Challenging Can Feel Uncomfortable
Over the years, people can become very comfortable with their place within a group. Whether that “group” is a bunch of (let’s say six or seven) high schoolers, who meet up at a favorite gathering place (I suspect these days that would be a mall), or some empty-nesters gathering for breakfast at First Watch, members settle into their place (niche) – and that can be a very comfortable feeling.
Being part of a congregation, gathering together for worship, can have that same sort of comfortable feeling. Although we may not sit in the “exact” pew or seat each an every time, most of us have a place in the sanctuary that has become “our place.” Much of the time, we might even see the same faces, close by in their familiar locations. In some respects, we become part of an environment in which we feel comfortable. It’s where we settle in for our weekly dose of wisdom and inspiration. And, by the way, I suspect we are looking forward to (or expect) those “doses” dealt out by the pastor to make us feel even more comfortable. (That what going to church has become for many of us over the years – a place where we see others with whom we are comfortable, sit in places in the sanctuary in which we are comfortable, looking forward to hearing messages that inspire us and make us feel comfortable about our beliefs, reassuring us that we are living the “right kind” of life.)
We’ve been blessed in recent years to have really well-educated, enthusiastic, extremely gifted pastors stand before us, doing what I call major “tap dancing.” This is a term I’ve found myself using to describe the act of going beyond the norm, when it comes to speaking before groups. A “tap dancer,” to me, is someone who can take the topic of the day, articulate it to those gathered, talk seemingly off the top of their heads, pick up on body language from their listeners and maneuver the message and their own body language to fit how that audience is responding, and have the listeners walk away feeling inspired, good about ourselves, and ready to go off an have a great week. Boy, does that make us feel comfortable. And, when we feel part of the group, we can all go away with a collective comfortableness.
Now, what happens when we sit in our comfortable place in the sanctuary, near familiar faces, and are prepared for (maybe in need of) another dose of comfortable sermon talk – and we don’t get what we’re expecting? What if the message of the week makes us uncomfortable? What if we hear something that disturbs us down deep inside? What if we walk away with something else burning inside of us – something that leaves us uneasy? Can we handle that situation? Should we or shouldn’t we be prepared to both possibilities?
It strikes me that Jesus didn’t always tell his parables with a happy twist. Sure some were inspiring stories about little children and how the poor will inherit the earth. But didn’t he, more often than not, challenge his listeners to dig deep within themselves, feel uncomfortable, and then leave them with the challenge to go beyond themselves and reach out to those people and places that were truly uncomfortable? I’ve found the same thing to be true, when allowing myself to listen more deeply to what has been shared in recent sermons and when I’ve attended meetings on the St. Stephen campus.
I’m not sure that our role or job (if these are the right words), as members of the congregation at St. Stephen, should always be to “feel comfortable.” To serve, to grow, to be one with our congregation (our family)…should also include going beyond our level of comfort. Let’s take the challenges around us and step out of our comfort zones. Let’s take the messages we hear, be inspired and let’s feel good. But, at the same time, let’s hear what Jesus is saying to us…and allow uncomfortable challenges to drive us toward making ourselves, and our church better.
In the weeks and months ahead, we may hear or see things that make us uncomfortable. For me, it may be easier to say to live. But, then again, no one said that being a Christian was going to be easy. And, if they did, they may have been misspeaking. By: Dennis McClellan
Over the years, people can become very comfortable with their place within a group. Whether that “group” is a bunch of (let’s say six or seven) high schoolers, who meet up at a favorite gathering place (I suspect these days that would be a mall), or some empty-nesters gathering for breakfast at First Watch, members settle into their place (niche) – and that can be a very comfortable feeling.
Being part of a congregation, gathering together for worship, can have that same sort of comfortable feeling. Although we may not sit in the “exact” pew or seat each an every time, most of us have a place in the sanctuary that has become “our place.” Much of the time, we might even see the same faces, close by in their familiar locations. In some respects, we become part of an environment in which we feel comfortable. It’s where we settle in for our weekly dose of wisdom and inspiration. And, by the way, I suspect we are looking forward to (or expect) those “doses” dealt out by the pastor to make us feel even more comfortable. (That what going to church has become for many of us over the years – a place where we see others with whom we are comfortable, sit in places in the sanctuary in which we are comfortable, looking forward to hearing messages that inspire us and make us feel comfortable about our beliefs, reassuring us that we are living the “right kind” of life.)
We’ve been blessed in recent years to have really well-educated, enthusiastic, extremely gifted pastors stand before us, doing what I call major “tap dancing.” This is a term I’ve found myself using to describe the act of going beyond the norm, when it comes to speaking before groups. A “tap dancer,” to me, is someone who can take the topic of the day, articulate it to those gathered, talk seemingly off the top of their heads, pick up on body language from their listeners and maneuver the message and their own body language to fit how that audience is responding, and have the listeners walk away feeling inspired, good about ourselves, and ready to go off an have a great week. Boy, does that make us feel comfortable. And, when we feel part of the group, we can all go away with a collective comfortableness.
Now, what happens when we sit in our comfortable place in the sanctuary, near familiar faces, and are prepared for (maybe in need of) another dose of comfortable sermon talk – and we don’t get what we’re expecting? What if the message of the week makes us uncomfortable? What if we hear something that disturbs us down deep inside? What if we walk away with something else burning inside of us – something that leaves us uneasy? Can we handle that situation? Should we or shouldn’t we be prepared to both possibilities?
It strikes me that Jesus didn’t always tell his parables with a happy twist. Sure some were inspiring stories about little children and how the poor will inherit the earth. But didn’t he, more often than not, challenge his listeners to dig deep within themselves, feel uncomfortable, and then leave them with the challenge to go beyond themselves and reach out to those people and places that were truly uncomfortable? I’ve found the same thing to be true, when allowing myself to listen more deeply to what has been shared in recent sermons and when I’ve attended meetings on the St. Stephen campus.
I’m not sure that our role or job (if these are the right words), as members of the congregation at St. Stephen, should always be to “feel comfortable.” To serve, to grow, to be one with our congregation (our family)…should also include going beyond our level of comfort. Let’s take the challenges around us and step out of our comfort zones. Let’s take the messages we hear, be inspired and let’s feel good. But, at the same time, let’s hear what Jesus is saying to us…and allow uncomfortable challenges to drive us toward making ourselves, and our church better.
In the weeks and months ahead, we may hear or see things that make us uncomfortable. For me, it may be easier to say to live. But, then again, no one said that being a Christian was going to be easy. And, if they did, they may have been misspeaking. By: Dennis McClellan
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