Got Fruit ?

Say that 12 times fast. 

Pastor Chris Elrod of Compass Point wrote an article a few days ago about getting back to the roots of thinking within one’s confines (See Louie Marsh of The Marshian Chronicles take here).  Pastor Elrod’s post touches on the idea of creativity; not in the artistic sense, rather in the sense of creatively solving problems, by exercising our God given mental ability to solve problems via talent,reasoning and whatever cognitive skills we’re blessed with.  Ok , maybe he didn’t say all of that, it’s what I got out of it.  

Regardless, here’s a point or two that I indirectly came away thinking about from the article…

When speaking of creative approaches to ministry – and I’m specifically talking about reaching out to the lost in the community with the message of salvation in Christ, the saying of “The message changes us, we don’t change the message.” crops up.  It seems evident that there is and has been a constant flow of “thinking outside the box”.  The charge here is that this ideology/idolatry if you will, is an adaptation of secular corporate speak and buzz word mania by the “church” to fill the pews, versus filling the hearts of the pew fillers with Christ.  Specifically the mass of self-help sermons that seem to permeate the mega-churches with little to any actual spiritual “milk” coming from the Bible.

1st Peter 2:2
Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation,

Moving more into the artistic creativity realm, it’s also evident that “thinking outside the box” has caused some Ministry Teams to push the envelope with their message, in lieu of pushing the message.

 
Hmm?  If you stop and think about it for a moment, doesn’t the notion of P®imping your mom, or “getting some” storybook sex sound just a wee bit off from anything that Christ, the disciples or Paul ever preached?  Here’s some “some fresh, clear, well-seasoned perspective”..

Luke 5:29-32
29Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them. 30But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, "Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and ’sinners’?"

31Jesus answered them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 32I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."

Acts 2:38
Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

1st Corinthians 15:2
2By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.

Quite the contrast to “sermons” about Jesus wanting you to “get some” , don’t you think?

So what’s it going to be saints?  Do you trust in the Lord, by “thinking inside the box” that he’s laid down or do you trust your own imagination or that of a “creative” type to “think outside the box” for you?  The only thing you have to lose is your salvation.

1st Corinthians 9:16
Yet when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, for I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!

Grace and peace be with you.