Transparency

Transparency


I am eager to see good preaching in church services take one step backward.

Let me elaborate.

That one step backward might allow space in the hurried order of service for testimonies and corporate prayer from the floor. We might hear how brothers and sisters around the room are dealing with challenges, burdens, encouragements and victories. From many hearts and voices we would hear the praises of Jesus. This would be novel, exciting and perhaps orchestrated by God.

Are we humble and courageous enough to become this transparent? Might this bring some honesty to the phrases "Church home" and "family of God"?

Not too long ago I had a peculiar experience in the produce section of a grocery store. I noticed a man staring at me while his wife picked over the peppers. It looked as if he thought he should recognize me. I felt some of the same. We made eye contact several times but there was no engagement. Later in the parking lot the lights came on. That couple had sat two pews ahead of us for the better part of a year at church. I had failed to recognize them. Out of context.

I was convicted by my ignorance of this brother. We were both to blame. We remained of little use to each other.

The impersonal, hurried pace of the church services had also contributed.

Jesus said that the world would know that the Father had sent Him by the love which Christians showed one unto another.

Let's get started...with transparency.

I live in a cul-de-sac there are two other houses in it, neighbors from one house wave as they pass by, the neighbors from the other house may nod at us one in a blue...
we all live within the same circle but...?
ya' know, always dreamed an impossible dream of living somewhere removed from all the violence, noise and just plain busy-ness of big city life.
my surroundings are serene and I've learned that it never had anything to do with surroundings but everything to do with submission, acceptance and inner embracings.
The city taught me something very important, even the meekest of animals in any jungle by nature have some sort of a defense mechanism, whether releasing a scent, playing dead, or maybe quills?
Built in gumption! So why is it that when Christians find themselves cornered by bully pulpits, they don't stand up and say something or just walk out?
Another curious thing about inner-city life is the common struggle, living in the n.y.c. housing projects (da' bricks) I knew most of my neighbors by name, mind you this was a twelve story bldg.
There was not so much black, Puerto-rican, white, irish, Italian, polish etc., just a commonality of being poor.