This article by Pastor Sam Luce in CHURCH LEADERS, “Why the Church Needs a Greater Sense of Wonder,” is so very, very awesome! I agree with Sam so much on the state of the Church in America. So many pastors are turning their Church into Hollywood type performances! They are always looking for NEW ways to present the gospel. My goodness! I read some of the positioning statements of Churches and I just shake my head.
I get accused of always preaching basic Christianity! LOL! I will stick with that! I am like Sam, he reads books written by many Saints who have gone before us. The past has many valuable lessons for us all. Pastor Sam says that we have to stop with our drive for innovation at all costs. If this pandemic has only taught us to innovate in delivering our religious goods, we have missed the purpose of this trial. We need not think the next frontier in the church is us having church on Zoom.
Instead, we need to slow down and wonder. The only way we can expand our capacity to wonder is to begin to wonder and allow God to do his work in our church families and in us. When we “do anything short of sin to reach people,” it is easy to forget the wonder-working power of God, who is the author and finisher of our faith.
Yes, I know I am an old-fashioned preacher, as we said back in the day, and I will stick with that label. I was always taught to keep things simple and God did that for us. He has it all written down for us! You will not find Hollywood in the Bible.
During the last two weeks, I have ministered at St. Luke Missionary Baptist Church in Albuquerque, where I preached twice and also helped Pastor Houston with a funeral service. I’ve been so very blessed by Pastor Houston and the congregation. You talk about DOING CHURCH! Everything is about GOD! No Hollywood!
My goodness folks, we do not have to re-invent Church! We just need to be the Church God says to be. The Church in America is failing. According to Barna Research, church membership is down, with only 4% of America having a Biblical Worldview and only 37% of pastors having a Biblical Worldview. How do you think GOD feels about that?
Over my 67 years, I have been in so many Churches as a member, visitor, Sunday school teacher, and as a Pastor. I have learned so very, very much. The main thing that I have learned is what GOD has shown me about doing things HIS way – not man’s way!
I pray that you get a lot out of Pastor Sam’s message. Sam Luce
I have come to realize that there is something inside of us that fears the steady truth and ministry that is often considered mundane. We want to be known as innovative.
For years my drive was to be known as an innovative leader. I spent more time looking forward than learning from the past. I knew what apps were out, read every leadership book I could get my hands on by all the current who’s who in the secular world and the church world. It wasn’t until my forties that I read a book by some who lived before. I was guilty of what C.S. Lewis calls chronological snobbery, which is the arrogant idea that what we know today is all we need to know. That modern problem cannot find solutions in ancient answers.
Sam’s complete article may be read HERE on CHURCH LEADERS.
