Church is not for me

It’s easy to overlook what is one of the foundational parts of a healthy Christian life, and many do.  Often it is a kind of ‘intentional’ oversight, an unexamined choice supported by assumptions that are too quickly turned into fact. What is missing?  Participating in the life of a local congregation.  After 4 decades of pastoral ministry, I know something about discipleship and about the hand-off of faith from generation to generation. Christians whose lives make a real difference for Christ and who are mature in faith are invariably part of a church. It might be a little group that meets in a living room faithfully or a mega-church in suburbia.  They may worship with incense and liturgy or with guitars and preachers wearing polo shirts. But, there is one common thread of the saints who pass the faith along – they are involved.  Those who attempt a ‘private’ faith ignore the evidence that congregational life, as hard as it can be, changes us.  Concerning children, the value of a group of ‘uncles and aunts’ or ‘brothers and sisters’ in the faith is inestimable.

Still, millions of Americans insist:  “Church is not for me!” Some point to scandal,  ranging from pedophilia in the Catholic church to unbridled greed of charismatic hucksters in their private jets, as the reason to leave church behind. Others point to traditions that bore them. Others just don’t like their ‘spirituality’ hindered by dogma.  And, some just do not want to get out of bed to participate or give time and/or money to support the institutional efforts.  

The attempt to practice a personal spirituality that is divorced from meaningful engagement with church is in direct contradiction of the Scripture, both Old and New Testament.  God first called His people into Israel, giving them a priesthood, a calendar of feasts and festivals, and commandments that directed their daily lives. Judaism could not be understood as a private experience.  God, though known personally, revealed Himself in the context of the nation.  With Jesus’ coming, a new Body was born, the church.  No longer was it a matter of belonging to a nation, it was a matter of being born of the Spirit.  And, those who shared the Spirit were called into the Church where "there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." (Galatians 3:28, NIV)

The Spirit gives His gifts to the Church, investing Himself to empower Christians in very different and complementary ways, so that God’s work will be done. When institutions replace the Spirit with human schemes corruption follows and the power is lost.  Through the ages, God has time and time again revitalized His Church. In the darkest eras, He has preserved for Himself, a holy people to tend the fire. And, He is doing that today.  In my opinion, the Christian church is in the worst condition she has been in since just before the Reformation.  Corruption, greed, apathy, and institutionalism are only  a few of the ills that sicken the Body of Christ. But, if we abandon the church for some private, personal spirituality, we turn our back on what Christ Himself loves. 

The Word says that “Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing a her by the washing with water through the word,  and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.”  (Eph 5:25)  The purpose for the church is far beyond sociological. It is a place with a divine  plan to display “ the unsearchable riches of Christ,  and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things.  His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms,  according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.”   (Eph 3:8)

Are you ignoring God’s calling?
Are you casual about participating in His plan?  

We are “those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy,”  (1 Co 1:2) “trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.”  (Isaiah 61:3)  Lord, make us faithful, obedient, and full of Your Holy Spirit. Amen.