Expectations
Saturday night we went to church camp for a "Sweetheart Dinner." One of the couples from our church invited us and we were really looking forward to dinner. The entertainment was some guy named "Doc Salmon." I didn't really read the flyer too closely - I knew we were having stuffed pork chops and there was entertainment.
When Doc Salmon started, we were surprised by his subject matter - he talked a lot about sex. Now, understand - nothing he said particularly offended me (it was a little disjointed - partly because the sound system at the camp really needs replaced - and partly because he kept throwing in odd little moments, like showing us how to get out of bed in the morning if our backs are hurting). All in all, it was just a really strange night for me.
As it turns out, if I had actually READ the ad for the night instead of glancing at it and ASSUMING that I knew what was going to happen, well, I wouldn't have even been surprised that night (I'm not sure the couple would have INVITED us for the show...but I'm really glad they did...heh).
So - I went with expectations that didn't match what was offered. That never happens, does it? How often to I think something is going to be one thing, then it turns out to be something completely different than what I thought it would be?
I think that a lot of people look at church that way. Only a cursory glance - "Oh, that's church, I know what goes on there..." and look away. It gets worse, too. "Oh, that's a [pentecostal, catholic, non-denominational, other denominational, etc] church, I know what goes on there..." Do we?
There's a church up the road that I want to visit and see what's going on - not to condemn them (I suspect some people want to "spy" on them, and it's possible that the pastor might think that I'm up to something) or to "evaluate the effectiveness of their ministry" but because they have a reputation for engaging and effective worship - and I want to go to worship with them. I have given the church some consideration and I believe that there's a lot more to them than any labels that we can put on them. I think that God is doing a lot more there than some of the "rest of us" want to admit.
Expectations. You know what? I think more relationships break up (marriages, friendships, business relationships, whatever) because of unmet UNSTATED expectations. I don't know exactly what I expected Saturday night - but what was offered wasn't really any different from what was supposed to be offered. So where's the disconnect?
It's me...
Usually is, now that I think about it.
When Doc Salmon started, we were surprised by his subject matter - he talked a lot about sex. Now, understand - nothing he said particularly offended me (it was a little disjointed - partly because the sound system at the camp really needs replaced - and partly because he kept throwing in odd little moments, like showing us how to get out of bed in the morning if our backs are hurting). All in all, it was just a really strange night for me.
As it turns out, if I had actually READ the ad for the night instead of glancing at it and ASSUMING that I knew what was going to happen, well, I wouldn't have even been surprised that night (I'm not sure the couple would have INVITED us for the show...but I'm really glad they did...heh).
So - I went with expectations that didn't match what was offered. That never happens, does it? How often to I think something is going to be one thing, then it turns out to be something completely different than what I thought it would be?
I think that a lot of people look at church that way. Only a cursory glance - "Oh, that's church, I know what goes on there..." and look away. It gets worse, too. "Oh, that's a [pentecostal, catholic, non-denominational, other denominational, etc] church, I know what goes on there..." Do we?
There's a church up the road that I want to visit and see what's going on - not to condemn them (I suspect some people want to "spy" on them, and it's possible that the pastor might think that I'm up to something) or to "evaluate the effectiveness of their ministry" but because they have a reputation for engaging and effective worship - and I want to go to worship with them. I have given the church some consideration and I believe that there's a lot more to them than any labels that we can put on them. I think that God is doing a lot more there than some of the "rest of us" want to admit.
Expectations. You know what? I think more relationships break up (marriages, friendships, business relationships, whatever) because of unmet UNSTATED expectations. I don't know exactly what I expected Saturday night - but what was offered wasn't really any different from what was supposed to be offered. So where's the disconnect?
It's me...
Usually is, now that I think about it.
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