by Jim Gordon
Sunday after Sunday for many years my wife and I have ‘gone to church’. We sat in a pre-planned service, being entertained, listening to one person tell us what God was saying and looking at the back of the head of the person sitting quietly in front of us.
Each week we sat there, not having the opportunity to say what was on our minds, no chance to talk and get to know our brothers and sisters sitting all around us. We were told this was good fellowship, meaningful worship, and that we would be learning more about God each week. More like learning more about that particular doctrine and belief about God from the perspective of the pastor.
Truthfully, we were getting so tired of this religious social club environment. We were not getting anything out of this experience and we certainly were not putting anything into it…..other than our money when the offering basket went past. We have become tired of the religious enterprise with its pre-planned services, the CEO and board of directors, along with the gimmicks and programs designed to ‘bring the people in’ especially when we were told to go out into the world.
We are finding that true community is believers living their daily lives with one another by caring, loving, assisting, encouraging and building one another up. This is what is known as the Church. It is fellow believers living daily for Christ, not a once a week trip to a building and sitting there for an hour.
We are followers of Christ going about our normal daily business living with Christ as our head rather than a pastor. We live as one with Christ, letting his life and love touch others each and every day. We assemble with our brothers and sisters in Christ any day, anywhere. Sunday is not the Lord’s day but every day is the day the Lord has made. God’s house is not a building where we gather with people of similar beliefs. God’s house is us, His people, those of us who have accepted His grace. We are called to love God and love our neighbor as ourselves, not just those who believe like we do.
It has been good for us to stop being part of the Sunday morning crowd at the building of our choosing. It has us looking to God more, listening for His voice and allowing the Spirit to teach us rather than one man. It has us loving and accepting people as they are, not just those who believe like us. The Church is meant to be a community, living, loving and caring for one another each and every day.
I get such great joy out of being in a grocery store and I see a mother with one or two children in the shopping cart and one walking alongside her and I overhear her children asking for items that she tells them she cannot afford. I smile at her and say hello to the children and give each of them the money to buy their snacks. It’s a small thing, but the mom is stunned that someone would do that. I then have the opportunity to give her a hug. It blesses me to have that opportunity.
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I think that is part of being the Church on a daily basis. Showing the love of God, giving to help others. Much more meaningful than sitting in a pew and putting money in an offering plate. Thanks for sharing.
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I could not have said this better. I am exactly where you and your wife are on this subject or in life, period. I am so happy not to be under manmade rules or doctrines…..feeling obligated to get out of bed every Sunday morning and go to a building called church. It became totally rote. Fantastic post. Loved it.
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Thank you Carol. We enjoy the freedom to walk daily in the love of God. Good comment.
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…ditto what Jem said…
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Thank you YellowBird.
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Good to see you posting again. Yes, how I long for the kind of fellowship you have. It’s a very precious thing.
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Thank you Jem
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