Thursday, May 23, 2013

Are evangelistic churches shallow?


What about the claim that outreach oriented churches are shallow spiritually?  

When people use "shallow" to describe churches I typically pick up a judgmental attitude behind the claim.  The better word would be "maturing" or if it fits, "immature."  In John chapter 4, the woman at the well would be categorized as spiritually immature.  She was enthusiastic about Christ, but she had a lot of spiritual and emotional baggage.  If a church has some people like her then they are fulfilling their mission, and at the same time they will have some messy issues they'll need to work through.  

The reality is that churches who reach out find themselves incorporating new (immature) believers into their church and that affects the church in a similar way that introducing a bunch of babies and children into your home would change your family dynamics.  If a family chose to have 10 young children at the same time you could call them an "immature" bunch, and you'd be right...but what's the point of such a label?  

Rather than judgmental labeling, more mature believers must sense the urgency of entering into the life of these young believers and helping create a culture of loving correction.  For this to happen it takes a commitment of loving and patient life-on-life investment similar to that of a mentor of at-risk youth or a foster parent.  Pauls says (Gal 6:1, 2) -  

Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. 

The word "restore" is the same Greek word as was used when Jesus finds Peter "mending" his net.  This is a careful, thoughtful, redemptive process to be undertaken by everyone in the church who is considered "spiritual."  






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