Haggai 2:9
‘The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former,’ saith the Lord of hosts. ‘And in this place will I give peace,’ saith the Lord of hosts.
For the last few months all I’ve had on my heart and mind was us getting back into the church building. But I knew I needed some expert advice. And as God would have it, last week three prominent mega-church bishops from three different denominations recorded a conversation about returning to church. Won’t He do it? I sat intently listening to every word. I knew that something wonderful would be shared; some advice we all could take to heart. And trust me, I wasn’t disappointed.
In short, the conversation boiled down to two things. #1. Things will never be the same again. And #2. Our latter will be greater than our former.
The supposition for the first issue is deeply embedded in the fact that us “baby boomers”, (that’s my peers and age group) proceed with a cultural dynamic that probably has come to an end. In all my life, and the life of many of you reading this, we have done everything in response to creating better and better gatherings. Our entire life is influenced by this single construct. We gather at work. We gather to work. We gather in schools, malls, movies, salons and barbershops. And we gather at church. Our lives are centered around the type of gatherings we attend: or better yet, allowed to attend. Because, for us, gatherings give us meaning…power, purpose.
That’s why we covet the big office with a view. That’s why it’s so important that we get the front row at the concert. And sadly, in some cases, that’s why we serve the way we serve in church. We want to be recognized by the “gatherers”. Being in front means we’re special. Being seen by so many people means we’ve finally arrived. So it’s no surprise that mega-churches have popped up everywhere. What better way to demonstrate your prowess?
But what happens when the gathering comes to an end?
Must I state the obvious? There’s been a shift in the atmosphere. The things we did before no longer resonate like they use to. No one cares about the corner office anymore. We can watch movies on our phones. And dare I say it? We can worship the Lord right at home. So where is all this going? I’m glad you asked.
In the conversation that the bishops were having, they identified a fallacy in our current thinking that I understood, but just couldn’t articulate. Thank God for his brilliant servants. Oftentimes, we use the scripture in Hebrews (10:25) Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. But we do so from our cultural bias that gathering is our supreme goal. Case in point: we come to church for years and still can’t name the folk on the row we sit every Sunday. Yes, we gather (assemble) but we don’t connect. God is calling for folk that not only come together, but truly connect. Folk willing to engage, and be engaged with each other in the bond of love and unity.
This morning’s theme comes from a song written by Michael McDonald title, I Keep Forgetting. His lyrics are, I keep forgettin' we're not in love anymore, I keep forgettin' things will never be the same again, I keep forgettin' how you made that so clear, I keep forgettin'. I found myself singing this the other day, but replacing the word ‘love’ with ‘church’. Hope I don’t get sued!
My point is simply that, no matter how much we try and go backwards, we just can’t. No matter how hard we try and put the toothpaste back in the tube, it won’t work. Haggai preached a similar message to the people of Israel. They too were faced with rebuilding their temple after being away for a very long time. And they too tried to reestablish familiar traditions and comfortable settings. But the prophet spoke to them, and speaks to us today; our latter house will be greater than the former. Our latter ministries will be greater than the former.
Dear people of God, the Lord is ready to do more with us than he’s ever done before. We will go from gathering to connecting. Our connections will have meaning, purpose, power and influence: spiritual influence. So let’s not prepare to go backwards but forward. Let’s not forget, We’re Not In Church Anymore.
God bless
