When the Church Play's "What If?"

11:34 pm has my mind tossing around ridiculous themes. I've been here before, me and my mind. The next step is a restless night because my mind won't shut off.

But tonight I am asking myself, "What would happen if the Church (the body of Christ) played a few rounds of the game, 'What If?'" 

You know that visionary game where you pose a question and then the other person has to answer. 

Sometimes the questions are impossible to conceive of a good answer. So you mull it around and then produce what you think is the best sounding response. 

But what if the body of Christ, his beautiful yet broken bride, played this game seriously. 

Imagine the possibilities when those visionary questions lead to an actual vision and that vision leads to an actual plan and then that plan became the best action the world has ever seen??? What if???

What if we decided to not form another committee to gain someone else's opinion (valuable as it may be)?

What if the church valued a woman and didn't expect to see her use her gifts only in Women's Ministry or Children's Ministry? 

What if our meetings were held in bars, cafes and sports clubs? 

What if the style of our music wasn't so much focused on as how radical our brothers and sisters were when they poured themselves out in worship to the Lord by serving the least of these? 

What if our youth knew how to study and apply the Word of God itself, not just a popular topic? 

What if our pastors weren't burned out by around the clock expectations because they're people too?

What if getting to know a persons name was more important than knowing what number they are when they walk through our doors? 

What if we took the Sabbath seriously and applauded those who lead us when they are honest in their burn out and decide to not attend another meeting so they can commune with the one who called them into ministry in the first place? 

What if pastor's wives weren't a catch all for all of the expectations of their husbands, as well as keeping house and kids in tact? 

What if we saw our neighbors more than the members of the budget committee? 

What if the church recognized modesty as not just a female issue but a male issue as well? 

Consequently what if modesty meant waaaaaay more than the clothes we wear? 

What if social media spread the word about needs around us more than helping us personally push for having the most "likes" on a picture we take of ourselves with yet another kissy face pose? 

What if we stopped trying to appease the masses and made do with our loaves and fishes?

What if what we believe about "family values" was shaped less by an organization and more on correctly dividing the Word of Truth? 

While these "what if's" aren't targeted directly at one church in particular, my 32 years of being a part of numerous churches has taught me many things. And even though I'm one of the "younger ones" perhaps wisdom isn't far from me? 

I don't claim to have all of the answers and perhaps I'm a visionary myself. But a few things are grievous to me when it comes to our God's bride. 

I'm reminded of the prophet's of old. Maybe they were like a Rich Mullins or Keith Green or Shane Claiborne, calling us back to our first love, calling us back to a simpler way of doing things. Calling us beyond the next meeting, strategy committee and focus group, to something much more greater, much more Kingdom Come. Wasn't that Israel's problem? Weren't they constantly in need of reminders to RETURN to the Lord their God, the one who brought them out of slavery and bondage to a land flowing with milk and honey? 

Call me simple minded but I feel there must be something more to this thing called faith, church and Christianity. There's gotta be something we're missing. 

What is is about the Kingdom now that desperately cries out for the Kingdom yet to come, when all things are made new? As we live between the Kingdoms, if our hearts aren't longing for something more, something beyond ourselves, then are we really seeking His Kingdom first? 

Ultimately, why are we so easily distracted? Maybe we could take a few lessons from Israel? 

What if our kids next play date became an opportunity to listen, to help heal and to encourage? 

What if we said no to planning more "opinion related" meetings and focused on doing and being? 

I'm not saying there isn't a place for planning and assessing. But for heaven's sake [pun intended] can we just chill out a bit and not let our calendars bleed that much? 

Perhaps we will have more time for listening and being, for Sabbath and for true rest, for Kingdom now and Kingdom yet to come work. 

What if...