Have you ever heard the expression “it has an ‘air’ about it”? It can be a person, a place, a room, a company or a church. There are some churches that just seem friendly or some that just seem full of grace, and some that just seem cold and distant. We project a certain type of air and attitude with all we say and do. What is your air?
In this day and age in many cooperate places, they are working to change the mood of the company. Looking at companies like Google and Yahoo, who lead the way in having a positive environment. They get more accomplished, people are more creative and take risks. Too often in places, fear is the main motivation. When fear is the driving force, people don’t take risks. They play it safe, they do exactly what they know they are suppose to do, and nothing more. They don’t learn from their mistakes, the fear creates an environment where they simply try to hide them.
In a church, we should be projecting an air of love, grace and forgiveness. Are we? Many churches answer yes, but there are many churches who should answer no. To often in the church, we are driven by fear. Fear that comes from budget shortfalls, fear of change or losing what we have or what we know. There is fear of the changing society. A church that sits in an area where the demographics have changed will fear the unknown. There is fear of new people who will mess up what we have. Fear that we won’t get what we want in the new building. Staff sometimes fear for their jobs. Fear often overtakes a church, and the spirit of fear doesn’t come from God.
for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. (II Timothy 1:7 [ESV])
I challenge you today to have an air in your church of love, grace, forgiveness, mercy, boldness, excitement and eagerness for the Word. The society is changing, new people will have different ideas, the money may dry up and the building may fall down, but we can hold tight to Christ our Lord. That is all we need to have an atmosphere of grace and the sweet aroma of salvation.