YOU’RE LAZY.
There. I said it.
Lazy hands make for poverty, but diligent hands bring wealth. Proverbs 10:4
Catchy title huh? Let me be clear as I write this, this article is mostly for me. Yes, I write to myself sometimes and this time I thought I’d let you in on my crazy thinking, only because I think many of us struggle with laziness. Ok, ok...let your shock and “online media outrage” calm down a little... Let me explain.
I’ve been involved in church since I was a kid, like many of you reading this I’m guessing (for those of you who came later, it kinda still applies) and we all know how the intricacies of church work. It becomes clear to me that I am lazy. Not by nature, just by circumstance. You see, as believers it’s easy to go through the motions, even to look busy, or think we’re busy (selah) doing God’s work, when in reality we are stuck in a pattern of mediocre christianity. Ouch. Remember, I’m also talking to myself.
When our church “services” become the main crux of our ministries, I think we have lost the passion and heart for the actual church. What do I mean, you ask? Well, I have sat and created song lists, managed worship teams, led worship around the world, but unless I have a true relationship with God and His people (Luke 10:27), all my attentions will fall into the hands of busy work for the sake of a great church service, or at least one that rivals the churches we follow on social media.
So where does the laziness come in? Certainly most of us aren’t lazy! Well, for me, I can tackle most contemporary church things with ease. Our church services can become repetitive. Maybe this is due to a high volume of people and time constraints (completely understood), but we all know most western church services will go something like this:
Worship / Offering / Message / Worship / Altar Call
Right? Laziness can become just the routine of these motions. I’d like to say I’m trying to cultivate a new culture in the church, that through this season Im finding new revelations about who God is and how he connects with us (5+ points to those who find all the christian buzzwords I just used) but really it’s about finding a passion for what God wants in his church, and that, I believe, is RELATIONSHIP. Something we can never be lazy or routine about.
So what’s the remedy? I’ve been asking myself this for a while now. It’s simply . . . connection. With God and those around you. But it all takes effort. Effort to reach out to others and connect with people beyond your set list and church services. Take time to really figure out your passion for the church like He does. Structure is not a bad thing, but are you listening to the Holy Spirit to guide your worship? Is he telling you during the week what songs would speak to your congregation? What would revive them? Bring them closer to who He is? Are we reaching out to those around us, making sure they have all they need?
If so, I wouldn’t put you in the lazy category. But for many of us, church has become something we do, not something we are. Let’s change that together.
Just as the human body is one, though it has many parts that together form one body, so too is Christ. For by one Spirit we all were immersed and mingled into one single body. And no matter our status—whether we are Jews or non-Jews, oppressed or free—we are all privileged to drink deeply of the same Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 12:12