This thought has been brewing in mind for the last couple years. What exactly is church. What is the function, purpose, goal, etc. This past week I have been reading Emerging Churches. In the appendix it has 50 stories of emerging leaders. The interesting thing about all the leaders is how they felt alienated by the church or came to a crisis. This required a rethinking of church.
I resonate a lot with the vision given by these leaders. But, this naturally brings me to a question what is church here for. Too often, I have heard that your life will be better if you are with a church. However, the sad fact is that in church I feel I encounter people who wear masks, but when I am outside the church I meet honesty and authentic people. I find this odd. What is it about the church that requires being fake. Many of these churches sprung up merely by a couple people connecting, because they are asking many of the same questions. What happened to the church. Often, the church is an organization like a business. This is a terrible fact. Have we given away the church to capitalism? Is church a product we sell? Like a salesmen trying to trick someone into a product and its benefits?
Church is a passion in my life, but also a cause for pain and frustration. Why is that the most authentic people i know do not feel at home at church. Why is working on a cruise ship, known for its hedonism, has a more authentic community than many churches. This is sad. Most of the beautiful people from the ship, would not be accepted at church due to not abiding to the 'rules' of church.
One thing that I am wondering, can the church be the church with 200 members? I am growing in my skepticism. Can we be authentic with so many people, while small groups do work, they seem forced. Like we need to get along and share stuff because we are Christians.
I have often wondered, this year every since i started attending St. Benedict's Table (http://www.stbenedictstable.ca/). The most revealing things i have realized this year is that i feel more at home at a church where i have no real relationship with anyone there than i do at a church I've attended for almost 12 years. Not that I don't have friends, which i cherish. Rather, I get a sense that whatever St. Benedict's has or their ethos that is what church is meant to be. Broken people running to God, living life together, answering questions, not hiding living life together. When did church become an institution that one can no longer be honest and real.
Well that is a bit of a rant, sorry. Maybe it is because church is so important to myself that it is frustrating to see it selling out.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
7 comments:
Chris,
Profound thoughts. Somewhat disturbing, as well, unfortunately.
While I don't believe it to be their best disc, Project 86 has a song on Truthless Heroes called S. M. C. (Super Mega Church). Give it a listen.
Peace. Lee.
Chris,
Powerful thoughts, crucially important questions. We're on a similar journey, I think, and I get the feeling that this won't resolve itself quickly. Instead, for this period of life anyway, we'll have to "live the questions" and keep our eyes open to see what God is up to.
j.
I guess when we think about the brokenness inside of all of us, it is not surprising to see it in the church, too.
I think one of the problems might be the Christian myth that life is easier for followers of God. I don't never if you've ever been told of this idea, but it's the idea that if you follow God your life will be filled with peace and joy and contentment. I think it gets preached and written about a lot, because it makes Christianity sound so attractive.
The truth is that following God doesn't make life easier, it didn't for the prophets, or for the disciples, or for anybody. But when we have believed this, and preached it to others, we run into trouble. We find out it doesn't work for us, but we have to pretend that it does (and thus become inauthentic and hypocritical) or else admit that Jesus doesn't make everything better right now.
I think we're afraid that if we admit that we struggle with sin and doubt and whatever else we struggle with that people will take that to mean that God really can't help us.
Obviously it's bigger than this, but that is some of my thoughts. I don't believe anyone in the church sets out intentionally wanting to lack in authenticity. I think fear is the biggest thing that keeps us quiet.
Thanks for your provoking thoughts, and for the way you put them down. You do a great job at drawing a mental (and sometimes a written) response from me.
Hey Boys...
Thanks for your thought. It is an interesting time. At times I feel like my life is like a rollercoaster. Somedays i feel excited, scared, confident, lost. That may sound odd, but very true. I am at a stage where I am asking questions..these questions are good. I feel God is in my journey
Lee - Thanks for your thoughts the last little while. The lyrics from the song look good, very honest/refreshing. I pray that as you serve you may find a vision to be constantly passionate about. That is my wish for everyone, but espeically pastors.
Joey - yeah, I definitely feel we are a similar journey. It has been nice to ask questions together. I look forward to see where God is leading our questions.
Bryan - I totally agree with your 'christian myth' that is right on. I have often why the most honest and authentic people are often outside the church. It is no wonder there is a need for authentic people in this world.
Well boys, I think I am coming to a couple conclusions. Well not really, but maybe why I don't identify with the traditional church. I am becoming starkly aware that my frusterations are a question of ecclesiology. What is church. I actually believe this is because I fell in love with the church(Body of Christ) during my time at prov. This love is taking me on this journey what it means to be a church. I am actually fairly sure my journey will take me to a seminary...to discover what i believe God's place for me is..and what is church.
Well thanks for joining me on my journey
Chris
so here are my thoughts since losing our building in a fire 5 years ago and still not having a building it frustrating at times when all we do at our meetings is fight about who did what what women is dressed in appropriatly and who should be serving and what you should be wearing on stage. my thoughts nun outfits for women any way not the point that I'm making.
we have lost site of God we get so confident that we know what God wants us to do but we go barging like a bull and stomp on every ones toes we forget that the church is not about the building but about the believers that worship and pray together and encourage and support one another I remeber when my church was civil and lifting each other up know there tearing each other down not noing what damage they are doing to each other and the church. sorry about the gramar and putting periods after sentences. people get caught up in the bliss of what they think the church is about and they wonder why no one feels at home in a church because no one goes out of the way to love each other as christ first loved us. if it wasn't for my involvement in youth i would have left my church along time ago but i believe in forgiving and loveing people as he has first loved us. we are human and i'm sorry to say this but some leaders think that because they are leaders in a church that they are right up there with God himself and that they can't do wrong in the sight of the lord.
Francine Rivers rights a good book on this subject its called "and the Shofar Blew" highly recommend it.
Chris,
Thanks for being the encouragement you are to me. I really appreciate you walking with me on my journey of faith.
I will try and check out the book by Wallis. Thanks for the recommendation.
Peace.
Lee.
Some great stuff coming out of this post...thanks Chris!
I agree with Bryan that portraying the Christian life as easy is a distortion. I wonder though what Jesus meant when he said "my yoke is easy and my burden is light"? I don't have an answer to that, just thought I'd throw it out there...any thoughts?
Chris - It's obvious to me that your frustration is motivated by a love for the church. It's good to see your questions are not pushing you away from church, but further into it. I think seminary would be a good choice for you...
Post a Comment