Yes, We're Closed for Christmas.
I have been hard at work trying to fill my boss' shoes while he's been out of the country on a 3 week mission trip. A poor excuse for neglecting my blog and you, my readers? My bad. It is what it is.
BUT I AM FUMING MAD and finding the time to post about this. I just got my eMail from Terry Eastland - Beyond the News, and against my better judgment, I am responding while still rife with anger.
Mr. Eastland, you just don't get it. To cancel church would be at least a bit strange. To prioritize the world over the Lord, heresy. But, there is more going on here than you realize.
I have attended North Point Community Church for 4-1/2 years now and am completely amazed at the transformation that has taken place in my life. The fruit that is evidence of God's work is ripe and beautiful (this angry rant notwithstanding). Further, the work that He is doing and has done in the lives of so many who regularly attend is rich to say the least.
This great work is not accomplished without a price.
It takes nearly 1800 volunteers to turn our building into a vibrant, welcoming community of believers that fulfill the mission, the Great Commission, expressed in Christianese as "to lead people into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ". 1800 people volunteer strategically, to create environments for each age group that tear down barriers between God and the lost. Consequently, thousands of the lost return enough times for the message to stick.
Many of them go on to a 12 week "Starting Point" class tackling their questions and objections to Christianity, where many, like me have been saved. But true Biblical transformation really happens in the 7 to 10 member community groups (currently about 8,000+ people in hundreds of groups) who meet weekly for Bible study, accountability, and prayer. They would continue to thrive even if our church closed every Sunday from now until rapture.
Matthew 5:23-24 stresses the importance of reconciliation with others, family in particular, before making an offering - God states it (as I paraphrase it) "Don't try to come to me and get all mushy about your relationship with me if your heart is still hardened against those around you - love Me by forgiving others, then come make your offering." How can we be right with God (other than our justification through Christ) with malice in our hearts against His children?
Every year, our church (little c) has a communion celebration on Friday before Christmas and each year we have been closed that Sunday to let those 1800 people go to another church or city to be with their family and nourish the goodwill toward men in person. Volunteering here at NPCC is a serious commitment. The staff wants us to guard ourselves against neglecting our families because of sin, addiction, work, hobbies, even excessive service behind which many "church people" hide.
This is not a "day off" for those who only go to church twice a year, sir. This is a day off that we have been given every year because voluteering is not an add on here. Community groups, volunteering and participation are our church. We, sir: you and I and all those who do good works ("which God prepared in advance for us to do." are the body of Christ - we are the Church (big C).
Are those "megachurches" celebrating Christmas on a different day? How many of their members are in community as iron sharpens iron? Tens of millions of people attend church on 2 days a year. The sad fact, though, is that they think they can put God in a box as an activitiy that they do once a week or twice a year, the Almighty at their beck and call. There is the real sadness. Where's the outrage over that?
Since when has attendance been an indicator of spiritual maturity?! We seek this end by encouraging them to participate with God, to invite Him into their daily life, beyond Sunday and with accountability. How have we missed the mark? Do we seek to fill empty pews with empty hearts who show up for piety's sake or to fill empty hearts with the fullness of God who lives in them the other 363 days of the year?
in Christ, who is our peace and has destroyed...the dividing wall of hostility...
Aarron
P.S. Where in the Bible does it say there is a specific day to celebrate Christmas?
BUT I AM FUMING MAD and finding the time to post about this. I just got my eMail from Terry Eastland - Beyond the News, and against my better judgment, I am responding while still rife with anger.
Mr. Eastland, you just don't get it. To cancel church would be at least a bit strange. To prioritize the world over the Lord, heresy. But, there is more going on here than you realize.
I have attended North Point Community Church for 4-1/2 years now and am completely amazed at the transformation that has taken place in my life. The fruit that is evidence of God's work is ripe and beautiful (this angry rant notwithstanding). Further, the work that He is doing and has done in the lives of so many who regularly attend is rich to say the least.
This great work is not accomplished without a price.
It takes nearly 1800 volunteers to turn our building into a vibrant, welcoming community of believers that fulfill the mission, the Great Commission, expressed in Christianese as "to lead people into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ". 1800 people volunteer strategically, to create environments for each age group that tear down barriers between God and the lost. Consequently, thousands of the lost return enough times for the message to stick.
Many of them go on to a 12 week "Starting Point" class tackling their questions and objections to Christianity, where many, like me have been saved. But true Biblical transformation really happens in the 7 to 10 member community groups (currently about 8,000+ people in hundreds of groups) who meet weekly for Bible study, accountability, and prayer. They would continue to thrive even if our church closed every Sunday from now until rapture.
Matthew 5:23-24 stresses the importance of reconciliation with others, family in particular, before making an offering - God states it (as I paraphrase it) "Don't try to come to me and get all mushy about your relationship with me if your heart is still hardened against those around you - love Me by forgiving others, then come make your offering." How can we be right with God (other than our justification through Christ) with malice in our hearts against His children?
Every year, our church (little c) has a communion celebration on Friday before Christmas and each year we have been closed that Sunday to let those 1800 people go to another church or city to be with their family and nourish the goodwill toward men in person. Volunteering here at NPCC is a serious commitment. The staff wants us to guard ourselves against neglecting our families because of sin, addiction, work, hobbies, even excessive service behind which many "church people" hide.
This is not a "day off" for those who only go to church twice a year, sir. This is a day off that we have been given every year because voluteering is not an add on here. Community groups, volunteering and participation are our church. We, sir: you and I and all those who do good works ("which God prepared in advance for us to do." are the body of Christ - we are the Church (big C).
Are those "megachurches" celebrating Christmas on a different day? How many of their members are in community as iron sharpens iron? Tens of millions of people attend church on 2 days a year. The sad fact, though, is that they think they can put God in a box as an activitiy that they do once a week or twice a year, the Almighty at their beck and call. There is the real sadness. Where's the outrage over that?
Since when has attendance been an indicator of spiritual maturity?! We seek this end by encouraging them to participate with God, to invite Him into their daily life, beyond Sunday and with accountability. How have we missed the mark? Do we seek to fill empty pews with empty hearts who show up for piety's sake or to fill empty hearts with the fullness of God who lives in them the other 363 days of the year?
in Christ, who is our peace and has destroyed...the dividing wall of hostility...
Aarron
P.S. Where in the Bible does it say there is a specific day to celebrate Christmas?
posted by Aarron & Cristine Pina at 7:47 AM
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