Daily Dose of the Word of God - Beyond Sunday Ep. 1

Jeff Klein, Pastor of Outreach 

Transcript

Jeff Klein 0:06 

Welcome Elmhurst CRCs daily dose in the Word of God. I'm Jeff Klein. It's Monday, August 28 and today we begin a new feature on the Daily Dose called Beyond Sunday (every Monday) to try to give you some inspiration, some thoughts about how to live out your faith Monday through Saturday. Here's today's version,.

Jeff Klein 0:29 

I have a good friend who's a theater directo and he told me in our conversation about church, that church should be more like the theater. He went on to support his theory. Literally in charge of the entire production, the Director of the theater picks the play, modifies it and casts a vision for their presentation. It's the Director who shapes the actors and has input into the costumes and set design. Their role is very involved and it's very visible when the play is in rehearsal. Directors tell the actors how to move on stage, tell them how to deliver their lines, tell them when they sound or make sense and even works individually with the actors if they need to. The direcotr rehearses with them daily, and the actors learn to move, talk and relate in a way that will make the story come to life.

Jeff Klein 1:14 

But performance nights, the role changes. The Director becomes invisible, goes to the sound booth and no one knows who they are. The actors take ownership; the play is in their hands. The Director will meet with the actors after the performance and give them notes on their work for the night. They will offer comments and suggestions but will never take the stage - they will never play a part. The actors will have to make the play come to life, they'll have to own it.

Jeff Klein 1:38 

And I think my friend it was right. It is the way the church is supposed to work. Instead, it seems to be the other way around. We hire Pastors, give them massive job descriptions and we watch them do the thing. So the pastors are visible, and others are more invisible. This is kind of backwards! it may even be why the church has become so ineffective in its work (especially its outreach). There are so few people who are acting on the stage and performing the play. When I read the Bible, I don't see it this way. In fact, people in the Bible were active, they were actively involved in writing God's story. They were actors in the play. Ordinary regular people, not professional Christians who decided to take the stage. And because they did, God's play has been written.

Jeff Klein  2:26 

And there were some amazing actors in the play. Daniel, who refuses to obey the King's edict about prayer and praise anyway. Peter, a fisherman who decides to follow Jesus and gives his life to preach the gospel wherever he is led. Mary, a teenage girl from a tiny little town who tells the angel standing before her that she's willing to be the mother of the Messiah, and take on all that that means. I could go on and on -ordinary regular people who the Spirit of God empowered and made actors in the play. But none of these people would have been written in the play if they only sat in their seats and watched.

Jeff Klein  3:01  

So here's the question: are you on the stage? Are you in the play? Or have you taken your comfortable seat in the audience where you can have a good view of the story but never take the risk of being a part of it? God doesn't want us to only know the story, read the story or love the story. He wants us to become part of the story. Will you join the play? Let's get going this week.