"The Inertia of the Status Quo" John 12:37-50

Newton's First Law (Inertia) states,

"An object in motion tends to stay in motion,and an object at rest tends to stay at rest,unless the object is acted upon by an outside force."

Paul Nixon, in his book, Finding Jesus on the Metro, ask the question of whether our congregation is made up of pilgrims or settlers. Pilgrims are on a journey to a destination while settlers are putting down roots in a place of their choosing (they are through journeying). Another way of saying this, "Is Christianity at St. Barnabas a movement or is it an institution?" If we are an institution, we will tend to ask questions like: "Who are we and what do we stand for?" "How do we get people to be more supportive and faithful?" "Are we doing what the members want to do?" If we are a movement, we will ask questions like: "Who are we becoming in carrying out God's call to make disciples for the transformation of the world?" "How can get the people of the church into the world for witness and service?"

Properly, some things do need to be structured and institutionalized. It's what gives a movement endurance through many changes and challenges. Having certain prayers, hymns and common understandings of faith can be important. Having structures for financial issues and building concerns is necessary. The movement has then enough stability to be there for the long haul. But not long into the movement, it must decide whether the priority is for preservation or for the mission. If it is for mission, then stability must be secondary to dynamism - the ability to respond and adapt in the power of the Holy Spirit to carry out the call of Christ. It is the original sin of religion to promote stability over dynamism, to gradually develop an institutional rather than a mission mindset. In most churches, that shows up in about the 7th-10th year and it is the single reason why most churches peak in their first six years.

The Pharisees had become so strongly instutionalized that anything different than what they already did or believed became a threat. they also had established a powerful presence among the people of their communities, so that those who found Jesus ministry believable couldn't say so without reprisals. There have been times both in local churches and even at Annual Conference, when I have been told not to bring up new or contrary points of view, because it would offend others and be counter-productive.

A good exercise for today would be to consider the ministries of our church and ask which are more movement-oriented and what are more institution-oriented. Is our church more stable or more dynamic? Inertia is ever present. Missional, movement-orieted, dynamic churches have to constantly pray and work to stay that way.