CHURCH! Say that word amongst many and they look at you as if you just cursed them. Unfortunately, "church" has generated such a negative stigma within our generation. Truth of the matter is, "church" is not what is should be. Opposed to serving as a vessel of love and encouragement, the "church" has served as the core of pain and judgement for many of us. The problem is, too many of us know CHURCH and not enough of us know GOD. Many of us HATE even the thought of church as tradition and doctrine has forced us to put God in this little box. The reality of living for Christ is that walking alone AINT easy!!!!! I remember when I first dedicated my life to Christ at the age of 16, I was sooo lost. Yes, I was a member of a church, and had been raised in the church since I was 5 years old, but all I knew was CHURCH, I didn't know GOD. I felt alone in my walk. I either had people that were "TOO RADICAL" (you know what I mean) or "NOT RADICAL ENOUGH"! It was tuff. I dedicate this blog to those of us who have grown weary of the "church", and I would really like for you to hear me out on this matter.
Now Church vs. Then church (What was/is the purpose of "church"? )
Let us first define CHURCH. We know church as a building...or a gathering of people coming together to worship. This holds partial truth. The word "church" stems from the Greek word, "ekklesia" which means to assemble. In our Bible, anytime that the word "ekklesia"/church was used, it was referring to a group of individuals assembling for a particular purpose or cause, not necessarily a religious cause. The original intent for assembling together for religious purposes biblically was for individuals to come together to encourage each other, admit their faults to one another for the sake of accountability, and to worship our God collectively. It is written, and it is fact that when at least two are gathered, in His name, the results and accountability are THAT much greater! True, BUT the "church", is not limited to a building, denomination, or day of the week! We have made the church this place where we go to be entertained, show off the latest fashions, boast about our talents, and condemn others for them not being who we think they should be. #FAIL. What about when I am hurting longing for someone to lean on? What about when I need a hug? What about when God has touched my heart to assist with the finances of a hurting family? What about when I use my gift to sincerely worship God and edify His Kingdom opposed to being seen and to show off? What about the questions that I have on some of the things that I don't quite understand in the bible? THAT is the purpose of "church". The "church" should serve as a family. A support system. In areas that I'm weak, you may be strong, and in areas that we're weak together, we can lean on our fellow brothers and sisters as they love us and want nothing but our happiness. It is NOT a competition. We're all in this thing called LIFE together.
"I understand it's that good to come together , but does that mean that I have to go to a building every Sunday? I mean, there's online church, telechurch, church on TV...I shouldn't have to actually GO to church right? "
Right, you shouldn't have to actually GO to church, BUT it is extremely important! Here's why:
For starters, we become distracted. I work from home A LOT, and sometimes I have to make myself go to Starbucks or the nearest library to work simply because I KNOW that being home, I can't truly focus. I'm distracted by my kitchen, my social networking, the constant buzz of my phone, and this list is endless! It's also something about being surrounded by other working professionals. It motivates me, challenges me, and gives me more UMPH to want to strive higher! That's the feeling I get at church. Nothing like being surrounded by other believers who serve the same God, and have the same goal of loving God and loving people while trying to get a grip on this life! There is a reason that God desires for us to ASSEMBLE opposed to strictly functioning off of watching the word on TV or reading the bible at home. That's simply not enough to keep us.
Does that mean that you actually have to go to a church building?
NO. Mary Fairchild, a great blogger, says it best "Unity in the body of Christ does not mean total conformity and uniformity. Although maintaining unity in the body is very important, it is also vital to value the unique qualities that make each of us an individual "part" of the body. Both aspects, unity and individuality, deserve emphasis and appreciation. This makes for a healthy church body, when we remember that Christ is our common denominator. He makes us one." Some of us will be traveling the world serving God as we serve others. Some of us will be faithful servants to a church that serves as outreach for the community. Others may be a part of lunch gatherings, bible studies, conferences and outreaches held in coffee shops, restaurants, campuses, living rooms, etc. Does the location matter? No, but what DOES matter is that you gather SOMEWHERE...and SOMEWHERE frequently. It's also important to remember that before you lead, you MUST serve, and that everyone is not called to HEAD these movements and establishments. Our leaders are put into place for a reason, and their purpose serves GREAT importance in our lives otherwise God would not have called them to lead. The same way that everyone is not anointed to sing, or to be an architect, everyone is not called to lead a flock of servants. Join an outreach group, telechurch movement, skype gathering. Be sure to be LED by God, and also to ensure that you are embracing the purpose of your gathering. Worship together. Laugh together. Discuss aspects of the bible together. Uplift each other. Hold each other accountable. The Body of Christ is ONE body, and everyone has their part to play. 1 Corinthians 12 breaks it down best when stating that "the body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts, and all of it's parts are many, they form one body." So should it be with the body of Christ. Everyone has a distinct and significant role to play, and each role is not necessarily fulfilled in a BUILDING per se, but we must not neglect the power and importance of unity and togetherness.
NO. I know many debate the "Sabbath", and I am not here to debate it. I will say this: when God created the Earth, there was no concept of time in regards to the days of the week. He rested on the 7th day, true, but the name of the the 7th day and the time frame of the day itself was created by man. Originally the Roman nundinal calendar had 8 days! But after further studies of light/darkness and the position of the sun in retrospect to the planets the Romans decided that 7 days was good enough. The Greeks decided to name these days, and they named them after greek "gods". So understand that what we embrace is a system created by man, not God.. That being said, it's irrelevant what day you choose to gather..Sunday, Tuesday, Friday..who cares?! I think God is more concerned with the matters of your heart and the effectiveness of coming together opposed the particulars of the day.
"Well, I'm not going to a church. All they want is money anyway, and everyone is fake."
If that's the nature of your church, then THAT church is certainly not for you. I STRONGLY recommend commitment, connecting, and covering to the RIGHT church/ministry. A church should be nothing but an outreach center to the community (believers and NON believers). All churches don't have a mass budget to do what they would like to do in the community, but as long as they contribute where they can, it's a good church to be a part of. Feeding the poor, tending to the sick, embracing the sinner (the person), helping each other, that's OUR job as a church and these are things that churches should be doing!
"All my church wants is my money."
It is unfortunate that many churches have strayed far from it's purpose, and these are not the churches for you. Understand, however, that it takes money to run a ministry! How else will you fund outreach? How will the bills get paid? How can we support those individuals on missions overseas? How can we offer counseling and other service? $$$$$$$$$$$ Cha-Ching! It would be nice to go home everyday and turn on the lights and use the bathroom without ever having to pay a single dime! It's doesn't work like that though. I understand that sometimes the constant pressure of giving this amount or that amount this many times and that many times is a pain. Here's my cure for that. I give from my heart. God honors my heart. If for some reason the ministry that I sow into chooses to do things with my money that are not permitted by God, they have to deal with God! I did my part. And if for some reason that ministry questions my giving from my heart and says that it's not enough, that's probably not the right ministry for me. It's great for ministries to teach on giving, not to NAG about it.
BOTTOM LINE:
Modern day church has a lot of work to do, true, but it starts with us as individuals. Don't neglect the body of Christ because of our past experiences, and don't underestimate the power of gathering. WE are the church, and WE have to be the difference. I encourage you to find a ministry that suits you, no matter how big/small, regardless of the location or day of the week. SERVE. Instead of condemning the church, pray for the church. Be what the church should be. Show the world who GOD is and not what CHURCH is.
Thank you for hearing my heart on this matter :)
~Aleshia
***this is such a broad topic. Here is another great blog that also offers a dynamic insight on this matter.
http://www.thebookofcornelius.blogspot.com/2011/10/is-current-church-model-working.html
Sn: I would like to leave you with this video:
***this is such a broad topic. Here is another great blog that also offers a dynamic insight on this matter.
http://www.thebookofcornelius.blogspot.com/2011/10/is-current-church-model-working.html
Sn: I would like to leave you with this video:
