Tuesday, January 10, 2012

1st Week, Ordinary Time, Wednesday, 11-01-12

1 Samuel 3:1-10, 19-20 / Mark 1:29-39

When things are facing problems and in trouble, there are usually signs.

Whether be it the world, or a country, or a company or an organization, or even a person, there are usually signs when there are problems or trouble.

So what are the signs when a church is in trouble? Below are some possible signs :

 - When excuses are made about the way things are instead of embracing a willingness to roll up the sleeves and fix the problem.
- When the church becomes content with merely receiving people that come rather than actually going out and finding them…in other words, they lose their passion for evangelizing!
- The focus of the church is to build a great church and not the Kingdom of God.
- The leadership begins to settle for the natural rather than rely on the supernatural. (also settle for the logical rather than the mystical)
- The church begins to view success/failure in regards to how they are viewed in the church world rather than whether or not they are actually fulfilling the Great Commission!
- There is a loss of a sense of urgency!  (Hell is no longer hot, sin is no longer wrong, and the cross is no longer important!)
- Scripture isn’t central in every decision that is made!
- The church is no longer willing to take steps of faith because “there is just too much to lose.”
- The church simply does not care about the obvious and immediate needs that exist in the community.
- When the leaders/staff refuse to go the extra mile in leading and serving because of how “inconvenient” doing so would be.
* quoted from "15 Signs that a Church Is in Trouble" by Perry Noble

Yet today's readings give us a picture of what the Church should be.

In the 1st reading, Eli slowly began to understand that it was the Lord who was calling the boy Samuel, and directed him what to do.

In the gospel, Jesus showed how he cared for the people's needs by curing those suffering from diseases and casting out devils.

Yet He also knew what God's will was in the priority given to prayer and to the urgency of His mission.

Jesus came to build the kingdom of God for all and not a privileged club for a few.

May we continue to let the Spirit of God direct us  His Church as we pray : Speak, Lord, your servants are listening.