February 1, 2006

  • Warning: Don't read if you are easily offended

    I will warn you ahead of time this has been brewing up inside me for some time. I will no doubt not make everyone happy with what I am about to say, but I realize that and am not here to make everybody happy. Enough caveats -

    What is the deal with the Christian Evangelical Bubble? The more churches I visit, the more I realize Christian Evangelical community is set up for people who already believe X Y Z about the bible, Jesus, God - etc. We use Christian names for things that only insiders will understand. We invite other Christian friends to check out our church because their church’s worship is a bit off and the pastor just isn’t as good of a preacher anymore. I hear this all the time, I have said it myself probably, “I just don’t get filled up there, it doesn’t do it for me.” Ok, this is not my original thought but here is something - “Its not about what you get out of church, it is about what you give back to the world.” Chew on that for a minute.


    Ok, here is another rant - if you use Christian language inside the Christian bubble you will not attract people who are outside the bubble. Have you ever been to a private club where there are secret handshakes and passwords and social mores that only certain people know? How do you think the outsiders feel? I don’t want to give up on church - I recently started attending a church that is just fabulous - not perfect, but really seems to care about the community around it, and wants to include those people in church. If the community that surrounds your church is not involved in your church you are missing something. If you have a church where people commute and no one lives in the community - something is wrong there. If you are friends with only Christian people and only meet people who ‘don’t believe’ at the gas station, something is wrong there.


    I challenge every person who read this blog to be in relationship with at least one person who does not follow God. Many times on my blog I have issued challenges and I hope people will take them on. I am also challenging myself - but this is an area where I am working hard at. Also, once in a while people comment on my blog and offer no evidence of what they are doing, only theories. If you are going to theorize, spare me - give me some thoughts and a plan. And, this is not the first or the last time I will say this. “Get out of your bubble.” Peter got out of the boat, he jumped in fact to meet up with his pal Jesus who he thought was dead - what boat are you jumping out of today? Peace and Power - JVD

Comments (6)

  • Fantastic post. This is exactly mirroring where I am right now and I completely agree. Thanks for your honesty!

  • Joe, you had me excited...and then I was like "we've had this conversation before."  I agree.  I think what is tough is being in the bubble so long it is really hard just to feel natural in conversations with people w/o expectations.  God is still decompressing me and as he brings me to the surface to the adventure beyond the depths of the bubble.

    By the way, I didn't get to our golf course but its only 40 minutes out my door.

    -Maas

  • Yah Todd - we have - its not the first or last time I will rant on this and get fired up about it.  It is as much a challenge to others as it is to myself - JVD

  • A question and a comment... Question: You write "if the community that surrounds your church is not involved in your church, you are missing something" ~ I'm just wondering what the expectation is there? And i ask because i come from a vantage point of feeling like the church is forever saying "come to us" to the community around it. What about the church stepping out into the community instead?

    Comment: i'm attending a fabulous little church in the Portland area called Imago Dei. Check out the website at http://www.imagodeicommunity.com A favorite recent comment from our pastor is that we will forever be the church who has our finger in your back encouragingly pushing you to be involved in the local community. Beautiful.

    okay, another comment: great words on the tribal languages we tend to speak at church. we do well when we approach conversations as though the people around us are new to the scene. thanks for sharing.

  • Dawnette - exactly, its both/and - church needs to invite, but more so be involved in the community around it.  Not just giving hand outs but actually being / living / doing - and of course, this is an attempt to make church more than just Sunday worship...

  • Joe - I'm taking Theology and Contemporary culture right now and we're discussing postmodernism and what you've said is one of the things that really bugs postmodernists about society and especially the church; that language is a barrier to knowledge and truth. I think what I appreciate so much about churches like Willow Creek, Eagle Brook and Mosaic (from what I've read and heard), is that they try to use language, symbols etc. that are relevant to EVERYONE, not just those already inside the building. P.S. I don't think this post is that offensive...

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