Church

The word church is charged word for many people. For some it is an institution of hypocrites who have a "holier than thou" complex. For others it is a building to come to on Sunday mornings and sometimes during the week. For a few bright individuals it is a community of believers living and struggling together in Christ.

It is this last group of people I want to talk about. I have a hard time focusing during sermons at church, and I know I'm not the only one with this problem. It is not normally because I am tired, or that I disagree with what is being said, but it tends to be more that what is being presented is nothing new and nothing that challenges me. I am a thinker, and I am pretty quick to get an idea, assimilate it and then move on. So often I've moved through a sermon in the first five or so minutes and zone out. I've become convinced that many churches have become like our schools, (teaching to the slowest person). I won't go into how much that upsets me but it does, and it bores those who need more. With this being said, I can get the message and zone out and not really miss much... But that isn't the point of worship is it? The church is not something that you go through the motions, learn a little bit each Sunday and go home until the next spoon-fed-Sunday. That is what many worship services seem like to me.

However recently I have been attending Austin Stone Community Church. This church gets it. They don't have their own building, nor do they need one (though they are looking at moving to one, but that is a different story for a different time). This group of Christians are living the Church in such a way we all should be living. Now you could make the argument that they have Chris Tomlin as a worship leader, or they have a great pastor, but you would be wrong. Chris Tomlin is leaving to plant a new church, and while the pastor is good he would be the first to admit that he is not the best. So why is this church so special, and why has it exploded to the point that they need to hold four full services on Sunday to accommodate everybody who comes. Simply put the community reflects Christ every single day of the week. These people are different and it only takes one service to understand what I mean. When the pastor gets up to preach, it is like an idol you didn't ever know you had just got up to teach you something. The sermon is real, and challenging, and applies to your daily life. I have no problem paying attention when the pastor at Austin Stone speaks because I know I am being challenged to greatness, and that is a rare challenge these days.

With this challenge to greatness the community has become great in itself without realizing it. Their love of Christ is shown through their actions and community. I have probably said it before but people are attracted to greatness. If you look at other churches that have become gigantic it is not that they have the best music or the best pastor or the best building but because the people see greatness, and they want to be a part of that greatness. The power of Christ is great and when people are held to that expectation, encouraged to strive for that greatness, they will reflect the greatness for which they strive. When Christ's greatness is reflected amazing things happen. And when a community reflects Christ's greatness as one the world changes.

Next to Greatness

This is a topic that I have been rolling around in my head for a week or so. Greatness. What is greatness? Can I be great? Do I want to be great? Is it enough to not seek greatness on my own but instead be the carrier of another's greatness? And if so how do I carry another's greatness.

Greatness is a quality that can be obtained through many means but ultimately the result is being revered by others. Do I have the power or want to be revered by others? No and yes. I want to be great, I know that sounds conceited, but then again thats who I am, an imperfect human being. Moving onward... So I want to be great... but can I truly be great? Simple answer, yes, I can be great. However there is a catch, I cannot be great by myself. I cannot do anything without the help of somebody else. Sure I can walk and talk today, but who taught me how to do those things? I only am who I am because of another.

This begs the question then, who is truly great on their own, every great person has stepped on the great person before them to accomplish something new or better. I'm not saying this is necessarily a bad thing but at the same time this fact must be duly noted and respected. I am great because other great people lifted me up. With this line of logic nobody is truly great on their own.

So then if I cannot be truly great on my own then can I be the bearer of another's greatness? And if so am I great by association? The answer to both questions is yes. I think of the servant of a great king. The servant is not great on his own, this person could work elsewhere and work for their own fortune. However a servant devotes his life to his master, his greatness is his master's greatness. Alone he is nothing but as the servant of a great king he is in turn great. The servant stands up for his master when his master is slandered. He lives his life to be a positive reflection on his master. He is in turn shown great respect for the greatness he represents. The servant stands next to greatness. That is enough for him.

The great master cares for his servants in turn for he realizes that his servants are extensions of himself and his greatness. The great master realizes that if his servants are cared for and able to reflect his greatness to the outside world then the master is in turn glorified. The great master extends his greatness to his servants because he realizes the simple truth that his greatness is not something purchased but something given by others through excellence in character.

(Now to tie this all in)

God is our master, he is a great master and takes care of his servants. We stand in his greatness and what we do with it is up to us. We can claim it as our own fall into our own folly, and be humiliated. We can ignore God's greatness and wander around searching for another master to stand with, ultimately ending the day tired and exhausted. Or... We can take this greatness and use it to further the glory and greatness of our master, Yahweh. God sends us out to show the world his greatness all we have to do is use the talents and abilities that he has gifted us to their fullest extent and never forget the source that our power flows from.

I stand next to greatness and because I stand next to greatness I am great as well. I do not forget where my greatness comes from, I am reminded of my own faults daily but the greatness of my master, my God is shown to me daily as well. I do not need to worry because my master is master of all things on Heaven and on Earth. I am provided for because when I am provided for my master's greatness is shown through my life.