Wednesday, September 30, 2009


When Church Was Full

by

Blake Spencer


Here's the church- here's the steeple- open the door

and

here they all are in thier Sunday best

with bright shining faces in all thier places -

if you're happy and you know it clap your hands!


But

then

they grew up.


Here's the church - here's the steeple - open the door

and where did they all go?

They left.


We remain...

faithfully voicing -

"We taught our children to listen."


Listen to the lesson.

Listen while you make a craft.

Listen to the teacher.

Listen to the preacher.


We speak vows at the font promising to nurture.

Here's the church - here's the steeple - open the door and...

we did not listen - we did not hear

thier questions...

ideas...

stories...

fear.


Yearning for what was - we miss what

is.


There

is

good news.


It

is

not too late.


We have hearts to love and ears to hear.

What is your question...

idea...

story...

fear.

6 comments:

Reverend Shawn said...

I LOVE this ... and I LOVE that we can comment again ... the ONLY way to deal with hate is by exposing it to the light and it WILL wither away in the Light of Love that is Faithfulness ... anonymity is the refuge of the fear-filled and the fearful ... be not afraid is the counsel of faith !!

laughing pastor said...

Thanks Canadian Friend. I did not mean to cut off all commenting. I shut it down afraid of what I might say. I needed some space for a bit. Then I realized I had shut everyone down. I open for commenting again thanks for your encouragement and wisdom. I know you know!

Diane M. Roth said...

this is really important.

Janet said...

Churches must realize that change is good. I see so much apathy today. We need a 60's revolution again! How can people not care about each other?!

barb said...

I find it interesting that liberals use the word "hate" any time a Christian (let me define that: someone who has trusted Jesus Christ as their saviour) expresses an opionion - or, heaven forbid - calls a liberal out on their views. My views are in line with what the Bible teaches on sin, salvation, etc. Are there a lot of areas outside of salvation that can be argued, yes, but when it comes to salvation - either you have trusted Jesus or you haven't - and that is what makes you a Christian.

This seems to be where folks like Blake get confused. Certainly, he is welcome to teach from the Bible - or I guess, the Koran, the Book of Mormon - whatever - but that doesn't make him or what he teaches inherently "Christian". Perhaps, Blake needs to create a church that isn't Christian - just sounds "Christian" and allows him to just pick and choose on what to believe. That might make it easier for those who AREN'T pastors to not get confused by what is TRUE Christianity and what ISN'T.

Tracy said...

Definitions:
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/hate

Synonyms:
http://thesaurus.reference.com/browse/hate

I don't know you, Barb, or anyone else on here for that matter, but your comments specifically really do come off with an air the complete opposite of love. In my understanding of language, that would be considered hate, or something along those lines if not quite as deep as hate.

You seem so hell-bent (emphasis intended) on putting Pastor Blake in his place, and yet I think the bottom line of what JESUS taught in all circumstances was to show LOVE & COMPASSION. You don't need to waste your energy proving to yourself what you feel about Pastor Blake, it is CLEAR you already believe it and have no room for any other view in your mind or heart. The rest of us, however, do not share your view. That does not make any of us non-Christian; in fact, possbily quite the opposite, that despite your claims, we choose to love and pray for him, AND YOU.