the death of the life

Here are a couple of quotes from a book I've been reading.

The writer has that lovely knack of being able in a single sentence to put his finger on the nub of the issues we face. I love his bluntness!

"There is no perfect storm out there that can sink the church of Jesus Christ. No matter how much or how rapidly culture changes, the church is designed to prevail. Yet, with each culture shift, it is painfully obvious that the church has become an institution rather than a movement.

"The distinction lies in the fact that institutions preserve culture, while movements create culture."

We're a movement. A wide open sea, where the waves of the Spirit of God are everywhere seen - not a stagnant little pond.

How on earth do we get ourselves back to what we're meant to be? How can we ever transform a whole big institution back into a movement of God?

Those are the sort of issues I'm trying to address in these days. It means a lot of seeing and speaking with folk. It takes a lot of time.

* * *

Here's another quote from the guy.

"When those who hold positions of leadership in the church of Jesus Christ stand opposed to the very heart of God and refuse to submit their lives to his Word, it is the death of the life of that church."

He doesn't pull his punches. And he hits the nail on the head.

The death of the life of that church.

The moment when 'movement' petrifies into museum.