Revolution
Forcibly overthrowing the social order in favor of a new system.
I feel like we’re starting a revolution.
I woke up a few weeks ago with this random thought in my mind. If you know me, you would know this is NOT my personality. I’m not a “Grab your swords and follow me!” kind of girl.
I love words and their meanings - so naturally, since I’m planning to start a revolution, I knew I needed to know what the word actually meant.
“Revolution - a forcible overthrow of a government or social order, in favor of a new system.”
Thank you, all-knowing Google.
That is EXACTLY what I was thinking. Forcibly overthrowing the social order in favor of a new system.
Do I mean to forcibly overthrow established churches? Absolutely not. People who love Jesus go to churches. People who want to worship Him and know Him more deeply. The church is His bride and I would never wish do to anything to harm her.
I want to overthrow the idea that Sunday morning “church” is the point of our christian lives.
I want to overthrow the idea that we can “fill up” on Sunday morning and run off of it all week.
I want to overthrow the idea that a once a week (if even that) service fulfills our Christian obligation.
I want to overthrow the idea that only “professional” christians do ministry and all others show up to enjoy the show.
I want to overthrow the idea that the church is a business run like any other business, and not a set apart people group created to be different than the world.
I want to overthrow the ingrained, established ideas that are keeping the church from reaching its potential in this new millineum.
I want to overthrow the ingrained, established ideas that are keeping the church from reaching its potential in this new millineum. Click To Tweet
What is the opposite of revolution? Complacency. Perpetuation. Suppression.
Because of our complacency we have allowed the perpetuation of a lifeless system which has allowed the enemy to suppress our effectiveness.
In writing the “Be the church” series with ChristianWeek, I keep coming back to how we got from “church” describing a group of people to “church” describing a building we go to.
Francis Chan, in his book “Letters to the church” talks about his friend Rob who came to Christ out of a gang. He talks about how when his friend described the gang life it sounded closer to what church is supposed to be than the church he knew. (minus the drugs and murder and such, hopefully) I loved this excerpt from the book -
“From what you know about gangs, could you ever imagine gang life being reduced to a weekly one-hour gathering? No group would meet briefly once a week and call that a gang. Imagine one gang member walking up to another one and saying “Hey! How was gang? I had to miss this week because life has been crazy! Something that God has designed to function as a family has been reduced to an optional weekly meeting. And that has become normal. Expected. How in the world did we get here?.... In many churches you have about as much of a connection to the people who are supposedly your spiritual family as you would to someone who visited the same movie theater as you.”
Francis said it, not me. If you’re offended let him know.
Now, I’m not suggesting our “revolution” means forming a gang - although minus the illegal stuff it sounds pretty nice. What I am suggesting is that we use metaphors like this to make us think.
You. Yes, I’m talking to you. I have some questions for you. I’ve already been wrestling with them in my own heart, but now it’s your turn. Are you ready?
Do you realize you are part of a kingdom of GOD’S CHOSEN people, not just a group who meets once a week?
What do you think is the purpose of that kingdom?
When was the last time you did something for God that had nothing to do with your “church”?
Do you realize that every day, with every interaction, you are showcasing the kingdom of God to everyone around you?
How far are you willing to go to further that kingdom? Are you willing to change some ingrained habits in your Christian life to do it?
Now, stop. Go back. Reread those questions.
Take a minute.
And when you’re ready…..
Let’s start a revolution together.
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