A CrossPointer who attended all three worship celebrations last Sunday observed that I did not read a letter as I did in the two previous worship celebrations. To be honest, I forgot to read it because I was under some time constraints. So, for those who were in the third worship last Sunday, I am providing it today
I began my message by reading the email sent to me by a new CrossPointer. A copy of that email is in last Friday’s blog. This is another “letter” I received in response to RENEW:
Dear Ryan,
I want you to know my wife and I are super excited about joining the church this weekend. We love CrossPoint, and we love you. It is a great church, and we are glad to be a part of it. Thank you for letting us to become members.
Before we join we wanted you to know a few things about us.
This Sunday will be the last time before you see us in a long time. Actually, we will not attend worship that much at all. The next time we will be here will be Easter weekend, and after that you will not see until Christmas.
As for CONNECTING to a Bible Study group, that is not going to happen. We have never been ones to fellowship with other believers. We like to go our own way and do our own thing. We are the independent type.
Additionally, please do not expect us to be here during the summer months. Our kids will be out of school then, and we must give them our undivided attention during the summer. You know our kids are our most treasured possessions, and we want to spend undivided time with them.
Oh, and by the way, we will not be giving any money to the church. The church already has enough money. And neither do we like to hear sermons about money, giving or tithing. And if you talk too much about tithing, we will spread hearsay and rumors about you in the community saying all you ever talk about is money. Besides, every dime I make goes to my family’s fun and entertainment.
One more thought and I am done. One of us may get sick sometime in the future. We may even be sent to the hospital. Please do not expect us to call and tell what is going on with us. Yet if you or one of your staff members does not show up to check on us we will be highly offended, and may even threaten to leave the church.
And while I am at it, we would like for someone to call us every four to six weeks to make sure we are fine and that we do not need anything. Like you said in the membership class, we want to keep up with each other and we look forward to watching how you will keep up with us.
Again, we are excited about joining CrossPoint. I trust our commitment to Christ will bring glory to God as we do nothing to reach JUST ONE MORE for Christ.
Sincerely in Christ,
Obviously, no one is audacious enough to write that kind of letter. I wrote the letter. Yet you will agree with me there are more than a few members of churches who, if they were honest, needed to write a letter like that before they join the Lord’s church.
Church going (not church; we are the church) has always been essential to my life. It is very rare I’m not in a church building on a Sunday. Any church family we’ve been part of, we’ve always been involved in as well – down on the field, getting pummeled and dirty, not watching it unfold from the sideline. I do wonder if us, as the church, could be to blame at times. Maybe we’ve made Jesus too comfortable. All I know is that I’m glad to be part of a church family, and being led by a pastor who is not afraid to take things to the next level. I say… Bring it on!
Ha ha! I think I will plant a church and make this letter the membership covenant. Who wouldn’t want to join? What a great deal!
Bennet, you’d certainly pack the house, wouldn’t you?
а в каком это городе,какой стране??очень креативненько!!!!!)))))