CPC --canned peas church

Seated around the fireplace, my kids and I were reading some of these old newspaper/magazines. WOW. so funny. The women wore aprons, pantyhose, pumps and pearls at home; cigarettes were cool for men, women were about the home and 'it's man', and all the ads were about items that made the woman's job easier-hence "to make the mans castle shine!. EASY. More convenient. Iron easier. Vacuum easier. Clean windows easier. Care for your hair and skin easier, care for your kids and man easier and life will be better! Cooking was all about convenient. Convenience reigned over healthy. Canned peas were on every other page.  Easy canned peas......

My 3 sons and I soaked in the history lesson. 3 things came to mind: 

1. good times for grandpa that the woman was all about the man! 

2. We have learned that -easy- had taken away health and now we are have been raised with "natural" "organic" and "whole foods", green and natural chemical free cleaners. 

3. the culture of convenience invades a much larger part of life than canned peas and window spray......

 Even Church and consequently Christianity. 

Now, for my disclaimer: I am a solid Jesus follower and love the church. I worked in the official church and will always work as a part of the church. Which is why I dont think we should blink at taking a little inventory. I recently took a 'jesus growth' inventory with my local community. Together we had done such inventory both while in an attractional church, and then local community where we replaced the sunday service show with an entire day of serving and studying together. I hope to teach them to be focused, wise and discerning; fearlessly so in the graceful love of God.

I asked the young adults what the differences between the 2 forms of discipleship were. They said- 

1. slower way at first to see market change

2. far more growth in God at a far faster rate in due time

3. smaller resources of people and systems

4. not as marketable or glamorous

5. more work for all taking part

6. more neighborhood people served 

7. far less money going to overhead

8. easier for non believers to come into

9. non believers look upon a harder, more focused faith.

While that last inventory was a pleasure to hear, I did realize that 20 years prior I had at times marketed church and therefore Jesus  "easy like canned peas. All of those methods caused 

We read stories about persecuted Christians this quote comes from believers in North and South Vietnam:

"My dad was an unofficial church pastor. When such pastors get caught they either to prison or sometimes are sent to work in official churches in the North. I spent my childhood years in the official church where the pastors are paid and controlled and we are taught a safe and mild Christianity. I was very good and very involved in youth activity.  Therefore, my faith was not born until i found myself in the south married to a pastor of an unofficial church in a home. I raise my kids this way even though they have seen much persecution even in their own life. If kids speak of belonging to an official church they are left alone, if they speak of belonging to an unofficial church-much trouble comes their way. Even in our beatings God protects us because we are truly His, truly worshipping HIm and not a small self made part as they feed people in the North"