Should Church Be Encouraging?

            It has been way too long since my last entry.  It’s funny how busy your life can seem when you don’t have a regular schedule or job.  This house is feeling like a cage, but all I seem to do is pace back and forth like a lion wanting to break free and run.  Today BJ and I went out to the Florida Mall just to have something to do.  It was fun, but we couldn’t spend any money so we walked around and window-shopped.  I think one of the hardest parts of this journey is waiting on God.  I am not a very patient person, and I need to have a project or something to keep me busy.  Recently my projects have been to create a website about our church planting journey (www.hendrixjourney.com) and a companion newsletter.  I’ve done a great deal of work on them, but now I am waiting to be able to get some good photographs of the family in order to finish things off.  If you wish to receive the newsletter, please let me know.  Some of you may be wondering about my fitness endeavors… not so good (he says while sipping on a home-made jamocha shake).  It seems not having a schedule messes with me in that area as well.  I plan on getting back on the wagon, though so wait a bit before scolding me.

            Things have been going well with the Roots Community.  We have been discussing the DNA of a successful church plant (see previous post) and how we are going to flesh out each aspect.  It has been really good, but also very challenging.  Jesse is bringing up things that some people are finding difficult to swallow.  Another “problem” (if you can call it that) is that there seems to be a bit of disagreement or misunderstanding on what a “successful” church plant is and how to go about achieving that goal.  One of the major “fears” or concerns is that we may be discouraging “outsiders” or the unchurched from visiting or attending because we are using our “church time” to discuss how to “do church” instead of simply “doing church.”  I can see the point being made, but I also believe that this assumption is operating under another assumption, namely that unchurched individuals have either an understanding or opinion about what “doing church” should look like.  This is a conversation that I have been involved in for some time now with many different people in just as many different styles and faith communities or congregations.  In almost all cases people assume that since “church” has been done a certain way for so long that everyone who steps through the doors is going to know what to expect and will be highly irritated if their experience doesn’t match their expectations.  What is usually the case is that the people themselves will be highly irritated and therefore they assume their perception is on par with everyone else’s.  Now I’m not talking about style of worship.  I’m referring to things like staging, order of service, location, time, topic, methods, etc.  One thing that really gets me is this idea that you are supposed to leave a church service encouraged.  I’m not sure why, but so many people believe we (pastors) are to be encouraging and that the worship should be uplifting, and that everyone should paste on a smile because, after all, Jesus Loves Me!  I guess they think this way because secular marketing has so saturated our existence that we assume it is the “holy” way 

(that and the fact that Joel Osteen has the biggest church in America).  The goal of marketing is to bring you in and then build in a return visit.  I’m guessing people believe that if we are all happy and the preacher lifts our spirits then we will leave wanting more and will return next week (possibly with a “tip” in our pocket).  I’m not really sure this was Jesus’ method.  Yeah, He did miracles, but He also scolded people for only wanting to see a show and not really wanting to hear the Word.  The Bible isn’t always encouraging.  The gospel is very divisive and foolish to the world.  Of course for those who have been regenerated it is the most encouraging and glorious message ever heard.  If we focus only on encouraging people then when do we talk about the issue of sin?  How encouraging is the wrath of God against the wicked?  For me it is very encouraging, but for those mired in sin and death… not so much. So do we “encourage” them to get saved?  Is that biblical?  Now, I’m not a legalistic fundamentalist, but I don’t deny sin and hell either.  There are certain realities of Scripture that cannot be ignored, and cannot be “explained away” without compromising the integrity of all scripture.  They must be dealt with and taught, especially sin.  Sure we can talk about God’s love for us, and how this love is shown to us through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.  We can talk about how God is gracious and merciful and that is why Jesus came to be our Lord and Savior… but if we don’t mention sin and hell are we presenting the whole gospel?  If someone isn’t convicted of sin then can he/she repent?  Is there salvation without repentance?  I know I’m treading on broken glass here, but I believe these issues are easily overlooked.  We cannot assume that people will simply understand sin intuitively.  We must address it, even if it isn’t all that attractive.

            Among church planters there has been a discussion about Incarnational (missional) versus Attractional.  One group believes the church should stress attractional elements (music, lights, big events, etc.) while the other believes the church should stress the missional or incarnational elements (evangelism, community service, social justice, etc.).  Jesse (as well as many others) has been trying to teach that the two are not mutually exclusive; that they can and do co-exist.  I agree and would even say that incarnational ministry is in itself attractional.  In the end, I guess how you “do” church depends on your soteriology (theology of salvation).  If faith is man’s part of the equation (his gift to God) then you had better cast a wide, attractional net and give as many people as possible the opportunity to “respond in faith.”  If all of salvation (even faith) is from God, then you had better teach all aspects of the gospel so that those whom God has brought to you will be able to respond in humble contrition and thankful acceptance.  Or should we do both?  Can we do both?