Mixed Messages About Church
On Saturday evening we were in Zwolle at the last concert in the Take it to the Streets '08 Tour by Matt Redman and Hillsong London. The Hillsong team was led by Peter Wilson.
There were maybe a couple of thousand standing in a big dark exhibition hall.
We heard some good things:
- We are the church, the People of God
- Believe that Jesus is the Son of God
- Believe and accept that what He did on the cross is enough to bring us into right standing with God
- Those who believe are the church, the Spirit of God is in them
- The mission of the church is to take this message to the streets
- Church is not
- an old building on the corner of the street
- an organization
- We who are gathered here to worship Jesus are the church
At some point some part of the message almost had me in tears. What point that was, I don't know now. But something of the greatness of God, His grace, His love, His truth, penetrated me and my spirit was challenged and lifted.
This is God. He is worthy of our praise. We are His people. This is His message. We carry it.
But it got confusing. "Church" apparently means several different things. And they got mixed.
The Hillsong crew said they were catching a flight home after the concert so they could be "at church" in London on Sunday morning. Is being "at church" more important that "being church"?
I wonder if, when they are "at church", they are in a building, maybe an old one on a street corner, as part of an organization. They have 120 people on worship teams - that takes some organization.
There was an altar call for those who felt called to decide to believe in Jesus for the first time. We all had our eyes shut so we don't know how many put up their hands.
We prayed for them.
... they needed to "find a good church"
So "church" is used for lots of different things. It's confusing.
As regards the music and worship, I didn't keep track of the playlist, but we did have quite a lot of of Matt Redman numbers. They seemed to be in Hillsong style rather than native Redman. And maybe I am getting too old for this stuff, finally emerging from my mid-life crisis. After all, we did hear a call for a new generation to arise and take the message to the streets.
I have the feeling it would be good if the dispersed church could come together now and then to celebrate together and worship God en masse. But I wonder if this is the format. I wonder what would be a format that all parts and generations of the people of God could join. I guess it will only happen when it is led by the Spirit of Jesus.
Thanks to Eric for joining me and sharing thoughts and experiences, some of which are included here.
