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Lessons From Desert Man
The Small Church #9
The Ministry of Openness (Part
1)
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We live in an increasingly fragmented society. The
family is broken, or at best, too busy to spend time
together. Its separate generations often live on separate
ends of the continent, due to the transience of our
era. Friends are developed through the medium of convenience,
and seldom last through a lifetime.
Because of this fragmentation of relationships, the
art of communication has been lost. We see this loss
of communication in modern movies. Unlike the old
classics, it is a rare film which has more dialogue
and less action.
Politeness, one of the keys to effective communication,
is likewise a thing of the past. We step on one another's
feelings and opinions, as if we were built like the
computers we play with - having no need, or use for
the gentle art of politeness.
The result of such self-centered living is pain -
much pain. Usually buried, this pain surfaces in flashes
of anger, or in foolish decisions hastily made.
(ENTER, STAGE LEFT, THE SMALL CHURCH)
Like the unlikely hero, the small church arrives upon
the scene. Personal relationships are our game. The
improvement of them should be our goal.
Churches (large and small) are in the people business,
and the greater part of our job is the restoration
of brokenness. Therefore it is extremely important,
that we allow for times of openness, in which people
are able to share their struggles, without fear of
rejection.
This is not regularly possible in large groups. The
church must allow for small groups, Bible studies,
or other small group formats in which openness is
given an opportunity. It is this openness, which brings
the subsequent application of the word and prayer,
and the desired results of holiness and healing.
If the church is able to create a ministry of openness,
the results will be numerous. Families will be strengthened,
when individuals within it experience change. Communication
will be improved, as people learn by experience to
communicate at deeper and more meaningful levels.
Church hopping will be lessened, as Christians share
their frustrations, and work through them with others
who are committed to their personal growth. The list
of benefits could go on at length, but the bottom
line is this - the ministry of openness works.
Leaders must be willing to overcome the fear of allowing
people to be real, before a ministry of openness can
begin to happen. We have the fear of challenge to
our ministry, or of the promotion of gossip, or of
the release of disorder. Yet, as we train our leaders
to appropriately handle the potential situations which
may arise, all these fears will fade, and the ministry
of openness can begin to work in our midst.
By allowing this freedom to develop, we will be able
to "Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with
them that weep." (Rom. 12:15)
It is my contention that every church, no matter what
size, should mimic the small church in this respect:
relationships should be central to the ministry of
the church, and openness (which occurs naturally in
smaller groups) should be encouraged with aggressive
desire.
The ministry of openness is no easy thing to structure
within a church body, but it is the way of healing.
Even more, it is the way to become something better
than a "Bible Believing Church" - a Bible practicing
church.
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