I just got back from a week long trip to Fresno, Ca, working in the urban poor community alongside World Impact (www.worldimpactfresno.org). We took a student leadership team, along with three adult youth workers. Pretty sweet deal. Throughout the trip, I kept re-imagining what church could be.
You see, so often we get stuck in this frame of mind that church is only on Sundays, that it follows this fairly rigid order of service, etc… As I served amongst those considered the poorest of the poor, I couldn’t help but think- this is what ministry really is: bringing ministry to the people, and not the other way around.
On Friday, we hosted a barbeque for the community that drew in about a hundred people, maybe a few more. There were people of all ages, races, education; a truly diverse community. As I stood on the outskirts for a few minutes eating a most delicious hot dog with a youth worker, he asked me something: “Aren’t we going to do some kind of a message?” I stopped and thought about that question for a second, collected my thoughts, and replied, “Bob, this is the message. This is church. Don’t you think?” “Yeah. I guess it is.”
You see, churches that focus on themselves somehow miss the point of ministry altogether. That ministry is all about people, reaching them where they are at, and never leaving them there. Such a huge concept, that is so easily forgotten.
All this to say, when it comes to the issue of sexual addictions, whether it be porn, adultery, masturbation, the topic is almost never an issue of discussion among churches, pastoral communities or so called church people. Too often churches that do cover the topic, do so in a flashy way, an almost hyped up message series, checked off the sermon topic lists and not to be remembered. In ways, I think we all have been guilty of that.
But here’s the deal. The issue is inescapable. You may be able to sweep it under the church rug for a time, but somewhere out there someone in your congregation is hurting; seriously hurting. As I go around during church services, I talk with my people. I know my people. For better or worse, I am incredibly frank with them about my struggles, and I encourage the same transparency. In some ways, I view this topic the same as I view the community barbeque: it is our responsibility, and Jesus’ mandate, to bring church to the people, because as we do this, His love and compassion is communicated, and He is made known.
So don’t shy from this issue. Real people are really hurting out there. Join with me, and a community of other pastors and lay workers that are doing everything they can to expand our view of community, bringing church, real church to real people, so the real healing can begin.