So I’ve been battling with a question.
Why does TMC exist?
We’ve been working as a church for 4 years now and I think I mostly know the answer to this, but I want it clear.
Our purpose statement says: “The Market Church (TMC) exists to connect people in a growing relationship with Jesus and into community with other followers of Jesus"
I have to be honest here though, while I think we are actually doing that, it doesn’t inspire me to get up and go. I think it is something that we weren’t doing and now we are in fact doing, but it really is more a statement of what we do rather than why we do it.
SOOOO…Why does TMC exist?
Here is where I want some help. Can we make this a conversation?
If so, here is the question again: Why does TMC exist?
Now let me clarify the question. Lets move past what churches do or should do. Lets ignore what you and I might think ideally all churches should do. What about TMC actually makes you want to not just come, but be a part? What is important about TMC that must get out? Why do we do the things we do? Why are we TMC?
I genuinely think that there is something that is TMC and I have some ideas about what that is, but I am asking for some input so that I can really, really clarify it. See, if we are just another church then we are siphoning resources away from other churches that are probably doing the “church” part of church better and I desperately do not want to be another church. Honestly I don’t believe in another church and there is no need for another church.
Somewhere deep inside though I think and feel that there is a need for TMC.
So why?
Tell me your thoughts.
What is TMC to you?
-Pastor Greg
wow...Great questions P. Greg. I'm not just saying that to flatter you, either. Your questions really have weight to them and they beg to be answered.
ReplyDeleteIt's funny because my husband and I were just having this conversation two nights ago. We were watching a movie where there were some "religious nuts" who were spouting off cheesy lines that made my cringe inside and out. While what the characters said was 100% true, it was the WAY they said it that literally hurt to hear.
Chris and I proceeded to talk about our experience with previous churches, what we liked, what we didn't like. We've had this conversation before while we were dating, but it was timely to have again now that we've been a part of TMC for a few months now.
We both agreed that what we like about TMC and what keeps us coming back for more includes the following things:
1. REAL conversations. I can be real, honest and candid with anyone there and I have yet to feel judged, looked down upon or criticized.
2. REAL truth. You don't water things down. You present the Gospel and all that accompanies it with clarity and accuracy. You don't sugar coat things to make it more presentable. Sure you add in some humor to make it relate-able (Batman illustrations are a PLUS) but you don't avoid the difficult things.
3. REAL community. I've made so many new friends and deepened existing friendships in the short time that I've been regularly coming to TMC. I NEED people in my life who will encourage me and challenge me in REAL and HELPFUL ways. I personally haven't experienced that at other churches. Not in this way anyways.
4. REAL Grace. It's okay that I'm not perfect. In fact, it would be NOT okay if I was perfect. Because then we'd both know that I was lying and we'd have bigger issues to attend to. I'm in process. You're in process. And we're choosing to do so together. All while learning more about God and the Grace He offers us in the midst of said process. It's okay that I don't have all the answers so long as I listen and look to the One Who does.
To summarize my thoughts, TMC has been for me an experience of REAL truth-filled conversations in a community consumed by Grace.
I use the word EXPERIENCE rather than 'church' or 'place' because TMC is more than 4+ walls on a Sunday morning. It really is just that...it's an experience. A deeply needed one in my opinion.
I have to back up Heather regarding the "realness" concept. When you walk into a church, you want to feel comfortable. I'm not referring to a "Let's flash a big ol' Joel Olsteen grin, stroke some egos, and tell everyone what they want to hear" comfortable, but more like a "Environment that puts people at ease and helps them open up" comfortable. At TMC, I have never felt like I'd better show up in the ostrich plumed hat and a full set of Lee Press-On nails or else I'm going to be judged harder than anyone on The People's Court ever was. Our first month at TMC, I was delighted to see that I could reference funny cats on the interwebz and admit that I was a diehard Assassin's Creed fan and not get the "I can't BELIEVE you're not in sackcloth and ashes right now" look. If you're in an environment where you don't feel judged, you don't carry that weight on your shoulders. And if you're not burdened with that weight, you're free to rest and take in the One that's really important.
ReplyDeleteFor me personally, my get-up-and-go stems from a desire to prevent kids from dealing with what I dealt with growing up. As a child, I was a good little Baptist kid, learning all the verses and singing all the songs and having to sit in the verrry front row of the sanctuary. (Dad said it was so people could watch us; he figured we'd behave better if we knew 20 rows of people were staring at us for an hour and a half - ugh).
Anywho, as an adult, I'm finding that as the years pass, I'm having to ask some hard questions, do a lot of seeking, break down everything I was taught about God, and doggone near re-learn it. Growing up, God was presented to me as this angry Thor guy who was waiting to drop Mjolnir on my head the second I screwed up, and boy, next time I sinned would be THE last straw and I was on the bullet train to Hell. Sure, I sang "God Loves Me," on Sundays, but I was repeatedly told that God would punish me for EVERYTHING. I remember hearing a mentally-challenged individual cry out in public once, and I'd giggled. Mom sternly reminded me that I better watch it, because if I laughed at that person, God might see fit to make me mentally-challenged, too. God of intense anger and fear? Oh yeah, you better believe I had the app for that.
So anyway, building on that desire to prevent kids from growing up with an incorrect (and quite frankly, horrifying) view of God, I got to thinking, "You know, what if I could create lessons for kids that went so much more beyond memorizing the verses and singing the songs? I want kids to have their own stories, not just hear the ones in the Word, and for them to be equipped for life as they grow older. What if I could design lessons that actively showed kids who God was, His qualities, why we should worship Him, what's the Bible and where did it come from, and so forth...basic and practical aspects of the faith. Can you imagine how awesome it would be to give children that solid start...that solid grounding in the faith and a solid confidence in who God is, and to have them carry that with them into adulthood? Then they wouldn't have to re-learn stuff like I did; they'd be light-years ahead of me and it'd be the BOMB.
I know it's absolutely no coincidence that God led us to TMC after attending a different church for 16 years. Frank and I felt led to leave in September of 2012 and during that time, we'd visited friends in Grand Island who attended a coffeehouse church. We went with them one Sunday and when I saw that environment, I was like, "We have GOT to see if there's anything like that in Omaha." Shortly thereafter, we were reminded of The Market Church, I got in touch with Pastor Adam, and well, here we are proudly calling TMC our church home. And we LOOOOOVE it. :)