"DOING CHURCH" PART II
by Tim
Knappenberger
"DOING
CHURCH" PART I
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It's at this point
in the meditation where I'd normally whip out an in-depth
spiritual principle or insight that ties all of this
neatly together. My problem is, I ain't got one. What I
do have, however, is the awareness that many Christians
are as troubled about what's going on in their
congregations as am I. A recent article from the Atlantic
Monthly discussed how the growth in America's "super
churches" is being fueled by people like myself who
are seeking non-dogmatic, non-denominational,
praise-centered, small-group focused, multi-racial and
multi-cultural church experiences. These "super
churches" with attendance in the thousands emphasize
the power of corporate worship while simultaneously
promoting the intimacy and connectedness of small groups.
They are drawing the "churched" and
"un-churched" alike. Their size seems to be one
indication that they are filling a need felt by many. I also believe God
is not displeased with my struggling. The real concern
begins when the struggling ceases. Though my sense of
fulfillment in His earthly Body hasn't been weaker, my
ties to His spiritual Body haven't been stronger. Times
of daily devotion, prayer, Bible study and reading mean
far more to me now than at any other time in my spiritual
walk. Times of prayer, sharing and spiritual discussion
with fellow believers has never been sweeter. I have even
used this thing called the Internet to spiritually
connect to Believers halfway around the world. Church is
taking many different expressions. After all, Jesus told
the Samaritan women that the day was coming when Jews
wouldn't have to go to the Temple to worship nor
Samaritan to their mountain. They (and we) would all
worship in Spirit and in Truth. Church
"happens" sometimes within the walls of a house
of worship, sometimes in a fitness center locker room,
sometimes in an e-mail note or chat session.
A special
friend of mine who's a former missionary and current
Christian college professor has been through years of
struggles with his prodigal teenage daughter. Drugs,
alcohol, lying, stealing, and high-risk sex have all been
tried and have all taken their toll on the family. He
relayed to me that despite his long affiliation with the
Church, he found his most intense spiritual experience
through Al Anon, a support group for family members of
alcoholics and drug abusers. There, he could be
vulnerable, honest, and angry, all in a
"I-don't-have-nice-neat-Christian-answers-to-the-hell-I'm-going-through"
way. Despite the fact many churches around the country
host Al Anon meetings, Al Anon is not the Church. It is a
very good non-profit, non-religiously affiliated, support
group. Ironically, however, Al Anon was more "being
the Church" for my friend than was my friend's
church. When believers find more healing, power, and
acceptance in a secular, mental health movement than in
Christ's Body, something is seriously wrong!
So what's
to be learned in this? First and foremost, as believers,
we need to acknowledge our need for the Body of Christ.
As fascinating as the Net and e-mail might be, it doesn't
allow for koinania fellowship, accountability, support,
and corporate worship. We were not created to be islands.
But just as much as we need the Body, we need the Body to
truly BE the Body as Christ intended. I believe this
means opening ourselves to be unsettled, genuinely
transformed, and troubled by His Holy Spirit. When we
come together in the name and power of Jesus Christ,
SOMETHING should happen both to us as well as to those
with whom we interact. God will not, however, force His
Spirit on us against our wishes. We delight or grieve His
Spirit by our willingness (or lack thereof) to be open to
His leading. A cursory reading of God's dealings with the
children of Israel as well as His warnings in John's
Revelation clearly teaches that He contends with
contentious congregations for only so long. God's will
marches on; with or without us.
Finally,
believers must remember that the Church was not
established to make them feel better. It is not a
"spiritual ATM" from which we periodically
withdraw spiritual or emotional capital. Quite the
opposite, it should be a believer's "mutual
fund" in which they, along with many others, pour
their time, talents, and treasures in order to
corporately achieve the greatest good possible. A dear
departed saint whom I loved used to say "I've come
to comfort the afflicted and to afflict the
comfortable." Such might be good mission statement
for any church.
Just "doing Church?"
Try "being Church!"
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