Church: what in the world are we doing?

(Thoughts about church spawned by a conversation in staff meeting...)

No, I mean really, what in the world's are we doing? Our world, the world, doesn't matter. What are we doing that does matter?

When asked what they wanted in the open position for another associate pastor the church board suggested a family pastor and/or counseling. That made me sad.

I don't deny those are good things, and a counselor on staff would be good. But what do they really need? Do they need another pastor to hover over them, to provide events and activities for them?  As I look at our staff, everyone of us is for nurturing the people. None of us spend the bulk of our time helping our people reach out and be a light. What are we doing to equip the members? What are we doing to get them out into the world to make a difference? All of the pastoral staff work at taking care of the people. What about a staff position that taught the people to be the church rather than just go to church?

I am trying to think of something we do as a staff, on a regular basis, that trains members, that pushes them, encourages them to grow and stretch, to reach out and to follow their gifting. I got nothing right or hand.

What is our task as pastors, biblically speaking? Ephesians: training and equipping, preparing God's people for works of service, to reach maturity and grow up into Christ (4:11-16).

Not everyone would want that, but can't we have one who focuses on that? Can't we have some staff that take care of those who need it, and one who challenges, coaches, trains members how they can be a living witnesses? Will God say that we have been faithful to what He wanted from us? Huddled behind our beautiful stained glass, what do we have to offer the community?

I'm tired of catering to the people, providing for them when they should be able to provide for themselves. Doesn't that sounds bad? It is like we have become over indulgent patents always giving the kids what they want/demand. But we know in the long run that is actually doing more harm than the good we desire. The results are being taken for granted and having to compete with everything else that is going on in their lives. Maybe they will show up, what we provide is seen as simply one of many options.

How many people have been brought to church, studied with, led to accept Christ by members? How many baptisms have been a result of members investing in the lives of others? Why aren't parents studying with their kids, why aren't spouses studying with their other, friends study with their friends? Why are pastors doing the studying? Why are we the 'professionals'? Because we have stepped into that role. We have allowed ourselves to be viewed as such. We have failed to train others who would be perfectly capable doing those tasks.

We have coddled when we should have challenged, provided when we should have pushed,  loved on when we should have let loose. And because of that we now have a bloated congregation of satisfied, comfortable spectators. God's people need to see the power they can possess, they need to know the gifts the have been given, and they need to be unleashed from the pew mentality in order to grow into the fullness of Christ.

We claim to be the body of Christ. I don't see that. We are a body if the definition is a group of individuals gathering around common values and beliefs. But the Bible defines it differently. It isn't a gathering group. It is a functioning organism, with moving, living parts, each assigned a specific task. Every part connected in purpose, every part doing its job, every part led by the Head. Instead we have most every part staring at the back of someone's head watching a few others do the tasks.

And the crazy thing is this is generally accepted as how it is supposed to be, or at least as the best we can have for now. Is it really? If so I am saddened by how we claim to be people of the Book and yet we don't believe how it describes us to be.