My Life As a Bloated Sponge

Disclaimer: I am totally ripping off an idea from my beautiful wife -- whom I love. She wanted to use a picture of Sponge Bob in her blog earlier this week but I told her to use one of her and Kayla instead. I would highly recommend that you read her Blog before this one as they are related.

I must confess -- I am a Bloated Sponge when it comes to Authentic Discipleship. Recall the three attributes of a Disciple that Pastor spoke about on Sunday: Desire to Learn, Desire to Practice and Desire to Share. If you know me for any length of time you know that I "excel" in one of these areas --- unfortunately it comes at the expense of the other two!

I think my life is the perfect definition of Consumer Christianity -- which isn't a badge that I am proud to wear. I devour podcast sermons and new Christian books regularly. I simply can't wait to hear what Rob Bell, Rick McKinley and Jeff Manion are going to say each week. It was (and sometimes still is) nothing for me to listen to 8 - 10 sermons a week as I drive to work and back. Can someone say addictive personality? I know God gave me the desire to learn but I definitely struggle letting knowledge consume me!

Here is a perfect example that I often use in Sunday School. Everyday I have to sit on a shuttle bus that takes me from the parking lot to the University. Many times the sermon that I started when in the car isn't completed, so there are many days when I sit on the bus and continue to listen...... I sit on a bus ... next to a living breathing human created in the image of God and totally ignore them for the 10 to 15 minute ride to the University. All the while I am listening to sermons on how Christianity is relational and how I should be loving everyone around me.....

Hopefully the Bloated Sponge analogy is starting to make sense....

For many months this went on daily. I had the opportunity to practice and share the Way of Christ with people who I would likely never see again but chose to consume the Ways of Christ. Fortunately, I finally came to my senses and now my goal is to "add value" to any person I sit next to on the bus whether that be through a smile, a discussion about their kids, or just listening to what they need to say.

So how do we go from bloated consumer minded Christians to ones who will share Christ's love and knowledge with those around us?

I think one of the best ways to do this is to actively participate in a Life Group!

How do you get a bloated sponge to pour out its contents --- pressure. It has to be squeezed! You can come to church every Sunday and absorb years of knowledge but only real people in real relationships can challenge you to put in practice all that knowledge! We all need someone to ask us, face to face, how we are living out the Ways of Christ! Such "pressure" is only meaningful if it comes from someone we love and trust.

If you are not currently part of a Life Group within MCAG please come to the Connection Point at the end of the month so you can start your journey towards meaningful relationships that will help you take the next step in your Christian faith!

Chad Quarles, Ph.D. in Spongeology

Outreach Coordinator