No Need to Impress!

These are excerpts from an article by a young writer named Kevin D. Hendricks. He is a marketing professional. I think he's really on to something here:

No Need to Impress (Filed under: Philosophy)

"That's why it's so wonderful to have a home church. We get to mess up in front of them. Have fun with them. Experiment with them. Try things that work, and others that don't. It's nice to have a community of people where you don't really need to impress anybody. They become your 'soundboard' and a little bit of a testing ground where you can explore and examine things together."
Church is supposed to be a place of acceptance and love where there's no need to impress. Perfection should be checked at the door.
I think the churches are especially full of this kind of contradiction. Paul's struggle with sin captures this contradiction: "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do," (Romans 7:15 NIV).
It's also seen in the faith/works debate: "Not by works, so that no one can boast" says Paul (Ephesians 2:9 NIV), yet James asks, "What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds?" (James 2:14 NIV). It's the whole 'already but not yet' aspect of the Kingdom of God.
I don't think God calls us to BE the best, but simply to do our best (Col. 3:23). Striving for the top spots of influence goes against everything in the Bible. We're not to be consumed with being the best. That sort of competitive spirit yearns intensely for perfection and lacks love. Without love we are nothing.
If church advertising falters, we should do our best to make things better. Not to be better than other churches, not to impress design-savvy visitors, but because we're doing this for God and we truly want to reach people. Yet amazingly (here comes that contradiction again), God accepts our pathetic efforts. He certainly doesn't need our marketing, our evangelism, or even the sacrifices of old. For God it's all about our hearts. Are we giving this our all and doing it with the best of intentions?
The church is a broken institution, made up of sinful people. And that's exactly the draw. We don't have to be perfect. We don't have to clean ourselves up. We come as we are. That doesn't mean we wallow in the dirt and the muck, but it shouldn't keep you from coming in the door and finding a friend.
Face it, church is a ragtag bunch of losers, you and me both. We all have this disease called sin. Which is why we so desperately need God Who can save us from sin.
We're not here to impress anyone. We're here to help the church bring people to God. That might happen through helping churches avoid cheesy clipart and bad design decisions. But it also might happen when churches drop the facade and embrace the fact that we're all broken. Cheezy church marketing sucks. But church marketing that acknowledges reality might be on the right track."
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This writer challenges me to take an honest look at my relationship with God, fellow believers and non-believers alike. How much of what we do is done to impress? Are good deeds done in order to advance yourself up the ladder of influence? Are we disgusted by sinners? Are we moved with genuine compassion for those who are addicted to destructive behaviors? I have wasted much precious time and mental energy trying to be perfect. It is NOT the focus we should have. Nor is it possible for any of us to be perfect in a literal sense as long as we draw breath upon this earth. The best of our righteousness is as filthy rags. That's why I need a merciful God who forgives. Sure, I could get certain outward behaviors under control and put on a pretty good front, but inside I was weak and entertained bad thoughts- I was dead. Lowering my defenses, surrendering my list of "appropriate behaviors" and trusting to the merits of the Great Unseen hasn't been easy. I simply must be who I am in Christ. He loves and accepts us as we are. The more we behold the great love of God, the more we change- from the inside out. Why do we judge and reject each other? Why do we meddle and push people to move faster than they are willing?? The painful truth is this: nobody is any better than anyone else, no matter how much truth one professes to know or how strictly they live their lives. The Cross is often rejected by professed Christians because it is the great leveler of men. The sinful part of our nature wants us to feel secure- to think we are better and more highly esteemed than others. Legalists reject the humble Christ in favor of focusing on the upholding of high standards, righteous traditions and good works. Why? Because to accept the teachings of Christ means it's not about ME anymore. Dying to self is letting go of my own efforts to perfect myself, to rest and allow God to work in me. He created the world, He can recreate my heart- this is my only hope. My job is to allow this rebirth and trust the promises of God. This is the truest sense of Sabbath rest known to man...
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Great Quote:

"No tool is more beneficial than intelligence. No enemy is more harmful than ignorance."

Abu Abdullah Muhammad al-Harithi al-Baghdadi al-Mufid

We must be intelligent in our beliefs. Though being wise, we will be thought of as fools. The things of The Almighty are foolishness to man. To wear another's robe of righteousness brings no honor or merit to me- it breaks down my pride, and yet this is the way it must be.