I began reading , Rob Bell’s book Velvet Elvis today. I am on the “cusp” of generations and the pursuit of our living out of Jesus Christ, the Gospel, and His Word. Basically I am an odd mix what was called Boomer and Gen X. Fortunately at Cityview we have had great freedom to apply the Scripture and see Jesus build a people of faith that is continually working out what it means to be like Jesus in Vancouver. There are a lot of battles of “how to do church” that I have not had to slog through. But I am noticing that the church is always emerging at the edges of cultural shifts. Is it important to ask when will we lead a shiftagain, instead of playing catch up? All this generated by what Bell writes here:
“It’s just that every generation has to ask the difficult questions of what it means to be a Christian here and now, in this place, at this time. And if this difficult work isn’t done, where does the painting end up? In the basement.
Here’s what often happens: Somebody comes along who has a fresh perspective on the Christian faith. People are inspired. A movement starts. Faith that was stale and dying is now alive. But then the pioneer of the movement- the painter - dies and the followers stop exploring. They mistakenly assume that their leader’s words were the last ones on the subject, and they freeze their leader’s words. They forget that as the innovator was doing his or her part to move things along, that person was merely taking part in the discussion that will go on forever. And so in their commitment to what so-and-so said and did, they end up freezing the faith.” (p. 013)
Freeze dried churches sitting in the basement? But perhaps even roots can be revived.
I am so thankful for the congregation where I serve and the freshness of our experience with Jesus Christ. May we press on with the mission.
For more on Rob Bell and the Mars Hill congregation see this article in Christianity Today.
