Aletheia Church Boston

Pouring Concrete

// July 1st, 2010 // Uncategorized

Planting a church, it’s very easy to let my mind wander to all the fun wizz-bangery of churchdom.  Images and thoughts can flood my mind for hours about what our meetings will look like, what kind of sound system will work, what will band sound like, how should we design the bulletins, what about signage… etc.  After all, don’t we all love to talk about that cool Christian word “Ethos,” and “environment.”  Isn’t it exciting to dream about what the experience of church is going to be like!?

Hmm.  I wonder if in my own heart I don’t have meeting-idolatry.  The dream of a future meeting is a shoddy, poor foundation upon which to build anything, especially a new church.

My dad is a contractor/land developer.  If all he thought about in the building process was where the pictures in the new house would go, and what kind of fridge to buy for it, he’d be a pretty poor builder.  Similarly, if we church planters spend most our time dreaming of how cool we’re going to look with our new face mic, lit by our new lights, cheered for by our new people, and rocking to our new band, then we are bad church planters.

Paul said, By the grace of God given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder… But each one should be careful how he builds. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Christ Jesus. (1 Cor 3:10-11)

The day to think of wizz-bangery will come. But today is a day to lay foundations. Today is a day to pour concrete. This part is dirty, gritty, and slow. No band to rock to.  No lights.  No face mic.  Just Jesus, and the people whose hearts he wants to change.

Yes, today is a day to pour concrete.