"I want to talk about me, I want to talk about I, I want to talk about number one, oh me oh my."
Yesterday I was in a business taking care of some things and starting talking with a lady. I asked if she attended church and she does. I knew the church she attended and I said "That church has really grown." She replied, "Yes, I just don't like the music."
She went on to say what you would expect... the church primarily does contemporary music and she doesn't care for that. She added, "I like the old stuff...." I knew where she was headed but I let her continue.
As she finished I said gently..."I understand where you are coming from... but who walks in the doors of your business?"
She knew where I was headed and smiled and said "Oh, I know.."
Now, I'm NOT criticizing this lady. We had a good conversation and she was honest and I appreciate that. I She said the same thing I've heard many times... so nothing new.
But the bottom line is this.... we are primarily thinking of ourselves in the church today. Go ahead and throw rocks at me if you want to... but it's true.
I'm reminded of the country song by Toby Keith;
"I wanna talk about me, Wanna talk about i.
Wanna talk about number one. Oh my me my.
What I think, what I like, what I know, what I want, what I see ..."
That song could EASILY be sung in the modern church. We are consumed with "what I want,
what I like" and people are dying without Christ.
In our county, (Paulding) 70-80% of the population is unchurched. Do we care? That means that on Sunday morning, when Christians get up, dress and drive to church, we are passing more
people NOT going to church than we are those that are.
To reach those people, we have to begin doing different things... But... there's the rub...
We like things the way they are now. Now, we want to see people become Christians but, we
want them to do it on our schedule... the way WE think it should be done.
Imagine this.. let's say you are standing before God.. God asks "why didn't you lead more people to Christ." You respond, "well,Lord, you know.. they didn't like MY music. They wouldn't respond to what we were doing.'"
I can imagine God asking "since when did YOUR music become the only right music? You
realize, that the hymns and programs you prefer were new one time, right?'"
"Yeah, God but, if it was good enough for my Momma & Daddy.. it ought to be good enough for
everybody."
Now obviously, that's ridiculous but, that's pretty close to the truth.
The point is, we had better stop insisting on our way of doing things and start looking at how we can present the old message of the gospel in a new way to this generation... even if it means making some changes.
We are not reaching this generation... that is a fact.. We MUST... we MUST begin intentionally building relationships with people who... may not think like we do or dress like we do or like the same things we like and praying for opportunities to share the love of Christ.
Let's stop talking about "me" or "I"; let's talk about making changes to share the love of Jesus with a new generation.
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