Howard's Blog : Ethos

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 20

Fellowship of the Mat II - Disabled Access

Disabled Access?

The first I knew of a Church Planting conference in Bath this week was when it started to appear on the Facebook status of some cyber friends. Of course it was rather too late to attend. Reflecting on my none attendance I released that my challenge is not to find more conferences to attend, so I can write more notes and fill more folders (Check out the middle section of this short video clip - yes from a conference I attended this summer - Harvey Carey at Willow Creek GLS ).

I agree with Harvey Carey, how many more folders (binders) do we need to do the work of Jesus? My challenge and the challenge of the wider church is not simply lack of information but lack of implementation. I know I too easily err on the wrong side of the balance caught between meetings and mission, blogs and befriending people, conferences and connecting with people who don't know Jesus.

In Mark 2, Jesus is in town and the conference junkies, the bloggers, binder brigade and assorted Pharisees that just love to be seen in the reserved seats at the front over every religious event have gathered. What does our fellowship of the mat do? They go round and literally pick up their friend; it's inconvenient but that's what true gospel communities do.

When they arrive at the door of the Jesus meeting, it's full and the mat carriers are greeted by a wall of backs. God is in the house but there is no disabled access. How often do people damaged and crippled by sin come looking for Jesus, find a relational wall of backs, the church turned in on its self? Visitors stand alone and no-one speaks to them, often the best they can hope for is to be invited to fill in a card and hand it in at the welcome desk, all this whilst the church talks about community and mission.

Our fellowship of the mat is now acting as mission group, connecting with the least, the lost and the lonely and determined that no ecclesiastical walls will keep their friend from Jesus. The enlarging whole in the roof was terribly irritating for the gathered crowd. But imagine the exposure and vulnerability of the paralysed man, needing Jesus he is suspended by his friends eight foot off the ground for all to see. How many Jesus seekers have we turned away because we have made the only entry point into church as going through the roof?

I believe Jesus' eyes were filled with delight as he saw the faith of the roof breakers. I want Jesus to have that same reaction as we seek to build Godfirst mission groups. Not groups turned in on themselves, talking mission but really having no disabled access, but those who connect with people of Cheltenham and will stop at no lengths to see them brought to Jesus to be saved and restored!

Howard