On my flight to Indianapolis last week I finished the book, “Jim & Casper Go to Church” by Jim Henderson (not the puppet-master) and Matt Casper. Jim is a 50-something pastoral ministry-veteran and Casper is a 30-something proclaimed atheist. Jim hired Casper to attend 12 of our Nation’s churches with him and to dialog together about their experience. Some of the churches they attended: Saddleback (Rick Warren), Willow Creek (Bill Hybels), and Lakewood (Joel Osteen).
The book was nearly impossible for me to put down. I would’ve read it in one sitting if I had the time!
I couldn’t help but wish that I would’ve kept my notes from my semester of church-hopping while at IWU! Reading through these conversations brought back some interesting memories and an overwhelming renewal to my own heart’s passion to love God and love my neighbor as myself.
It should be obvious to each of us by simply pausing for a moment of thought to realize that we are doing “church” a whole lot different than Jesus ever probably intended. Sure a couple thousand years have passed and culture is strikingly more-modern than in Jesus’ time, but the message hasn’t changed and the urgency of that message hasn’t either.
Why is it, then, that we have clouded our churches with so much “other”? Sure we’re doing church fairly well by our own standards, but why isn’t “the church” known as an organization that loves God first and loves our neighbors as much as we do ourselves? Aren’t THOSE the things Christ told us to be about?
Why the focus on music? Why the focus on nice buildings? Why the focus on being “post-modern”?
Shouldn’t those things be further down the line AFTER loving God and loving people?
I’m challenged.
You are so right! But until we (me included) learn to see everyone as someone Jesus deeply loves and desires we will not make it. He never made fun of any one. He seem to treat ALL people with respect, except for maybe the “religious leaders”. So different than we do. I wonder what church would be like if we did it like Jesus did it?…
You know I think that is why I enjoy being around the, how do I say this, the elderly crowd. I mean that with huge respect. (especially since I am over 50 )Being raised by my grandparents, I was blessed because they were at an age where they learned to slow down and enjoy others and the simple things that God had blessed them with. In this world, even as Christians, we seem to want more of this or bigger of that etc… I’m guilty of it myself at times. It seems we see this same mind frame in many churches too. Wow, it is a challenge to find the balance in all of that. My biggest challenge is to slow down my mind from the hustle and bustle of this world so that I can tune my ear into who God is telling me to encourage or to help in his name. That is my desire.
Sorry Stevan for going on and on. I guess it’s been one of those crazy and too busy of days. Thanks for encouraging me to stop and listen to what the Lord is telling me.
Still praying for Jess and Ella and you.
Love ya,
Mom Garrett
You sure got my attention. I am going to buy the book. Thanks. Love to you all.