Sunday.

I grabbed a few NOOMA videos from Erin's house tonight and have watched several tonight as I pack to start a new school year. The one video that just hit me was "Sunday." Rob Bell "hit the nail on the head" so to speak with this one.
He asked several questions that I have asked myself these past few weeks and ended up having a conversation about with a dear friend over breakfast this morning.

"HAVE YOU EVER ATTENDED A CHURCH SERVICE OUT OF A SENSE OF DUTY OR BECAUSE YOU THINK YOU'RE SUPPOSE TO?"
-I have grown up going to church, it is what I do. Every Sunday (unless I was out of town or sick) I would walk through the doors of E.Ville with a smile on my face and do the "church" thing.

"WHEN IT COMES TO CHURCH, WHAT DO YOU THINK GOD HAS IN MIND?"
-Bell said himself "A lot of times I find myself looking around thinking, 'Is this what God has in mind?" We have become so focused on "church" that we have forgotten that WE ARE THE CHURCH; not the walls, not the pews, not the music, not the programs, not the numbers...Matthew 23 talks of the Pharisees and how Jesus sees them doing everything for men to see. We have missed the point of salvation and are so caught up in the appearance of Christ. Church isn't a building, church IS people.

"IS IT POSSIBLE TO BE INTERESTED IN CHRISTIAN FAITH BUT BE TURNED OFF BY CHRISTIANITY?"
-Are we getting in the way of people are searching for God? In Isaiah God talks of His people honoring Him with their lips but having distant hearts. God doesn't need us to attend a church service once of twice a week to be effective. The church was designed to reach the lost and the walls we build are to house a place for fellowship and place for renewal and refreshment and TOOLS to go out and get our hands dirty!

"WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR OUR HEARTS TO START BEATING MORE AND MORE LIKE GOD'S?"
"HOW COULD THIS CHANGE THE WAY THE WORLD SEES CHRISTIANITY?"
After all, "the point isn't Christianity. The point is being a Christian. It means being a follower of Jesus..."