Tom Bandy posted the following observation on the EasumBandy.com advanced leadership forum,
"North Americans associate Easter with Spring ... and it usually marks a culmination of church programming, and a transition toward less regular worship attendance and leisure time."
Is that true for your congregation? If so, is that okay with you?
I have a question of my own: "If the community life of a disciple of Jesus really does equip me for mission and calls me out to deeper maturity and more effective mentoring, why do I need three months off from that?"
Another: "If my experience in a community of Jesus's disciples is such that I feel that I need an extended break to endure yet another year, should I be concerned about something other than taking time off?"
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2 comments:
Most of the churches I have been in have experienced this 'warm weather lull'.
The attitude of taking 'time off' from church, most likely comes from an improper view of the church. If you look at church as merely a source of entertainment or a time for a social gathering, then there really is not a strong cohesion to such an organization. But, looking at church as a place to gather around God's gifts of forgiveness and strength really changes one's attitude towards church. When we realize that we are imperfect people in need of forgiveness and the strength that only God can provide, then we have a different outlook (even in the summer).
The community of believers is important as well. We need to have that person to person contact with people that God may be using to help us in our walk of faith.
So, it seems that in view of missions, that we need to work harder in the summer as we compete with the normal opponents as well as warm weather.
Amen. To that I would add only that the work of the Church is not about us, really. It is and always has been about completing the mission of Jesus to reunite finite people with the infinite Creator. In this light, we can justify slowing down only to the extent that it helps to accomplish the mission to which we have all been called.
Thanks for posting, friend!
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