Dear Church...

Have you looked outside lately?
Sometimes I think were stuck in one of those Star Trek episodes, the one when they get stuck in a time warp.
I look at the people in our church, all of them dress nice. I don't see any tattoos (except a few WWII Navy vets) and the only earrings I see are on the ladies.
But is that reality?
I guess what I'm saying is the culture that exists inside the church, reflect the culture outside the church?
I think we have stuck our heads in the sand, we have pretended that the world outside is still Ozzie and Harriet. That people will just stumble into our church, see the error of their ways, and become like us.
The truth is...
I'm not sure they want to be like us.
I know, I know what's wrong with being like us?
Well, it just doesn't fit them.
I'm not sure we are willing to get messy, and church, the world outside is VERY messy. If we build relationships with people, lost people, it will get messy. There stories are different, they didn't grow up like you and I did. They are products of a generation gone nuts, to do it if it feels good, to the postmodern view that there is really no truth at all, just what they can see or feel. They have been hurt by their parents, their friends, and sometimes even the church. They have expressed their hurt in ways that make us cringe, and they don't feel lost because they feel the only thing they can count on is themselves.
Are we ready to minister to that type of person?
Sadly the truth is no, and if we pretend they don't exist, maybe they will just go away.
The church that understands the culture, and figures out how to minister to this very different, hurting people, will be the church that God wants the church to be. One that displays His love for ALL of His creation.
But the choice is yours, we can all meet on Sunday like we always do, sing our songs, listen to the preacher, and go home. Working in the service of Christ becomes duty, come to church, sing or teach when asked to.
Reaching people, building bridges for people, is somebody else's job. But don't worry, when someone new does come, we will be sure to judge them, making sure that meet our standards.
Is it any wonder they don't want to become like us?
If I'm honest, church would be nice and comfortable if we all looked nice, believed the same things. It wouldn't be messy at all. Nice and clean, and who doesn't want that?
And I find that God gives us what we want, our lack of ministry to the world and our attention on ourselves becomes our mantra, instead of trusting God we trust ourselves. Soon we wither and die.
Our church becomes a tomb, once a place of hope and light, now holds only pomp and tradition, budgets and leaf raking, until the last few people decide to close the doors.
But there is hope, but it will cost you more than you have ever been willing to give...
your comfort.