Different image of the church

This past week I was reading both some stuff by Rob Bell and Leonard Sweet. So, I cannot claim this as completely my original thought, but they have really pushed me to continue to dream about a new image of the church.

What if we did not lose our image of the church as being a hospital for sinners and Christ as the great physicians, but we add an image of the church as also a “singing school” and Christ as our tuning fork. “Jesus came to show us how to be in tune with the song.” (Rob Bell) And God is the song. Over the generations, the song never has changed. God is the same.

For me God is love. The love song has never changed. The song is about love, forgiveness, grace, hope, new life, justice, and mercy…

In the world of music, the rhythms, styles, and genres have change over the years, but the notes are the same. You are either on pitch or off pitch. In this re-imaging, I cannot say one style or genre of music is the best way to present the song to the people in our communities. Instead I want to be part of a movement of people who have accepted that they have the song within them. That the song was with them even in their mother’s womb. I want to be part of a community in which believes the song, but more importantly that the song is in us. I want the church to provide ministries where individuals are daily working on being in tune, no matter what instrument they are playing. I want to be with a community of people who are willing to tell me when I am out of tune and at the same time willing to help me get back in tune. I want to be part of a community in which music is being created. I want to be a part of a community in which believes that the song is not something we internalize, learn, or master, but the song is in us so that it might be shared with everyone. To be with a group of people committed to letting the song transform their lives so that everywhere they go people will hear the song.

See, I think as a Christian I am not so much out of tune. But I have forgotten how to keep the song alive. I think in some ways the church needs to become a training ground for musicians in one or maybe two styles. I think at times I have become focused on getting the song mastered, being able to play every note perfectly and without mistake, and thus forgotten how to perform it. I have at times forgotten how the song can become embodied and can change my life. I think I may have gotten so good and comfortable with the song that I have lost the joy and the transformational power within the song. I just play the song, but I do not perform it.

As a pastor, I think at times the church have gotten so comfortable and good with the song we think everyone should know it and should join us right now and with our current style, instrumentation, and rhythm. And in our current state we have forgotten that there are many different instruments, styles, and rhythms. We have forgotten or are ignoring that not everyone has as much training as we do. We have forgotten or are ignoring that not everyone plays the same instrument.

In my journey I hope to be apart of a new kind of church. A church where we are constantly learning about the song, practicing the song, joining in the performance of the song, and allowing the song to transform our lives and the world around us.