Adventures in Solitude

So today I spent the day alone. Nursing my ankle and alternating ice pack for another. Compression and Elevation on the neck of my couch. I went in and out from naps. What did I accomplish today? Not much. But enough I that I feel that my ankle is a whole lot better from this morning. I awoke with such pain. So there was no need for me to hobble around school. I felt like I could afford to miss class today. At least that's how I justify things.

I read my text(I'm half way done) for Church growth and theory: The Forgotten ways by Alan Hirsch. The book is getting to the real meat of it all and I'm quite enjoying this one. I'm coming out with ideas and inspiring thoughts that I hope to implement into near distant future.

We can only live changes: we cannot think our way to humanity. Every one of us, every group, must become the model of that which we desire to create. - Ivan Illich

I've been bouncing the thought of how people hate going to church or that people are tired of going to church. But would really like to talk about who God is and discuss what Jesus was trying to get at. I feel that a lot of people who have been going to church for awhile are left with only a temporary spiritual high, inspirational thought for the heart that last only till the early recesses of Monday morning. It's just not enough to sit for an hour and a half in service and be done with it. I think there needs to be changes. Changes in the way we do church.

For one... I think we need to make church more interactive. How? I don't really have the answer. But it can't be 80/20. Pulpit/Audience. I think people need to be more active. Be more involved in more social action than putting a monetary band-aid in some dish. Maybe church could be done down at the seed. Feeding the people, building relationships and reflecting the light of the world through the lives we try to proclaim to others who don't go to church. Maybe we need to be doing it more proactively. What if church was done this way. Each sunday the church is out doing a work bee, holding a lunch at the nursing home, going downtown handing out blankets etc to the homeless, cleaning the neighborhood. Doing these things builds relationships and living out and practicing our faith instead of just saying it by sitting in the pieu and listening to the pastor each sunday.

Becoming a mobile church. We are to be the hands and feet of Christ. Why aren't we doing it? Instead of looking like the normal church gathering for an hour or two each week. Why not mobilze and do something with that time?

I know I'm rambling and there is more behind this. But what if Church was done in a more proactive way. Could this be possible?

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