Deep as a Puddle?

Sometimes, I feel like I am a deep person. At other times, I feel like I just float through life. I do know that after my 3 year seminary experience, I have the potential to go deep on a variety of fronts.

Years ago, I sat down with a friend at Dunkin Donuts in Leesburg, Virginia and we talked about the purpose of the church. We witnessed how our church operated with a "come and see" approach with the goal of getting as many people into the building as possible on a Sunday morning. The working assumption was that a person would move from "trying out" a worship service to possibly investigating Christianity to possibly becoming a Christian and then over years and years of classes and sermons would then become a "strong" Christian who would serve in the church (and maybe outside the walls of the church).

We embodied discontent that night at Dunkin Donuts.

That friend introduced me to a few books that challenged my understanding of the church and one year later I found myself at Princeton seminary asking the same questions. I found some answers in my studies of missional theology. The church does not exist merely for itself, the church is called together by Jesus Christ and sent to engage the world with the gospel and to invite others into God's "sphere of rule." Being a Christian, means being a witness to Christ in all aspects of life all the time. I am convinced more than ever that the gospel is shared not merely by words (logical propositions that require intellectual agreement) but by deeds done in Christ's Spirit's power AND explanatory words. Christ is at work through his people.

I learned these patterns. I can envision how they can play out in the local church.

BUT, I still embody discontent right now (and there are no Dunkin Donuts out here near Seattle).

Why?

because I heard a description of the church a few days ago that was a deep as a puddle...

Puddles are not deep...

I already was tempted to give up on the local church and I am just getting started. Don't worry, I am not even close to giving up. In fact, I am more motivated than ever to seek the Lord's face for direction on how I can be faithful with my responsibilities as a small groups pastor so that I can enable my local church to engage our Internet-driven culture with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

If the guy who was with me at Dunkin Donuts (the donut) is reading this, then hear a word of thanks for some great discussions that still ring out in my soul today.