Faith for the Adventurous Spirit
“Who are you trying to reach with this new Harbor Church?” I was sitting across from him at the 5-Spot cafe on Queen Anne Hill. I was eating the ’special breakfast’ which had a weird blend of eggs, peppers and pulled pork (carnitas). “Are we going to target an age group, or life stage or what?”
I started to squirm a little inside, not wanting to limit who God might bring into our fellowship. At the same time I didn’t want to sound like we had no focus. So I answered, “We are building a community of adventurous people who are discovering a real faith.” I stopped and thought, wait a minute, that could be part of our mission statement.
I want to go somewhere with a group of fellow travelers who have an adventurous spirit. That is what Jesus calls us to do. “Come follow me,” he calls to us. Like the first disciples we wonder what is in store, what will we experience along the way, who will we meet that will shape our lives in meaningful ways, what obstacles will we confront that require us to help each other as we overcome?
If we knew all the answers and had everything figured out, it wouldn’t be an adventure, it would just be a commute! Why are so many churches feeling like commuters: everyone in their own private vehicles, tuned out to what is going on in the lives of those all around them. Creeping down the highway, in spiritual slow motion, frustrated and sometimes stewing about the inconvenience of having so many people ahead of them. sometimes they think that life would be better if the others weren’t here, but the monotony sets in and we end up just fitting in, going through the motions hoping nothing bad happens to us. What a drag, no wonder most people can’t stand going to church. It is no different than our boring efforts to get to work.
We need an adventure. I want to feel the adrenalin kick in when God’s people gather to share real life and real faith. I want the satisfaction of being fed on God’s word, filled with the joy that comes from sharing deeply and caring deeply. I want to feel the tension of going beyond my comfort zones to take some risks in ministry beyond the security of my own control. I want a faith for the adventurous spirit!
That is the church for me and anyone else who wants to give up the commuter church for living the adventure.
