I think it took a couple of days for me to really realize what
an amazing display of God’s spirit and unity we experienced together on
Sunday. Sunday you were invited to come
forward to pray for the staff, board and refocus team as your way of telling
your church leadership that we have permission to lead us to ask what does God
want and what do lost people need to be introduced to Jesus. You gave your church leadership permission to
not make decisions based upon what you or we want, like, prefer or need as
Christians. You gave your church
leadership permission to let go of the red balloon of Christian
consumerism. Do you realize how big this
is?! It would have been one thing if a
handful of you gave this permission, but almost everyone in attendance came
forward to prayerfully give this permission.
Wow! Praise God! And hold on because now the engine is revved
up and ready to go!
In case you missed this past Sunday, before this permission
was given we asked the question, “When did it become possible to write the same
letter to McDonald’s and a church?” When
did it become acceptable to call our search for a church, “Church Shopping?” When did we bring the spirit of consumerism
into the church so much so that believers come and go to churches based upon
what is on the “menu”? How did we come
to feel justified in referring to the church as a business and the gospel as a
product? Does not doing so tell people
that the point of church and the gospel is to make me feel good or to get me
something I need? When did we start to
tell church leadership that it is their job to keep everybody happy so they
will fill a seat and put money in the plate on Sunday? Again, I ask, when did it become possible to
write the same letter to McDonald’s and to the church?
For example…
Dear McDonald’s: This
past winter, during my travels back and forth between Dayton and Canton, your
McDonald’s in Mansfield became a convenient stopping point. I am not a huge McDonald’s fan, but it was as
if your golden arches heard my cry for something different. I was introduced to the southwest grilled
mcchicken wrap. It was spicy, with a
good flavor and it was only 11 weight watcher points. That and a diet coke and I was set. The kids would not hear me complain about
McDonald’s again. Finally, the whole
family could eat there happily. But
then, suddenly, with no warning at all…we made a stop at the Mansfield
McDonald’s and I asked for the southwest mcchicken wrap and they said, “Sorry
we don’t sell that anymore.” But it was OK b/c here in Canton they still did,
at least for a while. First it was the
one on Cleveland Ave. That stopped selling it, then the one on Tusc and then on
Everhard and then…on, no, the humanity, the one at Belden village. It is now official: McDonald’s no longer
serves a southwest grilled mc chicken wrap.
Can you believe that? That was
the one reason I did not mind eating there.
How dare you take that away? I even mentioned to a manager at more than
one store how much I loved that wrap.
They looked at me like I was nuts and tried to pretend to care when they
said, “sorry.” I told my family. That’s it. No more McDonalds for us. Kimberly urged me to try the other wraps but
I would rather eat my own puke. They
were nasty. No thanks. The southwest
wrap either comes back or I don’t go back,” I said. And my boycott was going strong until…well…I
don’t know how you knew how much I loved them…but you found a way to get me
back…I mean who could resist…this summer McDonalds started selling vanilla ice
cream cones dipped in chocolate for only $0.99 (which by the way are only 5
weight watcher points), so let’s just say I have had one of those at least once
a week all summer long so I guess you could say McDonalds is back on my
favorite list. Thank you McDonald’s for
giving me what I want.
Can I ask you a question?
When did it become possible to remove the word McDonald’s in the true
story I just told and replace it with the word church? Listen to what happens if I do so:
Dear McChurch: This
past winter, during my travels back and forth between Dayton and Canton,
McChurch in Mansfield became a convenient stopping point. I am not a huge McChurch fan, but then it was
if your steeple heard my cry for something different. I was introduced to the McBible/praise and
worship wrap. It was spicy, with a good
flavor and it was only 11 weight watcher points, so to speak—you know just
enough truth not to convict you. The
kids would not hear me complain about McChurch again. Finally, the whole family could eat there
happily. But then, suddenly, with no
warning at all….we made a stop at the Mansfield McChurch and I asked for the
McBible/praise and worship wrap and they said, “sorry we don’t sell that
anymore.” But it was OK b/c here in Canton they still did. First it was the church on Cleveland Ave.
That stopped selling it, then the one on Tusc and then on Everhard and then…on,
no, the humanity, the one at Belden village.
It is now official. McChurch no
longer serves a Bible/praise and worship wrap.
Can you believe that? That was
the one reason I did not mind eating there.
How dare you take that away? I even mentioned to a board member at more
than one mcchurch how much I loved that wrap.
They looked at me like I was nuts and tried to pretend to care when they
said, “sorry.” I told my family. That’s it. No more mcchurches for us. Kimberly urged me to try the other wraps but
I would rather eat my own puke. They
were nasty. No thanks. The
mcbible/praise and worship wrap either comes back or I don’t go back. And my
boycott was going strong, until…well…I don’t know how you knew how much I loved
them…but you found a way to get me back…I mean who could resist…this summer
McChurch started selling a sermon dipped in humor and you don’t even make me
feel guilty for only giving $0.99 in the offering, so let’s just say I have had
one of those at least once a week all summer long. So I guess you could say McChurch is back on
my favorite list. Thank you McChurch for
giving me what I want.
Thank you again CFNAZ family for giving us permission to say good-bye to McChurch!
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