04-12-24

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
April 12, 2024
The other night, I walked into the education building here at the church, and the digital sign right in front of me was stuck on a single screen. Now it is important to understand that we use an Amazon FireStick as a way of running our communication slides on the screen (thanks to Joel for figuring that out). The image on the screen was for the 2023 Exorcist movie, and the image was pretty terrifying (see below). It didn’t quite scream welcome the way I would probably want us to welcome folks, though a few people might have screamed upon entering the space. And though I am one who believes there are some demonic-like forces in this world that are behind things like systemic injustice, I’m not one who necessarily believes in little girls spewing a green pea soup-like substance upon the priest who is attempting the exorcism.

This all got me to think about how people encounter us for the first time. When I use the word “us,” I am referring to the church. I have been at Cypress Creek Christian Church for almost twelve years, and like most things that become sort of routine in your life, I wonder what I no longer notice. Yes, I noticed the Exorcist image on the screen, as that was pretty different, but what things might I be missing all together? We claim our vision: Putting Love First In All Things, but I am forever challenged not only by that calling in regard to my individual life but also wondering whether it is clearly cast from our collective life as a church. Do people coming into this place meet something that appears to them as life-sucking (the demonic entity from the Exorcist) or something that is life-giving and life-changing?

Our Vision Statement is based on words from 1st John 4 (we love because God first loved us), and earlier in that chapter, we read: “Dear friends, let’s love each other, because love is from God, and everyone who loves is born from God and knows God… God is love.” (vs.7&8). Because love is from God and God is love, as we love one another by Putting Love First, we are helping God introduce the divine nature to others. And when we love, I think we are also introducing ourselves anew to the presence of God. From the moment someone wanders onto our property and into our buildings, are they being introduced to love and thus to God?

Holy God, Source of Love, I pray for my life to be an introduction to love and thus an introduction to you. For that to occur, I need to encounter for myself your limitless and relentless love more and more often. Amen.