“Here I am on a bright Sunday morning curled up in my cushy orange chair, sipping tea and loving Jesus. It’s been quite some time since Sunday morning meant getting the whole family spruced up for a church service” – These are the words from a writer, activist named Kelly Bean in her book How to Be a Christian without going to Church: The Unofficial Guide to Alternative forms of Christian Community. I have personally had a lady tell me that she “loves sitting on her back porch on Sunday mornings, with a cup of coffee, and watching Charles Stanley.” Others have said to me they “don’t do church anymore but they are just as spiritual as ever.” Are these statements true or are the people who say such things simply trying to justify their behavior? I personally think the latter. However, many “Christians” must feel this way because church attendance has been in a steady decline for several decades. Gone are the days when Christians averaged 50 out of 52 Sundays a year.
Why the lack of commitment? Lists abound with just a simple search on the internet. I made my own list by simply closing my eyes and thinking about what is happening in our culture right now. Let me share five quick excuses people will use as to why “they don’t do church.” Affluence. People have more money and money can mean freedom to travel. Three or four full weeks of vacation each year with multiple weekends added in. Blended or Single Parent Homes. When families experience divorce and the kids are in a shared custody situation, it doesn’t promote faithfulness weekly to the house of God. Cultural Shift. Western society was very religious decades ago, but these days God has very little place among the masses unless it is some fabricated deity formed in the minds of the secularists. Disappearance of Guilt. Most are no longer bothered by the guilt of missing worship. That’s a sad place to be because it points to a damaged conscience or biblical illiteracy. Self-directed Spirituality. This group is full of those much like the author referenced at the beginning of this blog. I sometimes shake my head when I hear someone in the entertainment business talk about their spiritual journey. It reminds me of a Tom T. Hall song from years ago:
“me and Jesus got our own thing goin; Me and Jesus, got it all worked out; Me and Jesus, got our own thing goin’; We don’t need anybody to tell us what it’s all about…”
The sentiment from the song is popular, but is it biblical? It is NOT! Just thought I would write that so you would know the correct answer. Being a faithful part of a church is at the heart of Christianity. The Bible is our standard for our faith and practice! Because the Bible is the standard, we look into the pages and find out what God thinks about everything including loving, attending, and serving in the church. If you read the New Testament you’ll find 33 individual churches listed on the pages. You will find 6 regional groups of sister churches found on those pages as well. The books of the New Testament shout at us church, church, church! Beginning in Acts we find the early history of the church. Romans was written to “saints” that congregated in Rome, the church. Both Corinthians were written to a church in Corinth. Galatians, written to a group of churches in the area known as Galatia. Ephesians, written to a church in Ephesus. Philippians, written to possibly Paul’s favorite church which was in the city of Philippi. Colossians, written to a church in Colossae. Both Thessalonians were written to a local church in the city of Thessalonica. First and Second Timothy were written to a young preacher instructing him how to pastor and lead the churches he would minister in. In Titus, Paul instructs another young man on how to direct the church. Philemon is a letter to a Christian man that allows the church to use his house to meet. Paul wants him to accept the return of a runaway slave and treat him as a brother. The “General Epistles” are for the admonition and instruction for all churches. Hebrews was written to Jewish Christians for instruction and to understand that Jesus is better than anything in Judaism. James has more instruction for Jewish Christians among those being persecuted. Both Peter’s were written to edify saints in various places where they congregate. I John was written to encourage saints (the churches) giving them great joy and the assurance of their salvation. II John, written to warn the church about deceivers and anti-christs. III John, written to brag on them walking in the truth as Christians, but warned of a specific man that wanted to have a prominent place which would harm them. Jude is a book we just finished walking in verse-by-verse. What was the gist of this book? We as Christians must watch for the apostates that will seek to creep in and destroy the church. The beginning of Revelation (chapters 2 & 3) tells us about seven churches in Asia Minor.
At no place in the New Testament do you find individual Christians running around doing their own thing, finding their own spirituality, their own way. The people that come to Christ always seek to do the same thing. They wish to be baptized, not to be saved, but because they are now saved. This was the door to church membership. It was an outward expression of an inward conversion. We then find them a part of a group of other believers, a church, glorifying God, learning the Word of God, fellowshipping with each other, and especially spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The original question in the blog title, “A Christian Without Church?” That makes about as much sense as a fish out of water. Both the Christian and the fish would be in heap big trouble. I close with this statement. If the church is not the place for the child of God, there is not a place. That’s biblical.