Does your church have a spiritual appendix? Is there something hanging on that isn’t necessary, has become reduntant, or has lost its purpose? If it becomes inflamed can it sicken or even threaten the life of the body?

I am asking myself these questions while I sit next to my 9 year old son Josh who had his appendix removed this morning. He was unable to have the small scar quick recovery surgery that most folks have because his appendicitis was chronic. Let me explain.

For a couple years now he has gotten sick, had the symptoms, gone in for diagnosis, and miraculously gotten better.

What we did not know was that his appendix had adhered to his colon and xrays and ultrasounds could not reveal the problem. His blood work showed no abnormalities, but his immune system kept giving in to every virus that came along.

After multiple tests and various assumptions Josh became sick again. Fortunately our new youth pastor’s wife (a pediatrician) happened to be there to observe him before his symptoms vanished. Based on her observation the ER doctor conceded to have a CT scan which revealed the truth.

So I wonder if spiritually there are appendices which keep making our churches sick, but by the time we are prepared to deal with them they don’t look like such a big deal. So we allow them to continue or have a mis-diagnosis and all along we are getting worse instead of better.

So this post is both prayer request and food for thought.

What are the appendices our churches need to have removed?

And please remember Josh when you pray.

In Him (and mostly asleep as I write),

darrell b jr