Our world is filled with so many issues and problems that we can find ourselves always desiring a place of peace, safety and comfort. We’d like to just still away to a setting where we don’t have to think about controversy, conflict and trouble. That’s part of the reason why many Believers go to church on Sundays. They want to meet with other Believers and just leave the world outside of those four walls for a couple of hours each week.
Well, we’re about to burst that bubble for many Believers, because God did not call us to set up a weekly vacation resort where we could escape from the world. That kind of thinking is the reason why so many Believers begin to get uncomfortable if their pastor starts talking about abortion, gay marriage, conflicts in heterosexual marriages, pornography, the common core agenda in education, immigration rights, racism, sexism, global warming, world hunger, the war on terror, gun control, free speech, freedom of religion, domestic violence, or the drug abuse epidemic in our neighborhoods.
Many Believers attend a local church to get away from all of those things. They don’t want to hear a lecture or sermon about those issues. They want to hear about going to heaven or how to become more prosperous in their short time on this earth.
However, we are convinced that the life and calling on Believers today, is like learning to drive a car. There are several skills that you must learn. Once you learn each skill, then you have to learn how to put each of those skills together and exercise them all at the same time. Then you have to learn how to perform all of those skills while observing road signs, traffic lanes, traffic signals, and other drivers.
Most American Believers have learned how to put the key in the ignition and start their Christian car, but they haven’t learned anything else. They are perfectly happy to sit in the car with the engine running, while they go nowhere at all. That will not be so with our family.
God has instructed us to teach the function of the vehicle, the skills for driving, the rules for navigation and safety, and what to do in case of emergencies. There is so much more to our walk with God than just simply driving down the road, trying to get to our destination. There are other drivers (belief systems) on the road, too. There are stop signs and traffic signals. There can be pedestrians, animals and objects on the road, all which can represent different views, issues and problems in life. Even with all of that, we haven’t talked about learning what to do if our own vehicle develops a few problems. So you see, we all have a lot to learn. Our weekly gathering is one of the places that God has provided for us to learn and grow.
We hope this analogy is helping you to see what our weekly Sunday morning session is truly designed to do. This is why a ministry has to be much more than just a place to gather to escape from our troubles. We must see this ministry like a driving school, a gas station, a maintenance shop, or an inspection and diagnostic center. For those who want to learn more than just how to drive their vehicle, the ministry is a mechanic training school for those Believers who want to know how to build or repair a vehicle. It’s a ministry designed for those who want to know more.
Now about that 'get away from it all' feeling---- well, that only comes in the presence of God as we worship and pray in private or corporately. The only place to find that peace and rest is in the presence of God. We find that rest even though we're in the midst of storms and chaos.
So get ready for the road ahead! We’re not going to sit in the drive way with the engine running, going nowhere. We’re going to fearlessly get out on the road, face the challenges, and see the fulfillment of God’s purpose in our hearts and homes.
