Vision of the Bonsai Church
.........At that point in the middle of the redwood forest, Chris had a vision. Now, when I say vision, it wasn't anything otherworldly. Jesus didn’t appear in a blinding light. An angel didn't show up dressed like a warrior with a scroll in his hands. This was all in Chris’s mind - one of his powerful spiritual insights. In the vision, Chris was on a guided tour of a popular megachurch campus. The pastor, excited about his wonderful church, was leading Chris around, showing him the facility and commenting on all the great things that God was doing there. When the pastor got to the sanctuary and opened the doors, Chris was shocked at what he saw. The pews were packed out, but in each seat, instead of a person there was a bonsai tree - thousands of bonsai trees. Each little tree represented a member of the church. The staff, all paid professionals, were running around frantically pouring tiny thimbles of water into them. Other staff were trimming the bonsais with pruning shears, making sure they all looked alike and stayed the size they were. There seemed to be a lot of twisting and manipulating going on in an effort to maintain them. It was obvious that the staff was way overworked, exhausted, and stressed.
When Chris stepped out of the building and looked back, the whole church was a massive greenhouse for growing bonsais. Above it was a sign that read, “The Bonsai Church.” Chris realized the bonsai trees were so completely dependent on the greenhouse environment, the professional clergy feeding them and tending them, that they would not survive if taken outside of the greenhouse. They were tiny and being kept that way. All growth revolved around church programs and activities. Outside of the greenhouse, the bonsais had little or no impact on the environment. Instead, the environment impacted them negatively. Many wilted and died, unable to withstand the brutal climate - winds, storms, heat, fires. On the other hand, the mature redwoods that Chris was experiencing in the forest actually created their own climate by the power of being what they were meant to be.
There are reasons why redwoods impact environments instead of environments impacting them. It doesn't just happen.
First redwoods are relational. As forests, they thrive in community with roots that go down deep and intertwine with the other redwoods for extra strength. Being connected is vital to other redwoods for extra strength. Being connected is vital to their survival. When storms hit, they support and anchor one another. Why do you think they live to be thousands of years old? A bonsai’s roots, however, are shallow because they are in the pot all the time and can’t get connected to anything on a deeper level. In fact, bonsai roots are trimmed so they won’t break out of the pot. Sunday pews have defined their community. Let’s go to church sing some songs, hear a sermon, hug some folks, and go home…..and oh, don't forget to tithe. Bonsai trees’ shallow root system keeps them in a dwarfed shape. It’s the religious system versus an authentic relationship with Jesus. The latter allows God to occupy our lives 24/7 and move into deeper relationship with others, which challenges the issues in our lives. While going to church is important, church won’t sustain you.
From the book by author Max Davis - When Jesus was a Green Eyed Brunette
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