It would be very easy to post a very long list of reasons why I hate going to church, but the main reason is that “going to Church” is a sad excuse for “being the Church” and those who follow Christ are called to be the Church, not to attend one.
In other words, “going to Church” involves having a meeting about Jesus. Whereas “being the Church” involves meeting with Jesus and allowing Him to do the speaking, the teaching, the leading and the directing.
Going to Church is about assigning people specific functions, and often involves compensating them financially to do so, while the majority of people sit and observe them.
Being the Church involves every single person using the
gifts that God has provided them with to serve one another, where no one person
is considered greater or smarter or more spiritual than anyone else. In fact,
we’re all equally miserable apart from Christ, so our desire to meet with Him
and to hear from Him is magnified because we understand that without Him
leading us, and teaching us, and speaking to us, we are completely hopeless.
Jesus did not die for an organization or a business
model. Jesus died for a people (ekklesia) that He could call His own. He wants relationship. He wants love. He wants to be known. Most of us can relate to that.
God made us with the ability to know Him, and even placed a craving within us to seek Him out. He is not far away. He wants us to find Him.
This is exactly what the New
Covenant was all about – “I will be their God and they will be my people.” [Hebrews 8:10]
What people need most today is not religion. They do not need another Church. They need Jesus. They need to meet the God who would rather die than live without them.
Forget going to Church. Go to Jesus. Be the Church. Embrace your identity as the Bride that Jesus died to redeem.
Learn to hear His voice. He wants to speak to you. He wants you to experience the kind of life you could only dream about. That life is found only through knowing Jesus.
Learn to hear His voice. He wants to speak to you. He wants you to experience the kind of life you could only dream about. That life is found only through knowing Jesus.
-kg
7 comments:
Well said Keith. After a lifetime of church work (including pastoring for more than a decade), my wife and I rarely attend church anymore. Almost daily I find more reasons to distance myself from the organization. On the rare occasion that we do attend we find that it just seems so counterproductive and empty that we inevitably leave frustrated and sad. Instead, we have found great joy in our home church ministry and simple Christian living. I think it's called freedom.
not bad thoughts from a "Church Planter". :) God Bless you brother Keith in your being the church.
A blog that goes straight to the heart, just as Jesus would do interacting with us.
I agree and I appreciate your posting and the other comments, going to church for me is a wasted effort. You will find more of the spirit of God in your heart than a building full of unrighteous pretenders.
This is spot on... HOWEVER, I would add... that the church "sucking" at doing what it was supposed to do is NOT a "get out of church Free card". We can not forsake the assembly of the saint. We can not be who God created us to be without the body of Christ. Find the right church people! And until you do, keep looking for it.
I found what I was looking for in my church's bible study group. It was small, friendly, everyone interacted, and it was okay to interrupt to ask questions or add to the teaching or others' comments. Real friends were made. I stopped going to worship services.
I guess I have tried it every which way... now after many decades I find I am in complete agreement with Keith.
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