Yeah...I know

Some of my readers probably won’t like this blog but give it s fair read. And if you disagree, the COMMENT button is on!

I’m teaching a real neat class right now that I think every church ought to consider having. It is a Spring Meadows 101 class. It has allowed for us to “nail” down some core beliefs to our guests, those looking for a home church and to newer members. It also lets us communicate what a friend of mine coined as the “aroud-hereisms” are and why they are.

Part of the class AND part of our personality as a congregation is that we encourage people to ask questions. “Ask anything” we will often say.

The first week a friendly and honest guest asked a question: “You’re not a ‘feel-good’ church are you?” Now, I’ll give him a pass, because I know what he meant. Are we one of those churches that seem to be lead only by what is “happy, happy, joy, joy all the time”, that never takes a stand “against” anything, that accepts everything, that refuses to even call sin-sin. And, while we are a VERY happy church, anyone who knows me knows I don’t mind saying the hard thing that needs to be said (even if sometimes it gets me in trouble - though I’d be the first to admit I have gotten it wrong plenty of times and said what didn’t need to be said, that I thought did need to be said).

But back to the question: “You’re not a ‘feel-good’ church are you?” I didn’t respond the way I wanted to: “Well, no, certainly not, we are a ‘feel-bad’ church!” I mean come on, yes,
as a matter of fact, we are a feel good church!

We feel good because of the grace of God.
We feel good that we are trying to be His energetic, effective Body in this area.
We feel good that we love each other (or are trying to).
We feel good that we are teaching children the Bible and they are learning it.
We feel good that we are influencing young people.
We feel good when we are together.

What in the world is wrong with feeling good? In fact if you are not a feel good church you might need to re-evaluate things. When God’s People get together to worship Him and do His work in His way...we ought to feel good. Even in the midst of persecution they did and have and do! John 15:11; 16:20; 16:22; 17:13; Acts 13:52; 16:34; Romans 5:1; 12:12; 14:17; 15:13; 2Co 8:2; Gal 4:15; 5:22; 1Th 5:16; Hebrews 10:34; James 1:2).

CLOSING SHOT: Few things disgust me as much as seeing one Christian come along and try to steal from another Christian. I never read of that being appropriate in the scriptures but I do read that we are to encourage each other every day!