Post by denise on Jul 25, 2006 11:39:08 GMT -5
Stop Dating the Church by Joshua Harris
Jack met Grace and was immediately interested in her looks and the words she spoke, the music she sang was beautiful and so professional sounding. She spent hours practicing so it would be just right. These were the things that Jack found so appealing. Soon however the very things that he had found so appealing were annoying. She spent all her time on her own performance and when he really needed her she was not there, of course he didn' t spend much time with her either. Her faults were coming out more and more, perhaps it was time to move on. Jack is a man Grace is his church.
With the analogy of marriage, the author sets out to show that church is a relationship, a family. It can be nothing less. In Ephesian 5:25-32 Christ calls the Church His bride. In the analogy, Harris takes to task the idea of going from place to place to find what the church can do for us. If we are in relationship with Christ then we must begin a relationship with other believers and he believes that begins in a local church. We cannot date the church, going from one to another, leaving one because the music is not to our liking or something in the sermon causes us discomfort. He advocates that church membership be like a marriage, working out differences in a loving relationship. Many people go from church to church looking for something that they will never find until their feet are planted and they begin to look at themselves. If there is a problem with all the churches attended then perhaps that problem is us.
We have all known people who cannot stay in a relationship or are hesitant to begin a relationship because there is too much required. We have to look inward and see what we need to adjust to make things work. Some people are too selfish to do that and never can commit to a relationship and in this instance commit to a church.
Harris gives points to look for in a church and does not take church membership lightly. He even goes so far as to say that some will move because of their jobs but how many determine their living location by their church. How many would turn down a job in order to stay in their church and not move away?
In our disposable society this book might ruffle feathers because we think of church as entertainment and not a covenant, of being served instead of serving. When we are no longer entertained or when God begins to speak to us about things we should change we want to leave and go some place that is comfortable. Harris realizes there are instances when leaving is the only option, if the pastor begins to preach heresy, however, if we are just tired or unwilling to change then he advocates staying, working through, making it work, commit and stop dating.
Jack met Grace and was immediately interested in her looks and the words she spoke, the music she sang was beautiful and so professional sounding. She spent hours practicing so it would be just right. These were the things that Jack found so appealing. Soon however the very things that he had found so appealing were annoying. She spent all her time on her own performance and when he really needed her she was not there, of course he didn' t spend much time with her either. Her faults were coming out more and more, perhaps it was time to move on. Jack is a man Grace is his church.
With the analogy of marriage, the author sets out to show that church is a relationship, a family. It can be nothing less. In Ephesian 5:25-32 Christ calls the Church His bride. In the analogy, Harris takes to task the idea of going from place to place to find what the church can do for us. If we are in relationship with Christ then we must begin a relationship with other believers and he believes that begins in a local church. We cannot date the church, going from one to another, leaving one because the music is not to our liking or something in the sermon causes us discomfort. He advocates that church membership be like a marriage, working out differences in a loving relationship. Many people go from church to church looking for something that they will never find until their feet are planted and they begin to look at themselves. If there is a problem with all the churches attended then perhaps that problem is us.
We have all known people who cannot stay in a relationship or are hesitant to begin a relationship because there is too much required. We have to look inward and see what we need to adjust to make things work. Some people are too selfish to do that and never can commit to a relationship and in this instance commit to a church.
Harris gives points to look for in a church and does not take church membership lightly. He even goes so far as to say that some will move because of their jobs but how many determine their living location by their church. How many would turn down a job in order to stay in their church and not move away?
In our disposable society this book might ruffle feathers because we think of church as entertainment and not a covenant, of being served instead of serving. When we are no longer entertained or when God begins to speak to us about things we should change we want to leave and go some place that is comfortable. Harris realizes there are instances when leaving is the only option, if the pastor begins to preach heresy, however, if we are just tired or unwilling to change then he advocates staying, working through, making it work, commit and stop dating.