What makes the Church dangerous?
In no particular order:
1. Love
2. Rabid intentionality about reflecting the risen Christ in deed and word, in that order
3. Signs and wonders
4. Communion
5. Meaningful spiritual friendships
6. Learning put into practice
7. Prayer
8. Its children and teens
9. Gracious countercultural lifestyle
10. Corporate worship as the starting line
11. Generosity
12. Service/justice
13. Mess
14. Truth
The more of the above-listed dangerous things that exist in a local congregation, the safer I feel.
On the other hand…
What makes a congregation dangerous?
Again, in no particular order:
A. Cliques
B. Institutionalism / “…but we’ve always doen it this way…”
C. Favoritism, nepotism
D. Unwritten rules
E. Lies
F. Agendas masquerading as sermons
G. Unteachable leaders
H. Ignoring or pandering to children and teens
I. Gossip
J. Pastors with money or sex secrets
K. Inhospitablity
L. Demonizing all opposition
M. Focus on appearances
N. Control
What would you add to either of these lists?
To the second list:
– Apathy
– Lack of prayer
– Diva-ism (in worship team, e.g.)
Yes. Yes. Yes.
Amen!
Two good lists. Along with unwritten rules, I've seen some pretty stupid rules written down. Usually along the lines of, "Real Christians don't…" or when God really works, He always does it this way…" although I guess those would fall under agendas.
I didn't see the Holy Spirit on the first list. Not in the sense of "My church is Spirit-filled, and yours isn't," but in the sense that when God works in His Church, the power of the Holy Spirit is present, whether there are signs and wonders or not.
On the first list, by Communion, did you mean the Lord's Supper? I ask because I've heard the word used to mean "mediation and prayer" (communion with the Lord) or "fellowship" (communion with other believers). I think the Church as a whole, and many evangelical congregations in particular underestimate the importance of the Lord's Supper.
"…unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you… Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him." John 6:54, 56
"Take, eat; this is my body." "Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins." Matthew 26:26, 27
I won't argue about the exact way in which Christ is present at His table; I just wanted to point out that we receive real spiritual food there, which gives us strength to resist the world, the flesh, and the devil.
Papa Bear, I agree with you completely regarding Presence in communion/the Lord's Supper. I was referring to the unleavened bread and cup when I brainstormed my lists, but liked the idea that a reader might infer fellowship with other believers from the word as well.
I didn't list the members of the Trinity on my first list, but God is there at work in each of the items.
I like your add of "written rules" – they can create an atmosphere of Pharisaism, can't they?