A Refreshing Look at Church

Disclaimer: This is not a criticism of my current church. I enjoy it and thank God for it. Rather, this post is about perspective and a need for change in the way I view church.

Community park to the left, pool to the right, we parked in an empty asphalt slot at the recreation center that holds a local church plant. As we approached the single glass door, I viewed the church's pastor out in the open foyer, chatting with church parishioners At the door, a woman warmly greeted us, and handed us church bulletins, a single-fold affair holding a few announcements and a simple sermon outline. Behind the woman stood two white rectangle plastic tables, free of tablecloths, but spread with breakfast breads, paper plates, a bowl of strawberries, and a variety of church handouts. As we walked in and to the left, we found the church "sanctuary," an open room equipped with little more than an electric keyboard, a podium, a projector, and a projector screen. Christian praise songs hummed quietly in the background.

We sat down in the business style chairs, content to wait silently for church to start, as we normally do. Our solitude didn't last long. Person after person came up to introduce themselves and thank us for coming. Suddenly, we heard a few simple piano notes and the song leader asked parishioners to join in singing, "Amazing Grace." All stood. As the pianist played and sang, the congregation joined in. I could hear my mom singing harmony on my left and catch notes of my brother's low tenor to my right. The voices of the congregation rose above the instrument as we sang in praise to God. After this hymn and another song, someone prayed. The pastor came in and greeted the church. We sang, "The Old Rugged Cross."

An usher stood up and instructed us to greet one another. I shook the hands or two or three people and sat down. My family sat down, and suddenly, we noticed that we were the only ones seated. Around us, church members continued to exchange handshakes and hugs and good words. We realized that we'd sat too soon.

After asking not once or twice, but three times for people to sit down, the usher read the Bible passage for the day and the pastor stood up to preach. He spoke from The Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5 and had but four simple points. He preached straight from the text and actually had us read the supporting texts, all of them. No rushing through, no embellishment; just God's Word.

At the conclusion of the service, the pastor offered prayer. Then he went back to the foyer to say goodbye to his church members, each and every one of them. Meanwhile, other men from the church started cleaning up the sanctuary: rolling up cords, packing up the piano, picking up church signs. No one asked them to do anything. There was no obvious supervision. The men just worked-excellently, as unto the Lord.

I can almost recite the liturgy of traditional church in my sleep: Enter quietly. Remain polite. Stand up when the pastor instructs. Sing. Sit down. Listen to announcements. Stand up. Greet. Don't be unfriendly, but don't be so friendly that you take up the pastor's sermon time. Sit down. Open your Bibles. Pay attention. Take notes.  Follow along, but we don't have time to read all of the supporting passages. These become the unwritten rules.

Church today was refreshingly different. It wasn't polished. It wasn't a show. It was the assembling of like-minded believers for the purposes of exhortation and fellowship (Heb 10:25). The quality of worship was not about the number of instruments or the voices of the singers, but about lifting high the name of Jesus. The church didn't tout the degrees or credentials of its pastor or children's church workers, but rather evidenced people who served God willingly and joyfully.

I want to be part of this kind of church, not this particular church plant per se, but this church that is the corporate body of believers, near and far, at home and abroad. I want to remember that church is not a list of do's and don'ts but an active process of engaging with and encouraging those around me. Attending church is not an obligation or a recitation or a routine, but a privilege and a blessing from God, a refreshing breath of fresh air from the tumult and toil that is this world.

Supporting passages (Format borrowed from my friend at Unto My Beloved):

Hebrews 10:25
Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching (NKJV).

Philippians 2:9
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name (NIV).

Finding My "Why"

If you've been reading this blog for awhile, you've probably picked up on the fact that this year has been hard for me. I resigned from one job and took another. I've struggled to find passion and purpose. I've dragged through many a day. 

After seeking and asking God, "Why?" for a prolonged period of time, the Holy Spirit Moment gave me an, "aha" moment through recalling the words of Ephesians 2:10, "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them" (New King James Version). In the context of that verse, I found that my  “Why” is to do the good that God sets before me. This truth affects every part of me, and even my more minute habits.

Why social media? 
-To encourage others (1 Thess 5:11) and decrease my anxiety (Phil 4:6; 1 Peter 5:7).

Why exercise? 
-Because my body is God's temple (1 Cor 6:19-20).

Why pursue sexual purity? 
-Scripture commands it (Heb 13:1).

Why use wholesome talk? 
-It builds others up (Eph 4:29).

Why go to church? 
-To not forsake assembly with other believers (Heb 10:25).

Why eat healthy food? 
-To not be mastered by anything (1 Cor 6:12).

Why pray? 
-To present my requests to God (Phil 4:6-8; 1 Thess 5:16-18).

Why practice thanksgiving? 
-Because God is good and His love endures forever (1 Chron 16:34).

Why work hard and do my best? 
-To honor God (Col 3:17, 23).

Why my career?
-To help widows and orphans (Ps 68:5; Ps 82:3; James 1:27).
-To show love to foreigners (Deut 10:18).
-To promote hope (Rom 5:3-5).
-To comfort (2 Cor 1:3-4)

Why live? 
-For Christ in me (Phil 1:21).
-To proclaim Christ (Rom 1:16).

Looking for your "why" friends? I encourage you to find it within the pages of God's Word. 

I'd Like to Leave Church, But I Can't.

It seems to be a season of disillusionment with the church. Prominent Christian leaders have announced that they've left their faith, are losing their faith, or are “deconstructing” their faith. Having grown up in the church, and after seeing many of it's ups and downs, I'm a bit frustrated myself.

I'm frustrated at the homogeneity of the church and our inability to accept diversity. I'm frustrated that we kick our down (which is why I didn't name leaders above) when what they really need is love and accountability and grace. I'm frustrated that the church struggles with science and will often disregard it rather than wrestle with it. I'm frustrated that the church has become so political and business-like. I'm frustrated that there aren't more people like me in the church (which I guess is an oxymoron given my first statement). I want to leave. I want to tuck tail and say good riddance and be done with church. But I can't.

First, there's the biblical command to gather together as believers (Heb 10:24-25). Then there's the command to respect the pastors and elders he raises up (Eph 4:10-12). And then the command to submit to my husband, who works at a church, and definitely believes in going to church (Eph 5:22). If I say I have a relationship with Christ and God is my Heavenly Father, I have to ultimately submit to and obey Him. No excuses.

Then there's the fact that I'm not an island. I need accountability and community. What better place than the church to find both than in the church, with people like-minded in my faith? There's broken people there just like me. I need them, and maybe, just maybe, they need me.

Next, there's the idea that if I leave the church, I'm being just like the people I have problems with in the church. I'm being judgmental and prideful and hypocritical. I've being week and giving up. I'm failing to be patient. I've failing to have hope and believe in redemption. I'm failing to believe that perseverance produces character, and character growth (Rom 5:1-5). I'm failing to believe that trials can produce growth (James 1:2-4)

Finally, there's the fact that my husband wisely pointed out: The church is the bride of Christ (Eph 5:21-33). If I reject the church, I reject Christ. And I don't want to do that. Christ is my life. In Him, I have salvation and hope and purpose. No, I cannot, and pray will not ever leave Christ.

I'd like to leave church, but I can't. I'm not ready to be done with my faith, with my walk with my Lord, so I can't be done with church. The two are intricately intertwined.