Friday, August 24, 2007

Wake Up Church!

I found this true excerpt from a pastors blog I follow. This little story came from an actual 4 year old at Cramerton Baptist Church (I have no idea where that is).

As they were getting ready to go to “big church,” the Sunday school teacher decided to prepare her class for the upcoming worship service. So she asked one of her brightest students, four year old Holly, "Why is it necessary to be quiet in church?"

Holly looked up and replied in complete sincerity, "Because people are sleeping."


As funny as that is, that is the reason we see this new generation of churches that are relevant and exciting in the U.S. People can hardly wait to go to church because they like the music, and they are dying to get out of the mess they have gotten themselves into in their lives, so they listen to everything the pastor says and apply it because it is applicable. It is an amazing concept, but for those of you who grew up in church and ever fell asleep in church, you know what I am talking about.

Sadly to say the young generation in Europe have actually surpassed this phase with no relevant exciting church to fill the void. Their parents quit going to church because it was boring and had no relevance to their lives... they began to sleep, and now the kids have no experience with church... yet they are searching. Even as I write this my heart gets heavy and I find it hard to breath... my heart aches for the emptiness the people in France feel and long to fill. They have food, they have jobs, they have homes, yet they have no hope.

Ken and I are so humbled by what God is doing in us in order to be able to use us to fulfill the dream He has put in our hearts. And trust me their is alot of work to do. We actually see a light at the end of the tunnel. We know we are going and we know how we are going to get there. We know now He is going to provide, and it is an awesome feeling. After 3 years of raising awareness of the church in Europe, traveling all over the U.S., taking many research trips to France and learning about the heart of the people, our God is so faithful and in His time He has prepared the way. If we had gone 3 years ago we would have missed out on being used by Him here and growing in some amazing ways.

I will share more later, but I can just hardly contain the peace and joy and humbleness I feel as God is showing us something new.

2 comments:

Sue said...

Hello to the entire Witcher Family!!! It is truly amazing how God uses different people in different ways. Me personally, I'd never make it in France. But you guys, with your infection smiles will do great things there! I will stay here in the states and do let God continue to work through us. We will lift Catalyst France up in prayer. What ever happened to that newsletter??

Jane said...

oh the suspense is exciting! I LOVE to watch God's plans unfold....it is rare that it is what we expect, but oh so beautiful! You guys are always in my prayers...your family, and those that you will be ministering to in France.

Missed you while I was gone!