This made me mad a first and then made me smile at how institutionalize one can get.
It's a friend's 30th birthday next week and he is having one of those age crises that some people seem to get on the "milestone" birthdays. The usual "what have I done with my life" stuff. All very normal. Anyway his wife is trying to organise a party for him. They have a house group they are part of so many from that were going to be invited. Since letting everyone know the date of his birthday and subsequent party the congregation they go to has announced a series of prayer meetings on Weds nights. Jon's birthday is on a Weds. The of the couples from their house group of 5 couples are not now going to come to the party but will go to the prayer meeting. Fine!
But here is the ironic bit - the prayer meetings are about how they can do church differently and be more relational!!!!!! Need I say more?
Oh boy! Makes me wonder at the consistency of people that will drop something already agreed to, not very relational either. Let your yes be yes and your no be no, not let your yes be yes except if something more interesting comes up.
ReplyDeleteSo right, Joanna. The thing is that such people will put their reason sanctimoniously as 'God first' when really they mean 'church programmes first'. I think Jesus would have gone to the party!
ReplyDeleteYep, so do I!
ReplyDeleteSort of guessed all 3 of you would comment.
ReplyDeleteIan said after I posted that what they are praying about is church being more relational rather than "relational church". Church being more relational is still a program but relational church is about the people and what's going on!
Love you guys and love the relationships that are growing here :)