[Church and Discipleship] The 1st and 21st Centuries Collide [6/13]

Without question, the pure model of the first century church is far removed from our current culture. We have a consumerist mentality combined with a desire for independence that makes us difficult to please or know. We come home in our SUV’s and as we drive up the driveway the garage door opens and swallows us and our vehicle and closes behind us leaving us safe in our castle. And we all look alike. And we all have nicely trimmed lawns. And we all have our own lawn mowers and our own garden tools and our own large screen TV’s and our own swimming pools and our own private lives. And we don’t know our neighbors. And they don’t know us. And we go to church every week. And if we’re super-spiritual we go to Sunday School every week. And if we’re spiritual giants we might even attend a bible study during the week. And if we’re super-spiritual giants we might even host the mid-week bible study!

OK I’m being a little harsh but I hope you see my point. If we really want to be a disciple and a disciple maker, it’s not going to be easy. At least not at first. The entire process that I described earlier (including the first century church) is in direct contrast to how we live our lives today. We don’t have time to eat meals with our own families much less with people we’re just getting to know. I’m not about to suggest that we all form communes so that we can all live, eat, sleep and work together. I believe that ultimately this would isolate us from the very people whom God is attempting to put us into proximity with.