We are the sermon day

We recently had "We are the sermon" day at our church. We participated along with several other churches, including one or two Baptist churches. The premise was that instead of hanging out at the church building all Sunday, we'd have a quick worship and go out and do work in the community. Houses were painted, yards were mowed, and the like. Here's what the Abilene Reporter News had to say about it.

I wondered about how a family of four with two little people was supposed to mow grass or paint houses. I wanted to find a project that the whole family could do together, and so we signed up for shut-in visits. We ended up taking the boys to visit two of the church's shut in members. One we had been to see about six months ago, and we had a good conversation. The other seemed not even to consider himself a member of Southern Hills any more, and wasn't particularly friendly.

About those visits... I really don't like nursing homes, or the homes of people who can't get out of bed. They smell. They're creepy, or dirty, or both. Even so, people live there, people who need attention and affirmation just like everyone else. I was hauled around on many a visit as a child and teenager, which no doubt gave me the courage and skills to make similar visits. Thanks to my dad for that one. I hope Jonathan and Jared get similar treatment and similar results.

On the other hand, what does it mean if we are the sermon for a day? What about all those other days? Do we really need to be a sermon, or should we be something else?

Another thought, that makes me smile and probably makes some folks cringe... We served next to Baptists. We wrapped up the day with a worship service (a capella, of course) for all who participated, and we took communion. Church of Christ Christians and Baptist Christians worshipped together and communed together, and the roof didn't cave in, and no one was struck by lightning.

I was turned off by the statement that we were doing these things as "evangelism." The same guy who said "evangelism" from the pulpit on Sunday also said, ''We have members of our congregation who weren't members before we did this project." That's fine and dandy, but what ever happened to service just for the sake of serving? What about Matthew 25?

If we make service about evangelism, then don't we make it about ourselves instead of Christ?