This is a little spoken word piece that I wrote last year. It came at a time (back at my church in Kent) when I was becoming frustrated with the volume of church services, prayer meetings and conferences and what seemed like a lack of focus on the people outside of the building.
At the time, it was as if church was just reinforcing the bubble that we can all already live in as Christians. I felt like we had lost what it was to be real, to be truly outward looking as a church. It made me feel quite trapped and I began to live in this great chasm that I saw between the church and the real world. I felt like we had forgotten to meet people where they were and I couldn’t see how what we were doing in church was leading people to know Christ. To be honest, it all felt a little self indulgent.
Of course I make no illusions in thinking that everything I thought was right, or even fair for that matter. I just know that there is a point here that all of us need to acknowledge. We’re called to be different but not to be isolated. In the world and not of the world, sure, but starting where people are, not where we want them to be.
So anyway, this is the piece;
Outreach Out of Reach
If I told you that we can be weird what would you say?
Would you protest insistently at me thinking that way?
That I wasn’t being loving, encouraging of edifying , but like a clashing cymbal in my words and style.
But what if I told you that love was present in my words and that I’m not seeking to offend but merely observe the space we create between us and the world by the way we present the Gospel we’ve heard.
The Gospel is perfect it is Spirit and Truth, it’s how we present it that can block this news.
Our God creates creativity, He defines definition, so let’s punch a hole in our church walls and listen. People need Jesus and we know that full well, but do we shut more doors than we open somehow?
When Paul said ‘I’ve become all things to all people’ , he wasn’t talking compromise but relating to people.
The Gospel doesn’t need dressing up with lights and big bands so if you’re thinking that’s what I’m saying then please do be calm, in fact if that’s the message you’re receiving then be alarmed.
But lets not be disillusioned with what God’s put in our hands, if creativity is of God then let’s use what we can. Keeping both eyes on our Saviour and the price that God paid by sending His son to make a way.
We’re called to be different so let’s make that attractive, not something that just looks dead and inactive. Let’s put on the shoes of the world around us, would you just cringe or be astounded?
With the God that we have and the price that’s been paid, why are we so okay with how our hope is displayed? Would you stop in the street and listen to the hymns or just find the nearest shop to run in? People are more important than we’ll ever understand so let’s make an effort to show God to this land in a light that is relevant and catches their eye, making them think ‘Who is this guy?’
Truth sets people free but let’s give them the chance to put their foot in the door and take a glance.
When we’re inward looking we’re missing the call, I mean people don’t want to sing to a God they don’t know at all, and we’re fools if our outreach stays separate from our walk, and if our passion for Christ is removed from our talk.
But people are complicated and we can’t rely on speaking scriptures and psalms to draw their eyes to the sky. I’m not doubting our hunger, that’s not the words that I’m speaking but this same hunger should join with the thinking, that perhaps the bigger picture is what we need to see and that our passion and thirst should be used as a key.
Jesus meets us exactly where we are, so why do we expect people to come so far?
Most people quite frankly don’t want to talk Jesus, they’d rather talk life and strife and the things between them. We need to be real because our God is real, and from our life and love they’ll see our zeal.
What’s so wrong in grabbing people’s attention? In a society that won’t give God a mention, let’s give ourselves a platform not to perform but to engage and to release a hurting nation from hurting chains.
Overflow 