Joyful Transformation

I woke up excited. Oh sure I was still tired. I couldn’t believe the clock was right, but I knew it was true. It didn’t matter. There was something new waiting. I have always been a bit of a “change junkie” so I had been eagerly anticipating trying the new equipment. New bikes, new bikes, new bikes! I thought as I continued toward spin class.

Typically Friday’s class is not my favorite. But I am dedicated to getting back to a strict program and have rejoined Fajita in a 40 Days of Fat Reloaded. This would be my third class this week. The new bikes were there on Wednesday, but I arrived a little late and just settled in to my comfortable “old” bike, to get the work-out started.

I know that you shouldn’t judge an assembly by the size of the crowd, but this morning I was a little surprised to see only five or six other people in the room. This looks strange in a room of 50-plus bikes. Soon I realized why. You could not understand the instructor as she called the changes into the mike. The music was un-inspirational and the class was….should I say it? Boring! We were just going through the rituals of exercise. Did I elevate my heart rate? Yes. Did I sweat? Yes. So, did I achieve the expected results of an exercise class? Yes. Then why did I leave feeling unfulfilled, dissatisfied? I have a basement full of exercise equipment. There are miles of road I could run if I just wanted to get out and work up a sweat by myself. I wanted motivation, I wanted camaraderie, I wanted to feel a part of something, and I wanted to have fun. So, is it all about my wants? Well if I give up an hour and a half of sleep, yes, it is about my wants.

What is my point? New equipment, new songs, a new building, a new preacher, none of these things will motivate and inspire a group for long. Sure, they might get someone there the first time, but it takes more to keep them coming back. Most people don’t want to be entertained or catered to, they want to belong! They want to feel like they are part of something that is vibrant and alive, not just attending something that they can slip in and out of without anybody noticing.

As I said, I am a “change-junkie”. We are in the midst of a building project and a search for a new minister. I get very excited about the prospects of both, but I must use caution. These are not the things that will make the church a stronger more “Jesus-like” place. The change that really matters has nothing to do with either of these variables and has everything to do with how much of a community we are willing to be. Am I doing my part to make that happen? Are you?