by In yesterday’s sermon, the guest speaker used an illustration from Wayne Gretsky. Now, I’m not even sure I know all the rules to Hockey. About the closest I’ve been to a hockey game is watching the Mighty Ducks from Disney. I could appreciate the quote that said that Gretsky believed he was a good hockey player because he could be where the puck was going.
Has it come to the point in your life or your church where you feel that you may be “happy” with the status quo? Now before you answer the obvious “Why no, of course not” take a moment to analyze not just your own feelings, but where you church could be if the body were totally yielded to the Spirit.
I cannot say about most people’s churches, and I’m not talking about liberal or apostate versions. I do know that people and churches (since they are made up of people) have a tendency to try to keep certain “highs” or “experiences” by doing the same things over and over again– perhaps a simple illustration.
I’m sure that there are many things that were mightily used of God in past generations that are simply not
working that way now. I’m not saying the Spirit cannot use it, I’m saying that it probably was used to more effect when first started. Two of these areas that seem obvious to me are to do with Children’s
Ministries.
The Vacation Bible School program and the Sunday School program, I believe, were probably used to much more effect when they first came out, and are now relegated to the “we always do them” status. Do not get me wrong: I learned a lot about God through Sunday School. However, I probably learned more through Christian education at a Christian School and college than I did every Sunday, but I credit some of my Bible training to the godly teachers I had.
Vacation Bible School is another matter. I believe that that ministry has become so much of a entertainment trap– not much unlike a venus fly trap– that some prayer and thought should be put into how we can get it out. We spend more time trying to figure out a theme, people to play parts, memorizing parts for the skit, planning who’s getting the money raised… and then we give the lesson as much as 1/3 of the time.
Back to my point– I think we as Christians need to rethink our programs, evaluate them in God’s eyes and see where he’s going. Would it be more fruitful to start Good News and 5 day clubs than VBS’– I don’t know, but are we cheating ourselves out of bigger blessings because we’re afraid to leave the status quo?
