Surf's Up!

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The waves are coming! I've never officially surfed. I've body surfed quite a lot and I've hung onto a boogie board for dear life from time to time, but no one's ever accused me of being blond, tanned, fit and reckless. I have a deep appreciation for the power of waves and at how helpless they can make you feel.

I'm caught in one right now, as a matter of fact. God sent in the wave and caught me off guard. Our church is going multi-site and using a multi-pronged approach to reach the lost in a large area of southeast Michigan. Almost everything we are doing or planning to do is new to us. In fact, it is outside of our CoC DNA. We MUST do it, though, for the Spirit is moving us in such a dynamic and forceful way that to resist it would be an act of open rebellion.

For most of my life the church (my particular tribe of it, anyway) has ignored the waves of change and the waves of human experience. We refused to grab our boards, climb on, and ride the big blue curl. We were comfortable treading water and either denying waves even existed or, if admitting that they might, we refused to get caught up in them. We stayed in our small group -- our buddy system intact, maintained by disapproval and a very large unwritten creed backed up by brotherhood publications -- paddling around in a tight circle while the wild and woolly people around us shouted "Cowabunga!" and zipped away.

The days of denominational loyalty are over. Most of the arguments we used to keep each other in line have failed in the two youngest generations on the planet. In retrospect, most of the arguments seem rather silly, like a theological version of the Monty Python argument scene with John Cleese (and going to church was akin to paying 5 pounds for the privelege of argument!). Like it or not, this is reality; our children are not impressed with our John Locke lockstep. They couldn't care less about postmodernism or modernism. They want to live in a way that matters, in a caring community, and in a way that brings honor to God.

But they don't want a megachurch -- brand name or not. They don't want a tiny church. They want to be in an active and meaningful small group that is part of a larger movement, one they can "dock with" from time to time; one that rides the waves with them and gathers to share the experiences in fellowship and grace.

I have fought God most of my life. I think of myself as a reluctant minister, a hesitant leader, a fearful explorer, and a timid son... but God keeps patiently sending the waves until I can't help myself -- I climb on and ride. Tomorrow night we -- the staff and elders -- will talk to a hand selected group of 60 of our members and give them our vision; what we believe the Lord can do here, with us, if we are unafraid.

I believe that Jesus would tell us "Lift up your eyes, for the fields are ripe for harvest" again. And he wouldn't want us standing on the shore, or dog-paddling in a tight, self-congratulatory group. He'd be the first to climb on his board and shoot the curl, all the while waving us onward.

Surf's up! Let's ride!