Play Date Reflections on Church
It was a moment of clarity, where so many issues whirling around my head were systematically addressed through the power of one inspired by the Holy Spirit to speak. I walked away from the experience more at peace. I’m not so different after all. There are others who think like me.
The setting was a play date for you, my son, and three other kids. You all were running to and fro, playing tag, bumping heads, giggling, crying. In the midst of it all, I talked with your friends’ Mom about stuff I think about much. I listened to her experiences. Her words were like water, full of encouragement and exhortation and insight.
We reflected on how the organized church is probably the last place to bring someone seeking Christ. Too many times, we try to bring a friend to church, hoping the pastor will say something phenomenal to “covert” the person. We try to trick our friend into hearing the gospel through the lure of bouncy castles and hot dogs. We attempt at perfection with some slick worship set and mesmerizing multi-media. All the while, we are guilty of downplaying the power of the Gospel: we are all sinners, we are hopelessly lost, we desperately need God’s saving Grace. But, if by God’s drawing, someone new does decide to make a commitment to Christ, it seems like that person becomes a trophy of sorts. Look at this person! He or she is a new Christian. And, by the way, he or she attends our church.
What is the alternative? Ideally, a seeker should be mentored first in the context of authentic relationship. After which, the new believer can transitioned into larger corporate worship, if that is the type of church experience that resonates with him or her. They should be given the disclaimers: no church is perfect, we still battle with our sin nature, there will probably be some element of this place that will drive you bonkers, and yes, even though we are supposed to be “family”, often we don’t act like a healthy one. After all, these imperfections are to remind us of something critical: even the church cannot be the sole inspiration or motivation for our spiritual growth. Our spiritual growth is enabled by the Holy Spirit and enacted through our obedience.
“There are a lot of unhappy Christians out there because they have forgotten the work of the Holy Spirit,” your friends’ Mom commented. I agreed. Too often we expect certain people or certain organizations to do the job that can only be accomplished by the Holy Spirit. We are quick to blame others for our lack of spiritual growth. The scapegoats and excuses arise: my spouse isn’t a spiritual leader or my pastor has lousy sermons or my church doesn’t have small groups. In end, who is responsible for your development in the faith, kids? God and you, working as a team. God may use people or an organization to encourage you in your faith. Or He may not. In the end, your spiritual growth curriculum is entirely up to Him.
So why do I attend our family’s place of worship? I’ve thought about this much as I’ve encountered imperfections in the system over the past while. Why do I go? What keeps me there? Is my church contributing to my spiritual growth in even a minute way? To the later question, I say yes. To the former questions, I conclude: I go because we can. In so many countries, people have to meet in secret. I can meet in public. I embrace my freedom by joining a group of believers recognized by the government. I go because you kids are receiving a good Christian education through the work of dedicated Sunday School teachers. They love to teach your God’s truths. I go because of a small group of multi-generational believers in a care group your Daddy and I facilitate. These amazing people do care for us and we care for them. I go because I can promote the cause of our denomination’s Missions organization, an organization I have grown to respect and love. I go because, at this point in time, this is where I am supposed to be.
Our play date ended as it usually does. Some element of life’s schedule dictated the end of good conversations. And while there was much I wished we could have mulled over, I walked away thankful for a moment in time when I didn’t feel so alone in what I thought about church.
The setting was a play date for you, my son, and three other kids. You all were running to and fro, playing tag, bumping heads, giggling, crying. In the midst of it all, I talked with your friends’ Mom about stuff I think about much. I listened to her experiences. Her words were like water, full of encouragement and exhortation and insight.
We reflected on how the organized church is probably the last place to bring someone seeking Christ. Too many times, we try to bring a friend to church, hoping the pastor will say something phenomenal to “covert” the person. We try to trick our friend into hearing the gospel through the lure of bouncy castles and hot dogs. We attempt at perfection with some slick worship set and mesmerizing multi-media. All the while, we are guilty of downplaying the power of the Gospel: we are all sinners, we are hopelessly lost, we desperately need God’s saving Grace. But, if by God’s drawing, someone new does decide to make a commitment to Christ, it seems like that person becomes a trophy of sorts. Look at this person! He or she is a new Christian. And, by the way, he or she attends our church.
What is the alternative? Ideally, a seeker should be mentored first in the context of authentic relationship. After which, the new believer can transitioned into larger corporate worship, if that is the type of church experience that resonates with him or her. They should be given the disclaimers: no church is perfect, we still battle with our sin nature, there will probably be some element of this place that will drive you bonkers, and yes, even though we are supposed to be “family”, often we don’t act like a healthy one. After all, these imperfections are to remind us of something critical: even the church cannot be the sole inspiration or motivation for our spiritual growth. Our spiritual growth is enabled by the Holy Spirit and enacted through our obedience.
“There are a lot of unhappy Christians out there because they have forgotten the work of the Holy Spirit,” your friends’ Mom commented. I agreed. Too often we expect certain people or certain organizations to do the job that can only be accomplished by the Holy Spirit. We are quick to blame others for our lack of spiritual growth. The scapegoats and excuses arise: my spouse isn’t a spiritual leader or my pastor has lousy sermons or my church doesn’t have small groups. In end, who is responsible for your development in the faith, kids? God and you, working as a team. God may use people or an organization to encourage you in your faith. Or He may not. In the end, your spiritual growth curriculum is entirely up to Him.
So why do I attend our family’s place of worship? I’ve thought about this much as I’ve encountered imperfections in the system over the past while. Why do I go? What keeps me there? Is my church contributing to my spiritual growth in even a minute way? To the later question, I say yes. To the former questions, I conclude: I go because we can. In so many countries, people have to meet in secret. I can meet in public. I embrace my freedom by joining a group of believers recognized by the government. I go because you kids are receiving a good Christian education through the work of dedicated Sunday School teachers. They love to teach your God’s truths. I go because of a small group of multi-generational believers in a care group your Daddy and I facilitate. These amazing people do care for us and we care for them. I go because I can promote the cause of our denomination’s Missions organization, an organization I have grown to respect and love. I go because, at this point in time, this is where I am supposed to be.
Our play date ended as it usually does. Some element of life’s schedule dictated the end of good conversations. And while there was much I wished we could have mulled over, I walked away thankful for a moment in time when I didn’t feel so alone in what I thought about church.