Misunderstood...Church

A huge part of the ministry that God has given me is to help people, followers and seekers alike, understand who He is and what He's all about. When I was younger (teenager, early 20s), I thought I knew. I was raised in the church, and I had been told a whole bunch of stuff about God. However, as I have grown closer to Him, and He has revealed truths about Himself to me, I have realized that He is very different from what I had been told. Over my next several blog posts, I am planning to write a series called "Misunderstood." I want to start with one of my favorite places to be so that perhaps you, too, will fall in love with the idea of church.

I love Sundays! I can't wait to head to our church with my family. Is it because I love the music there? No! Is it because I can't wait to hear another sermon? No! Is it because the church pews are super comfortable? No!

Sadly, church attendance is dwindling in the United States. Fewer and fewer people want to be a part of church. Many of them had bad experiences growing up as I did and haven't given church a chance as adults. I feel bad for these people because they have no idea what they're missing out on. If you are one of them, please take a minute to read what follows about why church is so much more than what you think it is and how being a part of the right church can make your life so much better.

Many people have a misconception of what church is all about. I know people who think only those who like hymns and sermons go to church. If you don't like singing hymns, and if you don't like listening to sermons, you shouldn't go to church. There's nothing there for you. In fact, it seems absurd to some people. Even people who claim to be Christians see no need to attend a church service.

I understand where this thinking comes from. When I was growing up in the 1970s and 80s, church was a place where you went on Sunday mornings. You might also go on Sunday evening and/or Wednesday evening, depending on the church. You went, you sat in a pew, and you left. In my church, we sang some hymns, read some passages aloud together, listened to the preacher pray, recited the Lord's prayer together, and listened to the preacher preach a sermon that went right over my head. Then, we left. A week later, we did the same thing.

Doesn't that sound like so much fun? No, it doesn't to me, either, and honestly, it really wasn't. I totally blame the church for creating this version of church. However, this is not how the church was meant to be.

When Jesus ascended into heaven and left his disciples to teach others to follow his ways, they formed what some people call the first Christian church. They simply called themselves "the Way." The book of Acts describes this first church, and sadly, it doesn't look much like some churches today. Those first Jesus followers lived their lives together--every day (not just on Sundays, maybe Wednesdays). Acts 2:42-47 tells us that they learned and grew from the teachings of the apostles, they fellowshipped, they ate together, and they prayed together. These things can be found in many modern churches, which is great! However, it goes on to say that the apostles were performing many miracles that brought awe to those who witnessed them. Then, it says that no person who was in their group ever had need because when someone needed something, other members of the group would sell their stuff to pay for whatever their neighbors needed. These early Christians were filled with God's love, and they were thankful, generous, and kind-hearted. Everyone liked them, and many people wanted what they had and joined their numbers as followers of Christ. After all, unconditional love is awesome!

Today, many churches, like the one I attend, are trying to get back to this original idea about church. Church doors are open five-six days a week for members and non-members to participate in being a part of that church body. Our church has way more than just Sunday services for people to get involved and live life together. We learn, fellowship, eat and pray together, see miracles, and take care of the needs of both those in our church as well as reaching out into our entire community and the world.

The Acts vision of the church holds as true today as it did then. Sure, churches have singing and praying and sermons, but that's not what church is about. Church is about people. It is about community. It is about being a part of a group of people who love you and who want you to love them back. Church is being in need and having a group of people helping you fill that need. Then, turning around and helping them fill their needs. These needs can be physical, but they can also be emotional, mental, or most definitely, spiritual. And here's the really cool thing. The more involved you get with your church (not just attending on Sunday morning), the better you get to know these people. The better you know them, the more involved they become in your life, and the better your life becomes. Satan tries to isolate us because he knows that we are weak alone, but the church understands that there's strength in numbers.

I don't love going to church on Sunday mornings because of the music and the sermons (although I do enjoy these things). I love being a part of a church--a group of people who love me and want to hang out with me and help me live a better life. That's what church is all about, and that's why, if you aren't part of a church, you should really give it a shot.