 percent of adults read the Bible in any given week
• Only 25 percent of adults volunteer to help a church during a typical week
• 96 percent of adults believe in God
• 93 percent believe in the virgin birth
• Yet 39 percent say Jesus did not have a physical resurrection
• 61 percent say that the Holy Spirit is not real
• 56 percent say a good person can earn his or her way into heaven
• And still 72 percent of those polled say that they are church members
As I am preparing for the summer sermon series with the same name as the book. I wonder:
How many of us have more than one bible? (ME)
How many of think the Bible is influential? (ME)
How many if us read the Bible once in a week? (ME, only because I am preparing for sermons)
How many of us volunteer at our home congregations? (Not me… I am here all the time)
How many of us believe in God? (ME)
How many believe in the Virgin Birth? (ME, it really happens all the time!)
How many of us believe in the physical resurrection of Jesus? (ME)
How many of us believe in the Holy Spirit? (ME, but do I always allow the spirit to work through me?)
How many of us would say we can earn our way into heaven? (Not me, I know there is no way I could ever be good enough to get there on my own)
How many of us would say we are church members? (ME, but I do not think this is what we should be worried about.)
Michael Foss makes his case for us looking differently at church. We need to not be worried about members, and start being concerned for the disciples of Jesus Christ that are being formed by our gathering. We should not be concerned with the bottom line of the number of butts we have in the pews, or chairs. But how many people are fostering a relationship with Jesus?
The title of our thought for the day comes from the book on pages 51 and 52. Here Foss talks about Walt Disney world, and how they have no employees. Everyone who works at Walt Disney World is a cast member. Everyone from the person who is Cinderella, or Mickey Mouse, to the person who makes cotton candy to the person who empties the garbage cans. They are all responsible for creating an atmosphere of fun and excitement for the guests. Are we ready to say like Disney we have not employees, only cast members, or more appropriately for us, we have no members, only disciples!
aSacredRebel 