While Vickie and I LOVE living in South Florida, we don’t claim to be Floridians. Even after living in Florida for some 20 years, we are 1,000% (no, I didn’t accidently add one too many zeros) Texans. Florida is an awesome place to live. What you see on the postcards with the pristine beaches and palm trees are part of the Florida package. BUT (all caps on purpose!), this isn’t Texas. There are things from back home that we so, so miss … especially the taste of genuine Tex-Mex food and Texas BBQ brisket. I’ve been told that Jesus will have Texans cater the Marriage Supper of the Lamb serving the Mexican food and BBQ. I have yet to find a single Tex-Mex restaurant here in South Florida that knows how to prepare delicious enchiladas, tamales, burritos, and sopapillas. The restaurants here just don’t have a clue as to how to make genuine Tex-Mex. I don’t even want to begin to talk about South Florida’s barbeque. The name on the restaurant promises genuine smoked, tender brisket and ribs that are bad to the bone, but just one bite will tell you that the taste just doesn’t live up to the name.
Why am I writing about food? Examining what is called Tex-Mex and BBQ with what actually tastes like genuine Tex-Mex and BBQ provides an excellent example for doing an examination of what we call the Church today. Look at the events that defined the heaven-birth, Spirit-filled Church in Acts 2. The Church birthed in the Upper Room didn’t settle for just being spirited. Instead it was the Spirit Church.
There is much that I can write on comparing the name and the things that should define the name. The Book of Acts shows the real-deal, the undiluted, uncompromised Church. Today’s Spirit Church is something that has the same name but an entirely different taste. Just as I long for the taste of genuine Tex-Mex and it be bad Texas smoked brisket and ribs, I long for a Church that is the real deal. I long for a gathering of believers that reflect that they are the Church birthed of the Spirit, empowered by the Spirit, led by the Spirit, and demonstrate the Spirit. And, what is said about the Church SHOULD be said about our children’s ministry!
Let’s go back to the Book that defines who we should be. Let’s go back to our roots to see what we should “taste” like. Let’s see if the name that differentiates our church is backed up by the “taste” experienced in our services. If two aren’t one and the same, it is time to either change our name or change our taste!
Selah …
