Going to Church
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I went to church this morning, but it wasn't easy. Olivia is not feeling well, but I really felt like I needed to go to worship. So, I decided to stay close to home in case Olivia needed me. I had my phone on vibrate. I didn't know where I was going to go, but I started early, prayed, and drove. How hard can it be to find a place to worship in a town that used to hold the world record for most churches per person in a city?
If only I'd known!
I drove down the block to the church on the corner. It's a small congregation i a big building, located near the University where we take Gracey for walks. They feel called to college students. It even has free meals for college students who attend on Sunday mornings. They don't have a pastor, but show sermons from a church network via recording. What it didn't have was any indication of what time there services were held, so I kept driving. I wondered if other's do the same.
I came to another church, and while I don't agree with some of the particulars of the denomination, I figured I'd give it a try. Besides, the professionally made sign said the service was starting in 10 minutes, so I had time in the car to read my Bible (from Joshua) and pray a little more about whether this was the right place for me this morning. So, I went inside. Guess what? The service was actually over, and they were making the closing announcements. Something about recent college graduates being given a loaf of bread. Apparently this congregation had changed to their 'summer schedule' of only one service, but hadn't posted it anywhere.
Ok, let's try again!
I drove back past the house and headed toward a small church Olivia and I had visited once about two years ago at the Lord's leading. It had no worship time posted anywhere, but did advertise it's narrow denominational affiliation. Hmm... let's try somewhere else.
Church number four was bi-lingual, and I am not.
Church five was very small, with only a couple of cars in the lot, and a long wait until the service was to start.
The sixth church I passed didn't speak English at all, and the seventh had no time posted, though I could have asked the stiffly starched, suit and tie, self-appointed guard posted scowlingly at the door if I'd really wanted to know. Church number 8 also had no time posted, which I though particularly odd because its is an inner-city mission church, supposedly existing to reach the lost and unchurched homeless and nearly homeless in our community. How exactly do you do that without telling people when you're holding services?
By now I was taking notes. Was God trying to say something?
Church number 9: no English
Church Ten! Red brick and asphalt. I think they had a time posted, but it was too small to see from the road, even as I waited at the red light. and I happen to remember that church having a reputation in the Christian community for being cultish.
I drove into to downtown. I had now circled our home in every direction. I just wanted a place to worship! I even had a check for our tithe. Why were all these churches making it so hard to join them?
The 11th church I came to had what I was looking for: English and a Service Time. But, the denomination is one I know to be a little lax in its adherence to the Scripture, so I decided to try church number 12, which was right across the street. All I needed was a parking spot.
I grew up in church number twelve. It didn't have any service times posted, though the denomination and the Pastor's name was easy enough to see. He's a nice guy, and I've liked his messages when I've heard them. I even felt like I knew what time the service started because Olivia and I sometimes do ministry in one of their outreaches. I decided to go for it.
When I eventually found a parking spot, I noticed a 13th church, which I know has the most inspiring sanctuary of any in this downtown church neighborhood. It had no service times posted either, by the way.
So, I finally made it to church. I was wrong about the time, but it didn't matter. I wasn't very late. This was a special Sunday for this church: Graduation Sunday. 21 recent high school grads (of the 26 in the youth group) were marched one by one across the stage for ten minutes, each with a special verse they'd chosen shared, along with their plans for the future. Then, a worship style, in a poorly "blended" format of contemporary words, muted drums, acoustic guitar, and organ. But, I joined in heartily enough. Most of the older congregants weren't familiar enough with the song to sing it comfortable, and even the choir seemed uncertain. But, everyone seemed to be doing ok with it.
There was no message! Ok, I understand it's a special Sunday, and you can't do this at night because your Children's Choir has the "Under God's Sea in 3D" thing going tonight. But, no Preaching at all? Surely, even a moment of pastoral reflection on the structured Scripture reading would be nice. I saw my old Preaching Professor sitting on the other side of the room. I wonder what he was thinking as he studied his program. "Brothers, the people didn't come to hear what you think; They came to hear a Word from the Lord."
But, ok, it's a special Sunday. Visitors like me would just have to come back another time for preaching.
Instead, we got 3 testimonies. The first by a very funny young man who talked about this church (congregation and building) being a place of fun and opportunity. The second by a young girl I recognized by name and her mother's face reflected in her own as the daughter of my Old Testament Theology and Hebrew Professor. She shared about her mission work experiences growing up in this body of believers. [That's pretty cool! But, why is that our youth do almost all of the mission work?] The third student was an emotional girl who talked about being blessed by her friends and her youth group, which were basically the same thing. She said, "Everyone has a purpose here."
Ok, so maybe there was a message; just no preaching.
The Pastor stood and gave an invitaion based on the question: "What's your testimony?" My own questions still rang through my mind as I reflected on my experience that morning:
"If being part of the body can be such a blessing, why do we make ourselves so inaccesable? Why do we make outsiders feel like intruders? It's great to have a place we feel at home, and investing in our youth is fabulous. But, why wouldn't you have service times posted, so people who don't know Jesus or have a church home in your community can at least know when to show up to check you out? Why do we hold so tightly to what we have been so freely given? (Matt. 10:8) Are we afraid it will be corrupted? Tarnished? Soiled?"
Now, I'm not a real big 'seeker friendly' sort of guy in the sense that churches who identify themselves as 'seeker friendly' often portray. That is, 'lazy believer friendly'. I think we need depth in our services and in our teaching. I think we need relationships, not just co-attenders. However, I also think we need to be more inviting to those outside our fellowship. We should at least let people know they are welcome. [Evanagelism is a different message.] I think we should tell those who pass by our doors that they are open. "Come and see." And, it would be helpful as well to tell them WHEN those doors are open.
So, what's your tesimony?
.
I went to church this morning, but it wasn't easy. Olivia is not feeling well, but I really felt like I needed to go to worship. So, I decided to stay close to home in case Olivia needed me. I had my phone on vibrate. I didn't know where I was going to go, but I started early, prayed, and drove. How hard can it be to find a place to worship in a town that used to hold the world record for most churches per person in a city?
If only I'd known!
I drove down the block to the church on the corner. It's a small congregation i a big building, located near the University where we take Gracey for walks. They feel called to college students. It even has free meals for college students who attend on Sunday mornings. They don't have a pastor, but show sermons from a church network via recording. What it didn't have was any indication of what time there services were held, so I kept driving. I wondered if other's do the same.
I came to another church, and while I don't agree with some of the particulars of the denomination, I figured I'd give it a try. Besides, the professionally made sign said the service was starting in 10 minutes, so I had time in the car to read my Bible (from Joshua) and pray a little more about whether this was the right place for me this morning. So, I went inside. Guess what? The service was actually over, and they were making the closing announcements. Something about recent college graduates being given a loaf of bread. Apparently this congregation had changed to their 'summer schedule' of only one service, but hadn't posted it anywhere.
Ok, let's try again!
I drove back past the house and headed toward a small church Olivia and I had visited once about two years ago at the Lord's leading. It had no worship time posted anywhere, but did advertise it's narrow denominational affiliation. Hmm... let's try somewhere else.
Church number four was bi-lingual, and I am not.
Church five was very small, with only a couple of cars in the lot, and a long wait until the service was to start.
The sixth church I passed didn't speak English at all, and the seventh had no time posted, though I could have asked the stiffly starched, suit and tie, self-appointed guard posted scowlingly at the door if I'd really wanted to know. Church number 8 also had no time posted, which I though particularly odd because its is an inner-city mission church, supposedly existing to reach the lost and unchurched homeless and nearly homeless in our community. How exactly do you do that without telling people when you're holding services?
By now I was taking notes. Was God trying to say something?
Church number 9: no English
Church Ten! Red brick and asphalt. I think they had a time posted, but it was too small to see from the road, even as I waited at the red light. and I happen to remember that church having a reputation in the Christian community for being cultish.
I drove into to downtown. I had now circled our home in every direction. I just wanted a place to worship! I even had a check for our tithe. Why were all these churches making it so hard to join them?
The 11th church I came to had what I was looking for: English and a Service Time. But, the denomination is one I know to be a little lax in its adherence to the Scripture, so I decided to try church number 12, which was right across the street. All I needed was a parking spot.
I grew up in church number twelve. It didn't have any service times posted, though the denomination and the Pastor's name was easy enough to see. He's a nice guy, and I've liked his messages when I've heard them. I even felt like I knew what time the service started because Olivia and I sometimes do ministry in one of their outreaches. I decided to go for it.
When I eventually found a parking spot, I noticed a 13th church, which I know has the most inspiring sanctuary of any in this downtown church neighborhood. It had no service times posted either, by the way.
So, I finally made it to church. I was wrong about the time, but it didn't matter. I wasn't very late. This was a special Sunday for this church: Graduation Sunday. 21 recent high school grads (of the 26 in the youth group) were marched one by one across the stage for ten minutes, each with a special verse they'd chosen shared, along with their plans for the future. Then, a worship style, in a poorly "blended" format of contemporary words, muted drums, acoustic guitar, and organ. But, I joined in heartily enough. Most of the older congregants weren't familiar enough with the song to sing it comfortable, and even the choir seemed uncertain. But, everyone seemed to be doing ok with it.
There was no message! Ok, I understand it's a special Sunday, and you can't do this at night because your Children's Choir has the "Under God's Sea in 3D" thing going tonight. But, no Preaching at all? Surely, even a moment of pastoral reflection on the structured Scripture reading would be nice. I saw my old Preaching Professor sitting on the other side of the room. I wonder what he was thinking as he studied his program. "Brothers, the people didn't come to hear what you think; They came to hear a Word from the Lord."
But, ok, it's a special Sunday. Visitors like me would just have to come back another time for preaching.
Instead, we got 3 testimonies. The first by a very funny young man who talked about this church (congregation and building) being a place of fun and opportunity. The second by a young girl I recognized by name and her mother's face reflected in her own as the daughter of my Old Testament Theology and Hebrew Professor. She shared about her mission work experiences growing up in this body of believers. [That's pretty cool! But, why is that our youth do almost all of the mission work?] The third student was an emotional girl who talked about being blessed by her friends and her youth group, which were basically the same thing. She said, "Everyone has a purpose here."
Ok, so maybe there was a message; just no preaching.
The Pastor stood and gave an invitaion based on the question: "What's your testimony?" My own questions still rang through my mind as I reflected on my experience that morning:
"If being part of the body can be such a blessing, why do we make ourselves so inaccesable? Why do we make outsiders feel like intruders? It's great to have a place we feel at home, and investing in our youth is fabulous. But, why wouldn't you have service times posted, so people who don't know Jesus or have a church home in your community can at least know when to show up to check you out? Why do we hold so tightly to what we have been so freely given? (Matt. 10:8) Are we afraid it will be corrupted? Tarnished? Soiled?"
Now, I'm not a real big 'seeker friendly' sort of guy in the sense that churches who identify themselves as 'seeker friendly' often portray. That is, 'lazy believer friendly'. I think we need depth in our services and in our teaching. I think we need relationships, not just co-attenders. However, I also think we need to be more inviting to those outside our fellowship. We should at least let people know they are welcome. [Evanagelism is a different message.] I think we should tell those who pass by our doors that they are open. "Come and see." And, it would be helpful as well to tell them WHEN those doors are open.
So, what's your tesimony?
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