Doing versus Being

Real People, Real Lives, Real Jesus.
What exactly does this look like in a church? What have you seen in your mind's eye when you've heard this statement while hanging around the people of Branches Church? Everyone of us probrably sees something different based on our 'religious experience'. Let me give you an example:

Close your eyes for a moment, and imagine a sunset. Go ahead, right now as you are reading this...the rest of the words won't go away because your eyes are closed...give it a moment and identify the locations, the colors, the scene...

Everyone has a different description of the sunset. Everyone sees a sunset, but our descriptions are different based on our experiences. Some saw the sunset of their childhood. Some saw one from their youth. Some saw the sunset of their honeymoon in an exotic place they've never been able to return to. Some saw the sunset that someone else painted for them on a canvas. Some saw the sunset from their favorite family vacation spot. Some may have had the city skyline in the background. Some may have been over water or a shoreline. Some may have had mountains or a country field and barn.

What I'm saying is that the sunset is the sunset; we can all agree on that. Our description of it is based on how we've experienced it. It may be we couldn't make up our mind on which kind of sunset we want to imagine because we've experienced some pretty cool ones. Maybe, you didn't see a sunset with colors at all...it was the end of the day and dark and it's over and I don't know what to do next. It brought feelings of abandonment or fear or aloneness. I'm convinced that the same goes for church.

When we say we want to be a church for Real People, Living Real Lives for a Real Jesus; that we want to be a 'come as you are' church; that we want to journey with people in their walk with God; that we value authenticity and truth and being culturally relevant; I believe we all see the same thing but we would all describe it differently based on our past church experiences.

This is where the leadership of Branches Church is going to get down to the nitty-gritty and teach and model the DNA of the meaning of the teachings of Christ and not the 'this is how you have to do it' templates of religiosity. Being Christ-like is more important than doing Christian things. Having Christ-like compassion is more important than what we believe about sin in somebody's lifestyle. Being the Church of Jesus Christ in this generation is more important than doing church for this generation.

This type of attitude is going to be heard and modeled over and over and over again in Branches teachings until we get it...so be encouraged and keep seeking out what God has for us in Menomonie. He who has begun a good work in us will be faithful to complete it!

Mike