It’s always fun for me when Susan posts provokatively (okay…all her post provoking – even if they just provoke a hunger for cinnamon buns) and she hits on a topic that is also on Becky’s mind and my mind (Becky – glad you are back from NYC and blogging away).
So today the topic is leap-froggin from church to church and Susan rightly emphasizes that in our consumerist mentality we tend to shop for the church that is cherry picked just for me. We drive miles and miles and miles and miles and miles just to hear the right charismatic speaker or get the right praise and worship band or the right exciting youth program for our kids. We become so narcissistic about our own personal perceived needs that we neglect that an important part of church is being free to serve others. Susan emphasizes “There is really only one ministry: to love, in Jesus’ name.” My immediate thought was “Well of course, it goes without saying that we should love others in Jesus name and minister to them” – No, Nancy… it does not go with out saying. Those things that are vital to the church should never be assumed.
Then I popped over to Becky’s blog and read this: “The tension is something like this: I’ve attended the same church my whole life, and I’m afraid to go anywhere else. It’s actually not quite fear, but imagined comfort. Never mind I don’t know half the people in the congregation anymore, but it is still somehow comfortable to go in there.” Boy, I know the feeling! We often stay somewhere because we are comfortable. Perhaps we are situated in a church filled with people who are just like us. Perhaps we are comfortable in an unchallenging feel-good place. Perhaps we are comfortable because we feel needed and there are endless opportunities to exercise our gifts. Perhaps we are comfortable because no one knows our name and we do not have to serve. Perhaps we are comfortable because we’ve gone their our entire lives (I do think there is some value in commiting and communing with one congregation for life). It’s a bit like the old pair of comfy jeans that fits just right. So when we see the same faces week after week and year after year, we assume that all is right. We assume that those who have been leaders for years are still being nourished and fed and cared for. We assume that behind the friendly smiles on Sunday are happy hearts just aglow for Jesus. And trailing behind the happy hearts are the contented families, slipping on those same jeans week after week.
Which all brings me to my recent reflections on the role of the church. We all have our essentials that must be met by the church we chose to affiliate ourselves with. I have many dear friends and family that have different criteria and histories that drive them to church communities different from where my husband and I worship. But Susan’s post is nagging me as I try to grasp and articulate the essence of what I think is a Biblical approach to “the role of the church.” Clearly many criteria would be valid. Moreover, I’m pulling back a few layers and digging into my own selfishishess as I recognize that my criteria change when I feel more needy. Should that be the case? Can I not serve in need and in want? As I thought about responding to Susan’s post, many of my conclusions sounded silly, or harsh or narrowminded. And yet the church plays a vital and unique role in the life of the believer. This role cannot be filled by any bookclub, knitting club, scrapbooking group, soccer club, dinner group or any other gathering. As Paul says in Romans 12, we belong to one another as members of the body of Christ. There is a deep and intimate commitment when we entrust our heart, mind and soul to the care of a Christian community.
So for now, I’ve settled on this: the church should teach, preach and live the Gospel. It cannot assume that we know the Gospel or have heard it all. It should teach the Gospel throughout scripture. But it must also live the Gospel, and love selflessly. And love is not some touchy-feely emotion, but rather a commitment to the Lord and to others that drives us to live and serve in humility and truth.
