Expecting Others to Do Things Our Way

Recently, I've been reading a book with advice from well-regarded pastors and seminary professors for ministers.  Called Best Advice, it offers insight into ministry and preaching based on years of experience.

While the essays are definitely intended for those who preach regularly and serve in congregational ministry, there are nuggets of wisdom for everyone in the church about how better to live out our calling as Christians.

Recently, while reading an essay on trying to increase diversity in congregations -- where it still remains true that Sunday worship is the most segregated hour in this country each week -- I was pleasantly surprised to read about newness in a way that more Christians should take to heart.  Too often, I see Christians who want to insist that they alone have figured out God's truth, and try again and again to make others see things -- and then do things -- that one way, their way.  As you might imagine, this could be a challenge to worshiping and serving with others who are different, whether that difference is racial, economic, general age, disposition toward technology, or whatever.

Miguel A. De La Torre writes:

Becoming a new creature in Christ is not to be taken figuratively, but literally.  The question that the church must ask itself is how much it is willing to change to become a new place where all can come to worship the Lord.  The church willing to diversify will never succeed while holding on to the attitude that "this is the way we've always done it and if you want to join us, you must convert and become like us."  The church that is "saved" is less concerned with converting the world to its doctrine or way of worshiping God.  Rather, it is focused on how much it must be converted to become more Christlike in order to be relevant to a hurting and disjointed world.
-- Miguel A. De La Torre, "Dealing with Diversity," Best Advice: Wisdom on Ministry from 30 Leading Pastors and Preachers, p. 59

Of course, some will rightly question how we approach those who do not have a relationship with God or Jesus Christ without encouraging people to do things our way.  But how much better for us to worry more about our ongoing conversion -- or discipleship, if you prefer -- to Christ's way of doing things in this world, than to dictate how others must live or believe in order to be Christian.

And this is especially true when we invite people to join our congregation.  If we are not open to them, if we only insist on our way, we will be closed off to the gifts that they could share with us, to the new opportunities for growth they may offer us, and to the new insight into the gracious splendor of God's creation.