The following comprises part of my more recent thoughts regarding modern church practices. This is not an attempt to criticize or be argumentative.
No matter how you slice it, modern church practices have their roots in pagan culture (mostly Greek and Roman) and not in the vibrant life of Christ that indwells his Body. For the last 1800 years, humanity has decapitated the Body, leaving the Head safely in heaven so that we needn't be much concerned with His attempts to direct the functioning of his members. Our traditions call for only a select few members to function; a few "mouths" turn the rest of the Body into one giant Ear. Thanks to our traditions, few other types of organs are even possible within the assembly. Our traditions nullify His Life. We have created church practices that are, for the most part, sterile, cold, efficient, arm's-length and, quite frankly, boring.
Christ doesn't want us to "go to church." Christ wants us to BE the church: an organism of many members, *all* of whom function (instead of passively spectating), an organism directed by Him in every aspect of its life.
Why don't some people "do church"? In my opinion, it's because they aren't able or aren't being allowed to function. Because the every-member functioning of the Body has been inhibited or outright forbidden for nearly two millennia, these people (my past self included) don't even know that they're meant to be able to function.
I'll just say it: They've been brain-washed--by others who have themselves been brain-washed--into believing that "mutual edification" (see Hebrews) means showing up at a church building, listening to a sermon, singing a few songs, and chatting amiably afterward before someone decides it's time for everyone to leave so the building can be locked up.
The Christocentric definition of "church" includes so much more than an efficient, convenient "worship service" and friendly, superficial conversation on a Sunday. "Church" means Body, and that means Life: the Life of Christ, continuously, day-by-day, minute-by-minute, in an active, vibrant community in which the members are completely and irrevocably interwoven with each other. And until we rediscover how to live this Life, until we start plumbing the depths and riches of the fullness of Christ, more and more of us are going to stop wanting to "do church."
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4 comments:
i believe I understand what you are saying and agree with much of it.
So what changes would you suggest to make "church" better.
I am curious as to how your "typical" house church meeting goes. Do you find yourselves naturally settling into a general routine? If there are kids in your group, what do they do?
preach it sista
~stef
Brian: There is just so much we've missed out on over the past 2,000 years. In some ways, Christianity has changed the world for good...but there are some horrible, bloody stains on those pages of history. I just wonder if some of them might not have happened, had Christianity as a whole remained truly Christocentric.
Lana: When you posted your questions, our group had been meeting together for less than a month. We barely knew each other and had no routine to speak of. Since then, all we've done is focus on getting to know each other, eating and spending time together on Sundays, and shedding various filters through which we've viewed God, Jesus, the church, the Bible.
Our group includes people who've come out of six different denominations -- so it's been very important that we spend time just learning about each other. We haven't done very much that would be considered "worship service" -- that's all still to come.
Stef: Will do. ;)
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