Beautiful word picture, right? If you have a weak stomach like I do, you can’t even stand the thought of it. Nevertheless, this is what so much of church has become. What do you mean, Matthew? I’m so glad you asked😀!
Churches do the same thing over and over and over, expecting to get great results. This year’s calendar looked like the calendar five years ago. Nostalgia is great until you look around your church to find that everyone but you and a few others have died. I heard a phrase once that stuck with me: “Predictability leads to low impact.” People get bored if they always know what is coming next. Call them unspiritual if you want, but even the Bible commands us to grow (aka not staying the same)!
Churches copy what another church did and expect the same results. When Rick Warren wrote “The Purpose Driven Church”, his intention was to teach principles. Instead, a lot of preachers got these wild ideas that they were going to turn their backwoods churches into Saddleback Community Church. Saddleback is in California. California and the rural Southeast are different worlds. Churches change their music, approach to Sunday School, government structure, etc. in an attempt to copy the growth another church experienced.
The bottom line is you and I cannot manufacture, reproduce, or regurgitate a move of God. I have no problems with planning and programs, but never allow them to replace prayer, Bible study, obedience to God, and the exaltation of the Lord Jesus Christ. When Jesus is magnified, He said He would draw people to Himself.
Is your life stale and potentially similar to dry vomit? Maybe you have neglected your personal time with God. Maybe you no longer live by faith. Maybe your Christian life is more about performance than it is about being in God’s presence. Too many people emphasize the church more than the Christ. Your life can be full of joy. Join me in recapturing the freshness of following Jesus.
Matthew Winters (Honest Thoughts from a Pastor) 
“The bottom line is you and I cannot manufacture, reproduce, or regurgitate a move of God.” And may I add, manipulate. Thanks for the emphasis on personal prayer and private time with God.
You make a very valid point that many try to manipulate a move of God. It’s sad, but I pray that God would give discernment to His people to separate manipulation from. genuine manifestation.
Wow!!! This is a GREAT POST! It says a lot of powerful and true things about how we lives our lives. Because we are creatures of habit, we continue to do the same things over and over again and wonder why we don’t get different results (predictability). The truth is we will park in the same spot day after day, sit in the same place in the restaurant, drive the exact same way to work, etc. Because of this post, I am taking a new look at myself and my own spiritual walk to see if I’ve become that way. Thank you for this great post!!!
God has definitely challenged me, and I love to encourage and challenge others with what God has done in me. God bless you as you walk with Him.
Reblogged this on Talmidimblogging.
Matthew,
Thanks for stopping by BigSisterKnows recently.
Your imagery is as accurate as it is gross! When we try to manipulate God to move, even if we do so with good intentions, it just doesn’t work out as we intended. We can only focus on God and obey His directions in our lives. Thanks for reminding us of this!
I look forward to reading more. May God continue to bless your endeavors.
Ashley
The Church is the Mystical Body of Christ. Because Christ is alive, the Church is alive. And living things grow. They don’t remain stagnant.
Alan
If the “church” is not being lead by the Spirit of God, it is time to find a new “church”… or a deeper relationship with the Lord. Thanks for sharing your words of wisdom.
Sometimes church leaders need reminders just like individual followers, that Jesus is way, the truth and the light. Not the programs, not the latest trend (church leaders tend to follow these too) or anything else. Jesus…Jesus…Jesus
So bold and filled with hard truths! Be the original that God called you to be vs duplicating and copying what God has given another! Love it! Blessings to you!😇
Amen! Brother preach!!! Thanks for the Same Spirit of God is at work in church believers are strategically placed by God in different locations to do the WORKS of God in context. Sometimes one size fits all message does not always work so each needs to adapt the message to suit the people. Thanks