Last year at the WSC annual conference I heard an interesting comment about the state of evangelicalism. The conference dealt with the topic of being Reformed and Missional. Both terms have different meanings to different people, but there are some distinct ions that Scott Clark has made on his blog The Heidelblog. The phrase that caught my attention was “sheep shifting” Immediately I connected this to the phenomenon known as church hopping. Perhaps consumerism has had a profound impact on church goers moving from congregation to congregation looking for the right place to be “fed”
I went through a period of church hopping myself, eager to learn about this often misunderstood instution. That word alone makes the Emergent church cringe. Authority. No way! This is also another reason why its hard to enforce church disipline. I’ve been to large churches where I didn’t anybody i met the week before. I’ve been in small churches where i’ve seen the same people week after week and still didn’t get to know them that well.
In fact it took almost four years at the last church I attented to meet regularly for coffee and to talk about Christ and His church. Ever since Christ drew me to Himself by His amazing grace, I have been intrigued bu church culture. I’m learning more about coming together as the body of Christ to hear His Word and to partake in the Lord’s Supper.
I’m convicted to look at the log in my own eye and confess that I’ve looked to the church for comfort from being lonely and fearful in being exposed. Therein lies my idolatry where I seek external comfort, knowing intellectually that I need fellowship, but inwardly guarding my heart in a neagtive way.
There are cases where a shift needs to take place if the Word is not preached. The Gospel is at stake. It’s not that God’s needs us but He calls us as His instruments to bring truth and love in witness and testimony to what God has done in Christ Jesus.
Fellowship is not easy. It’s much easier to pick up one’s tent and pitch it elsewhere. The menu options are manifold. May we preach the Word with boldness and love. It’s great to have fellowship with others in the church but not for merely moving from one church to another.
