Innies and Outies

Which are you? :-)

I'm actually thinking about this childhood question in reference to the church.

Yesterday I had an unexpected but welcomed lunch with the minister at my former church. I admire Terry, and appreciate him in so many ways. As we got to talking, I was thinking again about all that we left behind, both good and bad. Among the bad is the inward focus that results from people who know they should love each other, but reach a point where they don't even like (or trust) each other. Sunday worship becomes a critique; every church meeting a time to air differences.

A church that always seems to be fighting battles inside its own walls becomes an innie. All the talk is about fixing this ministry, or this relationship, or this doctrine. And not for the benefit of those who do not yet know Christ, but for those already in the church who claim that they do. Innies talk about doing a lot of things, but they have trouble with lift off -- good intentions but not much action. Why? Because ministry can become more about the things that "can't be done" rather than the "can be dones." Innies can become passionately focused on "truth" and forget the grace. Innies take what precious time and energy a church can muster, and spend it discussing those blasted "issues."

Outies are the churches that deep down inside we all want to be a part of. Somehow, outies identify enough common ground that the focus is about them -- the lost and needy -- instead of us -- the spiritually well fed. Outies have the same people problems -- hey, the church is nothing more than imperfect people, after all. But the outies manage to work through and beyond that for the benefit of the kingdom.

I wish I knew how to heal a hurting church. I don't. I do know that healing has to come after brokenness. Not brokenness in the sense of being broken, but rather, spiritual brokenness -- wanting to change your heart. Maybe that kind of healing is a God thing, not a man thing. Maybe our part in that is making ourselves available to God for mending, and prayer. If we as churches bring ourselves broken to God, is He mighty enough to perform a miracle?

Yes, this innie/outie thing is an oversimplification. But just the same, I pray that our churches become the roundest outies imaginable.