Doing Church vs. Being The Church

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One of the questions I often get from other leaders is why GRANITE has grown the way she has over the years. One of the keys for us has always been teaching our church what it means to BE THE CHURCH as opposed to simply DOING CHURCH. When a congregation is simply DOING CHURCH they do nothing more than go through the motions each and every Sunday, embracing and clinging to the same ole, same ole. Another thing that becomes "sacred" to congregations that live for DOING CHURCH is clinging to tradition, basking in the successes of the past as opposed to the DREAM JESUS has called them to in the present with eyes focused on the future. So what does it mean to BE THE CHURCH? It's a transformation that takes place in a congregation when the people begin to understand what it means to be the VISIBLE LIVING BODY OF CHRIST IN THE WORLD. It is then when the church goes from doing "JESUS/RELIGIOUS STUFF" to "BEING/LIVING JESUS" in every area of their lives which is brought into their communities. It's been said that people would rather see a sermon than hear a sermon any day, and we believe that happens when we move from DOING CHURCH to BEING THE CHURCH. Let's never forget and commit to teaching our churches that we are the hands, voice box, feet, and extended arms of Jesus in this world. When our churches go beyond learning these facts theologically and we help them make it practical this is the realm where real life change takes place and churches take off!

Comments

  1. Rob WillisJuly 1, 2009 at 8:05 AM

    The temptation is to always go into "cruise control" when you've reached certain goals - and goals, instead of motivators to continue growing, instead becomes "plateaus" in which we find our "comfort level" and desire to stay at. I believe most every believer and every church is tempted at some point to stay on a plateau rather than keep growing. Good words, bro.

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