We started Imagine Church because a group of us were finally ready to try some things. Possibly fail at some things. Part of us wanted to step away from the familiar and the predictable and embrace something totally new. We were no longer content to spend the rest of our lives doing church the way we’ve always done it.
I know there are approaches to church that are easier, cheaper, and not nearly as messy as what we’re doing. But the Imagine Church movement has awakened, or reawakened, something in us that’s made us willing to take on something that’s harder, expensive, and messy. Something we can’t manage. Something that is forcing us to pray as we’ve never prayed before.
Speaking of prayer, what do most churches pray for? God’s blessing? The presence of God? An outpouring of the Holy Spirit? Protection? As for the “presence of God” and the “outpouring of the Holy Spirit,” both of those were covered on the day of Pentecost. As for God’s blessing, Jesus promised to be with those who were making disciples, not simply gathering for worship. Protection? Please. It’s embarrassing for churches in America to pray for protection. Protection from what?
Do you remember what the first-century church prayed for? They prayed for one thing in particular, and it wasn’t blessing, presence, protection, or an outpouring of the Spirit. I’ll let you read it for yourself. “Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness.” (Acts 4:29, NRSV)
Seriously? Their lives were constantly in jeopardy and they’re asking God for more boldness. They asked God to do something powerful through them, but not for their sake. They were totally focused on those outside the walls of their meeting place. They were not about to stay put. So they prayed for boldness. They were not about to keep the good news inside the building.
So back to my original question. What do churches pray for? Let me give you a clue: we pray for what we need. Parking spots. Patience with our kids. A job. But boldness? Who needs that?
But the minute we decide to get back in the business the church was commissioned for in the first place, we will pray for boldness. We’ll pray for boldness because we know we need it. If we decide to take the New Testament’s advice and remove every obstacle that’s in the way of those turning to God, we will need every ounce of boldness we can get. We will have to cast a bold vision. We will need to make bold changes. We will wrestle with questions that require bold answers. New directions will require bold leadership. We will begin to evaluate everything through the eyes and ears of the unreached. Things will get a little bit crazy.
And we will love it. We will never be content with anything else, once God gives us boldness.
