Okay... just wrote a whole post, and then it didn't publish - it disappeared into the shadows somewhere. Most days I love technology, at this moment I'm not so sure!
I was reading this and this, and they made me add a postscript to my thoughts from my previous post.
I mostly wanted to say that I really don't think it is an absolutely necessary thing to attend church like a robot, whether you want to or not on any given Sunday. However, I do think that church can be a beautiful, important, and life-giving part of the week.
I've been wounded by the church a great deal over the years, and I continually find myself asking why I go back? What, you ask, is my answer to that question? It's quite simple really. I keep attending church because I meet God there.
Now, let me be clear. Church is not the be-all and end-all. I meet God in the words of a beautiful song or poem, in a stunning novel (I met Him just yesterday in an obscure passage of Prince Caspian by C.S. Lewis), in the beauty of nature that surrounds me (both in the city and out), in the words of a friend in crisis, in the tears that slip down my face when no one's looking, in my friends and family, on the bus, in the bathtub or shower (God has this odd habit of speaking to me in the shower!), in so many random and beautiful places. But, there is something beautiful about knowing that, by scheduling time for him (church) if I come with open hands and a willing heart, I will meet him in that time.
Should church attendance be mandated? No. Do I think it is important? Yes.
However, my thoughts continue to be muddled on this issue. My decision about church is just that - my decision. This is one of those issues that I think must be decided individually, between a person, and God.
Wednesday, October 05, 2005
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2 comments:
Lisa, I have read the past couple of posts... what does 'church attendance' mean? Are they the ones who stand at the back of a long building once or twice a week and help people in and out of the doorways?
Seriously, I agree with your last few statements. You need to figure out how you fit. The church is multi-faceted like it's designer. We all have journeys of discovering how we fit into the body of Christ at a local level. I think it is great that there are many out there who are exploring different expressions of living out church as well as others who stay committed to what they have known. Thankfully God pours out his grace on my journey ... on all our journeys and longs in His heart for us to discover more of his heart in people.
Paul,
I guess, when I say attendance, I mean more than just showing up. I mean that some form of meaningful interaction occurs - with God or with other people.
I'm all for different expressions - I just wonder sometimes why it feels like we're trying to reinvent the wheel. I am so much more at home at Epic than I ever was in the church I grew up in, but at the same time, don't exactly fit the mold there either.
I suppose these thoughts spring from a couple of weeks where my depression has been particularly strong, where I have been reevaluating my journey and choices for what seems like the hundredth time...there's a post on these thoughts coming soon!
Lisa
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