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Jan. 9th, 2006 09:16 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
acresofhopeI can't believe this. My church has decided to turn Sunday school attendance into a competition for next month. They're splitting the Sunday schools into teams, and whoever has the most points at the end of February wins. I don't know who of the senior staff came up with this imbecilic plan, or why the others went along, but it makes me want to puke. Sure maybe we'll get more people in the doors, but since when was that the point? I mean, I'm thinking about how I would feel if I was the one invited during this thing. "Oh, so you don't want me to come because you like me and want to spend time with me, or I'm worth something to you, or even because you're concerned for the condition of my soul? You just want to win? Oh, thanks, I feel special." In case you couldn't tell, that was sarcasm. I talked to my dad about it, because I knew he wouldn't sugarcoat it. He thinks the same thing. "Well that's stupid," were his exact words. Maybe this sounds bad, but I feel embarrassed to say I even attend FBC Spartanburg.
*sigh*
As if seemingly competing against other churches isn't enough, now we have to compete within it? Why do Christians have to make themselves look as idiotic as people think they are? We don't need a marketing strategy! What we need is to stop loving people with the agenda of conversion and love them. Period. Because if you love someone with an agenda behind it, you're not really loving them; you're trying to manipulate them.
And forget about inviting people to church. Really, I'm serious, at least for the reason of hearing the Gospel. If they don't already see something different in you, church isn't going to do any good. And I'm not even saying you have to talk about God all the time. In fact, it's probably better if you don't. I'm not saying not to talk about Him, because I know I couldn't do that. But I'm saying talk about different things. Talk about football, or what book you're reading, or the time you slipped on a patch of ice...anything really. Get to know people. Care about people, not just their religious affiliation.
In fact, ya know what...stop caring about what they believe. I mean, seriously, even the devil believes in God. I think that's the thing that people misunderstand about the command to "make disciples." He wasn't saying "convince everybody to believe what you do about Me." I think He was telling us to follow behind Him, and help others who want to follow Him to do so. It's all about Yeshua (Jesus), getting to know Him, loving Him, letting Him teach us to love like He does. Not the way the world defines love. Love to most people is this wishy-washy thing that says you never think that person is wrong in what they do and you give them everything they want. But no, love is wanting and doing what is best for that person. Sometimes the best thing to do is help, other times just to be there and encourage. Sometimes it's best to speak up, then other times it's best to keep your mouth shut. I think if Christians (including myself) learned to love like Yeshua, I'm not sure if we'd really have to purposely go out and evangelize. Evangelism should be a relational thing.
Point blank (before this gets too long): we need to care. "End of story. Bye-bye. See ya later." (quote from Shrek, in case you're wondering)
*sigh*
As if seemingly competing against other churches isn't enough, now we have to compete within it? Why do Christians have to make themselves look as idiotic as people think they are? We don't need a marketing strategy! What we need is to stop loving people with the agenda of conversion and love them. Period. Because if you love someone with an agenda behind it, you're not really loving them; you're trying to manipulate them.
And forget about inviting people to church. Really, I'm serious, at least for the reason of hearing the Gospel. If they don't already see something different in you, church isn't going to do any good. And I'm not even saying you have to talk about God all the time. In fact, it's probably better if you don't. I'm not saying not to talk about Him, because I know I couldn't do that. But I'm saying talk about different things. Talk about football, or what book you're reading, or the time you slipped on a patch of ice...anything really. Get to know people. Care about people, not just their religious affiliation.
In fact, ya know what...stop caring about what they believe. I mean, seriously, even the devil believes in God. I think that's the thing that people misunderstand about the command to "make disciples." He wasn't saying "convince everybody to believe what you do about Me." I think He was telling us to follow behind Him, and help others who want to follow Him to do so. It's all about Yeshua (Jesus), getting to know Him, loving Him, letting Him teach us to love like He does. Not the way the world defines love. Love to most people is this wishy-washy thing that says you never think that person is wrong in what they do and you give them everything they want. But no, love is wanting and doing what is best for that person. Sometimes the best thing to do is help, other times just to be there and encourage. Sometimes it's best to speak up, then other times it's best to keep your mouth shut. I think if Christians (including myself) learned to love like Yeshua, I'm not sure if we'd really have to purposely go out and evangelize. Evangelism should be a relational thing.
Point blank (before this gets too long): we need to care. "End of story. Bye-bye. See ya later." (quote from Shrek, in case you're wondering)
