You've all heard it. Most of you have said it. "Church isn't a building." We think we understand in our minds that the Church is the Body of Jesus and not a building. We say the temple of the Holy Spirit is us and not the building we meet in. We say Church is an action and not a location. Yet despite all this, sometimes we still fall into the trap of thinking a building is the Church. Don't believe me? Let me ask you some questions. How many of you have heard people shout to children who were running in a church building: "NO RUNNING. Don't you know this is God's house?" WRONG. A church building is not God's house there's nothing more sacred about your steeple-crowned building than the meth lab across the street. We say we understand that "Church" is God's people and not a building or a business. But our actions speak differently. Still don't believe me? Let me ask you some more questions.
How many of you think that never going to a church building is OK? Probably not very many of you. How many of you think that you should be in the church building every time the doors are open: Sunday morning, Sunday night, and Wednesday night? How many of you also think your "church" is a priority, and missing a single sermon is to be avoided in any way possible? Probably most of you. I'd like to submit to you the idea that you've been brainwashed when it comes to what "Church" is. You see, most followers of Jesus today believe that missing a service is wrong (if not sinful) and your local church must be supported with your tithes, time, talents, and attendance. If you don't support your church or have "regular attendance", then you're dubbed "unfaithful." I don't believe that's true. I believe your local church doesn't have one tiddle of ownership over you. I believe you don't ever have to step one foot into a church building to have genuine Church. I don't believe you have any obligation whatsoever to give your local church one dime of your money or one second of your time. I believe that anytime God's children assemble together, it is Church, even if they meet in a ditch. I also don't believe that ANY church building has a right to your "tithe." You can give money wherever you want. Anytime you sew your money into hurting people, you are being generous and kind. The "church" isn't the only place you can practice financial generosity. The lie that you're "stealing from God" if you don't give money to a church building is nothing more than manipulation, control, and an attempt to get business that works on most christians.
"But Seth, what about Hebrews 10:24-25? ("And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching." NIV.) "Seth, Paul tells us that we have a duty to 'go to church' in this verse!" Um. Sorry. I don't see that. Where does he say you should go to a church building that has a steeple, a pastor, a choir, a youth group, and a missionary in Uganda? Where does he say that you should meet in a building exactly three times a week, do something called "Sunday School", sing three hymns, and then listen to a three point sermon with an altarcall at the end? HE DOES NOT. Show me one verse in the entire Bible that tells us we should "go to church" in the way we do today. There is no mention of youth groups and potlucks. There is no mention of steeples and dressing up nice. For goodness sake, the word "Pastor" appears only ONE TIME in the ENTIRE Bible. The truth is, we Christians take one verse, misinterpret it, and then make a whole doctrine out of our misinterpretation. We've made a grand scale business using our own made-up traditions and even borrowed traditions from other cultures. Then we sit back and call our man-made system the inspired Truth of God. On top of that, we say that if you do "Church" any differently than the system we've designed, you're sinning. I encourage you to look up the Greek word that is translated "church" in your bibles. You will find that the definition of the word "ekklesia" is very broad and has little to nothing to do with the way most christians do "church" today.
"But Seth, how on earth can you say all of this? How can you say there are problems with the modern 'church' structure? It's downright heretical and unorthodox!" Yes it is. And that right there is concerning to me. WHY is it heretical? Why can't I question the integrity and soundness of the Institutional church without being considered a heretic? It's because we've made "going to church" an untouchable, unquestionable, absolute requirement for believers, even though the whole infrastructure of the Institutional church is entirely a collection of traditions, largely originating in the time of Constantine and the Holy Roman Empire. I believe it's about time we start paying attention to what we're believing and doing, and asking ourselves where we get our traditions instead of blindly accepting what we're taught from a pulpit, and defending a system simply because it's been in place for a long time. And yes, the modern way most people do "church" is a system, and a business, and filled with tradition. If you still don't believe me, I highly recommend you read Frank Viola's book: Pagan Christianity?. You won't ever see the standard method of "church" the same again.
Feel free to disagree with me and question what I said in this post. I went pretty bold and straightforward this time instead of adopting a more diplomatic approach. Haha.
I was raised in church, yet when I went to college. I didn't go at all. I was so busy, I couldn't even give up a couple hours on Sunday to go. Looking back I see many mistakes I made, bad choices, that came from forsaking the fellowship of Christ (the church). You can say, I'll prayer and worship while laying on the beach, or fishing from your boat. But the truth is we don't. I don't want to be self-centered and only think of myself. I want a ministry at the church and a body of like-minded people to work with. I want to be as devoted to God's kingdom as I am my job. Sometimes, I don't want to get up and go to work, I'm tired but I go anyway. Because it's important to my family that I provide for them. Church is the same, I go joyfully sometimes and sometimes drag myself out of bed! But I go because it is important for my spiritual growth and development! Sometimes, our greatest blessings come when we force ourselves to submit our will to Christ's will. Find a ministry with the talents God has given you. Join the church, be committed. If you don't want to give your tithe, don't! It would be displeasing to God if you grudgingly give. I think though if you work in the church and see how the money supports its many ministries, you will find yourself willing to give the 10% and even more. As to the structure of the service, I find it very calming. The songs serve to direct our minds to worship and help prepare our hearts to hear the message. Loving Christ is much like loving your wife, you sometimes go places to show your dedication to pleasing them even if you'd rather do something else. I often think of my attendance to Sunday School as a wedding band, symbolically representing my commitment to Christ. Yes, that means going even when I've stayed up too late the night before. Yes, that means going even when the sun is shining and the fish are biting. It's really such a little thing, but I think it is pleasing to Christ and I'd rather please him than myself.
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