Unchurch, Part Five (We Are Not Alone)

I think people may need to think deeper as to why exactly they aren’t attending church/want to leave the church.  I’ve been to my fair share of churches cross the country and no matter where you attend there’s going to be something wrong with it.  Nothing perfect.  So, what you really should be looking for in a church is if the leaders or church bosses are striving for holiness in their own lives.  I know no one, but G-d, knows the heart and sometimes people can put on a real good front.

I think the real thing each of us needs to be considering and passionately praying about is: what’s G-d’s purpose for me and my life?  Instead of what’s wrong is the traditional American church.

Luther never intended to leave the church.  If G-d wants you to leave He will direct you in that way in His own timing.  And if He has done this already He probably has something great planned for you to start and lead.  But, maybe He wants us to start within the church as Luther did.

Just my thoughts.

Why do people think negatively on different ways of worship?  Are they afraid of change?  Sometimes fear of change is good, but you should still look on it with an open mind; you shouldn’t shut yourself in one set of mind.

I have come to realize that I am one of the people who have stopped attending church because of anger. Because of the life circumstances that have been given to me this past week, I now know that I have a desire to be a part of something more than myself. I know that the spiritual guidance I am looking for only GOD can give, not the 4 walls of a church. Thank you for letting me see that Chris.I have found a church that offers pod casts online that will hopefully help me do just that. Thank you also for the DVD’s. I am certain that I am on my way to more from God even if it is different from what would be considered “traditional”.

I know people stop attending organized church for many reasons.  There have been a few times in my life that through one circumstamce or another, I became very unhappy with the church.  I know this to be a fact, though, if you are leaving the orgainzed church for any other reason than the fact that God specifically told you to do so, then you are wrong.  I honestly believe the majority of people leave because there is something going on within the church that isn’t pleasing to them.  Until we stop and realize what our PURPOSE is as a body of believers meeting together, we will always be wanting more.  The purpose of the church I attend is not to make you feel good, it is not to be entertained, and contrary to popular belief the major purpose of our church is not so you can come and be fed or to grow.  Now, does attending church sometimes make us feel good, yes….are we sometimes entertained, yes…..are we fed during our Bible Study times and by the pastor’s sermon, yes…but….that is not the major purpose.  The purpose of the church is to come together as believers to bring honor and praise and glory to the Father.  It’s all about HIM.  People get so fed up with the church sometimes, because if they are honest with themselves, what they are doing is not about HIM but it is more about them.  Until we take our focus off ourselves, and what is pleasing to us, and what makes US feel good…we will never be who HE wants us to be.  Let’s be honest, the bottom line is this…..there are a lot of churches out there that just don’t get it.  Their focus is inward.  They like their little country club atmosphere, and what they do is based, for the most part, on what makes them happy.  If the organized church will take their eyes off themselves and put them back on Jesus, we would see a world of change in how people perceive the church, because then and only then will God begin to use us for the things only HE can do.

After saying all this I just want to add one last thing.  Yes, I am a Worship Pastor at an “organized American church”.  I am here because God has called me to be here.  Do i believe that the way we do it is the only way?  Not on your life!  Very soon our church will begin to do “Life Groups” that will meet all over our city.  In homes, businesses, parks, coffee shops….you name it.  We will do whatever God leads us to do to reach more people with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  That being said I will tell you this.  As we build relationships with those people and study the Word of God with them we will still be inviting them to join us on Sunday morning at 10:30am to worship with us.  Our worship times are a Celebration!  We believe in coming together corporately on a weekly basis to worship our God “together”.  Yes, you can worship God on your own, alone, in those quiet places.  Yes, you can worship God with just your own family in your home, but…..I believe it brings pleasure to our God when He sees His people gather together in one place to worship, honor and glorify His name!  I urge you, if you worship and study the Word alone at home, or if you listen to a podcast every week, or if you meet with your family to worship…..don’t neglect getting together with other believers to worship on a regular basis.  And when you do….remember….it’s all about HIM not you.

Chris - I agree with you 100% that we don’t have to express our corporate worship inside a “traditional” church structure.  What I am saying, is that whether it is in an open field, a community center, a home, a rented office building or whatever…as Christians we must not get away from worshipping together on a regular basis.  I’m all for going outside the box, but going outside the “church” box doesn’t necessarily mean that we get away from the most important things we do.  Worshipping together as a group of believers is not just one of those things we’ve always done that we don’t know why we do it, at least not where I worship.  It is something that we are commanded to do in God’s Word.  When we are told to not forsake the assembling of ourselves together…..it wasn’t just referring to assembling inside the “church walls”.  It was a basic command to meet together regularly with other believers for a time of worship.  Corporate worship is a very important time in the life of a believer, because as we connect with God in worship, we also connect with other believers.  Believe me, I don’t limit my worship time to what I do inside the traditional church setting.  I worship every day as I am alone with God, but I will not allow my time constraints, nor my petty differences with other believers in my church, nor my personal preferences on how I think things should be done, come between me and the time I have to gather with other believers and worship together.  What an awesome time!!  I think too many traditional churches don’t really experience “true worship”, and that is why people can walk away from those churches and never miss a thing.

I agree with Ed.  While traditional settings aren’t the end-all be-all of worship, they are irreplaceable in a couple of areas.  They provide easy access to fellowship for one.  They also provide a “field hospital” if you will for those who are passing through and need the encouragement and healing.  There are more of those people than you know.  There are also certain sacrements that unchurched people will miss out on.  One of them is communion.  I believe this to be a very important thing.  The rememberance of Christs sacrifice and victory over death and sin.  You may also miss out on the sacrement of baptism.  I suppose you could still celebrate these sacrements, but the gathering of people who did that would be considered a church. 

Listen,  the Church is always all around us.  It should be present and visible in everything we do.  You can and should worship God wherever you are and in all that you do.  But there are simply some things you cannot do outside a church that you can do in a church.  I’m not saying that walls matter or that even a preacher matters, but the people do matter.

Thomas Payne said that when the first person landed on this continent there was no government.  As soon as the second person landed there there had to be compromise.  It was understood that, “You don’t kill my animals or destroy my property, I won’t do the same to you.”  The same applies to a church.  As soon as two people are gathered in Christs’ name it automatically becomes corporate worship.  There automatically become rules and roles.  They may be unspoken but they are nonetheless there.  After all, church doctrine is for us.  It isn’t for God.

Chris,

I definitely think that the conversation has been great.  I have not felt that you’ve tried to one-up anyone.  Don’t be insecure about that because I don’t even think it can be inferred that you’ve done that.  You are absolutely correct when you say that you can experience Church anywhere.  You really can.  My wife and I have it almost every day in our convrsations, by singing in the car, by praying together.  I suppose you can participate in the sacred expressions of faith through baptism and communion outside a traditional setting.  I’m just afraid that most people won’t.  If they do, then they are experiencing the Church the way the early Christians did.  As a matter of fact, I’m not sure that any Christian born before about 340 AD would even recognize our forms of corporate worship that we have today. 

The baptism of your son sounds incredible.  What a memory.  Have fun on your vacation and I look forward to hearing from you when you return.

Respectfully,

John

I think this is a very relevant topic and it hits the nail on the head, in my opinion.  I serve a church as elder of spiritual life and as we in leadership wrestle with how to reach and connect with people in and beyond the worship services, I think the answer lies in your posts.  People are finding other avenues for expressions of fellowship outside of the traditional church setting.  If that’s the case, then at some point we have to ask ourselves, why do we continue beating our heads against the wall trying to come up with various and asundry programs to get people into the church?  If they’re not coming, then I think we need to find ways to be a part of where people are going.  Maybe churches need to be a part of setting up more house ministries, home groups, coffeshop ministries, etc.  What’s the old saying, “If we build it, they will come.”  Maybe the church’s problem is that we have continued to build the wrong thing.  I know that it’s not popular with some to follow business trends, but there really are things we can learn from the business community.  If you build a store in a location or offer products that people aren’t buying, what happens?  That store either goes out of business due to lack of sales or they find a better location or more attractive products.  So what does the church do?  Well, we know our “product”, Jesus Christ, is not defective, so there must be something about our “marketing” or “location” that needs to be changed.  If you’re serious about the church and God’s kingdom, you’ll sit up, take notice and begin to think about what changes need to be made, even if that means going beyond the normal comfort levels of traditional church ministry.

@Chris:  Thank you so much for your blog.  You’ve made me think so much lately!!  I have to tell you I have not been able to get this discussion out of my mind for days!  On one hand, I’m sad to see so many people who are disinterested in, or getting away from the american church these days.  On the other hand I am overjoyed that many of these people who have left our churches are still serving God in ministries outside the church. I do feel led to make this point though. Over the past several days and weeks, I believe God has been impressing on my mind one major word.  Assemble!  Corporate worship can be with 3 people, or with 3000 people.  I believe God just wants His children to get together as often as we can and worship Him.  No matter where that place may be, it will glorify Him!  As I sit here in my office getting ready for worship on Sunday, I am so excited!  As I pray about what music God would have me bring to Him as an offering, I am worshipping right here at my desk!  As the music service comes together, I can’t wait to share it with the praise team, and then with the church on Sunday.  I feel the presence of the Holy Spirit as I anticipate our entire local church family coming together on Sunday to worship the King of Kings!!  What an awesome privilege it is to be able to do this!  I am not excited because I am going to get to “perform” in front of people Sunday.  I know that what I have to offer Him is worth NOTHING unless I offer it from my heart as an act of worship.  I also know that the applause that is given in our church on Sunday is for HIM and not for myself or the praise band.  With those things in mind, I can’t wait for Sunday!!  I just want to get with my brothers and sisters to celebrate the God who gave me eternal life!!  I guess what I’m trying to say is, no matter what your views on the local church are, and how you feel about everything they do…..don’t miss out!!  Find a place, or a group of believers and celebrate Jesus together!!