more of the same

At lunch yesterday (at a restaurant that will remain unnamed) I ordered two strawberry pearl milk teas for the kids. One of them took a sip and said, "It tastes funny." Winnie concurred, so I took it back and asked for another. The waitress gave me a long explanation about how all of the strawberry pearl milk teas tasted kind of odd because of the kind of tea they were using, etc., ending with, "I won't give you another because it'll just taste the same and you'll bring it back again." She convinced me to get a strawberry-guava drink instead. As we were leaving, one of the people we had eaten with said to me, "She had her explanation all worked out. She knew it tasted funny. Why do they keep serving it?"

Good question. Yesterday morning we had a town hall meeting, partly to discuss the fact that Grace Community hasn't been growing for a couple years. We want to grow. We know growth is a sign of life and vitality. But there's something in us (including me) that wants to keep doing things the same way and then hope for different results. We have our explanations ready: "People aren't interested in spiritual things." "We don't have enough resources." "The competition's too tough." and even "But that's the way we've always done it."

It's time to ask the hard question: If we know it tastes funny, why do we keep doing it this way? I don't want to say we have to pander to people's tastes. Most people know that I'm no fan of "seeker sensitive" worship services. The taste buds that really matter to us are Jesus'. And there are certain kinds of churches that make him want to puke. Really.

Rev. 3:16 is about a church that was "neither hot nor cold" for God. They just kept doing things the way they always had. No passion. No vision. That's what I worry about: that I may be just going through the motions because my heart no longer beats with God's heart. That I don't have a vision for people around me because I've lost sight of God's vision for them.

So no more excuses or rationalizing. "I am the Lord's servant. May it be to me as you have said."