Words without power
Heard for an hour
Are like a dry shower
Or a plastic flower.
Don’t let them devour
Your heart-love for Jesus
Till you become lukewarm.
Instead, let Christ tower
And rule inside of you
Displaying His power
Hour after hour!
Vegetables are grown in rows. Christians are grown in Spirit-led, support group style, circles.
Church is too often like a group of people getting on a cruise ship once a week to sit in straight rows, sing some songs, and to listen to a featured lecture about travel. Then they immediately get off the boat and forget all about what they’ve heard. Stil, they keep coming back week after week to get on the boat and hear another similar sermon before they disembark and go about their merry way again and again.
Spirit-led, heart-to-heart pre-church Christianity, which Jesus called “ekklesia,” floated the boat of the earliest Christ-followers. It supernaturally empowered them to demonstrate Christ’s love and presence far and wide. But drydocked Christianity is shipwrecked.
Jesus said to make disciples. He didn’t say to make people lifelong dependents on a professional pastor.
Does church-going and going and going improve your character and how you live your daily life? Does it empower you to do what the Bible says even to the point of loving your enemies and blessing those who curse you? Or do you leave church behind as you walk out the door? People who don’t love their enemies aren’t following Jesus.
