I thought it might be time to articulate some thoughts on church before my head explodes with all these thoughts rushing around and colliding.
I'm now about half way through 'A Churchless Faith' (see sidebar). It's interesting, and it's helping me understand where I am at the moment and where I have been. I haven't attended church regularly since I went to uni apart from a few months at Proclaimers. Having decided that Proclaimers isn't where I want to be, I'm wondering what to do next... do I go back to Surrey Chapel, find somewhere else or go nowhere? And is going nowhere such an awful thing?
The function of church is puzzling me at the moment. If we can live for God, serve others and be part of the Church (the body of Christ) without attending a church (earthly institution), what is church as we know it today for? I find I learn more by being part of the NYFC forum and reading blogs than in sermons at church. There are numerous opportunities to serve without being part of a church. I can take part in corporate worship at Fridays or F2. I don't feel there are any gaps in my life as a Christian (apart from being more disciplined about reading my Bible and praying, but that's always been a personal thing rather than something that church provides or aids). I feel I'm getting dangerously close to arguing that Fridays/F2 can be a good replacement for church! I'm not sure I am thinking that though... more that church in its available form is unsatisfactory and there doesn't seem to be any good reason for going through the stress and frustration that being part of a church brings. I don't know if that's me looking for an easy life though.
On going nowhere... I used to think it was bad not to go to church, not to be in fellowship with other Christians. But, again, if the function of church is being met elsewhere, is it really necessary to be a member of a church? This is a thought I had when applying for gap year things last year, people wanted to know that I had been active in a church and could get a pastor's affirmation, but how do you explain to people that yes, you're a Christian, yes, an active one, but no, not currently attending church? I hate being boxed.
I wouldn't mind going back to Surrey Chapel, but only for the preaching. I'm not very keen on going back though. They're writing up constitutions and formalising the leadership and stuff like that, which is good in a way but all seems too political and I don't want to be involved in anything like that. It seems to be that the bigger the gathering of Christians the more political it gets. Also, I suspect the reasons I wasn't happy there before uni would quickly crop up again.
Coffee break church would be good, meeting with friends for worship, accountability and learning, a close, personal, spiritual experience. Another thought on churches is that it can be like prescribed Bible reading notes, we maybe expect the sermon to relate to us all the time, but it doesn't necessarily. I don't know why we expect a sermon to be of use to 300 people at a time when God is a personal God.
A thought common to many of the people interviewed in 'A Churchless Faith' seems to be "It wasn't where I was at". I can relate to that. I think in order to grow changes must be made sometimes, or you can easily stagnate. A year or two ago I would have thought that if a church didn't fit with me it was doing something wrong, but the more I appreciate people's diversity the more I see how all the churches I've visited over the past 6 months, in St Andrews and Norwich, are all doing good things and are good for certain people. (Except maybe St Salvator's in St Andrews, what a totally dead church!) So maybe church is just not where I'm at right now. I don't know! I have lots more thoughts on this subject but that will do for now. Any comments/kicks in the right direction gratefully recieved :)
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5 comments:
I think that you could use Fridays and F2 as part of church but you'd need something a bit more regular I think, not so much for the actual church but for the teaching and socialising in a christian environment, and also maybe church should be more for you about giving something back to God rather than trying to take something? I think you'l gain far more by giving to God than just going to take!
but if you're giving in other ways, and being taught in other ways and socialising in others ways, maybe she has a point.
I think I share your frustrations. I can't seem to find where I belong and am learning more from blogs and the forum. But I would really love to have people to pray with and talk with face to face. I'd like to have people here I can be accountable to and kicked up the backside when I've failed to read much Bible.
I feel like a wanderer. An ungrounded one.
I guess for me, a big question is, if I didn't go to church, how would I help non-Christians meet God. How would I support them after they have met God.
I kinda like being an ungrounded wanderer!
I get your point about going to serve, Tark, it's something I've thought about long and hard especially when I was at Surrey. This eventually struck a chord though:
'I've filled my time with preparation,
Worn the cloak of endless 'serving',
Though this is a part of loving,
Something can grow cold.'
One of my annoyances about church is that serving God often translates into being on rotas and being busy, which I don't desire either.
"But I would really love to have people to pray with and talk with face to face. I'd like to have people here I can be accountable to and kicked up the backside when I've failed to read much Bible.
Have you ever found this in church? I haven't!
Witnessing is a new thought... but to be honest, I've never known anyone who came to any church or Christian event with me to become a Christian or show any interest. In fact, there's been more interest during discussions about philosophy and theology late into the night at uni! I suspect church is as desirable to non-Christians as it is to me at the moment.
I think you touch on an interesting point by saying "maybe church just isn't where I'm at right now". I think Jamieson talks later in the book about a churchless faith often being one stage of a lengthy journey - later on, church might be where you're at.
So I think it's a perfectly valid stage to be in, not for the sake of getting out of it but for the sake of what you can learn and then teach others maybe.
Start your own church?
God the Sheepherder.
I'll come.
I think, seriously though as long as you feel supported and loved in your faith it doesnt matter if you dont have a church per se.
Nothing in the Bible says you have to go to the same place every sunday for coffee, though it does encourage fellowship with other believers.
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