People say that I am unpredictable. Well people who don't know me very well at least. The people closest to me would probably say the opposite- I'm pretty sure they would assert that I am predictably, well, unpredictable.
But there is one situation that I will respond the same way to every time I experience or see it: disgust and disappointment when I witness someone fuse their preferences with the Gospel.
What do I mean by preferences? Here are a few examples (all statements I have heard):
- "It's about time they lowered the volume...I was thinking about trying ______ Church. It's closer to my house anyway"
- "God must be so disappointed in us for not getting deeper as a church."
- "Why does Pastor ______ always wear suits...he must be legalistic."
- "I sure wish we would ______ at youth group (more)." (I could fill that blank in with about 20 things that I have heard- I've even heard drinking games!)
Even if those things have some semblance of truth...what is the focus? What lens or paradigm are they looking through (well at least 9 times out of ten)?
Preferences.
The way it was.
The way it should be.
The way I would do it if I was in charge.
The way that is comfortable for me.
Preferences.
But what do your preferences have to do with anything?
If the music is loud, but people are being restored...it's time to check our preferences at the door.
If we are screaming for going deeper, my question is how are we doing with loving our neighbor, loving our wives like Christ has loved the Church, forgiving others because Christ loved us, caring for the poor and oppressed? I could go on. The deepest thing you can do spiritually is simply obey friend.
If the pastor is wearing a stinkin' 20 piece suit, but the Gospel is being proclaimed with boldness, beauty, messiness, a call to freedom and transformation is occurring...who cares what the dude is wearing?
Why are you asking for more music at Impact? Or more games at Crosswalk? If it's because you desire restoration to occur in our community- then right on. But is that the case?
One day I will begin to decay. My music will fade into a reject Oldies station. I will be begging them to bring back the full drum set, the bass guitar, the Gibson and the Taylor into the church, which has been replaced by one guy playing all of the instruments on his Mac.
But if the true Gospel is going out and people's lives are changing- I beg God that my personal preferences will never come up, never receive any attention.
Final thought: This is fleshed out in other areas as well. Take our volunteers at Impact & Crosswalk. If you were to join our volunteer staff at Trinity, I would ask you to agree with the purpose of the ministry (the why of our existence as a community).
For those of you who don't know what our mission statement is: Impact & Crosswalk exist to develop & deploy families students who, by serving, will captivate their peers to discover a full-life in Christ. Or you could just call it making disciples. Whatever. It's seeing students fall in love with Jesus- while they realize (and embrace) the reality that you can't say you love God without an action-based love for others and then begin to bring others into this truth they have wrapped their own lives around.
Without buy-in from volunteer staff there is too much potential for personal preferences, agendas and ultimately, conflict. Why would I spend my time fighting and battling other believers about the vision we have already received from God (not man) when my battle time should be devoted to the Enemy?
Don't let mere preferences be a part of the battle...the evil one would love that too much.
