February 21, 2013

Church and the State of the Union Address

by Terry Rush

It is possible I will never be forgiven by some as I wander off into politics just a bit. Yet, I must say I noticed something about church during the President's recent State of the Union speech.

I'm confident there are those who loved his comments and those who whole-heartedly disagreed. We do live in America! What I could not help but notice was not what the President was saying; but how House Speaker John Boehner looked. To be fair, he may have been under the weather.

Nonetheless, I point out something about his visible disinterest of the President's talk. He appeared bored as if he just wanted to go home.

I believe churches should ask a very hard question. How do our faces look when we are in church? Some look bright, intrigued, and interested. Others, however, appear bored out of their ever-loving skulls.

Do we think this does not affect our communities? Of course it does. They don't want to start their week off bummed.

Why would anyone want to be a part of a congregation that makes the members look less alive? Can you imagine being invited to a birthday party where everyone sat in rows just counting the minutes 'til they could go home?

Church is to be the most alive place in town; not just on Sunday mornings, but wherever the members happen to be throughout the week.

God has rescued us! Blessed us! Saved us!

Before we ever criticize any neighbor for ignoring our religious commitment, we will do well to let our faces know we are thrilled to get to know God and His incredible Life. Before many ever read a Bible, they are reading the faces of those of us who read our Bibles.

Will we beam with joy or appear to have been weaned on dill pickles?