Broken-ness: the missing ingredient

When was the last time you went to a church that wasn't trying to impress you with their:

Building
Vision
Size
Worship
Preaching
Personalities
Culture
Hype

Perhaps the one thing that goads us slightly about the seeker-sensitive thing is that brokenness is not usually in the equation. Think about it... brokenness is probably the most offensive thing about the Kingdom since it is the thing that makes us most uncomfortable about ourselves and we avoid it at all costs. Why would you bring something like this in public! Are you kidding? Are you crazy!

Hence the westernized church situation. No brokenness. A whole bunch of southern hospitality, mixed in with a healthy patriotic ritual, benevolence funds, even a few hospital visits. Brokenness is a forced intrusion, but we can usually limit its appearance to bad health diagoses, natural disasters, an accident, divorce, or something equally unpleasant - intrusions we cannot control.

Brokenness is water to the Kingdom. Want to get power? Get broken. Want to stay in power? Stay broken, even as your life picks up and starts to look better, way better, on the outside. How broken were you to begin with? The test is that you stay broken even when you prosper, regain your health, begin to succeed at things, etc...

Voluntary brokenness is a weapon to allow us to stay in that state. Fasting. Praying all night. Being sensitive. Touching the poor. Giving money, time, and energy in radical ways.

Nothing against the seeker sensitive thing at all, but if brokenness is left out of any ministry, formula, or strategy, any "success" is deceptive and suspect. I don't want to follow a flawed model.

If it's broke, don't "fix" it.