Comments on: Can a Real Church be found? http://www.birkeyblog.com/2009/07/24/can-a-real-church-be-found/ the personal musings and art of Randal Birkey Mon, 02 Aug 2010 03:00:01 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: rbirkey http://www.birkeyblog.com/2009/07/24/can-a-real-church-be-found/comment-page-1/#comment-1479 rbirkey Tue, 28 Jul 2009 12:27:48 +0000 http://www.birkeyblog.com/?p=1475#comment-1479 Derek, Good words. If I understood my friend who has read this book correctly, the book deals more with what a "real" church is more than what a "perfect" church is. Your points are well spoken, but I think what more and more Christians struggle with is the unwillingness and inability of many churches to admit that they even have "issues" and are broken and pathetic and in need of much repair and healing. Perhaps your sensitivity to the lack of prayer is a symptom of the same root issue? More to come after I read it! Derek,

Good words. If I understood my friend who has read this book correctly, the book deals more with what a “real” church is more than what a “perfect” church is. Your points are well spoken, but I think what more and more Christians struggle with is the unwillingness and inability of many churches to admit that they even have “issues” and are broken and pathetic and in need of much repair and healing. Perhaps your sensitivity to the lack of prayer is a symptom of the same root issue? More to come after I read it!

]]> By: Derek http://www.birkeyblog.com/2009/07/24/can-a-real-church-be-found/comment-page-1/#comment-1478 Derek Tue, 28 Jul 2009 04:33:28 +0000 http://www.birkeyblog.com/?p=1475#comment-1478 I haven't read the book yet, but Larry Crabb has always been willing to tackle difficult questions like this with grace and wisdom. I'm sure it is a good book. I would never want to minimize the importance of wrestling with this question, because every believer who is moving toward maturity (i.e. Christlikeness) should and will. However, I have found it helpful to note two responses that I have seen. One response I've seen play out all too often is to embrace disillusionment or resentment at the failures of other Christians. Often, this response seems to be justified because it does take a certain amount of honesty to admit that we have lived too long in a state of denial or wishful thinking or apathy. However, I think there is another response, which I believe is the one God has personally led me to. That is, to recognize my own failure to live up to the standards I hold others to. Then to realize that it is probably true that even our best churches are dysfunctional and in serious need of correction in many areas. And finally, if I can admit that I am part of the problem, that with God's help, I can be a small part of the solution. If I see a lack of serving in my church, I can grab a mop and start mopping. If I see a lack of prayer in my church, I can join with one or two or more in the church and pray. And on it goes. Finally, this makes me think of a great quote by Ben Patterson - I have found this quote very helpful and challenging over the past several years:<blockquote>I have bumped up against the hard edge of my limitations and sin, again and again. I am less sure about what’s wrong with Christendom, and more sure about what’s wrong with me.</blockquote> I haven’t read the book yet, but Larry Crabb has always been willing to tackle difficult questions like this with grace and wisdom. I’m sure it is a good book.
I would never want to minimize the importance of wrestling with this question, because every believer who is moving toward maturity (i.e. Christlikeness) should and will. However, I have found it helpful to note two responses that I have seen. One response I’ve seen play out all too often is to embrace disillusionment or resentment at the failures of other Christians. Often, this response seems to be justified because it does take a certain amount of honesty to admit that we have lived too long in a state of denial or wishful thinking or apathy.
However, I think there is another response, which I believe is the one God has personally led me to. That is, to recognize my own failure to live up to the standards I hold others to. Then to realize that it is probably true that even our best churches are dysfunctional and in serious need of correction in many areas. And finally, if I can admit that I am part of the problem, that with God’s help, I can be a small part of the solution. If I see a lack of serving in my church, I can grab a mop and start mopping. If I see a lack of prayer in my church, I can join with one or two or more in the church and pray. And on it goes.
Finally, this makes me think of a great quote by Ben Patterson – I have found this quote very helpful and challenging over the past several years:
I have bumped up against the hard edge of my limitations and sin, again and again. I am less sure about what’s wrong with Christendom, and more sure about what’s wrong with me.

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