Hey Brad,
I don't know what the deal is, but I sent this message over a week ago.  Wow!
Kathy



At 07:58 AM 1/29/2005, you wrote:
>ey Brad,
>One question, how long do you wait, when exploring a new church, before you
>get involved?  I would like to respond to your answer, whatever it is.
>Kathy
>
>
>
>
>At 05:57 PM 1/23/2005, you wrote:
> >Approaching the harbor you are struck with awe of the external view of the
> >ship you are about to board. It's girth, length, height and width are
> >breath taking to consider. One wonders how this vessel can stay afloat with
> >it's many floors, cargo and people. As you approach to board it along with
> >hundreds of others you have no idea of what exists inside and excitement
> >builds as you consider what it is like inside this enormous piece of craft.
> >Slowly you make your way through the chained barricades as they wind you to
> >and fro like a maze until finally you walk up the gang plank and for the
> >first time see what lies inside this ship. Once you are inside and look
> >around, and get a feel of what it is you find, just like a church, you are
> >either aboard a party barge, slave ship, or Christ cruiser. It is difficult
> >when you have researched the voyage and ship prior to boarding and then
> >find later, after you have purchased your ticket and packed your bags, that
> >you need to jump off at the next port because it is not the ship for you,
> >the voyage is not what you had hoped. Again this is similar to churches. We
> >find Party Barges who drink up the Holy Spirit like a bar fly and party on
> >in a sea of lost folks totally oblivious  to anything beyond their claims
> >in Christ for their own wants and desires. And you have slave ships who
> >also have blinders on who are so consumed with working on the inside of the
> >four walls which hold it's cause, that they begin to burn out and the
> >voyage becomes very labor some and with each stroke of a row, it seems the
> >ship moves no where, none of the  people floating lost at sea are picked up
> >because the focus is on the ship, therefore no new blood comes in to spread
> >the load of work, no sense of accomplishment is seen, no progress, no
> >nothing but sight of endless work and no forward progress but just enough
> >bustle to stay afloat. Sort of like flailing ones arms about the surface of
> >the water in a disorganized manner, and for the enormous amount of energy
> >spent, it is by the occasional hits upon the water treading water is
> >fortunately accomplished, while breathing becomes more and more difficult
> >and the arms are beginning to burn with muscle fatigue. And we also have
> >Christ Cruisers who focus on Christ, the lost, set forth plans by the
> >guidance of god and although much work is put into it, it is done joyfully
> >and with genuine appreciation and one is energized to continue and through
> >the efforts those willing to be picked from the salty sea are done so,
> >brought in, washed off, and join the ranks of laborers  making it easier
> >yet to lift more folks out of the sea.
> >
> >It is indeed difficult to find balance in a church. I too am in  just such
> >a position. I've  bought my ticket, boarded the ship and began work, and
> >found out it is a slave ship and in need of checking out at the next port
> >stop. I'm somewhat convicted as I despise church hopping. That is to say,
> >to hop hop hop to find just the church that fits my needs, for my wants,
> >the way I want things to be. After all why don't they do things the way I
> >suggested or want, after all that is the best way... right? Right? I do not
> >care for that attitude and yet I know that is not the motivator of my
> >stepping back from music over the next month or two and eventually
> >researching a new voyager. For months and months we've served with no
> >vision, no plan, no idea of where we are heading. No sense of making a
> >difference and lack of conviction that if we ran across someone in
> >desperate need of god, that we could bring them to church and they'd
> >actually be affected. In fact there is no real opportunity for them to be
> >affected on this particular ship. After this decision has been made, now
> >out comes the big plans for a vision, to take action, to move forward, and
> >etc. The idea of removing commitment of music is so freeing, so lifting of
> >a burden, I hadn't realized how much it was weighing on my shoulders.
> >Either I am really missing God to be backing out at this juncture of the
> >church catching a vision and goal planning, or this is the divine appointed
> >time to do such to make way for a right person for the work. I've been
> >through essentially two churches on the entry level of growth and getting
> >feet off the ground and now this one, and have experienced as well a ship
> >who is established and carries wisdom and is making a difference. I can't
> >help but look for the latter as it has become too draining to continue to
> >reside in the former.
> >
> >I don't look for the perfect church, cause I'll join and ruin it, but I do
> >gauge  or discern it from it's fruit as God's word says.
> >
> >Brad