A couple of weekends ago, myself and a few friends were certified as Advanced Scuba Divers - which means we can dive deep... like 130 feet deep! It was an awesome experience. But it's also more work.
If I want to dive deeper, I'm required to do more. It's a bigger responsibility. It isn't simply just diving to 80 feet, or 100 feet, or 130 feet then return to the surface. When I dive this deep, there's some action steps I need to take. I need to be more aware as to whether or not I'm feeling loopy. I need to be more aware of the nitrogen levels in my system. And on the way up, I need to do a safety stop so I don't get decompression illness. Diving deeper means paying more attention to your buddy and his/her well-being. These are just some of the things that are required of someone who dives deeper than just a recreational diver. It's advanced baby!
I love the word deeper when it comes to diving. It means I get to see more things. But when used in the church context, it drives me nuts. It makes me want to crawl out of my skin because most of the time it's said in sentences like these below:
"I want to go deeper."
"I need deeper teaching."
"I need a deeper church."
"I want a church that has depth."
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.
Most of the time, when I've heard someone say these phrases, it involves sitting in a room wanting to be taught some deep theological principle.
Is it wrong to want to go deeper? Heck no.
But when going deeper is limited to no action, it's completely off and is completely frustrating.
Going deeper really has nothing to do with what church you attend or what book you are studying.
And the more I think about it, the more I'm realizing that going deeper is just like being an Advanced Scuba Diver. If you and I want to go deeper, it's gonna require more from us. It means that we're going to have to be more aware of the needs of those around us. It means that we're going to have to be more aware of the condition of other people's lives. Going deeper is action oriented. Going deeper means being the church and not simply going to church. Going deeper means paying more attention to the well-being of your buddy.
If what you're learning isn't put to action, you're just as shallow as the day you got saved - probably even shallower. Going deep isn't the understanding of hard theological principles. It isn't teaching verse by verse. Going deep is simply doing what Jesus taught and acted on Himself.
If you want to go deep, feed the hungry. If you want to go deep, befriend the friendless. If you want to go deep, GO and SERVE.
If you want depth, put to use what you are being taught.
Only then will you...
go deeper.
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