Church

As a pastor I get to listen to people and read about church all the time. I hear they are to be biotic, organic, purpose driven, lay led, lead pastor led, governed, administered, community, house, small, medium, large, mega – and that’s before turning around to look at my bookcase to add even more adjectives to the list. Nothing excites me more than getting into a rousing discussion about this. (Can you hear my sarcasm?)

On the other hand, Jesus mentions church 3 times in two different instances. I think Pascal gets credit for saying, “God made man in His image, and man returned the favor.” Maybe we have done the same thing with the church by creating an institution that was never intended.

I understand that the Bible has a lot to say about church in passages that aren’t quoting Jesus. I also do believe that church is a valuable and worthy thing. But I believe that the church of our creation has done, and is doing, incredible harm to both followers of Jesus and the commission to make even more followers of Jesus.

The problem is that we make the church the center of a spiritual life instead of Jesus. Jesus followers are told by their church to invite non-believers to church. Some of these people will enjoy church and will eventually join the club. They will start hanging out with a lot of good people which will cause them to improve their behavior too. They will do more good things and less bad things and before you know it they too will be inviting people to church.

This strategy works. Huge churches have developed using precisely this strategy. The lives of large numbers of people have been changed. And a few have even developed a relationship with Jesus.

What we are actually told to do is make followers of Jesus. Of course church plays a part in that but the focus is supposed to be on Jesus. I know it may seem like I’m nit-picking but this is a case where first-things-first really matters.

I’m a fan of the Detroit Lions football team. I like communing with other Lion’s fans. We suffer a lot and misery really does love company. We like talking, complaining, spreading rumors about, and analyzing the Lions.

In a small town not too far from here I see a bunch of motorcycles parked outside a little bar. They aren’t part of some hard core biker gang. They’re just ordinary people with a passion for motorcycles. If I had a bike I would probably join them. I don’t drink but there is something about being around people who are in love with the same thing you are. It’s encouraging, uplifting, educational, and gives us a sense of belonging.

Maybe that’s the way it is supposed to be with the church. Maybe it is supposed to be a bunch of people who gather together, NOT because someone invited them, NOT because the church sign had a pithy little saying that convicted them, and NOT because the worship team rocks and the pastor is a great communicator. Maybe church is supposed to be that place where people who have fallen in love with Jesus gather to hang out, tell stories, learn, encourage, and commune with each other.

When we put the church first it’s like inviting someone to join us because our club house is cool and not because of who Jesus is. I think it would be better to simply tell people about Jesus and know that as they fall in love with Him they too will seek out other Jesus lovers to hang out with.