Letter To Nicolay # 12

Dear Nicolay,

There are times that I truly wonder if I am sane or insane. Do I live in or understand reality? I just left a meeting of primarily teachers and pastors discussing the state of today’s church in Ukraine. Where have the apostolic men gone? My conclusion - God help us! We are truly an over educated bunch filled with theology and doctrine and methods and strategies. It was all quite complex and frustrating just as I fear we (I) have made this whole church and Christianity thing. None of us lack for words or ideas about what other people should do – some of us actually have spiritual gifts to explain our behavior.

Dear Nicolay,

There are times that I truly wonder if I am sane or insane. Do I live in or understand reality? I just left a meeting of primarily teachers and pastors discussing the state of today’s church in Ukraine. Where have the apostolic men gone? My conclusion - God help us! We are truly an over educated bunch filled with theology and doctrine and methods and strategies. It was all quite complex and frustrating just as I fear we (I) have made this whole church and Christianity thing. None of us lack for words or ideas about what other people should do – some of us actually have spiritual gifts to explain our behavior.

In my mind’s past, I see dozens of images of Ukrainian people acting and being like Jesus – in every case they were just simple acts of obedience by ordinary people – usually small, personal, and kind acts which required some amount of sacrifice by the giver with direct connection to the receiver. Acts of obedience directed by God’s word or the Spirit’s prompting. Our response is to turn it into a program or a point for a sermon. Something is dreadfully wrong with the church which is complex and superficial keeping 96% of its resources for its own buildings, automobiles, needs and programs. Something is dreadfully wrong when the Christians’ primary experience of their love for God, others and the world is coming to church on Sunday.

Nicolay, I write this as an exhortation to myself. I give up exhorting you and others when I, myself, must touch someone else’s life with a kind word or deed.

As much as I believe in simple churches, I must believe more in a simple life of obedience asking God – “What do I do next?” or “Please lead me to someone to whom I can be Christ to today!”

I talk much about change. I also have many words! But, the reality is that I must change myself before all others. I must not just talk about being like Christ, I must actually be like Christ.

Perhaps this explains the life of my friend, Steve Sjorgren, who pioneered servant (acts of kindness) evangelism. Steve planted and built a church which reached the size of 8,000 people. But today, Steve is part of a 35 person church, and his greatest testimony is the daily acts of kindness as he touches the lives of other people he meets each and every day.

Blessings, my dear brother, God bless you as you walk with Him!

Rich

Note:
This is a series of letters between Rich Correll and Nicolay that bring to light many simple church principles.

Rich Correll has been involved in Ukrainian church planting for 18 years. He pioneered church planting and church planting training in cooperation with many Ukrainian churches. He is currently encouraging simple, organic, reproducing churches. Contact him at: richcpti@gmail.com

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