Bush Turkeys - In or Out?

Kevin Bird's battle with the bush turkey continues...

I'm not paranoid, but are the bush turkeys laughing at me?  I'm sure they read my last rant and are now more determined than ever.  Yes we stopped them from scratching one or two garden beds, but all that meant is they have gone further a field. 

If you come onto the church property via Baileys Road you will know what I mean.  Have you noticed the trails of debris all down the road?  I kid you not.  What will the neighbours think of us?  Here we were doing a good thing for the neighbourhood by keeping the turkeys in our back yard.  Yes they were a pain in the neck for us, but at least they were contained.  But now what have we done?  They are out in the neighbourhood, scratching around next door and the ten houses down the road, and bringing all the debris back to us.  And it is all our fault; we forced them out.  

As I watch this all play out I'm not surprised.  I mean the turkeys are on church property after all, and they have obviously picked up the "vibe" of what it means to be church.  It was Jesus who told the story of a man who held a great banquet and told his servants to go out to the streets and alleys to bring people in because he wanted his house to be full (Lk 14).  Being church means being out there, bringing people into the orbit of God's presence because God wants people to enjoy all that He has for them.  Well the turkeys are out there, that's for sure!

I was contacted the other day by a person who was inquiring whether "outsiders" could have a stall at the Playcentre Market.  Now isn't that fascinating language.  In this person's mind the church consists of "outsiders" and "insiders".  Sadly we haven't helped, because all too often we have happily perpetuated the myth that church is all about keeping it in our backyard and protecting our own.  No, church isn't a private party, its a street party, and like the turkeys we exist to be out there in the neighbourhood making sure people know they are welcome; making sure they know that as far as God goes there are no "outsiders".

There is another aspect of this saga worth thinking about.  We thought we had devised a plan to stop the turkeys but all we did was send them further a field.  We couldn't stop them.  All they did was change their plan of attack. 

On Sunday nights we have been working through Acts - Luke's account of the early followers of Jesus.  One of the overwhelming themes that we are seeing is that nothing could stop the spread of the message of Jesus; not even opposition.  On one occasion fierce persecution was happening.  There is a real sense that this thing was about to be shut down.  But that's not what happened.  It just meant the church was scattered further a field (Acts 8).  You get the feeling God was forcing His people out.  But again that shouldn't surprise us, because that was always God's plan.  He wanted His people not only out in the neighbourhood but throughout the nations. 

What a picture that is; bush turkeys spreading out further and further scratching away bringing human debris into the orbit of God's blessing, goodness and salvation.  I guess we can't escape it, the bush turkey still sounds like a pretty good church logo.