FredMcKinnon.Com

Great points, Deane … I hesitated to publish this one yesterday, because:
1 – Thursday is a light traffic day on the blog
2 – I’d published “Slow Dance” only a couple of hours before, and seldom ever publish 2 blogs.

I hate the conversation didn’t take off on this one … yet.

So, my thoughts … I think your questions are valid, but I also think that many of the “either/or” presentations are actually being fulfilled simultaneously.

And yeah, for the sake of discussion, the context of Tim’s quote is definitely geared for the corporate gatherings, not individual life. As individuals, we don’t need to recruit a lot of volunteers to walk out our own personal faith in the every-day life.

Example:
#1 Is the focus on plugging people into positions into the local “church” or the one true church?

My answer: isn’t one the expression of the other? Not sure either/or works, it’s both. The context of this particular article; however, was definitely the local congregation.

#2: What is more important, plugging people into childcare for Sunday morning or helping people discover how to live lives of worship (service) to God?

My Answer: can’t these be one in the same? Helping a volunteer find their “shape” as we’re teaching in our new “301″ class upstairs that started last night … that will definitely plug the right person into their Sunday “reach out” role … but at the same time, we hope that it will equip them and illuminate them for further service outside the 4 walls. Serving in Vacation Bible Schools at other churches. Working with kids at the Boy’s Club. Spearheading the children’s outreach on a foreign missions trip. Etc., etc.

As long as we have the “corporate assemly” we’ll need volunteers and servants, it seems. The issue of how they operate “after they leave” is one of teaching, awareness, and discipleship … and I totally agree, is a big deal, and one that we’re lacking in tremendously.

Then again, I look at some of the stuff that is going on “Monday-Saturday” as an extension of our own “local church” – not just the foreign missions, but the local work … the kids, all week this summer, packing boxes for the hungry at the Boy’s Club, serving at Salvation Army, serving at Mannah House, being “Unleashed” in the community.

The “God of This City” projects where we’ve repaired homes, reached out to the poor and needy.

The guys who drove up to the Cordele Farmer’s Market this week, and brought a pickup truck load of corn, melons, peaches, tomatoes, fruits/veggies … and gave them out for free to some widows, some of the poor and needy (and yes, to some of our SSCC STAFF, including me) …

Slowly, I think we’re getting it. It’s a minority, yes .. but I’m seeing people begin to make a difference.