Over the summer we had a seminary student named Brendan Galvin come and serve with us. He shared with me about his experience being in an intentional Christian community while a student at Cal-State. This group of guys committed to certain things like prayer, scripture reading, shared meals, and service. I am intrigued by these things, because I have been following this new Monasticism for quite some time. Brendan told me about some of the great things they were able to do together, while at the same time some of the pitfalls that went along with this. These guys were helping with amazing ministries and non-profits across Los Angeles – but there were some basic struggles that had to do with being all up in each others’ business. He then told me that he decided to put a piece of paper in the kitchen that said this: “Everyone wants a revolution, but no one wants to do the dishes.”
On numerous occasions I have had someone click on the take me out for coffee button on the website. When I meet up later for coffee I usually answer numerous questions. I tell them about how we do things at The Anchor. I essentially tell them about this triangle here. I tell them that at The Anchor we are called to live an upward life to God through prayer, scripture reading, fasting, meditation – and we are called to live an inward life with each other through fellowship, fun, and food – and we are called to live an outward life on mission with each other that has to be simple and sustainable.
Most of the time people are very excited about this idea and they express how radically simple it is – and then after that breath they then ask something like this: “Now what are you going to do for me?” Granted, they do not say that directly – but indirectly they ask me that question. They say things like: What kind of children’s programming are you going to provide so that my children are taken care of? What kind of building are you going to build so that the church can have a safe and comfortable place to gather for worship? Where is your child care located? What kind of women’s bible studies do you offer? When are you going to have a church camp?
Now forgive me for bringing any of this up – if this happened to be any of you – but let me reference Luke 17.10: “We are worthless slaves; we have done only what we ought to have done!” What if the 21st Century Church could say: We are worthless slaves? What if we could be a church that is not built on a consumer model? A model that is constantly seeking the newest and best thing – but instead is built on a model of service toward others. What if church was not a self-enrichment exercise – but instead was modeled after the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus? What if church was not moralistic therapy – but instead church was built on convictions that included giving ourselves away for the common good of all? What if church was not based on segmenting ourselves based on our income, race, class, or gender – but instead was based on the baptismal waters that invite us all to be made new?
My sisters and brothers – everyone wants a revolution, but no one wants to do the dishes. Let us do something radical – let us be ordinary and do the next thing in front of us. Let us not try to have great faith so that we can move mountains – but instead let us tie an apron around our waist and wash each others’ feet. Let’s not try to have great faith so that we can magically make each other to consume the religion we have to offer – but instead let us journey with each other and love each other in real ways. Let’s not try to have great faith – but instead let us be servants that serve for God’s glory and not our own.
Today, I don’t offer anything flashy, or anything that you can put your name plate on. I am not offering for your family’s name to be on the sanctuary that we are building – because we are not building a sanctuary. I am not offering for you to get recognition for all the great work you have done for Jesus – instead I am just offering an apron and a dish rag. I am not offering a pew to be named after you because you have been a Sunday School teacher for 40 years – instead I offer you a white plastic chair to sit in, and you more than likely are going to be too hot or too cold. I am not offering a fancy church Christmas party, where the entry fee is $50 a couple – but instead I offer a simple sacred meal that is made up of bread and a cup. I am not offering anything flashy – no smoke machines, no light shows, no handsome preachers, no air-conditioning, no convenient parking spaces, no power point presentations, no projectors, no padded seats.
But I do offer you this – I offer a humility that is found in obedience to Jesus. An obedience that allows us to come and serve – rather than be served.