Sunday III

A Sunday Religion

My mother wears a T-shirt that says “Religion is hanging around the cross, Christianity is getting on it.” For those of us caught in the trap of the Church as a social club, this should be a wake up call. It’s not wrong that we socialize, or even that we go to church on Sunday for that reason. What’s wrong is that we think church on Sunday IS our Christianity.

As a culture, for as far back as our earliest American roots, we’ve looked to the church for moral guidance, for scriptural instruction and for inspiration. We’ve failed to recognize this simple truth. We are the church. We don’t exist just on Sunday, and neither should our faith.

I have no doubt that we would suffer so much less disenchantment with our church if we embraced this thought. I am the church, every day.  You see, the church is the dwelling place of God. If we leave him in the sanctuary on Sunday, then how much effect can He have in our lives on Monday?

By adjusting our concept of the purpose of the church, we take a huge load of expectation off of our pastors and church leadership. Just as a shepherd leads his flock to food and water, and a pastor is one who leads us to the truth. He cannot hand feed us, nor should he be giving us IV fluids. He can lead us to the right place, but we must shoulder the responsibility to do what needs to be done while we are there.

If you find yourself discontented with your church experience, reevaluate your expectations. Take responsibility for learning and growing in your relationship with Christ. So many people are at a loss as to how to develop this relationship – all I know to say is this: take all the best features of all the people in your life and apply them to this person who is with you at all times. Then magnify that person’s goodness a thousand fold. Here is your constant companion who is the embodiment of love. Then talk to Him, consider Him in your choices, be intentional in your thoughts toward Him. All of this develops this relationship. Listen for Him in your heart, in your thoughts, in your circumstances. Revel in the blessing. An attitude of gratitude makes it so much easier to hear Him.

In all this, you will find that you are the living tabernacle, the daily church. When you join other believers in worship, with the unrealistic expectations lifted, your experience may just be all that God intended it to be.

So, how do you feel about your church?