Unthinking imitation

An enormous danger to the Church is an unthinking Christianity that slips into society's patterns of living without investigating their validity. We should fear bandwagons that draw in participants who haven't really thought through the significance and meaning of a particular movement for their lives. Marva Dawn Truly The Community

Imitation is the highest form of flattery, however the most dangerous form of discipling. Cookie cutter thinking forces others into molds and springs into judgmentalism when they refuse to conform to what we think they should. We do violence because the one who transforms is the Holy One, the mold is not what we think but Christ himself. Max Lucado talks about finding your sweetspot, like in a tennis racket if you play the ball or life out of that zone power, strength and skill come. Enjoyment and pleasure flow from playing there. This is the older aspect of calling. We have corporate callings as communities and also personal ones.

Whether it is imitating or taking on the values and methods of surrounding culture without careful thought to implications and language, or simply imitating and using Christian songs without thinking of the worldview they embody. Just because another Christian wrote a song does not mean we should taking it and use it without adequate theological reflection about its suitability. I am saddened to find people serving outside their sweet spot and they haven't thought about what is happening to them. They are living off their own energy rather than the joy found inside playing from the right place. I continue to argue that a need is not a call - a call is from God and from within the spirit. A calling if found it its life giving qualities. A need is gap someone is trying to fill.

I have never found it work to read a Bible passage, think and pray about it and choose a worship sequence. In fact it is life giving and affirming, to do the preparation, to use the songs and hymns personally and to run rehearsals and ultimately facilitate others. In fact , I miss it currently, though enabling others to get closer and find God is very satisfying. Finding your place, your calling requires energy but when you're playing out of your sweet spot you have life, energy, joy, fun, and you don't feel tired during it. Work is the sweat of the brow and effort and willpower; serving inside your calling brings life, energy from beyond self, and is worship.

With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith. 2 Thess 1:11