I went to church yesterday. My husband asked me to go to church and I said I would. I've been thinking about why going to church is so hard for me. Why? What in the world do I have against church? Do I have anything against church? Or is it me with the problem regarding church?
What is church?
This seems like a easy question. The kind of question one might answer in an simple sentence or two. "A church is a building in which Christians meet for worship," is one. "A church is a group of Christians who gather for religious purposes" is another. Not so fast...
Church used to fit this description for me when I was younger. It even fit this description when my son was younger. Not so much, now.
First of all, the "group of Christians" portion of the definition is becoming blurrier. Christians are believers in Christ, right? You would think this is pretty self-explanatory. However, I'm finding most mainstream churches are becoming places trying to change that kind of belief. Just believing in Christ and the Grace given to us through Christ's coming to us as a man and living a sinless life and dying on the cross for our sins and raising from the dead and ascending to heaven, is pretty limiting. If this is the only way to God and this is the only thing Christians are allowed to believe, well, that's pretty intolerant of other beliefs. And, intolerance is not very loving, right? And Christians are all about love, so... we should be tolerant of all other beliefs. REALLY?
I know not all churches believe this, but I'm out here in the mid-Atlantic coast. I'm in one of the MOST liberal areas you can imagine. No, the Bible belt does not pass through this area.
Almost every church I've attended, in my area, has a yoga class in it's list of weekly activities. I've taken yoga. I know I don't have to buy into the spirituality of it. But why is it in the Christian church? Why? Why muddy the spirituality of a Christian church with yoga? I'm guessing,... to be inclusive. To be tolerant of other beliefs.
Yesterday the minister (pastor, reverend, whatever you want to call him) was preaching on original sin and why we have trouble in the world today. He said last week's sermon was on creation, and "whatever you believe about creation..." and continued on with the sermon. I guess I'm glad I wasn't there last week to hear that "whatever I want to believe" will be ok. It just didn't sound right, "whatever I want to believe." I've always been under the impression that the Word of God was infallible and if I believed what it said, I'd be on the right track.
What I am finding, in churches, is more like the above, than not. Whatever I want to believe is ok with them.
Back to the definition of church, a group of Christians... maybe not.
I know I've complained about church ladies in this blog before. This is another thing making it hard to go to Church. Church ladies. I'm a little afraid of church ladies. These are the ladies that teach the Bible studies and "pray for you" when I would really like a little "hands on" help. These are the same ladies that remind me, "we don't do it that way" when I offer to help. These are the same ladies encouraging me to be transparent and share my deepest faults and fears and then talk about me behind my back. I'm afraid of church ladies.
I read a blog from another Church lay leader from a church I used to attend. He wrote about forgiving people, but still being mad at them. He thought this is something he should get over, but he just couldn't do it. He wrote about a minister, he felt, stealing members of his "praise band" from him. So here is this guy, sitting in this minister's church, hating on him. He writes about listen to the music, and he says it's good, it's good because this minister guy stole all the talent from his church. Really? Churches steal people? I'm not feeling the love here.
So, I went to church yesterday. The minister preached out of the Bible. It was ok. The church ladies sang in front of the people and it was ok. They prayed for me (all of us sitting in the audience) and it was ok. I know going to Church is not dangerous. The Church is full of broken people, seeking God. Right? That's what they tell me, anyway. Sometimes I find it a little hard to believe.
What is church?
This seems like a easy question. The kind of question one might answer in an simple sentence or two. "A church is a building in which Christians meet for worship," is one. "A church is a group of Christians who gather for religious purposes" is another. Not so fast...
Church used to fit this description for me when I was younger. It even fit this description when my son was younger. Not so much, now.
First of all, the "group of Christians" portion of the definition is becoming blurrier. Christians are believers in Christ, right? You would think this is pretty self-explanatory. However, I'm finding most mainstream churches are becoming places trying to change that kind of belief. Just believing in Christ and the Grace given to us through Christ's coming to us as a man and living a sinless life and dying on the cross for our sins and raising from the dead and ascending to heaven, is pretty limiting. If this is the only way to God and this is the only thing Christians are allowed to believe, well, that's pretty intolerant of other beliefs. And, intolerance is not very loving, right? And Christians are all about love, so... we should be tolerant of all other beliefs. REALLY?
I know not all churches believe this, but I'm out here in the mid-Atlantic coast. I'm in one of the MOST liberal areas you can imagine. No, the Bible belt does not pass through this area.
Almost every church I've attended, in my area, has a yoga class in it's list of weekly activities. I've taken yoga. I know I don't have to buy into the spirituality of it. But why is it in the Christian church? Why? Why muddy the spirituality of a Christian church with yoga? I'm guessing,... to be inclusive. To be tolerant of other beliefs.
Yesterday the minister (pastor, reverend, whatever you want to call him) was preaching on original sin and why we have trouble in the world today. He said last week's sermon was on creation, and "whatever you believe about creation..." and continued on with the sermon. I guess I'm glad I wasn't there last week to hear that "whatever I want to believe" will be ok. It just didn't sound right, "whatever I want to believe." I've always been under the impression that the Word of God was infallible and if I believed what it said, I'd be on the right track.
What I am finding, in churches, is more like the above, than not. Whatever I want to believe is ok with them.
Back to the definition of church, a group of Christians... maybe not.
I know I've complained about church ladies in this blog before. This is another thing making it hard to go to Church. Church ladies. I'm a little afraid of church ladies. These are the ladies that teach the Bible studies and "pray for you" when I would really like a little "hands on" help. These are the same ladies that remind me, "we don't do it that way" when I offer to help. These are the same ladies encouraging me to be transparent and share my deepest faults and fears and then talk about me behind my back. I'm afraid of church ladies.
I read a blog from another Church lay leader from a church I used to attend. He wrote about forgiving people, but still being mad at them. He thought this is something he should get over, but he just couldn't do it. He wrote about a minister, he felt, stealing members of his "praise band" from him. So here is this guy, sitting in this minister's church, hating on him. He writes about listen to the music, and he says it's good, it's good because this minister guy stole all the talent from his church. Really? Churches steal people? I'm not feeling the love here.
So, I went to church yesterday. The minister preached out of the Bible. It was ok. The church ladies sang in front of the people and it was ok. They prayed for me (all of us sitting in the audience) and it was ok. I know going to Church is not dangerous. The Church is full of broken people, seeking God. Right? That's what they tell me, anyway. Sometimes I find it a little hard to believe.
