Bring em in

I grew up in Suburbia. My church was the bling bling on the side of randall road. You look in the windows and there it is..37+ flat screen tv's, a cafe, pool, pinball, karaoke, wi's playstations, every teenagers dream. Next comes the childrens ministry windows, with our climbing area riddled with children scaling wood beams that the entire world can see. We were the suburban mega church.  I loved my church. We had been there forever, so seeing people we knew wasn't difficult, the messages were inspiring and biblically sound. and i was involved.

Living in Chicago this summer, I experienced a different feel than my suburb lifestyle and even MOody lifestyle. I decided to stay in the city, hoping to be a light in the secular world, but realized how discouragin and lost our world is.  Along with being mocked and ridiculed in sarcastic tones and even people taking advantage of me being the "nice girl", Christianity to them was exactly what my church was, rich and a feel good escape.

I was living in boys town, working in the heat of it. One day at work i got to experience the gay pride parade go right past our door. Images like this, and 10 times worse were walking in and out of my work. I wonder how suburbia would have treated that situation.  Those people I worked with were working at what I call a "high school" job, full-time, partying every night, enjoying every gossip that could be found.  Church was that condemning gropu of rich people who judged and said "burn, burn, burn".  Suburbia had life 'easy', but sheltered. On the day of the gay pride parade I almost lost my cool at the manager when he proceeded ot tell all the workers...and i quote, "according to Christy, all those sinners are going to burn in hell". I stood up for myself on that one. I did not nor would I say that. Yes, i disapprove of their actions but i love them, they were intricately created and knit together by the all-loving master craftsman. They may very well be going to hell, but I have no right to condemn them there, that is for GOd to judge, not me.

My default in life to sharing the Gospel has been, find a way to get them to church.. bring them in. My home church, plastered that idea in my mind. They built that huge student building for that purpose, to bring them in. It became a cop-out and I believe has become that way for many students in our generation. I will get them to church and let the pastor win them to Christ.  I'll do my part, and he can do the rest (with God's help of course).  Even today at lunch, a woman my parents knew had lunch with us and explained how her church wouldn't build a gym, because they wanted the people to go join a basketball league and be amongst the not yet believers, to dine with them, build relationship with them. My church, built the gym, the studnet center, the auditorium, as a "seeker-friendly" environment. Quite the opposite.

My approach this summer was wrong. I spent dozens of converstaions with one guy particular, trying to get him to come with me to church, when he just wanted to hang out..a perfeect opportunity for ME to share the Gospel. Yet in my own fear i felt the pastor should do it..i mean he's more trained than me...right?

My question is, what is our society, training up the next generation to do iwht our faith. Have we created thousands of students, that think the only way to "become a Christian" is by following me to church?  Did Jesus say in his great commission, to "COME in, and make disciples"...no, he told us to GO. The church is so important and there is a time where invitation is necessary, but has that become the excuse? oh, they won't come to church with me so I guess they won't ever be reached. Has church become our shield so we don't have to face quesitons we may not know, or rejection, or persecution?

Obedience to the call to make disciples isn't always easy, but the Lord challenges us to GO, and find them and be a light in darkness.

Jesus left the comfort of heaven to come down to an unfamiliar, sinful, pain filled world. He meets us right where we are at and loves us in the midst of our pain and hurt and sin.  Shouldn't we be doing to same?