As someone who has been interested in the “emerging conversation”, and believe that there is a lot wrong with the model of institutional church we find in western society, I’ve been forced to reconsider whether or not “going to church” as an activity is still something I ought to be doing. It’s been important for me to attempt to separate out the feelings of obligation or habit that come from attending a church service on Sunday mornings for essentially the entirety of my life. I haven’t needed to wrestle with whether or not discipleship and ministry should happen in community: that seems to me to be self-evident. But whether or not attending a regular church service is integral to working out my faith has become an important question for me. For the sake of clarity, my church service occurs on Sunday mornings. I don’t believe that it needs to; it just does. So when I refer to Sunday mornings, the day, time and details is flexible.
1. Sunday Morning is my primary point of contact with wider church
Most of the people I walk closely with, I tend to see during the week. My youth group kids, my small group (although circumstances have changed a bit recently there), my mentor-type person, etc. But if I’m going to have any sort of input, interaction or connection outside of the people in my immediate “circles”, it has the best chance of happening by rocking up on the Sunday morning and chatting with people.
2. Being part of a wider community
Rocking up on a Sunday morning has been a constant remider for me that the picture of ministry in our church is much bigger than the things that I do. It connects me with a church who is out-working their faith in many varied ways, and reinforces the point that we’re all pushing to further the same kingdom. It wouldn’t be uncommon for happenings (whether positive or negative) in the youth group to become overwhelming in their importance in my mind, and being able to step back from them and recognize the vastness of the work of the kingdom, even feeling that the last hope for our teenagers doesn’t rest on my shoulders. It has been the most valuable reality check and certainly helps to shift my focus back onto letting God work.
3. There’s just something about…
Worshiping. Hearing a sermon even. Taking communion with 200 odd people (and I do mean odd). Standing together with a community of people and sharing a wider mission together. One of the things I miss about not being in an Anglican church (and haven’t been since I was 13), is that it’s much rarer for us to speak a prayer together. And there’s something special about joining together in worship, in prayer, and affirming the same beliefs together.
4. Being Equipped
I know it’s not the fashionable thing, but I do enjoy a good sermon. Sometimes I even enjoy average ones. And while the old war horse cliche about people never being able to remember what was preached on a Sunday, I do think that I develop and grow through the words preached in sermons. And it’s a part of growing my theological thinking that I don’t control myself: which is a good thing for someone who wants to be very careful about not creating a picture of God that’s “whatever is best for me”.
So that’s my list. Or some of my list. There are more reasons, better reasons, and probably even truer reasons. What reasons do you have for going/not going to church?
4 Comments
As long as I don’t confuse Sunday morning with Church, I love it!
I’ve been an elder or in some other significant leadership role since the early 90’s but not this past year and I have to say it has been great. Not worrying about the workings of the institution and simply enjoying the community has been life-giving.
Anyway, I love about Sunday morning. Joseph Myers, in The Search To Belong, identifies value to connect in public, social, personal, and intimate spaces.
The Sunday event is like the public space. There is something wonderful about going to a football game to be with your mates right? You may only know a small number in the crowd but you feel camaraderie with all those cheering for your team. Or a political party - you may never have met with any of the others in the party but you are connected and passionate about your common cause. Etc.
So yes to all you said and more - if nothing else, just the ’spirit’ of the thing.
Yessir, I like what you’re saying Geoff (I’ve realised I don’t post a comment if I don’t disagree to some extent, leaving the poster perhaps wondering what happened there…)
Lock it in, just go: then enjoy the different connections each week.
Also, ‘bad’ sermons are opportunities for me to rethink my consumerist perspective on church: if the Word is being spoken publicly, or somone’s sharing thoughts or testimony, there’s something for me to learn. I think to walk away untouched is indicative of somethink like arrogance in me.
somethink??? oh dear.
Quote:
the old war horse cliche about people never being able to remember what was preached on a Sunday
I think this is a oft-heard fallacy. Even a bad sermon will be remembered and have effect at a deep level.
It’s just like when you first went to Starbucks: You don’t remember where you first heard of it, and you’ve no idea what was said, but it stuck somewhere in the back of your brain. It altered who you are in a minute way.
In the same way, all sermons, good or bad, agree or disagree, alter you. Hearing someone preach is always a good thing.