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What Should Churches Be Doing?
I haven’t read the book Radical yet. It’s on my reading list and I expect that I won’t like it. Why? Because I expect that I will not be able to read it and remain comfortable. However, I have an idea of what is going on in the book after reading an interview with the author, David Platt. Follow this link and see what you think.
What this interview made me wonder is what are we are doing in our churches. I’m not talking about my church. Or your church. Or someone else’s church. I’m talking about all of our churches. I talk to a lot of people who go to church. I’m always interested in what is going on. I come away wondering how many of us are playing games and how many churches are just really doing nothing to build God’s kingdom and Christ’s church (a small disclaimer: He is doing the work, I’m just a tool). What are we doing in our churches?
Here is what Platt’s church is doing. Other churches are picking up on it and adapting it to their situation and their community. It is really simple, which is one of the things that is attractive about it. Here is what Pastor Platt is leading his church to do:
- Pray for the world
- Read through the Bible
- Sacrifice money for a specific purpose
- Spend time in another context.
- Commit their lives to a multiplying community
Some may scoff at this and say that is what their church should be doing anyway. I agree. But then why aren’t most of our churches doing these things? That is perhaps the topic for another post. But imagine if our churches were doing these things: Spending time in prayer and the word of God, giving money to help others, spending time in other areas, and building a growing community.
There is one common denominator in all five of these areas that Platt’s church is focusing. They are looking outward rather than inward. They are focusing on others and not themselves.
Folks, does that hit you as hard as it hits me? What should churches be doing? Why aren’t churches doing it? Stay tuned for part two.
