In the Fields

The picture of the Bible held in dirty hands really gets to me. The church is to be in the fields working. Hands are supposed to be dirty. For me, I've seen too many Bibles in spotless hands and I'm tired of it. Jesus is still in the fields and we need to be, too. No tired excuses. No redefined successes. Just do what He says.

New Song is aimed at working with Jesus in the community, in Olathe, creating a culture that makes disciples who make disciples. God is shown for who He is in that we reach others who reach others. Clean hands prove nothing except self absorption and a harmless religion. I love those dirty hands holding that hidden power.

New Song is beginning. We have a mission and vision, we have values, we have a model, we even have some great people and good ideas....all given to us by God. We're excited and passionate about what the Lord is asking us to do. But, these prove nothing. The fields are where the work is done and that is where we are now.

We're out asking people who are not religious, who don't go to church, what they are looking for. If we're ignorant of the people, if we're allergic to the fruit, if we're too lazy and just want "church," we're finished before we start and dead before we're born.

I was talking to this guy in his doorway with his son looking on showing us his little car. Doesn't attend church, nothing for him there, and no clue what he'd even look for that would attract him. So I asked him what mystery he'd ask God to solve for him (besides who shot Kennedy) and after a pause he said, "Ok, why do bad things happen to good people?"

Good, then I asked him what he'd personally ask God to do for him today. He looked down at his son and said something about more kids like his son, happy and emotionally and physically healthy.

My wife and I went out for coffee later and the more I thought about his answers, with those of other people we asked, the more I understood the depth of some of this. Where is there security? Everything is so fragile, particularly where family and health intersect. We had gotten 4 health responses. And then is God, if there is one, really fair, or just, because it doesn't seem right that bad things should happen to good people. A just God wouldn't allow that, would He? I've forgotten so much of this, but seeing this guy with his son playing around his legs made the connection.

For New Song to do its job, we need this connection, to Christ and then to those He's reaching out to. So if you ask, "Where are you right now as a church," our answer will be, "Out in the fields."