From Representative to Participatory

Keeping the pace with times you’ve noticed that things now days are getting more and more interactive. Long gone times when people were O.K. with others making decisions for them. What people around us expect today is availability of choices, from multiple choice exams to hundred of choices in programming on TV, and hundreds of choices on groceries shelves. In fact a representative system is perceived as a lack of trust to people being able to invest wisely their resources and time, to decide on their own freedom.
From wedding receptions where cameras are scattered at tables inviting guests to take pictures, to do-it-yourself funerals; from an electric toothbrush that turns you into your own dentist, to QuickTax software that makes you an expert accountant; from interactive web-churches where you chose sermons at your own time convenience, to interactive web hosting where you make your own world-wide broadcast – the world is moving to total participation.
Yet, it is not something really new. Christian faith followed Christ’s invitation into priesthood of all believers, away from a selected representative to total participation of all who believe.
It is interesting to look at John’s vision in the Book of Revelation where he is given a measuring rod to size-up the Temple, the Holy Place (from Greek NAOS) where only one Priest could enter, and then see John being told to measure ALL WHO WORSHIP THERE. We all are invited to participate with Christ in Spiritual ministry. Scary thing is that those who choose not to participate, and simply hang out in the outer court, assuming or expecting representation by proxy – they get measured out, or simply put (from Greek EKBALLO) kicked out. (Revelation 11:1-2)
Last week we talked about move from Rational to Experiential. It is our intention in this church to seek Experiencing God, to seek His Presence. We recognize that our programs, our seminars, our mighty doing things is not enough to motivate people into participating. It is God’s Spirit, God’s Presence, His Might that we all need, that will engage our total participation. There is not such a thing as Experiencing God by proxy. A representative is not enough! We want to touch the helm of his Robe, we want to encounter His Righteousness in our lives, we want to participate daily in His Glory.
Lets keep on getting involved in more experiences together, becoming more involved in each other lives, participating in each other joys and trials, as we all live boldly with God.