When I was starting out in church planting, I used to attend the weekly pastors luncheon in my local Baptist association. Being the "church planter" and the "young guy" I would usually keep quiet and listen to all of the other pastors. It was at this time I started noticing a disturbing trend.
As I listened to these conversations, I begin hearing a competition going on or what It was like some pastors were trying to one up the other. Questions were asked like " How many did you have Sunday or How many walked the aisle or how many revivals are you having this year? The one with the highest numbers or most professions of faith or the one who did the most speaking was look at with awe and with jealousy. The ones who did not measure up went and stood at the back of the serving line.
What really bothered me about all of this was that if the God was mentioned and i do mean if; then it was only when the attendance numbers were high. The movement of the Holy Spirit was only happening when it measure up to our definition of success.
Now you might be saying "What does this have to do with Twitter and Facebook?" Well, I will tell you. I have started noticing this same trend on "some" postings of people I follow. They kind of go like this: "God really rocked this morning! We had (insert a number)in our worship! I have also read: "The Spirit was moving this morning cause so many people came forward."
Now please don't get me wrong. It is great to be excited when these things happen on Sunday morning. I rejoice when people get saved and lives get changed. What bothers me is two things: First, the tone of these postings from some seem to take a "look at me I am a great servant of God and He likes me." Second,some of these postings seem to imply that God only rocks or the Spirit seems to move when something big happens. I don't know about others but my GOD ROCKS ALL THE TIME!! I also have learned the Spirit moves all the time and even when we don't see it.
I guess what I am trying to say is that we need to be careful and not turn something of God's into a 140 character sound bite for how great we think we have done. I would love to see this Easter postings on how great God is and that Christ is Alive and that is all we would need to say. Next time we are tempted (myself included) to brag on God on Facebook and Twitter lets stop and see if it is Him we are bragging on or ourselves. GOD DOES ROCK BUT HE ROCKS WITH OR WITHOUT US!!
As I listened to these conversations, I begin hearing a competition going on or what It was like some pastors were trying to one up the other. Questions were asked like " How many did you have Sunday or How many walked the aisle or how many revivals are you having this year? The one with the highest numbers or most professions of faith or the one who did the most speaking was look at with awe and with jealousy. The ones who did not measure up went and stood at the back of the serving line.
What really bothered me about all of this was that if the God was mentioned and i do mean if; then it was only when the attendance numbers were high. The movement of the Holy Spirit was only happening when it measure up to our definition of success.
Now you might be saying "What does this have to do with Twitter and Facebook?" Well, I will tell you. I have started noticing this same trend on "some" postings of people I follow. They kind of go like this: "God really rocked this morning! We had (insert a number)in our worship! I have also read: "The Spirit was moving this morning cause so many people came forward."
Now please don't get me wrong. It is great to be excited when these things happen on Sunday morning. I rejoice when people get saved and lives get changed. What bothers me is two things: First, the tone of these postings from some seem to take a "look at me I am a great servant of God and He likes me." Second,some of these postings seem to imply that God only rocks or the Spirit seems to move when something big happens. I don't know about others but my GOD ROCKS ALL THE TIME!! I also have learned the Spirit moves all the time and even when we don't see it.
I guess what I am trying to say is that we need to be careful and not turn something of God's into a 140 character sound bite for how great we think we have done. I would love to see this Easter postings on how great God is and that Christ is Alive and that is all we would need to say. Next time we are tempted (myself included) to brag on God on Facebook and Twitter lets stop and see if it is Him we are bragging on or ourselves. GOD DOES ROCK BUT HE ROCKS WITH OR WITHOUT US!!
Lewis, how petty we must sound to God at times. Like a kid setting the table and boasting how he helped cook. Okay, maybe not quite that way, but you know....
ReplyDeleteHave a very Happy Easter!