Witness


I was reading the verse and devotional given for today in the 30 day journal and the question was "what do you think it means to be one of Christ's witnesses?" I'm a little too practical sometimes and as a result I went to Webster's dictionary (online, I may be practical, but I've very 22nd century) to look up "witness". Webster's had 6 entries for Witness. I really liked the wording for the 3rd entry. It's "One asked to be present at a transaction so as to be able to testify to its having taken place". When I think that in terms of Christ and the gospel, I'm encouraged. He asked the disciples then and he asks us now to be present with him and to testify that _______ has taken place. Insert His transactions in the blank, whether it be dark to light, death to life, old man to new man, our spirit to His Holy Spirit.

Even though being a witness comes with great responsibility, it offers a peace like no other at the same time.

I hate confrontation....

I had a real tense discussion with several friends last night about the ministry that we're all associated with in one capacity or the other. That ministry is "the aritist formerly known as" the ring. Kind of a joke there, but that phrase actually lays a pretty good foundation for our discussion last night and any discussion that would grow from this blog post.

The ring is becoming the ring community church officially on Feb 12, 2006. I'm understanding now that the ring's "becoming" is becoming a source of division for some people. The ring started as a ministry to the college students of Baton Rouge, LA. Basically it was started and has been overseen by a group of twenty-somethings for, I guess, around 8 or so years now.

The tension arose out of criticism that the ring is changing and that maybe the college crowd would not be or feel welcome for several different reasons, the main one being that it's just not a college based ministry anymore. This blog post is not meant to rail against, ridicule, or belittle those criticisms. If anything, I want help create a jumping off point for discussion. You gotta understand, I respect and love these folks who brought the criticisms to view. Our discussion got a little tense because we're all close to this situation and I think we genuinely care for each other being part of the body of Christ.

I'm one of the 20-somethings who has had the blessing and pleasure of shepherding this group over the years. Next month, I'll begin my life as a 30-something along with a wife and a kid so I guess I'm quickly becoming distanced from where we started, whether I like it or not. I don't think I'm too old to see where these friends and the views of their friends were coming from. In one sense, it does have to be shocking for a college kid to come into their ministry and begin to watch older adults with kids walk in. Then, a nursery is made, more people are getting married, potluck dinners are happenin', the ministry's writing a constitution, and they're freakin' taking an offering. So now, instead of coming to a college ministry that they love, they're now to the point of hoping this new whatever-it-is has a college ministry or they're just walking away. Tough to handle, I agree.

Like I may have described, I in my situation, am getting more excited by the day. A nursery?! Well man, that would mean that I can worship and sit in a service with my wife without wondering if Addy's gonna spit gum into Ringo's mustache when I'm not looking. Giving?! You mean I can perform the worship of giving and the host church is not gonna take it's cut before giving the rest to the ministry that I want to give to? Wow!

The thought of people leaving the ring because it's not a cool college ministry really rubbed me the wrong way. I understand, but I don't. Even though you've got older folks coming in, you've got some more structure, you've got kids and an offering plate sitting there, things haven't changed. Our style of worship is probably more young, contemporary, and free than the day we started. Our pastor has done nothing but grow in the maturity of the word that God's given him to put out there. Our community groups are alive and well. God has blessed us.

And look, I know what's percieved as the coolness factor is not the only thing. There are people who feel torn because, they already have a church. Some think that once the ring is a church that we have to draw a line in the sand on denomination, while now, those lines are faint if there at all. I guess as an overseer/elder, I'm supposed to know the answers to all of it, but I don't. Like I said, I'm not here to vent about what was brought up to me, I guess I just want someone to put it out there and for us to just be completely honest with each other about how we feel.

College ministries(at least as far as here in Baton Rouge) are cyclical(sp?). By that I mean that you can look back over the last several years and watch the movement of people from one to another. I think we've cycled so far in my experience that I'm actually seeing people come back to the ring after having left for other ministries. It's not necessarily a bad thing. Who am I to judge someone for searching. I can't make great decisions on my own much less tell someone else what they're supposed to do. It's the same with churches. I grew up in a community with, pretty much, 3 big baptist churches and I don't know many people who haven't worshiped in 2, if not all 3 of those at a time. I've done it, my parents have done it and my friends have done it. It's not for me to tell you that God's not leading you to another ministry.

I just don't want people to leave for the wrong reason and:
"everybody's going to ...." or
"All the hot girs are going to....." or
"this ministry is cooler than ...."
are all the wrong reasons.

Let's talk about this. If I'm mistaken, let me know. The last thing I want to do is insult someone. Please don't let that happen. Please, don't hesitate to be honest on this. It's what I want.