questions?

i realise that the questions we've been asking are all wrong.

I realise the finger pointing, leads us nowhere.

I realise the who's right and what's right, gets us no answers.

*******

just recently, this less than important comment came up about our youths worshipping in the dark (well not really dark, we turn off the white main house lights and use warm the stage lights instead).

The comment was that because we were children of light, we shouldn't be worshipping in the dark.

i gave some thought to that.

and in a quick (and slightly sarcastic way), i responded :

- then we shouldn't sleep in the dark either.

obviously that answer didn't fully suffice (in fact, it was a little, i have to say, immaturely handled).

and since that comment was made, i've set forth to thinking about this.

It has always been a underlying discussion that has been going on.

And it challenges what i really believe.

And it makes me ask: are what other people saying, true?

honestly,

To me, its a atmosphere thing.

To others, its a spiritual thing.

so, I had to ask, so God, what is this thing to You?

So let's set the spiritual thing straight:

[ Rev 21:23 ]

The city had no need of the sun or the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light.

[ Rev 22:5 ]

There shall be no light there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever.

I did not intend to find those verses - i was reading something totally different when these verses popped out and showed me that it wasn't about a physical light, at all. Simply put to me, God was our light, the Lamb, Jesus (in us) is our light. Let's not quibble about having light or no light during the 'worship part' of a youth programme.

Then the atmosphere thing -

just recently a friend brought this up: that sometimes the lights (or lack of) stimulate a concert effect that does not result in a genuine worship of God.

that caught me and I thought about that.

So, was it really just hype?

And i thought about it some more.

I know that worship is not just about lights and action. it is a lifestyle and the worship of God is not just limited to just that. So genuine worship is not founded on just that moment 'hype'.

But I needed an answer.

And then all of a sudden, I realised, we are asking all the wrong questions.

As i was drying my hair (God talks at really strange & inconvenient moments, like 12am as i'm trying to have an earlier night) I realised that we have been asking ALL THE WRONG QUESTIONS.

He asked me:

Which is better -

to have the young people engaged, or disengaged?

to have the young people coming to church, or uninterested in church?

to have the young people have the opportunity to hear about me, or not to hear about me?

I realised the questions we've been asking are almost judgemental, condescending. It's been presented on a platform of personal preference rather than on inclusiveness and acceptance of the change that is happening around us.

It's asked from the assumption that we are already right in our perception of things.

(*disclaimer - as leaders we definitely DO deal with the individuals when necessary should monkeying business arise - have no doubt about that)

I don't really know where this discourse leads; but if anything, I think I too need Him to teach me to ask the right questions.