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“How did we get to the place where church is something primarily for “me” and a place I go to “get” something from it?”

A thought by Darren Whitehead and Jon Tyson (2011-07-19) from their book, Rumors of God: Experience the Kind of Faith You´ve Only Heard About (Kindle Locations 1449-1450). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition.

It is so interesting how self-focused we as professed Christ-followers can be.  We profess to be other centered and Jesus centered but it doesn’t show by our attitudes, our actions and our love.

There are so many who have a mistaken idea that the Worship Gathering is for them and they are so quick to say what they want, what they expect.

Margaret and I will be moving next month to Seminole, Florida.  We have a church here in New York City we will miss that we drive 30 miles to be a part of because of its mission to reach out to the hurting, harassed and helpless.  We sit and worship with homeless people who come in out of the cold to get warm and to eat something.  That is what drew us to Forefront Church.

Our church is a church filled with young people who have come to the city to make it in their chosen field.  New York City is where the talented young of the world come to make their mark but it is also a city where the hurting of the world sit and walk all around us.  Our church has a passion to reach not only the successful but also the hurting.  Forefront has gotten it.  We have great Worship and challenging messages but we also have a driving burden to fulfill the mission to reach the hurting, the harassed and the helpless of the world.  

What about your church?  What about you?

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