Happenings

Lately church critics have looked at the activities in church as something excessive. Too much going on in church means people are working too hard to create when all Christian's need is relationship. So, as I look at the activities which have fewer and fewer participants who are willing to stop doing other "outside church activities" to be involved in church I wonder. What do we need to keep happening and what really just needs to stop happening?

When we work around our houses, no one in the household says, too much activity. Stop the laundry, no more cleaning, no more fixing or meal preparations. Too much activity in daily life just means that there is little time to accomplish all that needs to be done. Some books that talk about simplifying help you by narrowing down what you keep, creating better filing systems and encouraging use of keeping information in places where you can retrieve it easily. However, no one advises, stop getting the mail and only a rare few suggest pairing down to one set of clothing.

What do we need to get rid of in the church? Meetings? Well we have cut down on meetings, but people still don't make time for classes. Worship, no, that doesn't interfere with any one's regular life time, and if it does they skip church, so we don't need to get rid of that activity. Fundraising activities? Apparently most churches these days need to have supplemental fundraising efforts due to lack of regular giving and tithing as a practice of Christian churches and Christian people.

Maybe we need to do what we usually do in different ways. Walking together to get things done. Preparing meals together, cleaning together, fundraising together, but most of all living in worship together. Activities do wear us out if we are just active without direction. However, with a purpose, 16-20 Jr. High Boys are willing to get up at 8:00am on the last days of summer to practice football. The boys, and girls, are willing to take the torture of two-a-day practices to increase their chances for playing in High School, which leads to scholarships for college, and some even make it to the minor leagues or the pros!

Activity isn't sinful. Living a life that prepares us for circumstances that may put us in places of solid Godly work in the future is exactly the types of activities we need. Bible Studies, small groups, intentional times of getting together for prayer, meals, cleaning, life. Ministry is all the little activities we do in ways that are more like Christ would do them. The patterns we create change and shape us. If we stop offering activities in the church, it will become a useless building, a place where people come when they can fit it into the rest of their activities.

God, help us to do the right things. Let us not tire of doing good. Keep our eyes open for activities that lead to life. Teach us to walk in your ways. Lead us in paths of righteousness for your name's sake. Let us learn and grow together as people who live in this world. May activity be a blessing for our churches, people who love you, and people who don't even know you yet. Amen.