A recent conversation helped me understand one objection that some people have to the idea of "going to church." I've honestly never considered this as a real possibility, but evidently some people consider church involvement to be something that is done to "prove" or "demonstrate" one's goodness or faith. I believe we go to church because we believe it's good for us and others, not because we think we look good when we do it! Being part of a church community, praying, worshiping, reading scripture, serving and relating with others and giving are done because we gain more than we give through our participation. But those who haven't yet sensed the love of God through the church can't fathom this. That's one reason those of us who do receive through the ministry of the church are called to energetically reach out with God's love, so skeptics can be drawn to God's church too.
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I have had conversations with several people, mostly work friends or acquaintances. The most common thyme I hear is, "we are spiritual and believe in God, but we don't trust or believe in "organized" religion." Sometimes people have had a bad experience with a church and are turned off. Sometime it's an excuse to not have to get up on Sunday morning. Usually it's somewhere in between.
ReplyDeleteIt generally doesn't work to drag them to church, kicking and screaming. They tend to make a lot of noise in the narthex and disturb the service.
I have tried to point out that it is helpful to have the support of others, or sometimes I just say that I need help from time to time and I get that from a church. Do either of these approaches work? I dunno. Some times a seed planted takes a long time to grow.
Keep the faith,
Tim Robbins
Thanks, Tim. I appreciate that you comment on here from time to time. What I don't get is how "loving one another" works outside of some sort of church community - or "house church" or something like the "Agape" or "Koinonia" groups... The size or makeup of the group doesn't matter, but FELLOWSHIP with others, hearing the Word, sharing the Lord's Supper is a required, necessary part of the Christian faith--and I believe, a great blessing. The key, I think, is to share God's unconditional love and woo them in. Creates less mess in narthex too if your church/fellowship has one of those.
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