Distraction!

 I have been distracted. Well, I have been made mad. And that distracted me. So, instead of doing the next word in my weekly study on love (which, by the way was, proud), I have to throw my two cents worth into the traditional church debate.

It makes me mad when I hear speakers in places of great influence bashing traditional churches and methods.  Granted, the way things were 25 years ago, is not how things are now.  And the best ways to present the gospel, technically, 25 years ago, isn't the best way to present the gospel today.  However, there were churches that were effective!  They did the best they could with what they had.  Today, I heard a sermon literally ridiculing songs that were sung in the mid 70's as well as some of the methods of teaching that were used.  These were songs that brought my heart to a place of sincere worship of God.  How dare we ridicule those who God used for that time?  Flannelgraph was used to teach kids because we didn't have DVD's or Powerpoint for illustrations.  We sang "How Great Thou Art" because Chris Tomlin was 2 years old, and hadn't written "How Great is Our God" yet.  

God has never had a problem using what was available and seemingly insufficient to meet the task at hand.  He used a willing servant and unlikely tools:

David & some stones to kill a giant.

Samson & a jawbone of a donkey to kill a thousand men.

A boy & his lunch to feel 5,000.

He used Jehovah Jireh and flannelgraph to reach me.

I know there were many churches that were judgmental.  I know there were many people who acted spiritually aloof.  But, there were many that loved God.  And served Him faithfully.  And reached out to everyone with that love.  I owe them my thanks and respect.   And the best way I can do that is by serving God just as faithfully, to reach out to everyone I can with that love, using everything I have at my disposal today.  And in the case where that isn't sufficient, He will meet the need of the task at hand.