A Gathering Force

by Jason Jeong

A Gathering Force by Francis Chan

by Francis Chan

Is there any logic in believing that God started His Church as a Spirit-filled, loving body with the intention that it would evolve into entertaining, hour-long services? Was he hoping that one day people would be attracted to the Church not because they care for one another, not because they are devoted to Him, not because the supernatural occurs in their midst, but because of good music and entertainment?

Try to imagine what conclusions you would come to if you had no prior church experience. The things in church services might make sense to the American church-attendee, but they don’t make sense biblically.

Picture yourself on an island with only a Bible. You’ve never been to a church-you’ve never even heard of one. The only ideas you have about church are what you’ve read in your Bible. Then you enter a building labeled "church" for the first time. What would you expect to experience as you entered that building? Now compare that to what you actually experience when you attend church.

GANG RELATED
A while back, an ex-gang member got baptized at our church. He fell in love with Jesus and turned from his old lifestyle. But after several months at the church, he stopped attending. When we asked him why he stopped attending, he answered…

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{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }

daB_iNFeRnO January 23, 2009 at 6:37 pm

i can definitely see how the ex-gang member felt
i kinda see it in church
how ppl are cliquish . i wish it wasnt like that.
i totally agree with francis

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Jason Jeong January 27, 2009 at 11:46 pm

but you gotta think, what needs to change? how do you change it?

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