I sometimes receive emails and comments from people who have given up on the idea of church attendance. Some blame bad experiences that have left a bitter taste in their mouths, causing them to become disenchanted with the practice of going to church. Others say that conventional church activities are missing the biblical mark. If you used to attend a church and you've quit, I’d like to know why.
I must admit that I felt much the same and that was a primary reason I started getting involved in planting and serving churches years ago. I did not come from any Christian background and when i did become a Christian, (because i started reading the New Testament), stepping inside a church building made me very uncomfortable for a lot of reasons! When i started a church years ago in Kansas, I called it a church for folks that didn’t like church.
The scriptures encourage us to get together and deepen our relationships. We are to love God with all our heart, soul, strength and mind and love others as our self. It is our relationship with God that makes us a part of the Church, not our name on the membership of some man-made denominational organization. We are saved by grace and we don't 'have' to do anything to earn God's love. That doesn't mean we can be lazy and just do nothing, but we simply do what God leads out of love and not out of guilt. Live as the Church every day and have relationships with others anywhere ... at home, at a restaurant, park ... even in a building on Saturday or Sunday!
In my experience, church,(or religion), has made the not-so-important things super important and the real-important things not so important. Just one example is when we make our exterior, (how we appear on the outside), more important then our interior, (our motives and thoughts on the inside). Our heart is most important.
Okay, time for more of the “full disclosure”. I am currently serving an interim pastor at AliveChurch.com’s Twin Peaks Campus. You’re always welcome to check us out and/or ask me any questions.
I will leave you with this question, where is your heart today on this topic? I’d love to here from you!
5 comments:
I viewed an excellent movie last night, that addressed this topic: "To Save a Life." An unchurched high school senior who had recently lost a friend to suicide, comes to a church youth group gathering out of desperation. He immediately sees their superficiality and hypocrisy, and calls them out on it. He galvanizes the youth group to take God's life-saving grace outside the church and into the lives of hurting teens. That's what "church" is all about IMHO.
about 6 years ago I started back to church. It was the one you pastored phil. I loved it. It was relaxed and honest. It was the best feeling to walk into that church. In 06 we moved to texas and we have stopped going to church. There has not been a church where we feel like we are welcomed in.
Dear Phil,
Fine post. Part of the evidence of that is the thoughtful comments it inspired. As always, some meaningful work being done here. Thank you.
Twin peaks? In California? Near Blue Jay? I retreated there in high school. Wonderful place--so much the better if you're serving there. Peace and continued good,
Diane
So, todays service is also why I choose not to attend a church. If I bring my daughter to a church that leaves no room for her disorder, then I set her up for failer in life. Wrong thinking is what "Aspie" is all about. At least to the outsider. I can not allow my child to be abused, in the name of God, with good intentsions at hand. There is a great lack of understand with just how many people are in this world that can mis the mark, because of brain disorders. A life long struggle that will lead people to shun them, thinking they can controll their thinking when they can not. And even more so, that it is their lack of want, praying and trying that provents them from Godlyness.
I wonder why so many believers stay in churches year after year. Millions of Americans leave each year. What do they know that we don't? 3500 churches close each year. What's the difference between those churches and the three in my neighborhood.
This really hit home for me when I read about the closure of Tucson's last drive-in church:
http://azstarnet.com/news/local/article_38e04976-148f-57e8-b6da-2a3f2d2b2d09.html
I've noticed a serious trend of mission creep. Instead of expanding the kingdom, believers settle for boating the organization. Instead of following Jesus, they settle for patronizing a charismatic leader.
I'm not throwing stones at anyone, just pointing out a trend that will probably get worse. Do we circle the wagons and wage war against irrelevance, or do we look to Jesus for our daily bread.
Post a Comment