Can Ministry Still Create Buzz?
Last night I was reading the story of Jesus healing the man with leprosy in Mark 1. I’ve obviously read that story a number of times. And, in the past, the focus was on the compassion Jesus had for the man that prompted the healing. Last night, though, I was more focused on the response of the man that had been healed. It’s interesting that Jesus told him to say nothing about what he did to anyone, yet the man could not contain his excitement. His life had been transformed, and he told everyone he met what had happened. This news spread all over the town. It spread so widely and so quickly that Jesus was forced to hide from the crowds.
It’s pretty apparent that the ministry that Jesus had while on earth created a lot of buzz. Word about what he was doing spread rapidly throughout the region. The question that raised in my mind is this: Do you think his ministry can still generate that kind of buzz today? What would our churches have to look like so that people’s lives were transformed to the point that their excitement could not be contained?
If that happened, I bet crowds of people would begin showing up at churches. Of course, you know what might happen–there would be curiosity seekers just like in Jesus’ day. Some people would probably just show up because they were looking for a show or expecting to see something dramatic. They wouldn’t really be looking to enter into a relationship with Jesus. But, I bet some of those people in the crowd would find Jesus and experience a changed life just like the man with leprosy. And, when that happened, it would just continue to fuel the buzz.
Well, that was my thought process last evening. And, in that, I wondered if God is at all disappointed that the ministry of his church doesn’t generate that kind of buzz today. I know. I should have just stuck to the "compassion" part of this passage. That’s a lot easier to deal with.
I don’t normally use the word “buzz,” but yeh, that’s what I pray for. I’m wanting God to do a work here in the lives of people that will attract the attention of outsiders. That’s the pattern I see in the Book of Acts. (1) God does something (2) People notice (3) People ask questions because what they see doesn’t mesh with their expectations (4) The Christians stand up and say “It’s Jesus!”
It’s cool to get to live in the midst of God’s “buzz”. But it’s suck because we could not generate it ourselves. After all, that’s how God keep us depends on Him, don’t you think?
Let me assure you that our church does create a “buzz”. I grew up a PK, but when my husband and I moved to this area and found GCC two years ago, it was all we could talk about to family, friends, co workers, even to my students (which is probably illegal, but I couldn’t help it!) I still have those same feelings today at the start of each new series; I can’t help spreading the word, even in line at Wal-mart! I love being a part of a church that can continue retell and repackage the gospel to be specially-delivered in so many amazing ways! Also, for me, the (forgive me for this) “cliche” story I’d heard since birth suddenly jumped out of the pages and became real to me, and I will be forever grateful.
I would imagine if we did the works Jesus did we would create the “buzz” he created. After all He told us in John 14 that those who belive on him would do the works he did. Perhaps we should go find a leper.