Get In The Game

Last month I had the privilege to be in Austin, Texas the weekend of the “Big River Shoot Out”. This football rivalry game is huge between the Texas Longhorns and the Oklahoma Sooners. It was a huge game as always, but this year both teams were ranked in the Top 5…so it was even bigger. The game is played in Dallas at a neutral field for both teams, about equal distance from both schools. Now Texas won the game this year, and we happened to be in Austin Saturday night…on historic 6th Street…a short distance from the University of Texas campus. Wow, what a party was goin on there…the place was packed with Longhorn fans…what a sight to see! Now 6th Street in Austin is the historic music scene…reputed to be the best music scene in the country…where countless famous artists have performed in many of the music clubs lining the streets. 6th Street is usually party central, as you might imagine, but tonight, after this game, it was rockin at a whole nother level. It’s funny how crazy fans are for their teams. I know, I do it too. I love the Oregon Ducks, the San Diego Chargers, the Lakers, the Blazers, the Dodgers and the Angels, to name a few obsessions. It’s weird how we cheering fans are living through our “teams”. We seem to vicariously be living through our favorite team or players…but we never really participate in the action, do we? Oh, we like to think we do…but really we’re just enthusiastically watching the players do all the work. We pay a few bucks, scream like they can hear us, celebrate the good plays, and mourn the mistakes…but its nothing like the guys on the field. They're the one’s sweating, training, performing, executing the plays, making the impact and ultimately deciding the games outcome. In many ways it can be like that in church… where we become fans of those “up front”, “on stage”, and we cheer them on, and support them in doing what we “only wish we could do”. But really, they do it…and we watch em do it…hoping they are successful…so we feel successful too! But is that the way God intended His church to be? Holy spectators? Are His people supposed to just show up, watch, and cheer on the one’s “doing something”? Are we on the right "track" or are we a on a long train to nowhere? The bible actually teaches us something quite different than how "church" usually is. In fact, the bible actually teaches us that church leaders and pastors are to “equip people” so that they can do the “work of the church”. The work of the “church” is another way of saying the “work of God’s people”. If Jesus said we should love God with all we are and love others as He designed…then pastors and church leaders are supposed to “equip” people to do those very things. Yet, far too often, church can be a “come and see” type of occasion…rather than a training to “go and be” in lifestyle. Perhaps this is why so many see attending church as meaningless…because it seems that we’re passively watching others “do the work of the church”. It seems kinda senseless really. But it’s quite a different thing when each person joins in the things God has planned. Each person feels valued in their uniqueness. Each person feels they are a part. Each person is able to contribute. Each person is able to be shaped by God as He uses them to touch others. There is really nothing quite so meaningful and transforming as experiencing God using you uniquely to touch other lives. At ECHO we intentionally desire to create an environment where each person can uniquely experience God and God using them. Join with us as we learn to “do life” God’s way…not just live life as spectators. It’s a powerful thing…one we hope you can experience…because it sure beats sitting in the stands watching "life as God intended", slip by without you!

be God's!
Brian O
Lead Pastor dude, ECHO