"DOING CHURCH" PART I

by Tim Knappenberger

Seeing that old church vacant, lifeless and abandoned caused me to speculate. Why did it cease to be an active fellowship? What kind of believers worshipped there? How long of a history did they enjoy? What did they do wrong that led to the demise of the congregation? What lessons could they teach other Christian bodies in varying degrees of health?

It's Sunday morning around 10:45 am. Why, you might ask am I not in church? I honestly wish I knew. Oh, I was there earlier this morning, teaching my adult Bible School class. However, when the time for worship came, I got as far as the door of the sanctuary, before turning around and heading home. Why? Well, the reasons known to me go something like this:

• I can't take another staid, lack-luster worship experience. I fear if the Second Coming would occur during one of our services, we would politely ask the Lord to wait until we could complete the order of worship in our pre-determined 60-75 minute time slot. If we sing our hymns and praise choruses any slower and with any less feeling, a passing mortician might mistake us for a business opportunity and embalm us all!
  
  
• On my way to class, I passed some people from "the other group." You know who I mean; it's that "other group" of believers who don't particularly care for "your group" because your group has different ideas about baptism or what kind of music should be played in the service or whether it's OK to raise hands in praise or not. Often the division is over some years old event which no one can quite remember, yet none can quite forget. As always, we smile, acknowledge each other, and then try to avoid eye contact as much as possible.

All of this may be leaving you with one of a two of impressions:

• "Boy, does Tim ever attend a sick church!" Not really. Oh, don't get me wrong, we have our share of troubles (divorces, leadership lapses, factionalism, etc.), but we have our strengths too (a strong pre-school program, some wonderful saints, healthy fiscal resources, doctrinally sound, people ministered to). My church is very much like many other churches you might visit. Maybe yours. Some better, some worse, but not all that unusual.
  
  
• "Boy, does Tim ever have a case of the 'poor me's'." I won't argue too much with you here. Nevertheless, I will say that everything I'm struggling with in relation to my attitudes about my church is MY RESPONSIBILITY. I may not like some of what I see and experience, but I'm responsible for how I perceive it, feel about it, and what I do with it.

I've concluded that I'm going through my spiritual as well as emotional mid-life crisis. After playing a variety of roles in the church (counselor, elder, teacher, board member, youth leader, etc.), I no longer want to "play" anymore. I want my Christian life to direct all other aspects of my life; not fit conveniently into it. All too often, I see us "doing church," but not "being Church." Sunday morning attendance is more a cultural habit for many in the Body; not the life-altering, Spirit-lifting, God-worshipping centerpiece to life it was designed to be. Often, we more come to socially connect, than to be spiritually challenged. Regardless of the reasons for my discontent, you might be thinking: "Why not just find another body of believers where you'd better fit? Heaven knows America is a "shopper's paradise" and a different denomination and style of worship exists on almost every street corner. Though I have "shopped around", I'm presently staying for two principle reasons:

1. My wife and kids are not as troubled about what's troubling dear ole' Dad and prefer to stay put. When I have looked elsewhere, I've felt VERY uncomfortable attending without my family.

2. From a lifetime of growing up within the Church, I know there is no such thing as the perfect church. They all have their flaws and strengths. They're all made up of "sinners saved by grace." Attend long enough, get active enough and you'll find that the Body has yet to be fully perfected this side of Glory.

Next Week: "Doing Church" - Part II