Ok folks… I know this is difficult… I’m not being condescending… but we have to face the facts…
I know many of you want things to go “right” at “Church”. Even “Excellent”. I understand that.
But this is not the greatest comment in the world…
“I just don’t want to know how it happens… I don’t want to be involved in the politics… just give me what I need… well… what I want. Give me Excellence.”
Contemporary Church has run a muck with this mantra of excellence. It just has.
Now… I’m not trying to make excuses for those who don’t work hard and are always goofing up… I think we should all do our best, work hard, study, prepare, work on communicating, etc. etc.
But… the cookie cutter, everyone and everything goes exactly right… has a toll that demands to be paid.
Fact is… we are not a perfect people… and when we present that, we present something false. When we demand that, we demand something that people can not give. And if we even for a moment come close to giving it… there is a huge behind the scenes costs.
When Capitalistic Church becomes the model… I really think we are in trouble.
Though the preaching is perfect, the worship isn’t too long, the building is worth millions, the sound system is top of the line, and all liability is covered (oh no… that has to be excellent right?)… then we might just have succumbed to Capitalistic Church.
What’s wrong with that you wonder… hmmmm…. maybe you are further gone than I had hoped.
We don’t need a corporate branded church, where everything looks perfect, but is not. We don’t need a constant drum beat of excellence,… when no one can really admit that they are far from that.
We don’t need a finance committee, and budget, and giving campaign that calls for the funding of the Best and the most Excellent…
No… we need real people involved in life, connected in relationship, repenting of their sins… (even the Excellent ones sin you know)… where we talk about the teen pregnancy, the abortion, the gay brother, the bankrupt businessman, the depressed wife, the good… the bad… the ugly.
Come on… authenticity over Excellence.
A broken spirit over Excellence.
Humility and kindness over Excellence.
A dirty, homeless, messed up person in your presence… over Excellence.
I’m just not sure where Jesus talked about our Worship Service being Excellent, I’m just not.
Real, authentic, personal, community in Christ… over flashing hazards for visitors and front row parking with a latte. Come on. We are the Church. And believe me… we can be far from Excellent.
That’s what makes us so desperate for Jesus.
And that is truly an Excellent thing.
Mark
