Challenges & Conversations (12/15/15)

It's a church, not a babysitting center.  The church is interested in more than giving your children something to do while you sleep in late on Sunday mornings.

It's a church, not a finger-to-the-wind behavioral experiment.  The church is concerned with not offending Jesus more than it is concerned with not offending you.  Sometimes behavior is outright wrong. When it is, it needs to be confronted.

It's a church, not a democracy.  The church is interested in doing what God says, not in what people think God should've said. Selfishness is a major catalyst for declining church attendance.  

It's a church, not a protest center.  If you want the world to know everything the church is against but not what the church is for, we're not interested.  There is a place for you to file your complaint and make your statement.  The church is not that place.

It's a church, not an amusement park.  The primary goal is not for you to have fun but for you to leave changed.  Please stop suggesting that we make things more interesting for you.  The interest that needs to be increased is yours, not ours.

It's a church, not a television show.  We want to be good stewards of time, but the main concern isn't to cram everything into one hour, changing images every four seconds.  If you're bored in church, it might be that you've watched too much television.

It's a church, not an antiques store.  It is understood that things spill, break or fall.  When they do, take responsibility.  Mop it up, sweep it up, clean it up, pick it up.  Tell someone.

It's a church, not a dump.  If you don't want that item, what makes you think the church needs it?  Do you really want to "bless the church" or are you too lazy to go the rest of the way to the dump?

It's a church, not West Point.  Not everyone gets to be an officer.  If you don't get to be an officer, will you try to be a good follower?

It's a church, not an arcade.  Leave hand-held video games at home.

It's a church, not an office. Turn off your cell phone.  "But I'm following along in my Bible app." Yeah, sure you are.  You're also reading and sending texts, checking your e-mail and surfing the web. (Hey, people in the back rows see everything.)

It's a church.  Let's keep it a special environment.  Let's preserve its special purpose.