Church – an essay

What is this thing we do?

Not too long ago, someone in a group conversation asked,

“Do I really, truly, have to go to church?”

There were many replies. Many people quoted a scripture or two, others reasoned out loud to the question asker, yes, you MUST attend church. Eventually, i posed the group a question from another angle. i asked, “In light of all the responses to the question, i’d like to pose another question. What is it that we say we MUST attend, what is it we are attending? If we’re going to say we MUST attend, i think it would be good to know more about it. If we think we MUST go to a meeting consisting of a prayer, a fast song, medium song, slow song, another prayer, take up some money, another prayer, a sermon, and some closing prayer, what is it we’re doing?”

Someone quickly quoted the scripture in Heb10:24-25, “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” Out loud, another soft spoken fellow said, “That’s a great scripture, but does it mean we are supposed to be connecting with one another and God, or does it mean we should attend a brick and mortar facility in order to qualify as having “gone to church? Do we attend in order that everyone will tend to think well of us because they could somehow quantify our commitment? If we count the 10 minute conversation before and after, and count being in a group of people for a very predictable program as satisfying our need to connect, we are wrong. i’m not, by any means, not saying to not attend, i’m just asking if attending a brick and mortar facility is really what that scripture means?”

The room came to a halt.
The silence was deafening.

Friends, i’m not saying don’t go, i’m only posing why we feel compelled to go to a brick and mortar facility and call it connecting with God and others? i would never, ever, suggest to not go, because surely we should…. i’m just asking us to explore, within ourselves, what we go for, how we came to that conclusion, and why we think we’re satisfying God’s request to not just do a rule but more better, to connect? The idea in Heb 10 isn’t some rule to go to church or else, “you’re out of fellowship with God”, or “obviously, there’s sin in you life if you don’t go,” all said with the smug, religious face of disapproval. God never made it a rule that we must go to a building somewhere….we did. Just because we go to church in a brick and mortar facility doesn’t mean we are “in fellowship” with others. The idea of Heb 10 is to connect, be involved with meaningful, Kingdom advancing conversation which “works out our salvation with fear and trembling”.
The idea of church is God’s vision, and fellowship is His idea of pro-vision, meaning anything which advances the vision. The idea of church is to advance God’s vision of being able to relate to Him, and learning how to walk in His preferences and standards. Each person is responsible for how they do all that. i didn’t say “go or else”, i asked WHY, and encouraged us all to participate, not simply attend. And that is important >> participate, not simply attend. Some think “attend” means show up and be counted, but God’s idea of attend is to “participate, cultivate, and be fruitful, like someone who cultivates a garden.”

Some of the very best church i’ve ever been involved with was at the jail. Everyone who comes to church there is wearing a prison jumpsuit. Everyone who comes to church there is at the end of their rope, one way or another. i believe, on the average, we are all trying to be as honest and open as we know how to be, and of course some more than others. i used to think the reason many people actually did well in jail was because it was a regimented environment, a place of some semblance of order which they didn’t have in the world beyond incarceration. A few months ago, the Lord opened my eyes to see, that was the far lesser reason. The reason many did well as far as advancing their relationship with God… was… because… they were connecting, and staying connected to other believers who wanted, on some level, to lead a different life besides the one which got them in jail. They were connecting, and many were even prospering! Oh yes, there are, indeed, many people in jail who know God’s word, quite well in fact. At church in jail, they weren’t attending a brick and mortar facility because they were keeping a rule, they were there because they needed to connect. We say we are no longer under the law, but then we go and create for ourselves little unwritten rules, then attach penalties for ourselves when we don’t do the rules. God didn’t say keep the rules and persecute those who don’t, but consistently connect with other believers. For many, not going to church doesn’t mean we are out of fellowship…. that doesn’t mean don’t go, that means be brave to explore and be honest about why you do.

Many months ago, i asked a man what he was doing for church. He said he was going to his house and it was wonderful. My religiousness crept into my mouth and i implied, in a very condescending voice, that “if you aren’t going to church then you must be on the outs with God and there is probably hidden sin in your life.” Man! i’m such a Pharisee sometimes! He smiled and said, “I didn’t say i was out of fellowship. i simply said i don’t go to a brick and mortar facility. i still tithe, i still study the Word. i still worship. i still pray alone and with others. i’m not out of fellowship.” i asked him why he didn’t go, wherewith he said, “i’m tired of the show and the comfort food praise and singing, and i was desperate for real, in-depth fellowship with believers who were interested in working out their salvation with honesty, transparency, and fear and trembling.”

Again, i never said, don’t, i only posed why. Is this a scary question? It should be, because it challenges the little religious habits we’ve created for ourselves, called them God, and then measure ours, and everyone’s quality of God-life by how well they keep the rules. Sort of a terrifying question for many i would think. It certainly was a challenge for me….actually….still is.
My lack of understanding the Lord, my religiousness and need for rules and penalties cuts the legs out from under my relationship with God.

What do you think?