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A thousand members and rising
Seemed like just the other day, we started
Amazing growth, the Lord has blessed us with
We'll soon join the league of big churches
We have a wonderful army of workers
Teams for this and teams for that
You name it; we've got it and more besides
This must be what church growth is all about
Or is it just "Microwave Christianity"
Packing them in like flies
================&&&&&====================
Quality versus quantity, the latter wins every time
Maybe it's just the desire to be a successful church
We send the teams out to get them in
They say the prayer, and then it
s off to membership classes
Next, enroll them into church departments
So the number in attendance rises
Where's the count of those still struggling with sin
Or those hurting and wounded from the past
How about those who don't know who they really are
Buried under the role they play
All victims of "Microwave Christianity"
Packing them in like flies
================&&&&&====================
Assembly line processing works fine for products
But people are most certainly, another matter
Not one, is the same as the other
Each one, their own unique story to tell
What a shame to loose them in the numbers
In the bid to fill up the pews
They jump and shout hallelujah
Trained in the tongues of "christianese"
When asked how they are
The retort, "blessed and highly favoured"
Yet they
re filled with emptiness inside
That's how it goes, I suppose
Trapped in "Microwave Christianity"
Packing them in like flies
================&&&&&====================
Becoming a new creation, is just the beginning
The bit that makes everything else, in the new covenant possible
The blood cleared the way for His grace to extend to all
Became the "forgiven", of all sins, past, present and future
The confession of faith, makes His life yours
Your spirit and that of Christ becomes one
The dead sin nature, has been done away with
Your spirit is now, Christ as you
You assume the legal identity of Christ
All that can be said of Him, is true for you
All that He has and ever will have, is yours
You are now complete in Him, filled with the very life of God
Unlike the old covenant, this is the most significant spiritual revolution ever
There is no precedence for it, in all of History
Now the real work begins, for you to live in its reality
"No time for that", says "Microwave Christianity"
Packing them in like flies
================&&&&&====================
As a man thinks, so is He
You cannot live above the level of your thoughts
You are a King in Christ and live like a pauper
Declared righteous and live like a sinner
Accepted in the beloved and act like the rejected
Loved unconditionally and approach Him like the judged
Eternally secure but never at ease
Complete with everything, begging for more
Approaching the new covenant in the context of the old
You just never took the time to renew your mind
To see your self, as you really are in the spirit
To change the deep seated stronghold of religious teachings
To remove the weakest link of self and replace with the living Christ
To become assured in all His done and forever banish the fear of loss
I supposed there's too much "works", to get on with
Spreading the "good" news of the "fire insurance" plan
Must build the kingdom of "Microwave Christianity"
Packing them in like flies
================&&&&&====================
A brief mention of the mind is due
Especially the one called the "subconscious"
It runs the show in the background
It takes a while to get set, in it's ways
And just as much to replace the old, with the new
Requires continuous exposure, to get the point
And you don't know it's done, till actions conform
All this takes time, as you might appreciate
Depending on whether you treat is as a part-time job, or a full time one
It doesn't help when you
re feeding it more of the old
While trying to put in the new
None of this can be rushed through
Replacing the old man with the new
Growing from babe to youth and then old men in the faith
I guess thats why, not much time is spent on this
In the world of "Microwave Christianity"
Packing them in like flies
================&&&&&====================
A study of the Word will show what I mean
Joseph took 13 years from His dreams to the palace
David took over 13 years from kingly anointing to sitting on the throne
Moses took 40 years from self-effort to God dependence
Jesus took 30 years from birth to Ministry
Paul took about 13 years from Pharisee of Pharisees, to minister of grace
So there's really no precedence, for the "get them through quickly" mentality
God is never in a hurry; proper preparation is a vital key
To fulfilling God
s entire destiny and walking in the fullness all He has given
He'll rather sharpen an axe for 30 years and do all His cutting in three
He's more interested in the person heart, than using them for His ends
Premature growth and responsibility, only leads to long-term damage
And the irony is, that those that fall thereby
Become open game for "friendly fire"
From other members of "Microwave Christianity"
Packing them in like flies
================&&&&&====================
Lets get our eyes off each other
Abandon vain comparisons; bigger is not necessarily better
Lets give up all human devices and get out of the spiritual rat race
Lets once again discover, the Father's heart of love
Give in to His love, humbly receiving all
Then we can give others, love as we have abundantly received
Let's take the time; to see each of those, He died to save
As a unique expression of Him
If they are worth all His life to save, they should be worth ours too
Let put an end to snacks every week and prepare a long course meal
Take the time to work with those saints, till all of Christ be manifest in them
Give them a voice, to interact and a place to open up, with out fear
Remove the judgment guns, as we all come to the cross, as one in Christ
Let love cover a multitude of sins and allow space to fall, for those learning to walk
Finally, if we do not faint, maturity will eventually come as the mind is being renewed
Then, they can help the new spiritual infants; walk the grace walk as well
Let put paid to the culture, of "Microwave Christianity"
Packing them in like flies
================&&&&&====================
Selah
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Matthew
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