Is Your Church Mature?

This is a post copied off of Tim Stevens blog. What a great post.

Last week in a meeting, Mark Beeson started on a rant about maturity in the church and what it means. It was good. Real good. In fact, we told him he should write about it on his blog soon!

Well, he did, last Friday. Check it out:

Three days ago Rick Warren proffered this question for me to mull over. What is the mature church?

I knew immediately how I would respond: "The 'mature church' is the church filled with immaturity."

Anywhere in the world, whether plant or animal, the clear delineation of maturity is the ability to reproduce. Immature animals can't reproduce. Immature plants can't replicate themselves. The definition of maturity is being fully ripe, fully aged, so the connotation of maturity is obvious. Where you see maturity you'll observe new life, babies and immaturity all over the place.

Maturity desires reproduction. Maturity tolerates juvenile behavior (from juveniles) while training its progeny for success in life. Maturity means little [babies] running all over the place.

If you attend a mature church, be prepared for immaturity. Where you find mature Christians you'll find little babes in Christ running all over the place. In fact, if you have been looking for a church where everyone tithes and everyone serves--you're not looking for a mature church, you are looking for a dying church - aged, impotent and bereft of spiritual newborns because everyone is mature.

Few things are more disturbing than a flock of adult believers standing around complaining that no one has come to Christ while refusing to do something that might result in new life. So when you bump into someone who acts immature at one of our services, don't complain, and don't be surprised. Instead, thank God the mature in Christ are busy delivering newborn babies to the family of God.

What do you think. Do you agree with Mark's definition?

March 24, 2008 | Permalink

Saying Hello

Here's my baby's first every picture. This has to be the coolest thing ever.

Throw it away!!

I have spent most of the day today cleaning up after the previous person(s) who have worked in my position. I could tell after just 30 minutes that no one had thought of cleaning or organizing in a long time. I found files from 2 years ago and team rosters of people who don't even live around here anymore.

It makes everyones job easier if you stay organized. If you don't need it, throw it away. It makes no sense in keeping old rosters or schedules, or whatever other weekly items you may use today. Those types of things take up space...THROW IT AWAY when you are done with them.

It has been said that leaders should always be training someone to replace them, so when they leave someone can pick up where the leader left off. It is the leaders job not to leave their trash behind. CLEAN UP!! STAY ORGANIZED!!

The Results Are In

I just finished reading/ taking Strengths Finder 2.0. As a result I learned a lot about the way I think, which I found interesting because I like to learn apparently. Here are my top five strengths.

1. Analytical: Whats the root cause? Why?

2. Discipline: Everything has its place, put it there.

3. Includer: How can I make you feel happy?

4. Learner: What's new, I want to know

5. Responsibility: I'll get it done, so stop worrying.

These results were surprisingly right on with how I think. Check out StrengthsFinder.com to learn more about yourself. If you've taken this test before what are your strengths?

How do you act?

What you want to be will determine how you act. If you are currently a church of 150 people, but you want to be a church of 1500 people what are you acting like? To be a church of 1500 people you have to act like you already are a church of 1500 people. If we are not acting or thinking large we will continue to stay like we are.

Have you felt like you are not growing or maybe you see spurts of growth but no consistency, then look at how you are acting. Your actions will determine your future.

My Bible Journey

Genesis 6:6 Gods regrets ever creating people, it broke his heart
Ever done something that seemed right at the time, but then you notice how wrong it really is. Or, you think you do something nice for someone only to get the cold shoulder in return. This is what man did with God. Man walked with God - Man turned from God.

Genesis 7:16 God closes the door of the ark
The ark was a life saver for Noah and his family. First Noah had to first be obedient to God and build the ark, then Noah had to walk into the ark (the blessing from God). Sometimes we may be doing what God wants us to do, but we never walk into the blessing. Noah could have built the ark and never walked in.

Genesis 8:21 Even though people are stupid
God knows that we are messed up people. But he will never leave us. No matter what we do, how bad we mess up, He is always there.