Isaiah 61

Tom Brock considers what the Church should be doing

Tom Brock

I've been thinking about the loss of Robin Williams and the many people being killed, abused and mistreated around the world. My thoughts have been on why he and they aren't finding us. When I say 'us' I mean the Church.

If you have an accident and you need medical attention you would find a hospital. If there wasn't one nearby you would search one out for urgent care. In our profile as the Church, we tell people we are a place to find hope and peace; a place of refuge and safety. Somehow the message isn't getting through in a way that those who are in need are hearing it though.

What has happened to us? It seems that we are so focused on our presentation on a Sunday, or any other day we meet, that we have lost those we say we are presenting for. In our pursuit of trying to be cool, have we lost our identity?

When you drive by a fire station, you recognise what it is and you know what is being offered there; you understand the purpose of why they exist and they have proven their identity by the fruit of their actions. The same goes for hospitals, police stations and many more. But when we drive by a church can we say the same thing?

When we pastored, there was a popular saying that said, "If your church disappeared tomorrow, would anyone in your community notice?" It was always something I held in my heart in the things we did in our community. We always wanted to be the 'go to place' and to let people know that they could find answers there. I'm not sure if we pulled it off. We had some success as the police would bring to us those in need, as did a few other places who had people who needed spiritual support. I'm not sure if we had a lot of 'walk in's' and I think that's what's bugging me right now. Why can't those in need find us? What is keeping them from coming to us to stop the bleeding and get some support to at least get them through the night? We call 911, but very few call the Church.

I think it would be really cool if that would change; that when people found themselves in crisis, they would look for road signs to the church and there they would find someone who was willing to invest into them and help them make it through the night.

We look better than we ever have; we are cooler than we have ever been, but the question is are we effective? When people are in trouble do others say or do they think, 'call the church'?

Don't get mad at me thinking I'm ragging on the Church. We spend our lives investing into the Church; we love her and know it is the most powerful evangelical tool in the box of the Kingdom, but we have to take a good look at things and evaluate if we are really reaching our destiny and touching those who are in need.

We can see a lot of answers of where we are at by looking at where we are spending our money. Just like universities expanding their base and hospitals choosing to open a specialty wing, they show their hearts by where they invest. The big question is where are we spending our time and money? What are we expressing to those who drive by?

I am saddened by the loss of Robin, but I am heart-broken that we are missing the mark on reaching thousands upon thousands that are looking for an answer and don't know that we carry what they are looking for.

"Lord show us the way. Help us reach those who are in need. Change our profile and cause us to be more identifiable to those who are looking. Take our eyes off ourselves and teach us to focus on your heart. Break our hearts with the things that break your heart and let us be moved with compassion for all in need. Bring cleansing to us oh God, and renew a right spirit in our hearts, so we might represent you as you want to be represented. I pray that when people see us, they will see an answer and know we can offer them help in times of need. Lord for our inheritance please give us the lost and let us become a place of refuge and answers for them. Hear our prayer oh Lord."