Sleeping Pill or Waking Up Pill?
There’s a drug being hailed as one of the newest wonder drugs. Zolpidem, usually a sleeping pill, has been given to several patients in persistive vegetative states. That means they have been in comas with little to no hope of any kind of recovery. The wonder? Many of these patients are waking up. Some are talking, walking, remembering conversations they had the last time they woke up. The doctors involved are flabbergasted. No one has been able to figure out why a little pill usually given as a sedative and sleep aid would seemingly re-start brain cells that everyone was “sure” were dead.
So, I started thinking. Isn’t the Church a lot like Zolpidem? Many people look at church and think “snooze.” Many people think about boring, irrelevant sermons, dirge sounding music or a holy huddle where everyone thinks and looks and sounds and votes the same. Or, maybe they think about slick Hollywood style entertainment packages planned to keep the audience so wow’ed that they never have time to weigh what they are being told, singing, praying, etc. with what they think or have experienced. What a perfect prescription for brain and heart shut down. That would put me right to sleep, spiritually speaking. Of course, I would never nap during a church service…ahem.
But, what about the churches where people are waking up? What is happening in those places? I think different churches are different from each other for a reason. Different worship styles, music styles, teaching styles and even different church structures are going to appeal to different people. So, the question for me is, who are we reaching? How can we make sure that we are being used as a waking up pill rather than a sleeping pill? I know there is mystery in why God uses some groups to reach others. It is, after all, His Church. But, as a group and individually, how can we hone ourselves to be the catalyst in waking those that others were “sure” were dead?
The metaphor here breaks down pretty quickly. In order for the pill to be effective, the patient’s caretakers have to crush it up and force it down their loved one’s throat. If you’ve ever been the victim of an overzealous evangelist, you know just how (in)effective that sort of “sharing your faith” can be. Can you or do you invite people into your Journey Groups, the Sunday service, etc? Are the people in your life benefiting from what we are doing here as a group? Because, if they are not, then maybe we’re a sleeping pill that needs to be changed into a waking up pill.
- Written by Alicia Hemphill
February 19th, 2007 at 3:24 pm
This is only my view and I know some people will disagree.
I definitely see Evergreen as a waking up pill. I think that in order for a church to be a waking up pill, it has to push the envelope in many different ways. We do that with the music, message, pathways, journey groups, etc. I think sleeping pills churches are churches that have become complacent…doing the same ole things over and over again with no meaning or substance…just mostly out of tradition….not challenging our thoughts and views. I think a good church is one that stimulates our minds. This type of church encourages you to learn more. This type of church pushes you to become involved. This type of church makes you want to move. You can’t sit still and do nothing if you want to. So, how can we as individuals be a waking up pill? By being vocal to others about the great things that are happening in the church. Many of us need to understand that people are tired of “same ole church” and are looking for what we have. But how will they know if we don’t tell them? We need to take on the responsibility of spreading the good news and not just leave it to the Pastor. Be an example of Christ’s love, be radical, let people know that there are churches that are stepping out of the norm and reaching the “so-called” unreachable. God is definitely doing a new thing. Make it your point to be part of the ingredient in the waking up pill.
February 20th, 2007 at 11:02 am
I know the metaphor breaks down pretty quickly, but I think an important aspect of this metaphor is the difference in the people taking the pill. If I take it, I fall asleep. If a comatose person takes it, they wake up. People who are seeking a social club can fall asleep at most churches. Even at Evergreen (though I think it would be harder). People who are seeking God will wake up at church (although they might have to be choosy about where they go). I think Evergreen is made up primarily of people who are seeking God. Our culture is one that tries to wake up the comatose, while other churches which are composed of social-club seekers help others to fall asleep.
So how can we capitalize on that? We are a fantastic group of God-seekers - how do we recognize other God-seekers and invite them to join our community? How do we communicate our goals to people seeking a social club and motivate them to share our goals?
March 21st, 2007 at 10:32 am
I was asleep for 15 years before I found Evergreen…
God IS great.