Comments on: The Church: A Mighty Fortress or a Crumbling Institution? http://www.dcyoungadults.org/featured/the-church-a-mighty-fortress-or-a-crumbling-institution/ Fri, 07 Oct 2011 19:38:45 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Ben http://www.dcyoungadults.org/featured/the-church-a-mighty-fortress-or-a-crumbling-institution/comment-page-1/#comment-6 Ben Thu, 12 Mar 2009 15:14:33 +0000 http://www.dcyoungadults.org/?p=82#comment-6 I think many congregations have an inward focus. Most of the hours that people spend for their congregations is devoted to doing things that make the people in our congregations happy. When planning worship, do we focus on what songs and styles we like, or on how our worship might best share the Gospel with both regular attenders and those who walk in the door for the first time? How do both feel welcomed and enabled to grow in faith? When on a building/remodeling committee: are we just focusing on what those inside the community like, fixing things that aren't broken, and trying to please ourselves? Or are we thinking about how our architecture, landscaping, and interior design openly share the Gospel with those pass by or visit for the first time? (I don't mean we should write scripture passages across our exterior walls, but rather I wonder if we give thought to whether our architecture proclaims that all are welcome here, etc.) Are we considering whether our construction budgets could be better spent feeding hungry families or housing people who are homeless? Do our congregations spend large amounts of time feeding the poor face to face, establishing relationships with the same people on a daily or weekly basis? Do we form friendships with those who are outside of our social, ethnic, religious group? Do we allow homeless people to sleep on our premises any night of the year, year round? As the body of Christ, should we really turn people away? Are our churches open and available for use by the community in the evenings when people aren't working or in school? For example, some comgregations offer ESL courses. Congregations could also run a coffee shop, a community center, a game room, or other place to hang out and grow as community. Or do we lock our doors at 4pm most nights of the week? I love the Church, but these are questions I've heard from young adults, sometimes frequently. These are things I struggle with. If we are going to connect with young adults, I think we need to take these types of questions seriously. Jesus turned the systems of his time on their head, looking at new interpretations of the law, eating with sinners, touching the untouchable, and loving the unlovable. Martin Luther questioned everything, asking what traditions should stand and which should be abandoned. Maybe we need to reclaim this aspect of our heritage. I think many congregations have an inward focus. Most of the hours that people spend for their congregations is devoted to doing things that make the people in our congregations happy.

When planning worship, do we focus on what songs and styles we like, or on how our worship might best share the Gospel with both regular attenders and those who walk in the door for the first time? How do both feel welcomed and enabled to grow in faith?

When on a building/remodeling committee: are we just focusing on what those inside the community like, fixing things that aren’t broken, and trying to please ourselves? Or are we thinking about how our architecture, landscaping, and interior design openly share the Gospel with those pass by or visit for the first time? (I don’t mean we should write scripture passages across our exterior walls, but rather I wonder if we give thought to whether our architecture proclaims that all are welcome here, etc.)

Are we considering whether our construction budgets could be better spent feeding hungry families or housing people who are homeless?

Do our congregations spend large amounts of time feeding the poor face to face, establishing relationships with the same people on a daily or weekly basis? Do we form friendships with those who are outside of our social, ethnic, religious group? Do we allow homeless people to sleep on our premises any night of the year, year round? As the body of Christ, should we really turn people away?

Are our churches open and available for use by the community in the evenings when people aren’t working or in school? For example, some comgregations offer ESL courses. Congregations could also run a coffee shop, a community center, a game room, or other place to hang out and grow as community. Or do we lock our doors at 4pm most nights of the week?

I love the Church, but these are questions I’ve heard from young adults, sometimes frequently. These are things I struggle with. If we are going to connect with young adults, I think we need to take these types of questions seriously.

Jesus turned the systems of his time on their head, looking at new interpretations of the law, eating with sinners, touching the untouchable, and loving the unlovable. Martin Luther questioned everything, asking what traditions should stand and which should be abandoned. Maybe we need to reclaim this aspect of our heritage.

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