"Having Church" — the Bane of GOD's Community

I'm not sure where the idea originated, nor when it became the accepted modus oporandi, but there exists a notion that the most important thing that GOD's Community does is have church. Think about it: we invite people to our weekly events so that they can find GOD (I say we because I've done it too); we pass out flyers (new-fangled jargon for tracts) and invitations to people all over our cities so that they will attend a worship experience… the list goes on and on. Please understand, I'm not suggesting that this action is wrong, or that we should cease these efforts. My point in bringing this up is that this cannot be all that Jesus had in mind when He built His Ekklesia on the rock.


There is one aspect of this particular brand of outreach that has always made me laugh. After we put in the efforts to invite all these people to our gatherings, when they arrive—more often than not—they are completely lost as to what is going on. The worship style is far too often more centered around our personal preference rather than Messiah-focused, thus making it very difficult for those unfamiliar with our particular brand of pentecostalism to participate. Our admonitions are filled with inside baseball phrases and one-liners designed to make our inner Pentecostal run around the room with arms flailing (I've always wondered where aisle running came from; I haven't been able to find it in the Text) or some other pentecostal expression, all the while those we've invited are looking around clueless as to what is going on. On a side note, we call our expressive worship pentecostal because we claim the birth of the Church to be Acts 2, at the Feast of Pentecost. We—however—apparently miss the verse in Acts 2 that tells us that they were all sitting in the upper room when GOD poured out His Spirit. Nowhere does it say that they began to run around the room, whooping like Hollywood Indians. Sure David danced before the Lord (maybe we should've called ourselves Davidians), but he wasn't at Pentecost; not to mention, he was in his underwear and I haven't heard anyone calling for that practice. 


Please don't take me wrong, I'm not here to criticize anyone's personal expression of worship and adoration to GOD. I wholeheartedly believe and encourage expressive worship. That being said, I do wonder how much of our gyrations are nothing more than attempts to conjure GOD's Spirit. Read the story of Elijah in 1 Kings 18. There's no misunderstanding who was GOD's prophet and who were the prophets of Baal. Now, look deeper; which ones were leaping and dancing, and which one simply prayed a prayer of faith? Which prophet's GOD rained down fire and consumed the sacrifice, altar, water and everything around the altar? Was it the god of those who were having funky-chicken church (if you'll allow me a bit of poetic license), or was it the GOD of the man who prayed a simple prayer?


True worship comes from the heart, not necessarily from the twitching of the body. The power of GOD's Spirit is often times much more present in the moments when our hands are collectively raised in surrender and adoration to His Majesty than in those times when it looks like a well-dressed roller derby has taken over the church building.


Continuing on through our gatherings… after a worship set consisting of songs and pentecostal catch-phrases, our sermonizing—far too often—is centered on maintaining the Body rather than pricking the heart of the lost soul. I've raised this question before, but where in the Text does it read that preaching is to maintain the saints? Isn't that the task of teaching, or better yet, shouldn't that be accomplished through daily study and personal intimacy with GOD Himself? I wonder how many times someone who was truly seeking GOD came and sat through one of our gatherings and left more confused and just as lost, all because we wanted to have good church? In case you're wondering, I am—in fact—in favor of seeker-friendly worship experiences (or church services if that's your preference). In my understanding GOD chose the foolishness of preaching to save those who believe (by context, those who have transitioned from the state of unbelief to a state of belief). A seeker is by definition someone seeking to believe. I believe that GOD's Community should be the most friendly people a seeker has ever encountered. I also believe in being hurting-friendly, abused-friendly, sick-friendly, lost-friendly, etc.


Then there's the notion, "Bo, if you get the fire hot enough, they'll come!" Now, let's first overlook the fact that this notion is a derivative of Field of Dreams, then let's face the reality that it has no semblance of GOD's Reality. The answer to our hurting world's emptiness is not good church, it's GOD Himself.


Another pentecostalism that makes me giggle is when the preacher is preaching and drops the phrase, "Can I get an amen?" or "I wish I had help" (normally followed by the phrase "up in here"). When did GOD say for us to preach or teach for a response? And, why are you wanting help from the congregation; shouldn't you want GOD's help? Wouldn't that help have come from Him while you were studying and seeking His direction? I'm sorry, I probably should've said GAWD so that the more preachy among us would understand what I'm talking about. 


Having church is a huge problem, primarily because nowhere in the Text will you find the implication nor instruction to have church. You will—however—find numerous admonitions for those who are Spirit-baptized to be the Church. It's also a problem because having church never truly changed anyone's life. Sure, you can get people gyrating, but GOD didn't say that the foolishness of our expressed worship ever saved anyone. Nor does the Text say that the louder we scream or holler, or the faster we run, or the higher we jump, or the more funky our chicken the more of GOD's Spirit will be poured out. Sure, you may enjoy all of the above, but that doesn't mean that GOD necessarily does.


Being a peculiar people doesn't mean being freaks of nature.


So, how can we be the Church? This answer is found in the Text. Jesus said that the world would know we are His disciples by our love one to another. He also said that when we show love to those who are the least in society that we've shown love unto Him. He also said that when we visit the sick, serve the needy, clothe the naked, visit those in prison that we are actually ministering (serving) Him. Notice that He never said to visit only the sick, serve the needy, clothe the naked or visit the imprisoned who are directly connected with our local congregation.


At the close of Acts 2 we read that GOD added to the Church daily. What brought this advent about? If you take the time to dig into this verse and the surrounding context you'll find that after the infilling, those Spirit-baptized began fulfilling the Commission that Jesus gave at the close of Matthew's Gospel.


We are only the Church when we fulfill His Mission.


We fulfill His Mission when we begin to actually go… make disciples. Far too much of our outreach consists of our bringing people to us, or asking them to come to our gatherings (church services for those more traditional among us). True outreach is reaching out beyond the safety of the walls of our church buildings into the hurting world that surrounds us. We need to realize that we're not going to reach our world through crusades and conferences. We will reach our world when we begin going to where they are.


We will only be the Church when we stop simply having church.