Have You Hugged Your Church Today?

I don't write this blog for anyone in particular but more so I have a location where my jumbled thoughts can be gathered and maybe utilized better at a future day. Here is a thought I had today -

Have You Hugged Your Church Today?

I was reading from one of the books I currently have on the go and I was struck by the title of a chapter - Don't Beat Your Sheep! What a brave author to pen that as a title to a chapter. It certainly caught my attention. The chapter continued to talk about how church leaders can easily get frustrated by their 'sheep' when the latter do not appear to do what the leader is asking. After all, how can these 'sheep' not know that the leader has heard directly from God and therefore when he speaks a message he is communicating the heart of the Father. In a number of instances this is true, and the frustration can be too much. In some cases though the leader is really out of touch. The end result, can often be the same - some large 'spiritual truth' comes out in the form of a sermon or an e-mail or a blog detailing how the 'sheep' have missed the boat.

Now of course, no church leader would actually come out and say something as harsh as that to their congregation, at least not in words. How often do we as church leaders get frustrated when the people we are leading do not follow the plan.

Wasn't it clear when we communicated it?? Didn't they catch the vision from our flashy powerpoint and our witty message delivery? Can't they see? Are they blind? This initial frustration can lead to even greater internal criticism, which occasionally spills over. Why did God give me these people? Why did God put me here with this bunch? Do they even know the voice of God and His direction when they see it?

As the chapter continued, how often are the things that we get frustrated at our own making? How often does our bad planning or poor delivery lead to those things described above? All too often I fear, yet we seldom review our own internal systems, but more so we look for someone to attack?

There is an old saying that people will not care how much you know until they know how much you care? But dont they know? Don't they see the preparation I put into the messages I bring? Why cant they see that I care?

There is another old saying that goes - 'It is better felt, than tell't'

When it comes to feeling love, to knowing you are cared for, to see that you are accepted and part of the family it is one thing to be told that, it is something completely different to be shown that love and acceptance. Hence the question, Have You Hugged Your Church Today?

What love did you bestow on the whole congregation today? Who in your flock did you take some extra time with to help them catch the vision and decide to move with you? Did you put down the stick you have wielded once too often and stop beating your sheep?

Well, Jason, maybe when you come back and read this entry in a year or two you might sadly be walking in a situation like the book described earlier. Just remember -

Put the stick down and step away from the sheep!

Then hug your church and make sure they know that you love them dearly.