A close friend of mine wrote this and I got it today. I thought it was worth repeating. Maybe it will help clarify the positions of those who do not attend traditional churches on a regular basis.

Those who are health conscious detox their physical bodies on a regular basis. Is it time we detox our lives from the trappings of religion to become healthy in our spiritual life?


Here is the letter.

For a year now, I havent really attended a traditional church anywhere. Ive had Christian community (hate that term), and worked with a group of people that have sought to engage with people who wouldnt probably ever go to a church, regardless of how good the programs were.

Part of this year for me has been somewhat of a detox. Somewhere in the worship music, youth all-nighters, small groups, crazy games, and Bible studies, I lost it. I dont mean that I went crazy or had an emotional breakdown. I just lost something - whatever it was that made it all worth it and full of life.

A couple months ago I was at a gas station, and for some reason the nozzle wouldnt fit into my car. I tried forcing it. No avail. I thought, great, now theres something wrong with my car. I was nearly ready to send my Cavalier to an early grave when I happened to glance at the pump and realize Id been trying to put the diesel nozzle into my unleaded tank. Im glad somebody was smart enough to make those nozzles different sizes for people like me who arent smart enough to read the pump.

That has been my church experience.

In my late teen years I encountered a wild, passionate, unpredictable, powerful, humble, and altogether different person/God named Jesus. My world was turned upside down, and I approached life in a whole new way. I was a pretty radical new believer, and very few areas of my life went unchanged. I became part of a fantastic group of believers that prayed together, shared life together, and in turn had sizable impact on their peers. It was hard to be around that group and not encounter God. That was church for me - what it meant to follow Jesus.

Then I started to get involved in more traditional forms of church.

It did a lot of great things for me. It gave me a solid footing on my understanding of the Bible. I learned how to use my musical abilities to lead worship. I learned how to teach and speak in front of others. I also gained a lot of support and encouragement. A lot of good stuff.

But very slowly I began losing what made my faith so potent. Following a wild, passionate, and unpredictable Jesus had taken back seat to serving church programs and designing church services - which for the most part are tame, predictable and contrite. I convinced myself that I was just being faithful to Jesus, but the experience of God had changed to something that largely relied on good worship services rather than the excitement of finding God in the everyday and never knowing what he was going to do. By giving my life to something that didnt look very much like Jesus at all, I was actually being unfaithful to him.

Im not blaming the church, nor am I downing it. I think we can easily be sucked into the safety and security of church, rather than the risky life of mission that Jesus wants for us.

So, Ive had a year of detox to rediscover what I had lost. Like any detox, it has been a very, very hard year for me. But the funny thing is that I dont miss worship services or programs or all of the trappings of church. I miss seeing people encounter Jesus and having their worlds turned upside down.

I think Im ready to engage church again, but with a new perspective and some applied wisdom.

>>Somewhere in the worship music, youth all-nighters, small groups, crazy games, and Bible studies, I lost it.< <br>
Well, none of that is actually church, per se, in the first place.

I think many people expect church to be a sort of Second Life ( http://secondlife.com ) which provides them and their families with activities, programs, entertainment, etc. multiple times a week, week in, week out.

When church (i.e. going to church services, activities and events, not 'church' in the sense of being 'ekklesia') becomes one's main focus or, even worse, raison d'etre, it's no wonder people need to detox from church eventually. The Christian cultural ghettoisation that exists in certain parts of Christianity is, I would posit, quite contrary to the gospel of Christ.

While there is certainly merit in meeting together for worship, the isolationist attitudes of many Christians results in their presence being largely absent from the general culture and society. (As an aside, in numerous cases that's probably a good thing, when one considers the proclamations of certain types of Christians - it's probably best if supporters of Robertson, Falwell, etc. are cocooned in their charismaniac, fundiegelical ghettos, rather than spreading their message).

But, that aside, Christians need to be out in society, being Christ to those who don't know him or don't acknowledge him - and this does NOT mean beating people over the head with Bibles, or particular verses from Bibles, but rather portraying the fruits of the spirit and being ready to answer for their faith when/if called upon.

If this post is too tangential to the direction you were going, Mark, please advise and I may start a new one...

Steven,

What do you think is the Christian life, and what is the church for?

We know you don't like Holdeman, redneck, southern or bible belt Christianity, but how do you know what is the right Christianity?

Brent

Steven,
I was not going in any specific direction. I agree that believers should not be sitting on the side lines per se but should be active in society and culture. I don't think that was the intent of the post.

Where I differ with most people is I don't call a building or a specific meeting place a "church". Your life should be an outflow of what is happening internally. Church is a state of "being" not a location. People should be detoxed from going "to" church. We are supposed to "be" the church. The "church" is not "for" the believer.

I should get off my "high horse" but when someone sees though the garbage and works though it (like my friend did) I rejoice. It will be very difficult for a person like him to subject himself again to drinking tepid stale water after drinking cool refreshing water straight from the well. It doesn't get better than that!

Mark, you have a good thread going. More people need to anaylize their relationship to Jesus to the extent that is it still is as when a person accepted Jesus as their personal Saviour. If you don't know what Mark is talking about, start questioning things. calledoutPTL

Mark
I have been in and out of a Few churches since I left the H. The Most important as I see is that you get close to and communicate with your Savviour. Then I am sure he will lead you to a group where you will fit in.
Herman

Mark: I think you and I are probably saying similar things, but maybe in different words and from somewhat different perspectives.

Brent:

The 'church' in the sense of a physical space and organised structure should exist for a variety of reasons, including 1) to offer worship to God, through Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit, 2) to equip its members to function as ambassadors for Christ and carry the gospel into the world - wherever it may take them, whether it be in the workforce, or in social outreach, or whatever 3) to speak and advocate on behalf of the marginalised in society and to fight against injustice and abuse.

As Mark said:

>>Your life should be an outflow of what is happening internally. Church is a state of "being" not a location. People should be detoxed from going "to" church. We are supposed to "be" the church. The "church" is not "for" the believer.< <br>
I would largely agree with that, although I do believe that there is a place for the church as a physical space and organised structure as above, particularly as a means to an end. That is, by its worship, teaching and witness, the church (organisation) enables the church (state of being).

What I was trying to say is that the church should not be an inward-looking social club, where people go to avoid being in contact with non-Christians.

I think you and I are probably saying similar things, but maybe in different words and from somewhat different perspectives.

I agree.

I am not against believers assembling together to worship and encourage or even to unite efforts. I am against calling that assembly "church". We should not think of going "to" church, we are to "be" the church. The bible would more appropriately call that assembly a part of the body of believers.

Refreshing!

I had pulled back some lately after a series of setbacks. That has resulted in fewer posts from me here and lots of days where I don't even check in...

Kind of been feeling a little Job like.

But then today I taught Sunday school without the Mrs.

Now teaching one and two-year-olds can be life changing on the teacher. Today there were only three in class. The lesson started out counting the ten people on a page. None of these kids knew how to count. Then had a story and none of these kids showed any interest. Next we moved on to color our page of people, one showed promise. And then we got to glue two fish onto the pages. You have not lived until you put a glue stick in the hand of a one year old in their Sunday best! Lastly we had gold fish crackers. Along the way I had a boy with a death-grip on me for most of the hour, got to change three diapers, and pick smashed crackers out of the carpet.

But the best part was I got to meet a exchange student, Abbas, and watch as he learned to volunteer with the kids. He was so talkative about all the good he was seeing in people with his faith.

Have you ever spent time thinking about how blessed you are with what God has called you to do? Take a look around you and listen as someone tells you about what crazy things God has asked them to do. What you feel is 'way-out-there' in what God has asked you to do should seem more calm.

Look around at all the people trying to work out their salvation. Then ask yourself just how you got to where you are. You might feel refreshed too.