NowTHINK!AboutIt

Once A Week Church
Is More Like Parole Than Worship

I don’t like the word ubiquitous but if ever there was a good time to use it, it is in reference to church.

Churches are everywhere, on every street corner, in every kind of building from cathedral to cardboard lean-to.

But what do we understand about church, really? What is the point of church? Is church something else other than how it’s been fashioned by centuries of human involvement? Has it been reduced to something less than what it could be or expanded to more than it should be? Have we narrowed the meaning and purpose?

To answer those questions, let’s talk facts.

Fact One: It’s Not A Place

This idea isn’t new. It’s been around a long time. In fact, it is so old it has died and resurrected several times. But it never changes.

Church is associated with a place, an address, a building, a cathedral but even those who agree that it isn’t any of those things still treat it like a place.

Almost all churches have contact details and own property. We spend more time and money giving people directions to church than we do giving them directions to God.

Going to church is a popular idea but it misses the point badly.

If anything, the church should be mobile, flexible, agile; ready and able to morph at a moments notice.

Fact Two: It’s Not A Service

Another word we associate with church is service, as in church service. And attending the service, like going to church, is another misleading concept.

Attending is neither an act of service nor a quality included on any list of virtues in the Bible. It isn’t one of the nine fruits of the Spirit.

The Bible does say we shouldn’t forsake the “assembling” of ourselves together but what exactly does that mean? Every Christian I know makes the assumption that the church service we attend weekly is what assembling refers to but maybe not.

Assembling is important, yes, but assembling and attending are not the same. There’s nothing ceremonial about assembling. It may or may not have a schedule.

Assembling is what friends and family do. They may set a time and a place for getting together but it’s not always a regular thing. Maybe this week, maybe not and when it happens, there’s interaction, fellowship, connection, caring, interest and concern.

That’s never been my experience in church.

Assembling is neither a church service nor a formality. People assemble for many things. Teaching is part of it but fellowship is always central. Church is where we practice loving the neighbor we don’t like.

Why do we call church get-togethers services? Because we can’t call them lectures. Someone preaches, teaches or shares in a church service, somewhat like a lecture, but that is not assembling. Assembling always involves fellowship, which is personal, church services have little of that.

In a lecture, there is accountability. In fellowship, it’s not needed. [Read more…] about Six Realistic Facts About Church