A friend read one of my prior blogs and suggested I write on
why I go to church. She stated that since church attendance is declining in the
United States, my family and I are “counter-cultural”, and I should write about
that.
Hmm…I’ve never considered myself or my family
counter-cultural.
For me, attending church is a way of life: I don’t wake up
on Sunday mornings wondering if I should go to church just as I don’t wake up
during the week questioning if I should go to work. Five days a week I go to
work, one day a week is somewhat open, and one day a week I go to church. Those
decisions are already made.
The main reason I attend church is because I want to
strengthen my spiritual life, and church is my foundation for that pursuit. One
day a week, I pray, sing, and listen to a sermon that will challenge me to
model my life more closely with the life of Jesus. It’s a weekly spiritual
tune-up that sets the tone for the rest of the week and keeps me committed to daily
spiritual disciplines.
Another friend of mine is a committed Christ-follower, but
not a church goer. If she were proofing this blog, she would note that one
doesn’t have to attend church to follow Jesus. And I believe she is correct.
But it’s a lot harder to do something alone than with
others. If I had to rely on myself to apply the Gospel of Christ to my life,
I’d probably get distracted and disoriented.
My scheduled tune-up provides guidance, support, and friends to share it
with.
Lots of people I love are not in the church world, so I’ve
heard most of the criticism that’s out there:
·
Throughout
history, the church has done awful things in the name of God. True. No one
can erase this history, but a balanced view shows the church has also been
extravagant in meeting the needs of people who suffer. I feel I can best
influence the church for good by being part of it.
·
The church
isn’t relevant to my life. Some churches may not be relevant or
mission-focused, but it’s unfair to lump all of them into that one category.
·
I know
some pious people who attend church but are still generally unkind people. Me
too. I avoid letting them influence me. I also know people who are not
religious but are caring, ethical, kind people.
For every church that’s not following its mission, there are
many more comprised of good, solid people trying to understand God’s presence
in their life. I choose to journey
through life with them, and it’s been the right decision for me and my family.
And I have the privilege of working for an institution that is a coalition of
41 churches (Christian Community Service Center) who set aside theological
differences to help the poor in our community. I see firsthand how churches
enhance their communities.
